Set 20

disjointed |dɪsˈdʒɔɪntɪd|

adjective

lacking a coherent sequence or connection: piecing together disjointed fragments of information.

DERIVATIVES

disjointedly adverb,
disjointedness noun

disjoint |dɪsˈdʒɔɪnt|

verb [ with obj. ]

1 disturb the cohesion or organization of: the loss of the area disjointed military plans.

2 dated take apart at the joints. disjoint a six-pound fowl, put in a pot, and simmer until tender.

adjective
Mathematics(of two or more sets) having no elements in common.

ORIGIN late Middle English (as an adjective in the

sense ‘disjointed’): from Old French desjoint

‘separated’, from the verb desjoindre (see disjoin) .

disjointed

adjective

1 a disjointed series of impressions in her mind:unconnected, disconnected, without unity, disunited,

discontinuous, fragmented, fragmentary, disorganized,disordered, muddled, mixed up, jumbled, garbled,incoherent, confused, fitful, erratic, spasmodic, patchy, scrappy, bitty, piecemeal; rambling, wandering, aimless, directionless.

2 the blast left him a twisted assembly of disjointed limbs: dislocated, displaced, dismembered, disconnected,severed, separated, disarticulated, torn apart.

connect |kəˈnɛkt|

verb [ with obj. ]

1 bring together or into contact so that a real or notional link is established: the electrodes were connected to a recording device | (as adj.connected) : a connected series of cargo holds.

• join together so as to provide access and communication: all the buildings are connected by

underground passages | [ no obj. ] : the motorway connects with major routes from all parts of the country.

• link to a power or water supply: by 1892 most of the village had been connected to the mains.

• put (someone) into contact by telephone: I was quickly connected to the police.

• [ no obj. ] (of a train, bus, aircraft, etc.) be timed to arrive at its destination just before another train, bus,etc., departs so that passengers can transfer: the bus connects with trains from Windermere station | (as adj.connecting) : we missed the connecting flight to the USA.

2 associate or relate (something) in some respect: employees are rewarded with bonuses connected to their firm's performance | jobs connected with the environment.

• provide or have a link or relationship with: there was no evidence to connect Jefferson with the theft | [ no obj. ] : the desire for religious faith connects up with profound needs at the core of our existence.

• [ no obj. ] form a relationship or feel an affinity: he can't connect with anyone any more.

3 [ no obj. ] informal (of a blow) hit the intended target: the blow connected and he felt a burst of pain.

DERIVATIVES

connectable adjective,

connectedly adverb,

connectedness noun

ORIGIN late Middle English (in the sense ‘be united

physically’; rare before the 18th cent.): from Latin

connectere, from con- ‘together’ + nectere ‘bind’.

connect

verb

1 the electrodes were connected to a recording device: attach, join, fasten, fix, affix, couple, link, bridge, secure, make fast, tie, tie up, bind, fetter, strap, rope, tether, truss, lash, hitch, moor, anchor, yoke, chain;stick, tape, adhere, glue, bond, cement, fuse, weld, solder; pin, peg, screw, bolt, rivet, batten, pinion, clamp, clip, hook (up); add, append, annex, subjoin;

technical concatenate. ANTONYMS disconnect.

2 there are lots of customs connected with Twelfth Night: associate, link, couple; identify, equate, bracket, compare; think of something together with, think of something in connection with; relate to, mention in the same breath as, set side by side with; draw a parallel with. ANTONYMS dissociate.

smooth |smuːð|

adjective

1 having an even and regular surface; free from perceptible projections, lumps, or indentations: smooth flat rocks | his face was curiously smooth and youthful.

• (of a liquid) with an even consistency; without lumps: cook gently until the sauce is smooth.

• (of the sea or another body of water) without heavy waves; calm: the smooth summer sea.

• denoting the face of a tennis or squash racket without the projecting loops from the stringing process (used as a call when the racket is spun to decide the right to serve first or to choose ends).

2 (of movement) without jerks: the trucks gave a smooth ride | graphics are excellent, with fast, smooth scrolling.

• (of an action, event, or process) without problems or difficulties: the group's expansion into the US market was not quite so smooth.

3 (of a person or their manner) suavely charming in a way regarded as possibly insincere: his voice was infuriatingly smooth.

4 (of food or drink) without harshness or bitterness: a lovely, smooth, very fruity wine.

verb(also smoothe) [ with obj. ]

1 give (something) a flat, regular surface or appearance: she smoothed out the newspaper | you can

use glasspaper to smooth the joint.

• modify (a graph, curve, etc.) so as to lessen irregularities: values are collected over a long period of time so that fluctuations are smoothed out.

2 deal successfully with (a problem or difficulty): these doctrinal disputes were smoothed over.

• free (a course of action) from difficulties or problems: a conference would be held to smooth the way for the establishment of the provisional government.

DERIVATIVES

smoothable adjective,

smoother noun,

smoothish adjective

adjective

1 they lay down to sunbathe on the smooth flat rocks: even, level, flat, as flat as a pancake, plane, flush, unwrinkled, featureless; polished, burnished, glossy, shiny, glassy, sheeny, lustrous, sleek, silky, satiny; ANTONYMS uneven, rough, dull.

2 his face was smooth and youthful: clean-shaven, smooth-shaven, hairless. ANTONYMS rough, hirsute.

3 a lovely smooth sauce: creamy, whipped, velvety, of an even consistency. ANTONYMS lumpy.

4 a smooth sea: calm, still, tranquil, placid, serene, undisturbed, unruffled, even, flat, glassy, mirror-like, waveless, dead calm, like a millpond. ANTONYMS rough, choppy.

5 electronic and other high-tech components ensure the smooth running of the equipment: steady, regular, rhythmic, uninterrupted, unbroken, flowing, frictionless, fluid, fluent. ANTONYMS irregular, jerky.

6 the smooth working of the world economy: straightforward, easy, effortless, trouble-free, untroubled, well ordered, simple; plain sailing.ANTONYMS fraught.

7 a smooth wine: mellow, mild, agreeable, pleasant, bland, soft, soothing. ANTONYMS harsh, bitter.

8 Mozart loved the smooth, resonant tone of the clarinet: dulcet, soft, soothing, mellow, sweet, sweet-sounding, sweet-toned, pretty, silvery, honeyed, mellifluous, melodious, musical, lilting, lyrical, harmonious, euphonious; ANTONYMS raucous.

9 Hogan was a smooth, confident Foreign Office man: suave, urbane, sophisticated, polished, debonair, courteous, gracious, smooth-tongued, glib, persuasive, slick, oily, ingratiating, unctuous; informal smarmy.ANTONYMS gauche.

verb

1 pour the mixture into the lined tin and smooth the surface | she stood up and smoothed out her dress: flatten, make flat, level, make level, level out, level off, make even, even off, even out, press (down), roll, steamroll, iron, plane, make uniform, make regular, regularize.

2 the diplomats have apologized and made every effort to smooth over the situation: settle, resolve, patch up, sort out, iron out, put to rights, mend, remedy, heal, cure, rectify.

3 a plan for smoothing the conversion of the power stations from coal to gas: ease, make easy, make easier, facilitate, clear the way for, pave the way for, smooth the way for, open the door for, expedite, assist, aid, help, help along, oil, oil the wheels of, lubricate.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT WORD

smooth, urbane, slick, glib

united |juˈnʌɪtɪd|

adjective

joined together politically, for a common purpose, or by common feelings: women acting together in a united way.

• Brit.used in names of soccer and other sports teams formed by amalgamation: Oxford United.

DERIVATIVES

unitedly adverb

unite |juːˈnʌɪt|

verb

come or bring together for a common purpose or action: [ no obj. ] : he called on the party to unite | [ with obj. ] : they are united by their love of cars.

• come or bring together to form a whole: [ no obj. ] : the two Germanys officially united |
[ with obj. ] : his work unites theory and practice.

• [ with obj. ] archaic join in marriage: Lady Midlothian united herself to a man of bad character.

DERIVATIVES

unitive |ˈjuːnɪtɪv| adjective

ORIGIN late Middle English: from Latin unit- ‘joined together’, from the verb unire, from unus ‘one’.

united

adjective

1 a united Germany: unified, integrated, consolidated, amalgamated, joined, merged, banded together;

federal, federated, confederate. ANTONYMS divided, separated.

2 the parties must decide on a united response to the proposals: common, shared, joint, combined, corporate, mutual, communal, allied, cooperative, collective, collaborative, aggregate, undivided, solid, consistent, concerted, pooled, cross-party. ANTONYMS different.

3 they were united in their views: in agreement, agreed, in unison, of the same opinion, of the same mind, of like mind, like-minded, at one, as one, in accord, in concord, unanimous, in sympathy, in rapport, in harmony, in unity, shoulder to shoulder. ANTONYMS disagreeing, differing.

unite

verb

1 what the land needs is a champion, someone to unite the people and restore order: unify, join, link, connect, combine, amalgamate, fuse, integrate, weld, bond, stick together, bring together, knit together; glue, cement, coalesce. ANTONYMS divide, separate.

2 environmentalists and union activists united to demand changes: join together, join forces, combine, associate, band together, club together, ally, cooperate, collaborate, work together, act together, pull together, get together, team up, go into partnership, work side by side, pool resources; informal gang up.ANTONYMS split.

3 in his designs he sought to unite comfort with elegance: merge, mix, blend, mingle, combine, synthesise, , admix, intermix, commingle, homogenise.

grandiose |ˈgrandɪəʊs|

adjective

extravagantly or pretentiously imposing in appearance or style: the court's grandiose facade.

• conceived on a very grand or ambitious scale: grandiose plans to reform the world.

DERIVATIVES

grandiosely adverb,

grandiosity |-ˈɒsɪti| noun

ORIGIN mid 19th cent.: from French, from Italian

grandioso, from grande ‘grand’.

grandiose

adjective

1 the grandiose town hall: magnificent, impressive,grand, imposing, awe-inspiring, splendid, resplendent,superb, striking, monumental, majestic, glorious, elaborate; palatial, stately, large; luxurious, lavish, opulent; informal plush, classy, swanky, flashy, flash.ANTONYMS unimpressive, humble.

2 a grandiose plan of urban renewal: ambitious, bold, epic, big; overambitious, ostentatious, showy,

extravagant, high-flown, high-sounding, flamboyant; ANTONYMS modest,humble.

affect 1 |əˈfɛkt|

verb [ with obj. ]

have an effect on; make a difference to: the dampness began to affect my health | [ with clause ] : your attitude will affect how successful you are.

• touch the feelings of; move emotionally: he was visibly affected by the tragedy.

ORIGIN late Middle English (in the sense ‘attack as a disease’): from French affecter or Latin affect-

‘influenced, affected’, from the verb afficere .

usage: Affect and effect are quite different in meaning, though frequently confused. Affect is

primarily a verb meaning ‘make a difference to’, as in their gender need not affect their career. Effect, on the other hand, is used both as a noun and a verb, meaning ‘a result’ as a noun ( move the cursor until you get the effect you want) or ‘bring about a result’ as a verb ( growth in the economy can only be effected by stringent economic controls).

affect 2 |əˈfɛkt|

verb [ with obj. ]

pretend to have or feel (something): as usual I affected a supreme unconcern | [ with infinitive ] : a book that affects to loathe the modern world.

• use, wear, or assume (something) pretentiously or so as to make an impression on others: an Anglophile who had affected a British accent.

ORIGIN late Middle English: from French affecter or Latin affectare ‘aim at’, frequentative of afficere ‘work

on, influence’, from ad- ‘at, to’ + facere ‘do’. The original sense was ‘like, love’, hence ‘(like to) use,

assume, etc.’.

affect 3 |ˈafɛkt|

noun [ mass noun ] Psychology

emotion or desire as influencing behaviour.

!DERIVATIVES

affectless adjective,

affectlessness noun

affect 1

verb

1 the climate was likely to be affected by greenhouse gas emissions: influence, exert influence on, have an effect on, act on, work on, condition, touch, have an impact on, impact on, take hold of, attack, infect, strike, strike at, hit; change, alter, modify, transform, form, shape, control, govern, determine, decide, guide, sway, bias. ANTONYMS be unaffected.

!2 she had been deeply affected by her parents' divorce: upset, trouble, hit hard, overwhelm, devastate, damage, hurt, pain, grieve, sadden, distress, disturb, perturb, agitate, shake, shake up, stir; move, touch, tug at someone's heartstrings; make an impression on;

informal knock for six, knock back, bowl over, throw, faze, get to. ANTONYMS be unaffected, be indifferent to.

affect 2

verb

1 he deliberately affected a republican stance: assume, put on, take on, adopt, like, have a liking for, embrace, espouse.

2 she affected a small frown of concentration: pretend, feign, fake, counterfeit, sham, simulate, fabricate, give the appearance of, make a show of, make a pretence of, play at, go through the motions of; informal put on;

awkward |ˈɔːkwəd|

adjective

1 causing difficult; hard to do or deal with: some awkward questions | the wheelbarrow can be awkward to manoeuvre.

• deliberately unreasonable or uncooperative: you're being damned awkward!

2 causing or feeling uneasy embarrassment or inconvenience: he had put her in a very awkward position | she felt awkward alone with him.

3 not smooth or graceful; ungainly: Luther's awkward movements impeded his progress.

• uncomfortable or abnormal: make sure the baby isn't sleeping in an awkward position.

DERIVATIVES

awkwardly adverb

ORIGIN late Middle English (in the sense ‘the wrong way round, upside down’): from dialect awk‘backwards, perverse, clumsy’ (from Old Norse afugr ‘turned the wrong way’) + -ward.

awkward

adjective

1 one of the most awkward jobs is painting a ceiling: difficult, tricky; Brit. informal fiddly. ANTONYMS easy, straightforward.

2 the box was heavy and awkward to carry: cumbersome, unwieldy, unhandy; informal a devil; vulgar slang a bugger, a bastard; rare cumbrous, lumber-some.

3 I'm sorry to call at such an awkward time: inconvenient, difficult, inappropriate, inopportune,

unfortunate; archaic unseasonable. ANTONYMS convenient.

4 he had put her in a very awkward position: embarrassing, uncomfortable, unpleasant, delicate,

ticklish, tricky, sensitive, problematic, problematical, troublesome, perplexing, thorny, vexatious;

humiliating, compromising; informal sticky, dicey, hairy, cringeworthy, cringe-making; Brit. informal

dodgy; N. Amer. informal gnarly.

5 she felt awkward alone with him: embarrassed, self conscious, uncomfortable, ill at ease, uneasy, tense, nervous, edgy, unrelaxed, strained; rare unquiet. ANTONYMS relaxed, at ease.

6 he was long-legged and rather awkward | his awkward movements: clumsy, ungainly, uncoordinated, maladroit, graceless, ungraceful, inept, inelegant, unskillful, unhandy, gauche, gawky, gangling, blundering, lumbering, cloddish; wooden, stiff; coltish; informal clod hopping,  ANTONYMS graceful, adroit.

7 Brit. you're being damned awkward: unreasonable, uncooperative, unhelpful, difficult, annoying,

obstructive, unaccommodating, refractory, disobliging, contrary, perverse, tiresome, exasperating, trying;stubborn, obstinate; ANTONYMS amenable, cooperative.

Rhetoric |ˈrɛtərɪk|

noun [ mass noun ]

the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the exploitation of figures of speech and other compositional techniques. he is using a common figure of rhetoric, hyperbole.

• language designed to have a persuasive or impressive effect, but which is often regarded as lacking in sincerity or meaningful content: all we have from the Opposition is empty rhetoric.

ORIGIN Middle English: from Old French rethorique, via Latin from Greek rhētorikē (tekhnē) ‘(art) of rhetoric’, from rhētōr ‘rhetor’.

Rhetoric

noun

1 he was considered to excel in this form of rhetoric:oratory, eloquence, power of speech, command of language, expression, way with words, delivery, diction.

2 there is a good deal of rhetoric in this field: bombast, loftiness, turgidity, grandiloquence, magniloquence, ornateness, portentousness, pomposity, boastfulness, boasting, bragging, heroics, hyperbole, extravagant language, purple prose, pompousness, sonorousness; windiness, wordiness, verbosity, prolixity; informal hotair; rare tumidity.

cogent |ˈkəʊdʒ(ə)nt|

adjective

(of an argument or case) clear, logical, and convincing. they put forward cogent arguments for British

membership. the newspaper's lawyers must prepare a cogent appeal.

DERIVATIVES

cogently adverb

ORIGIN mid 17th cent.: from Latin cogent ‘compelling’, from the verb cogere, from co- ‘together’

+ agere ‘drive’.

cogent

adjective

a cogent argument: convincing, compelling, strong, forceful, powerful, potent, weighty; valid, sound, well founded, plausible, effective, efficacious, telling; impressive, persuasive, irresistible, eloquent, credible, influential, conclusive, unanswerable, authoritative; logical, reasoned, well reasoned, rational, reasonable, lucid, coherent, well organized, systematic, orderly, methodical, clear, articulate, consistent, relevant.ANTONYMS vague; unconvincing; muddled.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT WORD

cogent, valid, sound

weighty

adjective

1 a weighty tome of rules and regulations: heavy, massive, thick, bulky, hefty, cumbersome, clumsy,

ponderous, overweight. ANTONYMS light.

2 a weighty subject: important, of great import importance, significant, of significance, momentous, of moment, consequential, of consequence, far-reaching, key, major, vital, critical, crucial, life-and-death, high priority, decisive, serious, grave, solemn; no joke, no laughing matter. ANTONYMS unimportant, trivial.

3 it is a rather weighty responsibility to shoulder: burdensome, onerous, heavy, oppressive, stressful,

taxing, troublesome, worrisome, vexatious.
4 weighty arguments: compelling, cogent, strong, forceful, powerful, potent, convincing, plausible,

effective, efficacious, effectual, sound, valid, well founded, telling; impressive, persuasive, influential, authoritative. ANTONYMS weak.

weighty |ˈweɪti|

adjective (weightier, weightiest)

weighing a great deal; heavy: a weighty tome.

• of great seriousness and importance: he threw off all weighty considerations of state.

• having a great deal of influence on events or decisions. the evidence for proprietorial interference has become even more weighty.

DERIVATIVES

weightily adverb,

weightiness noun

dissuade |dɪˈsweɪd|

verb [ with obj. ]

persuade (someone) not to take a particular course of action: his friends tried to dissuade him from flying.

DERIVATIVES

dissuader noun,

dissuasion |-ˈsweɪʒ(ə)n| noun,

dissuasive |-ˈsweɪsɪv| adjective

ORIGIN late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘advise against’):from Latin dissuadere, from dis- (expressing reversal) +suadere ‘advise, persuade’.

stern 1 |stəːn|

adjective

!(of a person or their manner) serious and unrelenting,especially in the assertion of authority and exercise of discipline: a smile transformed his stern face | Mama looked stern.

• (of an act or statement) strict and severe: stern measures to restrict vehicle growth.

• (of competition or opposition) putting someone or something under extreme pressure: the past year has been a stern test of the ability of British industry.

DERIVATIVES

sternly adverb,

sternness |ˈstəːnnɪs| noun

stern 2 |stəːn|

noun

the rearmost part of a ship or boat: he stood at the stern of the yacht.

talisman |ˈtalɪzmən|

noun (pl.talismans)

an object, typically an inscribed ring or stone, that is thought to have magic powers and to bring good luck.
Those rings, so fresh and gleaming, were their talismans. a dolphin talisman wuld ensure a safe journey on land or at sea. figurative : he called me his good luck talisman.

DERIVATIVES

talismanic |-ˈmanɪk| adjective

ORIGIN mid 17th cent.: based on Arabic ṭilsam,apparently from an alteration of late Greek telesma

‘completion, religious rite’, from telein ‘complete, perform a rite’, from telos ‘result, end’.

talisman

noun

lucky charm, charm, fetish, amulet, mascot, totem, idol, juju, phylactery;

amulet |ˈamjʊlɪt|

noun

an ornament or small piece of jewellery thought to give protection against evil, danger, or disease.

earring |ˈɪərɪŋ|

noun

a piece of jewellery worn on the lobe or edge of the ear.

sturdy |ˈstəːdi|

adjective (sturdier, sturdiest)

(of a person or their body) strongly and solidly built: he had a sturdy, muscular physique.

• strong enough to withstand rough work or treatment: the bike is sturdy enough to cope with bumpy

tracks.

• showing confidence and determination: the townspeople have a sturdy independence.

noun [ mass noun ]

vertigo in sheep caused by a tapeworm larva encysted in the brain.

DERIVATIVES

sturdily adverb,

sturdiness noun

sturdy

adjective

1 the boy had grown sturdy and handsome: strapping, well built, well made, muscular, athletic, strong, hefty, brawny, powerfully built, powerful, solidly built, solid, burly, stocky, thickset, rugged, substantial, robust, vigorous, tough, hardy, mighty, lusty, Herculean; fit, able-bodied, healthy, in good health, hale and hearty, hearty, hale, in good shape, in good condition, sound, sound in body and limb; ANTONYMS puny; frail.

2 the boat was small but it was sturdy: robust, strong, strongly made, well built, well made, solid, substantial, stout, sound, serviceable, stable; tough, resilient, durable, long-lasting, built to last, hard-wearing, imperishable, indestructible, resistant; dated staunch. ANTONYMS weak, ramshackle.

3 nature is offering a sturdy resistance to man: vigorous, strong, stalwart, firm, determined, resolute, tenacious, staunch, steadfast, unyielding, unwavering, uncompromising. ANTONYMS weak.

preternatural |ˌpriːtəˈnatʃ(ə)r(ə)l| 

adjective

beyond what is normal or natural: autumn had arrived with preternatural speed.

DERIVATIVES

preternaturalism noun,

preternaturally adverb

preternatural

adjective

!autumn had arrived with preternatural speed: extraordinary, out of the ordinary, exceptional,

unusual, uncommon, rare, singular, signal, peculiar, unprecedented, outstanding, remarkable, phenomenal, abnormal, anomalous, inexplicable, unaccountable;supernatural, paranormal, mystical, unearthly,unworldly, other-worldly, fantastic, magical, prodigious, wonderful, wondrous, miraculous; strange, mysterious, odd, weird.

supernatural |ˌsuːpəˈnatʃ(ə)r(ə)l, ˌsjuː-|

adjective

(of a manifestation or event) attributed to some force beyond scientific understanding or the laws of nature: a supernatural being.

• unnaturally or extraordinarily great: a woman of supernatural beauty.

noun (the supernatural)

manifestations or events considered to be of supernatural origin, such as ghosts. a frightening

manifestation of the supernatural.

DERIVATIVES

supernaturalism noun,

supernaturalist noun,

supernaturally adverb [ as sub modifier ] : the monster was supernaturally strong

supernatural

adjective

1 supernatural powers: paranormal, psychic, magic, magical, occult, mystic, mystical, miraculous,

superhuman, super normal, hyper normal, extra mundane; inexplicable, uncanny, unaccountable,

unbelievable, non-rational, weird, mysterious, arcane. ANTONYMS natural, normal.

2 stories about a supernatural hound: ghostly, phantom, spectral, magical, mystic, other-worldly, unearthly, unnatural, unreal, mysterious, fabulous;

unnatural |ʌnˈnatʃ(ə)r(ə)l|

adjective

1 contrary to the ordinary course of nature; abnormal:death by unnatural causes.

• (of feelings or behaviour) contrary to what is seen as normal, conventional, or acceptable: wanting to help other people is not unnatural.

2 not existing in nature; artificial: the artificial turf looks an unnatural green.

• affected or stilted: the formal tone of the programmes caused them to sound stilted and unnatural.

DERIVATIVES

unnaturally adverb,

unnaturalness noun

unnatural

adjective

1 the life of a battery hen is completely unnatural: abnormal, unusual, uncommon, extraordinary, strange, freakish, freak, queer, odd, peculiar, weird, unorthodox, exceptional, irregular, atypical, untypical, non-typical, anomalous, divergent, aberrant, bizarre, preternatural. ANTONYMS natural, normal.

2 the tractor passed in a flash of unnatural colour: artificial, man-made, synthetic, manufactured,

fabricated, fake, false, faux, simulated, not found existing in nature. ANTONYMS natural, genuine.

3 he was beheaded for unnatural vice: perverted, warped, twisted, deviant, depraved, degenerate, bestial, unhealthy, immoral, abnormal, decadent; informal kinky, pervy, sick, sicko; rare deviative.

4 her voice sounded unnatural: affected, artificial, stilted, self-conscious, contrived, forced, laboured,

studied, strained, stiff, wooden; assumed, feigned, false, bogus, fake, insincere, pretended,theatrical, stagy, mannered, pretentious; informal put on, phoney.

5 they condemned her as an unnatural woman: uncaring unconcerned, unfeeling, inhuman, soulless, heartless, cold, cold-blooded, hard, hard hearted, callous, cruel, brutal, merciless, pitiless, remorseless, inhumane, evil, wicked, monstrous. ANTONYMS caring.

magical |ˈmadʒɪk(ə)l|

adjective

1 relating to, using, or resembling magic: magical healing powers.

2 beautiful or delightful in a way that seems removed from everyday life: it was a magical evening of pure nostalgia.

DERIVATIVES

magically adverb

epigram |ˈɛpɪgram|

noun

a pithy saying or remark expressing an idea in a clever and amusing way. a Wildean epigram.

• a short poem, especially a satirical one, with a witty or ingenious ending.

DERIVATIVES

epigrammatist |-ˈgramətɪst| noun,

epigrammatize |-ˈgramətʌɪz| (also

epigrammatise)verb

ORIGIN late Middle English: from French

épigramme, or Latin epigramma, from Greek, from epi

‘upon, in addition’ + gramma (see -gram 1 ) .

epigram

noun

!1 a witty epigram: quip, witticism, gem, play on words,jest, pun, sally, nice turn of phrase; Frenchbon mot,double entendre, jeu d'esprit; informal one-liner, gag, crack, wisecrack; rare paronomasia, equivoque.
2 a collection of ancient epigrams: proverb, saying, maxim, adage, axiom, aphorism, saw, gnome, dictum, precept, epigraph, motto, catchphrase; cliche, truism, commonplace; words of wisdom, pearls of wisdom;

eulogy |ˈjuːlədʒi|

noun (pl.eulogies)

a speech or piece of writing that praises someone or something highly, especially a tribute to someone who has just died: a eulogy to the Queen Mother.

ORIGIN late Middle English (in the sense ‘high praise’): from medieval Latin eulogium, eulogia (from !Greek eulogia ‘praise’), apparently influenced by Latin elogium ‘inscription on a tomb’ (from Greek elegia ‘elegy’). The current sense dates from the late 16th cent.

eulogy

noun

his lifelong collaborator delivered a graveside eulogy:accolade, speech of praise, panegyric, paean,

encomium, tribute, testimonial, compliment, commendation; praise, acclaim, acclamation, raving,

homage, plaudits, bouquets;ANTONYMS attack.

epithet |ˈɛpɪθɛt|

noun
an adjective or phrase expressing a quality or attribute regarded as characteristic of the person or

thing mentioned: old men are often unfairly awarded the epithet ‘dirty’.

• an epithet used as a term of abuse: the woman begins to hurl racial epithets at them.

DERIVATIVES

epithetic |-ˈθɛtɪk| adjective,

epithetical |-ˈθɛtɪk(ə)l| adjective

ORIGIN late 16th cent.: from French épithète, or via Latin from Greek epitheton, neuter of epithetos

‘attributed’, from epithelial ‘add’, from epi ‘upon’ + tithenai ‘to place’.

epithet

noun

1 these works earned him the epithet ‘the Spanish Heretic’: sobriquet, nickname, by name, title, name, label, tag;description, descriptive word/expression/phrase, designation, denomination, characterisation, identification; informal moniker, handle; formal appellation, cognomen.

2 he felt the urge to hurl epithets in his face: obscenity, expletive, swear word, term of abuse, oath, curse, four letter word, exclamation; informal dirty word;

sprint |sprɪnt|

verb [ no obj., with adverbial of direction ] run at full speed over a short distance: I saw Charlie

sprinting through the traffic towards me.

noun

an act or short spell of running at full speed. Greg broke into a sprint. [ as modifier ] : MacFarlane won the 1,500m with a fine sprint finish.

• a short, fast race in which the competitors run a distance of 400 metres or less: the 100 metres sprint.

• a short, fast race in cycling, swimming, etc.

DERIVATIVES

sprinter noun

ORIGIN late 18th cent. (as a dialect term meaning ‘a bound or spring’): related to Swedish spritta .

sprint

verb

she sprinted across the square: run, race, dart, rush, dash, hasten, hurry, scurry, scuttle, scamper, hare, bolt, bound, fly, gallop, career, charge, pound, shoot, hurtle, speed, streak, whizz, zoom, go like lightning, go hell for leather, go like the wind, flash; informal tear, pelt, scoot, hotfoot it, leg it, belt, zip, whip, go like a bat out of hell, step on it, get a move on, get cracking, put on some speed, stir one's stumps; Brit. informal hop it, bomb, go like the clappers;  hightail it, barrel, get the lead out; ANTONYMS walk.

euphemism |ˈjuːfəmɪz(ə)m|

noun

a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing: the jargon has given us ‘downsizing’ as a euphemism for cuts.

ORIGIN late 16th cent.: from Greek euphēmismos, from euphēmizein ‘use auspicious words’, from eu ‘well’ + phēmē ‘speaking’.

euphemism

noun

‘professional foul’ is just a euphemism for cheating: polite term, substitute, mild alternative, indirect term, understatement, underplaying, softening, politeness, genteelism, coy term. ANTONYMS dysphemism, calling a spade a spade.

swagger |ˈswagə|

verb [ no obj., with adverbial of direction ]

walk or behave in a very confident and arrogant or self-important way: he swaggered along the corridor | (as adj.swaggering) : a swaggering gait.

noun [ in sing. ]

a very confident and arrogant or self-important gait or manner: they strolled around the camp with an

exaggerated swagger.

adjective

1 [ attrib. ] denoting a coat or jacket cut with a loose flare from the shoulders.

DERIVATIVES

swaggerer noun,

swaggeringly adverb

swagger

verb

1 we swaggered into the arena dressed in our costumes: strut, parade, stride, roll, prance; walk confidently, walk arrogantly; 

2 he likes to swagger about his goodness to people: boast, brag, bray, bluster, crow, gloat, parade, strut, posture, pose, blow one's own trumpet, lord it; 

noun
1 there was a slight swagger in his stride: strut, parading, roll, prancing; confidence, arrogance, self-assurance, show, ostentation.

2 Singleton was full of swagger now: boasting, bragging, bluster, bumptiousness, brashness, swashbuckling, vainglory;

CHOOSE THE RIGHT WORD

swagger, strut, parade

arena |əˈriːnə|

noun

1 a level area surrounded by seating, in which sports, entertainments, and other public events are held.

2 a place or scene of activity, debate, or conflict: he has re-entered the political arena.

ORIGIN early 17th cent.: from Latin harena, arena ‘sand, sand-strewn place of combat’.

arena

noun

1 an ice-hockey arena: stadium, amphitheatre, theatre, coliseum; ground, field, ring, rink, pitch, court, stage, platform; in ancient Romecircus, hippodrome; 

2 not all interest groups are able to compete in the political arena: area, scene, sphere, realm, province, domain, sector, forum, territory, theatre, stage, world;

battleground, battlefield, area/field of conflict, sphere of action/activity, lists.

podium |ˈpəʊdɪəm|

noun (pl.podiums or podia |ˈpəʊdɪə| )

a small platform on which a person may stand to be seen by an audience, as when making a speech or

conducting an orchestra. he was at the podium facing an expectant conference crowd.

• (in some sporting events) a structure consisting of three adjacent platforms of different heights, on which the competitors finishing in first, second, and third places receive their awards. it was more than I could imagine to be up on the podium and singing the national anthem.

• a continuous projecting base or pedestal under a building. a six columned portico raised on a podium.
• a projecting lower structure around the base of a tower block.

• a raised platform surrounding the arena in an ancient amphitheatre.

verb [ no obj. ] 

(of a competitor) finish first, second, or third, so as to appear on a podium to receive an award: older riders who expected to podium may find themselves racing against other riders who are years younger.

ORIGIN mid 18th cent.: via Latin from Greek podion, diminutive of pous, pod- ‘foot’.

podium

noun

platform, stage, dais, rostrum, stand, soapbox; Indian mandapam.

amateur |ˈamətə, -tʃə, -tjʊə, ˌaməˈtəː|

noun

a person who engages in a pursuit, especially a sport,on an unpaid basis. it takes five years for a top amateur to become a real Tour de France rider. his last fight as an amateur.

• a person who is contemptibly inept at a particular activity: that bunch of stumbling amateurs.

adjective

engaging or engaged in without payment; non professional: an amateur archaeologist | amateur athletics.

• done in an inept or unskillful way: it's all so amateur.

DERIVATIVES

amateurism noun

ORIGIN late 18th cent.: from French, from Italian amatore, from Latin amator ‘lover’, from amare ‘to love’.

Novice |ˈnɒvɪs|

noun

1 a person new to and inexperienced in a job or situation: he was a complete novice in foreign affairs.

• an animal, especially a racehorse, that has not yet won a major prize or reached a sufficient level of

performance to qualify for important events. last season as a novice he won three races.
[ as modifier ] : the novice hurdles.

2 a person who has entered a religious order and is under probation, before taking vows.

ORIGIN Middle English: from Old French, from late Latin novicius, from novus ‘new’.

novice

noun

1 a 5-day course during which novices learn enough to skipper a yacht safely: beginner, learner, inexperienced person, neophyte, newcomer, new member, new recruit, raw recruit, new boy/girl, initiate, tyro, fledgling; apprentice, trainee, probationer, student, pupil ANTONYMS expert, veteran.

libertine |ˈlɪbətiːn, -tɪn, -tʌɪn|

noun

1 a person, especially a man, who freely indulges in sensual pleasures without regard to moral principles.
his image as an unbridled libertine is a total myth.

2 a freethinker in matters of religion.

adjective

1 characterized by free indulgence in sensual  pleasures: his more libertine impulses.

2 freethinking.

DERIVATIVES

libertinage noun,

libertinism noun

libertine

noun

‘Don Giovanni’ ends with the unrepentant libertine being dragged down to hell by demons: philanderer, ladies' man, playboy, rake,loose-liver, Don Juan, Lothario, Casanova, Romeo; lecher, seducer,  adulterer, debauchee, sensualist,voluptuary, hedonist; profligate, wanton, reprobate, degenerate;  ANTONYMS puritan.

adjective

they were careful to insist that free love was not to be confused with libertine sexual intercourse: licentious, lustful, libidinous, lecherous, lascivious, lubricious, dissolute, dissipated, debauched, immoral, wanton, shameless, degenerate, depraved, debased, profligate, promiscuous, unchaste, lewd, prurient, salacious, indecent, immodest, impure, carnal, intemperate, abandoned, unrestrained, unprincipled, reprobate;
rakish, decadent, sensual, voluptuary, hedonistic ANTONYMS chaste,puritanical.

entrepreneur |ˌɒntrəprəˈnəː|

noun

a person who sets up a business or businesses, taking on financial risks in the hope of profit. many

entrepreneurs see potential in this market.
• a promoter in the entertainment industry. the music entrepreneur pulled back from financing a screenplay Hopper had written.

DERIVATIVES

entrepreneurism noun,

entrepreneurship noun

ORIGIN early 19th cent. (denoting the director of a musical institution): from French, from entreprendre ‘undertake’ (see enterprise) .

entrepreneur

noun

an entrepreneur who had set up his own firms: businessman, businesswoman, business person,

business executive, enterpriser, speculator, tycoon, magnate; dealer, trader, buyer and seller, merchant;

commercial intermediary, intermediary, middleman, promoter, impresario; informal wheeler-dealer, mogul, big shot, bigwig, whizz-kid, mover and shaker.

pandemonium |ˌpandɪˈməʊnɪəm|

noun [ mass noun ]

wild and noisy disorder or confusion; uproar: there was complete pandemonium—everyone just panicked.

uproar

noun

1 the headmistress found the class in uproar | Joseph's voice rose above the uproar: turmoil, disorder, confusion, chaos, commotion, disturbance, tumult, turbulence, mayhem, pandemonium, havoc, bedlam, all hell broken loose; noise, din, clamour, hubbub, racket, row, clangour; babble, shouting, yelling, babel; ANTONYMS calm.

2 there was an uproar when he was dismissed: outcry, furore, outrage, howl of protest, protest, protestation, complaint, objection; clamour, fuss, commotion, hue and cry, row, ruckus, brouhaha; opposition, dissent, vociferation, indignation; informal hullabaloo, rumpus, ballyhoo, stink, ruction. ANTONYMS acquiescence.

mercenary |ˈməːsɪn(ə)ri|

adjective

primarily concerned with making money at the expense of ethics: she's nothing but a mercenary little

gold-digger.

noun (pl.mercenaries)

a professional soldier hired to serve in a foreign army.

he had planned to seize power with the aid of a group of mercenaries.

• a person primarily motivated by personal gain: cricket's most infamous mercenary.

DERIVATIVES

mercenariness noun

mercenary

adjective

1 research suggests that buyers are unashamedly mercenary: money-oriented, grasping, greedy,

acquisitive, avaricious, covetous, rapacious,venal, materialistic; informal money-grubbing.

ANTONYMS altruistic, philanthropic.

2 mercenary soldiers: hired, paid, bought, professional, venal, hireling; historical freelance.

noun

a force of two thousand mercenaries: soldier of fortune, professional soldier, hired soldier, hireling; private army;ANTONYMS volunteer; conscript.

moneylender |ˈmʌnɪlɛndə|

noun

a person whose business is lending money to others who pay interest.

DERIVATIVES

money lending noun& adjective

charlatan |ˈʃɑːlət(ə)n|

noun

a person falsely claiming to have a special knowledge or skill. a self-confessed con artist and charlatan.

DERIVATIVES

charlatanism noun,

charlatanry noun

megalomania |ˌmɛg(ə)lə(ʊ)ˈmeɪnɪə|

noun [ mass noun ]

obsession with the exercise of power.

• delusion about one's own power or importance(typic ally as a symptom of manic or paranoid

disorder).

DERIVATIVES

megalomanic |-ˈmanɪk| adjective

seek |siːk|

verb (past and past participlesought |sɔːt| )
[ with obj. ] attempt to find (something): they came here to seek shelter from biting winter winds.

• attempt or desire to obtain or achieve (something): the new regime sought his extradition | [ no obj., with infinitive ] : her parents had never sought to interfere with her freedom.

• ask for (something) from someone: he sought help from the police.

• (seek someone/thing out) search for and find someone or something: it's his job to seek out new

customers.

DERIVATIVES

seeker noun [ often in combination ] : a pleasure-seeker | a job-seeker

seek

verb

1 six bombers took off and flew southwards to seek the enemy: search for, try to find, look for, look about/ around/round for, cast about/around/round for, be on the lookout for, be after, hunt for, be in quest of, quest (after), be in pursuit of.

2 the new regime sought his extradition: try to obtain, pursue, go after, strive for, go for, push towards, work towards, be intent on, aim at/for, have as a goal, have as an objective.

3 you may need to seek the advice of a specialist: ask for, request, solicit, call on, invite, entreat, beg for, petition for, appeal for, apply for, put in for.

!4 we constantly seek to improve the service: try, attempt, endeavour, strive, work, aim, aspire, do one's best, set out; formal essay.

lunatic |ˈluːnətɪk|

noun

a person who is mentally ill (not in technical use).
• an extremely foolish or eccentric person: this lunatic just accelerated out from the side of the road.

adjective

mentally ill (not in technical use). a ward of lunatic old ladies.

• extremely foolish or eccentric: he would be asked to acquiesce in some lunatic scheme.

lunatic

noun

1 a dangerous lunatic: maniac, madman, madwoman, psychopath, psychotic; informal loony, loon, nut, nutter, nutcase,  cuckoo, head case, headbanger, screwball, psycho;

2 when I'm in a bad mood I drive like a lunatic: fool, idiot, imbecile, moron.

adjective

1 a lunatic prisoner. See mad.

2 a lunatic idea. See foolish.

vanity |ˈvanɪti|

noun (pl.vanities)

1 [ mass noun ] excessive pride in or admiration of one's own appearance or achievements: it flattered his vanity to think I was in love with him | [ count noun ] : the vanities and ambitions of politicians.

• [ as modifier ] denoting a person or company publishing works at the author's expense: a vanity press.

2 [ mass noun ] the quality of being worthless or futile: the vanity of human wishes.

ORIGIN Middle English: from Old French vanite, from Latin vanitas, from vanus ‘empty’ (see vain) .

vanity

noun

1 she had none of the vanity so often associated with beautiful women: conceit, conceitedness, self-conceit, narcissism, self-love, self-admiration, self-regard, self-absorption, self-obsession,egoism, egomania; pride, haughtiness, arrogance, boastfulness, swagger, imperiousness, cockiness, pretension, affectation, airs, show, ostentation;  ANTONYMS modesty.

2 the vanity of all desires of the will: futility, uselessness, pointlessness, worthlessness, purposelessness, idleness, fruitlessness.

deplorable |dɪˈplɔːrəb(ə)l|

adjective

deserving strong condemnation; completely unacceptable: children living in deplorable conditions.

• shockingly bad in quality: her spelling was deplorable.

DERIVATIVES

deplorably adverb

ORIGIN early 17th cent.: from French déplorable or late Latin deplorabilis, from the verb deplorare 

deplorable

adjective

1 the conduct of the workers is deplorable: disgraceful,shameful, dishonourable, disreputable, discreditable,unworthy, shabby, inexcusable, unpardonable, unforgivable; reprehensible, despicable, abominable, base, sordid, vile, hateful, contemptible, loathsome, !offensive, execrable, heinous, odious, revolting, unspeakable, beyond contempt, beyond the pale;  ANTONYMS admirable.

2 the back garden is in a deplorable state: lamentable, regrettable, grievous, unfortunate, wretched, dire, atrocious, abysmal, very bad, awful, terrible, dreadful, diabolical; miserable, pitiable, pathetic, sorry, unhappy, sad, woeful; substandard, poor, inadequate, inferior, unsatisfactory, unacceptable; informal appalling, rotten, crummy, lousy, God-awful;  ANTONYMS excellent.

sense |sɛns|

noun

1 a faculty by which the body perceives an external stimulus; one of the faculties of sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch: the bear has a keen sense of smell which enables it to hunt at dusk.

2 a feeling that something is the case: she had the sense of being a political outsider | you can improve your general health and sense of well-being.

• a keen intuitive awareness of or sensitivity to the presence or importance of something: she had a fine sense of comic timing.

3 [ mass noun ] a sane and realistic attitude to situations and problems: he earned respect by the good

sense he showed at meetings.

• a reasonable or comprehensible rationale: I can't see the sense in leaving all the work to you.

4 a way in which an expression or a situation can be interpreted; a meaning: it is not clear which sense of the word ‘characters’ is intended in this passage.

5 chiefly Mathematics & Physics a property (e.g.direction of motion) distinguishing a pair of objects,

quantities, effects, etc. which differ only in that each is the reverse of the other. the cord does not become straight, but forms a length of helix in the opposite sense.

• [ as modifier ] Genetics relating to or denoting a coding sequence of nucleotides, complementary to an antisense sequence.

verb [ with obj. ]

1 perceive by a sense or senses: with the first frost, they could sense a change in the days.

• be aware of (something) without being able to define exactly how one knows: she could sense her

father's anger rising | [ with clause ] : he could sense that he wasn't liked.

2 (of a machine or similar device) detect: an optical fibre senses a current flowing in a conductor.

sense

noun

1 the sense of touch: sensory faculty, feeling, sensation,perception; sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell, sixth sense;

2 she felt a sense of guilt: awareness, feeling, sensation, consciousness, perception, recognition.

3 a sense of humour: appreciation, awareness, understanding, comprehension, discernment,

acknowledgement.

4 the driver had the sense to press the panic button: wisdom, common sense, good sense, practicality,

sagacity, sharpness, discernment, perception; native wit, mother wit, wit, level-headedness, intelligence, cleverness, astuteness, shrewdness, judgement, soundness of judgement, understanding, reason, logic, brain, brains; informal gumption, nous, horse sense, savvy; Brit. informal loaf, common. ANTONYMS stupidity, mindlessness.

5 I can't see the sense in leaving all the work to you: purpose, point, reason, aim, object, motive, use, utility, value, advantage, benefit.

6 here there are two different senses of ‘exist’: meaning,definition, import, denotation, signification,

significance, purport, implication, intention, nuance, drift, gist, thrust, tenor, burden, theme, message,

essence, spirit, substance.

verb

she could sense their hostility to her | he sensed that disaster was imminent: discern, feel, observe, notice, get the impression of, recognize, pick up, be/become cognizant of, be/become aware of, be/become conscious of, get/come to know, tell, distinguish, make out, find, identify, comprehend, apprehend, see, discover, learn, appreciate, realize, suspect, have a funny feeling, have a hunch, just know, divine, intuit, conceive; informal catch on to;

crown |kraʊn|

noun

1 a circular ornamental headdress worn by a monarch as a symbol of authority, usually made of or decorated with precious metals and jewels.

• (the Crown)the monarchy or reigning monarch: their loyalty to the Church came before their loyalty to the Crown.

• an ornament, emblem, or badge shaped like a crown. shiny covers embossed with gold crowns.

• a wreath of leaves or flowers, especially that worn as an emblem of victory in ancient Greece or Rome.

2 an award or distinction gained by a victory or achievement, especially in sport: the world heavyweight crown.

3 the top or highest part of something: the crown of the hill.

• the top part of a person's head or a hat. his hair was swept straight back over his crown.

• the part of a plant just above and below the ground from which the roots and shoots branch out. mulch should be mounded around the crowns of the shrubs.

• the upper branching or spreading part of a tree or other plant. an erect evergreen tree with a dense crown.

• the upper part of a cut gem, above the girdle.
4 the part of a tooth projecting from the gum. a thin layer of enamel covers the crown.

• an artificial replacement or covering for the upper part of a tooth. emergency treatment for loose crowns.

5 (also crown piece)a British coin with a face value of five shillings or 25 pence, now minted only for

commemorative purposes.

• a foreign coin with a name meaning ‘crown’, especially the krona or krone.

verb [ with obj. ]

1 ceremonially place a crown on the head of (someone) in order to invest them as a monarch: he

went to Rome to be crowned | [ with complement ] : she was crowned queen in 1953.

!• [ with obj. and complement ] declare or acknowledge (someone) as the best, especially at a

sport: he was crowned world champion last September.

• (in draughts) promote (a piece) to king by placing another on top of it. (as adj. crowned) : with his crowned piece he jumped them all.

2 rest on or form the top of: the distant knoll was crowned with trees.

3 be the triumphant culmination of (an effort or endeavour, especially a prolonged one): years of struggle were crowned by a state visit to Paris | (as adj.crowning) : the crowning moment of a worthy career.

4 fit a crown to (a tooth). simple fillings no longer suffice and the tooth has to be crowned.

5 informal hit on the head: she contained the urge to crown him.

6 [ no obj. ] (of a baby's head during labour) fully appear in the vaginal opening prior to emerging. I was able to see our baby's head crowning.

envy |ˈɛnvi|

noun (pl.envies) [ mass noun ]

a feeling of discontented or resentful longing aroused by someone else's possessions, qualities, or luck: she felt a twinge of envy for the people on board.

• (the envy of) a person or thing that inspires envy: France has a film industry that is the envy of Europe.

verb (envies, envying, envied) [ with obj. ]

desire to have a quality, possession, or other desirable thing belonging to (someone else): he envied people who did not have to work at the weekends | [ with two objs ] : I envy Jane her happiness.

• desire for oneself (something belonging to another): a lifestyle which most of us would envy.

DERIVATIVES

envier noun

divinity |dɪˈvɪnɪti|

noun (pl.divinities) [ mass noun ]

1 the state or quality of being divine: Christ's divinity.

• [ count noun ] a divine being; a god or goddess: busts of Roman divinities.

• (the Divinity)God.

2 the study of religion; theology: a doctor of divinity.

ORIGIN Middle English: from Old French divinite,

from Latin divinitas, from divinus ‘belonging to a

deity’ (see divine 1 ) .

divinity

noun

1 the divinity of Christ: divine nature, divineness, godliness, deity, godhead, holiness, sanctity, sanctitude, sacredness, blessedness.

2 they persuaded him to read mathematics, not divinity: theology, religious studies, religion, scripture.

3 the ancient religions worshipped a female divinity: deity, god, goddess, mother goddess, divine being, celestial being, supreme being; creator, demiurge; godhead;

daemon, numen, power; Hinduism avatar.

moderate

adjective |ˈmɒd(ə)rət|

!average in amount, intensity, quality, or degree: we walked at a moderate pace.

• (of a person, party, or policy) not radical or excessively right- or left-wing: a moderate reform

programme.

noun |ˈmɒd(ə)rət|

a person who holds moderate views, especially in politics. an unlikely alliance of radicals and moderates.

verb |ˈmɒdəreɪt|

1 make or become less extreme, intense, rigorous, or violent: [ with obj. ] : I shall not moderate my criticism |

[ no obj. ] : the weather has moderated considerably.

2 [ with obj. ] Brit.review (examination papers, results, or candidates) in relation to an agreed standard

so as to ensure consistency of marking. the dependability of an examining system rests on those who set, moderate, and mark the papers.

3 [ with obj. ] (in academic and ecclesiastical contexts) preside over (a deliberative body) or at (a debate): a panel moderated by a Harvard University law professor.

• [ no obj. ] (especially in the Presbyterian Church in Scotland) act as a moderator; preside. it is the Presbytery that moderates.

4 monitor (an Internet message board or chat room) for inappropriate or offensive content.

5 [ with obj. ] Physics retard (neutrons) with a moderator. the neutrons causing fission are not moderated but react at high energies.

DERIVATIVES

moderatism |ˈmɒd(ə)rətɪz(ə)m| noun

ORIGIN late Middle English: from Latin moderat- ‘reduced, controlled’, from the verb moderare; related to modest.

simultaneously |ˌsɪmlˈteɪnɪəsli|

adverb

at the same time: the telethon was broadcast simultaneously on 31 US networks. it works simultaneously as character study, teen drama and sci-fi thriller.

simultaneously

adverb

Alison and Frank spoke simultaneously: at the same time, at one and the same time, at the same instant/ moment, at once, concurrently, concomitantly; together, all together, in unison, in concert, in chorus, as a group; rare synchronously. ANTONYMS singly.

transmission |tranzˈmɪʃ(ə)n, trɑːnz-, -ns-|

noun

1 [ mass noun ] the action or process of transmitting something or the state of being transmitted: the

transmission of the HIV virus.

• [ count noun ] a programme or signal that is broadcast or sent out: television transmissions.

transmission

noun

1 the transmission of the HIV virus | teaching practice aims at transmission of knowledge and culture:

transference, transferral, passing on, communication, conveyance, imparting, channelling, carrying, relaying, dispatch, mediation; dissemination, spreading, circulation, diffusion, emanation, scattering, radiation.

2 after the transmission of the film she received instant celebrity status: broadcasting, relaying, sending out, putting on (the) air, airing, televising, radioing, telecasting, showing, publication, emission.

3 a live transmission: broadcast, programme, show, presentation, feature, telecast, videocast, podcast.

citation |sʌɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n|

noun

1 a quotation from or reference to a book, paper, or author, especially in a scholarly work: the majority of the citations are to work published during the past twenty years.

• Law a reference to a previous case, used as guidance in the trying of comparable cases or in

support of an argument. this journal contains citations from all jurisdictions.

2 a mention of a praiseworthy act in an official report, especially that of a member of the armed forces in wartime. the citation described him as an officer of extreme gallantry.

• a note accompanying an award, describing the reasons for it: a Nobel citation.

citation

noun

1 a citation from an eighteenth century text: quotation,

quote, extract, excerpt, passage, line, piece; 

2 he made extensive citations to Baynton v. Morgan:reference, allusion.

3 a citation for gallantry: commendation, award, honour; mention, honourable mention.

resplendent |rɪˈsplɛnd(ə)nt|

adjective

attractive and impressive through being richly

colourful or sumptuous: she was resplendent in a sea-

green dress.

DERIVATIVES

resplendence noun,

resplendency noun,

resplendently adverb

adjective

the General was resplendent in his uniform and military ribbons: splendid, magnificent, brilliant, dazzling,glittering, glowing, radiant, gorgeous, transcendent,impressive, imposing, spectacular, striking, stunning, glorious, superb, majestic, great, awe-inspiring,

breathtaking, fine;

offer |ˈɒfə|

verb

 [ with two objs ] present or proffer (something) for(someone) to accept or reject as desired: may I offer you a drink? | I was offered a job on the spot.

• [ reporting verb ] express readiness to do something for or on behalf of someone: [ with infinitive ] : he offered to fix the gate | [ with direct speech ] : ‘Can I help you, dear?’ a kindly voice offered.

• [ with obj. ] make available for sale: the product is offered at a very competitive price.

• [ with obj. ] (also offer something up) present (a prayer or sacrifice) to a deity. villagers have gone to offer prayers for the souls of the sailors. the three imams offer up prayers on behalf of the dead.

2 [ with obj. ] provide (access or an opportunity): the Coast Road offers easy access to the Nine Glens of Antrim | the opportunities which the economic recovery will offer.

• make an attempt at or show one's readiness for (violence or resistance): he had to offer some resistance to her tirade.

• archaic give an opportunity for (battle) to an enemy: Darius was about to meet him and to offer battle.

3 [ with obj. ] (offer something up) technical put something in place to assess its appearance or fit: the

infill panels are offered up and bolted in position.

noun

an expression of readiness to do or give something if desired: sympathetic offers of help |
[ with infinitive ] : he had accepted Mallory's offer to buy him a drink.

• an amount of money that someone is willing to pay for something: the prospective purchaser who made the highest offer.

• a specially reduced price: the offer runs right up until Christmas Eve.

• a proposal of marriage. the conceited wretch chose to interpret my amiability of temper his own way, and at length he actually made me an offer.

offer

verb

1 the manager is always at hand to offer advice and information: provide, put forward, give, proffer, present, extend, suggest, recommend, propose, propound, advance, submit, tender, render, come up with. ANTONYMS withdraw, refuse, withhold.

2 a local man offered to help: volunteer, volunteer one's services, be at someone's disposal, be at someone's service, make oneself available, present oneself, step/ come forward, show willing.

3 the product is offered at a very competitive price: put up for sale, put on the market, sell, market, make available, put under the hammer, ask for bids for; 

4 he offered $200: bid, tender, put in a bid of, put in an offer of.

5 a job offering good career prospects: provide, afford, supply, give, furnish, present, give an opportunity for, purvey, make available, hold out.

6 she offered no resistance when he kissed her firmly on the lips: attempt, try, give, show, express; formal essay.

7 the birds were occasionally offered to the gods: sacrifice, offer up, immolate, give.

8 he distinguished himself whenever an occasion offered: occur, present itself, arrive, appear, happen, show itself.

noun

1 sympathetic offers of help | a job offer: proposal, proposition, suggestion, submission, approach,

overture; literary proffer.

2 the government rejected the highest offer: bid, tender,bidding price.

PHRASES

on offer on sale, up for sale, on the market,

purchasable, available, obtainable, to be had;

counsellor |ˈkaʊns(ə)lə| (UScounselor)

noun

1 a person trained to give guidance on personal or psychological problems: a marriage counsellor.

• [ with modifier ] a person who gives advice on a specified subject: a debt counsellor.

2 a senior officer in the diplomatic service. a counsellor at the Russian embassy.

4 N. Amer.a supervisor at a children's summer camp.

advice

usage: The words counsellor and councillor are often confused. A counsellor is a person who gives advice or counsel, especially on personal problems ( a marriage counsellor), whereas a councillor is a member of a city, county, or other council

noun

they talked through their problems with a trained  counsellor | a debt counsellor: adviser, consultant, guide, mentor, confidant, confidante; instructor, coach, teacher, tutor, guru, expert, specialist; therapist, guidance counsellor, psychologist, psychiatrist, analyst, psychotherapist, mind doctor, head doctor, healer;

feud |fjuːd|

noun

a prolonged and bitter quarrel or dispute: his long standing feud with Universal Pictures.

• a state of prolonged mutual hostility, typically between two families or communities, characterized by murderous assaults in revenge for previous injuries: a savage feud over drugs money.

verb [ no obj. ]

be engaged in a prolonged and bitter quarrel or

dispute: Hoover feuded with the CIA for decades.

peculiar |pɪˈkjuːlɪə|

adjective

1 different to what is normal or expected; strange: he gave her some very peculiar looks | Stella thought the play peculiar.

• [ predic. ] informal slightly and indefinably unwell: I felt a little peculiar for a while.

2 particular; special: any attempt to explicate the theme is bound to run into peculiar difficulties.

• (peculiar to) belonging exclusively to: some languages are peculiar to one region.

peculiar

adjective

1 something even more peculiar began to happen: strange,unusual, odd, funny, curious, bizarre, weird, uncanny,queer, unexpected, unfamiliar, abnormal, atypical,anomalous, untypical, different, out of the ordinary, out of the way; exceptional, rare, extraordinary, remarkable; puzzling, mystifying, mysterious,perplexing, baffling, unaccountable, incongruous, uncommon, irregular, singular, deviant, aberrant, freak, freakish; suspicious, dubious, questionable; eerie, unnatural; Scottish ; informal fishy, creepy, spooky; Brit. informal rum. ANTONYMS normal, ordinary.

2 his peculiar behaviour at the airport: bizarre, eccentric,strange, odd, weird, queer, funny, unusual, abnormal, idiosyncratic, unconventional, outlandish, offbeat, freakish, quirky, quaint, droll, zany, off-centre; informal wacky, freaky, kooky, screwy, kinky, oddball, cranky; 

3 informal I still feel a bit peculiar: unwell, ill, poorly, bad, out of sorts, indisposed, not oneself, sick, queasy, nauseous, nauseated, peaky, liverish, green about the gills, run down, washed out; Brit. off, off colour;

informal under the weather, below par, not up to par, funny, rough, lousy, rotten, awful, terrible, dreadful, crummy, seedy; Brit. informal grotty, ropy; 

4 attitudes and mannerisms peculiar to the islanders: characteristic of, typical of, representative of, belonging to, indicative of, symptomatic of, suggestive of, exclusive to, like, in character with.

5 Elena added her own peculiar contribution: distinctive, characteristic, distinct, different, individual,

individualistic, distinguishing, typical, special, specific, representative, unique, idiosyncratic, personal, private, essential, natural; identifiable, unmistakable, conspicuous, notable, remarkable; rare singular.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT WORD

peculiar, strange, odd, curious

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