l   espouse/ɪˈspaʊz/

Definition: to give your support to an idea, principle, or belief

Example: The policies are espoused by the government of Japan.

 

l   vengeance/ˈvendʒ(ə)ns/

Definition: the act of harming or killing someone because they have done something bad to you

Example: Both sides were locked in a cycle of violence and vengeance.

 

l   fuel /ˈfjuːəl/

Definition1: a substance such as oil, gas, coal, or wood that produces heat or power when it is burned. Coal and wood are sometimes called solid fuel

Example: Drivers are being encouraged to save fuel.

Definition2: something that someone can use to support their argument

Example: Their support gives fuel to the criticism that the government is moving to the right.

 

l   cranky/ˈkræŋki/

Definition1: strange or unusual

Example: It was just another of his cranky theories.

Definition2: someone who is cranky gets annoyed easily

Example: Travelling can make you cranky, tired, and tense.

 

l   inaugurate /ɪˈnɔːɡjʊreɪt/

Definition1: to start or introduce something new and important

Example: He hopes to inaugurate a new, more democratic era in the country's politics.

Definition2: to open a new building, or to start a new organization, with an official ceremony

Example: The newest US embassy was inaugurated today in Caracas, Venezuela.

 

l   unleash/ʌnˈliːʃ/

Definition: to do or to cause something that has a very powerful or harmful effect

Example: The new tax laws have unleashed a storm of criticism.

 

l   eccentric/ɪkˈsentrɪk/

Definition: someone who is eccentric often behaves in slightly strange or unusual ways

Example: She's regarded as being rather eccentric.

 

l   static/ˈstætɪk/

Definition: if something is static, it does not move or change

Example: Figures for housebreaking had dropped or remained static.

 

l   fervent/ˈfɜː(r)v(ə)nt/

Definition: very enthusiastic and sincere, especially about something you believe in or support

Example: I have always been one of his most fervent admirers.

 

l   blissful/ˈblɪsf(ə)l/

Definition: giving you great pleasure

Example: I had nine blissful hours of sleep .

 

l   giggle/ˈɡɪɡ(ə)l/

Definition: to laugh in a nervous, excited, or silly way that is difficult to control

Example: The children giggled all the way through the film.

 

l   skim/skɪm/

Definition1: to remove a substance that is floating on the surface of a liquid

Example: Skim the fat off the soup.

Definition2: to move quickly over the surface of something, or to make something do this

Example: We stood on the bridge watching swallows skimming the water.

Definition3: to read something quickly and not very carefully

Example: Would you skim through the report and check for spelling mistakes?

 

l   groan /ɡrəʊn/

Definition1: to speak about something in a way that shows you are unhappy

Example: The other people in the queue were moaning and groaning.

Definition2: if one thing groans under another, it can only just support or bear it

Example: The system was groaning under an avalanche of applications.

Definition3: if a table groans with food, there is a lot of food on it

Example: The long tables were groaning under the weight of fresh fish.

 

l   ramble/ˈræmb(ə)l/

Definition: to talk for a long time in a confused way, especially about other things instead of the subject that you should be talking about

Example: We rambled around the park.

 

l   repeal/rɪˈpiːl/

Definition: to state officially that a law no longer has legal authority and has ended

Example: The 1938 Act was repealed and replaced by the Inheritance Act 1975.

 

l   dwindle/ˈdwɪnd(ə)l/

Definition: to become gradually less or smaller over a period of time until almost nothing remains

Example: Water supplies have dwindled to their lowest level in ten years.

 

l   enigmatic/ˌenɪɡˈmætɪk/

Definition: mysterious and difficult to understand

Example: Little is known about this solitary and enigmatic writer.

 

l   savage/ˈsævɪdʒ/

Definition1: cruel and unpleasant or violent

Example: She took a savage pleasure in pointing out their mistakes.

Definition2: extremely severe

Example: Losing his job had been a savage blow.

Definition3: criticizing someone or something very much

Example: She wrote a savage review of the book.

 

l   shun/ʃʌn/

Definition: to deliberately avoid a person, place, or activity

Example: She lives alone, shunned by society.

 

l   ornament/ˈɔː(r)nəmənt/

Definition: a small attractive object used for decoration or for making someone or something more beautiful

Example: Christmas tree ornaments

 

l   indignation /ˌɪndɪɡˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

Definition: anger about an unfair situation or about someone's unfair behaviour

Example: Polly's face burned with indignation.

 

l   predominantly /prɪˈdɒmɪnəntli/

Definition: mainly, or mostly

Example: Cesares spent 10 years working predominantly in opera.

 

l   agitate /ˈædʒɪteɪt/

Definition: to try to cause social or political changes by arguing or protesting, or through other political activity

Example: students agitating for more freedom

 

l   pensive /ˈpensɪv/

Definition: seeming to be thinking carefully about something, especially something sad or serious

Example: a pensive expression

 

l   presage/ˈpresɪdʒ/

Definition: to be a sign that something is going to happen, especially something bad

Example: An artificially strong peso may presage serious problems for the country.