Words of the day
6/6(Fri.)
1. insurance[n.]/ ɪnˋʃʊrəns /
Definition: an agreement in which you pay a company money and they pay your costs if you have an accident, injury.
Origin: 1550s, "engagement to marry," a variant of ensurance (see ensure).
Sentence: I'll need to take out extra car insurance for another driver.
Part of speech: insurable [adj.]
2. interpret[v.]/ ɪnˋtɝprɪt /
Definition: to decide what the intended meaning of something is
Origin: late 14c., from Old French interpreter (13c.) and directly from Latin interpretari "explain, expound, understand,"
Sentence: A jury should not interpret the silence of a defendant as a sign of guilt.
Part of speech: interpretation [n.]
3. commute[v.]/kəˋmjut /
Definition: to make the same journey regularly between work and home
Origin: mid-15c., "to change, transform," from Latin commutare "to often change, to change altogether," from com-, intensive prefix (see com-), + mutare "to change" (see mutable).
Sentence: It's exhausting commuting from Brighton to London every day.
Part of speech: commutative [adj.]交換的
4. diverse[adj.]/ daɪˋvɝs /
Definition: varied or different
Origin: c.1300, spelling variant of divers (q.v.), perhaps by analogy with converse, traverse, etc.
Sentence: Students from countries as diverse as Colombia and Lithuania use Cambridge textbooks.
Part of speech: diversely [adv.]
5. minority[n.]/ maɪˋnɔrətɪ /
Definition: a smaller number or part
Origin: 1530s, "condition of being smaller," from Middle French minorité (15c.), or directly from Medieval Latin minoritatem (nominative minoritas), from Latin minor (see minor (adj.)).
Sentence: It's only a tiny minority of people who are causing the problem.
Part of speech: none
6/9(Mon.)
1. condition[n.]/ kənˋdɪʃən /
Definition: an arrangement that must exist before something else can happen
Origin: early 14c., condicioun, from Old French condicion "stipulation, state, behavior, social status" (12c., Modern French condition).
Sentence: One of the conditions in the contract is that we don't build on the land.
Part of speech: conditional [adj.]
2. crater[n.]/ˋkretɚ /
Definition: the round hole at the top of a volcano, or a hole similar to this
Origin: 1610s, from Latin crater, from Greek krater "bowl for mixing wine with water," from kera- "to mix," from PIE root *kere- "to mix, confuse; cook" (see rare (adj.2)).
Sentence: With a good telescope, you can see craters on the moon.
Part of speech: none
3. crust[n.]/ krʌst /
Definition: a hard outer covering of something
Origin: early 14c., "hard outer part of bread," from Old French crouste (13c., Modern French croûte).
Sentence: The earth's crust is between 5 and 25 miles thick.
Part of speech: crusted [adj.]
4. erupt[v.]/ɪˋrʌpt /
Definition: When a volcano erupts, it explodes and flames and rocks come out of it
Origin: 1650s, of diseases, etc., from Latin eruptus, past participle of erumpere "to break out, burst" (see eruption). Of volcanoes, from 1770.
Sentence: Since the volcano last erupted, many houses have been built in a dangerous position on its slopes.
Part of speech: eruption [n.]
5. gigantic[adj.]/dʒaɪˋgæntɪk /
Definition: extremely large
Origin: 1610s, "pertaining to giants," from Latin gigant- stem of gigantem, from gigas "giant" (see giant) + -ic.
Sentence: The cost has been gigantic.
Part of speech: none
6/10(Tue.)
1. physics[n.]/ˋfɪzɪks /
Definition: the scientific study of matter and energy and the effect that they have on each other
Origin: 1580s, "natural science," from physic in sense of "natural science."
Sentence: According to our present ideas of physics, nothing can travel faster than light.
Part of speech: physical [adj.]
2. contribution[n.]/͵kɑntrəˋbjuʃən /
Definition: something that you do or give to help produce or achieve something together with other people, or to help make something successful
Origin: late 14c., from Old French contribution and directly from Latin contributionem (nominative contributio).
Sentence: All contributions (= presents of money), no matter how small, will be much appreciated.
Part of speech: contribute [v.]
3. establish[v.]/ əˋstæblɪʃ /
Definition: to start a company or organization that will continue for a long time
Origin: late 14c., from Old French establiss-, present participle stem of establir (12c., Modern French établir) "cause to stand still, establish, stipulate, set up, erect, build".
Sentence: The brewery was established in 1822.
Part of speech: establishment [n.]
4. objective[adj.]/ əbˋdʒɛktɪv /
Definition: something which you plan to do or achieve
Origin: 1610s, originally in the philosophical sense of "considered in relation to its object" (opposite of subjective).
Sentence: Her main/prime objective now is simply to stay in power.
Part of speech: objection [n.]
5. poverty[n.]/ ˋpɑvɚtɪ /
Definition: the condition of being extremely poor
Origin: late 12c., from Old French poverte "poverty, misery, wretched condition" (Modern French pauvreté), from Latin paupertatem (nominative paupertas) "poverty," from pauper "poor" (see poor (adj.)).
Sentence: Two million people in the city live in abject (= very great) poverty.
Part of speech: none
6/11(Wed.)
1. private[adj.]/ ˋpraɪvɪt /
Definition: only for one person or group and not for everyone
Origin: late 14c., "pertaining or belonging to oneself, not shared, individual; not open to the public."
Sentence: She has a small office which is used for private discussions.
Part of speech: privacy [n.]
2. voluntary[adj.]/ˋvɑlən͵tɛrɪ /
Definition: done, made or given willingly, without being forced or paid to do it
Origin: late 14c., from Latin voluntarius "willing, of one's free will," from voluntas "will," from the ancient accusative singular present participle of velle "to wish" (see will (v.)).
Sentence: She was a voluntary helper.
Part of speech: volunteer [n.]
3. dairy[n.]/ ˋdɛrɪ /
Definition: used to refer to cows that are used for producing milk, rather than meat, or to foods which are made from milk, such as cream, butter and cheese
Origin: late 13c., "building for making butter and cheese.”
Sentence: We buy milk at the dairy.
Part of speech: dairying [n.]乳品業
4. empire[n.]/ ˋɛmpaɪr /
Definition: a group of countries ruled by a single person, government or country
Origin: early 14c., from Old French empire "rule, authority, kingdom, imperial rule," from Latin imperium "rule, command," from imperare "to command," from im- "in" (see in- (2)) + parare "to order, prepare" (see pare).
Sentence: He started off with one small factory, and now he's the head of an oil empire.
Part of speech: none
5. gesture[n.]/ ˋdʒɛstʃɚ /
Definition: a movement of the hands, arms or head, etc. to express an idea or feeling
Origin: early 15c., "manner of carrying the body," from Medieval Latin gestura "bearing, behavior," from Latin gestus "gesture, carriage, posture" (see gest).
Sentence: The prisoner raised his fist in a gesture of defiance as he was led out of the courtroom.
Part of speech: gesticulation [n.]
6/12(Thu.)
1. herd[n.]/hɝd /
Definition: a large group of animals of the same type that live and feed together
Origin: Old English heord "herd, flock," from Proto-Germanic *herdo- (cognates: Old Norse hjorð, Old High German herta, German Herde, Gothic hairda "herd"),
Sentence: Poor Janine - she just follows the herd (= does what all the other people are doing).
Part of speech: herdsman [n.]
2. interact[v.]/ ͵ɪntəˋrækt /
Definition: to communicate with or react to
Origin: "to act on each other," 1805, from inter- + act (v.).
Sentence: Dominique's teacher says that she interacts well with the other children.
Part of speech: interaction [n.]
3. routine[n.]/ruˋtin /
Definition: a usual or fixed way of doing things
Origin: 1670s, from French routine "usual course of action, beaten path" (16c.), from route "way, path, course" (see route (n.)) + noun suffix -ine (see -ine (1)).
Sentence: There's no set/fixed routine at work - every day is different.
Part of speech: routinize [v.]
4. spiritual[adj.]/ˋspɪrɪtʃʊəl /
Definition: relating to deep feelings and beliefs, especially religious beliefs
Origin: c.1300, "of or concerning the spirit" (especially in religious aspects).
Sentence: Traditional ways of life fulfilled both economic and spiritual needs.
Part of speech: spirit [n.]
5. tribe[n.]/ traɪb /
Definition: a group of people, often of related families, who live together, sharing the same language, culture and history, especially those who do not live in towns or cities
Origin: mid-13c., "one of the twelve divisions of the ancient Hebrews," from Old French tribu or directly from Latin tribus "one of the three political/ethnic divisions of the original Roman state".
Sentence: We've invited Carol's sisters and brothers and their spouses and children - the whole Cassidy tribe.
Part of speech: none
6/12(Thu.)
1. appreciate[v.]/əˋpriʃɪ͵et /
Definition: to recognize or understand that something is valuable, important or as described
Origin: 1650s, "to esteem or value highly," from Late Latin appretiatus, past participle of appretiare "to set a price to" (see appraise). Meaning "to rise in value" (intransitive) first recorded 1789.
Sentence: There's no point buying him expensive wines - he doesn't appreciate them.
Part of speech: appreciation [n.]
2. arrest[v.]/ əˋrɛst /
Definition: If the police arrest someone, they take them away to ask them about a crime which they might have committed
Origin: "to cause to stop," also "to detain legally," late 14c., from Old French arester "to stay, stop" (Modern French arrêter).
Sentence: He was arrested when customs officers found drugs in his bag.
Part of speech: arrestive [adj.]引人注意的
3. concrete[adj.][n.]/ ˋkɑnkrit /
Definition: a very hard building material made by mixing together cement, sand, small stones and water
Origin: (adj.) late 14c., "actual, solid," from Latin concretus "condensed, hardened, thick, hard, stiff, curdled, congealed, clotted," figuratively "thick; dim," literally "grown together.
Sentence: These buildings are made of concrete and steel.
Part of speech: concretion [n.]
4. critic[n.]/ˋkrɪtɪk /
Definition: someone who says that they do not approve of someone or something
Origin: 1580s, "one who passes judgment," from Middle French critique (14c.), from Latin criticus "a judge, literary critic," from Greek kritikos "able to make judgments," from krinein "to separate, decide" (see crisis).
Sentence: He's his own worst critic (= He judges himself severely).
Part of speech: critical [adj.]
5. elaborate[adj.]/ ɪˋlæbə͵ret /
Definition: containing a lot of careful detail or many detailed parts
Origin: 1590s, "produced by labor," from Latin elaboratus, past participle of elaborare "to exert oneself" (see elaboration). Meaning "very detailed" is from 1620s.
Sentence: You want a plain blouse to go with that skirt - nothing too elaborate.
Part of speech: elaboration [n.]
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