Word List 9

touchdown /ˈtʌtʃdaʊn/

【释】n. (飞机)着陆(时间)

【例】What is the plane’s speed at touchdown?

【释】n. (橄榄球)触地得分

hasten /ˈheɪsn/

【释】v. 加快 (be quick to do something)

【例】His death was hastened by alcohol abuse.

【近】accelerate, rush

【反】brake, decelerate

【释】v. 催促

【例】Father hastened our going.

resonate /ˈrezəneɪt/

【释】v. 回响 (produce, increase or fill with sound)

【例】The deep sounds of the bassoon resonated through the concert hall.

【近】echo, reverberate

【释】v. 引起共鸣 (evoke emotions)

【释】v. 共振

【形】resonance, resonant

improvise /ˈɪmprəvaɪz/

【释】v. 即兴创作、表演 (create and perform without preparation)

【例】Good jazz musicians know how to improvise.

【近】ad-lib, extemporize

【释】v. 临时凑合做 (make something from whatever is available)

【例】I wasn’t expecting guests, so I had to improvise a meal with what I had in my refrigerator.

【形】improvisational, improviser

paramount /ˈpærəmaʊnt/

【释】adj. 最重要的 (the most important; supreme)

【例】Maintaining the secrecy of the agreement is of paramount importance.

【近】cardinal, predominant

myriad /ˈmɪriəd/

【释】n. 无数，极大数量 (a very large number of something)

【例】And now myriads of bars and hotels are opening up along the coast.

【近】multitude, number, quantity, scores

latitude /ˈlætɪtuːd/

【释】n. 纬度

【例】Madrid and New York City are on nearly the same latitude.

【反】longitude

【释】n. (言论、行为等的)自由度

【例】The judge has wide latitude to reject evidence for the trial.

ridicule /ˈrɪdɪkjuːl/

【释】v./n. 嘲弄 (make fun of sb. in an unkind way)

【例】She didn’t show anyone her artwork for fear of ridicule.

【近】mock, deride, taunt

【形】ridiculous

feminism /ˈfemənɪzəm/

【释】n. 女权主义

【例】a longtime advocacy of feminism

【形】feminist

perimeter /pəˈrɪmɪtər/

【释】n. 周长 (a closed line bounding a plane area)

【释】n. 边界，边缘

【例】soldiers guarding the perimeter of the camp

【近】circumference, boundary

courageous /kəˈreɪdʒəs/

【释】adj. 勇敢的

【例】She was a courageous woman who wasn’t afraid to support unpopular causes.

【近】brave, fearless

【形】courage

transient /ˈtrænʃnt/

【释】adj. 短暂的 (of a short time; brief)

【例】transient beauty

【近】temporary, fleeting

【反】permanent, timeless

【释】adj. 路过的

【例】transient visitors

clog /klɑːɡ/

【释】v./n. 阻塞 (plug)

【例】There’s a clog in the kitchen sink.

【近】obstruct, block

fortify /ˈfɔːrtɪfaɪ/

【释】v. 增强 (make strong)

【例】fortified by a hearty meal

【近】strengthen

【释】v. 鼓励

【例】He took a deep breath to fortify himself before stepping onto the stage.

【释】v. 设防加固(以防备进攻)

【例】fortify a city against attack

【形】fortification

additive /ˈædətɪv/

【释】adj. 增加的 (of, relating to, or characterized by addition)

【例】Certain drugs have additive effects when taken in conjunction with each other that one doesn’t see when any one is used alone.

【释】n. 添加剂

【形】addition

insulate /ˈɪnsəleɪt/

【释】v. 绝缘，隔热 (prevent heat from passing through)

【例】You can insulate a house against heat loss by having the windows double-glazed.

【近】wrap, encase

【形】insulation, insulator

analogous /əˈnæləɡəs/

【释】adj. 类似的 (similar in some way)

【例】Bad-mouthing your sister is analogous to slapping her in the face.

【近】akin, similar, parallel

【形】analogy

overshadow /ˌoʊvərˈʃædoʊ/

【释】v. 给…蒙上阴影 (tower above and cast a shadow over)

【例】The whole country was overshadowed at the news of President Lincoln’s death.

【释】v. 使…黯然失色 (appear much more prominent or important than)

【例】The pitcher’s outstanding performance should not overshadow the achievements of the rest of the team.

【释】v. 遮蔽

【例】Large trees overshadow the yard and darken the house for much of the day.

【近】dim, obscure

visionary /ˈvɪʒəneri/

【释】adj. 有远见的 (having or showing clear ideas about what should happen or be done in the future)

【例】a visionary leader

【释】adj. 幻想的，不切实际的 (incapable of being realized or achieved)

【例】a visionary scheme

【近】quixotic, unreal

【形】vision

plumb /plʌm/

【释】adj. 垂直的 (vertical)

【例】He set the board plumb.

【近】vertical

【释】v. 探究

【例】plumb the book’s complexities

【近】fathom

【释】v. 铺设水管

agitate /ˈædʒɪteɪt/

【释】v. 使…激动 (disturb, excite, or anger)

【例】If I talk about the problem with him it just agitates him even more.

【释】v. 煽动 (try to get people to support or oppose something)

【例】Some members of the union have been agitating for a strike.

【近】upset, rattle

【形】agitation

cosmic /ˈkɑːzmɪk/

【释】adj. 宇宙的 (relating to the universe or outer space)

【释】adj. 广阔的

【例】This was disaster on a cosmic scale.

【近】vast, immense

【形】cosmos

wane /weɪn/

【释】v. 衰退，减弱 (diminish)

【例】Interest in this issue has continued to wane.

【近】abate, ebb, subside

【释】n. 月亏

【例】The moon waxes and then wanes.

【反】wax

repress /rɪˈpres/

【释】v. 压抑，抑制 (try not to have or show an emotion, a feeling, etc.)

【例】He could hardly repress his tears.

【近】suppress, subdue

【形】repression

endow /ɪnˈdaʊ/

【释】v. 捐赠 (bestow)

【例】The millionaire endowed a scholarship.

【近】finance, gift

【释】v. 天生具有 (have a particular desirable ability, characteristic, or possession by birth)

【例】Humans are endowed with reason.

【形】endowment

incompetent /ɪnˈkɑːmpɪtənt/

【释】adj. 不胜任的，无能力的 (lacking the qualities needed for effective action)

【例】He is too incompetent to be trusted with such an important responsibility.

【近】incapable, unqualified

submerge /səbˈmɜːrdʒ/

【释】v. 淹没 (put under water)

【例】The town was submerged by the flood.

【近】inundate, overwhelm

【反】surface

encyclopedia /ɪnˌsaɪkləˈpiːdiə/

【释】n. 百科全书

numb /nʌm/

【释】adj. 失去知觉的，麻木的 (deprived of the power of sensation)

【例】It was so cold that my fingers went numb.

【近】paralyzed, torpid

extravagant /ɪkˈstrævəɡənt/

【释】adj. 挥霍的；昂贵的 (lacking restraint in spending money or using resources)

【例】an extravagant use of natural resources

【近】wasteful, prodigal

【反】thrifty, frugal

agreeable /əˈɡriːəbl/

【释】adj. 讨人喜欢的，怡人的 (pleasing to the mind or senses)

【例】an agreeable young man

【近】fine, palatable

pessimistic /ˌpesɪˈmɪstɪk/

【释】adj. 悲观的 (tending to see the worst aspect of things)

【例】a pessimistic view of human nature

【近】downbeat, defeatist

【反】optimistic, rosy

【形】pessimism

outspoken /aʊtˈspoʊkən/

【释】adj. 坦率的 (frank in stating one’s opinions)

【例】his outspoken advocacy of gun control

【近】direct, candid

petal /ˈpetl/

【释】n. 花瓣

bland /blænd/

【释】adj. 乏味的 (not interesting or exciting)

【例】bland stories with little plot or action

【近】dull

【释】adj. 清淡的 (lacking strong flavor)

【例】The vegetable soup was rather bland.

【近】tasteless

toxin /ˈtɑːksɪn/

【释】n. 毒素 (an antigenic poison or venom)

【近】poison, bane

【形】toxic

impoverish /ɪmˈpɑːvərɪʃ/

【释】v. 使贫穷；使枯竭 (make somebody poor; make something worse in quality)

【例】Intensive cultivation has impoverished the soil.

【近】deplete, bankrupt, drain

【反】enrich

gracious /ˈɡreɪʃəs/

【释】adj. 亲切的；仁慈的 (showing kindness and good manners)

【例】a gracious host

【近】kind, graceful, urbane

thaw /θɔː/

【释】v. 融化，融解 (melt)

【例】The sun will soon thaw the snow and ice.

【近】defrost, fuse

【反】freeze

explanatory /ɪkˈsplænətɔːri/

【释】【释】adj. 起解作用的 (serving to explain)

【例】explanatory notes

【近】elucidative, expository

【形】explain

pivotal /ˈpɪvətl/

【释】adj. 关键的 (central and important)

【例】She is at a pivotal point in her career.

【近】vital, critical, key

sterile /ˈsterəl/

【释】adj. 贫瘠的 (clean and free from dirt and bacteria)

【例】a sterile arid region

【释】adj. 不育的 (incapable of producing offspring)

【例】a sterile hybrid

【近】infertile, barren, fruitless

【反】fertile, fruitful

【释】adj. 无菌的

【例】a sterile syringe

overhear /ˌoʊvərˈhɪr/

【释】v. 无意中听到 (hear (someone or something) without meaning to or without the knowledge of the speaker)

【例】We talked quietly so as not to be overheard.

【近】eavesdrop

tidal /ˈtaɪdl/

【释】adj. 潮汐的 (of the tide)

【例】tidal cycles

【形】tide

deplete /dɪˈpliːt/

【释】v. 消耗 (exhaust)

【例】Activities such as logging and mining deplete our natural resources.

【近】drain, devour

【反】renew, replace

【形】depletion

culprit /ˈkʌlprɪt/

【释】n. 犯人，罪犯 (a person who has committed a crime or done something wrong)

【例】The police eventually located the culprits.

【近】criminal, miscreant

vigor /ˈvɪɡər/

【释】n. 活力，精力 (active bodily or mental strength or force)

【例】She was picked to lead the volunteer group because of her vigor and enthusiasm.

【近】energy, verve, vitality

【释】n. 气魄 (intensity of action or effect)

【例】She defended her beliefs with great vigor.

【形】vigorous

constellation /ˌkɑːnstəˈleɪʃn/

【释】n. 星座

【释】n. 群集

【例】The patient presented a constellation of symptoms.

neutralize /ˈnuːtrəlaɪz/

【释】v. 使无效，抵消 (stop something from having any effect)

【例】The soldiers tried to neutralize the attack by dividing the invading army.

【近】counteract, annul

【释】v. 中和

【例】This medicine neutralizes stomach acids.

【形】neutral

deduce /dɪˈduːs/

【释】v. 推断 (arrive at (a fact or a conclusion) by reasoning)

【例】deduce from observation

【近】conclude, infer, gather

【形】deduction

negligible /ˈneɡlɪdʒəbl/

【释】adj. 可忽略不计的 (so small or unimportant as to be not worth considering)

【例】The price difference was negligible.

【近】inconsequential, insignificant

【形】neglect

burrow /ˈbɜːroʊ/

【释】n. 洞穴；藏身处 (a hole in the ground)

【例】The chipmunk retreated to its burrow to have its babies.

【近】den, hole, lair

sparse /spɑːrs/

【释】adj. 稀疏的 (thinly distributed)

【例】Vegetation becomes sparse higher up the mountains.

【近】scarce, meager, scant

【反】dense

converse /kənˈvɜːrs/

【释】adj. 相反的，逆向的 (opposite or reverse)

【例】One must also consider the converse case.

【释】v. 交谈，谈话 (have a conversation)

【例】At home we often converse in Spanish.

【形】conversation

recourse /ˈriːkɔːrs/

【释】n. 求助；手段 (a source of help in a difficult situation)

【例】It enabled its members to settle their differences without recourse to war.

【近】expedient, resort

disarm /dɪsˈɑːrm/

【释】v. 缴…的械 (take a weapon or weapons away from)

【例】We will agree to disarming troops and leaving their weapons at military positions.

【近】disable

【释】v. 消除(某人)的怒气 (cause to feel less angry, hostile, or critical towards)

【例】She did her best to disarm her critics.

【形】disarmament

dissolution /ˌdɪsəˈluːʃn/

【释】n. 解除；解散 (closing down or dismissal)

【例】the dissolution of the marriage

【近】bifurcation, partition, schism

【释】n. 溶解

【例】dissolution of kidney stones

【形】dissolve

cosmopolitan /ˌkɑːzməˈpɑːlɪtən/

【释】adj. 世界性的 (containing people from different countries, and influenced by their culture)

【例】It’s one of the country’s most cosmopolitan cities.

【近】international

engender /ɪnˈdʒendər/

【释】v. 使产生，造成 (produce)

【例】The issue has engendered a considerable amount of debate.

【近】give rise to, beget

formative /ˈfɔːrmətɪv/

【释】adj. 有助发展的

【例】a formative influence

【近】constructive

【形】form

primate /ˈpraɪmeɪt/

【释】n. 灵长目动物

rectangular /rekˈtæŋɡjələr/

【形】【释】n./adj. 长方(的)

furnace /ˈfɜːrnɪs/

【释】n. 火炉，熔炉

hallmark /ˈhɔːlmɑːrk/

【释】n. 特点 (distinctive feature)

【例】Humor is one of the hallmarks of her style.

【释】n. (金银上的)标记证明

【近】symbol

devour /dɪˈvaʊər/

【释】v. 吞食，狼吞虎咽地吃 (eat quickly and eagerly)

【例】The lions devoured their prey.

【释】v. 急切地读

【例】She devoured every golf magazine she could find.

perish /ˈperɪʃ/

【释】v. 死亡；枯萎 (die)

【例】Many ancient languages have perished over time.

【近】demise, expire

【形】perishable

prolific /prəˈlɪfɪk/

【释】adj. 多产的 (producing a great number of something)

【例】He was probably the most prolific songwriter of his generation.

【近】productive

【反】barren, sterile

carnival /ˈkɑːrnɪvl/

【释】n. 狂欢节，嘉年华

【例】There is a carnival atmosphere in the office.

【近】celebration, fair

enrichment /ɪnˈrɪtʃmənt/

【释】n. 丰富，充实 (the act of improving the quality of something, often by adding something to it)

【例】the enrichment of society

【释】n. 富集，浓缩 (concentration)

【例】biological enrichment

【近】abundance

【形】enrich

obstruct /əbˈstrʌkt/

【释】v. 阻碍 (be or get in the way of)

【例】A large tree obstructed the road.

【近】hobble, impede

【反】facilitate

【形】obstruction

retard /rɪˈtɑːrd/

【释】v. 减缓，妨碍 (slow)

【例】The problems have retarded the progress of the program.

【近】delay, slacken

【反】accelerate

【释】n. 笨蛋，智障 (a stupid or mentally slow person)

【形】retarded

asteroid /ˈæstərɔɪd/

【释】n. 小行星 (a small rocky body orbiting the sun)

【例】Most asteroids are found between Mars and Jupiter.

feasibility /ˌfiːzəˈbɪləti/

【释】n. 可行性 (being doable)

【例】Practice has proved the feasibility of this instrument.

【近】possibility, potential

【形】feasible

intrude /ɪnˈtruːd/

【释】v. 闯入，侵入 (go somewhere where you are not wanted or are not supposed to be)

【例】Reporters constantly intruded into the couple’s private life.

【近】encroach

【形】intrusion

paraphrase /ˈpærəfreɪz/

【释】n./v. 意译 (express what somebody has said or written using different words to make it easier to understand)

【例】This is just a paraphrase of what he said, not an exact quote.

conformity /kənˈfɔːrməti/

【释】n. 遵守；一致 (behavior or actions that follow the accepted rules of society)

【例】conformity to social custom

【近】compliance

【形】conform

chronological /ˌkrɑːnəˈlɑːdʒɪkl/

【释】adj. 按年代顺序排列的 (arranged in or according to the order of time)

【例】His art is displayed in roughly chrono-logical order.

【近】chronologic

seep /siːp/

【释】v. 渗出 (flow or leak slowly)

【例】Water seeped in through a crack.

【近】ooze, trickle

distill /dɪˈstɪl/

【释】v. 蒸馏

【例】They distill the whiskey from malted barley.

【近】purify, refine, filter

requisite /ˈrekwɪzɪt/

【释】adj. 必要的 (necessary)

【例】This new CD is the requisite album of the year for classical music lovers.

【近】indispensable, integral

【反】dispensable

opaque /oʊˈpeɪk/

【释】adj. 不透明的 (not transparent)

【例】an opaque lens

【释】adj. 晦涩难懂的 (difficult to understand)

【例】I find her poetry rather opaque.

【近】ambiguous, inscrutable

【反】transparent, clear

engulf /ɪnˈɡʌlf/

【释】v. 吞没；吞食 (flow over)

【例】The town was engulfed by the flood.

【近】inundate, swamp, overwhelm

dignify /ˈdɪɡnɪfaɪ/

【释】v. 使显贵，抬高…的身价 (make sth. seem worthy and impressive)

【例】I won’t dignify his abuse by reacting to it.

【近】distinguish, grace

【形】dignity

shroud /ʃraʊd/

【释】v. 掩盖 (cover)

【例】Visitors have complained about the scaffolding that shrouds half the castle.

【近】cloak, mantle

intruder /ɪnˈtruːdər/

【释】n. 入侵者

【形】intrude

camouflage /ˈkæməflɑːʒ/

【释】n./v. 伪装 (hide; disguise)

【例】The rabbit’s white fur acts as a camouflage in the snow.

【近】disguise, facade

intersect /ˌɪntərˈsekt/

【释】v. 横穿，贯穿 (divide something by passing across it)

【例】a landscape of small fields intersected by hedges and streams

【释】v. 相交

【例】Line A intersects with line B.

【近】cross

barren /ˈbærən/

【释】adj. 贫瘠的 (unable to sustain life)

【例】barren deserts

【近】infertile, fruitless

【反】fertile, fruitful

【释】adj. 不育的

【释】adj. 沉闷无趣的

【例】a barren routine

shun /ʃʌn/

【释】v. 避开 (avoid; reject)

【例】She was shunned by her family when she remarried.

【近】avoid, evade

colonize /ˈkɑːlənaɪz/

【释】v. 殖民 (establish colony in)

【例】The area was colonized in the 18th century.

【近】settle, populate

【释】v. 大批生长 (establish itself in an area)

【例】The slopes are colonized by flowering plants.

【形】colony

refute /rɪˈfjuːt/

【释】v. 驳斥 (disprove)

【例】refute an argument

【近】rebut, challenge

permeate /ˈpɜːrmieɪt/

【释】v. 渗透，弥漫 (spread through something)

【例】The table has a plastic coating which prevents liquids from permeating into the wood beneath.

【近】infiltrate

mania /ˈmeɪniə/

【释】n. 狂热 (an excessive enthusiasm or desire)

【例】The article describes the religious mania which is sweeping the US.

【近】frenzy, obsession

【形】maniac

integer /ˈɪntɪdʒər/

【释】n. 整数

nourish /ˈnɜːrɪʃ/

【释】v. 养育 (provide with food or other sub-stances)

【例】Vitamins are added to the shampoo to nourish the hair.

【近】nurture, cultivate

fauna /ˈfɔːnə/

【释】n. 动物群

【例】studying the diverse fauna of the island

shady /ˈʃeɪdi/

【释】adj. 成荫的 (giving or providing shade)

【释】adj. 名声不好的，见不得人的 (seeming to be dishonest or illegal)

【例】I don’t trust him. He seems like a pretty shady character.

【近】disreputable

【形】shade

synchronize /ˈsɪŋkrənaɪz/

【释】v. 同步 (occur at the same time)

【例】The show was designed so that the lights synchronized with the music.

【近】concur, coincide

aquatic /əˈkwɔtɪk/

【释】adj. 水生的 (growing, living, or done in water)

【例】The pond is small but can support many aquatic plants and fish.

【近】marine

hardy /ˈhɑːrdi/

【释】adj. 强壮的 (strong and able to survive difficult conditions and bad weather)

【例】a hardy young man

【近】robust

【反】delicate