Word List 4

fray /freɪ/

【释】v. 磨损 (wear away)

【例】The fabric is very fine or frays easily.

【释】n. 争吵 (a fight; a brawl)

【例】Confrontation without prayer is like barging into the middle of the fray with no preparation.

【释】v. 使紧张，使焦虑 (strain; chafe)

【例】fraying nerves

【近】irritate, fret

【用】above the fray 超脱，淡然

wail /weɪl/

【释】n./v. 哀号；恸哭 (give a cry of pain, grief, or anger)

【例】a mother wailing for her lost child

【近】lament

【释】n./v. 尖啸 (makes a long, loud, high-pitched sound)

【例】the wail of a siren

【近】shriek

【形】wailful

avail /əˈveɪl/

【释】n. 用处，效用

【例】to be of little avail

【释】v. 利用 (use or take advantage of)

【例】Our best efforts did not avail.

【近】utilize, serve

【用】avail (oneself) of 利用

【形】available, availability

flutter /ˈflʌtər/

【释】v. 振翅，拍翅而飞 (move or fly rapidly)

【例】The bird was fluttering its wings.

【近】flap

【释】v. 飘动

【例】The breeze fluttered the curtains.

riddle /ˈrɪdl/

【释】n. 谜语

【例】Are you good at solving riddles?

【近】conundrum, enigma

strangle /ˈstræŋɡl/

【释】v. 扼死，掐死，勒死

【例】The victim was strangled with a scarf.

【近】choke, stifle

【释】v. 阻碍

【例】The weeds are strangling the plant.

【形】strangulate, strangulation

bluff /blʌf/

【释】n./v. 虚张声势

【例】I bluffed my way through the interview.

【近】deceive

【释】n./adj. 峭壁；陡峭的

【例】a bluff shoreline

【用】call one’s bluff 揭穿某人

notch /nɑːtʃ/

【释】n. 档，等级

【例】turn the volume up several notches

【近】step

【释】n. 刻痕，凹口

【例】The tool has a notch for prying out nails.

【近】gap

【用】crank it up a notch 提高难度

mumble /ˈmʌmbl/

【释】n./v. 咕哝，含糊地说

【例】I can’t understand you when you mumble.

【近】mutter

banish /ˈbænɪʃ/

【释】v. 放逐

【例】The dictator banished anyone who opposed him.

【近】exile, expatriate

【形】banishment

wade /weɪd/

【释】n./v. 涉水；费力前行 (walk through water or another liquid or soft substance)

【例】wade through the crowd

【释】v. 费时费力地做

【例】wade through the evidence

fanatic /fəˈnætɪk/

【释】n. 极端分子 (a person marked or motivated by an extreme, unreasoning enthusiasm)

【例】attacked by religious fanatics

【近】militant, radical

【释】adj. 狂热的 (like a certain sport or activity very much)

【例】a fanatic supporter

【形】fanatical, fanaticism

burglar /ˈbɜːrɡlər/

【释】n. 入室盗贼

【例】The burglar escaped through the bedroom window.

【近】robber

【形】burglary

swoop /swuːp/

【释】n./v. 突击 (a swooping or snatching movement or action)

【例】The police swooped in and captured the criminals.

【释】n./v. 俯冲，飞扑 (suddenly moves downwards through the air in a smooth curving movement)

【例】The hawk swooped and soared away carrying something.

【近】rush

【用】swoop in 乘虚而入

patriot /ˈpeɪtriət/

【释】n. 爱国者

【例】It has been suggested the founders were not true patriots but men out to protect their own interests.

【形】patriotic, patriotism

entrench /ɪnˈtrentʃ/

【释】v. 确立，巩固 (fix firmly or securely)

【例】Our father entrenched in our minds the belief that hard work pays off.

【近】embed, implant

【形】entrenched, entrenchment

erotic /ɪˈrɑːtɪk/

【释】adj. 色情的 (of, relating to, or tending to arouse sexual desire or excitement)

【例】erotic art

【近】sexual

【形】erotica, erotical

metabolic /ˌmetəˈbɑːlɪk/

【释】adj. 新陈代谢的

【例】metabolic rate

【形】metabolism

sleek /sliːk/

【释】adj. (毛发)油亮的

【例】sleek dark hair

【近】glossy

【释】adj. 油嘴滑舌的

【例】sleek young men in city suits

【近】unctuous

【形】sleekness

municipality /mjuːˌnɪsɪˈpæləti/

【释】n. 市民；市政当局

【例】a municipality with an excellent police department

【形】municipal

flurry /ˈflɜːri/

【释】n. 疾风

【例】The Alps expect heavy cloud over the weekend with light snow flurries and strong winds.

【释】n. 阵；一连串事件

【例】a flurry of insults

【释】v. 使慌张，使恐慌

【例】Flurried by visions of falls and broken bones, the parents wouldn’t even allow the child to ride a bike.

【近】agitate, alarm

scribble /ˈskrɪbl/

【释】n./v. 潦草地写字；涂鸦

【例】He scribbled down his phone number.

【近】scratch

relinquish /rɪˈlɪŋkwɪʃ/

【释】v. 放弃，放手 (voluntarily cease to keep or claim)

【例】relinquish control of

【近】renounce

【形】relinquishment

automotive /ˌɔːtəˈmoʊtɪv/

【释】adj. 汽车的

【例】an automotive parts store

【近】automobile

clad /klæd/

【释】adj. 穿衣服的 (clothed)

【例】motorcyclists clad in leather

【释】adj. 被…覆盖的

【例】ivy-clad buildings

ail /eɪl/

【释】v. 使苦恼 (trouble or afflict in mind or body)

【例】A full-scale debate is under way on what ails the industry.

【近】disturb

【释】v. 生病；使受病痛，使疼痛

【例】This medicine is good for what ails you.

【形】ailment

aura /ˈɔːrə/

【释】n. 气氛；气场 (an invisible emanation or field of energy believed to radiate from a person or object)

【例】She had an aura of authority.

【近】atmosphere, ambience

anthem /ˈænθəm/

【释】n. 国歌；颂歌 (a rousing or uplifting song identified with a particular group, body, or cause)

【例】The band played the Czech anthem.

【近】hymn

taunt /tɔːnt/

【释】v./n. 奚落，嘲弄 (provoke or challenge (someone) with insulting remarks)

【例】The boys continually taunted each other.

【近】sneer, insult

【形】tauntingly

neutron /ˈnuːtrɑːn/

【释】n. 中子

【例】neutron bomb

scarlet /ˈskɑːrlət/

【释】n./adj. 猩红色(的) (a brilliant red color)

【例】My daughter painted a scarlet bear on the windscreen of our car.

【用】The Scarlet Letter 《红字》

creek /kriːk/

【释】n. 小溪，小河

【例】wade in the creek

【用】up the creek 处于困境

incense /ˈɪnsens/

【释】v. 激怒 (cause to be extremely angry)

【例】He was incensed by my decision to leave.

【释】n./v. 焚香(时的烟)

【例】Some stood undisturbed on the hillside with burnt incense scattered before them on charred patches of ground.

【形】incensed

vengeance /ˈvendʒəns/

【释】n. 报仇，报复

【例】The fire was set as an act of vengeance.

【近】revenge, retaliation

【用】with a vengeance 猛烈地，极度地

roundabout /ˈraʊndəbaʊt/

【释】adj. 迂回的

【例】take a roundabout route

【近】indirect

【释】n. 环形路 (a circular structure in the road at a place where several roads meet)

【例】The mayor built the first roundabout in Carmel in 1997.

cardinal /ˈkɑːrdɪnl/

【释】adj. 深红色的，鲜红的

【释】n. 红衣主教

【释】adj. 主要的，极其重要的 (serving as an essential component)

【例】a cardinal rule

【近】pivotal, principal

【用】cardinal sin 罪孽，大罪

rampant /ˈræmpənt/

【释】adj. 猖獗的

【例】put a stop to the rampant crime

【释】adj. 疯长的，蔓延的

【例】rampant weeds

【近】uncontrolled

【反】mild

【形】rampancy

rupture /ˈrʌptʃər/

【释】n./v. 破裂

【例】the rupture of the heart muscle

【近】break, rift

inverse /ˌɪnˈvɜːrs/

【释】adj./n. 相反(的)；倒转(的)

【例】Alkalinity is the inverse of acidity.

【近】reverse

【用】inverse function 反函数

【形】inversion

gorge /ɡɔːrdʒ/

【释】n. 峡谷

【例】The river runs through a gorge.

【释】v. 狼吞虎咽

【例】Vultures gorged on the flesh.

【近】glut, cram

shriek /ʃriːk/

【释】v./n. 尖叫 (a high-pitched piercing cry)

【例】She shrieked when she saw a mouse.

【近】scream, shrill

barb /bɑːrb/

【释】n. 倒钩；倒刺

【例】The ray deters would-be attackers with a sharp, venomous tail barb.

【近】spur

【释】n. 刻薄的话

【例】The barb stung her exactly the way he hoped it would.

surrogate /ˈsɜːrəɡət/

【释】n./adj. 代用品(的)，替代物(的)

【例】For some people, reading travel books is a surrogate for actual travel.

【近】substitute, deputy

【用】surrogate mother 代孕母亲

【形】surrogacy

solitude /ˈsɑːlətuːd/

【释】n. 独处；隐居 (the state or situation of being alone)

【例】Solitude was no excuse for sloppiness.

【近】isolation, seclusion

【用】in solitude 孑然，独自

【形】solitary

humility /hjuːˈmɪləti/

【释】n. 谦逊 (a modest or low view of one’s own importance)

【例】He accepted the award with sincere humility.

【近】humbleness

【反】arrogance

【形】humble

microscopic /ˌmaɪkrəˈskɑːpɪk/

【释】adj. 微型的，微观的 (extremely small)

【例】microscopic organism

incubate /ˈɪŋkjubeɪt/

【释】v. 孵化；培育

【例】The female bird incubates the eggs.

【近】brood

【释】v. 逐渐发展

【例】incubate an idea

【形】incubator, incubative

slant /slænt/

【释】n./v. (使)倾斜

【例】She slanted her hat a little to the right.

【近】slope

【释】n./v. (有)偏见；(有)倾向

【例】Their findings were slanted in our favor.

【近】bias

【用】slant the story 歪曲事实

saga /ˈsɑːɡə/

【释】n. 长篇叙事；冒险故事 (a narrative telling the adventures of a hero or a family)

【例】Our saga, and my experiment, was over.

【近】epic, legend

secretion /sɪˈkriːʃn/

【释】n. 分泌；分泌物 (liquid substances produced by parts of plants or bodies)

【例】the secretion of stomach acid

【形】secrete

devoid /dɪˈvɔɪd/

【释】adj. 缺乏的 (entirely lacking or free from)

【例】Lisa kept her voice devoid of emotion.

【近】free of, empty of, vacant of

mule /mjuːl/

【释】n. 骡子

【例】If I had money, I’d buy another mule.

【释】n. 固执的人

【例】Young mule, I don’t want to see you get into trouble too.

haze /heɪz/

【释】n. 雾；阴霾 (particles of water or dust in the air)

【例】The bar was filled with a smoky haze.

【近】mist, fog

【释】n. 迷糊 (not thinking clearly or not really noticing what is happening around)

【例】His mind was a haze of fear and confusion.

【形】hazy

sabotage /ˈsæbətɑːʒ/

【释】n./v. 蓄意破坏

【例】Angry workers were responsible for the sabotage of the machines.

pulp /pʌlp/

【释】n./v. (打成)浆 (a soft, wet, shapeless mass of material)

【例】Charlie pulped three oranges to get their juice.

【近】squash

【释】n. 果肉

【例】The pulp is full and flesh.

whirl /wɜːrl/

【释】n./v. 回旋 (move or cause to move rapidly around and around)

【例】The cars were whirling around the track.

【近】swirl, rotate, spin

【用】give it a whirl 尝试一下

illicit /ɪˈlɪsɪt/

【释】adj. 违法的 (forbidden by law or rules)

【例】We must use all of the possible financial and legal tools to disrupt illicit proliferation networks.

【近】illegal, criminal

【反】legitimate

【释】adj. 不正当的

【例】She had an illicit affair with her boss.

hideous /ˈhɪdiəs/

【释】adj. 极丑的 (ugly or disgusting to look at)

【例】His smile made him look more hideous than ever.

【释】adj. 可怕的 (extremely unpleasant)

【例】His family was subjected to a hideous attack by the gang.

【近】dreadful, horrible, appalling

【反】innocuous

wrath /ræθ/

【释】n. 盛怒 (extreme anger)

【例】He incurred the wrath of the authorities in speaking out against government injustices.

【近】fury, outrage

【反】delight, pleasure

interrogate /ɪnˈterəɡeɪt/

【释】v. 审讯 (ask questions closely, aggressively, or formally)

【例】He was interrogated by MI6.

【近】inquire, query

【形】interrogation

antenna /ænˈtenə/

【释】n. 触角

【释】n. 天线

【例】They erected a television antenna on the roof.

【形】antennal

palette /ˈpælət/

【释】n. 调色板

【例】The painter’s right hand holds the palette.

imperialism /ɪmˈpɪriəlɪzəm/

【释】n. 帝国主义 (a policy or practice by which a country increases its power by gaining control over other areas of the world)

【例】Might is right—that’s the logic of imperialism.

whack /wæk/

【释】n./v. 重击 (a sharp or resounding blow)

【例】Someone whacked him on the head.

【释】n. 份额 (share of)

【例】The majority of people in this country pay their whack.

【释】v. 削减

【例】whack an amount from the budget

【用】out of whack 不正常；不一致

pitfall /ˈpɪtfɔːl/

【释】n. 陷阱；隐患

【例】Home schooling has its pitfalls.

【近】hazard, danger

downright /ˈdaʊnraɪt/

【释】adj./adv. 完全的(地)

【例】downright lies

【近】complete, forthright, thoroughly

eerie /ˈɪri/

【释】adj. 怪异的；可怕的

【例】the eerie dark countryside

【近】uncanny, weird

【形】eerily

stoop /stuːp/

【释】n./v. 俯身

【例】She stooped down to hug the child.

【释】v. 屈服

【例】If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.

hustle /ˈhʌsl/

【释】v. 催促

【例】The guards hustled the prisoners into the jail.

【释】n./v. 奔忙 (force someone to move hurriedly)

【例】He’s not the most talented player on the team, but he always hustles.

【近】rush

concur /kənˈkɜːr/

【释】v. 一致同意 (be in agreement)

【例】My political views concur with yours.

【近】coincide

【反】differ

puncture /ˈpʌŋktʃər/

【释】n./v. 穿刺

【例】A nail punctured the tire.

【近】pierce, perforate

flea /fliː/

【释】n. 跳蚤

【例】She got it from the flea market.

resilient /rɪˈzɪliənt/

【释】adj. 有弹性的 (able to return to an original shape after being stretched)

【例】Because a trigger monitor can serve many queues, it needs to be resilient and will continue to run despite this error.

【释】adj. 易复原的 (able to become strong again after something bad happens)

【例】The local economy is remarkably resilient.

rusty /ˈrʌsti/

【释】adj. 生锈的

【例】a rusty iron gate

taper /ˈteɪpər/

【释】v. 逐渐减少

【例】The demand for black-and-white television has tapered.

【近】narrow, decrease

【反】thicken, increase

splinter /ˈsplɪntər/

【释】n./v. 尖细碎片

【例】splinters of glass

【近】fragment, piece

tickle /ˈtɪkl/

【释】n./v. 痒

【例】The tag on the sweater tickled his neck.

redress /rɪˈdres/

【释】v. 纠正

【例】We redressed the problem.

【近】rectify

【释】n. 赔偿

【例】They are continuing their legal battle to seek some redress from the government.

tenet /ˈtenɪt/

【释】n. 信条 (a principle or belief)

【例】the central tenets of a religion

【近】principle, belief, dogma

dispel /dɪˈspel/

【释】v. 驱散 (make (a doubt, feeling, or belief) disappear)

【例】The brightness of the day did nothing to dispel Elaine’s dejection.

【近】eliminate, relieve, ease

covet /ˈkʌvət/

【释】v. 觊觎 (yearn to possess or have (something))

【例】These old stamps are eagerly coveted by collectors.

【近】desire, yearn for

infiltrate /ˈɪnfɪltreɪt/

【释】v. 渗入

【例】Spies were prepared to infiltrate the enemy camp.

【近】sneak

【形】infiltration

stout /staʊt/

【释】adj. 矮胖的 (somewhat fat or of heavy build)

【例】a stout pleasant man

【近】fat, plump

【反】thin, fragile, feeble

【释】adj. 勇敢的 (having or marked by boldness or determination)

【例】stout heart

methane /ˈmeθeɪn/

【释】n. 甲烷

【例】Bacteria living in these seeps process the methane into complex molecules, and worms and clams feast on the bacteria.

hone /hoʊn/

【释】n./v. 磨快

【例】hone a knife

【近】sharpen

【反】blunt

synonymous /sɪˈnɑːnɪməs/

【释】adj. 同义的 (having the same meaning)

【例】synonymous words

【释】adj. 亲密的 (very strongly associated with something)

【例】Paris has always been synonymous with elegance, luxury and style.

stamina /ˈstæmɪnə/

【释】n. 毅力 (ability to sustain prolonged physical or mental effort)

【例】Do you have the stamina to finish the job?

【近】endurance

scour /ˈskaʊər/

【释】v. 冲刷 (clean or brighten the surface of by rubbing it hard)

【例】He decided to scour the sink.

【近】scrub, rub

【释】v. 彻底搜索 (examine minutely)

【例】The police are scouring the countryside for the escaped prisoners.

stale /steɪl/

【释】adj. 陈腐的 (no longer fresh and pleasant to eat)

【例】Her relationship with Mark has become stale.

【近】old, worn out

【反】fresh, novel, original

relegate /ˈrelɪɡeɪt/

【释】v. 降级 (consign or dismiss to an inferior rank or position)

【例】He has been relegated to the position of an assistant coach.

【近】lower

【反】upgrade

【释】v. 移交

【例】We shall relegate this problem to the organizing committee.

obscene /əbˈsiːn/

【释】adj. 淫秽的，下流的 (connected with sex in a way that most people find offensive)

【例】He was accused of making obscene phone calls.

【近】dirty, filthy, gross

【反】pure, clean, decent

【释】adj. 令人憎恶的 (so extreme in amount as to be objectionable or outrageous)

【例】The CEO earns obscene salaries.

enclave /ˈenkleɪv/

【释】n. 飞地(指在本国境内的隶属另一国的一块领土)

【例】There is a small Welsh enclave in Patagonia.

undue /ˌʌnˈduː/

【释】adj. 过度的 (more than is reasonable or necessary)

【例】It is unrealistic to put undue pressure on ourselves by saying we are the best.

【释】adj. 未到期的 (not due)

【例】One of the problems is selected here, which is the legal status of undue claims in ship auctions.

rebuke /rɪˈbjuːk/

【释】n./v. 指责 (an act or expression of criticism and censure)

【例】The president rebuked the House and Senate for not passing those bills within 100 days.

【近】reproach, scold

【反】praise, compliment

elude /iˈluːd/

【释】v. 躲避 (evade or escape from)

【例】The two men managed to elude the police for six weeks.

【近】avoid

【释】v. 迷惑

【例】Victory continued to elude us.

detergent /dɪˈtɜːrdʒənt/

【释】n. 洗涤剂

【例】laundry detergent

【近】cleaner

psyche /ˈsaɪki/

【释】n. 灵魂；心灵，精神

【例】His exploration of the myth brings insight into the American psyche.

【近】soul, spirit