Word List 8

foreclose /fɔːrˈkloʊz/

【释】v. 取消抵押品赎回权

【例】The bank has threatened to foreclose their mortgage.

reticent /ˈretɪsnt/

【释】adj. 缄默的

【例】Smith was reticent about his personal affairs.

【近】reserved, silent

hermit /ˈhɜːrmɪt/

【释】n. 隐士

【例】I’ve spent the past ten years living like a hermit.

【近】recluse

zest /zest/

【释】n. 兴奋 (great enthusiasm and energy)

【例】His humor added zest to the performance.

【释】n. 热情

【例】He has a zest for life and a quick intellect.

【近】enthusiasm, appetite, zeal

【反】indifference

incipient /ɪnˈsɪpiənt/

【释】adj. 刚开始的 (beginning to happen or develop)

【例】The project is still in its incipient stage.

【近】beginning, initial

gouge /ɡaʊdʒ/

【释】n./v. 凿

【例】to gouge a whole in the wood

【近】scoop

stampede /stæmˈpiːd/

【释】n./v. (人群等)蜂拥

【例】a herd of stampeding cattle

【释】v. 逃窜

【例】People stampede to the exits.

ventilate /ˈventɪleɪt/

【释】v. 通风 (cause air to enter and circulate freely in)

【例】She opened the windows to ventilate the room.

【释】v. 发表；表达 (give expression or utterance to)

【例】ventilate their objections

【形】ventilation

sanguine /ˈsæŋɡwɪn/

【释】adj. 乐观的 (optimistic or positive)

【例】He is sanguine about prospects for the global economy.

【近】optimistic, confident

【反】gloomy

【释】adj. 红润的

【例】sanguine face

terse /tɜːrs/

【释】adj. 简洁的，精练的

【例】We were offended by her terse answers.

【形】brief

mascot /ˈmæskɑːt/

【释】n. 吉祥物

【例】Olympic mascot

docile /ˈdɑːsl/

【释】adj. 温顺的 (ready to accept control or instruction; submissive)

【例】His students were docile and eager to learn.

【近】obedient, amenable

unassuming /ˌʌnəˈsuːmɪŋ/

【释】adj. 谦逊的

【例】He’s a man of few words, very polite and unassuming.

【近】modest, humble

precipitous /prɪˈsɪpɪtəs/

【释】adj. 陡峭的

【例】There has been a precipitous decline in home sales recently.

【近】steep, sheer

【释】adj. 突然的

【例】People were shocked by his precipitous fall from political power.

【释】adj. 鲁莽的

fetish /ˈfetɪʃ/

【释】n. 迷恋

【例】He has a fetish for secrecy.

【近】obsession, fascination, charm

antithesis /ænˈtɪθəsɪs/

【释】n. 对立面

【例】Friends of the actress say she is quite the antithesis of her giddy and frivolous character.

【近】opposite, converse

obviate /ˈɑːbvieɪt/

【释】v. 避免，消除 (remove (a need or difficulty))

【例】The new medical treatment obviates the need for surgery.

【近】prevent, remove, get rid of

outpouring /ˈaʊtpɔːrɪŋ/

【释】n. 倾泻；流露 (something that streams out rapidly)

【例】The news of his death produced an instant outpouring of grief.

【近】rush, flooding

frenetic /frəˈnetɪk/

【释】adj. 发狂的

【例】The celebration was noisy and frenetic.

【近】feverish, turbulent

【反】calm

dexterity /dekˈsterəti/

【释】n. 灵巧，敏捷 (skill in performing tasks)

【例】He has the dexterity needed to deal cards quickly.

【近】agility, proficiency

【形】dexterous

pacify /ˈpæsɪfaɪ/

【释】v. 安抚

【例】She resigned from her position to pacify her accusers.

【近】placate

【反】enrage

inexorable /ɪnˈeksərəbl/

【释】adj. 无法改变的 (impossible to stop or prevent)

【例】inexorable march of new technology

【近】inevitable, irrevocable, inflexible

【释】adj. 无情的 (impossible to be persuaded by request or entreaty)

supple /ˈsʌpl/

【释】adj. 柔软的；顺从的

【例】shoes made from supple leather

【近】flexible, lithe, pliant

【反】stiff, inflexible, rigid

defraud /dɪˈfrɔːd/

【释】v. 欺骗

【例】He pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to defraud the government.

【近】swindle, deceive

unrelenting /ˌʌnrɪˈlentɪŋ/

【释】adj. 持续的；不屈不挠的；不松懈的

【例】He is unrelenting in the pursuit of equality for all races.

【近】continual, implacable, unyielding

【释】adj. 无情的

【例】The professor tends to be unrelenting about deadlines.

hoarse /hɔːrs/

【释】adj. 沙哑的

【例】He shouted himself hoarse.

【近】rough, raucous

【反】clear

breakout /ˈbreɪkaʊt/

【释】n. 爆发

【例】The company had a breakout last year, tripling its profits from the previous year.

【释】n. 越狱；脱逃

zealous /ˈzeləs/

【释】adj. 狂热的

【例】She is a zealous worker for charity.

【近】ardent, passionate, enthusiastic

【反】indifferent

【形】zealot

fluoride /ˈflɔːraɪd/

【释】n. 氟化物

purveyor /pərˈveɪər/

【释】n. 供应者

【例】a local purveyor of gourmet sandwiches

fawn /fɔːn/

【释】v. 奉承，谄媚 (try to please someone by praising them or paying them too much attention)

【例】a sports star surrounded by fawning fans

suffuse /səˈfjuːz/

【释】v. 充满；弥漫 (gradually spread through or over)

【例】This book is suffused with Shaw’s charac-teristic wry Irish humor.

【近】infuse, permeate

propulsion /prəˈpʌlʃn/

【释】n. 推进 (the action of driving or pushing forward)

【例】the submarine’s propulsion system

【近】thrust, force, impetus

excruciate /ɪkˈskruʃɪeɪt/

【释】v. 折磨，使痛苦 (inflict or torment)

【例】She has long been excruciated by a persistent pain in her knee.

nectar /ˈnektər/

【释】n. 花蜜 (a sweet liquid produced by flowers)

【例】All products are labeled based on their pollen and nectar contents.

【形】nectary

progenitor /proʊˈdʒenɪtər/

【释】n. 祖先；创始人

【例】the progenitor of modern art

【近】ancestor, forbear

【反】descendant

chubby /ˈtʃʌbi/

【释】adj. 丰满的 (plump and rounded)

【例】a chubby baby

rapture /ˈræptʃər/

【释】n. 狂喜 (a feeling of intense pleasure or joy)

【例】His speech was received with rapture by his supporters.

【近】delight, excitement

debunk /ˌdiːˈbʌŋk/

【释】v. 揭穿；驳斥 (expose or ridicule)

【例】The article debunks the notion that life exists on Mars.

【近】discredit, refute, disprove

【反】confirm, verify

insoluble /ɪnˈsɑːljəbl/

【释】adj. 不溶的

【例】insoluble substance

【释】adj. 不能解决的

【例】I pushed the problem aside; at present it was insoluble.

【形】insolvent

quench /kwentʃ/

【释】v. 熄灭

【例】He quenched the fire with water.

【释】v. 抑制

【例】The government succeeded in quenching the riot.

indulgent /ɪnˈdʌldʒənt/

【释】adj. 纵容的，放纵的

【例】His indulgent mother was willing to let him do anything he wanted.

【近】clement

【反】harsh, severe, strict

dainty /ˈdeɪnti/

【释】adj. 精致的，小巧玲珑的 (delicately small and pretty)

【例】a dainty lace handkerchief

【近】delicate

【释】adj. 讲究的；优雅的

【例】The dancers’ dainty steps were followed by a series of leaps.

【近】fine

【释】adj./n. 美味(的)

【近】palatable

irradiate /ɪˈreɪdieɪt/

【释】v. 照亮

【例】His little face was irradiated by happiness.

【近】illuminate, light up, brighten

【释】v. 辐照；辐射消毒

【例】The food was irradiated to kill any germs.

decapitate /dɪˈkæpɪteɪt/

【释】v. 砍掉…的头

【例】Traitors were publicly decapitated.

【近】behead

ransack /ˈrænsæk/

【释】v. 洗劫 (go hurriedly through (a place) stealing things and causing damage)

【例】Demonstrators ransacked and burned the house where he was staying.

【近】despoil, pillage

suction /ˈsʌkʃn/

【释】n. 吸，抽吸；抽吸装置

【例】The vacuum cleaner picks up dirt by suction.

summation /sʌˈmeɪʃn/

【释】n. 总结

【例】We gave a summation of our discovery.

【释】n. 总和

perspiration /ˌpɜːrspəˈreɪʃn/

【释】n. 汗水

【例】His hands were wet with perspiration.

【近】sweat

【形】perspire

dishearten /dɪsˈhɑːrtn/

【释】v. 使沮丧

【例】We were disheartened by the news that our grandmother was seriously ill.

【近】discourage, dismay, frustrate

【反】embolden, encourage

disingenuous /ˌdɪsɪnˈdʒenjuəs/

【释】adj. 虚伪的

【例】Her recent expressions of concern are self-serving and disingenuous.

transfix /trænsˈfɪks/

【释】v. 使惊呆 (cause (someone) to become motionless with horror, wonder, or astonishment)

【例】When she heard the news, she was transfixed with shock.

gregarious /ɡrɪˈɡeriəs/

【释】adj. 爱交际的

【例】She is such a gregarious and outgoing person.

【近】sociable, outgoing

【释】adj. 群居的

【例】gregarious fish

canny /ˈkæni/

【释】adj. 精明的

【例】He was far too canny to risk giving himself away.

【近】astute, shrewd

heinous /ˈheɪnəs/

【释】adj. 可憎的；极恶的 (utterly odious or wicked)

【例】These murders were especially heinous.

【近】abominable

derange /dɪˈrendʒ/

【释】v. 扰乱(秩序等)，打乱(思想、安排或行动等)

【例】derange the plan

【反】regulate

【释】v. 使发狂 (cause (someone) to become insane)

【例】She is mentally deranged.

drowsy /ˈdraʊzi/

【释】adj. 昏昏欲睡的 (sleepy and lethargic)

【例】Big meals during the day cause drowsiness.

【近】sleepy, somnolent

【反】alert, awake

wharf /wɔːrf/

【释】n. 码头

【例】tie the rowboat up at the wharf

【近】dock, harbor

parch /pɑːrtʃ/

【释】v. 使干枯

【例】The hot desert sun had parched the land.

【近】dehydrate, scorch

bewitch /bɪˈwɪtʃ/

【释】v. 使着迷；蛊惑 (attract; cause to be enamored)

【例】The doctor is bewitched by Maya’s beauty.

【近】fascinate, enchant

fortitude /ˈfɔːrtətuːd/

【释】n. 坚韧；不屈不挠 (courage in pain or adversity)

【例】She endured her illness with great fortitude.

【近】courage, bravery

sneaky /ˈsniːki/

【释】adj. 鬼鬼祟祟的

【近】sly

【反】honest

【释】adj. 卑鄙的

【例】It’s a sneaky way of getting people to buy something they don’t need.

【近】cunning

cipher /ˈsaɪfər/

【释】n./v. (把…译成)密码 (convert ordinary language into code)

【例】a cipher that can’t be decoded.

【释】n. 无足轻重的人 (a person of no influence)

【例】She was nothing more than a cipher.

【释】v. 计算

【近】calculate, compute

loath /loʊθ/

【释】adj. 不情愿的

【例】They were loath to take risks.

【近】reluctant, unwilling, averse

【反】willing

grinder /ˈɡraɪndər/

【释】n. 研磨机

【例】a coffee grinder

vanquish /ˈvæŋkwɪʃ/

【释】v. 征服，击败 (defeat thoroughly)

【例】They were vanquished in battle.

【近】conquer, defeat, beat

insinuate /ɪnˈsɪnjueɪt/

【释】v. 暗示 (suggest or hint in an indirect and unpleasant way)

【例】Are you insinuating that I won by cheating?

【近】imply, suggest, hint

【释】v. 巧妙获取

【例】He gradually insinuated himself into her life.

introspective /ˌɪntrəˈspektɪv/

【反】【释】adj. 省的；内省的

【例】There were a lot of family problems and Jim became increasingly introspective.

【近】introversive

【形】introspection

recluse /ˈrekluːs/

【释】n./adj. 隐居者；隐居的

【例】My neighbor is a recluse—I only see him about once a decade.

【近】solitary, hermit

【形】reclusive

gullible /ˈɡʌləbl/

【释】adj. 易受骗的 (easily persuaded to believe something)

【例】They sell overpriced souvenirs to gullible tourists.

【近】credulous, innocent, naive

【反】suspicious

frugal /ˈfruːɡl/

【释】adj. 节俭的 (sparing or economical with regard to money or food)

【例】We must practice the strictest frugality and economy.

【近】thrifty, economical

repugnant /rɪˈpʌɡnənt/

【释】adj. 令人憎恶的 (extremely distasteful)

【例】All food was repugnant to me during my illness.

【近】disgusting, loathsome, hateful

【反】attractive

tussle /ˈtʌsl/

【释】n./v. 扭打；争执

【例】His glasses were smashed in the tussle.

【近】fight, scuffle

lubricant /ˈluːbrɪkənt/

【释】n. 润滑剂

【例】The device needs more lubricant.

【形】lubricate, lucrative

impregnate /ɪmˈpreɡneɪt/

【释】v. 灌输

【例】an atmosphere impregnated with tension

【近】infuse, saturate, drench

【释】v. 使怀孕

【例】Norman’s efforts to impregnate her failed.

inhalation /ˌɪnhəˈleɪʃn/

【释】n. 吸入

【例】They were taken to the hospital suffering from smoke inhalation.

tassel /ˈtæsl/

【释】n. 流苏 (adornment consisting of a bunch of cords fastened at one end)

【释】n. 穗

kindle /ˈkɪndl/

【释】v. 点燃 (light or set on fire)

【例】A love of art was kindled in me.

【近】light, ignite

【反】extinguish

【释】v. 激起 (arouse or inspire (an emotion or feeling))

【例】The Second World War kindled his enthusiasm for politics.

emancipate /ɪˈmænsɪpeɪt/

【释】v. 解放 (set free, especially from legal, social, or political restrictions)

【例】The war preserved the Union and emancipated the slaves.

【近】free, liberate, release

【形】emancipation

amicable /ˈæmɪkəbl/

【释】adj. 友好的 (without serious disagreement or rancor)

【例】She had been surprised at how amiable and polite he had been.

【近】friendly, cordial

preconceive /ˌpriːkənˈsiːv/

【释】v. 预想

【例】Preconceive plans and goals for your week in order to make your mornings more refreshing.

innuendo /ˌɪnjuˈendoʊ/

【释】n. 影射；暗讽，讽刺

【例】His reputation has been damaged by innuendos about his drinking and gambling.

【近】insinuation, implication, hint

castigate /ˈkæstɪɡeɪt/

【释】v. 谴责 (reprimand (someone) severely)

【例】The principal castigated the students who had insulted their teacher.

【近】rebuke, reproach, scold

indiscretion /ˌɪndɪˈskreʃn/

【释】n. 轻率

【例】A single indiscretion can get someone kicked out of that exclusive club.

【近】imprudence, blunder

confederate /kənˈfedərət/

【释】n. 同伙， 同盟 (a person one works with)

【例】She was his confederate in the kidnapping.

【近】league, associate

【释】adj. 联盟的

【例】all confederate members of the association

【近】allied, federal

indistinct /ˌɪndɪˈstɪŋkt/

【释】adj. 不清楚的

【例】indistinct figures in the fog

【近】blurred, vague, faint

【反】clear, legible, audible

tendril /ˈtendrəl/

【释】n. 一束，一缕 (a thin, curling piece of something such as hair)

【例】Tendrils of hair strayed to the edge of her pillow.

【释】n. 卷须

perfunctory /pərˈfʌŋktəri/

【释】adj. 敷衍的

【例】She gave the list only a perfunctory glance.

【近】cursory, superficial, careless

【反】careful, thorough

debase /dɪˈbeɪs/

【释】v. 贬低

【例】The governor debased himself by lying to the public.

【近】degrade, abase, lessen

【反】ennoble, elevate

tribulation /ˌtrɪbjuˈleɪʃn/

【释】n. 磨难；苦难

【例】Her son’s illness has been a source of great tribulation.

【近】strait, torture, woe

orb /ɔːrb/

【释】n. 球状物 (an object with a spherical shape)

【例】The moon is a silvery orb.

【近】sphere

overbear /ˈoʊvərber/

【释】v. 压制；胜过；克服

【例】With his huge body, he overbore his opponent under him dead.

【近】overcome, surmount

valiant /ˈvæliənt/

【释】adj. 勇敢的 (possessing or showing courage or determination)

【例】Despite their valiant efforts, they lost the game.

【近】intrepid, bold, dauntless

【反】timid

personification /pərˌsɑːnɪfɪˈkeɪʃn/

【释】n. 拟人，象征 (an imaginary person that represents a thing or idea)

【例】Personification is a rhetoric way used in articles.