JUN 2022
Vegetarian
ground /ɡraʊnd/ (n):
#1. [uncountable] an area of interest, knowledge, experience or ideas.
He managed to cover a lot of ground (= included information on many different subjects) in a short talk.
We had to go over the same ground (= talk about the same things again) in class the next day.
He felt he was back on familiar ground (= he knows a lot about this subject).
Once we'd found some common ground (= things we both knew about) we got along very well together.
ground for something: Paris in the 1920s was fertile ground for artistic experimentation.
#2. a reason, cause, or argument.
She is suing the company on grounds of unfair dismissal.
Do you have any ground for suspecting them?
You have no grounds for complaint.
[ + to infinitive ] We have grounds to believe that you have been lying to us.
[ + that ] He refused to answer on the grounds that the question violated his rights to privacy.
on… ground: I thought I was on safe ground (= not likely to offend or upset somebody) talking about music.
You're on dangerous ground (= likely to offend or upset somebody) if you criticize his family.
Legal scholars say the president is on shaky ground.
He retired early on health grounds.
>>> be on firm/solid ground (idiom): to be in a strong position in an argument, etc. because you know the facts.
Everyone agreed with me, so I knew I was on firm ground.
He is probably on solid ground when he says we need more training.
>>>
appeal /əˈpiːl/ (n):
outlook /ˈaʊtlʊk/ (n):
#1. [usually singular] the attitude to life and the world of a particular person, group or culture.
Travel broadens your outlook.
a/an positive/optimistic outlook
a bleak/gloomy/pessimistic outlook
outlook on something: He had a practical outlook on life.
in outlook: They value tradition and are basically conservative in outlook.
#2. the likely future for somebody/something; what is likely to happen.
SYNONYM prospect;
the country’s economic outlook
outlook for something: The outlook for jobs is bleak.
The outlook (= the probable weather) for the weekend is dry and sunny.
#3. (formal) a view from a particular place.
The house has a pleasant outlook over the valley.
prospect /ˈprɒspekt/ (n):
#1. [uncountable, singular] the possibility that something will happen.
There is no immediate prospect of peace.
There was insufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction.
A place in the semi-finals is in prospect (= likely to happen).
#2. [singular] an idea of what might or will happen in the future.
an exciting prospect
Travelling alone around the world is a daunting prospect.
I'm very excited at the prospect of joining the team.
#3. prospects [plural] the chances of being successful.
good job/employment/career prospects.
Long-term prospects for the economy have improved.
Their prospects of success are slight.
#4. prospect (for something) a person who is likely to be successful in a competition or in a particular career.
She is one of Canada's best prospects for a gold medal.
#5. [countable] (formal) a wide view of an area of land, etc.
a delightful prospect of the lake.
daunting /ˈdɔːntɪŋ/ (adj):
#1. making somebody feel nervous and less confident about doing something; likely to make somebody feel this way.
SYNONYM intimidating
She has the daunting task of cooking for 20 people every day.
Starting a new job can be a daunting prospect.
slight /slaɪt/ (adj)
#1. (comparative slighter, superlative slightest) very small in degree.
a slight increase/change/difference.
#2. small and thin in size.
a slight woman
He was of slight build.
She was smaller and slighter than I had imagined.
#3. (formal) not deserving serious attention.
This is a very slight novel.
>>> not in the slightest (idiom): not at all.
He didn't seem to mind in the slightest.
I’m not in the slightest bit interested.
degree /dɪˈɡriː/ (n):
#1. a unit for measuring temperature.
#2. [countable] a unit for measuring angles.
#3. [countable, uncountable] the amount or level of something.
Her job demands a high degree of skill.
I agree with you to a certain degree.
The reaction to his decision has been, to some degree, predictable.
#4. [countable] the qualification obtained by students who successfully complete a university or college course.
#5. [countable] a level in a scale of how serious something is.
murder in the first degree (= of the most serious kind)
>>> by degrees (idiom): slowly and gradually.
By degrees their friendship grew into love.
By slow degrees, the company's turnover dwindled to nothing.
>>> to the nth degree (idiom): extremely; to an extreme degree.
The children tested her patience to the nth degree.
dwindle /ˈdwɪndl/ (v):
#1. [intransitive] to become gradually less or smaller.
dwindling audiences.
Support for the party has dwindled away to nothing.
Membership of the club has dwindled from 70 to 20.
nth /enθ/ (adj):
#1. [only before noun] (informal) used when you are stating that something is the last in a long series and emphasizing how often something has happened.
It's the nth time I've explained it to you.
conservative /kənˈsɜːvətɪv/ (adj):
#1. opposed to great or sudden social change; showing that you prefer traditional styles and values.
the conservative views of his parents
music which is accessible to an audience with extremely conservative tastes
The southern state's inhabitants tend to be socially conservative.
Her style of dress was never conservative.
conservative in something They were deeply conservative in their outlook.
#2. (of an estimate) lower than what is probably the real amount or number.
At a conservative estimate, he'll be earning £50 000.
The gloomy forecasts are based on overly conservative projections of growth.
projection /prəˈdʒekʃn/ (n):
#1. [countable] an estimate or a statement of what figures, amounts, or events will be in the future, or what they were in the past, based on what is happening now.
to make forward/backward projections of population figures.
Sales have exceeded our projections.
Calculations are based on a projection of existing trends.
perspective /pəˈspektɪv/ (n):
#1. [countable] a particular attitude towards something; a way of thinking about something.
Try to see the issue from a different perspective.
bleak /bliːk/ (adj):
(comparative bleaker, superlative bleakest)
#1. (of a situation) not giving any reason to have hope or expect anything good.
a bleak outlook/prospect
The future looks bleak for the fishing industry.
The medical prognosis was bleak.
They faced a financially bleak Christmas.
Prospects for the industry are extremely bleak.
#2. (of the weather) cold and unpleasant.
a bleak winter’s day.
#3. (of a place) exposed, empty, or with no pleasant features.
a bleak landscape/hillside/moor
bleak concrete housing
exposed /ɪkˈspəʊzd/ (adj):
#1. (of a place) not protected from the weather by trees, buildings or high ground.
The cottage is in a very exposed position on the top of a hill.
#2. (of a person) not protected from attack or criticism
She was left feeling exposed and vulnerable.
#3. (finance) likely to experience financial losses.
The country became highly exposed to the vagaries of international markets.
vulnerable /ˈvʌlnərəbl/ (adj):
#1. vulnerable (to somebody/something) weak and easily hurt physically or emotionally.
These offices are highly vulnerable to terrorist attack.
Old people are particularly vulnerable to the flu.
She looked very vulnerable standing there on her own.
In cases of food poisoning, young children are especially vulnerable.
The sudden resignation of the financial director put the company in a very vulnerable position.
We should protect the most vulnerable members of our society.
(all) on your own (idiom): alone; without anyone else.
I'm all on my own today.
She lives on her own.
(all) by myself (idiom):
#1. alone; without anyone else.
I live by myself.
#2. without help.
I painted the room all by myself.
(all) to myself (idiom): for the speaker or writer alone to have or use; not shared.
I had a whole pizza to myself.
vagaries /ˈveɪɡəriz/ (n):
#1. [plural] (formal) changes in somebody/something that are difficult to predict or control.
All farmers are exposed to the vagaries of the weather.
Their wealth fluctuates with the vagaries of the stock market.
broaden /ˈbrɔːdn/ (v):
#1. [intransitive] to become wider.
Her smile broadened.
#2. [transitive, intransitive] broaden (something) to affect or make something affect more people or things.
a promise to broaden access to higher education.
The party needs to broaden its appeal to voters.
#3. [transitive] broaden something to increase your experience, knowledge, etc.
Few would disagree that travel broadens the mind (= helps you to understand other people's customs, etc.).
Spending a year working in the city helped to broaden his horizons.
>>> broaden out (phrasal verb): (of a road, river, etc.) to become wider.
SYNONYM widen;
horizon /həˈraɪzn/ (n):
#1. the horizon [singular] the furthest that you can see, where the sky seems to meet the land or the sea.
The sun sank below the horizon.
A ship appeared on the horizon.
#2. [countable, usually plural] the limit of your desires, knowledge or interests.
She wanted to travel to broaden her horizons.
The company needs new horizons now.
>>> on the horizon (idiom): likely to happen soon.
There's trouble looming on the horizon.
loom /luːm/ (v):
#1. [intransitive] (+ adv./prep.) to appear as a large shape that is not clear, especially in a frightening way.
A dark shape loomed up ahead of us.
#2. [intransitive] (of something bad) to appear serious and likely to happen soon.
There was a crisis looming.
>>> loom large (idiom): to be frightening and make you worried because something seems hard to avoid.
The prospect of war loomed large.
The issue looms large in political campaigns nationwide.
phenomenon /fəˈnɒmɪnən/ (plural phenomena /fəˈnɒmɪnə/) (n):
# a fact or an event in nature or society, especially one that is not fully understood.
cultural/ natural phenomena.
phenomenon of something: the global phenomenon of climate change.
# (plural North American English phenomenons) a person or thing that is very successful or impressive.
This young pianist is a phenomenon.
The movie has become a bona fide cult phenomenon.
bona fide /ˌbəʊnə ˈfaɪdi/ (adj):
# [usually before noun] (from Latin) real, legal or true; not false.
a bona fide reason
Is it a bona fide, reputable organization?
You’re a bona fide member of the team now.
Students should have a bona fide reason for missing class, such as illness.
cult /kʌlt/ (n):
# [usually singular] cult (of something): a way of life, an attitude, an idea, etc. that has become very popular.
the cult of physical fitness
the cult of youth.
# a small group of people who have extreme religious beliefs and who are not part of any established religion.
Their son ran away from home and joined a cult.
the members of a religious cult.
# (formal) a system of religious beliefs and practices.
the Chinese cult of ancestor worship.
worship /ˈwɜːʃɪp/ (n):
# [uncountable] the practice of showing respect for God or a god, by saying prayers, singing with others, etc.; a ceremony for this.
an act/a place of worship.
# [uncountable] a strong feeling of love and respect for somebody/something.
SYNONYM adoration;
What she feels for him is akin to worship.
akin /əˈkɪn/ (adj):
# (formal) akin to something: similar to something.
What he felt was more akin to pity than love.
She was wearing something akin to a pineapple on her head.
This game is closely akin to hockey.
unicorn /ˈjuːnɪkɔːn/ (n):
# (in stories) an animal like a white horse with a long straight horn on its head.
# a new company valued at more than a billion dollars, typically in the software or technology sector.
The report examines the ascent of start-ups and how unicorns are changing.
breakdown /ˈbreɪkdaʊn/ (n):
# [countable] an occasion when a vehicle or machine stops working.
a breakdown on the motorway.
# [countable, uncountable] a failure of a relationship, discussion or system.
The only ground for divorce is the irretrievable breakdown of the marriage.
Marriage breakdown
There has obviously been a breakdown in communications between the two sides.
The breakdown of the negotiations was not expected.
The breakdown of law and order.
# [countable, usually singular] detailed information that you get by studying a set of figures.
First, let's look at a breakdown of the costs.
Please provide us with a breakdown of expenditure by department.
# [countable] (also nervous breakdown (old-fashioned)) a period of serious mental illness in which somebody is unable to deal with normal life.
It all became too much and he had some sort of breakdown.
# [uncountable] (specialist) the process of a substance breaking into the parts of which it is made.
the breakdown of proteins in the digestive system.
deficit /ˈdefɪsɪt/ (n):
# (economics) the amount by which money spent or owed is greater than money earned in a particular period of time.
a budget/trade deficit
in deficit: The trade balance has been in deficit for the past five years.
attention deficit disorder (ADD)/ attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (n): a condition, usually beginning in childhood, that makes it difficult for somebody to pay attention and concentrate, and may make it difficult for them to control their behaviour.
Vanity /ˈvænəti/ (n):
# (plural vanities) [uncountable] (disapproving) the fact of being too proud of your own appearance, abilities or achievements.
She had no personal vanity (= about her appearance).
The invitation to head the committee flattered his vanity and he agreed.
No doubt the idea appealed to his vanity.
# [uncountable] (literary) the fact of being unimportant, especially compared with other things that are important.
The vanity of human ambition in the face of death.
# vanities [plural] behaviour or attitudes that show people’s vanity.
Politics is too often concerned only with the personal vanities of politicians.
sex appeal /ˈseks əpiːl/ (n)
# [uncountable] the quality of being attractive in a sexual way.
He exudes sex appeal.