Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 3rd Edition

Cambridge University Press 2008

adept adjective
having a natural ability to do something that needs skill
She's very adept at dealing with the media.
Tamsin Palmer gave an impressive and technically adept performance on the piano.
admonish verb FORMAL
1. [T] to tell someone that they have done something wrong
His mother admonished him for eating too quickly.
2. [T + to infinitive] to advise someone to do something
Her teacher admonished her to work harder for her exams.
badger verb [T ]
to persuade someone by telling them repeatedly to do something, or to question someone repeatedly
Stop badgering me - I'll do it when I'm ready.
[+ into + -ing verb] She's been badgering me into doing some exercise.
[+ to infinitive] Every time we go into a shop, the kids badger me to buy them sweets.
candid adjective APPROVING
honest and telling the truth, especially about something difficult or painful
The two presidents have had candid talks about the current crisis.
To be candid with you, I think you're making a dreadful mistake.
conjecture noun [C or U ]
(the forming of) a guess about something based on how it seems and not on proof
There's been a lot of conjecture in the papers recently about the royal marriage.
debonair adjective SLIGHTLY OLD-FASHIONED
(especially of men) attractive, confident and carefully dressed
a debonair appearance/manner
a debonair young man
delineation noun [C or U]
delude verb [T ]
to make someone believe something that is not true; to deceive
[R] He's deluding himself if he thinks he's going to be promoted this year.
delusion noun [C or U ]
when someone believes something that is not true
[+ that] He's under the delusion that he will be promoted this year.
dingy adjective
dark and often also dirty
a dingy room/corridor
Her hair was a dingy brown colour.
disobliging adjective FORMAL
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 3rd Edition
Cambridge University Press 2008
unwilling to help or do what you are asked to do
dissemble verb [I ] FORMAL
to hide your real intentions and feelings or the facts
He accused the government of dissembling.
erroneous adjective FORMAL
wrong or false
an erroneous belief/impression
ethnicity noun [U] FORMAL
exhort verb [T + to infinitive ] FORMAL
to strongly encourage or try to persuade someone to do something
The governor exhorted the prisoners not to riot.
guileless adjective FORMAL
honest, not able to deceive
She regarded him with wide, guileless blue eyes.
heinous adjective FORMAL
very bad and shocking
a heinous crime
incalculable adjective
extremely large and therefore unable to be measured
The ecological consequences of a nuclear war are incalculable.
intonation noun
1. [C or U] the sound changes produced by the rise and fall of the voice when speaking, especially
when this has an effect on the meaning of what is said
The end of a sentence that is not a question is usually marked by falling intonation.
2. [U] the degree to which the notes of a piece of music are played or sung correctly
The violinist had good intonation, and a wonderful pure tone.
inveterate adjective USUALLY DISAPPROVING
an inveterate liar/gambler, etc.
someone who does something very often and cannot stop doing it
I never trust anything he says - the man's an inveterate liar.
juxtapose verb [T ]
to put things which are not similar next to each other
The exhibition juxtaposes Picasso's early drawings with some of his later works.
juxtaposition noun [U]
the juxtaposition of two very different cultures
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 3rd Edition
Cambridge University Press 2008
lambaste , lambast verb [T ]
to criticize someone or something severely
His first novel was well and truly lambasted by the critics.
minuscule adjective
extremely small
All she gave him to eat was two minuscule pieces of toast.
nuptial adjective FORMAL
belonging or relating to a marriage or the state of being married
nuptial vows/promises
the nuptial bed
pedantic adjective DISAPPROVING
giving too much attention to formal rules or small details
They were being unnecessarily pedantic by insisting that Berry himself, and not his wife, should
have made the announcement.
percolate verb LIQUID
1. [I] If a liquid percolates, it moves slowly through a substance with very small holes in it
Sea water percolates down through the rocks.
2. [I or T] to make coffee using a machine in which hot water passes through crushed coffee beans
into a container below
perplexing adjective
They find the company's attitude perplexing and unreasonable.
plenipotentiary noun [C ] OLD-FASHIONED FORMAL
a person who has the authority to act as the representative of his or her country, especially in
another country
precedence noun [U ]
1. the condition of being dealt with before other things or of being considered more important than
other things
Precedence must be given to the injured in the evacuation plans.
Business people often think that fluency and communication take precedence over grammar when
speaking.
2. FORMAL the order of importance given to people in particular societies, groups or organizations
The order of precedence for titled nobility in Britain is duke, marquis, earl, viscount, baron.
pre-eminent adjective FORMAL
more important or better than others
She is the pre-eminent authority in her subject.
prerequisite noun [C ] FORMAL
something which must exist or happen before something else can exist or happen
Passing a written exam is a prerequisite for taking the advanced course.
Public support is a prerequisite for/to the success of this project.
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 3rd Edition
Cambridge University Press 2008
They had to agree to certain conditions as a prerequisite of being lent the money.
presume verb BELIEVE
1. [T] to believe something to be true because it is very likely, although you are not certain
[+ (that)] I presume (that) they're not coming, since they haven't replied to the invitation.
[+ speech] You are Dr Smith, I presume?
"Are we walking to the hotel?" "I presume not/so."
[+ object + adjective] The boat's captain is missing, presumed dead (= it is believed that he is
dead).
In British law, you are presumed innocent until you are proved guilty.
[+ object + to infinitive] The universe is presumed to contain many other planets with some form
of life.
rendezvous noun [C ] (plural rendezvous)
1. an arrangement to meet someone, especially secretly, at a particular place and time, or the place
itself
We have a rendezvous for next week, don't we?
The lovers met at a secret rendezvous in the park.
2. a place where a particular group of people often go or meet, by arrangement or habit
This restaurant is a popular rendezvous for local artists.
retrograde adjective FORMAL
returning to older and worse conditions, methods, ideas, etc
He said it would be a retrograde step to remove single parent benefit.
snob noun [C ] MAINLY DISAPPROVING
a person who respects and likes only people who are of a high social class, and/or a person who has
extremely high standards who is not satisfied by the things that ordinary people like
He's a frightful snob - if you haven't been to the right school he probably won't even speak to you.
I'm afraid I'm a bit of a wine snob/a snob where wine is concerned.
snobbish adjective (INFORMAL snobby) DISAPPROVING
like a snob
My brother is very snobbish about cars.
subtle adjective APPROVING
1. not loud, bright, noticeable or obvious in any way
The room was painted a subtle shade of pink.
The play's message is perhaps too subtle to be understood by young children.
2. small but important
There is a subtle difference between these two plans.
3. achieved in a quiet way which does not attract attention to itself and which is therefore good or
clever
a subtle plan/suggestion
subtle questions
supposedly adverb
used to show that you do not believe that something you have been told is true
Well, the tickets are supposedly in the mail.
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 3rd Edition
Cambridge University Press 2008
surpass verb [T ] FORMAL
to do or be better than
His time for the 100 metres surpassed the previous world record by one hundredth of a second.
The book's success has surpassed everyone's expectations.
[R] The director has really surpassed himself (= done better than he has done before) with this
new film.
usurp verb [T ] SLIGHTLY FORMAL
to take control or a position of power, especially without having the right to
The powers of local councils are being usurped by central government.
vehement adjective
expressing strong feelings, or shown by strong feelings or great energy or force
Despite vehement opposition from his family, he quit school and became an actor.
Both men were vehement in their denial of the charges against them.
They launched a vehement attack on the government's handling of environmental issues.
vehemence noun [U]
She argued with such vehemence against the proposal that they decided to abandon it.
vehemently adverb
in a strong and emotional way
The president has vehemently denied having an extra-marital affair.
vogue noun [S or U ]
a fashion or general liking, especially one which is temporary
In the 1920s, short hair for women became the vogue.
The postwar vogue for tearing down buildings virtually destroyed the city's architecture.
The short hemline is very much in vogue (= fashionable) this spring.
"Community" is one of the vogue words of the new government.
wrinkle noun [C ] PROBLEM
3. INFORMAL a problem, usually a small one
There are still a few wrinkles to iron out (= solve) before the agreement can be signed.