shock1 /k/

noun

1. a sudden upsetting or surprising event or experience: it was a shock to face such hostile
attitudes.
o
a feeling of disturbed surprise resulting from a sudden upsetting event: her death
gave us all a terrible shock | [mass noun] : her eyes opened wide in shock.
o

a disturbance causing instability in an economy: trading imbalances caused by the

two oil shocks.

short for electric shock: the home-made lighting gave my father a shock when he
touched the aquarium.

2. [mass noun] an acute medical condition associated with a fall in blood pressure, caused
by such events as loss of blood, severe burns, allergic reaction, or sudden emotional stress, and
marked by cold, pallid skin, irregular breathing, rapid pulse, and dilated pupils: he died of shock
due to massive abdominal haemorrhage.

3. a violent shaking movement caused by an impact, explosion, or tremor: earthquake

shocks | [mass noun] :rackets today don't bend or absorb shock the way wooden rackets do.

4. short for shock absorber.

verb

1. [with obj.] cause (someone) to feel surprised and upset: she was shocked at the state of
his injuries.
o
offend the moral feelings of; outrage: the revelations shocked the nation.
[no obj.] experience outrage: he shocked so easily.

2. affect with physiological shock, or with an electric shock: if a patient is deeply shocked,
measurement of blood pressure may be difficult.
3. [no obj.] archaic collide violently: carriage after carriage shocked fiercely against the engine.

longing /l/
noun

a yearning desire: Miranda felt a wistful longing for the old days | [mass noun] : a tale of love
and longing.
adjective
1

[attrib.] having or showing a yearning desire: her longing eyes.

frustrated /frstretd/
adjective

1. feeling or expressing distress and annoyance resulting from an inability to change or

achieve something:young people getfrustrated with the system.
o
unfulfilled sexually: jealousies and frustrated passions.

2. [attrib.] (of a person) unable to follow or be successful in a particular career: a frustrated

actor.

prevented from progressing, succeeding, or being fulfilled: years of frustrated

attempts to regain control of the site.

relieved /rlivd/
adjective

no longer feeling distressed or anxious; reassured: relieved parents who had waited anxiously for
news.

embarrassment /mbarsmnt, , m-/

noun
[mass noun] a feeling of self-consciousness, shame, or awkwardness: I turned red with
embarrassment.
[count noun] a person or thing causing feelings of embarrassment: he was an embarrassment
who was safely left ignored | her extreme views might be anembarrassment to the movement.
financial difficulty: his temporary financial embarrassment.

embarrassed /mbarst, , m-/

adjective
feeling or showing embarrassment: I felt quite embarrassed whenever I talked to her | an
embarrassed silence.
2

 having or showing financial difficulties: he had to sort out the embarrassed financial affairs of his
brother.

exhausted /zstd/
adjective

1. very tired: she returned home, exhausted from work.

2. (of resources or reserves) completely used up: Kirov spat, his patience suddenly
exhausted.
(of a place) no longer productive as a result of being drained of resources:exhausted peat
workings.

guilty /lti/
adjective (guiltier, guiltiest)
culpable of or responsible for a specified wrongdoing: he was
found guilty of manslaughter | Williams pleaded guilty to three separate offences.

justly chargeable with a particular fault or error: she wasguilty of a serious error of
judgement.
o
conscious of, affected by, or revealing a feeling of guilt:he felt guilty about the way
he had treated her | a guilty conscience.
o
causing a feeling of guilt: a guilty secret.

ashamed /emd/

o
adjective

[predic.] embarrassed or guilty because of one's actions, characteristics, or

associations: you should be ashamed of yourself | his clothes and manners made me ashamed of
him | [with clause] : she felt ashamed that she had hit him.
o

[with infinitive] reluctant to do something through fear of embarrassment or

humiliation: I'm ashamed to say I followed him home | I am not ashamed to be seenwith them.

lonely /l nli/
adjective (lonelier, loneliest)

1. sad because one has no friends or company: lonely old people whose families do not care for
them.
without companions; solitary: passing long lonely hours looking on to the

street.
o

2. (of a place) unfrequented and remote: a lonely country lane.

comfortable /kmf()tb()l/
adjective
1. (especially of clothes or furnishings) providing physical ease and relaxation:comfortable sturdy
shoes | relax

(of a person) physically relaxed and free from constraint: he would not be
comfortable in any other clothes.
(of a hospital patient) not in pain or in danger: he was said to be comfortable
in the West Highland Hospital.
free from stress or tension: they appear very comfortable in each other's
company | few of us are comfortable with confrontations.
free from financial worry; having an adequate standard of living: the Rector
enjoyed a comfortable lifestyle with plenty of servants.
2. as large as is needed or wanted: a comfortable income.
with a wide margin: a comfortable victory.

surprise /sprz/
noun
1. an unexpected or astonishing event, fact, etc.: the announcement came as a complete
surprise.

[mass noun] a feeling of mild astonishment or shock caused

by something unexpected:much to her surprise, she'd missed him.
[as modifier]denoting something done or happening

unexpectedly:a surprise attack.

2. [as modifier] (Bell-ringing) denoting a complex method

of change-ringing:surprise major.

verb

[with obj.] (of something unexpected) cause (someone) to feel

mild astonishment or shock: I was surprised at his statement | [with obj. and clause] : Joe was
surprised that he enjoyed the journey.

capture, attack, or discover suddenly and unexpectedly:he

surprised a gang stealing scrap metal.
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surprised /sprzd/
adjective

feeling or showing surprise: there was a surprised silence.

worn out

adjective
1. extremely tired; exhausted: you look worn out.
2. damaged or shabby to the point of being no longer usable: worn-out shoes.
(of an idea, method, or system) used so often or existing for so long as to be considered
valueless: he portrayed the Tories as the party of worn-out ideas.

uptight /ptt, , ptt/

adjective informal anxious or angry in a tense and overly controlled way: he is so uptight about
everything.

incensed /nsnst/
adjective very angry; enraged: Leonora glared back at him, incensed.

lurch /lrCH/
1

noun

[usu. in sing.] an abrupt uncontrolled movement, especially an unsteady tilt or roll: the boat gave
aviolent lurch, and he missed his footing.
verb
[no obj.] make an abrupt, unsteady, uncontrolled movement or series of movements; stagger: the
car lurched forward | Stuart lurched to his feet | figurative he was lurching from one crisis to the
next.

anxious /aNG(k)SHs/
adjective

1. experiencing worry, unease, or nervousness, typically about an imminent event or

something with an uncertain outcome: she was extremely anxious about her exams.
o
[attrib.] (of a period of time or situation) causing or characterized by worry or
nervousness: there were some anxious moments.
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2. [usu with infinitive] wanting something very much, typically with a feeling of unease: the
company was anxious to avoid any trouble | [with clause] : my parents were anxious that I get an
education.

terrified
adjective
petrified, frightened, scared, scared/frightened to death, scared stiff, scared/frightened out of one's
wits, scared witless, horrified, with one's heart in one's mouth, shaking in one's shoes.

shy
adjective

I was painfully shy: bashful, diffident, farouche, timid, sheepish, reserved, reticent,
introverted, retiring, self-effacing, withdrawn, timorous, mousy, nervous, insecure, unconfident,
inhibited, repressed, self-conscious, embarrassed. antonyms confident.

nervous /nvs/
adjective

1. easily agitated or alarmed: a sensitive, nervous person.

anxious or apprehensive: staying in the house on her own made her nervous |
he's nervous of speaking in public.
o
(of a feeling or reaction) resulting from anxiety or anticipation: nervous energy.

2. relating to or affecting the nerves: a nervous disorder.

aggressive /rsv/
adjective
ready or likely to attack or confront; characterized by or resulting from aggression: he's very
uncooperative and aggressive.

behaving or done in a determined and forceful way: we needed more growth to pursue our
aggressive acquisition strategy.

therefore
adverb

Rodriguez was injured and therefore unable to play: consequently, so, as a result, hence,
thus, accordingly, for that reason, ergo, that being the case, on that
account; formal whence; archaic wherefore.

besides /bsdz/
preposition
in addition to; apart from: I have no other family besides my parents | besides being a player, he
was my friend.
adverb
in addition; as well: I'm capable of doing the work, and a lot more besides.

[sentence adverb] used to introduce an additional idea or explanation: I had no time to

warn you. Besides, I wasn't sure.

however /houevr/
adverb

1. used to introduce a statement that contrasts with or seems to contradict something that
has been said previously: People tend to put on weight in middle age. However, gaining weight is
not inevitable.

2. [relative adverb] in whatever way; regardless of how: however you look at it, you can't
criticize that.
o
[with adj. or adv.] to whatever extent: he was hesitant to take the risk, however
small.

yet /yet/
adverb

1. up until the present or a specified or implied time; by now or then: I haven't told anyone
else yet | aren't you ready to go yet? | I have yet to be convinced | [with superlative] : the congress
was widely acclaimed as the best yet.
o
[with negative] as soon as the present or a specified or implied time: wait, don't go
yet.
o
from now into the future for a specified length of time: I hope to continue for some
time yet.
o
referring to something that will or may happen in the future: further research may
yet explain the enigma | I know she's alive and I'll find her yet.

2. still; even (used to emphasize increase or repetition): snow, snow, and yet more
snow | yet another diet book |the rations were reduced yet again.

3. nevertheless; in spite of that: every week she gets worse, and yet it could go on for years.
conjunction
but at the same time; but nevertheless: the path was dark, yet I slowly found my way.

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