Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Adroit
Anecdote
Armoire
Bizarre
Blasé
Bouquet
Cliché
Clique
Crème de la crème
Cul-de-sac
Déplorable
Distraction
Docile
Durable
Enfant terrible
Estimation
Exorbitant
Fascination
Fiasco
Gaffe
Grotesque
Insouciant
Joie de vivre
Laissez-faire
Lamentable
Liaison
Louche
Macabre
Malaise
Mélange
Milieu
Montage
Motif
Patience
Plausible
Raison d’être
Risqué
Sangfroid
Savant
Savoir-faire
Soi-disant
Contretemps : a small argument or unlucky event,
often happening in public and causingsocial embarrassment
aberration
(n.) something that differs from the norm (In 1974, Poland
won the World Cup, but the success turned out to be
an aberration, and Poland have not won a World Cup since).
abhor
acquiesce
alacrity
amiable
(adj.) friendly (An amiable fellow, Neil got along with just
about everyone.)
appease
(v.) to calm, satisfy (When Jerry cries, his mother gives him
chocolate to appease him.)
arcane
avarice
(n.) excessive greed (The banker’s avarice led him to amass
an enormous personal fortune.)
brazen
brusque
cajole
callous
candor
chide
(v.) to voice disapproval (Hania chided Gregory for his vulgar habits
and sloppy appearance.)
circumspect
clandestine
(adj.) secret (Announcing to her boyfriend that she was going to the
library, Maria actually went to meet George for
a clandestine liaison.)
coerce
coherent
complacency
confidant
connive
cumulative
debase
decry
deferential
(adj.) showing respect for another’s authority (Donata is
always excessively deferential to any kind of authority
figure.)
demure
deride
despot
diligent
elated
eloquent
embezzle
empathy
(n.) sensitivity to another’s feelings as if they were one’s
own (I feel such empathy for my dog when she’s upset so
am I!)
enmity
(n.) ill will, hatred, hostility (John and Scott have clearly not
forgiven each other, because the enmity between them is
obvious to anyone in their presence.)
erudite
extol
fabricate
feral
flabbergasted
forsake
fractious
(adj.) troublesome or irritable (Although the child insisted he
wasn’t tired, his fractious behaviour - especially his decision
to crush his jam sandwiches all over the floor - convinced
everyone present that it was time to put him to bed.)
furtive
gluttony
gratuitous
haughty
hypocrisy
impeccable
impertinent
(adj.) rude, insolent (Most of your comments are
so impertinent that I don’t wish to dignify them with an
answer.)
implacable
impudent
incisive
indolent
inept
infamy
inhibit
insatiable
insular
intrepid
inveterate
jubilant
knell
lithe
(adj.) graceful, flexible, supple (Although the dancers were
all outstanding, Joanna’s control of her lithe body was
particularly impressive.)
lurid
maverick
maxim
meticulous
modicum
morose
myriad
(n.) the lowest point of something (My day was boring, but
the nadir came when my new car was stolen.)
nominal
novice
nuance
oblivious
obsequious
obtuse
panacea
(n.) a remedy for all ills or difficulties (Doctors wish there
was a single panaceafor every disease, but sadly there is
not.)
parody
penchant
perusal
plethora
predilection
quaint
rash
refurbish
(v.) to restore, clean up (After being refurbished the old
Triumph motorcycle commanded the handsome price of
$6000.)
repudiate
rife
salient
serendipity
(n.) luck, finding good things without looking for them (In an
amazing bit of serendipity, penniless Mark found a $50 bill
on the back seat of the bus.)
staid
superfluous
sycophant
(n.) one who flatters for self-gain (Some see the people in
the cabinet as the Prime Minister’s closest advisors, but
others see them as sycophants.)
taciturn
truculent
umbrage
venerable
vex
vociferous
wanton
zenith
accommodation
A room to stay in or other place to stay; the act of accommodation
When I go on business trips, the accommodations my company pays for are usually quite bad.
affluent
Wealthy; having a large amount of money
ajar
Slightly open or almost closed: said of a door.
found the door ajar, and I stood a moment gazing at the hateful man who claimed a right to rule
me, body and soul. - Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
appropriate
Suitable; befitting; proper.
arouse
To excite into action; stir or put in motion or exertion; awaken: as, to arouse attention; to
arouse one from sleep; to arouse dormant faculties.
They would send agents and emissaries about the kingdom to arouse, and encourage, and
assemble such Saxon forces as were yet to be found. - King Alfred of England
augment
To add to; increase
avarice
Excessive desire for wealth; extreme greed
barricade
Something that serves as an obstacle; a barrier
The police set up a barricade to keep voters away from the polling stations.
bewilder
To confuse or befuddle
I am absolutely bewildered by the new tax forms. I have no idea how to fill them out.
bitter
Having or being a taste that is sharp, acrid, and unpleasant.
The coffee was too bitter for Max. He had to add a lot of sugar.
anecdote
(noun) a short, interesting story
At the party Charles told some humorous anecdotes about his days in the military.
avert
(verb) turn aside, or away; as, to avert the eyes from an object; to ward off, or prevent, the
occurrence or effects of
We did everything we could to avert the disaster, but it was not enough.
candid
(adjective) straightforward, open and sincere, honest
I had a very candid discussion with Max about his drinking problem.
dialogue
(noun) conversation between 2 or more people.
The action in the movie was very exciting, but the dialogue was incredibly bad.
drastic
(adjective) extreme, severe
The doctor had to take drastic measures to save the patient's life
erratic
(adjective) irregular, unsteady, random; prone to unexpected changes
The man's erratic behavior made everybody on the flight nervous.
fortify
(verb)strengthen, reinforce
The government intended to fortify the levees surrounding New Orleans.
isolate
(verb) set apart or cut off from others, separate
The hospital isolated the patients with bird flu to help prevent an outbreak.
illuminate
(verb) shine light on something, light up something
The new street lights were not powerful enough to illuminate the street sufficiently.
urban
(adjective) related to or located in the city
People from urban areas have very different political views from people in rural areas.
arrogant
(adjective) showing too much self-importance or self-worth; overbearing pride
Many political and business leaders are very arrogant.
aspire
(verb) to hope or dream; especially to hope or work towards a profession or occupation
Pinocchio aspired to become a real boy.
compel
(verb) force, constrain or coerce; sway
The soldiers were compelled to fight in the war.
concise
(adjective) short, brief, not verbose; clear and succinct
Please write a concise essay on the meaning of life.
illusion
(noun) a false impression, something that seems to be something that it is not
The magician seems to saw his assistant in half, but it is just an illusion.
impose
(verb) establish or apply by authority; force something on someone; selfishly bother
The government imposes taxes on the poor to pay for social programs for the rich.
lenient
(adjective)easygoing, lax, tolerant of deviation, permissive, not strict
The teacher accused Bobby's parents of being too lenient with Bobby.
menace
(noun) a possible threat or danger
Leaders with too much power can become a menace to the world.
novice
(noun) a person new to an activity, a beginner
You are pretty good for a novice.
overt
(adjective) open and observable; not secret or concealed
The politician's disregard for the law was quite overt.
abet
To approve, encourage, and support (an action or a plan of action); urge and help on.
Max is in prison for aiding and abetting Mary with her bank robbery.
accumulate
To mount up; increase.
Debts can easily and rapidly accumulate. Be careful with your credit cards.
agitate
To make someone nervous or troubled; to arouse concern.
The peaceful crowd became agitated when the police showed up in full riot gear.
alert
Vigilantly attentive.
The dog was very alert. He guarded his bone collection with great diligence.
alluring
attractive, seductive, inviting.
The salary was very alluring, but Max decided not to take the job.
ample
Plentiful; enough or more than enough.
I just went grocery shopping, so we should have ample food for the rest of the week.
baffle
To perplex or confuse.
I am baffled by the instructions on the tax forms.
bicker
To argue about unimportant matters.
blame
responsibility for something bad
Politicians are quick to assign blame, but they refuse to accept it.
blend
To combine (varieties or grades) to obtain a mixture of a particular character, quality, or
consistency.
audible
(adjective) able to be heard, hearable
The child spoke so softly her voice was barely audible.
coerce
(verb) compel by unethical means, force
Max was coerced into making a donation to the Senator's campaign fund.
morale
(noun) the state of spirit of a person or group
The soldier's morale is extremely low.
prevail
(verb) win; overcome; gain advantage
We may be losing now, but in the end we will prevail.
prudent
(adjective) careful and wise
It would not be very prudent to spend your entire paycheck on lottery tickets.
retort
(noun) a sharp reply, answer
Jack came back with a witty retort to the reporter's question.
scapegoat
(noun) someone to blame; someone to take the blame for others
Every office needs a scapegoat. In our office Max is the scapegoat. He's blamed for everything.
sedate
(adjective) calm; composed
The crowd at the funeral was quiet and sedate.
superstition
(noun) An irrational belief which ignores the laws of nature.
Getting seven years of bad luck for breaking a mirror is a common superstition.
supplement
(verb) add to; provide a supplement to
Max got a second job to supplement his income.
apathy
Lack of interest or concern.
dismal
Gloomy; drepressing; dreary.
When the weather is gloomy, I have a hard time getting motivated to do anything.
dismay
To cause the sudden loss of courage; to cause the feeling of consternation and distress.
emulation
The imitation or copying of someone.
endeavor
To try very hard to achieve something.
frugal
Thrifty; economical.
You don't have to have a lot of money to travel if you are frugal.
impair
To weaken; to affect negatively.
mercenary
A professional soldier hired to serve in a foreign army.
naive
Lacking experience.
It was naive of me to think that the governor actually cared about the people living in his state.
stringent
Strict; restrictive; rigid; severe.
adverse
Unfavorable; harmful.
Adverse weather conditions will not stop Max from going fishing.
advocate
A person who publicly supports something or someone.
destiny
A predetermined state; fate.
Max laughed at Mary's award and tried to diminish the award's importance.
donor
One who contributes to a cause or fund.
exempt
Free from a duty or obligation.
query
To ask, inquire.
patron
A customer
Some of the patrons complained to the waiter about the quality of the food.
savor
To enjoy or appreciate the taste or smell of something.
vocation
Employment; occupation; avocation; calling; business; trade
anachronism
(noun) someone or something that belongs in another place in time
Everything seemed normal except for the anachronism of the man riding a horse down the street.
One country colonizing another country is an anachronism in today's global environment.
antecedent
(noun) something that precedes another thing, especially the cause of the second thing
Pronouns usually refer to antecedents.
debacle
(noun) a terrible failure
By most accounts, the war in Iraq has been a tremendous debacle.
exonerate
(verb) to absolve from blame, to prove innocent
I am confident that I will be fully exonerated if I'm given a fair trial.
lucid
(adjective) clear, clear headed
I am the most lucid right after a cup of coffee. His style of writing was very clear and lucid.
pernicious
(adjective) harmful, deadly
The current concentration of ownership of media has had a pernicious effect on democracy in the
US.
wily
(adjective) sly, clever, cunning (usually deceitfully).
Many politicians employ teams of wily advisors to help them skirt the law.
fickle
(adjective) changing frequently
Kids are sometimes very fickle and may have a new favorite food every week.
lucrative
(adjective) producing a great deal of profit
Max told me that ESL was a very lucrative field, and I believed him.
moot
(adjective) subject to debate, unsettled.
Whether the tooth fairy is male or female is a moot point. No one knows.
opulence
(noun) wealth and luxury
Nina would not marry Charlie, for he had no money, and she was not willing to settle for anything
less than a life of opulence.
spry
(adjective) active; lively
Max was amazingly spry for an old man.
tentative
(adjective) not certain or fixed
Our summer plans are still tentative. I think we are going to go camping in the mountains.
wary
(adjective) cautious; leery
The children were very wary of the stranger and would not let him into the house.
disparity
(noun) a state of inequality, a great difference
Every year economic disparities in the world grow larger and larger.
facilitate
(verb) to make easier
The teachers put some of their course materials on the Internet to facilitate resource sharing.
fraudulent
(adjective) dishonest, deceptive
Richie Rich received his wealth through fraudulent means.
ludicrous
(adjective) laughable.
The politician's attempts to cover up his crimes were ludicrous.
opportunist
(noun) a person who pursues and exploits any kind of opportunity without being guided by
principles, plans or any ethical considerations
Most politicians are opportunists who will jump at any advantage without any ethical
considerations.
shirk
(verb) avoid, ignore or neglect responsibility
Many politicians' sole purpose is to shirk their duties and make as much money as possible.
spite
(noun) a desire to hurt, annoy, vengeance
Shortly after Max and Mary broke up, Mary scratched Max's car out of spite.
apathy
(noun) a lack of interest or enthusiasm.
Voter turnout is quite low because of widespread apathy among the voters.
diligent
(adjective) conscientiously hard-working.
As a result of their diligent research, the scientists were able to find a cure for the disease.
inane
(adjective) empty and pointless.
Mary could not stand Max's inane questions any longer, so she left.
indict
(verb) to charge with a crime.
Many politicians have been indicted recently, and many more will probably be indicted soon.
petty
(adjective) unimportant or trivial.
Max was convicted of petty theft.
sedentary
(adjective) inactive; spending much time seated
Fast-food and sedentary lifestyles are major factors in the obesity problem in the US.
facetious
(adjective) in a joking manner; treating serious matters with deliberately inappropriate
humor
When I said that I agreed with the President's policies, I was just being facetious.
discord
(noun) disagreement or conflict
There was a tremendous amount of discord among the PTA officers.
ostracize
(verb) to exclude from a group
As a child, Max was ostracized by the other kids in his school because he wore different clothes.
pensive
(adjective) deep in thought or reflection.
Max must be in a very pensive mood today. He hasn't said anything all day.
placid
(adjective) tranquil, peaceful, calm
My dog has a very placid temperament. She does not get upset easily.
salient
(adjective) Most noticeable, important, prominent, or conspicuous
The most salient feature of Mary's appearance is her Purple hair.
tacit
(adjective) understood or implied but not specifically expressed.
When Max and Mary moved in together as roommates, they had a tacit agreement that they
would share expenses.
zeal
(noun) passion, or enthusiasm (usually in pursuit of a cause or objective)
Because of her zeal for chocolate, Mary got a job at the chocolate factory as a chocolate taster.
cryptic
(adjective) mysterious, secret, or obscure in meaning
Mary's comments were so cryptic that I had no idea what she was saying.
dichotomy
(noun) a division into two groups or parts or two opposing viewpoints
There is a sharp dichotomy of opinion on Max's ability to lead the government.
disdain
(noun) contempt
Max has nothing but disdain for people like Mary.
impugn
(verb) criticize; dispute the truth; call into question
The politician was very upset as she felt that her character had been impugned.
malice
(noun) the desire to hurt others
Max has a great amount of malice towards the government.
staunch
(adjective) strong, loyal and committed in attitude
Mary is one of Max's staunchest supporters.
vilify
verb) to write or speak badly or abusively about
Max was vilified in all of the newspapers.
conundrum
(noun) a confusing problem or question
For some hot dog aficionados, why there are many different varieties of mustard but relatively
few varieties of ketchup is a conundrum to ponder.
exploit
(verb) to make use of, take advantage of (unfairly profit from)
The policy of some corporations is to hire employees right out of school in order to exploit their
eagerness and enthusiasm.
gullible
(adjective) easily persuaded to believe something
Max is so gullible. He believed me when I told him that I was running for president of the US.
impeccable
(adjective) perfect, flawless
Max is a person of impeccable character.
penchant
(noun) a strong habitual fondness for something
Max has a penchant for coffee and doughnuts.
plausible
(adjective) believable, possible
It doesn't seem plausible that your dog actually ate your homework.
scrutinize
(verb) to look over or inspect closely
When you sign the mortgage papers, be sure to scrutinize the fine print.
concoct
(verb) to make by combining different ingredients, create or devise
The story that Max concocted as an excuse for not doing his homework was preposterous but
entertaining.
credence
(noun) belief that or acceptance that something is true
I don't give much credence to Max's stories.
devise
(adjective) to plan or invent
John devised a plan for a sure victory.
disengage
(verb) to detach or separate from something
Many people are pushing for the country to disengage its military from foreign lands.
rebuke
(verb) to express sstrong criticism or disapproval of (someone)
Mary rebuked her children for not cleaning their bedrooms.
sentiment
(noun) an opinion
I agree with your sentiment regarding global warming.
unilateral
(adjective) performed by a single person, group or country (an action or decision)
There is little support globally for a particular country taking unilateral action against another
country.
expedite
(verb) to make something happen sooner (usually an action or process)
Max called the cable company to see if they could expedite the installation process.
flagrant
(adjective) outrageous or conspicuously offensive
Many politicians are in flagrant violation of the law. The basketball player committed a flagrant
foul.
frugal
(adjective) thrifty, economical
If I had been more frugal, I could have saved enough money to buy a new car.
gregarious
(adjective) sociable, outgoing
Max is a very gregarious person. He likes to be around people.
misanthrope
(noun) a person who dislikes people and avoids people
Mary is a misanthrope. She hates being around people.
pacifist
(noun) a person who does not believe in war or violence.
Max got out of serving in the military by claiming that he was a pacifist.
repudiate
(verb) to reject as false
Many of the staunchest supporters of neoconservatism have now repudiated neoconservatism as
a complete failure. They claim that neoconservatism is dead.
astute
(adjective) shrewd, or having the ability to accurately assess situations or people for one's
own advantage.
Max is a very astute businessman. He has a very keen mind for making business deals.
candor
(noun) the quality of openness and honesty in attitude and expression
In all candor, I think that Max is a complete nincompoop.
copious
(adjective) plentiful, abundant in supply
We drank copious amounts of coffee in order to stay awake during class.
effeminate
(adjective) feminine, unmanly
Because Max is so effeminate, he was often picked on in school. The other kids called him a sissy.
finagle
(verb) to get something through manipulation or dishonest means
Max finagled his way into the sold out Britney Spears concert. I don't know how he did it (or
why).
prolific
(adjective) very productive
Noam Chomsky is a very prolific author. He's written many books and articles.
tangible
(adjective) touchable, perceptible by touch
Max will probably escape punishment for his crimes because there is no tangible evidence to
make a case against him.
ad lib
(verb) to speak or perform without preparing previously, improvise
The teacher lost all of his teaching notes on the way to class and was forced to ad lib the lesson.
animosity
(noun) strong hostility, hatred
For some reason, Max feels a lot of animosity toward Mary.
earnest
(adjective) serious and sincere
Max made an earnest attempt to study for the exam, but it was too difficult for him.
epitome
(noun) a perfect example
Some people feel that George Bush is the epitome of arrogance.
genre
(noun) a category or kind (usually of art, literature, or music)
Max's favorite film genres are action and comedy.
permeate
(verb) to spread throughout (usually odor)
The stench of the rotten food permeated the entire building.
taciturn
(adjective) reserved, saying little
Max seems to be unusually taciturn today. Something must be bothering him.
callous
(adjective) insensitive and unfeeling toward others
The teacher was particularly callous in her treatment of the children.
emulate
(verb) to imitate or model yourself after
Children often emulate adults that they look up to.
finite
(adjective) limited
In a world of finite resources, if some people have more, other people must have less.
laud
(verb) to praise
The school's principal lauded the teacher for her ability to discipline her class.
nocturnal
(adjective) active at night
Mountain lions are primarily nocturnal and do almost all of their hunting at night.
noxious
(adjective) harmful or unpleasant
Be careful applying pesticides. Their fumes are often quite noxious to humans.
recant
(verb) to take back what one has said; to say that one no longer holds a belief or opinion
Max recanted every bad thing he said about Mary.
gony
(noun) intense suffering and pain
Max cried in agony when he broke his leg.
allege
(verb) assert or claim wrongdoing by someone (typically without proof)
The teacher alleged that Max cheated on the exam.
caricature
(noun) a picture or description of a person or thing with comically exaggerated
characteristics
Max drew a caricature of his teacher.
disperse
(verb) cause to go in different directions
The crowd dispersed as soon as the concert was over.
incite
(verb) to stir up or encourage (violent or unlawful behavior)
Max incited the other students to rebel against the teacher.
polarize
(verb) to divide or cause to divide into two sharply contrasting groups
The issue polarized the public.
precipitate
(verb) to cause to happen suddenly or sooner than expected
Extremely high gas prices precipitated the demise of the SUV.
sanction
(noun) official authorization, approval or ratification of a law
Max received the official sanction of the Federal Darts Association to hold a tournament in the
school.
commemorate
(verb) to remember and show respect (in a ceremony)
Veterans' Day is a day to commemorate soldiers who have honorably served their country.
devastate
(verb) to ruin or destroy
The city was devastated by the bombs.
disarmament
(noun) the reduction of military or weapons
The protestors called for a complete disarmament.
distraught
(adjective) very agitated and upset from mental conflict
Mary became distraught when she found out that her son was being sent into war.
embark
(verb) to start, begin
Max embarked on a career as a plumber.
envision
(verb) to imagine as a future possibility
Max never envisioned being a plumber.
excerpt
(noun) an extract (from film, writing, music, or other type of work)
The excerpts of the story published in the newspaper were very interesting.
forsake
(verb) to abandon
The town was forsaken by its former inhabitants because the nearby volcano threatened to
erupt.
temperance
(noun) abstinence from drinking alcohol
Max has become an advocate of complete temperance.
vow
(verb) to solemnly promise
Max vowed to never drink another drop of alcohol again.
NEW! Clairvoyant – you know the way sometimes people would assume that you know something
while in reality you haven’t got any idea what they’re talking about? In situations like that I’d
normally say “Do you think I’m a psychic or what?” You can, however, use this sophisticated word
instead – clairvoyant – it describes pretty much the same concept. “Do you think I’m a clairvoyant or
what?”
NEW! Serendipity – personally I love this word – and you’d use it to describe an event which is a
result of a very, very big, almost impossible coincidence that has a very happy ending. A typical
example would be two people meeting each other against all odds and finding out that they were
almost destined to meet.
NEW! Seismic shift – this English collocation will come in really handy when describing a massive,
fundamental change: “There’s been a seismic shift in the government’s stance in relation to the
water charges – believe it or not, but they’ve been abolished which nobody could see coming!”
NEW! Pivotal role – when you want to describe something or someone playing a central role in the
process, this is exactly the kind of expression to use: “My master’s degree in IT played a pivotal role
in the recruitment process – without it I wouldn’t have been hired.”
NEW! Obnoxious behavior – this word is used to described something extremely unpleasant –
typically other people’s behavior or their qualities. Here’s a good example: “I’m sorry, but I just can’t
stand Allison’s obnoxious behavior so I end up avoiding her company altogether.”
NEW! Ludicrous – have you ever experienced a situation that is absurd to the point of being funny?
Imagine, for instance, being pulled over by the cops, getting checked for alcohol in your breath and
actually being tested positive despite the fact you hadn’t been drinking before… It would be ludicrous
simply because it would be very last thing you’d ever expect and if you’re a person endowed with a
sense of humor you’d be able to laugh about it and demand a second opinion on the basis of the
breathalyzer being wrong!
Ad nauseam – when some activity is repeated all over and over again till you’re sick of it, you can use
this phrase to describe how you feel about it. For example – “I’ve tried to explain it to him ad
nauseam but he just doesn’t understand what I’m talking about…”
Atrocious crime – especially vicious and cruel crime resulting in a number of victims.
Begging and cajoling – when you’re trying to convince someone to change their mind and they finally
give in, you can say that “After plenty of begging and cajoling I finally managed to convince my mom
to allow me to go to the trip to Utah.”
Eliminate from the equation – exclude something from a number of factors to be considered in
relation to the main issue. Example: “When talking about day-to-day stress management, it’s
important to eliminate unnecessary distractions from the equation so that you can be more focused
on your tasks at hand.”
Endowed with the ability – When someone or something is endowed with the ability, it simply means
they possess (have) this particular ability. “All human beings are endowed with the ability to love and
take care of others.”
Evoke emotions – when something makes us feel a certain way. For example – “Hard rock evokes
depressive emotions whereas upbeat, cheerful music lifts up our mood.”
Gain momentum – normally used in business English to describe economical processes that require
some time to reach their full potential. A good example would be a start-up business that demands a
lot of investment and effort to establish, but when it’s gained momentum, it practically starts to run
itself.
Unilateral decision – decision made by only one person or group of people without taking others’
opinion into consideration. This phrase was used a lot during the financial crisis a few years ago in
Ireland (it’s where I live so that’s why I’m using the example of Ireland!) when the government
decided to guarantee bank losses without taking into account the opinion of other political parties.
Hinder communication – to prevent communication. The word “hinder” can be used pretty much as
a substitute to the word “prevent” in any context!
Conditions that exacerbate… – this phrase is most commonly used in medical context when speaking
about diseases that may get worse because of certain factors. Here’s a good example – “Are you
aware that you work in conditions that may exacerbate your asthma? You should change your job
immediately!”
Illicit affairs – “illicit” simply means “illegal” – so when you hear the word “illicit” used in combination
with words such as “affairs”, it means that some criminal, unlawful activities are being discussed.
Oblivious to – totally unaware of something. When a person is going through a really intense
emotional suffering, they may become oblivious to their surroundings and people around them at
times. Also, when you’re simply deep in your thoughts, you may become temporarily oblivious to
what’s going on around you.
Ambiguous situation – a situation that can be interpreted in two ways; it’s when there’s no clear-cut
answer to a particular problem. In sports, for example, judges’ decisions are sometimes disputed but
it’s all because the situation during a game is so ambiguous that it’s almost impossible to ascertain
(find out) the truth. Also, when someone sends you an e-mail, for example, and you can interpret
their instructions in many ways, you can say that the instructions are ambiguous and you can’t really
take action in case you get it wrong.
Eloquent – fluent, someone who has a way with words. If you can speak fluent English and you’re
really good at it, you can say you’re an eloquent English speaker. Just bear in mind – you have to be
REALLY good at it to be considered eloquent – not every native English speaker is eloquent, for that
matter.
Transcends boundaries – surpasses, goes beyond certain limits. Love and compassion transcends any
racial and religious boundaries – meaning that the concepts of love and compassion don’t choose
people based on their origin and religious beliefs.
He’s adamant that… – he insists that… You can use this sophisticated English word when describing a
100% certainty of someone or yourself. “He’s adamant that the goods were sent out to the
customer.”
Unsolicited advice – advice that hasn’t been asked for. If someone is telling you what to do without
you having asked them for advice, you can say it’s unsolicited advice.
Amalgamate the data – you can use this expression when you’re putting some figures together. For
example, when you’re doing a stock take of inventory and then all those figures have to be
combined, you can say that you’re going to amalgamate the data so you won’t be able to attend to
other work-related duties. Personally I love this English sophisticated word because it originates from
the noun “amalgam” which means “an alloy of mercury with another metal” and I think it’s got a
unique vibe to it!
Irrevocably linked – you can say that something’s irrevocably linked when it can’t be undone, when it
can’t be taken apart. This English sophisticated collocation is best used in figurative speech – for
example: “The tobacco trade and government tax income are irrevocably linked and I simply don’t
believe the State wants us to quit smoking for good.”
Subliminal aversion to – subconscious (you’re not even aware of it) disgust towards something.
Perseverance is the key to success – “perseverance” describes the quality of someone who’s being
very persistent and hard-working.
Good luck with your future endeavors – good luck with your future attempts to achieve something,
to achieve goals etc.
Paramount – very, very important, top-priority, of the utmost importance. “It’s paramount that you
log out of the system first before shutting the PC down or else all the data will be lost!”
Don’t exert yourself too much – don’t put too much pressure on yourself, don’t work too hard. You
can say this kind of thing to a friend of yours who’s just been sick and has just returned back to work,
for example.
Reciprocal – something that goes both ways; mutual. If someone tells you “It was nice meeting you!”,
you can say – “Reciprocal!” – which means the experience of you meeting them was also pleasant. Of
course, it’s going to sound very smart, but it’s going to be correct nonetheless. Another use of this
word – “reciprocal links” – it’s used among website owners and bloggers to describe links pointing to
each other’s websites.
Fluctuations – this economy related English word describes a process that changes over time –
especially price changes. Here’s an example: “Forex traders make money by trading on currency price
fluctuations”. It can be also used in other contexts; I, for example, like to describe the changing
English fluency (one day you can speak fluently, the next day it’s gone down followed by another day
of good fluency) with this word – “English fluency fluctuations“.
Adjacent street – if you describe a street using the word “adjacent”, it simply means that the street
in question meets another street you were talking about previously; basically when two streets meet
at an angle, they’re called “adjacent streets”. A simpler way to explain the same thing would be by
saying that the two streets meet – but you can use this fancy word just as well.
Common denominator – strictly speaking, this is a maths term and it’s used when operating with
fractions. In everyday English speech though, this fancy expression containing the word
“denominator” can be used when referring to common traits in people and common characteristics
in pretty much anything. Here’s an example: “All rich and powerful people share the same common
denominator – they know exactly what they want in life and they aren’t afraid of taking risks.”
Dispel a stereotype – sounds really smart, doesn’t it? Here’s how the same expression would sound
using simpler English words – “bust a myth”. Now you start getting the idea, don’t you? Basically
dispelling a stereotype means to prove that a certain belief is wrong, for example – the typical
stereotype of blonde women being stupid, or foreign English speakers being bad at understanding
English just because their speech isn’t fluent.
Elaborate on something – this sophisticated English word can be used to describe the process of
providing more details on something. Let’s say, for argument’s sake, you’re sitting in a class and your
teacher wants you to explain a particular concept. Here’s what he’d say: “Alright, but now could you
elaborate on it, please?” Just please bear in mind that the word “elaborate” can be pronounced in
two different ways – depending on whether it’s an adjective or a verb. In this case it’s a verb, so its
pronunciation is as follows: [ɪˈlæbərəit] – pay a particular attention to the last syllable which is
pronounced as in the word “ATE”.
Gravitate towards – does this word have anything to do with Earth’s gravitation? Well, yes and no!
No, because it’s not about physics, and yes, because it does in fact entail a movement in a certain
direction due to a certain level of attraction by something. Basically you can use it when talking
about your future plans and explaining what you are most likely to do – in other words, what attracts
you, what you are gravitating towards. And here comes an example: “Well, even though I graduated
as an engineer, I’m gravitating towards more academic approach – something like a university
lecturer.”
Predict all eventualities – “eventuality” is just a fancy word for “possibility”, so to predict all
eventualities means to predict all possibilities, all possible outcomes of a certain event. Most likely
you’d be using this expression to say that it’s not really possible to predict all eventualities and you’ll
always end up with taking a certain amount of risk no matter what you do.