English Vocabulary Flashcards

noun

plural: bereavements

formal

1. [noncount] : the state of being sad because a family member or friend has recently died

• a period of bereavement

2. the death of a family member or friend

[noncount]

• a period of grief after bereavement

[count]

• people who have recently suffered bereavements

adjective

not used before a noun informal

1. no longer working

• Our washing machine is kaput. [=broken]
• Our washing machine was working perfectly, and then suddenly it went kaput. [=it broke]

2. no longer able to continue : completely ruined or defeated

• His career is kaput. [=finished, over]

verb

[+ object] formal

1. to make (something) less severe, harmful, or painful

• Emergency funds are being provided to help mitigate the effects of the disaster.
• mitigate a punishment
• medicines used to mitigate a patient's suffering

adjective

[more adequate; most adequate]

1. enough for some need or requirement

• Be sure to allow adequate [=sufficient, enough] time for the paint to dry.
• The garden hasn't been getting adequate water.
• The food was more than adequate for the six of us.

2. good enough : of a quality that is good or acceptable

• Millions of people lack adequate [=sufficient] health care.
• The school lunch should be adequate to meet the nutritional needs of growing children.
• The machine does an adequate job.

2. of a quality that is acceptable but not better than acceptable

• Your grades are adequate but I think you can do better.
• The quality of his work was only/merely/barely adequate.

— opposite inadequate— adequacy /ˈædɪkwəsi/ noun [noncount]

• Environmentalists doubt the adequacy of the regulations. [=doubt that the regulations are adequate]

— adequately adverb

• Are you adequately prepared for the exam?

verb

ensconces; ensconced; ensconcing

[+ object]
1. to firmly place or hide (someone or something)

• The sculpture is safely ensconced behind glass.
• He ensconced himself in front of the television.
• She's already ensconced in her new job. [=she is comfortably settled into her new job]

adjective

[more cavalier; most cavalier] disapproving

1. having or showing no concern for something that is important or serious

• They are too cavalier in their treatment of others.
• The writer is very cavalier [=careless] about the truth.
• She has a cavalier attitude about/towards spending money.
• He has a cavalier disregard for the rights of others.

— cavalierly adverb

• He cavalierly disregarded their advice.

noun

plural acquaintances

1. [count] : someone who is known but who is not a close friend

• Is he an acquaintance of yours? [=have you met him?]
• She ran into an old acquaintance at the grocery store.
• My wife and I met through a mutual acquaintance. [=a friend introduced us to each other]

2. [noncount] formal : the state of knowing someone in a personal or social way : the state of knowing someone as an acquaintance

• our family's close acquaintance with our neighbors
• It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. [=(less formally) it's nice to meet you]
• She made the acquaintance of [=she met] a man from the city.

3. knowledge about something — + with[singular]

• She has only a nodding/slight/superficial acquaintance with the facts of the case. [=she knows only a little about the facts of the case]
• He has more than a passing acquaintance with wine. [=he knows a lot about wine]

[noncount]

• While he has some acquaintance with the subject, he is not an expert.

-acquaintanceship noun, plural acquaintanceships[count]

• An acquaintanceship grew between the two men.

[noncount]

• Her long acquaintanceship [=acquaintance] with sorrow began when her young husband died.

noun

[plural] informal: activity or behavior that is not honest or proper

• They were engaging in some political/financial shenanigans.

noun

plural debacles

[count]: a great disaster or complete failure

• After the debacle of his first novel, he had trouble getting a publisher for his next book.
• a military debacle
• an economic debacle

verb

entails; entailed; entailing

[+ object]: to have (something) as a part, step, or result

• I'll need to know a little more about what the job entails. [=involves]
• The procedure does entail [=carry] certain risks.
• He accepted the responsibility, with all that it entails.