CPE Vocabulary

adjective
1. (of a cutting implement) not having a sharp edge or point.
"a blunt knife"

2. (of a person or remark) uncompromisingly straightforward.
"a blunt statement of fact"

verb
make or become less sharp.
"wood can blunt your axe"

adjective

1. having a composed and self-assured manner.
"not every day you saw that poised, competent kid distressed"

2. having a graceful and elegant bearing.
"she had learnt from the girls at the salon how to appear perfectly poised"

verb

cause (something unpleasant or painful) to be suffered by someone or something.
"they inflicted serious injuries on three other men"

impose something unwelcome on.
"she is wrong to inflict her beliefs on everyone else"

verb

1. NORTH AMERICAN informal
drive or move in a way that is so fast as to almost be out of control.
"they shot him and then barreled away in the truck"

2. put into a barrel or barrels.
"when the young spirit is barrelled, it absorbs some of this flavour"

adjective

1. (of a fruit or plant) containing much pith.

2. (of language or style) terse and vigorously expressive.
"his characteristically pithy comments"

verb
gerund or present participle: pummeling

strike repeatedly with the fists.
"he felt like a boxer who had been pummelled mercilessly against the ropes"

NORTH AMERICAN informal
criticize severely.
"he has been pummelled by the reviewers"

noun

1. the expression of very strong disapproval; censure.
"there was strong international condemnation of the attack"

2. the action of condemning someone to a punishment; sentencing.

adjective
involving or requiring strenuous effort; difficult and tiring.
"an arduous journey"

adjective
requiring or using great effort or exertion.
"the government made strenuous efforts to upgrade the quality of the teaching profession"

adjective

1. having or showing an excessively high opinion of one's appearance, abilities, or worth.
"their flattery made him vain"

2. producing no result; useless.
"a vain attempt to tidy up the room"

verb

1. follow (someone) closely and persistently.
"photographers seemed to dog her every step"

2. North American informal
act lazily; fail to try one's hardest.
"Eric had a reputation for dogging it a little"

3. grip (something) with a mechanical device.
"she has dogged the door shut"

adjective
having or showing tenacity and grim persistence.
"success required dogged determination"

verb
consist of; be made up of.
"the country comprises twenty states"

make up or constitute (a whole).
"this single breed comprises 50 per cent of the Swiss cattle population"

verb

1. formal
use or take advantage of (an opportunity or available resource).
"my daughter did not avail herself of my advice"

2. literary
help or benefit.
"no amount of struggle availed Charles"

noun

1. use or benefit.
"he begged her to reconsider, but to no avail"

verb

1. (of a loud noise) be repeated several times as an echo.
"her deep booming laugh reverberated around the room"

(of a place) appear to vibrate because of a loud noise.
"the hall reverberated with laughter"

archaic
return or re-echo (a sound).
"oft did the cliffs reverberate the sound"

2. have continuing and serious effects.
"the statements by the professor reverberated through the Capitol"

noun
a sudden attack or incursion into enemy territory, especially to obtain something; a raid.
"the garrison made a foray against Richard's camp"

verb
make or go on a foray.
"the place into which they were forbidden to foray"

adjective
1. (of land) too poor to produce much or any vegetation.
"the plains of Kyrenia were barren"

2. showing no results or achievements; unproductive.
"he scored yesterday to end his barren spell"

noun (USA)
a barren tract or tracts of land.
"the Newfoundland barrens"

adjective
existing or available in large quantities; plentiful.
"there was abundant evidence to support the theory"

noun (USA)
the exploration of caves, especially as a hobby.
"Neil spoke of the virginal spelunking in the mountains"

adjective
attractive and impressive through being richly colourful or sumptuous.
"she was resplendent in a sea-green dress"

1
a :  the act or fact of intending: the design or purpose to commit a wrongful or criminal act <admitted wounding him with intent>
b :  the state of mind with which an act is done

2
a usually clearly formulated or planned intention :  aim <the director's intent>

noun
a small round stone used to cover road surfaces.
"the sound of horses' hooves on the cobbles"

UK
small round lumps of coal.

verb
1. roughly assemble or produce something from available parts or elements.
"the film was imperfectly cobbled together from two separate stories"

verb
leave the main subject temporarily in speech or writing.
"I have digressed a little from my original plan"

noun
plural noun: archetypes

a very typical example of a certain person or thing.
"he was the archetype of the old-style football club chairman"

noun
plural noun: stalwarts

a loyal, reliable, and hard-working supporter of or participant in an organization or team.
"the stalwarts of the Labour Party"

adjective

1. unable to bend or be forced out of shape; not flexible.
"a seat of rigid orange plastic"

2. not able to be changed or adapted.
"rigid bureaucratic controls"

adjective (informal)

not straight; crooked or askew.
"you have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth"

(of a thing) unsteady.
"they sat drinking, perched on the wonky stools"

not functioning correctly; faulty.
"I enjoy good health, apart from two wonky knees"

adjective

of similar character.
"something akin to gratitude overwhelmed her"

related by blood.
"my parents were akin, probably half cousins"

adjective

filled with a continuous humming sound.
"the room was abuzz with mosquitoes"