English vocabulary (random)
english vocabulary with english decription
english vocabulary with english decription
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Flashcards
creed (noun)
plural creeds
Learner's definition of CREED
[count]
1 : a statement of the basic beliefs of a religion
the religion's creed
people of different races and creeds [=religions]
2 : an idea or set of beliefs that guides the actions of a person or group
a political creed [=credo]
clumsy (adj)
clumsier; clumsiest
Learner's definition of CLUMSY
[also more clumsy; most clumsy]
1 : moving or doing things in a very awkward way and tending to drop or break things
I'm sorry about spilling your wine—that was very clumsy of me.
I have very clumsy hands and tend to drop things.
He is very clumsy. = He is a very clumsy person.
2 : badly or awkwardly made or done
She made a clumsy attempt at a joke.
3 : hard to use : awkward to handle
a clumsy tool
— clumsily
/ˈklʌmzəli/ adverb
They dealt with the situation clumsily.
— clumsiness
/ˈklʌmzinəs/ noun [noncount]
It was my own clumsiness that caused the accident.
dwell (verb)
dwells; dwelled /ˈdwɛld/ /ˈdwɛlt/ or dwelt /ˈdwɛlt/ ; dwelling
Learner's definition of DWELL
[no object] literary + formal
: to live in a particular place
a cave where bats dwell
He dwelled [=lived] in the same town for years.
In ancient Greek mythology, Mount Olympus was the dwelling place of the gods. [=the place where the gods lived]
dwell on/upon
[phrasal verb]
dwell on/upon (something)
: to think or talk about (something) for a long time
There is no need to dwell on the past.
Don't dwell upon your mistakes.
flavour (verb)
or British flavour /ˈfleɪvɚ/
flavors; flavored; flavoring
Learner's definition of FLAVOR
[+ object]
: to give or add flavor to (something)
We flavored the cookies with cinnamon.
I flavored the salad with herbs.
— flavored
(US) or British flavoured adjective
flavored coffee
cherry-flavored candies
postpone (verb)
postpones; postponed; postponing
Learner's definition of POSTPONE
[+ object]
: to decide that something which had been planned for a particular time will be done at a later time instead
We had to postpone our vacation. = We had to postpone going on our vacation.
The baseball game was postponed until/to tomorrow because of rain.
— postponement
/ˌpoʊstˈpoʊnmənt/ noun, plural postponements
[count]
After many postponements, the wedding finally took place.
[noncount]
The rain caused postponement of the baseball game.
appear (verb)
appears; appeared; appearing
1 [linking verb] somewhat formal : to seem to be something : to make someone think that a person or thing has a particular characteristic : look, seem
She appears angry.
— often followed by to + verb
She appeared to be angry.
2 [no object] : to become visible : to begin to be seen - One by one, the stars appeared in the sky.
— opposite disappear
3 [no object] : to arrive at a place : to show up - The cat appears at our kitchen door every morning.
— opposite disappear
4 [no object] : to begin to exist - The disease first appeared in the late 1970s.
— opposite disappear
5 [no object] : to be seen or heard by the public: such as
a : to go where you can be seen to give a speech, answer questions, etc. — often + before
I was invited to appear before a meeting of teachers to talk about the school system.
b : to work as an actor or performer in a movie, on the radio, etc.
The two actors appeared [=performed] together in the film.
c : to be published or made available to the public
The story appeared on the front page of the newspaper.
— often + in
We got a lot of phone calls after the story appeared in the newspaper.
6 [no object] : to go in front of a person or group that has authority (such as a judge or council) especially in order to answer questions
I appeared in front of the committee during its last meeting.
spat (noun)
2 spat /ˈspæt/ noun
plural spats
Learner's definition of SPAT
[count]
: a short argument about something that is not important
The newlyweds were having another spat.
4 spat /ˈspæt/ noun
plural spats
Learner's definition of SPAT
[count]
: a cloth or leather covering for the ankle and foot that men wore over their shoes in the past — usually plural
a pair of spats
— compare 2spat
slob (noun)
[count] informal
1 disapproving : a person who is lazy and dirty or messy
He's a disgusting slob.
2 : an ordinary person
Some poor slob got robbed.
distribution (noun)
[noncount]
a : the act of giving or delivering something to people
The group collects food and clothing for distribution to needy families.
The distribution of paychecks will happen every other Friday.
The university does not permit distribution of leaflets on campus.
b : the act of delivering something to a store or business
She was responsible for product distribution.
The company handles the distribution of goods to stores nationwide.
— often used before another noun
The company acquired U.S. distribution rights.
distribution costs
a distribution company/center
2 : the way that something is divided or spread out
[count]
He complained that the distribution of work was unfair.
He studies the distributions of wildcats in North America.
[noncount]
The new design provides better weight distribution.
accuse (verb)
accuses; accused; accusing
Learner's definition of ACCUSE
[+ object]
: to blame (someone) for something wrong or illegal : to say that someone is guilty of a fault or crime
He was unjustly accused.
— often + of
He was accused of stealing the money.
His children have accused him of neglect.
You can't accuse him of being rude: he's always extremely polite.
She has been accused of murder. = She stands accused of murder.
— sometimes used humorously
No one could ever accuse him of being overly modest. [=he is not modest]
— accuser
noun, plural accusers [count]
She deserves the chance to meet/confront her accuser.
— accusing
adjective [more accusing; most accusing]
She gave him a very accusing look.
The governor pointed an accusing finger at the legislature [=said the legislature was to blame] for failing to approve her budget.
— accusingly
/əˈkʰjuːzɪŋli/ adverb
She looked at him accusingly.
“What did you do?” he asked accusingly.
suddenly (adverb)
Learner's definition of SUDDENLY
: very quickly in usually an unexpected way : in a sudden way
Suddenly the lights went out.
I was suddenly very nervous.
There were no instances of the disease here until it suddenly appeared last year.
She suddenly decided to quit her job.
He died suddenly of a heart attack.
rumor (noun)
or British rumour /ˈruːmɚ/
plural rumors
Learner's definition of RUMOR
: information or a story that is passed from person to person but has not been proven to be true
[count]
There are rumors that they are making a new film.
She accused him of starting/spreading rumors about her.
Ever since his sudden resignation, rumors have been flying.
[noncount]
You can't fire him solely based on rumor.
Rumor has it that they broke up.
the rumor mill
: a group of people who start and spread rumors
That news should keep the rumor mill churning/running/going for a while!
purchase (verb)
purchases; purchased; purchasing
Learner's definition of PURCHASE
[+ object] formal
: to buy (property, goods, etc.) : to get (something) by paying money for it
purchase a house
He purchased a new suit for a hundred dollars.
Souvenirs can be purchased at the gift shop. = You can purchase souvenirs at the gift shop.
— purchaser
noun, plural purchasers [count]
— purchasing
adjective, always used before a noun
purchasing agents
the company's purchasing department [=the people in a company who buy the company's supplies]
bend (verb)
bends; bent /ˈbɛnt/ ; bending
Learner's definition of BEND
1 a [+ object] : to use force to cause (something, such as a wire or pipe) to become curved
bend a wire into a circle
b [no object] : to curve out of a straight line or position
The road bends [=curves, turns] to the left.
The trees were bending in the wind.
2 a [no object] : to move your body so that it is not straight
She bent down/over/forward to pick up a piece of paper and then she straightened up again.
b [+ object] : to move (part of your body, such as an arm or leg) so that it is not straight
bend a knee
bend a leg
◊ In formal language, if you bend yourself to or bend your strength/energy/efforts (etc.) to/toward something (such as a job or task), you work hard in order to do it.
: to not be strict or exact about following a rule
She's not really quite old enough to be admitted as a member, but she's very close, so I think we can bend the rule(s) a little in her case and let her in now.
bend someone's ear
informal: to talk to someone for a long time
He didn't really care about me, he just wanted to bend my ear about his own problems.
bend (the) facts
: to change facts in a dishonest way in order to deceive people
a journalist who has been accused of bending the facts in order to gain support for his political agenda
bend the truth
: to say something that is not true or that misleads people but that is usually not regarded as a serious or harmful lie
When he tells people he's from Manhattan he's bending the truth a little since he really grew up in Brooklyn.
advance (verb)
advances; advanced; advancing
1 a [no object] : to move forward - The car advanced slowly down the street.
b [+ object] : to move (someone or something) forward - advance the hands of a clock
2 [no object] : to go forward : to make progress
Our understanding of this disease has advanced rapidly in recent years.
: to continue in a process of development, aging, etc.
As he advanced in age and stature he advanced in knowledge.
3 : to increase in amount or rate
[+ object] - These measures are intended to keep landlords from advancing [=raising] rents unfairly.
[no object] - Wages have continued to advance.
4 [+ object]
a : to help the progress of (something) - heroes whose sacrifices advanced the cause of freedom
: to cause or help (something) to go forward or continue
advance a plot
b : to make (something) higher or better : to cause improvement to (something)
The success of this novel will help to advance [=enhance] his reputation/status.
5 a [+ object] : to raise (someone) to a higher rank or position
He was advanced [=promoted] from clerk to assistant manager.
b [no object] : to rise to a higher rank or position
The family has advanced to a position of influence in the community.
6 [+ object] : to give money to someone as a loan or before the usual time
advance a loan to someone = advance someone a loan
7 [+ object] : to suggest or propose (something) for consideration or acceptance
advance a new plan/theory
8 [+ object]
a : to cause (something) to occur more quickly
a chemical used to advance the ripening of fruit
b : to make (something) earlier
advance the date of the meeting
claim (noun)
plural claims
[count]
1 : a statement saying that something happened a certain way or will happen a certain way : a statement saying that something is true when some people may say it is not true
She makes the claim that sea levels will actually go down.
2 : an official request for something (such as money) that is owed to you or that you believe is owed to you
You'll need to file an insurance claim to pay for the damage.
3 : a right to have something — usually + on or to
The bank has a claim on/to their house and land.
◊ To lay claim to (something) is to say that it belongs to you or that you have a right to it.
She laid claim to the ring.
The community lays claim to (the honor of) being the oldest city in the country. [=it claims to be the oldest city in the country]
4 : an area of land that you take as your own often for a specified use
a mining/timber claim
baggage claim
or baggage claim area: the area in an airport or bus station where you pick up your luggage after traveling
Call when your plane gets in and I'll meet you at (the) baggage claim.
at the baggage claim area
claim to fame
: something that someone or something is famous for or that makes someone or something important or interesting
His claim to fame is the invention of the stapler.
stake (out) a claim
— see 2stake
dare (verb)
dares; dared; daring
Learner's definition of DARE
1 [no object] : to have enough courage or confidence to do something : to not be too afraid to do something
Try it if you dare.
We wanted to laugh but didn't dare.
— often followed by to + verb
We didn't dare to stop.
No one dared to say anything.
It was more than I had dared to hope for.
She won their respect by daring to ask questions.
— often followed by an infinitive verb without to
We didn't dare stop. = We dared not stop.
No one dared say anything.
It was more than I had dared hope for.
2 [+ object] : to do (something that is difficult or that people are usually afraid to do)
The actress dared a new interpretation of the classic role.
3 [+ object] : to tell (someone) to do something especially as a way of showing courage
She dared him to dive off the bridge.
She dared me to ask him out on a date. I did, and he said yes.
don't you dare
— used in speech to forcefully tell someone not to do something
Don't you dare do that again, or you'll be sorry!
“I'm going to tell mom that you got an ‘F’ on your test.” “Don't you dare!”
how dare you
— used in speech to show that you are angry about what someone has done or said
How dare you touch me!
How dare he speak to you like that!
I dare say
somewhat formal + old-fashioned or chiefly British I daresay
— used when you are stating your opinion about something
I dare say he's right.
This is, I dare say, one of the most beautiful places in the world.
knit (verb)
knits; knit or knitted; knitting
Learner's definition of KNIT
1 : to make (a piece of clothing) from yarn or thread by using long needles or a special machine
[+ object]
She knit a sweater for me. = She knit/knitted me a sweater.
[no object]
He likes to knit.
2
[+ object]
a : to closely join or combine (things or people)
Her novels knit (together) science and fantasy.
a style that knits together material from many different sources
b : to form (something) by bringing people or things together
a town knit/knitted together by farming
— see also close-knit, tight-knit 3 [no object] of a bone : to grow together and heal after being broken
It will take some time for the broken bones to knit (together).
knit your brow/brows
: to move your eyebrows together in a way that shows that you are thinking about something or are worried, angry, etc.
She knit her brow and asked what I was doing.
— knit
or knitted adjective
a red knit shirt
a knitted blouse
closely knit communities [=communities in which people care about each other very much]
a knitted cap
— knitter
noun, plural knitters [count]
She is a very talented knitter.
hood (noun)
plural hoods
Learner's definition of HOOD
[count]
1
a : a soft covering for the head and neck often attached to a coat or cape
b : a cloth covering worn over the entire head to hide a person's face
Witnesses reported that the bandits were wearing hoods.
— see color picture on this page
2
a : a cover that is used to protect or shield something (such as part of a machine or a camera lens)
The photographer used a lens hood to cut down on glare.
b US : the movable metal covering over the engine of an automobile
What kind of engine do you have under the hood?
a hood ornament
— called also (British) bonnet
— see picture at car
c US : a device attached above a cooking surface that is used for carrying off smoke and fumes
a range hood
plural hoods
Learner's definition of HOOD
[count] US, informal
: hoodlum
a gang of hoods
plural hoods
Learner's definition of HOOD
[count] US slang
: a neighborhood
especially : a poor neighborhood in a large city
his friends in the hood
programs to help kids living in the hood
saint (noun)
[count]
1 : a person who is officially recognized by the Christian church as being very holy because of the way he or she lived
He was declared a saint in the fifth century.
— used as a title before a saint's name
Saint Anne
— abbreviation St. — see also patron saint 2 : a person who is very good, kind, or patient
The salesperson was a saint for putting up with them.
a teacher with the patience of a saint [=a very patient teacher]
— sainthood
/ˈseɪntˌhʊd/ noun [noncount]
The Pope elevated four people to sainthood. [=he made four people saints]
She recently entered the sainthood. [=she recently became a saint]
weep (verb)
weeps; wept /ˈwɛpt/ ; weeping
Learner's definition of WEEP
1 somewhat formal : to cry because you are very sad or are feeling some other strong emotion
[no object]
He wept at the news of her death.
She sat down and wept.
He wept with joy/relief.
[+ object]
He wept bitter tears of disappointment.
2 : to produce a liquid slowly
[+ object]
The wound was weeping pus. [=pus was slowly coming out from the wound]
[no object]
a weeping wound
The meringue will weep if you put it in the fridge.
urge (noun)
plural urges
Learner's definition of URGE
[count]
: a strong need or desire to have or do something
the urge for something sweet
He fought the urge to cry/laugh.
creative/sexual urges
urge (verb)
urges; urged; urging
Learner's definition of URGE
[+ object]
1 : to ask people to do or support (something) in a way that shows that you believe it is very important
He is continually urging reform.
The rescuers urged that we remain calm.
The group is urging a ban on the chemical. = The group is urging that the chemical be banned.
2 : to try to persuade (someone) in a serious way to do something
an editorial urging readers to vote
I urge you to reconsider.
3 always followed by an adverb or preposition : to use force or pressure to move (someone or something) in a particular direction or at a particular speed
A hand on her back urged her forward.
urge on
[phrasal verb]
urge (someone or something) on
: to encourage (someone or something) to move ahead, to do something, etc.
riders urging their horses on
I wanted to quit but she urged me on.
cling (verb)
clings; clung /ˈklʌŋ/ ; clinging
Learner's definition of CLING
[no object]
1 : to hold onto something or someone very tightly
The children clung together under the little umbrella waiting for the storm to pass.
— usually + to or onto
The little cat clung to the narrow branch.
The boy clung onto his mother's hand as they walked through the crowd.
The little boy clung to his mother when it was time for her to leave.
2 often disapproving : to stay very close to someone for emotional support, protection, etc.
a clinging child
— usually + to
parents who cling to their children instead of allowing them to be independent
He clung to his friends for support.
3 : to stick to something or someone — usually + to
The shirt clung to his wet shoulders.
4 : to continue to believe in or depend on something — + to
He is still clinging to the idea that his marriage can be saved.
5 : to try very hard to keep something that you are in danger of losing — usually + to
an aging leader clinging to power
— clingy
/ˈklɪŋi/ adjective clingier; clingiest
a clingy dress
He was a clingy child.
unravel (verb)
unravels US unraveled or British unravelled US unraveling or British unravelling
Learner's definition of UNRAVEL
1 : to cause the separate threads of something to come apart
[+ object]
unravel the yarn
unravel a rope
[no object]
This will keep the ends of the rope from unraveling. [=fraying]
2 [+ object] : to find the correct explanation for (something that is difficult to understand)
Scientists are still unraveling the secrets/mysteries of DNA.
3 [no object] : to fail or begin to fail
Their plans unraveled when she lost her job.
His frequent absences from home caused his marriage to unravel.
I feel like my life is unraveling.
occasionally (adverb)
: sometimes but not often
Occasionally, we see deer in the field. = We occasionally see deer in the field.
Occasionally, things don't go as planned.
Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.
Very occasionally [=rarely], she will have a glass of wine.
buck (noun)
informal
a : dollar
I owe you a buck.
Those toys are five bucks apiece.
b : money
That car costs big bucks. [=a lot of money]
I am just working hard, trying to make a buck. [=to make money]
a fast/quick buck [=money earned or gotten quickly]
2 : a male animal (such as a male deer)
He's an outdoorsman who enjoys buck hunting.
— compare doe
3 informal : man
a veteran tennis star competing against an ambitious young buck
bang for the/your buck
— see 2bang
look/feel like a million bucks
— see million
pass the buck
: to avoid a responsibility by giving it to someone else
Stop trying to pass the buck and take responsibility for what you've done.
The federal government passed the buck to the state governments.
the buck stops here
◊ Expressions like the buck stops here are used to say that you accept a responsibility and will not try to give it to someone else.
I'm willing to accept the blame for what happened. The buck stops with me.
labor (noun)
or British labour /ˈleɪbɚ/
plural labors
Learner's definition of LABOR
1 a : physical or mental effort : work
[noncount]
Getting the job done will require many hours of difficult labor.
[count]
He rested from his labors.
◊ A labor of love is a task that you do for enjoyment rather than pay.
Restoring the old car was a labor of love for him.
◊ When you enjoy the fruits of your labor/labors, you enjoy the things that you have gained by working.
She worked hard for many years, but now she has retired and is able to enjoy the fruits of her labor/labors.
b [noncount] : work for which someone is paid
The cost of repairing the car includes parts and labor.
2
[noncount]
a : workers considered as a group
an area in which there is a shortage of cheap labor
— often used before another noun
a labor dispute
The company sought to cut labor costs by increasing its efficiency.
b : the organizations or officials that represent groups of workers
The proposed new law is opposed by organized labor.
3 : the process by which a woman gives birth to a baby
[noncount]
She went into labor this morning.
[singular]
She had a difficult labor.
4 Labour [singular] British, politics : the Labour Party of the United Kingdom or another part of the Commonwealth of Nations
a proposal that is opposed by Labour
unrivaled (adjective)
or British unrivalled /ˌʌnˈraɪvəld/
Learner's definition of UNRIVALED
: better than anyone or anything else
a palace of unrivaled magnificence
Her athletic records are unrivaled.
negotiation (noun)
: a formal discussion between people who are trying to reach an agreement : an act of negotiating
[count]
We need a negotiation between the townspeople and mayor over the site of the new library.
— usually plural
The buyer and seller are continuing negotiations on the sale price and repairs to the house.
Negotiations between the two governments have failed to produce an agreement.
Negotiations with the protesters began today.
[noncount]
She is skilled at negotiation.
The college president was against any negotiation with the students.
The contract is under negotiation. [=the details of the contract are being discussed]
italic (adjective)
: having letters, numbers, etc., that slant upward to the right
These words are italic.
italic type
— abbreviation ital 2 Italic : of or relating to ancient Italy, the people who lived there, or the languages spoken there
Italic languages/dialects
splash (verb)
always followed by an adverb or preposition, [no object] of a liquid : to move, fall, or hit something in a noisy or messy way
Water/Mud splashed everywhere.
2
[+ object]
a : to cause (water or another liquid) to move in a noisy way or messy way
The baby splashed the water.
b : to make (someone or something) wet with large drops of water or another liquid
Don't splash your brother.
3 [no object] : to move through water in a noisy and messy way
The kids love splashing (around) in the pool.
4 [+ object] : to mark (something) with patches of color or light
The sunset splashed the sky with red.
— often used as (be) splashed with
The canvas was splashed with bold colors.
splash across/over
[phrasal verb]
splash (something) across/over (something)
: to put (something, such as a photograph or news headline) in a place or position where it will be easily seen by many people
The scandal was splashed across the front page.
splash down
[phrasal verb] of a spacecraft: to land in the ocean
The space capsule splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico.
— see also splashdown
splash out
[phrasal verb]
splash out or splash out (something) or splash (something) out British, informal
: to spend a lot of money
If you really want to splash out [=splurge], let's go to dinner and a show in town.
preach (verb)
1
: to make a speech about religion in a church or other public place : to deliver a sermon
[no object]
Have you ever heard that minister preach?
The minister preached to the congregation about/on the need for tolerance.
[+ object]
His followers listened to him preach the gospel.
The priest preached a regular sermon that Sunday.
2 : to write or speak about (something) in an approving way : to say that (something) is good or necessary
[+ object]
Some people have begun to complain about the project delays, but the mayor continues to preach patience. [=to say that people should be patient]
Although he once preached revolution [=said that there should be a revolution], he now claims to be a man of peace.
Their mother has always preached the value/virtues of a good education.
Practice what you preach —don't smoke if you tell your children not to smoke.
[no object]
The mayor continues to preach about the need for patience.
3 [no object] : to write or speak in an annoying way about the right way to behave
It's important to give teenagers helpful advice without preaching (to/at them).
I don't like being preached at/to about how I should live my life.
preach to the choir
(chiefly US) or preach to the converted
: to speak for or against something to people who already agree with your opinions
The speeches he makes to his supporters won't win him any more votes. He's just preaching to the choir.
iron (verb)
irons; ironed; ironing
Learner's definition of IRON
: to use a heated iron to make clothing or fabric smooth
[+ object]
I ironed the shirt.
[no object]
I ironed all morning.
iron out
[phrasal verb]
1
iron (something) out or iron out (something)
: to remove (wrinkles) in cloth by using a heated iron
She ironed the wrinkles out of the dress.
Do you think we can iron out the creases in those curtains?
2
a : to find a solution to (something) : to fix or correct (something)
It'll take us a while longer to iron out the wrinkles/kinks in the network. [=to fix the small problems in the network]
We haven't been able to iron out our differences.
They're trying to iron things out. [=work out their difficulties]
b : to reach an agreement about (something)
The final details of the contract still have to be ironed out.
doubt (noun)
plural doubts
Learner's definition of DOUBT
: a feeling of being uncertain or unsure about something
[noncount]
I still have moments of doubt.
— often + about
She was filled with doubt [=uncertainty] about the future.
[count]
I had a nagging doubt in the back of my mind.
— often + about
He still has doubts about his chances of success.
beyond doubt
◊ If something is beyond doubt, it is definitely true.
The test results proved beyond (all/any) doubt that he was not the child's father.
in doubt
: in a state of being uncertain or unsure
The outcome was in doubt [=not known with certainty] until the final seconds of the game.
no doubt
: without doubt or with very little doubt — used when you are making a statement that you think is certainly or almost certainly true
She was no doubt [=certainly, doubtless, unquestionably] the smartest person in her class.
no doubt about it
— used to stress that something is true
No doubt about it, the fans are disappointed in the team.
improve (verb)
[+ object] : to make (something) better
This operation will greatly/dramatically/significantly improve her chances of survival.
The advertising campaign has improved sales.
2 [no object] : to become better
Maybe we'll buy a house when our financial situation improves.
Her writing has improved since the beginning of the school year.
The company has been having steadily improving sales.
improve on/upon
[phrasal verb]
improve on/upon (something)
: to do better than (something previously done)
After months of study, I improved on my original score.
It'll be hard to improve upon the success they had last year.
— improved
adjective [more improved; most improved]
The campaign resulted in greatly improved sales.
She was voted the most improved player on the team.
fond (adj)
fonder; fondest
Learner's definition of FOND
1 : feeling or showing love or friendship : affectionate
a fond admirer
She still has fond feelings for him.
She has fond [=cherished, warm] memories of their time together.
2 : strongly felt
their fondest wishes
the fond hope that the situation would change
fond of
: having a liking for or love of (someone or something)
She is still fond of him. [=she still likes/loves him]
She grew quite fond of him.
I'm fond of skiing. [=I like to ski; I enjoy skiing]
She's fond of asking silly questions. [=she asks a lot of silly questions]
— fondness
/ˈfɑːndnəs/ noun
[noncount]
his parents' fondness [=affection] for each other
[singular]
a fondness [=liking] for fine wine
humiliate (verb)
humiliates; humiliated; humiliating
Learner's definition of HUMILIATE
[+ object]
: to make (someone) feel very ashamed or foolish
I hope I don't humiliate myself during the presentation.
He accused her of trying to humiliate him in public.
She was hurt and deeply humiliated by the lies he told about her.
— humiliating
adjective [more humiliating; most humiliating]
It was a humiliating defeat.
— humiliation
/hjuˌmɪliˈeɪʃən/ noun, plural humiliations
[noncount]
I can't take any more humiliation.
[count]
The loss would be one more humiliation for our team.
juxtapose (verb)
[+ object] formal
: to place (different things) together in order to create an interesting effect or to show how they are the same or different
a display that juxtaposes modern art with classical art
— juxtaposition
/ˌʤʌkstəpəˈzɪʃən/ noun, plural juxtapositions [count, noncount]
an interesting juxtaposition of colors
