Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 3rd Edition




affiliate verb [T ]
   to cause a group to become part of or form a close relationship with another, usually larger,
      group or organization
      a college affiliated to the University of London
      The school is affiliated with a national association of driving schools.


ambitious adjective
   1. having a strong wish to be successful, powerful or rich
     an ambitious young lawyer
     He's very ambitious for his children (= He wants them to be successful).
   2. If a plan or idea is ambitious, it needs a great amount of skill and effort to be successful or
     be achieved
     She has some ambitious expansion plans for her business.
     The government has announced an ambitious programme to modernize the railway network.
     The original completion date was over-ambitious, so we have had to delay the opening by six
        months.


annihilate verb [T ]
   1. to destroy completely so that nothing is left
       a city annihilated by an atomic bomb
   2. INFORMAL to defeat completely
       He was annihilated in the finals of the competition.


avail noun [U ]
   use, purpose, advantage, or profit
      We tried to persuade her not to resign, but to no avail (= did not succeed).
      My attempts to improve the situation were of little/no avail.


behead verb [T often passive ]
   to cut off someone's head


behold verb [T ] (beheld, beheld)    MAINLY OLD USE
   to see or look at
      The new bridge is an incredible sight to behold.


bizarre adjective
     very strange and unusual
      a bizarre situation
      bizarre behaviour


botch verb [T ] (UK ALSO bodge)
   to spoil something by doing it badly
      We botched (up) our first attempt at wallpapering the bathroom.


bury verb [T ]
   1.   to put a dead body into the ground, or to put something into a hole in the ground and cover
      it
      His father is buried in the cemetery on the hill.
      The dog trotted off to bury its bone.
      buried treasure
   2. USUALLY PASSIVE to cover something or someone completely with a large quantity of something
      If an avalanche strikes, skiers can be buried alive by snow.




                                    © Cambridge University Press 2008
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 3rd Edition


   3. to put something in a place where it is difficult or impossible to find or see
       I found the article buried (away) in the business section of the newspaper.
       She buried her face in her hands and began to sob.
   4. to intentionally forget an unpleasant experience
       He'd had to bury his pain over the years.
   5. OLD-FASHIONED If someone says they buried someone, usually a close relation, they mean that
       the person died
       She buried both her parents last year.


call forth sth phrasal verb FORMAL
   to cause something to exist
      The proposed shopping centre has called forth an angry response from local residents.


corps noun [C + sing/pl verb ] (plural corps)    MILITARY UNIT
   1.   a military unit trained to perform particular duties
        the Royal Army Medical Corps
        the intelligence corps


cue noun [C ] SIGNAL
   1. a word or action in a play or film, which is used as a signal by a performer to begin saying or
      doing something
   2. a signal for someone to do something
      [+ to infinitive] They started washing up, so that was our cue to leave the party.
    3. on cue
       If something happens on cue, it happens just after someone has said or thought it would
       happen
       I was just wondering where Sarah was, when, right on cue, she came in.
    4. take your cue from sb
       to take notice of someone's words or behaviour so that you know what you should do
       She watched his lips carefully and took her cue from him.


deprecate verb FORMAL     NOT APPROVE
   1.   [T not continuous] to not approve of something or say that you do not approve of something
         We deprecate this use of company funds for political purposes.


dialectic noun [U ] (ALSO dialectics)   SPECIALIZED
   a way of discovering what is true by considering opposite theories


entrust verb [T + adv/prep ]
   to give someone a thing or a duty for which they are responsible
      He didn't look like the sort of man you should entrust your luggage to.
      Two senior officials have been entrusted with organizing the auction.


flatten verb [I or T ] BECOME LEVEL
   1.    to become level or cause something to become level
        Several trees were flattened (= knocked down) by the storm.
        The path flattens (out) (= does not go up so much) as it reaches the top of the hill.


flee verb [I or T never passive ] (fleeing, fled, fled)
   1.   to escape by running away, especially because of danger or fear
      She fled (from) the room in tears.
      In order to escape capture, he fled to the mountains.
    2. flee the country




                                       © Cambridge University Press 2008
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 3rd Edition


         to quickly go to another country in order to escape from something or someone
         It is likely that the suspects have fled the country by now.


foresight noun [U ]
   the ability to judge correctly what is going to happen in the future and plan your actions based
      on this knowledge
      She'd had the foresight to sell her apartment just before house prices came down.


forth adverb FORMAL
    (from a place) out or away, or (from a point in time) forward
     They set forth on their travels in early June.
     From that day forth he never drank again.


harmony noun MUSIC
   1.     [C or U] a pleasant musical sound made by different notes being played or sung at the same
        time
        singing in harmony
        It is a simple melody with complex harmonies.


harmony noun MATCH
   2.   [U] when people are peaceful and agree with each other, or when things seem right or
         suitable together
         racial harmony (= good feelings between different races)
         domestic harmony (= good feelings in the family or home)
         Imagine a society in which everyone lived together in (perfect) harmony.
         We must ensure that tourism develops in harmony with the environment.


   healing noun [U]
        the healing properties of plants


healer noun [C ]
   a person who has the power to heal people without using ordinary medicines
      a spiritual healer


immigration noun [U ]
   1. when someone comes to live in a different country
     There are strict limits on immigration (into the country).
   2. the process of examining your passport and other documents to make certain that you can
     be allowed to enter the country, or the place where this is done
     After you've been through immigration (control), you can go and get your luggage.
     immigration policy
     immigration officers


inadvertently adverb
   not intentionally
      He inadvertently deleted the file.


   incautiously adverb


intent adjective
   1.   giving all your attention to something
        an intent stare




                                      © Cambridge University Press 2008
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 3rd Edition


        She had an intent look on her face.


lawyer noun [C ] (US ALSO attorney)
    someone whose job is to give advice to people about the law and speak for them in court
     I want to see my lawyer before I say anything.


mourn verb [I or T ]
  to feel or express great sadness, especially because of someone's death
     Queen Victoria mourned Prince Albert/Prince Albert's death for 40 years.
     She was still mourning for her brother.
     They mourned the passing of traditional folk dancing (= felt sad because it had stopped
        existing).


muster verb [I or T ] PRODUCE
   1.   to produce or encourage especially an emotion or support
         She managed to muster the courage to ask him to the cinema.
         The team will need all the strength they can muster to win this game.
         Opponents are unlikely to be able to muster enough votes to override the veto.


obscure adjective NOT KNOWN
   1.   not known to many people
        an obscure island in the Pacific
        an obscure 12th-century mystic


pit noun [C ] PLACE/AREA
   1.   a large hole in the ground, or a slightly low area in any surface
      They'd dug a shallow pit and left the bodies in it.
      These pits in my skin are from when I had chickenpox.
   2. a coal mine or an area of land from which a natural substance is taken by digging
      The coal-mining industry wants new pits to be opened.
      a gravel/chalk pit
   3. SLANG a very untidy or dirty place
      I'm afraid my room is a complete pit!
    4. the pit
       in a theatre, the seats at the lowest level, or the orchestra pit
    5. the pits
        a. INFORMAL something that is of extremely low quality
       The hotel we stayed in was the pits!
        b. the area next to a motor race track where the cars are given fuel or repaired during a race



plausible adjective
   1. seeming likely to be true, or able to be believed
      a plausible explanation/excuse
   2. DISAPPROVING describes someone who appears to be honest and telling the truth, even if they
      are not
      a plausible salesman


precept noun [C ] FORMAL
  a rule for action or behaviour, especially obtained from moral thought
     This policy goes against common precepts of decency.


punctuation noun [U ]
    (the use of) special marks that you add to writing to separate phrases and sentences, to show




                                      © Cambridge University Press 2008
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 3rd Edition


         that something is a question, etc
         His letter was completely without punctuation.


purge verb [T ] REMOVE PEOPLE
   1.   to get rid of people from an organization because you do not agree with them
         Party leaders have undertaken to purge the party of extremists.
         Hard-liners are expected to be purged from the administration.


rid adjective
    1. be rid of sth/sb
          to not now have an unwanted or unpleasant task, object or person
       I didn't enjoy marking those papers and I was glad to be rid of them.
    2. get rid of sth
       a. to remove or throw away something unwanted
       That cream got rid of my skin rash.
       I used weedkiller to get rid of the weeds in the garden.
       b. to sell an old or unwanted possession
       Have you managed to get rid of your old Volvo yet?
    3. get rid of sb
       to send away someone annoying or to persuade them to leave
       We got rid of our unwelcome guests by saying we had to go to bed.


seed noun PLANT
   1.   [C or U] a small round or oval object produced by a plant and from which, when it is
       planted, a new plant can grow
       Sow the seeds (= put them in the ground) about 3 cm deep.
       The chemical will stop all seeds from sprouting (= starting to grow).
       The farmers grow these crops for seed (= for planting to grow more crops, rather than for
          eating).
   2. [C usually plural] the cause of a feeling or situation, or the early stages of it
       The seeds of friendship were sown early, and they remained lifelong companions.
       He may be sowing the seeds of his own destruction in the long term by using violence
          against his own people.
   3. [U] LITERARY semen
    4. go/run to seed
        a. If a food plant goes or runs to seed, it produces flowers and seeds because it has not been
        picked early enough
        In hot weather lettuces can suddenly run to seed.
        b. If a person or place goes or runs to seed, their physical appearance becomes worse
        because no one cares for them
        After he retired, he really went to seed.


sober adjective NOT DRUNK
   1.      not drunk or affected by alcohol
         Are you sober enough to drive, Jim?
         I'd had no wine all evening so I was stone cold (= completely) sober.


supersede verb [T ]
   to replace something, especially something older or more old-fashioned
      Most of the old road has been superseded by the great Interstate highways.


symptom noun [C ]
   1.     any feeling of illness or physical or mental change which is caused by a particular disease
         He's complaining of all the usual flu symptoms - a high temperature, headache and so on.




                                       © Cambridge University Press 2008
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 3rd Edition


      He's been HIV-positive for six years, but just recently he's started to develop the symptoms
          of AIDS.
   2. any single problem which is caused by and shows a more serious and general problem
      It's her feeling that the recent outbreaks of violence are a symptom of the dissatisfaction that
      is currently affecting our society.


vague adjective
   1.   not clearly expressed, known, described or decided
      I do have a vague memory of meeting her many years ago.
      The patient had complained of vague pains and backache.
   2. not clear in shape, or not clearly seen
      Through the mist I could just make out a vague figure.
   3. describes someone who is not able to think clearly, or who, sometimes as a way of hiding
      what they really think, does not express their opinions clearly
      My aunt is incredibly vague - she can never remember where she's left things.
      Their report is studiously vague (= intentionally not exact) on future economic prospects.


vain adjective NOT SUCCESSFUL
   1.unsuccessful or useless; of no value
      The doctors gave him more powerful drugs in the vain hope that he might recover.
      FORMAL It was vain to pretend to himself that he was not disappointed.
    2. in vain
       unsuccessfully or uselessly
        I tried in vain to start a conversation.
        All the police's efforts to find him were in vain.


verbose adjective FORMAL   DISAPPROVING
   using or containing more words than are necessary
      a verbose explanation/report/speech/style
      He was a notoriously verbose after-dinner speaker.


viable adjective
   1.   able to work as intended or able to succeed
      In order to make the company viable, it will unfortunately be necessary to reduce staffing
      levels.
      I am afraid your plan is not commercially/economically/financially/politically viable.
   2. SPECIALIZED able to continue to exist as or develop into a living being
      There is a continuing debate about the age at which a human fetus can be considered viable.




                                     © Cambridge University Press 2008

Voco part 2

  • 1.
    Cambridge Advanced Learner'sDictionary - 3rd Edition affiliate verb [T ] to cause a group to become part of or form a close relationship with another, usually larger, group or organization a college affiliated to the University of London The school is affiliated with a national association of driving schools. ambitious adjective 1. having a strong wish to be successful, powerful or rich an ambitious young lawyer He's very ambitious for his children (= He wants them to be successful). 2. If a plan or idea is ambitious, it needs a great amount of skill and effort to be successful or be achieved She has some ambitious expansion plans for her business. The government has announced an ambitious programme to modernize the railway network. The original completion date was over-ambitious, so we have had to delay the opening by six months. annihilate verb [T ] 1. to destroy completely so that nothing is left a city annihilated by an atomic bomb 2. INFORMAL to defeat completely He was annihilated in the finals of the competition. avail noun [U ] use, purpose, advantage, or profit We tried to persuade her not to resign, but to no avail (= did not succeed). My attempts to improve the situation were of little/no avail. behead verb [T often passive ] to cut off someone's head behold verb [T ] (beheld, beheld) MAINLY OLD USE to see or look at The new bridge is an incredible sight to behold. bizarre adjective very strange and unusual a bizarre situation bizarre behaviour botch verb [T ] (UK ALSO bodge) to spoil something by doing it badly We botched (up) our first attempt at wallpapering the bathroom. bury verb [T ] 1. to put a dead body into the ground, or to put something into a hole in the ground and cover it His father is buried in the cemetery on the hill. The dog trotted off to bury its bone. buried treasure 2. USUALLY PASSIVE to cover something or someone completely with a large quantity of something If an avalanche strikes, skiers can be buried alive by snow. © Cambridge University Press 2008
  • 2.
    Cambridge Advanced Learner'sDictionary - 3rd Edition 3. to put something in a place where it is difficult or impossible to find or see I found the article buried (away) in the business section of the newspaper. She buried her face in her hands and began to sob. 4. to intentionally forget an unpleasant experience He'd had to bury his pain over the years. 5. OLD-FASHIONED If someone says they buried someone, usually a close relation, they mean that the person died She buried both her parents last year. call forth sth phrasal verb FORMAL to cause something to exist The proposed shopping centre has called forth an angry response from local residents. corps noun [C + sing/pl verb ] (plural corps) MILITARY UNIT 1. a military unit trained to perform particular duties the Royal Army Medical Corps the intelligence corps cue noun [C ] SIGNAL 1. a word or action in a play or film, which is used as a signal by a performer to begin saying or doing something 2. a signal for someone to do something [+ to infinitive] They started washing up, so that was our cue to leave the party. 3. on cue If something happens on cue, it happens just after someone has said or thought it would happen I was just wondering where Sarah was, when, right on cue, she came in. 4. take your cue from sb to take notice of someone's words or behaviour so that you know what you should do She watched his lips carefully and took her cue from him. deprecate verb FORMAL NOT APPROVE 1. [T not continuous] to not approve of something or say that you do not approve of something We deprecate this use of company funds for political purposes. dialectic noun [U ] (ALSO dialectics) SPECIALIZED a way of discovering what is true by considering opposite theories entrust verb [T + adv/prep ] to give someone a thing or a duty for which they are responsible He didn't look like the sort of man you should entrust your luggage to. Two senior officials have been entrusted with organizing the auction. flatten verb [I or T ] BECOME LEVEL 1. to become level or cause something to become level Several trees were flattened (= knocked down) by the storm. The path flattens (out) (= does not go up so much) as it reaches the top of the hill. flee verb [I or T never passive ] (fleeing, fled, fled) 1. to escape by running away, especially because of danger or fear She fled (from) the room in tears. In order to escape capture, he fled to the mountains. 2. flee the country © Cambridge University Press 2008
  • 3.
    Cambridge Advanced Learner'sDictionary - 3rd Edition to quickly go to another country in order to escape from something or someone It is likely that the suspects have fled the country by now. foresight noun [U ] the ability to judge correctly what is going to happen in the future and plan your actions based on this knowledge She'd had the foresight to sell her apartment just before house prices came down. forth adverb FORMAL (from a place) out or away, or (from a point in time) forward They set forth on their travels in early June. From that day forth he never drank again. harmony noun MUSIC 1. [C or U] a pleasant musical sound made by different notes being played or sung at the same time singing in harmony It is a simple melody with complex harmonies. harmony noun MATCH 2. [U] when people are peaceful and agree with each other, or when things seem right or suitable together racial harmony (= good feelings between different races) domestic harmony (= good feelings in the family or home) Imagine a society in which everyone lived together in (perfect) harmony. We must ensure that tourism develops in harmony with the environment. healing noun [U] the healing properties of plants healer noun [C ] a person who has the power to heal people without using ordinary medicines a spiritual healer immigration noun [U ] 1. when someone comes to live in a different country There are strict limits on immigration (into the country). 2. the process of examining your passport and other documents to make certain that you can be allowed to enter the country, or the place where this is done After you've been through immigration (control), you can go and get your luggage. immigration policy immigration officers inadvertently adverb not intentionally He inadvertently deleted the file. incautiously adverb intent adjective 1. giving all your attention to something an intent stare © Cambridge University Press 2008
  • 4.
    Cambridge Advanced Learner'sDictionary - 3rd Edition She had an intent look on her face. lawyer noun [C ] (US ALSO attorney) someone whose job is to give advice to people about the law and speak for them in court I want to see my lawyer before I say anything. mourn verb [I or T ] to feel or express great sadness, especially because of someone's death Queen Victoria mourned Prince Albert/Prince Albert's death for 40 years. She was still mourning for her brother. They mourned the passing of traditional folk dancing (= felt sad because it had stopped existing). muster verb [I or T ] PRODUCE 1. to produce or encourage especially an emotion or support She managed to muster the courage to ask him to the cinema. The team will need all the strength they can muster to win this game. Opponents are unlikely to be able to muster enough votes to override the veto. obscure adjective NOT KNOWN 1. not known to many people an obscure island in the Pacific an obscure 12th-century mystic pit noun [C ] PLACE/AREA 1. a large hole in the ground, or a slightly low area in any surface They'd dug a shallow pit and left the bodies in it. These pits in my skin are from when I had chickenpox. 2. a coal mine or an area of land from which a natural substance is taken by digging The coal-mining industry wants new pits to be opened. a gravel/chalk pit 3. SLANG a very untidy or dirty place I'm afraid my room is a complete pit! 4. the pit in a theatre, the seats at the lowest level, or the orchestra pit 5. the pits a. INFORMAL something that is of extremely low quality The hotel we stayed in was the pits! b. the area next to a motor race track where the cars are given fuel or repaired during a race plausible adjective 1. seeming likely to be true, or able to be believed a plausible explanation/excuse 2. DISAPPROVING describes someone who appears to be honest and telling the truth, even if they are not a plausible salesman precept noun [C ] FORMAL a rule for action or behaviour, especially obtained from moral thought This policy goes against common precepts of decency. punctuation noun [U ] (the use of) special marks that you add to writing to separate phrases and sentences, to show © Cambridge University Press 2008
  • 5.
    Cambridge Advanced Learner'sDictionary - 3rd Edition that something is a question, etc His letter was completely without punctuation. purge verb [T ] REMOVE PEOPLE 1. to get rid of people from an organization because you do not agree with them Party leaders have undertaken to purge the party of extremists. Hard-liners are expected to be purged from the administration. rid adjective 1. be rid of sth/sb to not now have an unwanted or unpleasant task, object or person I didn't enjoy marking those papers and I was glad to be rid of them. 2. get rid of sth a. to remove or throw away something unwanted That cream got rid of my skin rash. I used weedkiller to get rid of the weeds in the garden. b. to sell an old or unwanted possession Have you managed to get rid of your old Volvo yet? 3. get rid of sb to send away someone annoying or to persuade them to leave We got rid of our unwelcome guests by saying we had to go to bed. seed noun PLANT 1. [C or U] a small round or oval object produced by a plant and from which, when it is planted, a new plant can grow Sow the seeds (= put them in the ground) about 3 cm deep. The chemical will stop all seeds from sprouting (= starting to grow). The farmers grow these crops for seed (= for planting to grow more crops, rather than for eating). 2. [C usually plural] the cause of a feeling or situation, or the early stages of it The seeds of friendship were sown early, and they remained lifelong companions. He may be sowing the seeds of his own destruction in the long term by using violence against his own people. 3. [U] LITERARY semen 4. go/run to seed a. If a food plant goes or runs to seed, it produces flowers and seeds because it has not been picked early enough In hot weather lettuces can suddenly run to seed. b. If a person or place goes or runs to seed, their physical appearance becomes worse because no one cares for them After he retired, he really went to seed. sober adjective NOT DRUNK 1. not drunk or affected by alcohol Are you sober enough to drive, Jim? I'd had no wine all evening so I was stone cold (= completely) sober. supersede verb [T ] to replace something, especially something older or more old-fashioned Most of the old road has been superseded by the great Interstate highways. symptom noun [C ] 1. any feeling of illness or physical or mental change which is caused by a particular disease He's complaining of all the usual flu symptoms - a high temperature, headache and so on. © Cambridge University Press 2008
  • 6.
    Cambridge Advanced Learner'sDictionary - 3rd Edition He's been HIV-positive for six years, but just recently he's started to develop the symptoms of AIDS. 2. any single problem which is caused by and shows a more serious and general problem It's her feeling that the recent outbreaks of violence are a symptom of the dissatisfaction that is currently affecting our society. vague adjective 1. not clearly expressed, known, described or decided I do have a vague memory of meeting her many years ago. The patient had complained of vague pains and backache. 2. not clear in shape, or not clearly seen Through the mist I could just make out a vague figure. 3. describes someone who is not able to think clearly, or who, sometimes as a way of hiding what they really think, does not express their opinions clearly My aunt is incredibly vague - she can never remember where she's left things. Their report is studiously vague (= intentionally not exact) on future economic prospects. vain adjective NOT SUCCESSFUL 1.unsuccessful or useless; of no value The doctors gave him more powerful drugs in the vain hope that he might recover. FORMAL It was vain to pretend to himself that he was not disappointed. 2. in vain unsuccessfully or uselessly I tried in vain to start a conversation. All the police's efforts to find him were in vain. verbose adjective FORMAL DISAPPROVING using or containing more words than are necessary a verbose explanation/report/speech/style He was a notoriously verbose after-dinner speaker. viable adjective 1. able to work as intended or able to succeed In order to make the company viable, it will unfortunately be necessary to reduce staffing levels. I am afraid your plan is not commercially/economically/financially/politically viable. 2. SPECIALIZED able to continue to exist as or develop into a living being There is a continuing debate about the age at which a human fetus can be considered viable. © Cambridge University Press 2008