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v. [adorns;adorning;adorned] embellish; garnish; ornament; trim For example if someone adorns a place he puts decorations on it. His watercolor designs adorn a wide range of books. |
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adj. [magnificently;magnificence] extraordinary; glorious; grand; splendid; superb; wonderful For example if you say that something or someone is magnificent you mean that you think it is extremely good. It is a magnificent country house in wooded grounds. |
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adj. [impressively;impress;impression] awe-inspiring; grand; moving; thrilling; something that is impressive impresses you. For example it is great in size or in degree or is done with a great deal of skill. It is an impressive achievement. |
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v. [impresses;impressed;impressing] affect; influence; persuade; sway For example if something impresses you you feel great admiration for it. What impressed him most was their speed. |
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n. [dealer;dealings;dealt;dealing] agreement; arrangement; bargain; contract; understanding For example if you say that you need or have a great deal of or a good deal of a particular thing you are emphasizing that you need or have a lot of it. I’m in a position to save you a good deal of time. |
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preposition For example if you say that something happens throughout a particular time you mean that it happens during the whole of that period. The national tragedy of rival groups killing each other continued throughout 1990. |
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n. [tragic;tragically] calamity; catastrophe; disaster; misadventure For example a tragedy is an extremely sad event or situation. They have suffered an enormous personal tragedy. |
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v. [involved;involves;involving;involvement] comprise; consist of; contain; entail; include For example if a situation or activity involves something that thing is a necessary part or consequence of it. Running a kitchen involves a great deal of discipline and speed. |
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v. [runs;ran;running] function; operate; administer; control; govern; and manage For example if you run something such as a business or an activity you are in charge of it or you organize it. His stepfather ran a prosperous paint business. |
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n. [disciplines;disciplining;disciplined] chastisement; correction; punishment; control; moderation; restraint Order and discipline have been placed in the hands of headmasters and governing bodies. |
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n. [consequences;consequently] aftermath; effect; price; repercussion; result For example the consequences of something are the results or effects of it. Her lawyer said she understood the consequence of her actions and was prepared to go to jail. |
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n. Someone’s step-father is the man who has married a child’s mother after the death or divorce of his father. Her step-father has been married to her mother for five years. |
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adj. (enormously) big; giant; huge; immense; jumbo; tremendous For example something that is enormous is extremely large in size or amount. The main bedroom is enormous. |
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n. : v. [rivals;rivaling;rivaled] challenger; competitor; contender; adversary; enemy For example your rival is a person business or organization against whom you are competing or fighting in the same area or for the same things. He eliminated his rival in brutal struggle for power. |
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v. [competes;competing;competed;competition;competitive;;competitively] contend; contest; rival; vie; combat; fight; strive; oppose; For example when one firm or country competes with another it tries to get people to buy its own goods in preference to those of the other firms or countries. You can also say that two firms or countries compete. The banks have long competed with American Express’s charge cards and various store cards. For example if you compete with someone for something you try to get it for yourself and stop the other person from getting it. You can also say that two people compete for something. Kangaroos compete with sheep and cattle for sparse supplies of food and water. |
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n. [preferences prefer;preferred;preferably] choice; desire; favorite; option; selection For example if you have a preference for something you would like to have or do that thing rather than something else. Many or these products were bought because customers had a preference for them. |
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n. phrase If you choose one thing in preference to another you choose it instead because it is better. Many people choose the train in preference to driving. |
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v. [engraves;engraving;engraved] For example if you engrave something with a design of words or if you engrave a design or words on it you cut the design or words onto its surface. Your wedding ring can be engraved with a personal inscription at no extra cost. |
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n. [inscriptions;inscribe] carving; engraving; epitaph; etching For example an inscription is writing carved into something made of stone or metal for example a gravestone or metal. Above its doors was a Latin inscription |
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adj. [brutalize;brutality;brutally] vicious; savage; cruel; fierce; harsh; inhuman; ruthless; unmerciful; unforgiving For example a brutal act or person is cruel and violent. He was the victim of a very brutal murder. |
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v. [struggles;struggling;struggled] attempt; endeavor; offer; seek; strive; undertake For example if you struggle to do something you try hard to do it even though other people or things may be making it difficult for you to succeed. They had to struggle against all kinds of adversity. For example if two people struggle with each other they fight. She screamed at him to ‘stop it’ as they struggled on the ground. He died in a struggle with prison officers less than two months after coming Britain. |
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n. [adversities;adversary;adversely] misfortune; mischance; mishap; tragedy For example adversity is a very difficult or unfavorable situation. He showed courage in adversity. |
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adj. [awkwardness;awkwardly] bumbling; clumsy; halting; heavy-handed; inept; lumbering; uncomfortable For example a situation in which you feel so embarrassed that you are not sure what to do or say. The more she tried to get out of the situation the more awkward it became. |
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v. phrase For example to cause trouble and make a situation very difficult She could make things very awkward if she wanted to. |
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n. [prisons;imprison;imprisoned] can; cooler; lockup; pen; penitentiary; reformatory; stockade For example a prison is a building where criminals are kept as punishment or where people accused of crime are kept before their trial. After being convicted of bank robbery she was sent to prison. |
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adj. [favors;favorably;favorite] agreeable; good; grateful; gratifying; nice; pleasing; pleasurable; welcome For example if your opinion or your reaction is favorable to something you agree with it and approve of it. If something makes a favorable impression on you or is a favorable to you you like it and approve of it. His ability to talk while eating fast made a favorable impression on his dining companions. |
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v. [accuses;accusing;accused;accusation] arraign; charge; criminalize; impeach; incriminate; inculpate; indict For example if you accuse someone of doing something wrong or dishonest you say or tell them that you believe that they did. My mom was really upset because he was accusing her of having an affair with another man. |
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v. [approves;approving;approved;approval] accept favor; go for; accredit; certify; endorse OK (or okay) sanction For example if you approve of an action event or suggestion you like it or are pleased. Not everyone approved of the festival. |
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adj. [upsets;upsetting;and upset] agitate; bother; discombobulate; disquiet; disturb; flurry; fluster; perturb; unhinge For example if you are upset you are unhappy or disappointed because something unpleasant has happened to you. After she died I felt very very upset. For example if something upsets you it makes you feel worried or unhappy. The whole incident had upset me and my fiancée terribly. |
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n. [incidents;incidentally] occurrence; circumstance; episode; event; happening; occasion; things For example an incident is something that happens especially something that is unusual. These incidents were the latest in a series of disputes between two nations. |
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n. [disputes;disputing;disputed] argue; bicker; hassle; quibble; squabble; wrangle For example a dispute is an argument or disagreement between people or groups. They have won previous pay disputes with the government. If you dispute a fact statement or theory you say that it is incorrect or untrue. He disputed the allegations. |
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n. [allegations allege;alleged;allegedly] For example an allegation is a statement saying that someone has done something wrong. The company denied the allegation. |
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n. (affairs) business; concern; matter; shooting match; thing For example if an event or series of events has been mentioned and you want to talk about it again you can refer to it as the affair. The government has mishandled the whole affair. |
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v. [mishandles;mishandling;mishandled] abuse; misapply; disapprove; misuse; pervert; prostitute For example if you say that someone has mishandled something you are critical of them because you think the have dealt with it badly. She completely mishandled an important project purely through lack of attention. |
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adj. [criticism;criticize;critique] acute; climacteric; crucial; desperate; dire For example a critical time factor or situation is extremely important. The incident happened at a critical point in the campaign. For example a critical situation is very serious and dangerous. The German authorities are considering an airlift if the situation becomes critical. He is in critical condition after the auto accident. For example to be critical of someone or something means to criticize them. His report is highly critical of the trial judge. |
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n. [campaign;campaigning;campaigned] |
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n. [elections;elect;electioneer;elective] choice; alternative; option; preference; selection For example an election is a process in which people vote to choose a person or group of people to hold an official position. The final election results will be announced on Friday. |
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adj. [legalize;legality;legally] lawful; innocent; legitimate; licit For example legal is used to describe things that relate to the law. He vowed to take legal action. I sought legal advice on this. |
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n. [threaten;threatened;threatening] danger; menace; liability For example a threat to a person or things is a danger that something unpleasant might happen to them. A threat is also the cause of this danger. Some couples see single women as a threat to their relationships. |
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v. [secures;securing;secured] cover; fend; guard; protect; safeguard; screen; shield For example if you secure something that you want or need you obtain it often after a lot of effort. Secure is used in a formal context. Federal leaders continued their efforts to secure a ceasefire. |
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v. [obtains;obtaining;obtained] acquire; annex; chalk up; gain; have; pick up; procure; secure; win For example to obtain something means to get it or achieve it. The perfect body has always been difficult to obtain. |
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n. (cease-fires) truce; armistice For example a cease-fire is an agreement in which countries or groups of people that are fighting each other agree to stop fighting. They have agreed to a cease-fire after three years of conflict. |
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n. [investigates;investigating;investigated;investigation] explore; delve (into); dig (into); go (into); inquire (into); look (into); probe; prospect; sift For example if someone especially an official investigates an event situation or claim he tries to find out what happened or what the truth is. Police are still investigating how the accident happened. |
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v. [dispatches;dispatching;dispatched] address; consign; forward; remit; route; ship; transmit For example if you dispatch someone to a place you send him there for a particular reason. The Italian government was preparing to dispatch 4 000 soldiers to search the island. |
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n. [replace;replaced] alternate; backup; fill-in; pinch hitter; stand-in; sub; surrogate For example if you refer to the replacement of one thing by another you mean that second thing takes the place of the first. Let’s investigate the problem before we dispatch replacements....the replacement of damaged or lost books. |
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v. [substitutes;substituting;substituted] exchange; change; swap; switch; trade For example if you substitute one thing for another or if one thing substitutes for another it takes the place or performs the function of the other thing. They were substituting violence for dialog. |
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adj. [vaguer;vaguest] ambiguous; equivocal; opaque; uncertain; unclear; inexplicit; unintelligible For example if something written or spoken is vague it does not explain or express things clearly. A lot of talk was apparently vague and general. |
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adv. (apparent) ostensibly; evidently; officially; outwardly; professedly; seemingly For example you use apparently to indicate that the information you are giving is something that you have heard but you are not certain that it is true. Apparently the girls are not amused by the whole business. |
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v. [amuses;amusing;amused] divert; entertain; recreate For example if something amuses you it makes you want to laugh and smile. The thought seemed to amuse him. |
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adj. (municipality) urban; city For example municipal means associated with or belonging to a city or town. A new mayor will be elected in the upcoming municipal election. |
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adj. approaching; coming; nearing; oncoming; forthcoming For example upcoming events will happen in the near future. We’ll face a tough fight in the upcoming election. |
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adj. (vintages) old fashioned; antiquated; antique; archaic; dated; old; outdated; outmoded For example you can use vintage to describe something which is the best and most typical of its kind. Are you interested in vintage automobiles? |
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adj. authentic; bona fide; genuine; indubitable; real; sure-enough; true; undoubted For example you can use veritable to emphasize the size amount or nature of something. There was a veritable army of security guards. |
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n. (anthropological) For example anthropology is the scientific study of people society and culture. My major is Anthropology. |
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v. [fascinates;fascinating;fascinated;fascination] grip; hold; mesmerize; spellbind; enthrall For example if something fascinates you it interests and delights you so much that your thoughts tend to concentrate on it. Politics fascinated Franklin’s father. |
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n. effects; goods; movables; things; possessions For example your belongings are the things that you own especially things that are small enough to be carried. I collected my belongings and left. |
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n. [leases;leasing;leased] hire; charter; let; rent For example a lease is a legal agreement by which the owner of a building a piece of land or a car allows someone else to use it for a period of time in return for money. We’ve taken out a lease on an office building. (take out a lease = sign a lease so that you can rent something) |
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n. (evictions) kicks out For example eviction is the act or process of officially forcing someone to leave a house or piece of land. He was facing eviction along with his wife and family. |
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preposition For example you use along with to mention someone or something else that is also involved in an action or situation. He was facing eviction along with his wife and family. |
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v. [vacates;vacating;vacated] abandon; give up; part (with or from); relinquish; leave; quit For example if you vacate a place or a job you leave it or give it up making it available for another person. He vacated the apartment and went to stay with an uncle. |
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v. [analyzes;analyzing;analyzed] divide; part; separate; assort; classify; pigeonhole; examine; inspect; investigate; scrutinize For example if you analyze something you consider it carefully or use statistical methods in order to fully understand it. This book teaches you how to analyze what is causing the stress in your life. |
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prepositional phrase arduous; effortful; labored; laborious; strenuous; toilsome; uphill For example a challenging task or job requires great effort and determination. Mike found a challenging job as a computer programmer. |
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adj. excessive; immoderate; inordinate; intemperate; overindulgent For example if you describe someone’s behavior as unrestrained you mean that it is extreme or intense because he/she is expressing his/her feelings strongly or loudly. There was unrestrained joy on the faces of people. |
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adj. concentrated; desperate; exquisite; fierce; furious; terrible; vehement; vicious; and violent For example intense is used to describe something that is very great or extreme in strength or degree. Suddenly the room filled with intense light. |
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n. For example hypertension is a medical condition in which a person has high blood pressure. He suffered from hypertension and accompanying heart problems. |
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v. [accompanies;accompanying;accompanied;accompaniment] attend; bear; bring; carry; chaperon; companion; company; conduct; convoy; escort For example if one thing accompanies another it happens or exists at the same time or as a result of it. {formal} The proposal was instantly voted through with two to one in favor accompanied by enthusiastic applause. |
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n. (proposals) invitation; proffer; proposition; suggestion For example a proposal is a plan or an idea often a formal or written one which is suggested for people to think about and decide upon. A proposal outlining how the new voting district would be drawn up was submitted to the City Council. |
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prepositional phrase For example if someone or something is in favor people like or support it. If they are out of favor people no longer like or support them. She’s very much in favor with the management at the moment. |
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n. [applaud;applauded] cheers; hand; ovation; round; cheering; clapping; rooting For example applause is the noise made by a group of people clapping their hands to show approval. They greeted him with thunderous applause. |
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n. (constitutions) The constitution of a country or organization is the system of laws which formally states the people’s rights and duties. The Constitution of the United States was written in 1776. |
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v. [copes;coping;coped] deal with; overcome For example if you cope with a problem or a task you deal with it successfully. It was amazing how my mother coped with bringing up three children on less than three hundred dollars a week. |
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v. phrase treat; handle; play; serve; take; use For example when you deal with something or someone that needs attention you give your attention to it and often solve a problem or make a decision concerning it. The president said the agreement would allow other vital problems to be dealt with. |
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adj. [vitally;vitality;vitalize;vitalized] essential; cardinal; constitutive; fundamental For example if you say that something is vital you mean that it is necessary or important. The port is vital to supply relief to millions of droughts victims. |
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n. (pupils) students For example the pupils of a school are the children who go to it. I teach private pupils on Wednesday. |
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v. [standard;standardizes;standardizing;standardized] For example to standardize things means to change them so that they all are the same. He feels standardized education does not benefit those children who are either below or above overage. |
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adj. For example you use concrete to indicate that something is definite and specific. There were no concrete proposals on the table. |
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n. (incentives) stimulus; catalyst; goad; impetus; impulse; incitation; incitement; motivation; stimulant For example if something is an incentive to do something it encourages you to do it. There is little or no incentive to adopt such measures. |
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adj. [definitely;definiteness;definitive] circumscribed; determinate; fixed; limited; narrow; precise; restricted Definite evidence or information is true rather than being someone’s opinion or guesses. We didn’t have any definite proof. |
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n. [assume;assumed;assumptions] presumption; presupposition If you make an assumption that something is true or will happen you accept that it is true or will happen often without any real proof. Dr. Subroto questioned the scientific assumption on which the global warming theory is based. |
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v. [mediates;mediating;mediated;mediator] interpose; intercede; interfere; intermediate; intervene; step in For example if someone mediates between two groups of people he tries to settle an agreement by talking to both groups to find out which things they can both agree. United Nations officials have mediated a serious of peace meetings between the two sides. |
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v. [settles;settling;settled;settlement] calm; allay; becalm; compose; lull; quiet; quieted; soothe; still; tranquilize If people settle an argument or problem or if someone settles it they solve it for example by making a decision about who is right or about what to do. They agreed to try to settle their dispute by negotiation. |
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n. (disputes) argue; bicker; hassle; quibble; squabble; wrangle A dispute is an agreement or disagreement between people or groups. For example negotiators failed to resolve the bitter dispute between the European Community and the United States. |
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adj. [capitalize;capitalism] chief; dominant; main; major; number one; outstanding; predominant; principal For example a capital offense is one that is so serious that the person can be put to death. His assassinating the Senator of New York was a capital crime which if found guilty will qualify him for the death penalty. |
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n. (offenses) attack; aggression; assailment; assault; offensive; downfall; onset; onslaught For example an offense is a crime that breaks a particular law and requires a punishment. A criminal offense is an act committed by someone which is in direct violation of the laws of a particular country. |
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v. [instills;instilling;instilled] implant; inculcate; infix; inseminate For example if you instill an idea or feeling into someone especially over a period of time you make them think it or feel it. They hope that their work will instill a sense of responsibility in children. |
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v. [executes;executing;executed;execution;executively] assassinate; bump off; cool; do in; dust off; finish; knock off; liquidate; put away For example to execute someone means to kill him/her as a punishment for a serious crime. This boy’s father had been executed for conspiring against the throne. |
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v. [conspires;conspiring;conspired] plot; cogitate; collogue; collude; connive; contrive; devise; intrigue; machinate; scheme For example if two or more people or groups conspire to do something illegal of harmful they make a secret agreement to do it. They’d conspired to overthrow the government. |
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v. [plots;plotting;plotted] collude; connive; conspire; contrive; devise; intrigue; machinate; scheme For example if people plot to do something or plot something illegal or wrong they plan secretly to do it. Prosecutors in the trial allege the defendants plotted to overthrow the government. |
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n. (thrones) The throne~ the position and power of being a king or queen. In 1913 when George V was on the throne his country’s people suffered from poverty. |
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v. [overthrows;overthrowing;overthrew;overthrown] overturn; knock over; overset; tip (over); topple; turn over; upset For example when a government or leader is overthrown he/she is removed by force. That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago. |
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n. (coups) overthrow; revolution; insurrection; revolt For example when there is a coup a group of people seizes power in a country. Bolivia has experienced several military coups over the last few decades. |
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n. (prosecutors) For example in some countries a prosecutor is a lawyer or official who brings charges against someone or tries to prove in a trial that he/she is guilty. Due to a preponderance of evidence presented by the prosecutor the man was found guilty of murder. |
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v. [alleges;alleging;alleged] adduce; advance; cite; lay; offer; present For example if you allege that something bad is true you say it but do not prove it. It was alleged that policeman had accepted bribes. |
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n. (defendants) For example a defendant is a person who has been accused of breaking the law and is being tried in court. We find the defendant not guilty of the charges brought against him by the prosecutor. |
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v. [seizes;seizing;seized] appropriate; annex; arrogate; commandeer; confiscate; expropriate; preempt; sequester For example when a group or people seize a place or seize control of it they take control of it quickly and suddenly using force. Army officers plotted a failed attempt yesterday to seize power. |
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n. For example an official statement made by the police saying that someone is guilty of a crime. The charge against her was arson. |
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n. For example arson is the crime of deliberately setting fire to a building or vehicle. They vented their anger by carrying out arson attacks. |
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n. [bribes;bribing;bribed] buy; buy off; fix; have For example a bribe is a sum of money or something valuable that one person offers or gives to another in order to persuade him or her to do something. He was being investigated for receiving bribes. |
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n. (prescriptions) For example a prescription is a medicine which a doctor has told you to take. Can I discontinue taking my prescription? I feel fine now. |
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v. [relapses;relapsing;relapsed] lapse; backslide; recidivate For example if a sick person relapses his health suddenly gets worse after it had been improving. In 90 percent of cases the patient will relapse within six months. |
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