frail (a.) weak or unhealthy, or easily damaged, broken or harmed
I last saw him just last week and thought how old and frail he looked.
snuff (v.) to put out a flame, especially from a candle, usually by covering it with something
One by one she snuffed the candles.
(n.) a. tobacco in the form of a powder for breathing into the nose
Very few people take snuff nowadays.
snuff out: a. to cause something to end suddenly
The country has been able to celebrate the return of its independence so brutally snuffed out in 1940.
b. to put out a flame, especially from a candle
One by one she snuffed out the candles.
strenuous (a.) needing or using a lot of physical or mental effort or energy
He rarely does anything more strenuous than changing the channels on the television.
His doctor advised him not to take any strenuous exercise.
Strenuous efforts were made throughout the war to disguise the scale of civilian casualties.
strenuously (adv.)
He strenuously denies all the allegations against him.
Most local residents strenuously object to the building proposals.
visceral (a.) based on deep feeling and emotional reactions rather than on reason or thought
His approach to acting is visceral rather than intellectual.
felicity (a.) a. when words or remarks are suitable and express what was intended
As a songwriter, he combined great linguistic felicity with an ear for a tune.
b. a word or remark which is suitable or right and expresses well the intended thought or feeling
Her article contained one or two verbal felicities which will stay in my mind for years.
remorse (v. ) when you feel very guilty and sad about something you have done
He felt no remorse for the murders he had committed.
After the argument, she was filled with remorse.
exempt (v.) to excuse someone or something from a duty, payment, etc
Small businesses have been exempted from the tax increase.
exemption (n.)
Candidates with a qualification in Chemistry have exemption from this course.
nuptial (n.) belonging or relating to a marriage or the state of being married
blurry (a.) a. difficult to see
The photograph was very blurred.
The picture on the TV went all blurry.
b. difficult to understand or separate clearly
Do you agree that male and female roles are becoming blurred?
c. unable to see clearly
My eyes were blurred with tears.
cradle (n.) a. a small bed for a baby, especially one that swings from side to side
The nurse rocked the cradle.
b. the object that you put a mobile phone, camera, PDA, etc. into in order to recharge (= put power into) its batteries or connect it to a computer
(v.) to hold something or someone gently, especially by supporting with the arms
She cradled him tenderly in her arms.
from the cradle to the grave: for all of a person's life
She lived in the same village from the cradle to the grave.
apothecary (n.) a person who in the past made and sold medicines
sureness (n.) confidence and control
We admired the sureness of the orchestra's playing.
She has an enviable sureness of touch (= She deals with things confidently and well).
susceptible (a.) a. easily influenced or harmed by something
She isn't very susceptible to flattery.
These plants are particularly susceptible to frost.
Among particularly susceptible children, the disease can develop very fast.
b. describes someone who is easily emotionally influenced
They persuade susceptible teenagers to part with their money.
salvation (n.) a. (a way of) being saved from danger, loss or harm
After the diagnosis, getting to know Mary was his salvation.
b. In the Christian religion, salvation of a person or their spirit is the state of being saved from evil and its effects by the death of Jesus Christ on a cross
The Gospel message is one of personal salvation.
unfettered (a.) not limited by rules or any other controlling influence
In writing poetry, one is unfettered by the normal rules of sentence structure.
temper (n.) when someone becomes angry very quickly
She has a real temper.
He's got a really bad temper.
lose your temper: to suddenly become angry
The children behaved so badly that I lost my temper.
keep your temper: to succeed in staying calm and not becoming angry
I found it hard to keep my temper with so many things going wrong.
be in a bad/foul, etc. temper: to be feeling angry
I'd avoid her if I were you - she's in a foul temper.
have a quick temper: to become angry very easily
hot temper: If someone has a hot temper, they are easily made angry
repertoire (n.) all the music or plays, etc. that you can do or perform or that you know
The Royal Shakespeare Company also have many modern plays in their repertoire.
There is an extensive repertoire of music written for the flute.
eponymous (a.) an eponymous character in a play, book, etc. has the same name as the title
cushion (n.) a bag made of cloth, plastic or leather which is filled with soft material, often has an attractive cover, and is used especially on chairs for sitting or leaning on
She sank back against/into the cushions.
(v.) to make the effect or force of something softer
The soft grass cushioned his fall.
boost (v.) to improve or increase something
The theatre managed to boost its audiences by cutting ticket prices.
Share prices were boosted by reports of the President's recovery.
I tried to boost his ego (= make him feel more confident) by praising his cooking.
convert (v.) to (cause something or someone to) change in form, character, or opinion
Could we convert the small bedroom into a second bathroom?
What's the formula for converting pounds into kilos?
He converted to (= started believing in) Catholicism when he got married.
I used not to like exercise, but my sister has converted me (to it).
prime (a.) a. main or most important
This is a prime example of 1930s architecture.
The president is a prime (= likely) target for the assassin's bullet.
b. of the best quality
The hotel is in a prime location in the city center.
flora (n.) all the plants of a particular place or from a particular time in history
florist (n.) a person who works in a shop which sells cut flowers and plants for inside the house
florist's: a shop which sells cut flowers and plants for inside the house
aptitude (n.) a natural ability or skill
My son has no/little aptitude for sport.
We will take your personal aptitudes and abilities into account.
fatal (a.) a. a fatal illness or accident, etc. causes death
This illness is fatal in almost all cases.
b. very serious and having an important bad effect in the future
He made the fatal mistake/error of believing what they told him.
It just shows how you should never say how well things are going for you - it's fatal (= it causes bad things to happen).
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American Literature (2)
