Vocabulary Building: Understanding Common English Words and Their Contexts, Apuntes de Idioma Inglés

¡Descarga Vocabulary Building: Understanding Common English Words and Their Contexts y más Apuntes en PDF de Idioma Inglés solo en Docsity! 1. consider deem to be At the moment, artemisinin-based therapies are considered the best treatment, but cost about $10 per dose - far too much for impoverished communities. 2. minute infinitely or immeasurably small The minute stain on the document was not visible to the naked eye. 3. accord concurrence of opinion The committee worked in accord on the bill, and it eventually passed. 4. evident clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment That confidence was certainly evident in the way Smith handled the winning play with 14 seconds left on the clock. 5. practice a customary way of operation or behavior He directed and acted in plays every season and became known for exploring Elizabethan theatre practices. 6. intend have in mind as a purpose “Lipstick, as a product intended for topical use with limited absorption, is ingested only in very small quantities,” the agency said on its website. 7. concern something that interests you because it is important The scandal broke out in October after former chief executive Michael Woodford claimed he was fired for raising concerns about the company's accounting practices. 8. commit perform an act, usually with a negative connotation In an unprecedented front page article in 2003 The Times reported that Mr. Blair, a young reporter on its staff, had committed journalistic fraud. 9. issue some situation or event that is thought about As a result, the privacy issues surrounding mobile computing are becoming ever-more complex. 10. approach move towards Spain's jobless rate for people ages 16 to 24 is approaching 50 percent. 11. establish set up or found A small French colony, Port Louis, was established on East Falkland in 1764 and handed to the Spanish three years later. 12. utter without qualification No one can blame an honest mechanic for holding a wealthy snob in utter contempt. 13. conduct direct the course of; manage or control Scientists have been conducting studies of individual genes for years. 14. engage consume all of one's attention or time We had nearly two hundred passengers, who were seated about on the sofas, reading, or playing games, or engaged in conversation. 15. obtain come into possession of He delayed making the unclassified report public while awaiting an Army review, but Rolling Stone magazine obtained the report and posted it Friday night. 16. scarce deficient in quantity or number compared with the demand Meanwhile, heating oil could grow more scarce in the Northeast this winter, the Energy Department warned last month. 17. policy a plan of action adopted by an individual or social group Inflation has lagged behind the central bank's 2 percent target, giving policy makers extra scope to cut rates. 18. straight successive, without a break After three straight losing seasons, Hoosiers fans were just hoping for a winning record. capital raised by a corporation through the issue of shares In other words, Apple”s stock is cheap, and you should buy it. 19. apparent clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment But the elderly creak is beginning to become apparent in McCartney”s voice. 20. property a basic or essential attribute shared by members of a class Owing to these magic properties, it was often planted near dwellings to keep away evil spirits. 21. fancy imagine; conceive of; see in one's mind For a time, indeed, he had fancied that things were changed. 22. concept an abstract or general idea inferred from specific instances As a psychologist, 1 have always found the concept of speed dating fascinating. court an assembly to conduct judicial business When Brown pleaded not guilty to assaulting Rihanna, their violent past came out in court. 23. appoint assign a duty, responsibility, or obligation to In 1863 he was appointed by the general assembly professor of oriental languages at New College. 24. passage a section of text, particularly a section of medium length His interpretation of many obscure scriptural passages by means of native manners and customs and traditions is particularly helpful and informing. 25. vain unproductive of success An attempt was made to ignore this brilliant and irregular book, but in vain; itwas read all over Europe. 26. instance an occurrence of something In many instances large districts or towns would have fewer representatives than smaller ones, or perhaps none at all. 27. coast the shore of a sea or ocean Martello towers must be built within short distances all round the coast. project a planned undertaking He says many new drivers are terrified of motorway driving because they do not have the skills or confidence needed. 57. harry annoy continually or chronically There”s something uplifting about hearing a string instrument when I'm feeling ragged or harried. 58. financial involving fiscal matters Meanwhile, universities have raised tuition every year, putting many students in a financial bind. 59. reflect show an image of Teens ranting over chores and whatnot can often reflect deeper feelings of alienation or perceived uncaring on the part of parents. 60. novel an extended fictional work in prose Before Robert Barr publishes a novel he spends years in thinking the thing out. 61. furnish provide with objects or articles that make a room usable Instead, according to court documents, the money went toward furnishing mansions, flying in private jets, and retaining a $120,000-a-year personal hairstylist. 62. compel force somebody to do something But the flames grew too large, compelling firefighters to call off the rescue. 63. venture proceed somewhere despite the risk of possible dangers Clearly he would not venture to descend while his enemy moved. 64. territory the geographical area under the jurisdiction of a state On Friday, West Africa regional group Ecowas condemned the rebels, urging them to end hostilities and surrender all occupied territory. 65. temper a characteristic state of feeling Oscar Wilde, to do him justice, bore this sort of rebuff with astonishing good temper and sweetness. 66. bent fixed in your purpose The business-oriented constituency of the Republican Party, Jacobs said, has been weakened by a faction bent on lowering taxes and cutting spending. 67. intimate marked by close acquaintance, association, or familiarity The female spider can choose when to cut off intimate relations by eating her partner, or kicking him out. 68. undertake enter upon an activity or enterprise An autopsy has reportedly been undertaken but the results are not expected for several weeks. 69. majority more than half of the votes in an election Republicans need just four seats in the Senate to take control as the majority party. 70. assert declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true In your talk you asserted the pill's risks of blood clotting, lung artery blockage, heart attack and stroke are minimal. 71. crew the men and women who man a vehicle Several pilots and crew members would have to escape at once, while safety divers watched, ready to rescue anyone who became stuck. 72. chamber a natural or artificial enclosed space "Today," said the old man, "you must push through with me into my most solitary chamber, that we may not be disturbed.” 73. humble marked by meekness or modesty; not arrogant or prideful “Challenging yourself, playing up against stronger, tougher, and overall better competition will keep you humble. ” 74. scheme an elaborate and systematic plan of action Some companies in the Globe District of Arizona have started extensive underground schemes for mining large tonnages very cheaply by "caving” methods. 75. keen demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions Not one of his movements escaped her keen observation; she drank in every shiver. 76. liberal having political views favoring reform and progress Romney's actually done well in open primaries where fiscally conservative yet socially liberal independents have backed him over his opponents. 77. despair a state in which all hope is lost or absent There were wounded love, and wounded pride, and despair, and coming madness, all in that piteous cry. 78. tide the periodic rise and fall of the sea level In the case of mobile connectivity, a rising tide does not lift all boats. 79. attitude a complex mental state involving beliefs and feelings "Behaviours have changed and attitudes have changed," Mr Taylor said. 80. justify show to be reasonable or provide adequate ground for He felt sure that if the circumstances justified it, the necessary proceedings could be taken.” 81. flag a rectangular piece of cloth of distinctive design Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas declared three days of mourning and ordered flags flown at half staff. 82. merit any admirable or beneficial attribute Thus far in our inquiry extraordinary merits have been offset by extraordinary defects. 83. manifest reveal its presence or make an appearance A too rapid transformation of existing conditions might very easily lead to an economic crisis, symptoms of which are already beginning to manifest themselves. 84. notion a general inclusive concept Does that old notion that defense wins championships still hold up these days? 85. scale relative magnitude And there might not be much money, so fashion shows are done on a much smaller scale. 86. formal characteristic of or befitting a person in authority A formal decision to call off the search is likely on Wednesday, rescue officials said. 87. resource a new or reserve supply that can be drawn upon when needed “Economists assume that, under normal conditions, markets will allocate resources efficiently,” he added. 88. persist continue to exist Old ideas, long after the conditions under which they were produced have passed away, often persist in surviving. 89. contempt lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike And with his backhanded contempt for all things ordinary, Blake is making some of the catchiest, most difficult music in recent memory. 90. tour a route all the way around a particular place or area He typed in “South Park” and took senior executives on a tour of Web sites offering pirated episodes. 91. plead enter a defendant's answer Aria pleaded not guilty, but he acknowledged that he had violated some laws. 92. weigh be oppressive or burdensome So far, the political turmoil has not appeared to have discouraged visitors, but prolonged strife could weigh on tourism. 93. mode how something is done or how it happens Speaking of science, he says, in language far in advance of his times: “There are two modes of knowing—by argument and by experiment. 94. distinction a discrimination between things as different But such a distinction is quite external; at heart the men may be very much alike. 95. inclined at an angle to the horizontal or vertical position Such an inclined passage following a seam of coal is known as a slope. 96. attribute a quality belonging to or characteristic of an entity The authors found that when the available prospects varied more in attributes such as age, height, occupation and educational background, people made fewer dating proposals. 97. exert make a great effort at a mental or physical task School boards may come to exert even greater influence over what students read. 98. oppress come down on or keep down by unjust use of one's authority Those who managed to survive were later oppressed by Poland's post-war communist authorities. 99. contend compete for something But eight men, however bold and stout-hearted, could not long contend with an enemy at least four times their number. A recent study breaks down how graduates with various college degrees are faring in today”s difficult job market. Washington Post (Feb 17, 2012) 124. cede relinquish possession or control over Some militia chiefs say they will only cede command of their fighters once an organized military and security apparatus is in place. 125. perpetual continuing forever or indefinitely The river is a perpetual enjoyment, always something going on. Waddington, Mary King 126. decree a legally binding command or decision While the decree takes effect immediately, it requires Parliament's approval within 60 days to remain in force. 127. contrive make or work out a plan for; devise The wily Roc, never taken much by surprise, contrived to escape, but old Tributor and his men were all captured.Thornbury, Walter 128. derived formed or developed from something else; not original Modern kale, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and kohlrabi are all members of the same species, derived from a single prehistoric plant variety.Slate (Feb 21, 2012) 129. elaborate marked by complexity and richness of detail But the tobacco industry and owners of other convenience stores say tribal cigarette manufacturing is just an elaborate form of tax evasion.New York Times (Feb 22, 2012) 130. substantial real; having a material or factual existence Defence lawyers said the large number of forensic tests which had been carried out had failed to find any substantial evidence linked to the accused. 131. frontier a wilderness at the edge of a settled area of a country Adding to the precarious security situation, tribesmen kidnapped 18 Egyptian border guards along the frontier with Israel in Sinai Peninsula.New York Times (Feb 9, 2012) 132. facile arrived at without due care or effort; lacking depth As one teacher remarks about a troubled student, “There is no facile solution. ”New York Times (Oct 11, 2011) 133. cite make reference to The Federal Reserve has pledged low interest rates until late 2014, citing in part the weakness of the job market. 134, warrant show to be reasonable or provide adequate ground for In the United Kingdom and Europe the devices are not used unless the need is warranted by the patient's medical condition. 135. sob weep convulsively He cried and trembled, sobbing, while they spoke, like the child he was.Weyman, Stanley J. 136. rider a traveler who actively sits and travels on an animal In horseback riding, a rider will give commands by squeezing or lengthening the reins and altering the position of his legs. 137. dense permitting little if any light to pass through Dense black smoke rose in the distance as demonstrators burned tires in Shiite villages. 138. afflict cause physical pain or suffering in Melanoma globally afflicts nearly 160,000 new people each year. 139. flourish grow vigorously His business had been all along steadily flourishing, his patrons had been of high social position, some most illustrious, others actually royal.Petherick, Horace William 140. ordain invest with ministerial or priestly authority One of the present bishops was consecrated when quite a young boy, and deacons are often ordained at sixteen, and even much earlier. Bird, Isabella L. (Isabella Lucy) 141. pious having or showing or expressing reverence for a deity Mother, you see, is a very pious woman, and she attributes it all to Providence, saying that it was the Divine interference in her behalf. Various 142. vex disturb, especially by minor irritations There are vexing problems slowing the growth and the practical implementation of big data technologies.Forbes (Oct 21, 2011) 143. gravity the force of attraction between all masses in the universe Once captured, the combined object will have a new center of gravity and may be spinning in an uncontrolled way. 144. suspended supported or kept from sinking or falling by buoyancy Frustrating enough at ground level, but can you imagine the agony about a stranded, ever-soggier Oreo being suspended 11 feet above the ground?Washington Post (Feb 21, 2012) 145. conspicuous obvious to the eye or mind Its bright scarlet fruits are conspicuous in late autumn.Anonymous 146. retort a quick reply to a question or remark Having put him in ill humour with this retort, she fled away rejoicing.Coster, Charles Th?odore Henri de 147. jet an airplane powered by gas turbines Typhoon fighter jets, helicopters, two warships and bomb disposal experts will also be on duty to guard against security threats.Seattle Times (Feb 20, 2012) 148. bolt run away The blare of bugles was heard, and a few seconds afterwards Jackson, still facing the enemy, shouted: "By Jupiter, they're bolting, sir."Strang, Herbert 149. assent agree or express agreement His two companions readily assented, and the promise was mutually given and received.Keightley, Thomas 150. purse a sum spoken of as the contents of a money container She watched over her husband, kept his accounts, held the family purse, managed all his affairs. Shorter, Clement K. 151. plus the arithmetic operation of summing The survey?s margin of error was plus or minus four percentage points. 152. sanction He walked across the little bridge over the brook and at once his mood changed.Mason, A. E. W. (Alfred Edward Woodley) 172. gale a strong wind moving 45-90 knots The gale was accompanied, as usual, by incessant rain and thick weather, and a heavy confused sea kept our decks always flooded. Fitzroy, Robert 173. muse reflect deeply on a subject Musing about the Big Picture may be a lot more gratifying than focusing on the details of the specific policies that aren't working. 174. satire witty language used to convey insults or scorn There”s plenty of humor on Russian television, though not much political satire; Mr. Putin put a stop to that long ago.New York Times (Feb 13, 2012) 175. intrigue cause to be interested or curious Designing and building models that intrigue and educate without overwhelming has been challenging.Science Magazine (Nov 24, 2011) 176. indication something that serves to suggest Authorities said an autopsy found no indications of foul play or obvious signs of trauma on Houston.Seattle Times (Feb 15, 2012) 177. dispatch send away towards a designated goal More than one assassin was dispatched by the Turkish authorities to murder Napoleon. Various 178. cower crouch or curl up The knaves lowered their weapons and shrank back cowering before him.Weyman, Stanley J. 179. wont an established custom He made his customary slick feeds to open teammates, but as is their wont, the Nets struggled at times to convert points on his passes.New York Times (Feb 20, 2012) 180. tract a system of body parts that serves some specialized purpose When probiotics flourish in the digestive tract, nutrients are better absorbed and bad bugs are held at bay, research suggests.Seattle Times (Jan 10, 2012) 181. canon a collection of books accepted as holy scripture For me, all novels of any consequence are literary, and they take their place, high and low, in the canon of English literature. 182. impel cause to move forward with force Some power beyond his comprehension was impelling him toward the neighboring city.Blasco Ib?? ez, Vicente 183. latitude freedom from normal restraints in conduct Great employees often get more latitude to bring up controversial subjects in a group setting because their performance allows greater freedom. 184, vacate leave behind empty; move out of Their number diminished sharply after Villaraigosa announced last week that he wanted protesters to vacate the grounds by Monday or be forcibly removed.Chicago Tribune (Nov 30, 2011) 185. undertaking any piece of work that is attempted "Let my epitaph be, Here lies Joseph, who was unsuccessful in all his undertakings. "Marvin, Frederic Rowland 186. slay kill intentionally and with premeditation "It were shame," said Lancelot, "for an armed to slay an unarmed man. "Unknown 187. predecessor one who goes before you in time Heller fills in the blanks about Taft, overshadowed by colorful predecessor Teddy Roosevelt.Seattle Times (Feb 22, 2012) 188. delicacy the quality of being exquisitely fine in appearance This refinement appears in his works, which are full of artistic grace and dainty delicacy.Drake, Samuel Adams 189. forsake leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch "I'm surprised,” said Philip, cautiously opening fire, "that you were ever allowed to forsake your native land.”Hay, lan 190. beseech ask for or request earnestly Utterly distraught, he ran up and down the bank, hunting for his clothes, calling, crying out, imploring, beseeching help from somewhere.Frank, Ulrich 191. philosophical relating to the investigation of existence and knowledge His arguments, like Einstein”s, were qualitative, verging on highly philosophical. Scientific American (Jan 30, 2012) 192. grove a small growth of trees without underbrush Soon after we came to Pasadena, father bought an orange grove of twenty-five acres.Chamberlain, James Franklin 193. frustrate hinder or prevent, as an effort, plan, or desire Frustrated after two years of missed budget targets, finance chiefs demanded Greek officials put their verbal commitments into law. 194. illustrious widely known and esteemed She will be joining an illustrious list of recipients that include Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, Pope John Paul II and Princess Diana. 195. device an instrumentality invented for a particular purpose You”ve probably also noticed that the telephone and computer are no longer the only devices on your employees” desks.Forbes (Feb 26, 2012) 196. pomp cheap or pretentious or vain display Throughout U.S. history, Americans have been fascinated by royal pomp -- even on a movie screen. 197. entreat ask for or request earnestly "Let me go now, please,” she entreated, her eyes unable to meet his any longer.Hope, Anthony 198. impart transmit, as knowledge or a skill Long before writing and books were in common use, proverbs were the principal means of imparting instruction.P reston, Thomas 199. propriety correct behavior I felt a trifle doubtful about the propriety of taking a short cut across private grounds, and said as much.Sutphen, Van Tassel 200. consecrate These buildings were grand and stylized with intricate details and a bit of an imposing presence.Scientific American (Mar 5, 2012) 220. wistful showing pensive sadness She turned toward him, her face troubled, her eyes most wistful.Mason, A. E. W. (Alfred Edward Woodley) 221. mortify cause to feel shame Intensely mortified at this humiliation, the king fell sick, and henceforth his health failed rapidly. Various 222. ripple stir up so as to form small waves That could precipitate higher interest rates that would ripple across the economy.Washington Post (Jul 27, 2011) 223. premise a statement that is held to be true Success, real success, comes to the jack of all trades, a major premise handed down from pioneer days.Gilbert, Clinton W. (Clinton Wallace) 224, subside wear off or die down Affliction is allayed, grief subsides, sorrow is soothed, distress is mitigated. Webster, Noah 225. adverse contrary to your interests or welfare High doses can have adverse effects and even cause death.Seattle Times (Mar 26, 2012) 226. caprice a sudden desire Nobody is really in charge, and decisions are made on whim and caprice.”New York Times (Apr 10, 2011) 227. muster gather or bring together Yet Fox needed all the strength that he could muster.Rosebery, Archibald Phillip Primrose 228. comprehensive broad in scope The United States Army developed a comprehensive plan to address problematic race relations in the 1970s, recognizing that they were hampering military effectiveness.New York Times (Feb 6, 2012) 229. accede yield to another's wish or opinion Therefore he made up his mind to accede to his uncle's desire.Streckfuss, Adolph 230. fervent characterized by intense emotion But, to fervent applause and scattered fist pumps from two sets of worshipers, he pledged to legally challenge the claims against him.New York Times (Sep 26, 2010) 231. cohere cause to form a united, orderly, and consistent whole Two antagonistic values may cohere in the same object. Anderson, Benjamin M. (Benjamin McAlester) 232. tribunal an assembly to conduct judicial business The military has historically been protected from civilian courts, with any crimes committed by soldiers being decided in closed military tribunals. 233. austere severely simple A certain austere simplicity was noticeable all over Longfellow's house.Anonymous 234. recovering returning to health after illness or debility “The recovering economy is bringing more people back into the market. Washington Post (Mar 22, 2012) 235. stratum people having the same social or economic status She belonged to the upper stratum of the profession, and, knowing it, could not sink.George, Walter Lionel 236. conscientious characterized by extreme care and great effort A conscientious hostess would be very much mortified if she served chicken out of its proper course.Reed, Myrtle 237. arbitrary based on or subject to individual discretion or preference Sandra Nurse, a member of Occupy's direct action working group, said police treated demonstrators roughly and made arbitrary arrests.Time (Mar 18, 2012) 238. exasperate irritate Shopkeepers, exasperated at the impact of higher taxes and reduced consumer spending, are planning to close down for the day.New York Times (Feb 7, 2012) 239. conjure summon into action or bring into existence Vacation homes typically conjure up dreams of blue skies, pristine sand and crystalline waters. Wall Street Journal (Feb 28, 2012) 240. ominous threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments The Count's words were so ominous, so full of sinister meaning that for the moment he felt like crying out with fear.Hocking, Joseph 241. edifice a structure that has a roof and walls They are here erecting a fine stone edifice for an Episcopal Church.Clark, John A. 242. elude escape, either physically or mentally But despite racking up world titles, Olympic gold was eluding him. 243. pervade spread or diffuse through An air of intense anticipation pervaded the General*s dining room. Burnett, Carolyn Judson 244, foster promote the growth of Mr. Horne accused the district's Mexican-American studies program of using an antiwhite curriculum to foster social activism.New York Times (Mar 19, 2012) 245. admonish scold or reprimand; take to task "Children, children, stop quarrelling, right here in public!” admonished Mrs. Dering, in a low, shocked tone.Perry, Nora 246. repeal cancel officially If Republicans repeal the law, Ms. Schakowsky said, they would be “taking away benefits that seniors are already getting. ”New York Times (Mar 19, 2012) 247. retiring not arrogant or presuming Foster was an extremely modest, unworldly, retiring gentleman. Rosenbach, A. S. W. 248. incidental not of prime or central importance The models themselves are incidental on “Scouted,” merely empty planets around which revolve some fascinating characters and plenty more dull ones.New York Times (Nov 27, 2011) praise enthusiastically I have heard lots of women simply rave about him. Kauffman, Reginald Wright 269. monetary relating to or involving money A hundred years ago, monetary policy — control over interest rates and the availability of credit— was viewed as a highly contentious political issue.New York Times (Mar 29, 2012) 270. headlong in a hasty and foolhardy manner “They may not be wishing to rush headlong back into the same sort of risks just yet. ” 271. infallible incapable of failure or error But conductors are no more infallible than other people, and once in a blue moon in going through a train they miss a passenger.Lynde, Francis 272. coax influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering He used his most enticing manner and did his best to coax the little animal out again.Kay, Ross 273. explicate elaborate, as of theories and hypotheses He urged judges to resist the rigid guidelines and to write opinions explicating their reasons for doing so.New York Times (Jan 22, 2010) 274. gaunt very thin especially from disease or hunger or cold Gaunt, starved, and ragged, the men marched northwards, leaving the Touat country upon their left hand.Mason, A. E. W. (Alfred Edward Woodley) 275. morbid suggesting the horror of death and decay Earlier in the day, however, his demise was watched by spectators with a morbid fascination.New York Times (Aug 16, 2010) 276. ranging wandering freely His detective work is fascinating and wide ranging.Seattle Times (Feb 1, 2012) 277. pacify ease the anger, agitation, or strong emotion of How they pacified him 1 don't know, but at the end of two hours he had cooled off enough to let us go aboard.Quincy, Samuel M. 278. pastoral idyllically rustic He made a considerable reputation as an accomplished painter of quiet pastoral subjects and carefully elaborated landscapes with cattle. Various 279. dogged stubbornly unyielding Some analysts expect Mr. Falcone, who is known for his dogged determination, to just continue to limp along while slashing costs.New York Times (Feb 15, 2012) 280. ebb fall away or decline Although Gardner”s competitive appetite ebbed after 2004, other cravings did not.New York Times (Jan 28, 2012) 281. aide someone who acts as an assistant She later found work as a teacher”s aide in a Head Start program in Harlem.New York Times (Jan 12, 2012) 282. appease cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of The king also has tried to appease public anger over corruption.New York Times (Feb 9, 2012) 283. stipulate make an express demand or provision in an agreement The mayor has an executive order in place stipulating that all top officials, except those granted a waliver, live in the city. New York Times (Sep 22, 2011) 284. recourse something or someone turned to for assistance or security Bargain hunters and holiday shoppers are bad guys” favorite targets and have little or no recourse when shoddy or fake merchandise arrives.Forbes (Nov 22, 2011) 285. constrained lacking spontaneity; not natural AIl his goodness, however, will be of a forced, constrained, artificial, and at bottom unreal character. Hyde, William De Witt 286. bate moderate or restrain; lessen the force of “You called her “an interfering, disagreeable old woman”!” whispered Bertha with bated breath, glancing half fearfully at the door as she spoke.Vaizey, George de Horne, Mrs. 287. aversion a feeling of intense dislike Already my passive dislike had grown into an active aversion.Oppenheim, E. Phillips (Edward Phillips) 288. conceit an artistic device or effect An urban panorama is viewed from a high vantage point, a conceit used in topographic art to render vast perspectives.New York Times (Sep 30, 2011) 289. loath strongly opposed Friends and political allies are loath to talk about her, knowing the family”s intense obsession with privacy.New York Times (Aug 14, 2011) 290. rampart an embankment built around a space for defensive purposes The night was gloomy, dark, and wet; the soldiers, wearied with watching at the ramparts, dozed, leaning on their weapons.Sienkiewicz, Henryk 291. extort obtain by coercion or intimidation The owners, in turn, have called the lawyers shakedown artists bent on ruining their good reputations to extort money.New York Times (Jan 27, 2012) 292. tarry leave slowly and hesitantly For two days 1 tarried in Paris, settling my little property.Ford, Paul Leicester 293. perpetrate perform an act, usually with a negative connotation Come on it's just a cruel joke perpetrated by the airline industry. ”Forbes (Dec 11, 2011) 294, decorum propriety in manners and conduct Wishing to observe the rules of decorum she invited him to stay for supper, though absolutely nothing had been prepared for a guest.Sudermann, Hermann 295. luxuriant produced or growing in extreme abundance Her luxuriant curly hair, restrained by no net, but held together simply by a flowering spray, waved over her shoulders in all its rich abundance. Elisabeth Burstenbinder (AKA E. Werner) 296. cant insincere talk about religion or morals Itwas the familiar cant of the man rich enough to affect disdain for money, and Wade was not impressed.Day, Holman 297. enjoin