The crucible

Vocabulary
Act I and II
snug
adjective UK US /sn/ (snugger, snuggest) (of
a person) feeling warm, comfortable, and protected, or (of
aplace, especially a small place) giving feelings of warmth,comfort,
and protection:We curled up in bed, all snug and warm, and listened to
the stormoutside.I bet your feet are nice and snug in your furlined boots! fitting closely:These shoes are a bit too snug - do you have
them in a larger size?
snugly
adverb UK US /sn.li/
She's curled up snugly in the armchair, reading a book.If we put
the washing machine over there the fridge will fit snugly (=closely) into
this space.
snug
noun [C] UK US /sn/ (ALSO snuggery ) UK
a small room or area in a pub where only a few people can sit
snuggle
verb [I usually + adv/prep] UK US /sn.l l/
to move yourself into
a warm and comfortable position,especially one in which your body is
against another person orcovered by
something:The children snuggled up to their mother to get warm.I was just
snuggling down into my warm duvet when my phone rang.
creed
noun [C] UK US /krid/ FORMAL
a set of beliefs that influences the way you live
Synonym
credo

dally
verb [I] UK US /dl.i/ OLD-FASHIONED
to waste time or do something slowly
See also
dilly-dally
Phrasal verbs
dally with sb

dally with sth

shovelboard
Shovel`board`
n1A board on which a game is played, by pushing or driving pieces of metalor
. . money to reach certain marks; also, the game itself. Called alsoshuffleboard,
shoveboard, shovegroat, shovelpenny.
2A game played on board ship in which the aim is to shove or drive with acue
. wooden disks into divisions chalked on the deck; - called alsoshuffleboard.

lye
noun [U] UK US /la/
a highly alkaline substance, usually
either sodium hydroxide orpotassium hydroxide, that
can cause severe damage or burnsand is used in
making cleaning products
Soda caustic / lejia

rankle
verb [I] UK US /r.kl/l
to make someone annoyed or angry for a long time:The unkind way in
which his girlfriend left him still rankled with himlong after.[+ that] It still
rankles that she got promoted, and I didn't.
marauder
noun [C] UK /mr.dr/ US /-r.d/
a person or animal that goes from one place to
another lookingfor people to kill or things to steal or destroy
parishioner
noun [C] UK /pr.n.r/ US /-/

 a member of a particular parish under the care of

a priest,especially one who often goes to its church
Heathen
adjective UK US /hi.n/ OLD-FASHIONED DISAPPROVINGOFFENSIVE
(of people or their way of life, activities, and ideas) having
noreligion, or belonging to a religion that is not Christianity,Judaism,
or Islam
parochial
adjective UK /pr.ki.l/ US /-ro-/
parochial adjective (OF A CHURCH)
connected with a parish (= an area that
has its own church orpriest):parochial boundaries
parochial adjective (LIMITED)
DISAPPROVING showing interest only in
a narrow range of matters,especially those
that directly affect yourself, your town, or yourcountry:a
parochial view/opinionAlthough it's just a local paper, it somehow manages not
to be too parochial in its outlook.
parochialism
noun [U] UK US /-.l.zm/ DISAPPROVING
political parochialism
parochially
adverb UK US /-.li/ DISAPPROVING
snobbery
noun [U] UK /snb.r.i/ US /sn.b-/ (ALSOsnobbishness) DISAPPROVING
behaviour and opinions that are typical of a snob:She accused me of
snobbery because I sent my sons to a privateschool.
snob
noun [C] UK /snb/ US /snb/ DISAPPROVING
C2 a person who respects and likes only people who are of a
highsocial class, and/or a person who
has extremely high standardswho is not satisfied by the things
that ordinary people like:He's a frightful snob - if you haven't been to
the right school heprobably won't even speak to you.I'm afraid I'm a bit of
a wine snob/a snob where wine is concerned.
citadel

noun [C] UK /st..del/ US /stt-/

citadel noun [C] (BUILDING)
a strong castle in or near a city,
where people can shelter fromdanger, especially during
a war:The town has a 14th century citadel overlooking the river.
citadel noun [C] (ORGANIZATION)
LITERARY a powerful organization in which finding a job is difficultfor
someone who does not know people who work there:At the age of 32,
she managed to enter one of the citadels of highfashion.
stand
verb UK US /stnd/ (stood, stood)
stand verb (VERTICAL)
A2 [I or T] to be in a vertical state or to put into
a vertical state,especially (of a person or animal) by making
the legs straight:Granny says if she stands for a long time her ankles hurt.As
a sign of politeness you should stand (up) when she comes in.Stand still and
be quiet!After the earthquake not a single building was left standing in
thevillage.Stand the bottles on the table over there.
See also
More examples
stand verb (STATE)
C1 [I, L only + adj] to be in, cause to be in, or get into
a particularstate or situation:How do you think your chances stand (=
are) of being offered the job?
The national debt stands at 55 billion dollars.The house stood empty for years
.Martina is currently standing second in the world listings.[+ to
infinitive] Our firm stands to lose (= will lose) a lot of money if
thedeal is unsuccessful.We really can't allow the current situation to stand (=
to exist in itscurrent form).Newton's laws of mechanics stood (=
were thought to be completelytrue) for over two hundred years.Leave
the mixture to stand (= do not touch it) for 15 minutes before use.It would
be difficult for her to stand much lower/higher in my opinion(= for me to have
a worse/better opinion of her) after the way shebehaved at the party.She's
very blunt, but at least you know where you stand with her (= you know what
she thinks and how she is likely to behave).FORMAL You
stand accused of murder, how do you plead?stand trialC2 to be put
on trial in a law court:Two other men are to
stand trial next month for their part in thebombing.
More examples
stand verb (PLACE)

B2 [I or T, usually + adv/prep] to be in, cause to be in, or put into

aparticular place:The room was empty except for a wardrobe standing in
one corner.Stand the paintings against the wall while we decide where
to hangthem.The photograph shows the happy couple standing beside
a bananatree. [I usually + adv/prep] Vehicles that are standing
are waiting:The train now standing at platform 8 is the 15.17 for Cardiff.no
standing US (UK no waiting) used on signs to mean vehicles are
not allowed to park, even forshort periods of time:The sign by
the side of the road said "no standing".
More examples
stand verb (ACCEPT)
B1 [T usually in negatives] to successfully accept or bear something that
is unpleasant or difficult:I can't stand her voice.Our tent won't stand
another storm like the last one.[+ -ing verb] I can't stand hearing her cry.
More examples
stand verb (POLITICS)
C2 [I] UK (US ALSO UK run) to compete, especially in an election, for
an official position:The president has announced she does not intend to
stand for re-election.
stand a chanceC2 to have a chance of success:She stands a
good chance of passing her exam if she works hard.
stand verb (HEIGHT)
[L only + noun] to be a stated height:Even without his shoes he stood over
two metres tall.
stand verb (BUY)
[T + two objects] to buy something, especially a meal or a drink, for
someone:I couldn't get to the bank, so could you stand me lunch?
stand verb (OPINION)
C2 [I usually + adv/prep] to have as an opinion:How/Where does he
stand on foreign policy issues?
Idioms
can't stand the sight of sb/sth
from where sb stands
Phrasal verbs
stand around
stand aside
stand
noun UK US /stnd/

stand noun (SPORT)

[C] UK a large structure at a sports ground, usually with
asloping floor and sometimes a roof, where people either stand
or sit to watch a sports event
Compare
grandstand
stands [plural] a stand:Fighting broke out in the stands five minutes before
the end of thematch.
stand noun (OPINION)
[C] an opinion, especially one that is public:What's her
stand on sexual equality?
stand noun (COURT)
US (UK witness box) [C] the place in which a person stands in
alaw court when they are being asked questions:The witness took the
stand (= went to the place in a court where you stand and answer questions).
stand noun (SHOP)
C1 [C] a small shop or stall or an area where products can beshown,
usually outside or in a large public building, at
whichpeople can buy things or get information:a hotdog standOver three
thousand companies will have stands at this year'smicroelectronics exhibition.
See also
newsstand
stand noun (FRAME)
C2 [C] a frame or piece of furniture for supporting or putting things
on:a music standa hatstand
stand noun (OPPOSITION)
C2 [C usually
singular] an act of opposition, especially in order todefend someone or
something:Environmental groups are making a stand against the
new roadthrough the valley.
See also
stand out against sth/sb
stand noun (PERFORMANCES)
[C usually
singular] US a particular number or period ofperformances:The Orioles
will be in town for a three-game stand.
innate
adjective UK US /net/
C2 An innate quality or ability is one that you were born with, not one
you have learned:Cyril's most impressive quality was his innate goodness.

innately
adverb UK US /-li/
I don't believe that human beings are innately evil.
defile
verb [T] UK US /dfal/ FORMAL
to spoil something or someone so that that thing or person is
less beautiful or pure:It's a shame that such a beautiful area has been
defiled by a rubbishdump.The soldiers deliberately defiled all the holy places.
defilement
noun [U] UK US /-mnt/
defile
noun [C] UK US /dfal/ LITERARY
a very narrow valley between two mountains
deceit
noun [C or U] UK US /dsit/
(an act of) keeping the truth hidden, especially to get
anadvantage:The story is about theft, fraud, and deceit on
an incredible scale.When the newspapers published the full story, all
his earlier deceits were revealed.
deceitful
adjective UK US /-fl/
deceitful behaviour
deceitfully
adverb UK US /-f.li/
deceitfulness
noun [U] UK US /-fl.ns/
steady
adjective UK US /sted.i/
steady adjective (GRADUAL)
B2 happening in a smooth, gradual, and regular way,
not suddenlyor unexpectedly:The procession moved through the streets at
a steady pace.Orders for new ships are rising, after several years of
steady decline.Over the last ten years he has produced a
steady flow/stream/trickleof articles and papers.Progress has
been slow but steady.
More examples

steady adjective (FIRM)

B2 fixed and not moving or changing suddenly:I'll hold the boat steady
while you climb in.Most rental prices have held steady
this year.Young people assume that if you are in a steady relationship, you
don't have to worry about HIV.steady job/workC2 work that
is likely to continue for a long time and for which you will
be paid regularly:Owning your own home and having a
steady job will help whenapplying for a loan.
steady adjective (CONTROLLED)
B2 under control:a steady voice/look/gazeYou need
steady nerves to drive in city traffic.Painting these small details needs a
steady hand. used to describe someone who can be trusted to show
goodjudgment and act in a reasonable way:a steady friend
steadiness
noun [U] UK US /-ns/
Idioms
go steady on sth
steady on!
steady
verb [T] UK US /sted.i/
steady verb [T] (STOP MOVING)
to make something stop shaking or moving:He wobbled about on
the bike and then steadied himself.He steadied his rifle on the wall and fired.
steady verb [T] (CONTROL)
to become calm and controlled, or to make someone do
this:Some people say that a drink will steady your nerves.
steady
adverb UK US /sted.i/ OLD-FASHIONED
go steady (with sb) to have a romantic relationship with
one person for a longperiod:She's been going steady with Mike for
six months.

ingratiating
adjective UK /nre.i.e.t/ US /-tt/ DISAPPROVING
Ingratiating behaviour is intended to make people like you:an
ingratiating smile/manner

autocratic
adjective UK /.tkrt.k/ US /.ttkrtt-/
relating to an autocrat:an autocratic ruler/regimean
autocratic style of government/leadership/managementThe president resigned
after 30 years of autocratic rule.
autocratically
adverb UK US /-.kl.i/
autocrat
noun [C] UK /.t.krt/ US /.tt-/
a ruler with unlimited power, or someone
who demands thatpeople completely obey them
devoted
adjective UK /dv.td/ US /-vo.ttd/
B2 extremely loving and loyal:a devoted fan/husbandLucy is
devoted to her cats.
More examples
devotedly
adverb UK US /-li/

joint
adjective UK US /dnt/
B2 belonging to or shared between two or more people:a
joint bank accountThe project was a joint effort between the two schools (=
they workedon it together).The two Russian ice skaters came joint second (=
they were both given second prize) in the world championships.In court,
the parents were awarded joint custody of their son (= theright to care for
him was shared between them).
More examples
jointly
adverb UK US /dnt.li/
C1The Channel Tunnel was jointly funded by the French and British.
joint
noun [C] UK US /dnt/
joint noun [C] (BODY)
C2 a place in your body where
two bones are connected:an elbow/hip/knee jointAs

you become older, your joints get stiffer.put sth out of joint to force a
joint in the body out of its correct position byaccident:I put
my shoulder out of joint last weekend lifting heavy boxes.
joint noun [C] (CONNECTION)
a place where two things are fastened together:Damp
has penetrated the joints in the wood panelling.
joint noun [C] (MEAT)
a large piece of meat that is cooked in one piece:a joint
of beef/pork a piece of meat for cooking, usually containing a bone:Fry
four chicken joints in a pan with some mushrooms and garlic.
joint noun [C] (PLACE)
C1 INFORMAL a bar or restaurant that serves food and drink at lowprices:
We had lunch at a hamburger joint and then went
to see a movie. SLANG a place where people go
for entertainment, especially one that has
a bad reputation:He owned several bars in
the city and ran an illegal gambling joint.We arrived at the club just
before midnight and the joint was alreadyjumping (= busy).
joint noun [C] (DRUG)
SLANG a cigarette containing the drug cannabis
Idioms
put sth out of joint
joint
verb [T] UK US /dnt/
to cut meat into large pieces ready for cooking

hint
noun UK US /hnt/
hint noun (INDIRECT STATEMENT)
B2 [C] something that you say or do that shows, but not directly, what
you think or want:[+ that] He's dropped (= given) several hints to
the boss that he'll quitif he doesn't get a promotion.Did she give you any hints
about where she was going?You can't take (= understand) a hint, can you? Just
go away andleave me alone!
More examples
hint noun (ADVICE)

B2 [C] a piece of advice that helps you to do something:Could

you give us a hint about how to do this exercise, please?
This recipe book is full of handy (= useful) hints.
hint noun (SMALL AMOUNT)
C2 [C usually singular] a very small amount of something:There's just a
hint of brandy in the sauce.I detected a hint of doubt in his voice.
hint
verb [I] UK US /hnt/
to say or do something that shows, but not directly, what
youthink or want:[+ (that)] Mum's hinted (that) she might pay for my trip to
Mexico.He's hinted at the possibility of moving to Canada.
wonder
verb UK /wn.dr/ US /-d/
wonder verb (QUESTION)
B1 [I] to ask yourself questions or express a wish to know about
something:[+ question word] Hadn't you better phone home?
Your parents will be wondering where you are.He's starting to
wonder whether he did the right thing in accepting thisjob.[+ speech] Will
this turkey be big enough for eight, I wonder?"Have you decided where you're
going next summer?" "I've been wondering about (= considering) going to
Florida."B1 used in phrases, at the beginning of a request, to make it
moreformal and polite:[+ speech] I wonder - could
you help me carry these books?[+ question word] I wonder whether you
could pass me the butter?I wonder if you could give me
some information about places to visitin the area?
More examples
wonder verb (SURPRISE)
[I] FORMAL to feel or express great surprise at something:[+ (that)] He
was behaving so badly at school today, I wonder (that) he wasn't sent home.I
don't wonder (that) she burst into tears after the way you spoke to her.
Idioms
I shouldn't wonder
wonder
noun UK /wn.dr/ US /-d/
[U] a feeling of great surprise and admiration caused by seeingor exp
eriencing something that is strange and new:The sight of the Grand
Canyon stretching out before them filled themwith wonder.The boys gazed in
wonder at the shiny red Ferrari. [C usually
plural] an object that causes a feeling of great surpriseand admiration:
We spent a week visiting the wonders of Ancient Greek civilization.With all the
wonders of modern technology, why has no one come up with a way to

make aircraft quieter? [C] INFORMAL an extremely useful or skilful person:

Our new babysitter's an absolute wonder - she'll come at very shortnotice and
the children love her.
More examples
Idioms
do/work wonders
it's a wonder

paradox
noun [C or U] UK /pr..dks/ US /per..dks/
C2 a situation or statement that seems impossible or
is difficult tounderstand because
it contains two opposite facts orcharacteristics:[+ that] It's
a curious paradox that drinking a lot of water can often make you feel thirsty.
paradoxical
adjective UK /pr.dk.s.kl/ US /per.dk-/
C2It seems paradoxical to me, but if
you drink a cup of hot tea it seems tocool you down.
paradoxically
adverb UK /pr.dk.s.kl.i/ US /per.dk-/
The hot thing in video equipment is, paradoxically, sound.
grip
verb UK US /rp/ (-pp-)
grip verb (HOLD)
B2 [I or T] to hold very tightly:The baby gripped my finger with
her tiny hand.Old tyres won't grip (= stay on the surface of the road) in
the rain very well.
More examples
grip verb (INTEREST)
C2 [T] to keep someone's attention completely:This trial has gripped
the whole nation.I was gripped throughout the entire two hours of the film.
grip verb (EMOTION)
C2 [T usually passive] When an emotion such as fear grips you,
youfeel it strongly:Then he turned towards me and I
was suddenly gripped by fear.
grip
noun UK US /rp/

grip noun (CONTROL)

[S] control over something or someone:Rebels
have tightened their grip on the city.
More examples
grip noun (HOLD)
B2 [C usually singular] a tight hold on something or
someone:She tightened her grip on my arm.She would not loosen her
grip on my arm.
grip noun (BAG)
[C] OLD-FASHIONED a bag for travelling that is smaller than asuitcase
Idioms
get/keep a grip on yourself
be in the grip of sth
come/get to grips with sth

theocracy
noun UK /ik.r.si/ US /-.kr-/
[C] a country that is ruled by religious leaders
[U] government by religious leaders
theocratic
adjective UK /i.krt.k/ US /-krtt-/

forge
verb UK /fd/ US /frd/
forge verb (COPY)
[T] to make an illegal copy of something in order to deceive:a
forged passporta forged signatureA number of forged works of art have
been sold as genuine.
forge verb (CREATE)
[T] to make or produce something, especially with
somedifficulty:The accident forged a close bond between the
two families.She forged a new career for herself as a singer.
forge verb (MOVE)
[I + adv/prep] FORMAL to suddenly and quickly move forward:Just
100 metres from the finishing line Jackson forged ahead.She forged through
the snow.
Phrasal verbs
forge ahead
forge

noun [C] UK /fd/ US /frd/

a working area with a fire for heating metal until it is soft enough to
be beaten into different shapes:a blacksmith's forge
grounded
adjective UK US /ran.dd/
grounded adjective (SENSIBLE)
Someone who is grounded makes good decisions and does not say or
do stupid things:He's very grounded even though he has so much money.
grounded adjective (UNABLE TO MOVE)
used to describe an aircraft that is prevented from flying for
some reason, or a ship that cannot move because it
has hit solidground
grounded adjective (PUNISHED)
A child or young person who is grounded is not allowed to go out as
a punishment:I smashed some stuff and now I'm grounded for a week.
ground
noun UK US /rand/
ground noun (LAND)
the ground [S]
B1 the surface of the Earth:I sat down on the
ground.B2 [U] soil:soft/stony groundThe ground was frozen hard and
was impossible to dig.B1 [C] an area of land used for
a particular purpose or activity:a football groundskills learnt on
the training ground (= place where sports teamspractise)grounds [plural]C2 t
he gardens and land that surround a building and often have
awall or fence around them:We went for a walk around
the hospital grounds.
ground noun (CAUSE)
C2 [C usually plural] a reason, cause, or argument:She
is suing the company on grounds of unfair dismissal.Do you have any
ground for suspecting them?[+ to infinitive] We have grounds to believe that
you have been lying to us.[+ that] He refused to answer on
the grounds that she was unfairlydismissed.
ground noun (AREA OF KNOWLEDGE)
C2 [U] an area of knowledge or experience:When
the conversation turns to politics he's on familiar ground (= heknows a lot
about this subject).Once we'd found some common ground (= things we
both knewabout) we got on very well together.The lectures covered a lot
of ground (= included information on many different subjects).I enjoyed her

first novel, but I felt in the second she was going over the
same ground (= dealing with the same area of experience).
ground noun (WIRE)
[C usually singular] US (UK earth) a wire that makes
a connectionbetween a piece of electrical equipment and the ground,
so theuser is protected from feeling an electric shock if
the equipmentdevelops a fault
ground noun (COFFEE)
grounds [plural] the small grains of coffee left at the bottom of
a cup or othercontainer that has had coffee in it
See also
grind
Idioms
drive/work yourself into the ground
get (sth) off the ground
go/be run to ground
on the ground
ground
verb UK US /rand/
ground verb (GRIND)
PAST SIMPLE AND PAST PARTICIPLE OF grind
ground verb (KEEP ON LAND)
be grounded If a ship is grounded, it cannot move because it
has hit solidground:The oil tanker was grounded on a sandbank. [T often
passive] If aircraft are grounded, they
are prevented fromflying or ordered not to fly:The snowstorm meant that
all planes were grounded.
ground verb (PUNISH)
[T] to forbid (= refuse to allow) a child or young person from going
out as a punishment:My parents have grounded me for a week.
ground verb (PUT WIRE)
[T usually
passive] US (UK earth) to connect a piece of electricalequipment to the
ground with a wire:You could get a nasty shock from that water heater if it
isn't groundedproperly.
ground verb (CAUSE)
be grounded in sth FORMAL to be based firmly on something:Fiction
should be grounded in reality.Most phobias are grounded
in childhood experiences.

See also
well grounded
warrant
verb UK /wr.nt/ US /wr-/
warrant verb (MAKE NECESSARY)
[T] to make a particular activity necessary:Obviously what she did
was wrong, but I don't think it warranted quitesuch severe punishment.It's
a relatively simple task that really doesn't warrant
a great deal oftime being spent on it.
See also
unwarranted
warrant verb (PROMISE)
[I or T] OLD-FASHIONED to say that you are certain about something
warrant
noun UK /wr.nt/ US /wr-/
warrant noun (DOCUMENT)
[C] an official document, signed by a judge or
other person inauthority, which gives
the police permission to searchsomeone's home, arrest a person, or
take some other action:a search warrantJudge La Riva
had issued an arrest warrant/a warrant for his arrest.
warrant noun (REASON)
[U] OLD-FASHIONED a reason for doing something:There's no warrant for
that sort of behaviour!
perverse
adjective UK /pvs/ US /pvs/ DISAPPROVING
strange and not what most people would expect or enjoy:Jack was
being perverse and refusing to agree with anything we said.She took a
perverse pleasure in hearing that her sister was gettingdivorced.
perversely
adverb UK US /-li/
The best way to understand this book is to start, perversely, at the end.
perversity
noun [C or U] UK /-v.s.ti/ US /-v.s.tti/
The author of the book seems to be obsessed with sexual perversity.
hatred
noun [U] UK US /he.trd/

C1 an extremely strong feeling of dislike:What is very clear in

these letters is Clark's passionate hatred of hisfather.The motive for
this shocking attack seems to be racial hatred.
vengeance
noun [U] UK US /ven.dns/
the punishing of someone for harming you or your friends or family,
or the wish for such punishment to happen:On the day after
the terrorist attack, the overall mood in the town was one of vengeance.As
he cradled his daughter's lifeless body in his arms, he swore (to
take) vengeance on her killers.
Idioms
with a vengeance

injunction
noun [C] UK US /ndk.n/
an official order given by a law court, usually to stop someone from
doing something:[+ to infinitive] The court has issued an
injunction to prevent theairline from increasing its prices.[+ -ing verb] She
is seeking an injunction
banning the newspaperfrom publishing the photographs.
bicker
verb [I] UK /bk.r/ US /-/ DISAPPROVING
to argue about things that are not important:Will you
two stop bickering!They're always bickering with each
other about/over their personalproblems.
bickering
noun [U] UK US /-/
The group finally elected a leader after several days of bickering.
boundary
noun [C] UK /ban.dr.i/ /-dri/ US /-d-/
C1 a real or imagined line that marks the edge or limit of
something:The Ural mountains mark the
boundary between Europe and Asia.Residents are opposed to
the prison being built within the cityboundary.C1 the limit of
a subject or principle:Electronic publishing is blurring the boundaries
between dictionariesand encyclopedias.

deed
noun [C] UK US /did/
deed noun [C] (ACTION)
an intentional act, especially a very bad or very good one:It seems to
me that a lot of evil deeds are done in the name ofreligion.She's
always helping people and doing good deeds.
deed noun [C] (DOCUMENT)
SPECIALIZED law a legal document that is an official record of
anagreement or official proof that someone owns land or abuilding
burst out
phrasal verb with burst UK /bst/ US /bst/ verb(burst, burst)
C2 to suddenly say something loudly:"Don't go!" he burst out.

revenge
noun [U] UK US /rvend/
B2 harm done to someone as a punishment for harm that they have
done to someone else:She took/got/exacted (her)
revenge on him for leaving her bysmashing up his car.He is believed to have
been shot by a rival gang in revenge for the shootings last week.
More examples
Idioms
revenge is sweet
revenge
verb [T] UK US /rvend/
to harm someone as a punishment for harm that they have done to
you:to revenge a death/defeat/injusticeThe red team revenged
themselves on the blue team by winning thesemifinal.
mumble
verb [I or T] UK US /mm.bl l/
B2 to speak quietly and in a way that is not clear so that the words
are difficult to understand:She mumbled something about being too busy.
[+ speech] "I'm sorry," he mumbled.
weep
verb UK US /wip/ (wept, wept)
weep verb (CRY)

C2 [I or T] LITERARY to cry tears:People in

the street wept with joy when peace was announced.She
wept buckets (= cried a lot) when Paul left.
More examples
weep verb (INJURY)
[I] (of an injury) to produce liquid such as pus:The sore is still weeping a
lot so you'll have to change the dressingonce a day.
weep
noun [S] UK US LITERARY
It might help you to have a good weep.
cry
verb [I or T] UK US /kra/
cry verb [I or T] (PRODUCE TEARS)
A2 to produce tears as the result of a strong emotion, such
asunhappiness or pain:I could hear someone crying in the next room."There,
there, don't cry," she said.We all laughed until we cried.She
cried bitter tears when she got the letter.He cried for joy when he heard that
his son had been found alive and well.cry yourself to sleep to cry for
a long time until you start to sleep
More examples
cry verb [I or T] (SHOUT)
B1 to call out loudly:[+ speech] "Look out!" she cried.
More examples
Idioms
cry your eyes out
cry foul
cry wolf
for crying out loud!
it's no use crying over spilled milk
Phrasal verbs
cry off
cry out
cry out against sth
cry out for sth

cry
noun UK US /kra/
cry noun (SHOUT)
B1 [C] a loud, high sound that expresses an emotion:a cry
of despairB1 [C] a shout made to attract people's attention:They
were wakened by cries of "Fire!" from the next room.C2 [C] the noise that
a bird or animal makes:an eagle's cry
More examples
cry noun (TEARS)
[S] a period of crying:"Go on, have a good cry," he said, stroking her hair.
Idioms
a cry for help
in full cry

stir
verb UK /str/ US /st/ (-rr-)
stir verb (MIX)
B1 [I or T] to mix a liquid or other substance by moving an objectsuch
as a spoon in a circular pattern:Stir the sauce gently until
it begins to boil.Stir the egg yolks into the mixture.She paused to stir
some milk into her coffee.Slowly add the flour, stirring
until completely blended.
stir verb (MOVE)
C2 [I or T] to move or to cause something
to move slightly:A light breeze stirred the leaves lying on the path.He stirred
in his sleep as I kissed him.stir (yourself) to wake up or begin to move or
take action:Come on, stir yourselves, or you'll be late!The alarm clock went
off, but she didn't stir.
stir verb (CAUSE EMOTION)
C2 [T] If something stirs you, it makes you feel a strong emotion:I
was deeply stirred by her performance.[+ obj + to
infinitive ] The speech stirred the crowd to take action. [I] LITERARY If
an emotion stirs within you, you begin to feel it:Hope stirred within
her heart. [I] UK INFORMAL DISAPPROVING to cause trouble intentionally betw
een
other people, especially by telling false or secret information:There's a
lot of gossip about me going around. Have you been stirring?
See also

Idioms
stir the blood
Phrasal verbs
stir sth up
stir
noun UK /str/ US /st/
stir noun (MIX)
[C usually singular] the act of stirring a liquid or
other substancein order to mix it:Could you give the soup a quick stir?
stir noun (EXCITEMENT)
[U] INFORMAL a lot
of interest or excitement:The scandal caused/created quite a stir at
the time.
stir noun (MARCH)
[C usually singular] INDIAN ENGLISH an occasion when
a group ofpeople march or stand together to show that
they disagree with or support something or someone;
a demonstration

hearty
adjective UK /h.ti/ US /hr.tti/
hearty adjective (ENTHUSIASTIC)
enthusiastic, energetic, and often loudly expressed:a hearty welcomea
hearty laugh
hearty adjective (LARGE)
large or (especially of food) in large amounts:We ate a
hearty breakfast before we set off.She's got a hearty appetite (= she eats a
lot). OLD-FASHIONED very great:She has a hearty dislike of
any sort of office work.
scramble
verb UK US /skrm.bl/l
scramble verb (MOVE QUICKLY)
C2 [I usually + adv/prep] to move or climb quickly but with difficulty,
often using your hands to help you:She
scrambled up the steep hillside and over the rocks.He
scrambled into his clothes (= put them
on quickly) and raced tofetch a doctor.As the burning plane landed,

the terrified passengers scrambled forthe door (= tried to reach the door quick
ly). [I] to compete with other people for something there is very little
of:[+ to infinitive] People are
scrambling to buy property before pricesrise even further.
More examples
scramble verb (CHANGE SIGNAL)
[T] to change a radio or phone signal so that it can only
beunderstood using a special device
scramble verb (TAKE OFF)
[I or T] SPECIALIZED military to (cause a plane to) take off
veryquickly:A helicopter was scrambled within minutes of the news.
scramble verb (MIX)
[T] to mix eggs with a little milk and mix again as they are beingfried
scramble
noun UK US /skrm.bl/l
scramble noun (CLIMBING)
[S] a climb that is difficult so that you have to
use your hands tohelp you:It was a real scramble to the top of
the hillside. [S] an act of hurrying:[+ to infinitive] As soon as
the plane landed there was a mad/wildscramble to get out.
scramble noun (QUICK MOVEMENT)
[S] a hurried attempt to get something:After the death of
the dictator there was an unseemly scramble forpower among the generals.
scramble noun (SPORT)
[C] a motocross event:We're planning a scramble through
the forest next weekend.
scrambling
noun [U] UK US /skrm.bl/
motocross
sob
verb [I] UK /sb/ US /sb/ (-bb-)
B2 to cry noisily, taking in deep breaths:I found her sobbing in
the bedroom because she'd broken herfavourite doll.You're not going
to help matters by lying there sobbing!
Idioms
sob your heart out
sob
noun [C] UK /sb/ US /sb/

 an act or sound of sobbing:I could hear her sobs from the next room.
sob story
noun [C] UK US INFORMAL DISAPPROVING
a story or piece of information that someone tells you or writes
about himself or herself that is intended to make
you feelsympathy for that person:She came out with some sob story about
not having enough money to go and see her father who was ill.
clamp
noun [C] UK US /klmp/
a device made of wood or metal that is used to hold two things
together tightly:Carefully tighten the clamp until
it firmly supports the pipette in avertical position.
clamp
verb UK US /klmp/
clamp verb (FASTEN)
[T usually + adv/prep] to fasten two things together, using a
clamp:Clamp the two pieces of wood (together) for
15 minutes. [T] MAINLY UK (US boot) If the police or
another person inauthority clamps a vehicle, they fix a metal device to
one of itswheels, usually because it is parked illegally. The device is
usually only removed when the owner pays an amount ofmoney:When
I finally got back, I found my car had been clamped.
quake
verb [I] UK US /kwek/
to shake because you are very frightened or find something
very funny, or to feel or show great fear:Every time I get on a plane, I
quake with fear.Charlie stood outside the head teacher's office,
quaking in hisboots/shoes (= feeling very frightened).The play was so funny,
we were all quaking with laughter.
quake
noun [C] UK US /kwek/
INFORMAL FOR earthquake

dissemble
verb [I] UK US /dsem.bl/l FORMAL
to hide your real intentions and feelings or
the facts:He accused the government of dissembling.
crane
noun [C] UK US /kren/
crane noun [C] (MACHINE)
a tall metal structure with a long horizontal part, used
for liftingand moving heavy objects:The crane lifted the container off
the ship.
crane noun [C] (BIRD)
a tall bird with long, thin legs and a long neck
crane
verb [I usually + adv/prep, T] UK US /kren/
to stretch in order to look at something:He
craned forward to see the procession.Mike was craning his neck to get the
first glimpse of the car.
bid
verb UK US /bd/
bid verb (OFFER)
C2 [I or T] (PRESENT PARTICIPLE bidding, PAST TENSE bid, PAST
PARTICIPLEbid) to offer a particular amount of money for something that
is for sale and compete against other people to buy it, especially at
a public sale of goods or property:She knew she couldn't afford it, so she
didn't
bid.The communications group has shown an interest in bidding for thecompa
ny.A foreign collector has bid $500,000 for the portrait.[+ two objects] What
am I bid for this fine vase? [I] (PRESENT PARTICIPLE bidding, PAST TENSE bid, PAST
PARTICIPLE bid) If two or more people bid for a job, they compete with
each other to do the work by offering to do it for
a particular amount ofmoney:The department is trying to ensure fairer com
petition among firmsbidding for city contracts. [T + to infinitive] (PRESENT
PARTICIPLE bidding, PAST TENSE bid, PAST PARTICIPLE bid) If someone bids to do
something, they competewith other people to do it:Paris
is bidding to host the next Olympics. [I or T] (PRESENT PARTICIPLE bidding, PAST
TENSE bid, PAST PARTICIPLEbid) (in some card games) to say,
before play starts, how manypoints you expect to win in
a particular game:Before you decide how to bid, you need

to evaluate how strong thehand of cards you are holding is.She bid
three diamonds.
bid verb (TELL)
[T] (PRESENT PARTICIPLE bidding, PAST TENSE bid or bade, PAST
PARTICIPLEbidden) OLD-FASHIONED to give a greeting to someone, or
to asksomeone to do something:[+ two objects] They bade her
good morning.I must now bid you farewell (= say goodbye to
you).LITERARY She bade her hopes farewell (= she stopped being hopeful).[+
object + (to) infinitive ] He bade (= asked) them (to) leave at once.
bid
noun [C] UK US /bd/
bid noun [C] (OFFER)
C2 an offer of a particular amount of money for something that is
for sale:I made a bid of $150 for the painting.She made/put in a bid of
69,000 for the flat, which was accepted.C1 an offer to do something when
you are competing with otherpeople to do it:[+ to
infinitive] Sydney made a successful bid to host the OlympicGames.I gave
the job to the contractors who made/gave the lowest bid (= whooffered to do
the work for the lowest amount of money). (in some card games)
a statement, made before play starts, of how
many points a player thinks he or she will get in a particulargame :The
declarer must make as many tricks as his bid has promised.
bid noun [C] (ATTEMPT)
C2 an attempt to achieve or get something:Her bid for reelection was unsuccessful.The company has managed to fight off
a hostile takeover bid (= anattempt by another company to take control of
it).They have reduced the cost of borrowing in a bid to get
the economymoving again.
conjure
verb [I or T] UK /kn.dr/ US /-d/
to make something appear by magic, or as if by magic:In an instant,
the magician had conjured (up) a dove from his hat.
Phrasal verbs
conjure sth up
conjure sb/sth up

sport

noun UK /spt/ US /sprt/

sport noun (GAME)
A1 [C] a game, competition,
or activity needing physical effort andskill that is played or
done according to rules, for enjoymentand/or as
a job:Football, basketball, and hockey are all team sports.I enjoy winter sports
like skiing and skating.A1 [U] UK all types of physical activity that people
do to keephealthy or for enjoyment:She used to do/play a lot of sport
when she was younger. [U] OLD-FASHIONED enjoyment in doing things
sport noun (PERSON)
[C] OLD-FASHIONED INFORMAL a pleasant, positive, generous personwho
does not complain about things they are asked to do or
about games that they lose:Oh, Douglas - be a (good) sport and give me
a lift to the station.
See also
spoilsport
[C] AUSTRALIAN ENGLISH a friendly way of talking to a man or boy:[as form
of address] Hello sport - how are you?
sport
verb [T] UK /spt/ US /sprt/
to wear or be decorated with something:Back in the 1960s he
sported platform heels and hair down past hisshoulders.The front of
the car sported a German flag.
plead
verb UK US /plid/ (pleaded or US ALSO pled, pleaded or USALSO pled)
plead verb (REQUEST)
C2 [I] to make an urgent, emotional statement or request for
something:He was on his knees,
pleading for mercy/forgiveness.She appeared on television to plead with the
kidnappers.[+ speech] "Give us more time," they pleaded.
plead verb (STATE)
C2 [I, L only + adj, T] SPECIALIZED law to make a statement of what
youbelieve to be true, especially in support of something or someone
or when someone has been accused in
a law court:The defendant pleaded not guilty/innocent to robbery with viol
ence.They paid a high-powered attorney to plead their case (= argue for them
in court).The judge ruled her unfit to plead (= to answer a legal charge) on
thegrounds of insanity.
More examples

plead verb (EXCUSE)

C2 [T] to say something as an excuse or explanation:She left early,
pleading pressure of work.plead ignorance FORMAL to say that you do
not know about something:He pleaded ignorance when
they found the package in his suitcase.
pleading
adjective UK US /pli.d/
a pleading tone of voice
pleadingly
adverb UK US /pli.d.li/

screech
verb [I] UK US /skrit/
to make an unpleasant, loud, high noise:She was screeching at him at
the top of her voice.He was screeching with pain/laughter.[+ speech] "Don't
you dare touch me!" she screeched.The car screeched to
a halt/standstill (= stopped very suddenly, making
a loud high noise).FIGURATIVE The economic recovery is likely to screech to
ahalt/standstill (= stop very suddenly) if taxes are increased.
screech
noun [C] UK US /skrit/
a long, loud, high noise that
is unpleasant to hear:He let out a loud screech.The truck stopped with a
screech of brakes.
gibberish
noun [U] UK /db.r./ US /--/ DISAPPROVING
spoken or written words that have no meaning:I was so nervous, I
just started talking gibberish.
sway
verb UK US /swe/
sway verb (MOVE)
[I] to move slowly from side to side:The trees were swaying in
the wind.The movement of the ship caused the mast to
sway from side toside/backwards and forwards.A drunk was standing in
the middle of the street, swaying uncertainlyand trying hard
to stay upright. [T] to cause something

to move or change:Recent developments have swayed

the balance of power in theregion.
sway verb (PERSUADE)
[T] to persuade someone to believe or do one thing rather than
another:Her speech failed to sway her colleagues into supporting the plan.
sway
noun [U] UK US /swe/ FORMAL
control or influence:In the 1980s, the organization came under
the sway of (= becamestrongly influenced by) Christian fundamentalism.Her p
arents no longer seem to have much
sway over her.The party could hold sway (= have an important influence) on
somecrucial votes.
blink
verb UK US /blk/
B2 [I or T] When you blink, you close and
then open your eyesquickly once or several times, and when
an eye blinks, it does this:You've got something in your eye - try blinking a
few times. [I] LITERARY If a light blinks, it flashes on and off.
More examples
Idioms
not blink
blink
noun [C usually singular] UK US /blk/
the act of blinking
Idioms
in the blink of an eye
on the blink

snivel
verb [I] UK US /snv.l/ (-ll- or US USUALLY -l-)
to cry slightly in a way that is weak and does not make
otherpeople feel sympathy for you:He's sitting in his bedroom snivelling
because he was told off for not doing his homework.
begrudge
verb [T] UK US /brd/

 to feel unhappy because someone has something that you thinkthey

do not deserve:[+ two objects] I don't begrudge him
his freedom. to feel unhappy about spending money on something
orspending time doing something:They begrudged every day they had
to stay with their father.[+ -ing verb] She begrudged paying so much for
an ice cream cone.
Translations of begrudge
in Spanish

envidiar

goody3
[goo d-ee]
Spell Syllables
noun, plural goodies.
1.
Archaic. a polite term of address for a woman of humble socialstanding.
OriginExpand
1550-60; good(wife)
goody2
/d/
noun (pl) goodies
1.
(archaic or literary) a married woman of low rank: used as a title:Goody TwoShoes
Word Origin
C16: shortened from goodwife
Word Origin and History for goodyExpand
n.
also goodie, "something tasty," 1745, from good (adj.) + -y (2); adj. usefor "sen
timentally proper" is 1830 (especially in reduplicated form goody-goody, 1871).
As an exclamation of pleasure, by 1796. Goody also usedsince 1550s as a short
ened form of goodwife, a term of civility applied to amarried woman in humble l
ife; hence Goody Two-shoes, name of heroine in1760s children's story who exul
ted upon acquiring a second shoe.

marvel
verb [I] UK /m.vl/ US /mr-/ (-ll- or US USUALLY -l-)

 to show or experience great surprise or admiration:We paused to

marvel at the view.[+ that] I often marvel that humans can treat each other
so badly.[+ speech] "Just look at that waterfall! Isn't it amazing?" she
marvelled.
marvel
noun [C] UK /m.vl/ US /mr-/
a thing or person that is very surprising or causes a lot
ofadmiration:This miniature phone is the latest technological marvel from
Japan.It's a marvel (to me)
how they've managed to build the tunnel soquickly.
well-to-do
adjective UK US /wel.tdu/
rich:well-to-do families
hard-handed
[hahrd-han-did]
Spell Syllables

Word Origin
adjective
1.oppressive or tyrannical; stern or cruel.
2.having hands hardened by toil.

providence
noun [U] UK /prv..dns/ US /pr.v-/
an influence that is not human in origin and
is thought tocontrol people's lives:divine providence
ail
verb UK US /el/
ail verb (CAUSE DIFFICULTY)
[T] FORMAL to cause difficulty and problems for someone or
something:The government seems to have no understanding of what ails
thecountry.
ail verb (BE/MAKE ILL)
[I or T] OLD-FASHIONED to be ill, or to cause to be ill:She had been ailing
for years before she died.

dwindle
verb [I] UK US /dwn.dl/l
to become smaller in size or amount, or fewer
in number:The community has dwindled to a tenth of its former size in the
last two years.Her hopes of success in the race dwindled last night as
the weatherbecame worse.
dwindling
adjective UK US /-/
dwindling numbers/supplies
grievance
noun [C or U] UK US /ri.vns/
a complaint or a strong feeling that you have
been treatedunfairly:A special committee has
been appointed to handle prisoners' grievances.Bill still harbours/nurses a
grievance against his employers for
notpromoting him.The small amount of compensation is a further source of
grievance to the people forced to leave their homes.
faction
noun [C] UK US /fk.n/ MAINLY DISAPPROVING
a group within a larger group, especially one
with slightlydifferent ideas from the main group:the left-wing faction of
the party
factional
adjective UK US /-l/
factional leaders
factionalism
noun [U] UK US /-l..zm/
Factionalism was tearing the party and the country apart.
smirch
transitive verb \smrch\
Definition of SMIRCH
1a : to make dirty, stained, or discolored : SULLY
b : to smear with something that stains or dirties
2: to bring discredit or disgrace on

besmirch
verb [T] UK /bsmt/ US /-smt/ LITERARY
to say bad things about someone to influence other
people'sopinion of them:His accusations were false, but they served to
besmirch herreputation.
embittered
adjective UK /mbt.d/ US /-btt.d/
very angry about unfair things that have happened to
you:They ignored all her pleas and she became very
embittered.He died a disillusioned and embittered old man.
embitter
verb [T] UK /-bt.r/ US /-btt./
to make someone feel embittered

juncture
noun [C] UK /dk.tr/ US /-t/ FORMAL
a particular point in time:At this juncture, it is impossible to say whether
she will make a fullrecovery.

contempt
noun [U] UK US /kntempt/
contempt noun [U] (NO RESPECT)
C2 a strong feeling of disliking and having no respect for someone or
something:At school she had complete contempt for all her teachers.You
should treat those remarks with the contempt that
they deserve.She's beneath contempt (= I have no respect for her)!
hold sb/sth in contempt to feel contempt for someone or something
wither
verb UK /w.r/ US /-/ (ALSO wither away)
[I or T] (to cause) to become weak and dry and decay:Grass had
withered in the fields. [I] to slowly disappear, lose importance,

or become weaker:This country is in danger of allowing its industrial base to

wither away.
Idioms
wither on the vine
wither on the vine
LITERARY

If something withers on the vine, it is destroyed very gradually,

usually because no one does anything to help or support it:There was
some debate as to whether the benefit scheme should
bewithdrawn or simply allowed to wither on the vine.

shrivel
verb UK US /rv.l/ (-ll- or US USUALLY -l-)
[I or T] to become dry, smaller, and covered with lines as if
bycrushing or folding, or to make something do this:The lack of rain has
shrivelled the crops.You ought to pick those lettuces before they
shrivel (up) and die. [I] to become much smaller than
is needed or wanted:Profits are shrivelling as the recession gets worse.
shrivelled
adjective UK US /-ld/
Those oranges were looking a bit old and shrivelled, so I threw them out.
gaze
verb [I usually + adv/prep] UK US /ez/
B2 to look at something or someone for
a long time, especially insurprise or admiration, or because you
are thinking about something else:Annette gazed admiringly at Warren as
he spoke.He spends hours gazing out of the window when he should
beworking.
More examples
gaze
noun [S] UK US /ez/
C2 a long look, usually of
a particular kind:a steady gazean innocent/admiring gazeLITERARY As
I looked out, my gaze fell on a small child by the road.
sly
adjective UK US /sla/ (slyer, slyest)
deceiving people in a clever way in order to get what you want:He's a
sly old devil - I wouldn't trust him with my money. [before

noun] seeming to know secrets:"You'll find out eventually," said Mary with a
sly smile.
slyly
adverb UK US /sla.li/
She grinned slyly and refused to tell me where the money came from.
slyness
noun [U] UK US /sla.ns/
sly
noun UK US /sla/
on the sly If you do something on the sly, you do it secretly because
you should not be doing it:He drives his mother's car on the sly while she's
at work.
Translations of sly
in Spanish

astuto, tramposo, malicioso

contention
noun UK US /knten.n/
contention noun (DISAGREEMENT)
[U] the disagreement that results from opposing arguments:There's a
lot of contention about that issue - for every person firmly infavour, there's
someone fiercely against it.The matter has been settled - it's
no longer in contention.
contention noun (OPINION)
[C] FORMAL an opinion expressed in an argument:[+ that] It is her
contention that exercise is more important than diet if
you want to lose weight.
contention noun (IN A COMPETITION)
be in/out of contention for sth to
be able/not able to achieve or win something, especially insport:This d
ecisive defeat puts them out of contention for this year'schampionship finals.
subservient
adjective UK /sbs.vi.nt/ US /-s-/ DISAPPROVING
willing to do what other people want, or considering yourwishes as
less important than those of other people:to adopt a
subservient role/positionThe government was accused of being
subservient to the interests of the pro-Europe campaigners.
subservience
noun [U] UK US /-ns/
subserviently

adverb UK US /-li/

reckoning
noun [C or U] UK US /rek.n./
a calculation that you make:By my reckoning, we should arrive in
ten minutes.
shudder
verb [I] UK /d.r/ US /-/
C2 to shake suddenly with very small movements because of a
veryunpleasant thought or feeling:The sight of so much blood made him
shudder.She shuddered at the thought of kissing him. When something
shudders, it shakes violently and quickly:I heard a massive explosion and
the ground shuddered beneath me.There was a screech of brakes and
the bus shuddered to a halt (=shook violently and stopped).
More examples
Idioms
I shudder to think
shudder to a halt
shudder
noun [C] UK /d.r/ US /-/
the act of shuddering:He gave a slight shudder as he considered how near
he had come todeath.She recalled with a shudder how
her boss had once tried to kiss her.FIGURATIVE America's
second biggest supermarket chain has sent ashudder through (= has had
a strong effect on) its rivals by slashingits prices.
Idioms
send shudders/a shudder down your spine

partisan
adjective UK /p.tzn/ /p.t.zn/ US /pr.tt.zn/
strongly supporting a person, principle, or political party, often
without considering or judging the matter very carefully:The audience
was very partisan, and refused to listen to her speech.partisan politics
See also
bipartisan
partisan
noun [C] UK /p.tzn/ /p.t.zn/ US /pr.tt.zn/

 (in a country that has been defeated) a member of

a secretarmed force whose aim is to fight against an enemy that
iscontrolling the country someone who supports a person, principle,
or political party
partisanship
noun [U] UK US /-p/
There was a certain partisanship about the way that votes were cast.
wash sth away
phrasal verb with wash UK /w/ US /w/ verb
If water or rain washes something away, it removes it or carriesit
away:The blood on the pavement had been washed away by
the rainovernight.

clapped in the stocks

wintry
adjective UK US /wn.tri/
wintry adjective (LIKE WINTER)
typical of winter:It looks like this wintry weather is here
to stay.This afternoon we may see some
wintry showers (= snow mixed withrain) over higher ground.Wintry conditions
are making roads hazardous for drivers in thenortheast of England.
wintry adjective (EXPRESSION)

 LITERARY unfriendly and disapproving:She gave a wintry smile.

Covenant verb [I] /kvnnt/
LAW to officially agree to do or not do
something:If business premises suffer
serious fire damage the landlord usually covenants to reinstate the premises.
canny
adjective UK US /kn.i/
canny adjective (CLEVER)
thinking quickly and cleverly, especially in business or financialmatte
rs:These salesmen are a canny lot.
canny adjective (PLEASANT)
NORTHERN ENGLISH good or pleasant:a canny lad
cannily
adverb UK US /-.li/

homestead
noun [C] UK /hm.sted/ US /hom-/
MAINLY US a house and the surrounding area of land usually used as
a farm US in the past, land given by the government for farming
homestead
verb [I or T] UK /hm.sted/ US /hom-/ US
in the past, to build a house and grow crops on land given by
the government
squabble
noun [C] UK /skwb.l/l US /skw.bl l/
an argument over something that is not important:Polly and Susie
were having a squabble about who was going to holdthe dog's lead.
squabble
verb [I] UK US

iniquity
noun [C or U] UK /nk.w.ti/ US /-tti/ FORMAL
a very wrong and unfair action or situation:They fought long and hard
against the iniquities of apartheid.The writer reflects on human injustice and
iniquity.

society will not be a bag to swing around your head

society is nothing to be played with

baffle
verb [T] UK US /bf.l/l
to cause someone to
be completely unable to understand orexplain something:She
was completely baffled by his strange behaviour.
bafflement
noun [U] UK US /-mnt/
baffling
adjective UK US /bf.l/
I found what he was saying completely baffling.
fathom
noun [C] UK US /f.m/
a unit for measuring the depth of water, equal to 1.8 metres or 6feet
fathom
verb [T] UK US /f.m/
UK to discover the meaning of something:For years people have
been trying to fathom (out) the mysteries of the
whale's song. to understand someone or why someone acts as they
do:I can't fathom her at all.
the Sabbath
noun [S] UK US /sb./
the day of the week kept by
some religious groups for rest andworship. The Sabbath is Sunday for
most Christians, Saturdayfor Jews, and Friday for
Muslims:to keep/break (= follow/not follow the religious rules for) the
Sabbath
quail
noun [C or U] UK US /kwel/ (PLURAL quail or quails)
a small, brown bird that is shot for sport or food, or the meat of
this bird:Quails' eggs are considered to be a delicacy.
quail
verb [I] UK US /kwel/ LITERARY

 to feel or show fear; to want to be able to move away from

something because you fear it:Charlie quailed at the sound of his
mother's angry voice.She quailed before her boss's anger.
thrifty
adjective UK US /rf.ti/
showing a careful use of money, especially by avoiding waste:They
have plenty of money now, but they still tend to be thrifty.
thriftily
adverb UK US /-t.li/
thriftiness
noun [U] UK US /-ns/

howl
verb UK US /hal/
howl verb (PERSON/ANIMAL)
[I] If a dog or wolf howls, it makes a long, sad sound:In the silence of
the night, a lone wolf howled. [I or T] to make a loud sound, usually
to express pain, sadness, or
another strong emotion:An injured dog lay in the middle of the road,
howling with/in pain.We were
howling with laughter.FIGURATIVE The opposition howled down the
government's proposal (=shouted loudly to express disapproval).
howl verb (WIND)
[I] If the wind howls, it blows hard and makes a lot of noise:Is there
someone outside, or is it just the wind howling in the trees?
howl
noun UK US /hal/
[C] a long, loud, sad sound:the howl of the wind in
the treesHe leaves his dog shut up in the house all day, and we
can hear itshowls.She let out a howl of pain. [C usually
plural] a strong expression of emotion, such
as angeror disagreement:Plans to build a new supermarket have
been greeted with howls ofprotest from local residents.
howling
adjective UK US /ha.l/
be a howling success to be very successful:Neither film was a
howling success.
riot

noun UK US /ra.t/
C1 [C] a noisy, violent, and uncontrolled public meeting:Inner-city
riots erupted when a local man was shot by police. [S] OLDFASHIONED INFORMAL a very funny or entertaining occasion orperson:"How
was the party?" "It was great - we had a riot."I met Mike's brother for the
first time - he's a riot.
More examples
Idioms
a riot of colour
run riot
riot
verb [I] UK US /ra.t/
C2 to take part in a riot:Students are rioting in the streets of the capital.
rioter
noun [C] UK /ra..tr/ US /-tt/
Police and rioters clashed violently.
rioting
noun [U] UK /ra..t/ US /-tt/
The government is afraid of further serious rioting today.
Quaker
noun [C] UK /kwe.kr/ US /-k/ (ALSO Friend)
a member of a Christian group, called the Society of Friends, that
does not have formal ceremonies or a formal system ofbeliefs, and
is strongly opposed to violence and war
Quaker
adjective UK US

defame
verb [T] UK US /dfem/ FORMAL
to damage the reputation of a person or group by saying or
writing bad things about them that are not true:Mr
Turnock claimed the editorial had defamed him.
libel
noun [C or U] UK US /la.bl/

 a piece of writing that contains bad and false things about

aperson:She threatened to sue the magazine for libel.
Compare
slander
noun [C or U] UK /sln.dr/ US /sln.d/
a false spoken statement about someone
that damages theirreputation, or the making of such
a statement:The doctor is suing his partner for slander.She regarded his co
mment as a slander on her good reputation.
writ
noun UK US /rt/
rit noun (DOCUMENT)
[C] SPECIALIZED law a legal document from a law court that tellsyou that
you will be involved in a legal process and explainswhat you must
do:There have been at least seven writs issued against him for
latepayment of bills.She has served a writ for libel on the newspaper (= she
has deliveredit to them officially).
writ noun (AUTHORITY)
[U] FORMAL the authority to rule or make laws:holy writ
writ
verb UK US /rt/ OLD USE
PAST PARTICIPLE OF write
Idioms
be writ large
writ large
ken
noun UK US /ken/ OLD-FASHIONED
beyond your ken not in your area of knowledge:Financial matters are
beyond my ken, I'm afraid.
ken
verb [I or T, not continuous] UK US /ken/ (-nn-) SCOTTISH ENGLISH
to know someone or something
bemused
adjective UK US /bmjuzd/
slightly confused:I was bemused at his sudden anger.

enthral
verb [I or T] (-ll-) MAINLY UK (US USUALLY enthrall) UK /nrl/ US /-rl/
to keep someone completely interested:The baseball game completely e
nthralled the crowd.The audience was enthralled for two hours by
a sparkling, dramaticperformance.They listened enthralled to what he was
saying.
commune
noun UK /km.jun/ US /k.mjun/
commune noun (GROUP)
[C, + sing/pl
verb] a group of families or single people who liveand work together s
haring possessions and responsibilities:She left her husband to join a
women's commune.
commune noun (GOVERNMENT)
[C] in some countries, a unit of local government
commune
verb [I] UK /km.jun/ US /k.mjun/ FORMAL
to get very close to someone or something
by exchangingfeelings or thoughts:Lying naked in the grass, among
the trees and birds, he felt he was communing with nature.

overlay
verb [T often passive] UK /.vle/ US /o.v-/(overlaid, overlaid)
to cover something with a layer of something:The foundation of
the house is built from rubble overlaid withconcrete.be overlaid
with sth LITERARY something that is overlaid with something has
a particularquality added to it that influences its character:Her
new novel is overlaid with political concerns.
overlay
noun [C] UK /.v.le/ US /o.v-/
a thin covering of something:The wood frame has a gold overlay.
abrogate
verb [T] UK US /b.r.et/ FORMAL
to end a law, agreement, or custom formally:The treaty was abrogated
in 1929.
abrogation
noun [S or U] UK US /b.re.n/

congeries

(kn-jrz, knj-rz)

n. (used with a sing. verb)

A collection; an aggregation: "Our city, it should be explained, is two cities,or m
orean urban mass or congeries divided by the river" (John Updike).

[Latin congeris, from congerere, to heap up; see congest.]

American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
Copyright 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published
by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Congeries (kndriz)
n1. (functioning as singular or plural) a collection of objects or ideas; mass;hea
p
[C17: from Latin, from congerere to pile up, from gerere to carry]
congeries
(kndr iz, kn d riz)
n. (used with a sing. or pl. v.)
a collection of items or parts in one mass; assemblage; aggregation;heap.
plot
noun [C] UK /plt/ US /plt/
plot noun [C] (STORY)
B2 the story of a book, film, play, etc.:The movie has a
very simple plot.The plots of his books are basically all the same.
plot noun [C] (PLAN)
a secret plan made by several people to do something that
iswrong, harmful, or not legal, especially to do damage to aperson or
a government:The plot was discovered before it was carried out.[+ to
infinitive] The police have foiled a plot to assassinate thepresident.
plot noun [C] (GROUND)
C2 a small piece of land that has been marked or measured for
aparticular purpose:a vegetable plotThere are several plots of land for sale.
plot noun [C] (DIAGRAM)
US a diagram or chart
Idioms
the plot thickens
plot
verb UK /plt/ US /plt/ (-tt-)

plot verb (MARK)

[T] to mark or draw something on a piece of paper or a map [T] to
make marks to show the position, movement, ordevelopment of
something, usually in the form of lines orcurves between
a series of points on a map or piece of paper:Radar operators plotted
the course of the incoming missile.We've plotted our projected costs for the
coming year, and they show a big increase.
plot verb (PLAN)
[I or T] to make a secret plan to do something wrong, harmful,
orillegal:The army is plotting the overthrow of the government.I
can't believe that he's plotting against his own father.[+ to infinitive] They're
plotting (together) to take over the company. [T] HUMOROUS to make
a secret plan to do something funny orenjoyable to or for someone:[+
to infinitive] They're plotting to play a trick on their brother.He's plotting
a surprise party for his wife's birthday.
plot verb (STORY)
[T] to write the plot for something:So far I've only
plotted (out) the story in a rough form.
scourge
noun [C usually singular] UK /skd/ US /skd/
something or someone that causes great suffering or a lot
oftrouble:the scourge of warAIDS has been described as the
scourge of the modern world.
scourge
verb [T] UK /skd/ US /skd/
to cause great suffering or a lot of trouble:The country has been
scourged by (= has suffered very much because of) famine in recent years.
Translations of scourge
in Spanish

flagelo, castigo, calamidad

propitiate
verb [T] UK US /prp.i.et/ FORMAL
to please and make calm a god or person who is annoyed with you:In
those days people might sacrifice a goat or sheep to propitiate
anangry god.The radicals in the party were clearly sacked to propitiate
theconservative core.
propitiation
noun [U] UK US /-p.ie.n/

klatch
or klatsch (klch, klch)
n.A casual social gathering, usually for conversation.

fetish
noun [C] UK /fet./ US /fett-/
fetish noun [C] (INTEREST)
psychology a sexual interest in an object or a part of the bodyother
than the sexual organs:a rubber/foot fetishHe has a
fetish for/about high heels. psychology an activity or object that you are
so interested in that
you spend an unreasonable amount of time thinking about it or doing
it:She makes a fetish of organization - it's quite obsessive.He has a
fetish for/about cleanliness.
fetish noun [C] (RELIGIOUS OBJECT)
SPECIALIZED religion an object that is worshipped in
somesocieties because it is believed to have
a spirit or specialmagical powers
fetishism
noun [U] UK US /-..zm/
fetishistic
adjective UK /fet.s.tk/ US /fett-/
fetishistic religions
mores
noun [plural] UK /m.rez/ US /mr.ez/ FORMAL
the traditional customs and ways of behaving that are typical of
a particular (part of) society:middle-class moresthe mores and culture of
the Japanese
revulsion
noun [U] UK US /rvl.n/
a strong, often sudden, feeling that something
is extremelyunpleasant:I turned away in revulsion when
they showed a close-up of theoperation.She looked at
him with revulsion.He expressed his
revulsion at/against/towards the whale hunting.

atomize
verb atomize \a-t-mz\
atomizedatomizing
Definition of ATOMIZE
transitive verb
1: to treat as made up of many discrete units
2: to reduce to minute particles or to a fine spray
3: DIVIDE, FRAGMENT <an atomized society>; also : to deprive of meaningful ties
to others <atomized individuals>
4: to subject to attack by nuclear weapons
atomization \a-t-m-z-shn\ noun
Examples of ATOMIZE
1.

<this medication for athlete's foot is atomized so that it can be sprayed

on from an aerosol can>

First Known Use of ATOMIZE

1845
Related to ATOMIZE
Synonyms
powder, beat, bray, comminute, crush, disintegrate, grind, mill, mull,pou
nd, pulverize
burlesque
noun UK /blesk/ US /b-/
[C or U] a type of writing or acting that tries to make
somethingserious seem stupid [U] US a type of theatre entertainment
in the US in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that
had funny acts and a striptease (= a performance in which
someone removes their clothes)
catchword

noun [C] UK /kt.wd/ US /-wd/

a word or phrase that is often repeated by,
or becomesconnected with
a particular organization, especially a politicalgroup

yeoman
noun [C] UK /j.mn/ US /jo-/ (PLURAL -men UK /-mn/ US )
in the past, a man who was not a servant and
who owned andcultivated (= grew crops on) an area of land

tract
noun [C] UK US /trkt/
tract noun [C] (WRITING)
a short piece of writing, especially on a religious or politicalsubject,
that is intended to influence other
people's opinions:a moral/religious/socialist tractHave you read John Milton's
tracts on divorce?
tract noun [C] (LAND)
a large area of land:The house is surrounded by vast tracts of woodland.
US a measured area of land that is used for a particularpurpose, such
as building houses or digging for oil:a 132-acre tract in Irving
tract noun [C] (TUBE)
a system of connected tubes and organs in the body of a personor
an animal, which has
a particular purpose:the urinary/respiratory/digestive tract
queer
adjective UK /kwr/ US /kwr/
queer adjective (GAY)
OFFENSIVE (especially of a man) gayNote:Gay people sometimes use this
word in a way that is not offensive.
queer adjective (STRANGE)
OLD-FASHIONED strange, unusual, or not expected:What a queer thing to
say!I'm feeling rather queer (= ill), may I sit down?
queer
noun [C] UK /kwr/ US /kwr/ OFFENSIVE
a gay person, especially a man
queer
verb UK /kwr/ US /kwr/ UK INFORMAL
queer sb's pitch to spoil a chance or an opportunity for someone,
often onpurpose:If she asks Dan for a pay rise before I do, it
will probably queer mypitch.

Translations of queer
in Spanish

extrao, excntrico, raro

strive
verb [I] UK US /strav/ (strove or strived, striven orstrived)
C2 to try very hard to do something or to make
something happen,especially for a long time or against difficulties:[+
to infinitive] Mr Roe has kindled expectations that he must now
strive to live up to.In her writing she
strove for a balance between innovation and familiarprose forms.
discomfit
verb [T] UK US /dskm.ft/ FORMAL
to make someone feel uncomfortable, especially mentally
discomfiture
noun [U] UK /-tr/ US /-t/
She turned away to hide her discomfiture.
Not give a hoot
not care/give two hoots
(ALSO not care/give a hoot) INFORMAL
to not care about something or someone:I don't give two hoots what
she thinks.

stumble
verb UK US /stm.bl/l
stumble verb (WALK)
C2 [I] to step awkwardly while walking or running and fall or beginto fa
ll:Running along the beach, she stumbled on a log and fell on the sand.In
the final straight Meyers stumbled, and although he didn't fall it was enough
to lose him first place. [I usually + adv/prep] to walk in a way that does
not seemcontrolled:We could hear her
stumbling about/around the bedroom in the dark.He pulled on his clothes and
stumbled into the kitchen.
stumble verb (PAUSE)
C2 [I] to make a mistake, such as repeating something or pausingfor
too long, while speaking or playing a piece of music:When
the poet stumbled over a line in the middle of a poem, someone in
the audience corrected him.

Phrasal verbs
stumble across/on/upon sth/sb
stumble into sth

crank
noun UK US /krk/
crank noun (PERSON)
[C] INFORMAL a person who
has strange or unusual ideas andbeliefs US [C] INFORMAL an unpleasant
and easily annoyed person:She's always a crank first thing in the morning.
crank noun (EQUIPMENT)
[C] a device that creates movement between parts of a machineor
that changes backward and forward movement into circularmovement
:a crank handle
crank noun (DRUG)
[U] US an illegal drug that is a form of methamphetamine

withal
(wth-l, wth-)
adv.
1. In addition; besides: "He ... made it clear to all that I was his friend andwitha
l a very good guy" (Joseph Epstein).
2. Despite that; nevertheless: "He was a crank and a nuisance, but withala dee
ply innocent and brave man" (Arthur Miller).
3. Archaic Therewith: "She needs no old woman's broomstick to flywithal!" (Nat
haniel Hawthorne).
prep. Archaic
With. Used especially at the end of a question or a relative clause: "Inurs'd her
daughter that you talk'd withal" (Shakespeare).
stoppage
noun [C] UK /stp.d/ US /st.pd/
stoppage noun [C] (NOT WORKING)
a time when work is stopped because of
a disagreementbetween workers and employers
stoppage noun [C] (MONEY)
UK (US AND AUSTRALIAN ENGLISH deduction) an amount that is taken away
from the money that you are paid before
you officiallyreceive it:Stoppages include things
like pension contributions and nationalinsurance.

stoppage noun [C] (FOOTBALL)

a time during a football match when the game is stoppedbecause of
an injury to a player:In a cup final, if the teams are level after
90 minutes plus any timeadded on for stoppages, they play extra time.
stoppage noun [C] (BUS)
INDIAN ENGLISH an occasion when a bus stops to allow passengersto get
on and off
compact
adjective UK US /kmpkt/
consisting of parts that are positioned together closely or in
atidy way, using very little space:compact soil/sanda
compact camera/bagWhat a compact office! How did you fit so much into so
little space?
compactly
adverb UK US /-li/
compactness
noun [U] UK US /-ns/
compact
noun [C] UK /km.pkt/ US /km-/
compact noun [C] (CASE)
a small, flat case that contains women's face powder:a powder compac
t
compact noun [C] (CAR)
US a small car
compact noun [C] (AGREEMENT)
FORMAL a formal agreement between two or
more people,organizations, or countries:[+ to infinitive] They made a
compact not to reveal any details.
compact
verb [T] UK US /kmpkt/ FORMAL
to press something together in a tight and solid way:Cars had
compacted the snow until it was like ice.
utter
verb [T] UK /t.r/ US /.tt/ FORMAL
C2 to say something or to make a sound with your voice:She sat through
the whole meeting without uttering a word.
utter
adjective [before noun] UK /t.r/ US /.tt/

C2 complete or extreme:utter confusion/misery/chaosutter nonsense/rubbish

/drivelThe meeting was a complete and utter waste of time.Lying back in
the hot bath was utter bliss.
utterly
adverb UK /t.l.i/ US /.tt.li/
C1What an utterly stupid thing to do!
ladle
noun [C] UK US /le.dl/l
a very big spoon with a long handle and a deep cup-shapedpart,
used especially for serving soup:a soup ladle
ladle
verb [T] UK US /le.dl/l (ALSO ladle out)
to put soup or other liquid food into bowls to give to people, using a
ladle
Phrasal verbs
ladle sth out

clod
noun [C] UK /kld/ US /kld/
clod noun [C] (SOIL)
a piece of soil or clay:Their hoofs threw up clods of earth as
they galloped across the field.
clod noun [C] (PERSON)
OLD-FASHIONED a stupid person:Don't be such a clod!

heifer
noun [C] UK /hef.r/ US /-/
a young cow, especially one that has not yet given birth to
a calf(= baby cow)
draught
noun UK (US draft) UK /drft/ US /drft/
draught noun (COLD AIR)
C1 [C] a current of unpleasantly cold air blowing through a room
draught noun (BOATS)
[C] SPECIALIZED sailing the depth of water needed for a boat to
beable to float:A punt has a shallow draught.
draught noun (BEER)
[U] a system of storing and serving drinks from large containers,espe
cially barrels:Is the lager on draught or is it bottled?
draught noun (GAME)
draughts [U] UK (US checkers) a game for two people, each with
twelve circular pieces that theymove on
a board with black and white squares
draught
adjective [before noun] UK (US draft) UK /drft/ US /drft/
draught adjective [before noun] (BEER)
(of drinks such as beer) stored in
and served from largecontainers, especially barrels:draught beer/lager/c
ider
draught adjective [before noun] (ANIMALS)
(of animals) used for pulling heavy loads, vehicles, etc.:a
draught horse
bewilder
verb [T] UK /bwl.dr/ US /-d/
to confuse someone:The instructions completely bewildered me.
bewildered
adjective UK /-dd/ US /-dd/
Arriving in a strange city at night, I felt alone and bewildered.

ameliorate
verb [T] UK US /mil.j.ret/ FORMAL

 to make
a bad or unpleasant situation better:Foreign aid is badly needed to
ameliorate the effects of the drought.
amelioration
noun [U] UK US /mi.li.re.n/

jabber
verb [I or T] UK /db.r/ US /-/ DISAPPROVING
to speak or say something quickly in a way that
is difficult tounderstand:The train was full of people jabbering (away) into t
heir mobile phones.He jabbered (out) something about
an accident further down the road.
crone
noun [C] UK /krn/ US /kron/
an unpleasant or ugly old woman
brim
noun UK US /brm/
brim noun (PART OF HAT)
[C usually singular] the bottom part of a hat that sticks out all around
the head
Compare
crown noun
brim noun (TOP)
[C] the very top edge of a container:She poured the cream until
it reached the brim.He filled the glass to the brim.She passed him
the mug, filled/full to the brim with hot black coffee.
-brimmed
suffix UK US /-d/
She wore a wide-brimmed hat.
brim
verb [I] UK US /brm/ (-mm-)
to become full of
something, especially a liquid:Her eyes brimmed with tears when
she heard that he
was alive.FIGURATIVE His recent triumphs have left the tennis ace brimming (ove
r) with (= full of) confidence and energy.

noose
noun UK US /nus/
[C] one end of a rope tied to form a circle that can be tightenedround
something such as a person's neck to hang (= kill) them:They put him
on the back of a horse and looped a noose around
hisneck. [S] a serious problem or limit:The noose
of poverty was tightening (= becoming more serious)daily.
ripe
adjective UK US /rap/
ripe adjective (FRUIT/CROPS)
B2 (of fruit or crops) completely developed and ready to
becollected or eaten:Those bananas aren't ripe yet - they're still green.
ripe adjective (CHEESE)
Ripe cheese has developed a strong flavour:This brie smells good and
ripe.
ripe adjective (SMELL)
A ripe smell is strong and unpleasant:There was a ripe smell from
his socks.
ripe adjective (LANGUAGE)
OLD-FASHIONED HUMOROUS used to describe language that is rude:a
ripe joke
ripeness
noun [U] UK US /rap.ns/
Idioms
ripe for
ripe old age

pewter
noun [U] UK /pju.tr/ US /-tt/
a bluish-grey metal that is a mixture of tin and lead:a
pewter plate/tankard
Translations of pewter
in Spanish

peltre

clapboard
noun UK /klp.bd/ US /-brd/

 [U] US a series of boards fixed horizontally to the outside of

abuilding, with each board partly covering the one below,
toprotect the building from the weather:The town of Rockport
is full of rows of white clapboard houses.

jangling
noun [U] UK US /d.l/
the noise of metal hitting metal:the jangling
of sleigh bellsa loud jangling noise
lair
noun [C usually singular] UK /ler/ US /ler/
a place where a wild animal lives, often underground andhidden, or
a place where a person hides:a fox's lairthe thieves' lair

budge
verb [I or T] UK US /bd/
budge verb [I or T] (MOVE)
If something will not budge or you cannot budge it, it will
notmove:I've tried moving the desk but it won't budge/I can't budge it.
budge verb [I or T] (CHANGE)
to change your opinion or to make
someone change theiropinion:I've tried persuading her, but
she won't budge.
Phrasal verbs
budge up

McCarthyism

U.S. anti-Communist literature of the 1950s, specifically addressing the

entertainment industry
McCarthyism is the practice of making accusations of subversion or treason
without proper regard for evidence. It also means "the practice of making
unfair allegations or using unfair investigative techniques, especially in order to
restrict dissent or political criticism."[1] The term has its origins in the period in
the United States known as the Second Red Scare, lasting roughly from 1950 to
1956 and characterized by heightened political repression against communists,
as well as a campaign spreading fear of their influence on American institutions
and of espionageby Soviet agents. Originally coined to criticize the anticommunist pursuits of Republican U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin,
"McCarthyism" soon took on a broader meaning, describing the excesses of
similar efforts. The term is also now used more generally to describe reckless,
unsubstantiated accusations, as well as demagogic attacks on the character or
patriotism of political adversaries.
During the McCarthy era, thousands of Americans were accused of being
communists or communist sympathizers and became the subject of aggressive
investigations and questioning before government or private-industry panels,
committees and agencies. The primary targets of such suspicions were
government employees, those in the entertainment industry, educators
and union activists. Suspicions were often given credence despite inconclusive
or questionable evidence, and the level of threat posed by a person's real or
supposed leftist associations or beliefs was often greatly exaggerated. Many
people suffered loss of employment and/or destruction of their careers; some
even suffered imprisonment. Most of these punishments came about through
trial verdicts later overturned,[2] laws that were later declared unconstitutional,
[3]
dismissals for reasons later declared illegal [4] or actionable,[5] or extra-legal
procedures that would come into general disrepute.

The most famous examples of McCarthyism include the speeches,

investigations, and hearings of Senator McCarthy himself; theHollywood
blacklist, associated with hearings conducted by the House Un-American
Activities Committee (HUAC); and the various anti-communist activities of
the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) under Director J. Edgar Hoover.
McCarthyism was a widespread social and cultural phenomenon that affected
all levels of society and was the source of a great deal of debate and conflict in
the United States.

A History of Jamestown
The founding of Jamestown, Americas first permanent English colony, in
Virginia in 1607 13 years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth in
Massachusetts sparked a series of cultural encounters that helped shape the
nation and the world. The government, language, customs, beliefs and
aspirations of these early Virginians are all part of the United States heritage
today.
The colony was sponsored by the Virginia Company of London, a group of
investors who hoped to profit from the venture. Chartered in 1606 by King
James I, the company also supported English national goals of
counterbalancing the expansion of other European nations abroad, seeking a
northwest passage to the Orient, and converting the Virginia Indians to the
Anglican religion.
The Susan Constant, Godspeed and Discovery,
carrying 105 passengers, one of whom died during the
voyage, departed from England in December 1606
and reached the Virginia coast in late April 1607. The
expedition was led by Captain Christopher Newport.
On May 13, after two weeks of exploration, the ships
arrived at a site on the James River selected for its
deep water anchorage and good defensive position.
The passengers came ashore the next day, and work began on the settlement.
Initially, the colony was governed by a council of seven, with one member
serving as president.
Serious problems soon emerged in the small English outpost, which was
located in the midst of a chiefdom of about 14,000 Algonquian-speaking
Indians ruled by the powerful leader Powhatan. Relations with the Powhatan
Indians were tenuous, although trading opportunities were established. An
unfamiliar climate, as well as brackish water supply and lack of food, conditions
possibly aggravated by a prolonged drought, led to disease and death. Many
of the original colonists were upper-class Englishmen, and the colony lacked
sufficient laborers and skilled farmers.
The first two English women arrived at Jamestown in 1608, and more came in
subsequent years. Men outnumbered women, however, for most of the 17th
century.
Captain John Smith became the colonys leader in September 1608 the fourth
in a succession of council presidents and established a no work, no food
policy. Smith had been instrumental in trading with the Powhatan Indians for
food. However, in the fall of 1609 he was injured by burning gunpowder and
left for England. Smith never returned to Virginia, but promoted colonization of

North America until his death in 1631 and published numerous accounts of the
Virginia colony, providing invaluable material for historians.
Smiths departure was followed by the starving time, a period of warfare
between the colonists and Indians and the deaths of many English men and
women from starvation and disease. Just when the colonists decided to
abandon Jamestown in Spring 1610, settlers with supplies arrived from
England, eager to find wealth in Virginia. This group of new settlers arrived
under the second charter issued by King James I. This charter provided for
stronger leadership under a governor who served with a group of advisors, and
the introduction of a period of military law that carried harsh punishments for
those who did not obey.
In order to make a profit for the Virginia Company, settlers tried a number of
small industries, including glassmaking, wood production, and pitch and tar and
potash manufacture. However, until the introduction of tobacco as a cash crop
about 1613 by colonist John Rolfe, who later married Powhatans daughter
Pocahontas, none of the colonists efforts to establish profitable enterprises
were successful. Tobacco cultivation required large amounts of land and labor
and stimulated the rapid growth of the Virginia colony. Settlers moved onto the
lands occupied by the Powhatan Indians, and increased numbers of indentured
servants came to Virginia.
The first documented Africans in Virginia arrived in 1619. They were from the
kingdom of Ndongo in Angola, West Central Africa, and had been captured
during war with the Portuguese. While these first Africans may have been
treated as indentured servants, the customary practice of owning Africans as
slaves for life appeared by mid-century. The number of African slaves
increased significantly in the second half of the 17th century, replacing
indentured servants as the primary source of labor.
The first representative government in British America began at Jamestown in
1619 with the convening of a general assembly, at the request of settlers who
wanted input in the laws governing them. After a series of events, including a
1622 war with the Powhatan Indians and misconduct among some of the
Virginia Company leaders in England, the Virginia Company was dissolved by
the king in 1624, and Virginia became a royal colony. Jamestown continued as
the center of Virginias political and social life until 1699 when the seat of
government moved to Williamsburg. Although Jamestown ceased to exist as a
town by the mid 1700s, its legacies are embodied in todays United States.

The Mayflower
From the Pilgrims' reasons for leaving Europe to the treacherous journey across
the Atlantic, musician and artist Jeffrey Lewis puts to song the story of the
Mayflower.

In September 1620, a merchant ship called the Mayflower set sail from
Plymouth, a port on the southern coast of England. Typically, the Mayflowers
cargo was wine and dry goods, but on this trip the ship carried passengers: 102
of them, all hoping to start a new life on the other side of the Atlantic. Nearly
40 of these passengers were Protestant Separatiststhey called themselves
Saintswho hoped to establish a new church in the New World. Today, we
often refer to the colonists who crossed the Atlantic on the Mayflower as
Pilgrims.
PILGRIMS BEFORE THE MAYFLOWER
In 1608, a congregation of disgruntled English Protestants from the village of
Scrooby, Nottinghamshire, left England and moved to Leyden, a town in
Holland. These Separatists did not want to pledge allegiance to the Church of
England, which they believed was nearly as corrupt and idolatrous as the
Catholic Church it had replaced, any longer. (They were not the same as the
Puritans, who had many of the same objections to the English church but
wanted to reform it from within.) The Separatists hoped that in Holland, they
would be free to worship as they liked
Did You Know?
The Separatists who founded the Plymouth Colony referred to
themselves as Saints, not Pilgrims. The use of the word
Pilgrim to describe this group did not become common until the
colonys bicentennial.

In fact, the Separatists (they called themselves Saints) did find religious
freedom in Holland, but they also found a secular life that was more difficult to
navigate than theyd anticipated. For one thing, Dutch craft guilds excluded the
migrants, so they were relegated to menial, low-paying jobs. Even worse was
Hollands easygoing, cosmopolitan atmosphere, which proved alarmingly
seductive to some of the Saints children. (These young people were drawn
away, Separatist leaderWilliam Bradford wrote, by evill [sic] example into
extravagance and dangerous courses.) For the strict, devout Separatists, this
was the last straw. They decided to move again, this time to a place without
government interference or worldly distraction: the New World across the
Atlantic Ocean.
THE MAYFLOWER
First, the Separatists returned to London to get organized. A prominent
merchant agreed to advance the money for their journey. The Virginia Company
gave them permission to establish a settlement, or plantation, on the East
Coast between 38 and 41 degrees north latitude (roughly between the
Chesapeake Bay and the mouth of the Hudson River). And the King of England
gave them permission to leave the Church of England, provided they carried
themselves peaceably.
In August 1620, a group of about 40 Saints joined a much larger group of
(comparatively) secular colonistsStrangers, to the Saintsand set sail from
England on two merchant ships: the Mayflower and the Speedwell. The
Speedwell began to leak almost immediately, however, and the ships headed
back to port. The travelers squeezed themselves and their belongings onto the
Mayflower and set sail once again.
Because of the delay caused by the leaky Speedwell, the Mayflower had to
cross the Atlantic at the height of storm season. As a result, the journey was
horribly unpleasant. Many of the passengers were so seasick they could
scarcely get up, and the waves were so rough that one Stranger was swept
overboard and drowned. (It was the just hand of God upon him, Bradford

wrote later, for the young sailor had been a proud and very profane yonge
man.)
THE MAYFLOWER COMPACT
After two miserable months at sea, the ship finally reached the New World.
There, the Mayflowers passengers found an abandoned Indian village and not
much else. They also found that they were in the wrong place: Cape Cod was
located at 42 degrees north latitude, well north of the Virginia Companys
territory. Technically, the Mayflower colonists had no right to be there at all. In
order to establish themselves as a legitimate colony (Plymouth, named after
the English port from which they had departed) under these dubious
circumstances, 41 of the Saints and Strangers drafted and signed a document
they called theMayflower Compact. This Compact promised to create a civil
Body Politick governed by elected officials and just and equal laws. It also
swore allegiance to the English king.
PLYMOUTH COLONY AND THE FIRST THANKSGIVING
The colonists spent the first winter, which only 53 passengers and half the crew
survived, living onboard the Mayflower. (The Mayflower sailed back to England
in April 1621.) Once they moved ashore, the colonists faced even more
challenges. During their first winter in America, more than half of the Plymouth
colonists died from malnutrition, disease and exposure to the harsh New
England weather. In fact, without the help of the areas native people, it is likely
that none of the colonists would have survived. An English-speaking Pawtuxet
named Samoset helped the colonists form an alliance with the local
Wampanoags, who taught them how to hunt local animals, gather shellfish and
grow corn, beans and squash. At the end of the next summer, the Plymouth
colonists celebrated their first successful harvest with a three-day festival of
thanksgiving. We still commemorate this feast today.
Eventually, the Plymouth colonists were absorbed into the
Puritan MassachusettsBay Colony. Still, the Mayflower Saints and their

descendants remained convinced that they alone had been specially chosen by
God to act as a beacon for Christians around the world. As one small candle
may light a thousand, Bradford wrote, so the light here kindled hath shone to
many, yea in some sort to our whole nation.

The History of Little Goody Two-Shoes

The History of Little Goody Two-Shoes is a children's
story published by John Newbery in London in 1765. The
story popularized the phrase "goody two-shoes", often
used to describe an excessively virtuous person, a dogooder.[1]
Plot
Goody Two-Shoes is a variation of the Cinderella story. The
fable tells of Goody Two-Shoes, the nickname of a poor
orphan girl named Margery Meanwell, who goes through life with only one
shoe. When a rich gentleman gives her a complete pair, she is so happy that
she tells everyone she has "two shoes". Later, Margery becomes a teacher and
marries a rich widower. This earning of wealth serves as proof that her
virtuousness has been rewarded, a popular theme in children's literature of the
era.[citation needed]
Publication
The anonymous story was published in London by the John Newbery company,
a publisher of popular children's literature. In his introduction to an 1881
edition of the book,[2] Charles Welsh wrote:
Goody Two-Shoes was published in April 1765, and few nursery books have had
a wider circulation, or have retained their position so long. The number of
editions that have been published, both in England and America, is legion, and
it has appeared in mutilated versions, under the auspices of numerous
publishing houses in London and the provinces, although of late years there
have been no new issues.
The anonymous author
The story was later attributed to the Irish author Oliver Goldsmith, though this
is disputed. Because Goldsmith frequently wrote for pay, and because of his
copious fiction in essays (e.g.,The Bee and Citizen of the World), the attribution
to Goldsmith is plausible. Washington Irvingwas one supporter of Goldsmith's
authoring the book; he said: "Several quaint little tales introduced in
Goldsmith's Essays show that he had a turn for this species of mock history;
and the advertisement and title-page bear the stamp of his sly and playful
humor."[3] However, the book has also been attributed to Newbery himself and
to Giles Jones, a friend of Newbery's. [4]"Booksellers" (publishers) such as
Newbery would frequently pay authors for anonymous work, and no certain
evidence of attribution has emerged.[citation needed]

Origin of the phrase "goody two-shoes"

Although The History of Little Goody Two-Shoes is credited with popularizing
the term "goody two-shoes", the actual origin of the phrase is unknown. For
example, it appears a century earlier in Charles Cotton's Voyage to Ireland in
Burlesque (1670):[5]
Mistress mayoress complained that the pottage was cold;
'And all long of your fiddle-faddle,' quoth she.
'Why, then, Goody Two-shoes, what if it be?
Hold you, if you can, your tittle-tattle,' quoth he.
Quakers
Religious Society of Friends

Symbol used by Friends' service organizations

since the late 19th century
Classification

Protestant

Theology

Variable; depends on meeting

Polity

Congregational

Distinct
fellowships

Friends World Committee for

Consultation

Associations

Friends United
Meeting,Evangelical Friends
International, Central Yearly
Meeting of Friends,Conservative
Friends,Friends General
Conference,Beanite Quakerism

Founder

George Fox

Origin

Mid-17th century
England

Separated
from

Church of England

Separations

Shakers[1]

Heritage-listed Quaker meeting house,Sydney, Australia

Quakers (or Friends, as they refer to themselves) are members of a family of
religious movements collectively known as the Religious Society of Friends.
The central unifying doctrine of these movements is the priesthood of all
believers,[2][3] a doctrine derived from a verse in the New Testament, 1 Peter
2:9.[4] Many Friends view themselves as members of a Christian denomination.
They include those withevangelical, holiness, liberal, and
traditional conservative Quaker understandings ofChristianity. Unlike many
other groups that emerged within Christianity, the Religious Society of Friends
has actively tried to avoid creeds and hierarchical structures.[5] As of 2007
there were approximately 359,000 adult members of Quaker meetings in the
world.[6]
Today, slightly less than half of Friends worldwide practice programmed
worship[7]that is, worship with singing and a prepared message from
the Bible, often coordinated by a pastor. Around 11% of
Friends[8] practice waiting worship (also known asunprogrammed worship)
that is worship where the order of service is not planned in advance, which is
predominantly silent, and which may include unprepared vocal ministry from
anyone present, so long as it is credible to those assembled that the speaker is
moved to speak by God. Some meetings of both styles have Recorded
Ministers in their meetingsthese are Friends who have been recognised for
their gift of vocal ministry.[9]
The first Quakers lived in mid-17th century England. The movement arose from
theLegatine-Arians and other dissenting Protestant groups, breaking away from
theestablished Church of England. The Quakers, especially the ones known as
the Valiant Sixty, attempted to convert others to their understanding of
Christianity, traveling both throughout Great Britain and overseas, preaching

the gospel of Jesus Christ. Some of these early Quaker ministers were women.
[10]
They based their message on the religious belief that "Christ has come to
teach his people himself," stressing the importance of a direct relationship with
God through Jesus Christ, and a direct religious belief in the universal
priesthood of all believers.[11] They emphasized a personal and direct religious
experience of Christ, acquired through both direct religious experience and the
reading and studying of the Bible.[12] Quakers focused their private life on
developing behavior and speech reflecting emotional purity and the light of
God.[13]
In the past, Quakers were known for their use of thou as an ordinary
pronoun, refusal to participate in war, plain dress, refusal to swear
oaths, opposition to slavery, and teetotalismthe opposition to alcohol. Some
Quakers have founded banks and financial institutions
including Barclays, Lloyds, and Friends Provident; manufacturing companies
includingClarks, Cadbury, Rowntree, and Fry's; and philanthropic efforts,
including abolition, prison reform, and social justice projects.

Desiderius Erasmus
Desiderius Erasmus

Desiderius Erasmus in 1523 as depicted

byHans Holbein the Younger. The Greek and
Latin words on the book translate to "The
Herculean Labours of Erasmus of Rotterdam".
Born

c. 27 October 1466
Rotterdam, Burgundian
Netherlands

Died

12 July 1536 (aged 69)

Basel, Old Swiss Confederacy

Other nam
es

Desiderius Erasmus
Roterodamus, Erasmus of
Rotterdam

Era

Renaissance philosophy

Region

Western philosophy

Main
interests

Christian
philosophy,Renaissance
humanism

Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus (/dzdris rzms/; 27

October[1] 1466 12 July 1536), known as Erasmus of Rotterdam, or
simply Erasmus, was a DutchRenaissance humanist, Catholic priest, social
critic, teacher, and theologian.

Erasmus was a classical scholar who wrote in a pure Latin style. Amongst
humanists, he enjoyed the sobriquet "Prince of the Humanists"; he has been
called "the crowning glory of the Christian humanists". [2] Using humanist
techniques for working on texts, he prepared important
new Latin and Greek editions of the New Testament. These raised questions
that would be influential in the Protestant Reformation and Catholic CounterReformation. He also wrote On Free Will,[3] The Praise of Folly, Handbook of a
Christian Knight, On Civility in Children, Copia: Foundations of the Abundant
Style, Julius Exclusus, and many other works.
Erasmus lived against the backdrop of the growing European
religious Reformation; but while he was critical of the abuses within
the Church and called for reform, he kept his distance
from Luther and Melanchthon and continued to recognise the authority of the
pope. Erasmus emphasized a middle way, with a deep respect for traditional
faith, piety and grace, and rejected Luther's emphasis on faith alone. Erasmus
therefore remained a member of the Catholic Church all his life. [4] Erasmus
remained committed to reforming the Church and its clerics' abuses from
within. He also held to Catholic doctrines such as that of free will, which some
Reformers rejected in favour of the doctrine of predestination. His middle road
approach disappointed and even angered scholars in both camps.
Erasmus died suddenly in Basel in 1536 while preparing to return to Brabant,
and was buried in the Basel Minster, the former cathedral of the city.[5] A bronze
statue of him was erected in his city of birth in 1622, replacing an earlier work
in stone. Erasmus was hisbaptismal name, given after St. Erasmus of
Formiae. Desiderius was a self-adopted additional name, which he used from
1496. The Roterodamus in his scholarly name is the Latinized adjectival form
for the city of Rotterdam.

pollonian and Dionysian

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Apollonian and Dionysian is a philosophical and literary concept,
or dichotomy, based on certain features of ancient Greek mythology.
Many Western philosophical and literary figures have invoked this dichotomy in
critical and creative works.
In Greek mythology, Apollo and Dionysus are both sons of Zeus. Apollo is the
god of reason and the rational, while Dionysus is the god of the irrational and
chaos. The Greeks did not consider the two gods to be opposites or rivals,
although often the two deities were interlacing by nature.
The Apollonian is based on reason and logical thinking. By contrast, the
Dionysian is based on chaos and appeals to the emotions and instincts. The
content of all great tragedy is based on the tension created by the interplay
between these two.
Dionysian

adjective Dionysian \-ni-zh-n, -n-, -sh-, -z-, -s-; -zhn, -shn\

Definition of DIONYSIAN
1
a : of or relating to Dionysius
b : of or relating to the theological writings once mistakenly attributed to
Dionysius the Areopagite
2
a : devoted to the worship of Dionysus
b : characteristic of Dionysus or the cult of worship of Dionysus; especially:
being of a frenzied or orgiastic character compare APOLLONIAN