Credibility

/noun

[noncount]:the quality of being believed or

accepted as true, real, or honest
The new evidence lendscredibilityto their
theory.a lack/loss ofcredibilityThe
scandal undermined/damaged
hercredibilityas an honest politician.In
this instance, the lawyer's job is to make the
jury doubt/question the
witness'scredibility.They doubted
thecredibilityof the witness's story. [=they
doubted that the story was true]

invective

/noun

 [noncount]formal:harsh or insulting
words:rude and angry language
a barrage/stream of racistinvective

Outrage

/noun pluraloutrages

 1[noncount]:extreme anger:a strong feeling

of unhappiness because of something bad,
hurtful, or morally wrong
Many people expressedoutrageat the
court's decision.Publicoutrageover the
scandal was great.moraloutrage
2[count]:something that hurts people or is
morally wrong
The rule is anoutrageagainst women.This
is anoutrage! I won't allow this kind of
behavior to continue.

Empathy

/noun

[noncount]:the feeling that you

understand and share another
person's experiences and emotions
He felt
greatempathywith/for/toward the
poor.:the ability to share someone
else's feelingsHis months spent
researching prison life gave him
greaterempathytowards/for
convicts.compareS YMPATHY

Prototype

/noun

pluralprototypes
[count]1:an original or first model of something
from which other forms are copied or developed
They tested theprototypeof the car.He is
developing aprototypefor his invention.
2 a:someone or something that has the typical
qualities of a particular group, kind, etc.
He is theprototypeof a conservative
businessman.
b:a first or early example that is used as a model
for what comes later
The Sherlock Holmes stories are
theprototypesof modern detective stories.

Disclaimer /

noun pluraldisclaimers

[count]:a statement that is meant to

prevent an incorrect understanding
of something (such as a book, a
movie, or an advertisement)
The documentary opens with
adisclaimerthat many of its scenes
arefictional re-creationsof real
events.

postulates;postulated;postulating
formal:the act or process of releasing a
strong emotion (such as pity or fear)
especially by expressing it in an art form
[noncount]Acting is a means
ofcatharsisfor
her.[singular]Painting/music/writing is
acatharsisfor me.
cathartic /adjective[more cathartic;
most cathartic]
acatharticexperience

Postulate

/verb

[+ obj]formal:to suggest (something,

such as an idea or theory) especially
in order to start a discussion
The theorypostulates[=claims,
posits] that carbon dioxide emissions
contribute to global
warming.Scientists
havepostulatedthe existence of
water on the planet.

overt /

adjective

 [more overt; most overt]:easily

seen:not secret or hidden:
OBVIOUS
overthostilityoppositeCOVERT
overtlyadverb
anovertlyreligious reference

Invalidate

/verb

 invalidates;invalidated;invalidating
[+ obj]:to make (something) invalid: such
asa:to weaken or destroy the effect of
(something)
actions that willinvalidatethe
contractinvalidatea marriageinvalidatean
election
b:to show or prove (something) to be false or
incorrect
The studyinvalidatesearlier theories.factors
that mayinvalidatethe test results

Contest /

verb

 contests;contested;contesting
1[+ obj]:to make (something) the subject of an argument or a legal
case:to say that you do not agree with or accept (something)
Several of the dead man's relatives arecontesting[=disputing,
challenging] his will (in court).The losing candidate
iscontestingthe results of the election. = (US) The losing candidate
iscontestingthe election.The rule is beingcontestedby a number
of students at the university. [=students are formally complaining
about the rule]
2[+ obj]:to try to win (something)
She plans tocontesta seat in Congress next year.Both
candidates have agreed to another debate before this
hotly/bitterlycontestedelection.
3[no obj]:to struggle or fight for or against something
contestingfor power

Mock /

verb

 mocks;mocked;mocking
[+ obj]1:to laugh at or make fun of (someone or something) especially by
copying an action or a way of behaving or speaking
The boysmockedhim for showing fear.Theymockedhis cries for help.
[=they imitated his cries for help in an exaggerated way that was meant to
ridicule him]Other children wouldmockher accent. [=would make fun of the
way she spoke by copying it in an exaggerated way]
2:to criticize and laugh at (someone or something) for being bad, worthless, or
unimportant
Hemocksart only because he doesn't understand it.They continue
tomockthe idea of a new government.We are beingmockedfor our religious
beliefs.You canmockme as much as you like, but I'm going to do it anyway.
mocker /noun,pluralmockers[count]
mockersof poetry
mockingadjective[more mocking; most mocking]
mockingwordsamockingcrowd
mockingly /adverb
They laughed at himmockingly.

Articulate

/adjective

 [more articulate; most articulate]1:able to express

ideas clearly and effectively in speech or writing
She's an intelligent andarticulatespeaker.He
was veryarticulateabout his feelings on the
subject.oppositeINARTICULATE
2:clearly expressed and easily understood
anarticulateargument/essay/speechThe baby is
beginning to formarticulatewords and phrases.
oppositeINARTICULATE
articulatelyadverb
She spoke clearly andarticulately.
articulatenessnoun[noncount]

Promulgate /verb

 promulgates;promulgated;prom
ulgating
[+ obj]1formal:to make (an idea,
belief, etc.) known to many people
Her ideas/theories have been
widelypromulgatedon the Internet.
2technical:to make (a new law)
known officially and publicly
The law waspromulgatedin April
1988.

Abeyance

/noun

 in abeyance
formal:in a temporary state of
being stopped
The plans arein abeyance. = The
plans are being heldin abeyance.
[=the plans are not now being used]

Notarizealso Brit notarise /verb

 notarizes;notarized;notarizing
[+ obj]law:to sign (a document) as
a notary public

Suspend /verb

 suspends;suspended;suspending
[+ obj]1:to force (someone) to leave a job, position, or place for a usually short period of time as a
form of punishment
He wassuspendedfrom the team for missing too many practices.The police officers
weresuspendedwithout pay for their conduct.The principalsuspendedthe student from school for
fighting.
2 a:to stop (something) for a usually short period of time
The citysuspendedbus service during the storm.The company was forced
tosuspendoperations.They havesuspendedthe peace talks.The plot is ridiculous, but if you
cansuspend (your) disbelief[=allow yourself to believe that something is true even though it
seems impossible], it's an enjoyable movie.
b:to make (something) happen later:to delay (something)
The judgesuspended[=postponed] the hearing for one week.I advisesuspendingjudgment
until the investigation is over.
c:to make (something) invalid or ineffective for a usually short period of time
Her license to practice law wassuspended.We cansuspendthe rules just this once.He's
driving with asuspendedlicense.
3 a:to hang something so that it is free on all sides except at the point of support
Theysuspendedthe lantern from the ceiling.A pot of stew wassuspendedover the fire.a
wiresuspended betweentwo poles [=hung so that it is attached at each end to a pole]
b:to prevent (something) from falling or sinking by some invisible support usually used as(be)
suspendedDustwas suspended[=was floating] in the air.The structure appears tobe
suspendedin space.

Academic

/adjective

 1usually used before a noun:of or relating to schools and education

She received awards for
heracademicachievements/accomplishments.I spent
myacademiccareer at one school.The board set
toughacademicstandards for graduation.He was offered a teaching
job and decided to return toacademiclife.
2:having no practical importance:not involving or relating to
anything real or practical
His interest in sailing is purelyacademic. He's not a sailor himself.It
was a question of onlyacademic[=theoretical] interest.
3[more academic; most academic]chiefly Brit:good at studying and
at passing exams:good at academics
He's not veryacademic, but he's good with his hands.
academically /adverb
He did well enoughacademicallyto be accepted at many
colleges.anacademicallygifted student

Flimsy /

adjective

 flimsier;flimsiest
[also more flimsy; most flimsy]1:easily broken,
torn, etc.:not strong or solid
aflimsybuildingflimsyconstructionaflims
ypiece of material
2:not likely to be true or to be believed
aflimsy[=weak] excuseThey have only
theflimsiestof evidence against him.a movie
with aflimsyplot
flimsily /adverb[more flimsily; most flimsily]
flimsily[=weakly] constructed

Demonstrable

/adjective

 [more demonstrable; most

demonstrable]formal:able to be proven
or shown:possible to demonstrate
There is nodemonstrableevidence
that the treatment is effective.a
clearlydemonstrableimprovement
demonstrably /adverb
The statements
aredemonstrablyuntrue/false.

Ineluctable /adjective

 formal:not able to be avoided or

changed
You cannot escape
anineluctable[=unavoidable]
fate.anineluctableconclusion
ineluctablyadverb

Elusive /adjective

 [more elusive; most elusive]1:hard to find

or capture
elusivecreaturesThe solution
remainselusive.The truth may
proveelusive.
2:hard to understand, define, or remember
anelusiveconcept/idea/name
elusivelyadverb
elusivenessnoun[noncount]
theelusivenessof truth

Analogous

/adjective

 [more analogous; most

analogous]formal:similar in some way
I could not think of
ananalogoussituation.usually +toI
could not think of a situationanalogous
tothis one.The telescope's lenses
areanalogous[=comparable]toa
person's glasses.Think of the process
asanalogous to[=like] riding a bike.
analogouslyadverb

Overblown

/adjective

 [more overblown; most

overblown]disapproving:made to
seem very important, intelligent, or
great especially in order to impress
people
overblown[=pretentious]
claims/rhetoricThe problem
isoverblown. [=it has been
exaggerated; it is not as bad as
people say it is]

Disentangle/verb

 disentangles;disentangled;disentangling
[+ obj]1:to separate (things that are twisted
together or caught on one another)
I can'tdisentangle[=untangle] the
wires/hangers.often +fromShe was trying
todisentangleher hairfromher necklace.often
used figurativelyShe
finallydisentangledherselffroma bad relationship.
2:to remove the twists or knots in (something)
disentangle[=untangle] a knotted string/rope
disentanglement /noun[noncount]

Skein /noun

 pluralskeins [count]:a long piece

of yarn or thread that is loosely
wound compareHANK

Brandish /verb

 brandishes;brandished;brandis
hing
[+ obj]:to wave or swing
(something, such as a weapon) in a
threatening or excited manner
Shebrandisheda stick at the
dog.I could see that he
wasbrandishinga knife.

Lyricism

/noun

 [noncount]:a quality that expresses

deep feelings or emotions in a work
of art:an artistically beautiful or
expressive quality
poeticlyricismmusic rich
withlyricismthelyricismof his
paintings

Constraint/ noun
pluralconstraints

 1[count]:something that limits or restricts someone or

something
Lack of funding has been a majorconstrainton the
building's design.usually
pluralBudgetconstraints[=restrictions] have forced me to
revise my travel plans. [=I've changed my travel plans
because I do not have enough money]Because of
timeconstraints[=limitations], speeches will be limited to
five minutes.Tradition puts/places/imposesconstraintson
[=puts limits on] people and their actions.
2[noncount]:control that limits or restricts someone's
actions or behavior
They demand freedom fromconstraint.They refuse to
work underconstraintany longer.

Doctrinaire/ adjective

 [more doctrinaire; most

doctrinaire]formal +
disapprovingused to describe a
person who has very strong beliefs
about what should be done and will
not change them or accept other
people's opinionsThe senator is
lessdoctrinairethan generally
believed.adoctrinaire
conservative/socialist

Bumpkin/ noun

 pluralbumpkins
[count]informal:a person who lives
in the country far away from cities
and who is regarded as stupid
countrybumpkins

Emulate/ verb

 emulates;emulated;emulating
[+ obj]:to try to be like (someone or
something you admire)
She grew upemulatingher sports
heroes.artistsemulatingthe style
of their teachers
Emulation noun[noncount]

Submit/verb

 submits;submitted;submitting
1[+ obj]:to give (a document, proposal, piece of writing, etc.) to
someone so that it can be considered or approved
Candidates interested in the position shouldsubmittheir rsums
to the Office of Human Resources.Submityour application no later
than January 31st.Requests must besubmittedin
writing.Photographssubmittedfor publication will not be returned.
2[no obj]:to stop trying to fight or resist something:to agree to do
or accept something that you have been resisting or opposing
He vowed that he would neversubmit. [=give in]often
+toHe refused tosubmit totheir demands.We will notsubmit
toyou without a fight.Public outcry caused him tosubmit toan
investigation of his finances.
3[+ obj]formal:to offer (something) as an opinion or suggestion
often +thatIsubmit thathis guilt has not been proven.

Exonerate/ verb

 exonerates;exonerated;exonerating
[+ obj]formal:to prove that someone is not
guilty of a crime or responsible for a problem,
bad situation, etc.
Her attorney claims that this new evidence
willexonerate[=clear] the defendant
completely.sometimes +oforfromevidence
that willexonerateherof/fromthe charges
Exoneration noun[noncount]
A review of the evidence led to her
completeexoneration.

Rococo

 :of or relating to a style of artistic

expression that involves fancy
curved forms and much decoration
and was popular in the 18th century
The chairs are carved in
arococostyle.rococoart