词汇学习

●Word Study

Word list:

Futile / arouse / indulge / indignation / ridicule / retain / adroit / maneuver / unleash / service / blunder / malice / deluge / procrastinate / hereafter

1. futile < worthless, fu- (to pour out): producing no result or effect

Synonyms:

futile, barren, bootless, fruitless, unavailing, useless, vain (Antonym: useful)

Examples:

a futile effort; a barren search; bootless entreaties; fruitless labors; an unavailing attempt; a useless discussion; vain regrets.

Reference:

Edna could not help but think that it was very foolish, very childish, to have stamped upon her wedding ring and smashed the crystal vase upon the tiles. She was visited by no more outbursts, moving her to such futile expedients. She began to do as she liked and to feel as she liked.

2. arouse on the model of arise

1)To awaken from

2)To stir up; excite; to evoke or elicit (a reaction, feelings, emotion, or response); stimulate

●The odd sight aroused our curiosity.

●To arouse a crowd

●To arouse suspicion

Reference:

It's generally a gesture to arouse pity or terror in their lover.

3) To stimulate sexual desire in

3. Indulge

1)To yield to the desires and whims of; humor迎合，迁

2)To yield to; gratify使满足，使满意 indulge a craving for chocolate.

3)To allow (oneself) unrestrained gratification, pamper纵容indulged herself with idle daydreams.

4)To engage or take part, esp. freely or avidly沉湎于，沉溺于indulged in all the latest fads.

Reference:

"Since I cannot sleep," she said, "on account of your song which, believe me, is sweet as the lyre of Apollo, I shall indulge myself in drinking some nectar which Pallas lately gave me.

4. indignation unworthy, in- (not) + dignus (worthy)

4. indignation

●feelings of anger and surprise because you feel insulted or unfairly treated:

●To his indignation, Charles found that his name was not on the list.

●Lou's voice quivered with indignation.

●indignation at/about/over

●Her indignation at such rough treatment was understandable.

●He stormed into her office, full of righteous indignation.义愤填膺

5. ridicule

●To ridicule is to make fun of, either playfully or with intentional humiliating: to ridicule a pretentious person.

Synonym:

To deride is to laugh at scornfully: a student derided for acting silly.

Synonym:

To mock is to poke fun at someone, often by mimicking and caricaturing speech or actions: She mocked his surprised expression.

Synonym:

To taunt is to call attention to something annoying or humiliating, usu. maliciously and in front of others: The bully taunted the smaller boy.

6. blunder to go blindly, have one's eyes closed

vi. to move as if not seeing properly

●blunder about/around: blundering about in the kitchen.

●Phil came blundering down the stairs.

vi. to make a big mistake, because of carelessness or stupidity

●They blundered badly when they gave him the job.

vi. to enter a place or be involved in a difficult situation by mistake

●Somehow we blundered into the war.

●He would have agreed if you hadn't blundered in.

7. malice

n. [uncountable] the desire to harm someone because of hatred

●His eyes gleamed with malice.

●She did it out of sheer/pure malice.

●James bore her no malice .

●(law) with malice aforethought预谋

Reference:

…as I shall go to the mill again before Bessy comes to see me, or as I shall go and fall down o' my knees to Mr. Tulliver, and ask his pardon for showing him favors; but I shall bear no malice, and when Mr. Tulliver speaks civil to me, I'll speak civil to him. Nobody has any call to tell me what's becoming.

8. deluge flood, to wash away. dis-(apart) + -luere (to wash)

n. [usu. singular] sth. that overwhelms as if by a great flood

●Viewers sent a deluge of complaints about the show.

●To receive a deluge of fan mail

n. [formal] a large flood (from Bible, the great flood that occurred in the time of Noah)

v. [usu passive] To overwhelm with a large number or amount; swamp

●The press secretary was deluged with requests for information.

v. To overrun with water; inundate

9. procrastinate to put off until tomorrow, pro-(forward) + crās( tomorrow)

vi. [formal, put off] to delay doing something

●People often procrastinate when it comes to paperwork.

n. procrastination

Reference:

This last reason displeased old Solomon, for it was an encouragement to the birds to procrastinate.

10. hereafter

1)adv. Immediately following in time, order, or place; after this.

●hereafter you will no longer receive an allowance

2) In a future time or state:

●hope to win salvation hereafter

3) (Law) in a subsequent part of this document, matter, case, etc

●the Ulster Democratic Unionist Party (hereafter DUP)

●Compare: the Council of the Law Society (hereinafter called the Council)

4) n. The afterlife: belief in a hereafter.

11. retain to hold back, re- + tenēre (to hold)

vt. (formal)

1. To keep something or continue to have something

●The state wants to retain control of food imports.

●to retain one's rooms for the holidays

2. To store or to be able to hold or contain

●Limestone is known to retain moisture.

3. To remember , keep in mind

●I find it very difficult to retain facts.

4. To hire (an attorney, etc) by the payment of a fee

5. To keep in one's service or pay

●It's increasingly difficult to recruit and retain good staff.

12. adroit skillful, a- (ad-, towards) + droit (right)

adj. quick in thought or reaction, clever, skilful, resourceful, or ingenious, esp. in arguments under pressing conditions

●an adroit negotiator

adj. expert in using the hands or body; nimble, skilful, dexterous, and deft

adv. adroitly n. adroitness

Reference:

He nodded his head to and fro significantly, opened the door with an adroit movement, and stepped out with a lightness unexpected at his age. from Night and Day by Virginia Woolf

13. maneuver manual work, to work by hand, manū-(hand)

●►Spelling: manoeuvre (BE) ; maneuver (AE)

1 vi.& vt. to move or turn skillfully, esp. sth. large and heavy:

●She managed to maneuver expertly into the parking space.

●Josh maneuvered himself out of bed and hobbled to the door.

2 vi.& vt. to use cleverly planned and often dishonest methods to get the result that you want

●It was a well-organized plan to maneuver company president John Woolford out of office.

n. maneuvers军事演习

14. unleash

v.t. to release from or as if from a leash or restraint; let loose.

●To unleash the guard dogs

●To unleash his pent-up rage (uncork his anger)

Synonyms:

●Let go of the door handle, please!

●Relinquish your grip on the rope — you won't fall

Reference:

Cheering crowds. Weeping women. Strong situation. I unleash the Press-agent, and off he shoots, in time to get the story into the evening paper.

15. service v.

●[usu. passive] To make fit for use; adjust, repair, or maintain

●I'm having the car serviced next week.

●To provide services to schools that service local communities

●To pay the interest on a debt

●To service a debt/loan