something that a person has said or written that is very true or very wise.
dunce
[ˈdən(t)s]
An unintelligent person.
statesman
[ˈstāts-mən]
an experienced politician, especially one who is respected for making good judgments.
loophole
[ˈlüp-ˌhōl]
a small mistake in an agreement or law that gives someone the chance to avoid having to do something.
chorus
[ˈkȯr-əs]
A group of singers and dancers in the religious festivals of ancient Greece.
marble
[ˈmär-bəl]
A rock of crystalline limestone.
figurine
[ˌfi-g(y)ə-ˈrēn]
a small statue of a person or an animal.
zircon
[ˈzər-ˌkän]
A mineral occurring in tetragonal crystals, usually of a brown or grey colour and consisting of silica and zirconia.
furrier
[ˈfər-ē-ər]
A person who sells, makes, repairs, alters, cleans, or otherwise deals in clothing made of fur.
dye
[ˈdī]
to change the colour of something using a special liquid.
syrup
[ˈsər-əp]
Any thick liquid that has a high sugar content and which is added to or poured over food as a flavouring.
venture
[ˈven(t)-shər]
A risky or daring undertaking or journey.
camouflage
[ˈka-mə-ˌfläzh]
A disguise or covering up.
drench
[ˈdrench]
to make someone or something extremely wet.
entrap
[in-ˈtrap]
To catch in a trap or snare.
snooty
[ˈsnü-tē]
Pompous; snobbish; inclined to turn up one's nose
forerunner
[ˈfȯr-ˌrə-nər]
something or someone that acts as an early and less advanced model for what will appear in the future, or a warning or sign of what is to follow.
constellation
[ˌkän(t)-stə-ˈlā-shən]
An asterism, an arbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it, especially one officially recognised by astronomers.
astrologer
[ə-ˈsträ-lə-jər]
someone who studies astrology and uses it to tell people how they believe it will affect their lives.
detest
[di-ˈtest]
To dislike intensely; to loathe.
loathe
[ˈlōt͟h]
To detest, hate, revile.
semiprofessional
[ˌse-mē-prə-ˈfe-sh(ə-)nəl]
People who are semi-professional are paid for an activity that they take part in but do not do all the time..
churn
[ˈchərn]
to produce large amounts of something quickly, usually something of low quality.
cadre
[ˈka-ˌdrā]
a small group of trained people who form the basic unit of a military, political, or business organization.
plotter
[ˈplä-tər]
someone who makes a secret plan to do something wrong, harmful, or illegal.
devotional
[di-ˈvō-sh(ə-)nəl]
connected with the act of religious worship.
astound
[ə-ˈstau̇nd]
To astonish, bewilder or dazzle.
phony
[ˈfō-nē]
not real or true; false, and trying to trick people.
establishment
[i-ˈsta-blish-mənt]
The act of establishing; a ratifying or ordaining; settlement; confirmation.
institute
[ˈin(t)-stə-ˌtüt]
to start or cause a system, rule, legal action, etc. to exist.
pocket
[ˈpä-kət]
a group, area, or mass of something that is separate and different from what surrounds it.
chisel
[ˈchi-zᵊl]
a tool with a long metal blade that has a sharp edge for cutting wood, stone, etc.
principal
[ˈprin(t)-s(ə-)pəl]
first in order of importance.
dedication
[ˌde-di-ˈkā-shən]
a statement that says in whose honour something has been written, made, performed, etc.
testimony
[ˈte-stə-ˌmō-nē]
Statements made by a witness in court.
roulette
[rü-ˈlet]
A game of chance, in which a small ball is made to move round rapidly on a circle divided off into numbered red and black spaces, the one on which it stops indicating the result of a variety of wagers permitted by the game.
logjam
[ˈlȯg-ˌjam]
An excess of logs being conveyed on a river, so that their motion halts.
kneel
[ˈnēl]
To rest on one's bent knees, sometimes only one; to move to such a position.
scrape
[ˈskrāp]
A broad, shallow injury left by scraping (rather than a cut or a scratch).
disruption
[dis-ˈrəp-shən]
significant change to an industry or market due to innovation (= new ideas or methods) in technology.
clutch
[ˈkləch]
The claw of a predatory animal or bird.
pulley
[ˈpu̇-lē]
a wheel or set of wheels over which a rope or chain is pulled in order to lift or lower heavy objects.
lever
[ˈle-vər]
a bar or handle that moves around a fixed point, so that one end of it can be pushed or pulled in order to control the operation of a machine or move a heavy or stiff object.
deprive
[di-ˈprīv]
To take something away from (someone) and keep it away; to deny someone something.
zest
[ˈzest]
enthusiasm, eagerness, energy, and interest.
dusk
[ˈdəsk]
A period of time at the end of day when the sun is below the horizon but before the full onset of night, especially the darker part of twilight.
raisin
[ˈrā-zᵊn]
A dried grape.
funnel
[ˈfə-nᵊl]
a device that is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, used for pouring liquids or powders into a small opening.
mountainous
[ˈmau̇n-tə-nəs]
Having many mountains; characterized by mountains; of the nature of a mountain; rough (terrain); rocky.
gravel
[ˈgra-vəl]
Small fragments of rock, used for laying on the beds of roads and railways, and as ballast.
cucumber
[ˈkyü-(ˌ)kəm-bər]
a long vegetable with dark green skin that is light green inside, usually eaten raw.
defiance
[di-ˈfī-ən(t)s]
behaviour in which you refuse to obey someone or something.
pneumatic
[nu̇-ˈma-tik]
filled with air.
sterile
[ˈster-əl]
Unable to reproduce (or procreate).
uranium
[yu̇-ˈrā-nē-əm]
a chemical element that is a heavy, radioactive metal, used in the production of nuclear power and in some types of nuclear weapon.
petroleum
[pə-ˈtrō-lē-əm]
a dark, thick oil obtained from under the ground, from which various substances including petrol, paraffin, and diesel oil are produced.
replenish
[ri-ˈple-nish]
To refill; to renew; to supply again or to add a fresh quantity to.
waterworks
[ˈwȯ-tər-ˌwərks]
The water supply system of a town etc., including reservoirs, pumps and pipes.
breastplate
[ˈbres(t)-ˌplāt]
A piece of armor that covers the chest.
bestow
[bi-ˈstō]
to give something as an honour or present.
tantrum
[ˈtan-trəm]
An often childish display or fit of bad temper.
frontier
[ˌfrən-ˈtir]
The part of a country which borders or faces another country or unsettled region