befoul
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C2 verb /bɪˈfaʊl/

befoul

Meaning
to make dirty or polluted; to disgrace or corrupt
Example
The factory waste befouled the river.
C2 noun /ɪnˈtɒksɪkənt/

intoxicant

Meaning
a substance, especially alcohol or a drug, that causes intoxication
Example
Alcohol is the most commonly used intoxicant in many cultures.
C2 verb /əˈɡlɒməˌreɪt/

agglomerate

Meaning
To collect or form into a mass or group.
Example
The dust particles began to agglomerate into larger clusters.
C2 noun /ˈpɛd.ən.tri/

pedantry

Meaning
Excessive concern with minor details or rules.
Example
His pedantry made the meeting unnecessarily long.
C2 adjective /ˈdɪlətɔːri/

dilatory

Meaning
Tending to cause delay; slow to act.
Example
The committee was criticized for its dilatory response to the crisis.
C2 adjective /ˌɪndɪˈtɜːrmənət/

indeterminate

Meaning
Not exactly known, defined, or established; vague or uncertain.
Example
The project was delayed for an indeterminate amount of time.
C2 verb /aʊtˈraɪd/

outride

Meaning
to ride faster, farther, or better than someone else
Example
The young rider managed to outride his competitors in the race.
C2 noun /rɪˈpʌɡ.nəns/

repugnance

Meaning
intense disgust or strong aversion towards something
Example
She felt deep repugnance at the cruelty of the act.
C2 noun /ˌɪnsjəˈlærəti/

insularity

Meaning
The state of being isolated or narrow-minded.
Example
The insularity of the group prevented them from accepting new ideas.
C2 noun /mɪf/

miff

Meaning
A petty quarrel or annoyance.
Example
They had a slight miff over the seating arrangement.
C2 noun /ˈæpəˌθɛm/

apothegm

Meaning
A short, witty, and instructive saying or maxim.
Example
His speech was filled with apothegms about life and success.
C2 adjective /ˈrʌdi/

ruddy

Meaning
Having a healthy red color in the face.
Example
She had a ruddy complexion from working outdoors.
C2 noun /ˈnɑːstrəm/

nostrum

Meaning
a medicine or remedy, especially one that is not considered effective; a questionable solution
Example
The politician’s plan was dismissed as a mere nostrum for a complex problem.
C2 verb /ˈdɛsɪkreɪt/

desecrate

Meaning
to treat a sacred place or object with disrespect or violation
Example
The vandals desecrated the ancient temple walls with graffiti.
C2 noun /ˌɪn.ɪˈbraɪ.ə.ti/

inebriety

Meaning
the state of being drunk or intoxicated
Example
His frequent inebriety led to the loss of his job.
C2 adjective /əˈdʌltəreɪtɪd/

adulterated

Meaning
describes food, drink, or medicine made weaker or impure by the addition of another substance
Example
Authorities seized adulterated drugs from the warehouse.
C2 noun /ˈtʃaɪ.nə bɑːks/

China box

Meaning
a small evergreen shrub with tiny white fragrant flowers
Example
The China box plant produced clusters of small white flowers.
C2 verb /səˈbɔːrn/

suborn

Meaning
to bribe or induce someone unlawfully to perform an act, especially to commit perjury
Example
The lawyer was accused of trying to suborn a witness.
C2 adjective /ˌsuː.pɚˈsɪl.i.əs/

supercilious

Meaning
Behaving or looking as though one thinks one is superior to others; arrogant and disdainful.
Example
She gave him a supercilious smile as if he was beneath her.
C2 adjective /ˈkælkjʊləbl/

calculable

Meaning
Capable of being calculated, estimated, or measured.
Example
The risk involved in the project is calculable.
C2 noun /ˌluː.mɪˈnɛs.əns/

luminescence

Meaning
The emission of light by a substance not resulting from heat; a type of cold light.
Example
The luminescence of the fireflies lit up the forest.
C2 noun /ˈsɛrəf/

seraph

Meaning
An angelic being associated with light and purity, often depicted as a high-ranking angel in Christian theology.
Example
The stained-glass window depicted a seraph with outstretched wings.
C2 noun kəmˈpʌŋk.ʃən

compunction

Meaning
A feeling of guilt or moral scruple that prevents or follows the doing of something bad.
Example
He felt compunction after lying to his friend.
C2 adjective /ˈsɜːrkəmskraɪbd/

circumscribed

Meaning
restricted or limited in scope or freedom
Example
Her freedom of choice was circumscribed by social rules.
C2 verb /ˈtɛmpəˌraɪz/

temporize

Meaning
To delay making a decision or taking action in order to gain time.
Example
The politician temporized when asked about the controversial issue.
C2 adjective /ˈtriːzənəbl/

treasonable

Meaning
Relating to or involving the crime of treason.
Example
The general was accused of treasonable conduct.
C2 noun /krəˈnɒmɪtər/

chronometer

Meaning
An instrument for measuring time precisely, especially used in navigation.
Example
The sailor relied on the chronometer to determine his position at sea.
C2 noun /ˈhɛksəˌpɒd/

hexapod

Meaning
An insect or other organism with six legs.
Example
The scientist observed a hexapod crawling on the leaf.
C2 noun /ˈsɛm.ɪ.nɛr.i/

seminary

Meaning
A school or college for training priests, ministers, or rabbis.
Example
He decided to enroll in a seminary to study theology.
C2 adjective /ˈsɪmiən/

simian

Meaning
Relating to, resembling, or affecting apes or monkeys.
Example
The scientist studied the simian behavior of the chimpanzees.
C2 noun /ˈmɛzməˌrɪzəm/

mesmerism

Meaning
A state of fascination or hypnotism.
Example
The magician held the audience in a state of mesmerism.
C2 noun /ˈpælɪmpsɛst/

palimpsest

Meaning
a manuscript or document that has been written over but still bears traces of earlier writing; something reused or altered but still retaining traces of its earlier form
Example
The ancient manuscript was a palimpsest, showing faint traces of previous texts beneath the new writing.
C2 noun /hɒtʃ pɒtʃ/

Hotch potch

Meaning
A mixed dish; a hodgepodge of ingredients cooked together
Example
She made a delicious hotch potch with rice, lentils, and vegetables.
C2 verb /ˌɪn.trəˈmɪt/

intromit

Meaning
To insert or introduce something into a place or body.
Example
The doctor carefully intromitted the instrument into the wound.
C2 noun /ˈkɒliər/

collier

Meaning
a person who works in coal mines or a ship carrying coal
Example
The collier spent long hours underground extracting coal.
C2 noun /ʃɪˈfɒn/

chiffon

Meaning
A lightweight, sheer fabric often used in dresses or scarves.
Example
She wore a beautiful chiffon dress at the party.
C2 noun /ˈpæk.ɪ.dɜːrm/

pachyderm

Meaning
a large mammal with thick skin, such as an elephant, rhinoceros, or hippopotamus
Example
The zoo had several pachyderms, including elephants and rhinos.
C2 noun /fɪˈlɒl.ə.dʒɪst/

philologist

Meaning
a person who studies languages and their history
Example
The philologist analyzed ancient texts to understand language evolution.
C2 adjective /ˌɪm.pəˈfɛk.tə.bəl/

imperfectible

Meaning
Incapable of being made perfect or complete.
Example
Some human qualities are considered imperfectible.
C2 noun /rɪˈsɪdɪvɪst/

recidivist

Meaning
A person who repeatedly commits crimes, especially after having been punished.
Example
The police identified him as a recidivist who had been arrested several times before.
C2 noun /ˈmoʊlər/

molar

Meaning
A large tooth at the back of the mouth used for grinding food.
Example
The dentist had to extract his wisdom molar.
C2 noun /spjuːm/

spume

Meaning
Froth or foam, especially found on waves or liquids.
Example
The waves crashed against the rocks, leaving spume in the air.
C2 noun /ˈvɜːrbiɪdʒ/

verbiage

Meaning
Excessive use of words, often with little content or meaning; wordiness.
Example
The contract was filled with unnecessary legal verbiage.
C2 adjective, adverb /ˈsaɪdlɔːŋ/

sidelong

Meaning
Directed to the side; indirect, furtive, or not straightforward.
Example
She gave him a sidelong glance across the room.
C2 noun /ˌʃæŋɡriˈlɑː/

shangri-la

Meaning
a remote, beautiful, imaginary place where life is perfect and peaceful
Example
They described the island as a modern-day Shangri-La.
C2 noun /ˈmɪsəl/

missal

Meaning
a book containing the texts used in the Catholic Mass throughout the year
Example
The priest read from the missal during the ceremony.
C2 noun /ˌtɜːsənˈtɛnəri/

tercentenary

Meaning
The 300th anniversary of an event.
Example
The city celebrated its tercentenary with a grand festival.
C2 adjective /vaɪˈkɛəriəs/

vicarious

Meaning
experienced through the feelings or actions of another person
Example
She felt vicarious excitement watching her son win the award.
C2 noun /ˈhɔɪdən/

hoyden

Meaning
a boisterous or tomboyish girl
Example
The hoyden preferred climbing trees to playing with dolls.
C2 noun /ˌfɪziˈɑːɡrəfi/

physiography

Meaning
the study of the physical features of the earth's surface
Example
He specialized in physiography to understand the landscape of the region.
C2 noun /ˌpliːnɪpəˈtɛnʃəri/

plenipotentiary

Meaning
a person invested with full power to act on behalf of another, especially in diplomacy
Example
The ambassador was a plenipotentiary sent to negotiate the treaty.
C2 noun /ˈtrɛsəl/

trestle

Meaning
a frame or support consisting of a horizontal beam held up by two pairs of sloping legs, used especially for supporting a bridge or table
Example
The workers built a wooden trestle to support the temporary bridge.
C2 noun /ˈsɪlədʒɪzəm/

syllogism

Meaning
A form of reasoning in which a conclusion is drawn from two given or assumed premises.
Example
The philosopher explained the concept of syllogism using simple examples.
C2 noun /ˈweɪstrəl/

wastrel

Meaning
A person who wastes time, money, or resources; an idler or spendthrift.
Example
The young man was dismissed as a wastrel by his family.
C2 adjective /ˈæfəbəl/

affable

Meaning
friendly, easy to talk to, and pleasant in manner
Example
He is such an affable host that everyone feels comfortable at his parties.
C2 adverb /ˌɛkspəˈdɪʃəsli/

expeditiously

Meaning
in a quick and efficient manner
Example
The application was processed expeditiously.
C2 noun /ɪnˈtɛnʃən/

intension

Meaning
The internal content of a concept; the set of attributes implied by a word or phrase.
Example
The intension of the word 'dog' includes being a mammal and domesticated.
C2 adjective /ˈædɪˌpoʊs/

adipose

Meaning
Relating to or consisting of animal fat; fatty.
Example
The doctor explained that the tissue was mainly adipose in nature.
C2 adjective /ˌfæntæzməˈɡɒrɪkəl/

phantasmagorical

Meaning
Having a fantastic, dreamlike, or surreal appearance, often shifting or illusory.
Example
The movie created a phantasmagorical vision of another world.
C2 verb /fɔːrˈfɛnd/

forfend

Meaning
to protect or defend against something undesirable; to prevent
Example
May good fortune forfend any danger from our journey.
C2 verb /ɪˈnæmər/

enamor

Meaning
to be filled with love or admiration for
Example
She was enamored with the beautiful scenery.
C2 noun /ˈdɛkəˌlɔːɡ/

decalogue

Meaning
The Ten Commandments in the Bible; a set of fundamental rules or principles.
Example
The priest gave a sermon on the importance of the Decalogue.
C2 noun /bjuːt/

butte

Meaning
an isolated hill with steep sides and a flat top, common in arid regions
Example
The travelers could see a tall butte rising in the desert.
C2 noun /troʊθ/

troth

Meaning
Faith or loyalty when pledged in a solemn agreement or vow, especially in marriage.
Example
He pledged his troth to her before the gathering.
C2 noun /ˈklæŋər/

clangor

Meaning
A loud, resonant, and continuous noise, often metallic.
Example
The clangor of the church bells filled the town square.
C2 noun /ˈɔːriˌoʊl/

aureole

Meaning
A halo or radiance surrounding the head or body, often in religious art.
Example
The painting showed the saint with an aureole around his head.
C2 noun /mæn əv wɔːr/

Man of war

Meaning
a warship; a naval vessel equipped with weapons for warfare
Example
The man of war sailed across the ocean to defend the coast.
C2 verb /prəˈpɪʃieɪt/

propitiate

Meaning
to win or regain the favor of someone by doing something that pleases them
Example
He offered gifts to propitiate the angry gods.
C2 verb /məˈlɪŋɡər/

malinger

Meaning
to exaggerate or fake illness in order to escape duty or work
Example
He tried to malinger to avoid going to school.
C2 noun /ˈmɔːreɪz/

mores

Meaning
the essential or characteristic customs and conventions of a community
Example
Social mores often dictate how people behave in public.
C2 noun /sælv/

salve

Meaning
An ointment used to promote healing of the skin or as protection.
Example
She applied a salve to the burn on her hand.
C2 noun /ˈlɪɡ.ə.tʃər/

ligature

Meaning
A thing used for tying or binding tightly; in music/printing, two or more notes or letters joined together.
Example
The doctor used a ligature to stop the bleeding.
C2 noun /rɪˈfrɪndʒənsi/

refringency

Meaning
The ability of a substance to bend light; refractive power.
Example
Glass has a higher refringency than water.
C2 verb /ɪnˈkæmp/

encamp

Meaning
to set up or establish a camp
Example
The soldiers encamped near the river for the night.
C2 adjective /dɪˈkɔːrəs/

decourous

Meaning
characterized by propriety, good taste, and proper manners
Example
She maintained a decourous silence during the ceremony.
C2 adjective /səˈræfɪk/

seraphic

Meaning
Of or like a seraph; angelic, pure, and blissful.
Example
She gave him a seraphic smile that calmed his fears.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈfɜːrnəl/

infernal

Meaning
relating to hell; extremely troublesome or annoying
Example
The workers complained about the infernal noise from the construction site.
C2 verb /diːˈmoʊbəlaɪz/

demobilize

Meaning
To release from military service or to disband troops.
Example
The government decided to demobilize the army after the war.
C2 noun vəˈlɪʃən

volition

Meaning
The faculty or power of using one's will; the power of choosing or determining.
Example
She left the job of her own volition.
C2 noun /ˈdʒæk.dɔː/

Jack-daw

Meaning
a small gray and black bird of the crow family, known for its intelligence
Example
The jackdaw collected shiny objects for its nest.
C2 adjective /ˈɑːsɪˌfaɪd/

ossified

Meaning
Turned into bone or become rigid; unwilling to change.
Example
The company had an ossified management structure that resisted innovation.
C2 noun /ˈpriːskrɪpt/

prescript

Meaning
An authoritative rule or direction; something laid down as a command.
Example
The prescript of the organization required strict punctuality.
C2 verb əˈtɛn.ju.eɪt

attenuate

Meaning
To reduce the force, effect, or value of something; to make weak or thin.
Example
The medicine helps attenuate the pain.
C2 adjective /ˈroʊziət/

roseate

Meaning
Having a pink color; optimistic or idealistic.
Example
She looked at the future with roseate optimism.
C2 noun /bel ˈæp.əl/

Bell apple

Meaning
a tropical fruit with a crisp texture and sweet taste, scientifically known as Syzygium malaccense
Example
The bell apple tree produces beautiful red fruits that are popular in tropical regions.
C2 verb /ˈproʊtjuːbəreɪt/

protuberate

Meaning
To swell out or bulge.
Example
The roots began to protuberate from the ground.
C2 adjective /ˈvɪndɪkətɔːri/

vindicatory

Meaning
Serving to justify, clear of blame, or defend.
Example
His vindicatory remarks restored his reputation.
C2 noun /ˈpʌndʒənsi/

pungency

Meaning
The quality of having a strong, sharp taste or smell.
Example
The pungency of garlic filled the kitchen.
C2 verb /ˌriː.kəˈpɪtʃ.ə.leɪt/

recapitulate

Meaning
To summarize and state again the main points of something.
Example
The teacher asked the student to recapitulate the lesson.
C2 noun /məˈnɪʃən/

monition

Meaning
A warning or caution, often of a religious or moral nature.
Example
The priest gave a monition against dishonesty.
C2 verb /ˈfrɪzəl/

frizzle

Meaning
to fry something until it becomes crisp and curled, or to make a sizzling noise
Example
The bacon began to frizzle in the pan.
C2 adjective /ˈruːmi/

rheumy

Meaning
Watery, especially referring to the eyes.
Example
His rheumy eyes showed signs of age and fatigue.
C2 noun /ˈkɒkskoʊm/

Cockscomb

Meaning
a tropical plant with bright, velvety flowers that resemble a rooster's comb
Example
The bright red cockscomb flowers added vibrant color to the garden bed.
C2 noun /ˌdɛrɪˈlɪkʃən/

dereliction

Meaning
the state of being abandoned; neglect of duty
Example
The officer was charged with dereliction of duty.
C2 adjective /əˈmɔːrfəs/

amorphous

Meaning
Lacking a clear shape or form; without a defined structure.
Example
The plan remained amorphous and lacked concrete details.
C2 noun /ˈhæbɪtənt/

habitant

Meaning
An inhabitant; a person or animal that lives in a particular place.
Example
The habitants of the village were friendly and welcoming.
C2 noun /ˈflɪpənsi/

flippancy

Meaning
lack of seriousness; showing a disrespectful or trivial attitude
Example
His flippancy during the meeting offended his colleagues.
C2 noun /ˈɒbsɪkwi/

obsequy

Meaning
A funeral rite, usually used in plural form obsequies.
Example
The village gathered for the obsequy of their beloved teacher.
C2 noun /ˈiːɡlət/

eaglet

Meaning
A young eagle.
Example
The eaglet waited in the nest for its mother to return.
C2 noun /ˌmjuːtəˈbɪləti/

mutablility

Meaning
A misspelled form of 'mutability', meaning the quality of being changeable.
Example
The document contained the misspelled word 'mutablility' instead of 'mutability'.
C2 noun /ɛmˈpɪrɪˌsɪzəm/

empiricism

Meaning
the theory that all knowledge is derived from sense-experience
Example
Empiricism argues that knowledge comes from experience and observation.
C2 verb /ˈpɜː.fə.reɪt/

perforate

Meaning
to make a hole or holes through something
Example
The machine can perforate sheets of paper for easy tearing.
C2 verb /ɪnˈveɪ/

inveigh

Meaning
To speak or write about something with great hostility and criticism.
Example
He inveighed against the corruption in government.
C2 adjective /krɪˈpʌskjʊlər/

crepuscular

Meaning
relating to twilight or active during twilight
Example
Bats are crepuscular animals, most active at dawn and dusk.
C2 adjective /ɪˈfɛmɪnət/

effeminate

Meaning
Having traits, tastes, or habits traditionally considered feminine, often used negatively for men.
Example
The critics described him as effeminate due to his gentle manner.
C2 noun /əˌbɑː.məˈneɪ.ʃən/

abomination

Meaning
a thing that causes disgust or hatred
Example
Slavery was considered an abomination.
C2 noun /ˈblʌfər/

bluffer

Meaning
a person who pretends to be more confident, skilled, or knowledgeable than they really are; someone who deceives others by bluffing
Example
Everyone eventually realized that he was just a bluffer with no real experience.
C2 noun /bəˈθɪm.ə.tri/

bathymetry

Meaning
The measurement of depth of water in oceans, seas, or lakes.
Example
Bathymetry is essential for understanding oceanic topography.
C2 noun /ˈbɪlɪŋzˌɡeɪt/

billingsgate

Meaning
Coarse or abusive language; vulgar or offensive speech.
Example
The heated argument quickly descended into billingsgate.
C2 noun /ˈhɛklər/

heckler

Meaning
A person who interrupts a speaker with rude or aggressive comments.
Example
The politician remained calm despite the heckler shouting from the crowd.
C2 adjective /ˈwɪloʊi/

willowy

Meaning
Gracefully tall, slender, and flexible, like a willow tree.
Example
She moved with a willowy elegance across the stage.
C2 adjective /ʌnˈsʌlid/

unsullied

Meaning
not spoiled or made impure; perfectly clean or pure
Example
His reputation remained unsullied despite the accusations.
C2 verb /ˈæntɪdeɪt/

antedate

Meaning
to be earlier in time; to assign a date earlier than the actual one
Example
The manuscript antedates the modern printing press.
C2 verb /fɪltʃ/

filch

Meaning
to steal something in a sneaky or petty way
Example
He tried to filch a candy bar from the shop.
C2 verb /rɔɪl/

roil

Meaning
to make a liquid muddy or disturbed; to cause agitation or disorder
Example
The constant protests roiled the city streets.
C2 verb /ˌdɪsɪnˈhɛrɪt/

disinherit

Meaning
to deprive someone, especially a child, of inheritance or right to property
Example
The father threatened to disinherit his son for his reckless actions.
C2 adjective /ɪˈmɪsəbl/

immiscible

Meaning
Describes liquids that do not mix together.
Example
Oil and water are immiscible liquids.
C2 noun /ˈpær.əkˌsɪz.əm/

paroxysm

Meaning
A sudden, violent outburst of emotion or activity.
Example
She was seized by a paroxysm of laughter.
C2 noun ˈvaɪ.və ˈvəʊs

viva voce

Meaning
An oral examination, typically for an academic qualification.
Example
Viva Voce tests communication skills.
C2 noun /ˈreɪmənt/

raiment

Meaning
clothing, especially fine or formal wear
Example
The king wore royal raiment during the ceremony.
C2 noun /ˈpɛtjʊləns/

petulance

Meaning
The quality of being childishly sulky or bad-tempered.
Example
His petulance during the meeting annoyed everyone.