pretentious
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C1 adjective /prɪˈtɛnʃəs/

pretentious

Meaning
Attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed.
Example
The restaurant was stylish but far too pretentious for my taste.
C2 noun /ˈvaɪkaʊnt/

viscount

Meaning
A British nobleman ranking below an earl and above a baron.
Example
The viscount inherited the estate from his father.
C1 adjective /ˈsɛn.sər.i/

sensory

Meaning
Related to the five human senses (sight, hearing, taste, touch, smell).
Example
Sensory feedback enhances the VR experience.
C2 verb /ˈfrɪtər/

fritter

Meaning
To waste time, money, or energy on trivial matters.
Example
He frittered away his savings on unnecessary gadgets.
C1 adjective /ˌɪndɪˈskriːt/

indiscreet

Meaning
Not careful in what one says or does, likely to reveal secrets or offend.
Example
It was indiscreet of him to mention the plan in public.
C2 noun /ˈmɔɪəti/

moiety

Meaning
One of two equal parts; a half or portion.
Example
The estate was divided into two moieties between the heirs.
C1 adjective /ˌʌnfɔːrθˈkʌmɪŋ/

unforthcoming

Meaning
Not willing to talk or provide information; uncooperative.
Example
The witness was unforthcoming about what he had seen.
A1 noun /ˈbrʌðər/

brother

Meaning
a male sibling
Example
My brother is two years older than me.
C1 verb /rɪˈbjuːk/

rebuke

Meaning
to criticize or scold sharply; to express disapproval
Example
The teacher had to rebuke the student for cheating.
A2 adjective ˈnɛɡ.ə.tɪv

negative

Meaning
Not desirable or optimistic; harmful or unpleasant.
Example
She had a negative attitude about the upcoming project.
C1 verb /mɔːl/

maul

Meaning
To wound or injure someone by scratching or tearing; to handle roughly.
Example
The bear mauled the camper in the forest.
C1 adjective /ˌɔːtəˈkrætɪk/

autocratic

Meaning
Relating to a ruler who has absolute power and does not consult others.
Example
The manager’s autocratic style discouraged employees from sharing their ideas.
C2 noun /əˈplɒm/

aplomb

Meaning
Complete and confident self-assurance or poise.
Example
She handled the difficult questions with aplomb.
B2 noun /ˈpaɪ.rət/

Pirate

Meaning
a person who attacks and robs ships at sea; someone who uses or reproduces copyrighted material illegally
Example
The pirate ship was spotted near the coast.
C2 adjective /dɪsˈkɜrsɪv/

discursive

Meaning
Tending to digress or move from topic to topic; lengthy and rambling.
Example
His discursive style made the lecture hard to follow.
B2 adjective ˈkɒɡnɪtɪv

cognitive

Meaning
Related to mental processes of perception, memory, judgment, and reasoning.
Example
Cognitive functions improve with practice and learning.
B2 adjective /ɪkˈsten.sɪv/

Extensive

Meaning
covering or affecting a large area; comprehensive; wide-ranging
Example
The company conducted extensive research before launching the new product.
C1 verb /ˌrevəˈluːʃənaɪz/

revolutionize

Meaning
Change (something) radically or fundamentally.
Example
Artificial intelligence is set to revolutionize the healthcare sector.
C2 adjective /ˌkrɪp.təˈɡræf.ɪk/

cryptographic

Meaning
Relating to cryptography; involving or using secret codes or ciphers for security.
Example
Banks use cryptographic technology to protect transactions.
A1 noun/verb /bæŋk/

bank

Meaning
an institution where money is kept and managed; or to tilt in movement (like an airplane or riverbank)
Example
She deposited the money in the bank.
C2 adjective /rɪˈdaʊ.tə.bəl/

redoubtable

Meaning
formidable, especially as an opponent; inspiring fear or respect
Example
She was a redoubtable leader who commanded respect from all.
B2 adjective /ˈruː.mi/

Roomy

Meaning
spacious; having a lot of room
Example
The apartment is very roomy with spacious bedrooms.
B2 noun/adjective /ˈfluːɪd/

fluid

Meaning
a substance that can flow easily, such as liquid or gas; smooth and adaptable
Example
The artist's fluid movements impressed the audience.
B2 noun ˈbɛntʃˌmɑːr.kɪŋ

benchmarking

Meaning
Comparing with a specific industry or competitor to set the best standards.
Example
Companies use benchmarking to assess their performance.
C1 noun, verb /dɪsˈɑːnər/

dishonor

Meaning
a state of shame or loss of respect; to bring shame upon someone or something
Example
The soldier felt he had brought dishonor to his family.
B2 noun ɪˈroʊʒən

erosion

Meaning
The gradual destruction or diminishing of something.
Example
Power struggles often lead to the erosion of humanity.
C1 noun /ˈhɔːl.mɑːrk/

hallmark

Meaning
a typical characteristic or feature of someone or something
Example
Honesty is the hallmark of a good leader.
A2 noun /ˈpʊd.ɪŋ/

Pudding

Meaning
a sweet dessert typically made by boiling or steaming
Example
My grandmother makes delicious chocolate pudding for dessert.
C1 noun ˌkæl.ɪˈbreɪ.ʃən

calibration

Meaning
The action or process of adjusting or determining the accuracy of measuring instruments.
Example
The accuracy of a scale depends on regular calibration.
C2 adjective /juːˈʒʊəriəs/

usurious

Meaning
Charging excessively high interest rates on loans.
Example
The bank was accused of offering loans at usurious rates.
B2 verb ˈɛkəʊd

echoed

Meaning
To repeat or resound; to be reminiscent of something.
Example
The words of gratitude echoed in his heart.
C2 adverb/adjective /lɪˈɡɑːtoʊ/

legato

Meaning
In music, played or sung smoothly and connectedly.
Example
The pianist played the passage legato, with each note flowing into the next.
C1 noun /ˈtrɪkstər/

trickster

Meaning
A person who cheats or deceives people.
Example
The old man turned out to be a clever trickster who fooled everyone.
C2 noun /ˌtrænspəˈzɪʃən/

transposition

Meaning
the act of changing the order or position of something
Example
The transposition of digits caused an error in the calculation.
A2 adjective /maɪld/

mild

Meaning
not severe or strong; gentle in nature
Example
The patient had only mild symptoms.
B2 noun /æmˈfɪbiən/

amphibian

Meaning
A cold-blooded vertebrate animal that can live both on land and in water.
Example
A frog is a common amphibian that lives both in water and on land.
B1 noun /ˈfeɪvər/

favor

Meaning
An act of kindness or approval.
Example
She asked him for a small favor.
C2 noun /ˌɪn.trəˈɡreʃ.ən/

introgression

Meaning
The transfer of genetic information from one species to another through repeated backcrossing.
Example
Introgression plays a significant role in plant breeding.
B1 noun /ˈtiː.pɒt/

Tea-pot

Meaning
a container with a lid, handle, and spout for brewing and serving tea
Example
She poured hot water into the tea-pot to make tea.
C1 verb ɪˈmɜːrs

immerse

Meaning
To involve oneself deeply in a particular activity or interest; to surround completely.
Example
Immerse yourself in the new language.
C2 noun /naɪt kwiːn/

Night queen

Meaning
a fragrant white flower that blooms at night and releases strong sweet scent
Example
The night queen flowers filled the garden with their sweet fragrance.
C1 verb /ˈvɛnəˌreɪt/

venerate

Meaning
to regard with great respect; revere
Example
People venerate saints for their holiness.
B2 adjective /ɡrɪm/

grim

Meaning
very serious or gloomy in appearance or outlook
Example
The future looked grim after the disaster.
C2 noun /ˈkæt.kɪn/

Catkin

Meaning
a drooping, often tasseled cluster of small flowers found on willow and birch trees
Example
The willow tree's catkins swayed gently in the spring breeze.
B2 adjective /ˈduː.əl/

Dual

Meaning
having two parts or consisting of two elements; double
Example
She has dual citizenship of both countries.
B2 noun /ˈpær.ə.daɪs/

Paradise

Meaning
heaven; a place or state of perfect happiness; an ideal or perfect place
Example
The tropical island was like paradise for the tourists.
C1 verb /ɪmˈpiːtʃ/

impeach

Meaning
To charge a public official with misconduct while in office.
Example
The parliament voted to impeach the president.
C2 noun /ˌluːkjʊˈbreɪʃən/

lucubration

Meaning
study or meditation, especially at night
Example
His novel was the result of long lucubration.
B1 adjective /əˈɡrɛsɪv/

aggressive

Meaning
ready or likely to attack or confront; forceful
Example
The salesman used an aggressive strategy to close the deal.
B2 adjective /lʌɡˈʒʊəriəs/

luxurious

Meaning
extremely comfortable, elegant, or enjoyable, often involving great expense
Example
They stayed in a luxurious hotel during their vacation.
C2 noun /ˈmɪn.i.ən/

minion

Meaning
A follower or underling of a powerful person, especially a servile one.
Example
The dictator was surrounded by loyal minions who carried out his orders.
B2 noun /ˈbærəl/

barrel

Meaning
a large cylindrical container used to hold liquids
Example
The wine was stored in a wooden barrel.
B1 adjective kəˈmɜː.ʃəl

commercial

Meaning
Concerned with or engaged in commerce; having profit as a primary aim rather than artistic or other value.
Example
Commercial hubs attract investments.
B2 adjective /ˌmænˈmeɪd/

manmade

Meaning
something created or built by humans rather than occurring naturally
Example
This lake is manmade, not natural.
C2 noun /ˈhaɪərlɪŋ/

hireling

Meaning
A person who works for payment only, often with little loyalty or principle.
Example
The mercenary was dismissed as just a hireling with no real loyalty.
B2 adjective /ˈwɜːrθˌwaɪl/

worthwhile

Meaning
worth the time, effort, or money spent; valuable
Example
Volunteering at the shelter was a worthwhile experience.
B2 noun /ˈdʒoʊ.kər/

Joker

Meaning
a playing card with a picture of a jester, used as a wild card; a person who is fond of joking
Example
He used the joker card to complete his winning hand in the poker game.
C1 adjective /ˈwoʊ.fəl/

woeful

Meaning
full of woe; very sad or miserable; also used to mean very bad or deplorable
Example
He gave me a woeful look when he lost the match.
B2 verb /rɪˈkɔːl/

recall

Meaning
to bring (a memory, fact, or situation) back into one's mind
Example
I can't recall the last time we met.
B2 adjective /ˈpæʃənət/

passionate

Meaning
showing or caused by strong feelings or a strong belief
Example
He is passionate about environmental conservation.
B2 adjective /ˈmɛtrɪk/

metric

Meaning
Relating to the metric system of measurement; also, a standard of measurement used to assess performance.
Example
The company tracks success using clear performance metrics.
C2 adjective /ˈprɒvɪdənt/

provident

Meaning
making or indicative of timely preparation for the future
Example
She was provident in saving money for her children’s education.
C1 noun /məˈnɒɡəmi/

monogamy

Meaning
The practice of being married to or in a relationship with only one person at a time.
Example
Many cultures encourage monogamy as the ideal form of marriage.
C1 verb /dʒɒt/

jot

Meaning
to write something quickly and briefly
Example
She jotted down his phone number on a napkin.
B2 adjective /sə'spɪʃ.əs/

Suspicious

Meaning
having or showing distrust; doubtful; questionable
Example
The police found his behavior very suspicious.
C2 noun /kənˈtɔːrʃən/

contortion

Meaning
a twisted or bent shape; the act of twisting out of the normal shape
Example
The gymnast's contortion amazed the audience.
C2 noun /ɪˈfɛmɪnəsi/

effeminacy

Meaning
The quality of showing traits traditionally associated with women, such as delicacy or softness.
Example
In ancient times, effeminacy was often criticized as a sign of weakness.
C1 noun ˌɒb.səˈlɛs.əns

obsolescence

Meaning
The process of becoming obsolete or outdated and no longer used.
Example
The rapid advancement of technology leads to the obsolescence of old devices.
C1 verb /ɡraɪp/

gripe

Meaning
to complain about something in an annoying way
Example
He is always griping about the weather.
B2 adjective /fræŋk/

Frank

Meaning
honest; open; straightforward; candid
Example
She gave me a frank opinion about my presentation.
B2 adjective ˈlɒdʒ.ɪ.kəl

logical

Meaning
Of or according to the rules of logic or formal argument.
Example
Logical circuits ensure effective computation.
B1 verb /səˈspɛkt/

suspect

Meaning
to believe that someone has done something wrong; to doubt or mistrust
Example
I suspect he is lying about his whereabouts.
B1 noun /ˈsɜːvənt/

servant

Meaning
a person who performs duties for others, especially in a household
Example
The servant opened the door for the guests.
B2 noun /ˌkɔr.əˈspɑn.dəns/

Correspondence

Meaning
letters sent or received; similarity or equivalence; communication by exchange of letters
Example
The historical correspondence between the two famous writers was recently published.
C1 adjective /ˈpɪt.i.əs/

Piteous

Meaning
deserving pity; arousing compassion
Example
The piteous cries of the injured animal moved everyone to tears.
A1 adjective /bɪɡ/

big

Meaning
large in size, extent, or importance
Example
They moved into a big house with plenty of space.
C2 noun /ˌself əˈbeɪs.mənt/

self-abasement

Meaning
The act of belittling or humiliating oneself.
Example
His constant self-abasement made others uncomfortable.
C2 adjective /ɪˈnɪm.ɪ.tə.bəl/

inimitable

Meaning
So good or unusual as to be impossible to copy; unique.
Example
His inimitable writing style made him a literary legend.
B2 verb /ˈtrɪɡər/

trigger

Meaning
To cause something to happen or start, often suddenly.
Example
The loud noise triggered the alarm system.
B2 noun /pɪtʃ/

pitch

Meaning
the quality of a sound; the level or degree of intensity; a throw or toss
Example
The singer's pitch was perfect during the performance.
C1 verb /ˈmɑːrdʒɪnəlaɪz/

marginalize

Meaning
To treat a person or group as unimportant or insignificant.
Example
The policy marginalized minority communities.
C2 noun /ˈplɛdʒiː/

pledgee

Meaning
a person to whom something is pledged or given as security
Example
The bank is the pledgee of the collateral until the loan is repaid.
B2 noun /ˌdʒʌstɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/

justification

Meaning
a reason, explanation, or excuse that shows something is right or reasonable
Example
There is no justification for such rude behavior.
B2 adjective /ɪmˈpɪəriəl/

imperial

Meaning
Relating to an empire or emperor; having supreme authority.
Example
The imperial palace was a symbol of the emperor's power.
C1 adjective /ˈtɛmpərəl/

temporal

Meaning
Relating to worldly affairs or to time rather than spiritual matters.
Example
The monk gave up his temporal possessions to live a simple life.
C2 noun /ɔːrˈθɑːɡrəfi/

orthography

Meaning
The conventional spelling system of a language.
Example
English orthography can be confusing for learners.
C1 adjective /ˈpɪθ.i/

pithy

Meaning
concise and meaningful; full of substance
Example
She gave a pithy comment that summarized the issue perfectly.
B1 noun/verb /əˈwɔːrd/

award

Meaning
a prize or recognition given for an achievement; to give a prize or recognition
Example
She received an award for her outstanding performance.
B1 noun ˈsaɪləns

silence

Meaning
Complete absence of sound; quietness.
Example
Silence filled the air near the graves.
B2 noun /ˈmʌtn/

Mutton

Meaning
meat from an adult sheep; lamb meat
Example
The restaurant serves delicious mutton curry with rice.
C1 noun /ˈɪn.tə.mə.si/

Intimacy

Meaning
close familiarity or friendship; closeness; a private cozy atmosphere
Example
The couple valued the emotional intimacy they shared more than material possessions.
C2 noun /ˈkʌvi/

covey

Meaning
a small group of birds, especially partridges or quails
Example
A covey of quails flew across the field.
C1 adjective /prəˈlɪf.ɪk/

prolific

Meaning
Present in large numbers or quantities; plentiful; producing many works, results, or offspring.
Example
The author is prolific, having written over 30 books.
C2 adjective /ˌɪrɪˈtriːvəbl/

irretrievable

Meaning
impossible to recover or regain
Example
The documents were lost in an irretrievable way after the fire.
B2 verb kənˈdem

condemn

Meaning
To express complete disapproval of; to censure.
Example
The leaders condemned the actions as inhumane.
B2 noun /stjuːˈpɪdəti/

stupidity

Meaning
lack of intelligence or common sense
Example
His stupidity caused a lot of problems for the team.
C1 adjective /ˈskrɔːni/

scrawny

Meaning
very thin and bony, often looking unhealthy
Example
The scrawny boy could barely lift the heavy bag.
B2 noun /ˈpaɪ.rə.si/

Piracy

Meaning
the practice of attacking and robbing ships at sea; the unauthorized use or reproduction of copyrighted material
Example
Software piracy costs companies billions of dollars annually.
C2 noun /vɜːrv/

verve

Meaning
Great enthusiasm, spirit, or energy in expression or performance.
Example
The actor performed his role with remarkable verve.
C1 verb /məˈnuː.vər/

manoeuver

Meaning
To move skillfully or carefully; to guide or manipulate into a desired position.
Example
The driver skillfully manoeuvered the car through the narrow street.
B1 noun /eɪdz/

aids

Meaning
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, a disease of the immune system caused by HIV
Example
AIDS is a major global health concern.
B2 noun /ˈkɑn.ʃəns/

Conscience

Meaning
an inner feeling or voice viewed as acting as a guide to the rightness or wrongness of one's behavior
Example
His conscience prevented him from lying to his parents about his grades.
B2 noun /ˈkwɔːtərˌbæk/

quarterback

Meaning
the player who directs a team’s offense in American football
Example
The quarterback threw a perfect pass.
C2 noun /ˌdɪsæprəˈbeɪʃən/

disapprobation

Meaning
strong disapproval, typically on moral grounds
Example
The policy was met with widespread disapprobation.
C1 verb /ˌriːəˈdʒʌst/

readjust

Meaning
To change or move something again in order to achieve a better fit, condition, or balance.
Example
He readjusted the chair to make it more comfortable.
B2 noun daɪˈmen.ʃən

dimension

Meaning
An aspect or feature of a situation, problem, or thing; a measurable extent.
Example
Renewable projects add a new dimension to urban planning.
C1 noun /əˈtaɪər/

attire

Meaning
Clothing, especially formal or elegant wear.
Example
She wore traditional attire at the wedding ceremony.
C2 adjective /læŋk/

lank

Meaning
Tall, thin, and often awkward in appearance.
Example
The lank teenager towered over his classmates.
A2 noun /ˈləʊɡəʊ/

logo

Meaning
a symbol or other small design adopted by an organization to identify its products, uniform, vehicles, etc.
Example
The company's logo was redesigned to reflect its new image.
A2 adjective /ˈdʒɛnərəl/

general

Meaning
Relating to all or most people, things, or situations; not specific.
Example
He made a general comment about the project.
C1 noun /ˈliːniənsi/

leniency

Meaning
The quality of being more merciful or tolerant than expected.
Example
The judge showed leniency in his ruling.
A2 noun /spuːn/

Spoon

Meaning
an implement consisting of a small, shallow bowl on a long handle, used for eating, stirring, and serving food
Example
He used a spoon to eat his soup.
C1 adjective /aɪˈreɪt/

irate

Meaning
Extremely angry.
Example
The customer became irate after waiting for hours.
C1 noun /əˌlɪtəˈreɪʃən/

alliteration

Meaning
the occurrence of the same consonant sound at the beginning of words in close succession
Example
She used alliteration in her poem to add musicality.
B2 noun /ˈfræk.ʃən/

Fraction

Meaning
a numerical quantity that is not a whole number; a small or tiny part of something
Example
Only a small fraction of the population voted in the local election.
B1 verb /dɪɡ/

dig

Meaning
to break up and move earth with a tool or machine, or with hands, paws, etc.
Example
They decided to dig a hole for the new tree.
B2 noun /kənˈsɪstənsi/

consistency

Meaning
The quality of always behaving or performing in a similar way; uniformity.
Example
Consistency in quality is key to customer satisfaction.
B2 adverb /ˈfɜ:rst hænd/

First-hand

Meaning
directly experienced or obtained; from the original source
Example
I experienced the earthquake first-hand.
C1 noun /ˈredʒ.ɪ.mən/

regimen

Meaning
A prescribed course of medical treatment, way of life, or diet for the promotion or restoration of health.
Example
A strict exercise regimen improves overall fitness.
C1 noun ˌkʌl.mɪˈneɪ.ʃən

culmination

Meaning
The highest or climactic point of something, especially as attained after a long time.
Example
The project reached its culmination after years of effort.
A2 verb /ɡriːt/

greet

Meaning
to welcome someone; to say hello
Example
She greeted her guests warmly at the door.