a. of excessive self-esteem or exaggerated dignity; characterized by pomp or stately display; ceremonious
E.g. Being pompous is one thing, having a genuine knowledge of something is quite different.
n. small horse; small glass of beer; word for word translation of a foreign language text
E.g. Rhett bought his daughter a pony to ride on.
a. mobile; easily or conveniently transported
E.g. They predict that the majority of internet connections will be by mobile communication devices closer to pocket computers than portable telephones.
n. portable case to hold loose papers; materials in such case; office or post of minister of state; a group of investments
E.g. Building a portfolio is an important step in becoming a successful writer.
v. pretend to be someone you are not; assume a posture as for artistic purposes
E.g. We don't know the woman who pose for Leonardo so often.
a. owning or mastering something; calm; collected; obsessed
E.g. He remained possessed in times of that great trial.
n. acting like a clown; dress up showily; practical joke
E.g. This kind of prank is not good for Amazon because it will scare some customers away.
n. district or division of city; place or enclosure by definite limits
E.g. Not enough paper ballots at the precinct is an administrative failure.
n. animal that lives by preying on other animals; person who robs or exploits others
E.g. The penguins eat krill and small fish, and their main predator is the seal which can take them by surprise.
n. tricky or dangerous situation; dilemma; troublesome
E.g. In our hearts we really should realize that the major underlying cause of this predicament is the American lifestyle, our excessive, wasteful habits.
a. expectable; likely; capable of being predicted or foretold
E.g. At the same time, the bank president said the money donated must be well spent, in a predictable, transparent, strategic and effective manner.
n. condition of being pregnant; fruitfulness; fertility
E.g. Besides watching your child grown, watching your wife go through her pregnancy is also an amazing, eye-opening experience.
a. expecting a baby; carrying within the body or being about to produce new life
E.g. Hossam's wife is pregnant and they have nowhere to go except waiting new baby.
a. first public performance, as of a movie or play; premier
E.g. The premiere is going to air on Wednesday, but NBC released the first episode online already.
n. having or reflecting superior quality or value
E.g. British Airways has used the lure of a free upgrade to Concorde to persuade businessmen to insist on BA premium class tickets.
n. prize or award offered free or at a reduced price after buying something else; payment for insurance
E.g. The two miners, which have major iron-ore operations in Australia, may succeed in extracting the premium from the Chinese.
a. absorbed in thought; engrossed; excessively concerned with something; formerly occupied
E.g. He had increasingly become preoccupied by the workings of business.
a. contrary to nature, reason, or common sense; ridiculous
E.g. We all know the fact that grounds for such lawsuits are often preposterous, so they just waste money of taxpayers.
a. set down as a rule or guide; certain; stated
E.g. There is no prescribed order in which assertions must be checked.
n. written instructions from doctor; written order; act of establishing official rules, laws, or directions
E.g. It won't detect prescription drugs or medication such as cold or flu tablets.
v. uphold; retain; maintain in safety from injury, peril, or harm
E.g. The doctors need to preserve and re-route those veins or both twins risk suffering a stroke.
n. machines or devices that apply pressure or print; collecting and publishing of news; journalism in general
E.g. As true as that is, protecting freedom of the press is a critically important function for our justice system.
a. honored; respected; reputed; exerting influence by reason of high status
E.g. It's still the most prestigious way to fly the Atlantic in 3 hours.
a. overconfident; going beyond what is right or proper; excessively forward
E.g. It was asked everyday of his Mid East and European trip, “Is he too presumptuous, is he trying too hard to be a rock star?"
a. not genuine or sincere; feigned; supposed; alleged
E.g. They show a pretended interest in the proceedings, we know it isn't true from beginning.
a. intended to attract notice and impress others; making unjustified claims; overly ambitious
E.g. In the old world, Munich offers the closest analogy to St. Petersburg, that not only by half-occupied areas, but by pretentious and pseudo-classic architecture.
v. induce; be greater in strength or influence; triumph; win out
E.g. I hope the country is finally turning a corner where common sense will once again prevail over the insanity of the last 30 years.
n. target of a hunt; animal hunted or caught for food
E.g. Although their main prey is the soft tissue of red corals, they eat other types of corals as well.
v. penetrate or puncture by a sharp and slender thing
E.g. He at once took a pin from his lapel and was going to prick his flesh, but Tom said: "Hold on! Don't do that."
a. belonging to an early stage; simple or naive in style; primeval
E.g. Scientists hope Contour will visit at least two comets, providing the first detailed look at the differences between these primitive building blocks of the Solar System.
n. preceding in time, importance, or urgency
E.g. The company says its number one priority is restoring profits, not gaining market share at any price.
n. special advantage or benefit not enjoyed by all; right reserved exclusively
E.g. David Beckham said it had been an honour and a privilege to have captained England.
n. act of proving; trial period
E.g. He was basically on probation from the moment he took over the chairmanship.
v. explore with tools; investigate; search
E.g. The surgeon tried to probe the wound for foreign matter before suturing it.
n. profit, money made from selling something; income arising from land or other property
E.g. The year-earlier figure reflected 89.5 billion yen in proceeds from the sale of shares, mainly those of factory-automation systems maker, Fanuc Ltd.
n. outline; biographical sketch
E.g. On Wednesday morning, a higher profile US army presence was on the streets outside the hotels where most foreigners stay.
a. clear; distinct; strongly marked; easily noticeable; spoken; voiced
E.g. So pronounced is this class distinction that some races will not go near another for fear of being polluted.
n. object placed beneath or against a structure to keep it from falling or shaking
E.g. Using our men and women in uniform as a political prop is not funny, John.
v. seek to obtain or enforce by legal action; carry out or participate in an activity; be involved in
E.g. The decision to prosecute is totally up to the discretion of the police.
n. one who carries out legal action, especially criminal proceedings; one who prosecutes any purpose, plan, or business
E.g. The prosecutor is also required to disclose evidence at trial.