TOEFL wordlist 28

1. disciple [dɪˈsaɪpl]

n. If you are someone's disciple, you are influenced by their teachings and try to follow their example.

Martin Luther King regarded himself as a real disciple of Gandhi.

2. rekindle [ˌriːˈkɪndl]

(1). v. If something rekindles an interest, feeling, or thought that you used to have, it makes you think about it or feel it again.

(2). v. If something rekindles an unpleasant situation, it makes the unpleasant situation happen again.

Nothing can rekindle the old singer's fading passion.

3. meteor [ˈmiːtiə(r)]

n. A meteor is a piece of rock or metal that burns very brightly when it enters the earth's atmosphere from space.

Wind motion can be observed in the mesosphere by watching the trailis of meteors passing through it.

4. strap [stræp]

(1). n. A strap is a narrow piece of leather, cloth, or other material. Starps are used to carry things, fasten things together, or to hold a piece of clothing in place.

(2). v. If you strap something somewhere, you fasten it there with a strap.

This strap on my briefcase is broken.

The drum skin was tightly strapped over the circle with rawhide faces.

5. gauge [ɡeɪdʒ]

(1). n. A gauge is a device that measures the amount or quantity of something and shows the amount measured.

(2). v. If you gauge the speed or strength of something, or if you gauge an amount, you measure or calculate it, often by using a device of some kind.

(3). n. A gauge of someone's feelings or a situation is a fact or event that can be used to judge them.

(4). v. If you gauge people's actions, feelings, or intentions in a particular situation, you carefully consider and judge them.

(5). n. A gauge is the thickness of something, especially metal or wire.

(6). n. A gauge is the distance between the two rails on a railway line.

I was surprised to find that some workers didn't know how to read the rain gauge.

6. embryo [ˈembriəʊ]

(1). n. An embryo is an unborn animal or human being in the very early stages of development.

(2). adj. An embryo idea, system, or organization is in the very early stages of development, but is expected to grow stronger.

(3). phrase. Something that is in embryo is at a very early stage of its development.

The plant, as yet, exists in embryo.

7. quadruple [kwɒˈdruːpl , ˈkwɒdrʊpl]

(1). v. If someone quadruples an amount or if it quadruples, it becomes four times bigger.

(2). det. If one amount is quadruple another amount, it is four times bigger.

(3). adj. You use quadruple to indicate that something has four parts or happens four times.

The population of this country has quadrupled in the past decade.

8. quotient [ˈkwəʊʃnt]

n. Quotient is used when indicating the presence or degree of a characteristic in someone or something.

Henry got a big quotient of his mother's property.

9. reciprocal [rɪˈsɪprəkl]

adj. A reciprocal action or agreement involves two people or groups who do the same thing to each other or agree to help each other in a similar way.

The two major countries have established an important reciprocal relationship since 1980.

10. allot [əˈlɒt]

v. If something is allotted to someone, it is given to them as their share.

The government has already made policies to allot the houses in that area.

11. boycott [ˈbɔɪkɒt]

v. If a country, group, or person boycotts a country, organization, or activity, they refuse to be involved with it in any way because they disapprove of it.

The patriot called for all citizens to boycott foreign goods and support demestic ones.

12. ordinal [ˈɔːdɪnl]

The English teacher asked three students to write the special ordinal numbers in English.

13. perimeter [pəˈrɪmɪtə(r)]

n. The perimeter of an area of land is the whole of its outer edge or boundary.

Tom tried to work out how long the perimeter of this courtyard was.

14. curtail [kɜːˈteɪl]

v. If you curtail something, you reduce or limit it.

The government decided to curtail its spending on education and agriculture.

15. mimic [ˈmɪmɪk]

(1). v. If you mimic the actions or voice of a person or animal, you imitate them, usually in a way that is meant to be amusing or entertaining.

(2). v. If someone or something mimics another person or thing, they try to be like them.

(3). n. A mimic is a person who is able to mimic people or animals.

People have always been fascinated by the parrot's ability to mimic human speech.

16. critique [krɪˈtiːk]

n. A critique is a written examination and judgment of a situation or of a person's work or ideas.

We'll talk more about the requirements of the critique later in the semester.

17. viral [ˈvaɪrəl]

adj. A viral disease or infection is caused by a virus.

The cell begins to manufacture viral proteins rather than its own.

18. refrigerate [rɪˈfrɪdʒəreɪt]

v. If you refrigerate food, you make it cold, for example by putting it in a fridge, usually in order to preserve it.

Ice was used to refrigerate the meat products.

19. fountain [ˈfaʊntən]

(1). n. A fountain is an ornamental feature in a pool or lake which consists of a long narrow stream of water that is forced up into the air by a pump.

(2). n. A fountain of a liquid is an amount of it which is sent up into the air and falls back.

(3). n. If you describe a person or thing as a fountain of something, you mean they are an important source of it and supply a lot of it.

Tourism is a fountain of wealth for this country.

20. perpendicular [ˌpɜːpənˈdɪkjələ(r)]

(1). adj. A perpendicular line or surface points straight up, rather than being sloping or horizontal.

(2). adj. If one thing is perpendicular to another, it is at an angle of 90 degrees to it.

It will take extreme courage to climb up the perpendicular mountain.

21. disinterested [dɪsˈɪntrəstɪd]

(1). adj. Someone who is disinterested is not involved in a particular situation or not likely to benefit from it and is therefore able to act in a fair and unselfish way.

(2). adj. If you are disinterested in something, you are not interested in it. Some users of English believe that it is not correct to use disinterested with this meaning.

22. asthma [ˈæsmə]

n. Asthma is a lung condition which causes difficulty in breathing.

Now I want to answer a question one of you asked me yesterday about asthma.

23. mania [ˈmeɪniə]

(1). n. If you say that a person or group has a mania for something, you mean that they enjoy it very much or spend a lot of time on it.

(2). n. Mania is a mental illness which causes the sufferer to become very worried or concerned about something.

The mania for architectural reconstruction had largely subsided by the 1950s and 1960s.

24. scorch [skɔːtʃ]

(1). v. To scorch something means to burn it slightly.

(2). v. If something scorches or is scorched, it becomes marked or changes colour because it is affected by too much heat or by a chemical.

(3). v. If you scorch round a place, you move round it very quickly, either in a car or on foot.

The leaves will scorch if you water them in the sun.

25. impair [ɪmˈpeə(r)]

v. If something impairs something such as an ability or the way something works, it damages it or makes it worse.

Without regular supplies of some hormones, our capacity to bahave would be seriously impaired.

26. excavation [ˌekskəˈveɪʃn]

The excavations are open to the public.

27. creep [kriːp]

(1). v. When people or animals creep somewhere, they move quickly and slowly.

(2). v. If something creeps somewhere, it moves very slowly.

(3). v. If something creeps in or creeps back, it begins to occur or becomes part of something without people realizing or without them watching it.

(4). v. If a rate or number creeps up to a higher level, it gradually reaches that level.

(5). n. If you describe someone as a creep, you mean that you dislike them a great deal, especially because they are insincere and flatter people.

(6). phrase. If someone or something gives you the creeps, they make you feel very nervous or frightened.

I crept up the stairs in case I woke up my roommates.

28. overhaul [ˈəʊvəhɔːl , ˌəʊvəˈhɔːl]

(1). v. If a piece of equipment is overhauled, it is cleaned, checked thoroughly, and repaired if necessary.

(2). v. If you overhaul a system or method, you examine it carefully and make many changes in it in order to improve it.

(3). v. If someone overhauls a person who is ahead of them, especially in a sports competition, they pass them or become more successful than them.

The citizens demanded an overhaul of the corrupt government.

29. picturesque [ˌpɪktʃəˈresk]

(1). adj. A picturesque place is attractive and interesting, and has no ugly modern buildings.

(2). adj. Picturesque words and expressions and unusual or poetic.

The place is remarkable for its picturesque scenery.

整理自《柯林斯词典》、《新东方托福词汇》，侵删歉。