TOEFL wordlist 18

1. amble [ˈæmbl]

v. When you amble, you walk slowly and in a relaxed manner.

We ambled down to the beach.

2. dormancy [ˈdɔːmənsi]

That huge volcano erupted after twenty years of dormancy.

3. bland [blænd]

(1). adj. If you describe someone or something as bland, you mean that they are rather dull and unexciting.

(2). adj. Food that is bland has very little flavour.

This pizza tastes bland. There is not enough sauce.

4. trilogy [ˈtrɪlədʒi]

n. A trilogy is a series of three books, plays, or films that have the same subject or the same characters.

He was best known for his trilogy "Jiliu", which was written between 1931 and 1940, and included three semi-autobiographical novels.

5. auction [ˈɔːkʃn]

(1). n. An auction is a public sale where goods are sold to the person who offers the highest price.

(2). v. If something is auctioned, it is sold in an auction.

Auctions are another popular form of occasional trade.

6. chronicle [ˈkrɒnɪkl]

(1). v. To chronicle a series of events means to write about them or show them in broadcasts in the order in which they happened.

(2). n. A chronicle is an account or record of a series of events.

(3). n. Chronicle is sometimes used as part of the name of a newspaper.

His achievements are chronicled in a new biography out this week.

7. sober [ˈsəʊbə(r)]

(1). adj. When you are sober, you are not drunk.

(2). adj. A sober person is serious and thoughtful.

(3). adj. Sober colours and clothes are plain and rather dull.

On sober reflection. I don't think I really need a car after all.

8. taboo [təˈbuː]

n. If there is a taboo on a subject or activity, it is a social custom to avoid doing that activity or talking about the subject, because people find them embarrassing or offensive.

In every culture, there are topics that are taboos to talk about.

9. impel [ɪmˈpel]

v. When something such as an emotion impels you to do something, it affects you so strongly that you feel forced to do it.

Inflation impels families to cut back on spending.

10. delinquency [dɪˈlɪŋkwənsi]

(1). n. Delinquency is criminal behaviour, especially that of young people.

(2). n. Delinquency is failure to pay a debt or tax.

Juvenile delinquency becomes a serious social problem in this region now.

11. entourage [ˈɒnturɑːʒ]

n. A famous or important person's entourage is the group of assistants, servants, or other people who travel with them.

The prince and his entire entourage were allowed to go into the palace.

12. concur [kənˈkɜː(r)]

phrase. If one person concurs with another person, the two people agree. You can also say that two people concur.

Some people run after wealth in order to be happy, but wealth and happiness do not always concur.

13. ridicule [ˈrɪdɪkjuːl]

(1). v. If you ridicule someone or ridicule their ideas or beliefs, you make fun of them in an unkind way.

(2). n. If someone or something is an object of ridicule or is held up to ridicule, someone makes fun of them in an unkind way.

You can argue with reason but not with ridicule.

14. mischievous [ˈmɪstʃɪvəs]

(1). adj. A mischievous person likes to have fun by playing harmless tricks on people or doing things they are not supposed to do.

(2). adj. A mischievous act or suggestion is intended to cause trouble.

I remember Mark was pretty mischievous when he was a kid.

15. ensue [ɪnˈsjuː]

v. If something ensues, it happens immediately after another event, usually as a result of it.

If the fire wasn't put out, a disaster would ensue.

16. kindle [ˈkɪndl]

(1). v. If something kindles a particular emotion in someone, it makes them start to feel it.

(2). v. If you kindle a fire, you light paper or wood in order to start it.

Our team tried to kindle the boss's interest with the new idea.

17. lateral [ˈlætərəl]

adj. Lateral means relating to the sides of something, or moving in a sideways direction.

On the Internet there is much misleading and erroneous information about lateral thinking.

18. eradicate [ɪˈrædɪkeɪt]

v. To eradicate something means to get rid of it completely.

The campaign aims to eradicate illiteracy, which was also a part of basic education.

19. recede [rɪˈsiːd]

(1). v. If something recedes from you, it moves away.

(2). v. When something such as a quality, problem, or illness recedes, it becomes weaker, smaller, or less intense.

(3). v. If a man's hair starts to recede, it no longer grows on the front of his head.

(4). v. If your gums start to recede, they begin to cover less of your teeth, usually as the result of an infection.

Streets were overwhelmed by the flood, but fortunately the water began to recede.

20. aspire [əˈspaɪə(r)]

v. If you aspire to something such as an important job, you have a strong desire to achieve it.

There are many students that aspire to be business leaders one day.

21. canoe [kəˈnuː]

n. A canoe is a small, narrow boat that you move through the water using a stick with a wide end called a paddle.

We will go canoeing this Sunday.

22. patron [ˈpeɪtrən]

(1). n. A patron is a person who supports and gives money to artists, writers, or musicians.

(2). n. The patron of a charity, group, or campaign is an important person who allows his or her name to be used for publicity.

(3). n. The patrons of a place such as a pub, bar, or hotel are its customers.

The old man was the patron of many artists.

23. larynx [ˈlærɪŋks]

n. Your larynx is the top part of the passage that leads from your throat to your lungs and contains your vocal cords.

24. playwright [ˈpleɪraɪt]

n. A playwright is a person who writes plays.

As a playwright he wrote tragedies, comedies and historical plays.

25. contaminate [kənˈtæmɪneɪt]

v. If something is contaminated by dirt, chemicals, or radiation, they make it dirty or harmful.

They are so contaminated with lead that shouldn't be used.

26. pigment [ˈpɪɡmənt]

n. A pigment is a substance that gives something a particular colour.

The company mainly produces organic pigment.

27. salmon [ˈsæmən]

n. A salmon is a large silver-coloured fish.

28. stardom [ˈstɑːdəm]

n. Stardom is the state of being very famous, usually as an actor, musician, or sports player.

He is being groomed for stardom.

29. carnivore [ˈkɑːnɪvɔː(r)]

(1). n. A carnivore is an animal that eats meat.

(2). n. If you describe someone as a carnivore, you are saying, especially in a humorous way, that they eat meat.

Wolves are classified as carnivores.

30. expedition [ˌekspəˈdɪʃn]

(1). n. An expedition is an organized journey that is made for a particular purpose such as exploration.

(2). n. You can refer to a group of people who are going on an expedition as an expedition.

(3). n. An expedition is a short journey or trip that you make for pleasure.

His initial expedition, which sailed in 1578 with a patent granted by Queen Elizabeth, was defeated by the Spanish.

31. metropolitan [ˌmetrəˈpɒlɪtən]

(1). adj. Metropolitan means belonging to or typical of a large busy city.

(2). n. A metropolitan is an important priest in the Orthodox and Catholic Churches. He has authority over other priests and is in charge of a particular area.

While every metropolitan area has experienced some negative economic consequences from the Great Recession, not all areas have suffered equally.

32. wit [wɪt]

(1). n. Wit is the ability to use words or ideas in an amusing, clever, and imaginative way.

(2). n. If you describe someone as a wit, you mean that they have the ability to use words or ideas in an amusing, clever, and imaginative way.

(3). n. If you say that someone has the wit to do something, you mean that they have the intelligence and understanding to make the right decision or take the right action in a particular situation.

(4). n. You can refer to your ability to think quickly and cleverly in a difficult situation as your wits.

(5). n. You can use wits in expressions such as frighten someone out of their wits and scare the wits out of someone to emphasize that a person or thing worries or frightens someone very much.

(6). phrase. If you have your wits about you or keep your wits about you, you are alert and ready to act in a difficult situation.

(7). phrase. If you say that you are at your wits' end, you are emphasizing that you are so worried and exhausted by problems or difficulties that you do not know what to do next.

(8). phrase. If you pit your wits against someone, you complete against them in a test of knowledge or intelligence.

(9). phrase. To wit is used to indicate that you are about to state or describe something more precisely.

The game was a long battle of wits.

33. frivolity [frɪˈvɒləti]

n. If you refer to an activity as a frivolity, you think that it is amusing and rather silly, rather than serious and sensible.

It was just a piece of harmless frivolity.

34. seclusion [sɪˈkluːʒn]

n. If you are living in seclusion, you are in a quiet place away from other people.

He keeps himself in seclusion during his off hours.

35. edifice [ˈedɪfɪs]

(1). n. An edifice is a large and impressive building.

(2). n. You can describe a system of beliefs or a traditional institution as an edifice.

The white House is the oldest public edifice in Washington D.C.

36. constricted [kənˈstrɪktɪd]

When an asthmatic suffers an attack, the airway path was constricted, making it difficult for the person from breathing normally.

37. tundra [ˈtʌndrə]

n. Tundra is one of the large flat areas of land in the north of Europe, Asia, and America. The ground below the top layer of soil is always frozen and no trees grow there.

In the Arctic tundra, ice fog may form under clear skies in winter.

38. inception [ɪnˈsepʃn]

n. The inception of an institution or activity is the start of it.

From their inception, most rural neighborhoods in colonial North America included at least one carpenter, joiner, and sawyer.

39. authentic [ɔːˈθentɪk]

(1). adj. An authentic person, object, or emotion is genuine.

(2). adj. If you describe something as authentic, you mean that it is such a good imitation that it is almost the same as or as good as the original.

(3). adj. An authentic piece of information or account of something is reliable and accurate.

The novel is an authentic account of life in the desert.

A: I really enjoy the play. The students did a great job with the scenery. It look so authentic. I felt like I was back in the 19th century.

B: I wish you could say the same thing about the costumes.

40. meridian [məˈrɪdiən]

n. A meridian is an imaginary line from the North Pole to the South Pole. Merdians are drawn on maps to help you describe the position of a place.

41. combustible [kəmˈbʌstəbl]

(1). adj. A combustible material or gas catches fires and burns easily.

(2). adj. A combustible situation is likely to result in conflict or trouble.

Burning would also stop when  the combustible substance was emptied of all its phlogiston.

42. malnutrition [ˌmælnjuˈtrɪʃn]

n. If someone is suffering from malnutrition, they are physically weak and extremely thin because they have not eaten enough food.

Various diseases often follow malnutrition.

43. scruffy [ˈskrʌfi]

adj. Someone or something that is scruffy is dirty and untidy.

She looked a little scruffy.

44. porcelain [ˈpɔːsəlɪn]

(1). n. Porcelain is a hard, shiny substance made by heating clay. It is used to make delicate cups, plates, and ornaments.

(2). n. A porcelain is an ornament that is made of porcelain. You can refer to a number of such ornaments as porcelain.

The small shop around the corner sells various porcelain ware.

45. solitary [ˈsɒlətri]

(1). adj. A person or animal that is solitary spends a lot of time alone.

(2). adj. A solitary activity is one that you do alone.

(3). adj. A solitary person or object is alone, with no other near them.

(4). n. Solitary is the same as solitary confinement.

She enjoys long solitary walks.

46. germ [dʒɜːm]

(1). n. A germ is a very small organism that causes disease.

(2). n. The germ of something such as an idea is something which developed or might develop into that thing.

Some diseases are caused by germ-carrying insects.

47. incongruity [ˌɪnkɒnˈɡruːəti]

n. The incongruity of something is its strangeness when considered together with other aspects of a situation.

We were struck by the incongruity of the situation.

整理自《柯林斯词典》、《新东方托福词汇》，侵删歉。