2012.09.18 TOEFL Words

voyeur /voɪˈɚ/ noun

plural voyeurs

[count] 1 : a person who gets sexual pleasure from secretly watching other people have sex

2 : a person who likes seeing and talking or writing about something that is considered to be private
▪ political voyeurs

— voyeurism /voɪˈɚrɪzəm/ noun [noncount]
▪ the cheap voyeurism of reality television shows

— voyeuristic /ˌvojɚˈɪstɪk/ adjective [more voyeuristic; most voyeuristic]
▪ voyeuristic pleasures

docile /ˈdɑ:səl, Brit ˈdəʊˌsaɪl/ adjective

[more docile; most docile] : easily taught, led, or controlled
▪ His students were docile and eager to learn.  

▪ a docile, well-behaved pet

— docilely adverb
▪ The horses behaved docilely.

— docility /dɑˈsɪləti, Brit dəʊˈsɪləti/ noun [noncount]
▪ This breed is known for its gentleness and docility.

 

vitiate /ˈvɪʃiˌeɪt/ verb

vitiates; vitiated; vitiating

[+ obj] formal : to make (something) less effective : to ruin or spoil (something)
▪ The impact of the film was vitiated by poor acting.

narrative /ˈnerətɪv/ noun plural narratives

[count] formal : a story that is told or written
▪ He is writing a detailed narrative of his life on the island.  

▪ People have questioned the accuracy of his narrative.  

▪ fictional narratives

 narrative adjective  always used before a noun

1 : of or relating to the process of telling a story
▪ her narrative style/technique [=the way she tells a story]

2 : having the form of a story
▪ a narrative poem

derision /dɪˈrɪʒən/ noun

[noncount] formal : the feeling that people express when they criticize and laugh at someone or something in an insulting way
▪ yells of derision  

▪ The governor's plan was greeted with derision [=ridicule] by most journalists and pundits.  

▪ One of the students laughed/snorted in derision at my error.  

▪ The team's awful record has made it an object of derision in the league.  

▪ “Nerd” is a term of derision.

— derisive /dɪˈraɪsɪv/ adjective [more derisive; most derisive]
▪ derisive [=scornful] laughter  

▪ a derisive [=derogatory] term

— de·ri·sive·ly adverb
▪ laughing derisively [=scornfully]

cu·pid·i·ty /kjuˈpɪdəti/ noun

[noncount] formal : a strong desire for money or possessions : greed
▪ The evidence revealed the cupidity of the company's directors.

savory (US) or Brit savoury /ˈseɪvəri/ adjective

[more savory; most savory] formal 1 : having a pleasant taste or smell
▪ a savory aroma

2 : having a spicy or salty quality without being sweet
▪ They prepared an assortment of both sweet and savory foods.

3 : morally good — usually used in negative statements  

▪ His reputation was anything but savory. [=his reputation was unsavory]  

▪ her less savory friend

savory (US) or Brit savoury noun plural savor·ies

[count] formal : a small serving of food that is spicy or salty but not sweet : a savory food
▪ They prepared assorted sweets and savories.

rank /ˈræŋk/ noun plural ranks

1 a : a position in a society, organization, group, etc. [noncount]  

▪ people of high rank and profession  

▪ She's not concerned about rank or wealth.  

▪ Unlike in chess, all the game pieces in checkers are of equal rank. [=value] [count] 

▪ officers with the rank of captain  

▪ He rose to the rank of partner in the law firm. 

▪ He longed to join the upper social ranks.  

▪ military ranks such as private, corporal, and sergeant  

▪ He moved up/rose through the ranks to become vice president of the company.  

▪ a photographer in the front rank [=an excellent photographer]  

▪ a writer of the first rank [=an excellent writer]
b [noncount] : a high position in a society, organization, group, etc. — usually used after of  

▪ Expensive cars are sometimes seen as a badge of rank. 

▪ The guest lecturer is a novelist of rank [=of high regard; of esteem] who has won many prestigious awards.

2 ranks [plural] a : the people or things that belong to a particular organization or group
▪ A company spokesperson announced that the company will be decreasing its ranks by 200. [=laying off 200 employees]  

▪ The organization's ranks have doubled in the past two years.  
▪ The restaurant has made it to the city's front ranks. [=the restaurant is one of the best in the city] — often + of  
▪ More older adults are choosing to join the ranks of college students.  
▪ the growing/swelling ranks of vegetarians
b : the people in the army, navy, air force, etc., who are not officers
▪ The flu swept through the ranks, infecting almost every soldier. 
 ▪ Several men were selected from the ranks.

3 [count] : a row of people or things
▪ The troops stood in ranks.  
▪ Twelve soldiers stood in the front rank. — compare ⁵file

4 [count] Brit : taxi stand

break ranks also break rank

1 : to step out of a line
▪ The soldier was disciplined for breaking ranks.

2 : to no longer agree with or support a person or group — often + with 
▪ The senator decided to break ranks with others in his party and support the proposal.  
▪ One scientist has broken ranks with her colleagues and questioned the research.

close ranks

: to join together to support or protect someone or something that is in trouble
▪ The police officers closed ranks when their captain was being investigated for misconduct. 
▪ The family closed ranks to protect one of their own.

pull rank

: to use your high position in a society, organization, group, etc., to order someone to do something or to get special treatment or privileges
▪ He's their boss, but he doesn't like to pull rank (on them) if he can avoid it.

 

quisling /ˈkwɪzlɪŋ/ noun

plural quis·lings

[count] old-fashioned : a person who helps an enemy that has taken control of his or her country : traitor — often used before another noun  

▪ a quisling regime/government

 

tact /ˈtækt/ noun

[noncount] : the ability to do or say things without offending or upsetting other people
▪ The peace talks required great tact on the part of both leaders.  

▪ I was surprised by his lack of tact.

 

 

fallacious /fəˈleɪʃəs/ adjective

[more fallacious; most fallacious] formal : containing a mistake : not true or accurate
▪ a fallacious [=false] set of assumptions 

▪ fallacious [=misleading] arguments

— fallaciously adverb

— fallaciousness noun [noncount]

 trim /ˈtrɪm/ verb trims; trimmed; trimming

[+ obj] 1 a : to cut (something) off something else : to remove (something) by cutting — often + away, from, or off  

▪ She trimmed away the dead branches.  

▪ She trimmed the fat from/off the meat.
b : to make (something) neat by cutting it
▪ He trimmed his mustache. 

▪ The hedges need to be trimmed.

2 : to make the size, amount, or extent of (something) smaller
▪ They are looking for ways to trim the budget.

3 : to decorate (something) especially around the edges with ribbons, ornaments, etc.
▪ We trimmed the Christmas tree.  

▪ a pillow trimmed in/with lace

4 : to adjust (a boat's sails) in order to move faster
▪ The sailors trimmed the sails.

trim down [phrasal verb]

: to become thinner : to lose weight
▪ He trimmed down over the summer.

— trimmer /ˈtrɪmɚ/ noun, plural trimmers [count]
▪ a mustache trimmer

 trim adjective trimmer; trimmest

1 : neat and orderly
▪ a trim lawn

2 : slim and healthy
▪ She has a trim figure.  

▪ He keeps fit and trim by biking.

— trimly adverb

 

trim noun plural trims

1 [count] : an act of trimming something (such as hair) — usually singular  

▪ He went to the barber for a trim.  

▪ The lawn needs a trim.

2 : material (such as ribbons, lace, etc.) that is used for decorating something especially around its edges [noncount] 

 ▪ a skirt with lace trim 

 ▪ The house is gray with black trim. [=the pieces of wood around the doors, windows, etc., are painted black] [count] — usually singular 

 ▪ The fabric has a gold trim.

in trim: in good condition

▪ He's been exercising to get in trim for the season.

 

 

compartment /kəmˈpɑɚtmənt/ noun

plural compartments

[count] 1 : an enclosed space or area that is usually part of something larger and is often used to hold a specific thing

▪ The suitcase has a zippered compartment for personal items.  

▪ The refrigerator has a separate compartment for meats.

2 : one of the separate areas of an automobile, train, or airplane
▪ the baggage compartments  

▪ the passenger compartment 

▪ the engine compartment — see also glove compartment

— compartmental /kəmˌpɑɚtˈmɛntl̟/ adjective
▪ a compartmental design

— compartmented /kəmˈpɑɚtˌmɛntəd/ adjective
▪ compartmented metal trays [=metal trays that have separate compartments]