permeate (formal) – to spread through something and be present in every part of it:
- Dissatisfaction with the government seems to have permeated every section of society.
gauge (US also gage) – to make a judgment about something, usually people's feelings:
- A poll was conducted to gauge consumers' attitudes.
compatible – C1 able to exist, live together, or work successfully with something or someone
else:
- It was when we started living together that we found we just weren't compatible.
obsession – B2 something or someone that you think about all the time:
- an unhealthy obsession with death
counselling (US usually counseling) – C2 the job or process of listening to someone and giving
them advice about their problems:
- a counselling service
determine – C1 to discover the facts or truth about something:
- The police never actually determined the cause of death.
lasting – continuing to exist for a long time or for ever:
- Few observers believe that the treaty will bring a lasting peace to the region.
resonate – to evoke a feeling of shared emotion or understanding; to strike a chord with
someone; to be deeply meaningful or significant:
- The speech about equality and justice resonated deeply with the audience, sparking a
wave of applause and affirmation.
sceptical UK (US skeptical) – C2 doubting that something is true or useful:
- Many experts remain sceptical about/of his claims.
convincing – C1 able to make you believe that something is true or right:
- a convincing argument/explanation; convincing evidence
claim – C1 a statement that something is true or is a fact, although other people might not
believe it:
- He said the police assaulted him while he was in custody, a claim that the police deny.
primary – B2 more important than anything else; main:
- The Red Cross's primary concern is to preserve and protect human life.
pit sb/sth against sb/sth – to cause one person, group, or thing to fight against or be in
competition with another:
- It was a bitter civil war, that pitted neighbour against neighbour.
trade-off – a situation in which you balance two opposing situations or qualities:
- There is a trade-off between doing the job accurately and doing it quickly.
cultivate – C2 to try to develop and improve something:
- She has cultivated an image as a tough negotiator.
autonomy – the ability to make your own decisions without being controlled by anyone else
oversight – a mistake made because of a failure to notice something:
- They claimed it was simply (an) oversight.
stem from sth – C1 to start or develop as the result of something:
- Her problems stem from her difficult childhood.
reliance – C2 the state of depending on or trusting in something or someone:
- The region's reliance on tourism is unwise.
imply – C2 to communicate an idea or feeling without saying it directly:
- Are you implying (that) I'm fat?
metaphor – C2 an expression, often found in literature, that describes a person or object by
referring to something that is considered to have similar characteristics to that person or object:
- 'The mind is an ocean' and 'the city is a jungle' are both metaphors.
crave – C2 to have a strong feeling of wanting something:
- Many young children crave attention.
supportive – C1 showing agreement and giving encouragement:
- Doubts about the government's policies are being expressed even by people who have
been supportive of the government in the past.
