Paragraphs1- 4
well-being n.
the state of feelinghealthy, happy and comfortable
e.g. People doing yoga benefitfrom an increased feeling of well-being.
We saw an improvement in thepatient’s well-being.
Synonyms:
welfare,health, happiness, comfort
ecstasy n.
suddenintense feeling or excitement
e.g. Therewas a look of ecstasy on his face.
Theywent into ecstasies over the view.
Synonyms:
rapture, elation
smotherv.
coverclosely or thickly
e.g. The cook smothered a steak with mushrooms.
The pasta was smothered with a creamy sauce.
If yousmother someone/thing with love or attention, you give them so much of it thatthey are overwhelmed.
e.g. She smothered him with kisses.
She should love them without smothering themwith attention.
lavish v.
give alot, or too much of sth.
e.g. The media couldn’t lavish enough praise onthe film.
Everythingwas lavished on her one and only child.
Derivations:
lavishness(n.), lavishly (ad.)
Paragraphs5-6
assert v.
declarestrongly
e.g. He asserts that she stolemoney from him.
The company asserts that the cuts will not affect development.
Derivations:
assertion (n.), assertive a., assertively ad.
ubiquitousa.
beingeverywhere at the same time
e.g. Hisubiquitous influence was felt by all the family.
Earth’s ubiquitous atmosphere is essential forlife.
Synonyms:
omnipresent,ever-present
Derivations:
ubiquitously (ad.), ubiquity (n.)
bedeck v.
decorate, hang ornaments ordecorations on
e.g. The hall was bedecked with flowers.
Tian’anmen Square and Chang’an Avenue were bedecked with flags.
Synonyms:
decorate,adorn, ornament
exotican.
an objectconsidered interesting because it is out of the ordinary, esp. because itoriginated in a distant foreign country
e.g. Collectorsof eighteenth century exotica are our main customers.
Derivations:
exotic (a.), exotically (ad.)
sensuality (n.)
preoccupation with, or indulgence in, sensualpleasures
e.g.He ate the grapes with surprising sensuality.
Life can dazzle with itssensuality, its color.
A little honest sensualitynever does any harm.
part and parcel
anessential part that must not be ignored
e.g. Unemployment is part and parcel of the biggerproblem — a sagging economy.
It’sbest to accept that some inconveniences are part and parcel of travel.
age-bound a.
limited in some aspect of what you can or cannot do, because of yourage (too young or too old)
e.g. A teenager may be age-bound from travelingthe world, because he does not yet have a job or money.
An old woman may be age-bound from traveling the world, because she is toofrail for flight.
taste bud n.
Any ofthe clusters of bulbous nerve endings on the tongue and in the lining of themouth which provide the sense of taste.
phenomenal a.
veryremarkable, amazing
e.g. He enjoyed phenomenal success as a race cardriver.
She hasa phenomenal memory.
The town expanded at a phenomenalrate.
Derivations:
phenomenon (n.), phenomenally (ad.), phenomenalize (v.)
Paragraphs 7-9
fastidiously ad.
withexcessive care or delicacy
e.g. She stared fastidiously at the dirty table.
He fastidiously copied every word of hisnotes onto clean paper.
Derivations:
fastidious(a.), fastidiousness (n.)
braise v.
cook(meat, fish or vegetables) slowly in a small amount of liquid in a closedcontainer
e.g. braised beef
chore n.
a hard or unpleasant task
e.g. It is a real chore to stand on line to buyfood every day.
As a child, one of my chores was to feed thepets.
contrive v.
plan withgreat cleverness
e.g.The prisoners managed to contrivea means of escape.
Hecontrived to get into the concert without a ticket.
Derivation:
contrived (a.)
deliberatelycreated rather than arising naturally or spontaneously
e.g. the carefully contrived image of family unity
Theending of the novel was a bit contrived.
palate n.
the senseof taste
e.g. We’ll have a dinner to delight the palate.
Graduallythe palate becomes educated to sweeter wines.
elusive a.
hard toexpress or define
e.g. He tried to recall the elusive thought he hadhad months before.
The meaning of the poem was somewhat elusive.
Derivations:
elusively(ad.), elusiveness (n.)
piquant a.
agreeablystrong or sharp in taste
e.g. With that piquant tomato sauce, the dishtastes much better.
Weordered a crisp mixed salad with an unusually piquant dressing.
Synonyms:
spicy,tangy, appetizing
enterprise n.
the ability to think of newactivities or ideas and make them work
e.g. Success came quickly, thanks to amixture of talent, enterprise, and luck.
We all admiremen of enterprise, energy, and ambition.
Derivation:
enterprising (a.)
