alter

verb

UK  /ˈɒl.tər/ US  /ˈɑːl.tɚ/

to change something, usually slightly, or to cause the characteristics of something to change

We've had to alter some of our plans.

I took the coat back to the shop to have it altered.

bleed

verb

UK  /bliːd/ US  /bliːd/

Your arm is bleeding.

He was bleeding heavily.

blush

verb [ I ]

UK  /blʌʃ/ US  /blʌʃ/

I blush to think of what a fool I made of myself.

I always blush when I speak in public.

collapse

verb

UK  /kəˈlæps/ US  /kəˈlæps/

Thousands of buildings collapsed in the earthquake.

The chair collapsed under her weight.

He collapsed and died of a heart attack.

Lots of people lost their jobs when the property market collapsed.

Negotiations between the two countries are on the brink/verge of collapse

He suffered a mental/nervous collapse after ten years' teaching.

He sings a drinking song as the bridge collapses.

consist in sth

The beauty of air travel consists in its speed and ease.

For her, happiness consists in watching television and reading magazines.

consist of sth

The team consists of four Europeans and two Americans.

It's a simple dish to prepare, consisting mainly of rice and vegetables.

decay

verb

UK  /dɪˈkeɪ/ US  /dɪˈkeɪ/

Sugar makes your teeth decay.

Pollution has decayed the surface of the stonework on the front of the cathedral.

activation

noun [ U ]

UK  /ˌæk.tɪˈveɪ.ʃən/ US  /ˌæk.təˈveɪ.ʃən/

The accident was caused by the unneccessary activation of a fire extinguisher.

A mayday call may result in the activation of a lifeboat.

Type the activation code into your new phone.

You will be sent an account activation email.

The false activation of an alarm is a serious matter.

external

adjective

UK  /ɪkˈstɜː.nəl/ US  /ɪkˈstɝː.nəl/

This cream is for external use only (= it must not be put inside the body).

the external walls of the house

You shouldn't judge people by their external appearances (= what they appear to be like).

pursue

verb [ T ]

UK  /pəˈsjuː/ US  /pɚˈsuː/

She said that she was tired of being pursued by crowds of journalists.

He ran down the street, hotly pursued by two police officers.

I don't think we should pursue this matter any further.

I don't think this idea is worth pursuing any further.

He's been pursuing her for months and yet she's so clearly not interested.

He decided to pursue a career in television.

She is ruthless in pursuing her goals.

disrupt

verb [ T ]

UK  /dɪsˈrʌpt/ US  /dɪsˈrʌpt/

Heavy snow disrupted travel into the city this morning.

Her speech was disrupted by a jeering group of protesters at the front of the crowd.

thwart

verb [ T ]

UK  /θwɔːt/ US  /θwɔːrt/

Our holiday plans were thwarted by the airline pilots' strike

narrative

noun [ C or U ]   formal

UK  /ˈnær.ə.tɪv/ US  /ˈner.ə.t̬ɪv/

Here, for example, she examines the conversion narratives of those who joined the organisation.

Ex clusive

adjective (ONLY FOR SOME)

UK  /ɪkˈskluː.sɪv/ US  /ɪkˈskluː.sɪv/

This room is for the exclusive use of guests.

an exclusive interview

an exclusive private club

The two channels are fighting for exclusive rights to cover the championship.

There is a danger of being exclusive if you're not willing to be flexible about different styles of worship.

Is the total exclusive of service charges?

Some people think that uncontrolled economic growth and environmental stability are mutually exclusive.

Flex i ble

adjective

UK  /ˈflek.sə.bəl/ US  /ˈflek.sə.bəl/

My schedule is flexible - I could arrange to meet with you any day next week.

"If they're flexible, we're flexible", the official was quoted as saying.

The constitution is flexible enough to change as the organization develops.

Dancers and gymnasts need to be very flexible

To this end, they can use the plans and specifications provided by the architect as a flexible guideline for the application of their own technologies.

Our goal is to develop a generally applicable feedback method that is better suited for the flexible automation of microassembly processes.

The key features of the model are: flexible: it supports varying degrees of trust and access to resources.

Fi ni te

adjective(LIMITED)

UK  /ˈfaɪ.naɪt/ US  /ˈfaɪ.naɪt/

The funds available for the health service are finite and we cannot afford to waste money.

We only have a finite amount of time to complete this task - we can't continue indefinitely.

mature

adjective

UK  /məˈtʃʊər/ US  /məˈtʊr/

He's very mature for his age.

Can we discuss this in a mature manner?

She's much more mature than her brother.

I thought his speech was very gracious and mature.

sexually mature

Do you prefer mild or mature cheddar?

Girls are said to mature faster than boys.

He matured a lot while he was in college.

The wine has been matured in oak vats.

The work would be undertaken by mature, experienced and talented students.

Se vere

adjective(VERY SERIOUS)

UK  /sɪˈvɪər/ US  /səˈvɪr/

In parts of Africa there is a severe food/water shortage.

This will be a severe test of our strength.

The headteacher spoke in a severe voice.

I don't like these severe modern buildings.

neurological

adjective

UK  /ˌnjʊə.rəˈlɒdʒ.ɪ.kəl/ US  /ˌnʊr.əˈlɑː.dʒɪ.kəl/

Alzheimer's disease is a neurological disorder.

We performed several motor behavioral tests to further clarify the neurological phenotype of these mice.

Moreover, current feelings can be linked to neurological indicators, and correlate with factors such as facial expressions.

facial

adjective  of or on the face

UK  /ˈfeɪ.ʃəl/ US  /ˈfeɪ.ʃəl/

facial hair

facial cleansers and moisturizers

facial expressions

variance

noun

UK  /ˈveə.ri.əns/ US  /ˈver.i.əns/

There has been some unusual variance in temperature this month.

I could detect subtle variances in fragrance as we strolled through the garden.

Young people's reactions to world events are often at variance with those of their parents.

velocity

noun [ C or U ]   formal speed

UK  /vəˈlɒs.ə.ti/ US  /vəˈlɑː.sə.t̬i/

vertical

adjective

UK  /ˈvɜː.tɪ.kəl/ US  /ˈvɝː.t̬ə.kəl/

standing or pointing straight up or at an angle of 90° to a horizontal surface or line

vertical lines/stripes

vertical garden

noun [ C ]

/ˌvɜː.tɪ.kəl ˈɡɑː.dən/ /ˌvɝː.t̬ə.kəl ˈɡɑːr.dən/

a wall covered with plants that are growing in containers or on special material attached to the wall, often used when there is not much space to grow things on the ground

Smaller vertical garden systems are installed on residential patios.

Architects' plans for high-rise living include vertical gardens that can accommodate forest trees wrapping round skyscrapers.

multiply

verb [ I or T ]

UK  /ˈmʌl.tɪ.plaɪ/ US  /ˈmʌl.tə.plaɪ/

In many cases parasites are incapable of surviving and multiplying in the absence of a host organism.宿主

Parasite寄生

noun [ C ]

UK  /ˈpær.ə.saɪt/ US  /ˈper.ə.saɪt/

an animal or plant that lives on or in another animal or plant of a different type and feeds from it

incapable

adjective unable to do something

UK  /ɪnˈkeɪ.pə.bəl/ US  /ɪnˈkeɪ.pə.bəl/

I think she's incapable of love.

He seems incapable of walking past a music shop without going in and buying another CD.

These domestic animals have been bred with the aim of producing milk and meat and are incapable of performing concomitant immunity.

domestic

adjective

UK  /dəˈmes.tɪk/ US  /dəˈmes.tɪk/

domestic airlines/flights

Domestic opinion had turned against the war.

The domestic market is still depressed, but demand abroad is picking up.

The reduction of crime levels is the centrepiece of the president's domestic policies.

The change will not affect the numbers of overseas workers allowed into the country as resident domestics.

Inter vene

verb [ I ] (GET INVOLVED)

UK  /ˌɪn.təˈviːn/ US  /ˌɪn.t̬ɚˈviːn/

The minister intervened personally to stop the museum from being closed.

I'd like to help but I don't have the power to intervene in this dispute.

The army's potentiality to intervene in politics remains strong.

Their only hope now is that the outside world will intervene but it is an increasingly forlorn hope.

The Bank of England intervened this morning to defend the pound .

A potential problem with the above interpretation of the results may arise with the inclusion of the backward mask intervening between the prime and target.

potential

adjective [ before noun ]

UK  /pəˈten.ʃəl/ US  /poʊˈten.ʃəl/

Many potential customers are waiting for a fall in prices before buying.

I don't feel I'm achieving my full potential in my present job.

I think this room has got a lot of potential (= could be very nice if some changes were made to it).

Mardi Gras

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mardi_Gras