西洋文學概論～單字筆記（week7)

1.        prosperous (adj.)[ˈprɑspərəs]

    -Prosperous people, places, and economies are rich and successful.  

    Ex: This place looks more prosperous than ever.

2.        inhabitant (n.)[ɪnˈhæbɪtənt]

    -The inhabitants of a place are the people who live there.

    Ex: The inhabitant in this area is friendly.

3.        inevitably (adv.)[ɪnˈevɪtəbli]

    -If something will inevitably happen, it is certain to happen and cannot be

    prevented or avoided.

    Ex: Inevitably, Jack encounters something difficult on work. 

  

4.        stabilized (v.)[s'teɪbəlaɪzd]

    - If something stabilizes, or is stabilized, it becomes stable.

    Ex: The patient's condition stabilized this morning.

5.        amenity (n.)[əˈmɛnɪti]

    - Amenities are things such as shopping centers or sports facilities that

    are provided for people's convenience, enjoyment, or comfort.  

    Ex: A sauna in the hotel would a useful amenity.

6.        sardonic (adj.)[sɑrˈdɑnɪk]

    - If you describe someone as sardonic, you mean their attitude to people

    or things is humorous but rather critical.  

    Ex: Amy gave him a sardonic smile.

7.         vulgar (adj.) [ˈvʌlɡɚ]

    - If you describe something as vulgar, you think it is in bad taste or of poor

    artistic quality.  

    Ex: ex: Ken don’t like this vulgar house.

    - If you describe a person or their behavior as vulgar, you mean that they

    lack taste or behave rudely.  

    Ex: 'Don't be vulgar,' mother shouted.

8.        knit (v.)[nɪt]

    - If someone or something knits things or people together, they make

    them fit or work together closely and successfully.  

    Ex: The sport so great that it knits the whole family close together.

    - If you knit your brows or knit your eyebrows, you frown because you

    are angry or worried.  

    Ex: Billy's eyebrows knitted together in a little frown.

9.        bliss (n.)[blɪs]

    - Bliss is a state of complete happiness. 

    Ex: She's in bliss that she's won the lottery.

10.     crucified (v.)[ˈkru:səˌfaɪd]

    - If someone is crucified, they are killed by being tied or nailed to a cross

    and left to die.  

    Ex: He was said to have been crucified upside-down.

    - To crucify someone means to criticize or punish them severely. 

    ex: Jane was crucified by the critics for her singing.

11.     persecution (n.)[ˌpə:sɪˈkjuʃən]

    - Persecution is cruel and unfair treatment of a person or group,

    especially because of their religious or political beliefs, or their race.  

    Ex: John had fled from France at the time of the persecution.

12.     disintegrated (v.)[dɪsˈɪntɪˌgreɪtid]

    - If something disintegrates, it becomes seriously weakened, and is

    divided or destroyed.  

    Ex: The Austro-Hungarian Empire began to disintegrate in 1918.

    - If an object or substance disintegrates, it breaks into many small pieces

    or parts and is destroyed.  

    Ex: The rocks are disintegrated by frost and rain.

13.     invasion (n.)[ɪnˈveʒən]

    - If there is an invasion of a country, a foreign army enters it by force. 

    Ex: There was widespread condemnation of the invasion.

    - If you describe an action as an invasion, you disapprove of it because it

    affects someone or something in a way that is not wanted. 

    Ex: It’s illegal for an impermissible invasion of privacy.

14.     convert (n.)[kənˈvɚt]

    - A convert is someone who has changed their religious or political

    beliefs.  

    Ex: She was a convert to Roman Catholicism.

15.     basis (n.)[ˈbesɪs]

    - The basis of something is its starting point or an important part of it from

    which it can be further developed.  

    Ex:

    - The basis for something is a fact or argument that you can use to prove

     or justify it.  

     Ex: This is a common fallacy, which has no basis in fact.

16.     agriculture (n.)[ˈæɡrɪˌkʌltʃɚ]

    - Agriculture is farming and the methods that are used to raise and

    look after crops and animals. 

    Ex: The number of people employed in agriculture has fallen recent

    years.

17.     rage(n.)[reɪdʒ]

    - Rage is strong anger that is difficult to control.

    Ex: My mother’s face was purple with rage.

18.     ransom (n.)[ˈrænsəm]

    - A ransom is the money that has to be paid to someone so that they will

    set free a person they have kidnapped. 

    Ex: They have to pay a large ransom to save their daughter.

19.     plunder (v.)[ˈplʌndɚ]

    - If someone plunders a place or plunders things from a place, they steal

    things from it.  

    Ex: The invaders plunder at no allowance.

20.     sulk (v.)[skʌlk]

    - If you skulk somewhere, you hide or move around quietly because you

    do not want to be seen.  

    Ex: Harry skulked off without permission.

21.     plague (n.)[pleɡ]

    - A plague is a very infectious disease that spreads quickly and kills large

    numbers of people.  

    Ex: Plague was then prevailing in that city.

22.     assembly (n.)[əˈsɛmbli]

    -An assembly is a group of people gathered together for a particular

    purpose. 

    Ex: He waited until complete quiet settled on the assembly.

23.     reverberation (n.)[rɪˌvɚbəˈreʃən]

    -Reverberations are serious effects that follow a sudden, dramatic

    event.  

    Ex: That was a reverberation.

24.     loom (n.)[lum]

    -A loom is a machine that is used for weaving thread into cloth. 

    Ex:  Grandma will sit at her loom and weave the web.

    - If a worrying or threatening situation or event is looming, it seems likely

    to happen soon.  

    Ex: Another government spending crisis is looming in Taiwan.

25.     fury (n.)[ˈfjʊri]

    - Fury is violent or very strong anger. 

    Ex: His eyes blazed with fury.