IELTS Vocabulary Part – 215

Abjure – to say formally or publicly that you no longer agree with a belief or way of behaving.

Sentence – If you abjure something such as a belief or way of life, you state publicly that you will give it up or that you reject it.

Abrogate – to end a law, agreement, or custom formally.

Sentence – Largely as a result of these influential criticisms, the law was altered so that the requirement of intent was abrogated.

Acumen – skill in making correct decisions and judgments in a particular subject, such as business or politics.

Sentence – Our focus is on the convergence of business acumen, strategy, technology directions, and capital requirements.

Adumbrate – to give only the main facts and not the details about something, especially something that will happen in the future.

Sentence – In this chapter, however, we want to adumbrate the principal features of the continuum view of non-linear viscoelasticity.

Alacrity – speed and eagerness.

Sentence – Once in government in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Hall’s deregulatory message was taken up with alacrity.

Anathema – something that is strongly disliked or disapproved of.

Sentence – Specialists and careful empathic care are anathema to the bottom line, the chief concern of the managed-care companies.

Antipathy – a feeling of strong dislike, opposition, or anger.

Sentence – This reflects the antipathy towards industry and commerce from traditionally educated, liberal-humanist teachers.

Approbation – approval or agreement, often given by an official group.

Sentence – For some time, however, teaching was supplemented, with the College’s approbation, in three main fields.

Arrogate – to take something without having the right to do so.

Sentence – Governments should not be deluded into thinking that they can arrogate to themselves powers that they do not and can not possess.

Ascetic – avoiding physical pleasures and living a simple life, often for religious reasons.

Sentence – The church itself became a two-class system: the ascetic monasteries versus the more worldly regular clergy.

Assiduous – showing hard work, care, and attention to detail.

Sentence – He delighted in the young and was assiduous in attendance at the Oxford Union, where he was senior librarian.

Boon- something that is very helpful and improves the quality of life.

Sentence – This service has been a boon to all who use it, pensioners, disabled and able-bodied residents.

Brusque – quick and rude in manner or speech.

Sentence – Alienated by his brusque personality, many administration members and close Bush associates had made clear their reluctance to serve under him.

Burnish – If you burnish something such as your public image, you take action to improve it and make it more attractive.

Sentence – It was the fourth consecutive last-place finish for LaGuardia, a congested airport in the borough of Queens which is plagued by delays but hopes to burnish its image with new high-profile restaurants.

Buttress – astructure made of stone or brick that sticks out from and supports a wall of a building.

Sentence – It was a dead sheep, caught on the buttress of the bridge, and its dark-swollen face was fish-nibbled.

Cajole – to persuade someone to do something they might not want to do, by pleasant talk and (sometimes false) promises.

Sentence – She favours carrots and sticks to cajole Iran and North Korea into abandoning their nuclear ambitions.

Calumny – (the act of making) a statement about someone that is not true and is intended to damage the reputation of that person.

Sentence – Act uprightly, and despise calumny. Dirt may stick to mud wall , but not polish’d marble.