StanLey's English Notes

1.deft (adj.) 

characterized by facility and skill

The photographer is known for her deft use of lighting. ; 

2.bravura(adj.)

a musical passage requiring exceptional agility and technical skill in execution; a show of daring or brilliance

3.treacherous(adj.)

characterized by or manifesting treachery ; likely to betray trust ; providing insecure footing or support a treacherous act of betrayal ; 

They were not prepared to hike over such treacherous terrain.

4.invincible(adj.)

incapable of being conquered, overcome, or subdued

The loss proved that the team is not invincible.

5.progeny(n.) 

descendants, children ; offspring of animals or plants

Many Americans are the progeny of immigrants. ; The small plants are the progeny of an oak tree. 

6.indigenous(adj.)

produced, growing, living, or occurring naturally in a particular region or environment.

There are several indigenous groups that still live in the area.

7.forebear(n.)

His forebears fought in the American Civil War.

8.demolish(v.)

tear down ; to break to pieces ; to do away with ; to strip of any pretense of merit or credence 

The old factory was demolished to make way for a new parking lot.

9.guile(n.) 

deceitful cunning ; stratagem, trick 

He persuaded her to sign the document by guile. 

10.rcruit(v.)

to find new people to join a company, an organization, the armed forces, etc. ; to persuade somebody to do something, especially to help you ; to form a new army, team, etc. by persuading new people to join it 

We are aggresively recruiting international students. 

11.harpoon(n.) 

a barbed spear or javelin used especially in hunting large fish or whales 

12.hapless(adj.)

having no luck 

She plays the hapless heroine who is unlucky in love. ; 

13.magnanimous(adj.)

showing or suggesting a lofty and courageous spirit ; showing or suggesting nobility of feeling and generosity of mind

She was too magnanimous to resent all the things others had said to her.

14.converge(v.)

to move towards a place from different directions and meet to form a large crowd ; to move towards each other and meet at a point

The two rivers converge into one near Taipei.

15.exasperation(n.) 

the state of being exasperated ; the act or an instance of exasperating

They had all experienced the exasperation and frustration of holiday shopping.

16.anthropocentric(adj.)

considering human beings as the most significant entity of the universe ; interpreting or regarding the world in terms of human values and experiences 

17.allegiance(n.) 

loyalty and support: 

He owes allegiance to them for all the help they have given him. ; Both candidates are working hard to convince voters to switch allegiances. 

18.fir(n.) 

any of a genus (Abies) of north temperate evergreen trees of the pine family that have flattish leaves, circular leaf scars, and erect female cones and are valued for their wood; also : any of various conifers (as the Douglas fir) of other genera 

A fir is an evergreen tree with needlelike leaves that grows especially in cold areas.

19.slight(v.)

to treat as slight or unimportant ; to treat with disdain or indifference 

I'm sure he didn't mean to slight you. ; He was slighted by his colleagues.

20.excel(v.)

to be superior to : surpass in accomplishment or achievement 

She excels everyone else in sports.

21.hapless(adj.)

having no luck 

She plays the hapless heroine who is unlucky in love. ; 

22.overturn(v.)

if something overturns, or if somebody overturns it, it turns upside down or on its side ; to officially decide that a legal decision etc. is not correct, and to make it no longer valid 

The car skidded and overturned, trapping the driver inside.

23.supremacy(n.) 

a position in which you have more power, authority or status than anyone else

The board of trustees has established their supremacy over the president.

24.intricate(adj.)

having many complexly interrelating parts or elements ; difficult to resolve or analyze

The movie has an intricate plot.

25.deceit(n.) 

the act or practice of deceiving ; an attempt or device to deceive ; the quality of being deceitful 

She is incapable of deceit.