shove verb ( PUSH )

/ʃʌv/ v

[I or T] to push someone or something forcefully

She was jostled and shoved by an angry crowd as she left the court.

Just wait your turn - there's no need to shove.

Reporters pushed and shoved as they tried to get close to the princess.

ravage verb

/ˈræv.ɪdʒ/ v [T often passive]

to cause great damage to something

The area has been ravaged by drought/floods/war.

ravages plural noun

/ˈræv.ɪ.dʒɪz/ n

the ravages of disease/time/war, etc.

the damage caused by disease/time/war, etc

The ravages of the fire showed in the splintered woodwork and blistered paint of the houses.

sorcerer noun

/ˈsɔː.sər.ər//ˈsɔːr.sɚ.ɚ/ n [C]

in stories, a man who has magical powers and who uses them to harm other people

arrogant adjective

/ˈær.ə.gənt//ˈer-/ adj

unpleasantly proud and behaving as if you are more important than, or know more than, other people

I found him arrogant and rude.

arrogance noun

/ˈær.ə.gənt s//ˈer-/ n [U]

He has a self-confidence that is sometimes seen as arrogance.

arrogantly adverb

/ˈær.ə.gənt.li//ˈer-/ adv

The authorities had behaved arrogantly, she said.

despise verb

/dɪˈspaɪz/ v [T not continuous]

to feel a strong dislike for someone or something because you think they are bad or have no value

The two groups despise each other.

She despised him for the way he treated her sister.

[R] He despised himself for being such a coward.

confiscate verb

/ˈkɒn.fɪ.skeɪt//ˈkɑːn-/ v [T]

to take a possession away from someone when you have the right to do so, usually as a punishment and often for a limited period, after which it is returned to the owner

Miss Edwards has confiscated my comics till the end of term!

His passport was confiscated by the police to prevent him from leaving the country.

confiscation noun

/ˌkɒn.fɪˈskeɪ.ʃən//ˌkɑːn-/ n [C or U]

There was a record number of confiscations by customs officers last year.

impenetrable adjective

/ɪmˈpen.ɪ.trə.bl ̩/ adj

•

impossible to see through or go through

Outside, the fog was thick and impenetrable.

an impenetrable barrier

•

impossible to understand

Some of the lyrics on their latest album are completely impenetrable.

impenetrably adverb

/ɪmˈpen.ɪ.trə.bli/

mutter verb

/ˈmʌt.ər//ˈmʌt ̬.ɚ/ v [I or T]

to speak quietly and in a low voice that is not easy to hear, often when you are worried or complaining about something

Stop muttering and speak up!

He was muttering (away) to himself.

Laurence muttered something about his wife and left.

He muttered something under his breath to the person next to him.

midst noun

/mɪdst/, /mɪtst/ n [U] formal

the middle of a group of people or things

She caught sight of Johnny in their midst (= among them), laughing and talking.

in the midst of sth

in the middle of an event, situation or activity

I'm afraid I'm too busy - I'm in the midst of writing up a report.

The country is in the midst of an economic crisis.

midst preposition

/mɪdst/, /mɪtst/ prep literary

among

The summit of the mountain appeared midst the clouds.