modest adjective (QUIETLY SUCCESSFUL)
/ˈmɒd.ɪst/
pronunciation symbol"">/ˈmɑː.dɪst/ adj
pronunciation symbol"">/ˈmɑː.dɪst/ adjsomething."">approving not usually talking about or making obvious your own abilities and achievements
He's very modest about his achievements.
modestly
adverb."">adverb ""> /ˈmɒd.ɪst.li/ pronunciation symbol"">/ˈmɑː.dɪst-/peal verb
/piːl/ v [I]
When bells peal, they ring with a loud sound
After their wedding the bells pealed out from the tower.
peal event or thing."">noun
/piːl/ n [plural forms."">C]
•
parentof__def__is__sense_b"">a long loud sound or series of sounds, especially of laughter or thunder
Her suggestion was met with peals of laughter.
A loud peal of thunder woke him from restless sleep.
•
a long loud ring
When we heard the peal of (the) bells, we knew a truce had been declared.
irritated adjective
/ˈɪr.ɪ.teɪ.tɪd//-t ̬ɪd/ adj
/-t ̬ɪd/ adjannoyed
Ben began to get increasingly irritated by/at her questions.
irritate experience."">verb (MAKE ANGRY)
/ˈɪr.ɪ.teɪt/ v [T]
to make angry or annoyed
After a while her behaviour really began to irritate me.
irritate experience."">verb (MAKE SORE)
/ˈɪr.ɪ.teɪt/ v [T]
to make sore or painful
At first my contact lenses irritated my eyes.
gleam verb
/gliːm/ v [I]
•
to produce or reflect a small, bright light
He polished the table until it gleamed.
•
parentof__def__is__sense_b"">When eyes gleam, they shine in a way that expresses a particular emotion
His eyes gleamed with/in triumph.
gleam noun
/gliːm/ n [C usually used in the singular form."">usually singular]
when something gleams
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."">adverb ""> /ɪmˈpen.ɪ.trə.bli/demandedabrupt adjective (SUDDEN)
/əˈbrʌpt/ adj
parentof__def__is__sense_b"">describes something that is sudden and unexpected, and often unpleasant
an abrupt change/movement
Our conversation came to an abrupt end when George burst into the room.
The road ended in an abrupt (= sudden and very steep) slope down to the sea.
abruptly
adverb."">adverb/əˈbrʌpt .li/ adv
abruptness
noun ""> /əˈbrʌpt .nəs/ n [with no plural form. Cannot be used with 'a', 'an', or 'one'."">U]abrupt adjective (UNFRIENDLY)
/əˈbrʌpt/ adj
parentof__def__is__sense_b"">using too few words when talking, in a way that seems rude and unfriendly
an abrupt manner/reply
He is sometimes very abrupt with clients.
abruptly
adverb."">adverb/əˈbrʌpt .li/ adv
abruptness
noun ""> /əˈbrʌpt .nəs/ n [with no plural form. Cannot be used with 'a', 'an', or 'one'."">U]toss verb (MOVE)
/tɒs//tɑːs/ v
/tɑːs/ v[T] If you toss your hair or a part of your body you move it up and back suddenly
She tossed her head in annoyance.
She tossed back her hair.
toss and turn
[I] to move about from side to side or turn a lot in bed, especially because you cannot sleep
I was tossing and turning all night.
sink verb (GO DOWN BELOW)
/sɪŋk/ v (sank or US ALSO sunk, sunk)
[I or object."">T] to (cause something or someone to) go down below the surface or to the bottom of a liquid or softsubstance
The Titanic was a passenger ship which sank (to the bottom of the ocean) in 1912.
The legs of the garden chair sank into the soft ground.
Enemy aircraft sank two battleships.
The dog sank her teeth into (= bit) the ball and ran off with it.
See also: sunken
contemplation noun
/ˌkɒn.təmˈpleɪ.ʃən//ˌkɑːn.t ̬əm-/ n [ be used with 'a', 'an', or 'one'."">U]
/ˌkɑːn.t ̬əm-/ n [ be used with 'a', 'an', or 'one'."">U]when you spend time thinking about something in a serious and quiet way
She was staring out over the lake, lost in contemplation.
The nuns have an hour for silent contemplation every morning.
contemplative
adjective/kənˈtem.plə.tɪv/ pronunciation symbol"">/-t ̬ɪv/ adj
pronunciation symbol"">/-t ̬ɪv/ adjHer mood was calm and contemplative.
contemplatively
adverb "">/kənˈtem.plə.tɪv.li/ pronunciation symbol"">/-t ̬ɪv-/arouse verb
/əˈraʊz/ v [T]
•
to cause someone to have a particular feeling
It's a subject which has aroused a lot of interest.
Our suspicions were first aroused when we heard a muffled scream.
See also: rouse
queer adjective (STRANGE)
/kwɪər//kwɪr/ adj
/kwɪr/ adjold-fashioned strange, unusual or not expected
What a queer thing to say!
I'm feeling rather queer (= ill), may I sit down?
queer experience."">verb
/kwɪər//kwɪr/ v UK relaxed situations, for example with friends and family. Used more in speech.">informal
/kwɪr/ v UK relaxed situations, for example with friends and family. Used more in speech.">informalqueer sb's pitch
to spoil a chance or an opportunity for someone, often on purpose
If she asks Ian for a pay rise before I do, it will probably queer my pitch.
earnest adjective
/ˈɜː.nɪst//ˈɝː-/ adj
/ˈɝː-/ adjserious or determined, especially too serious and unable to find your own actions funny
He was a very earnest young man.
in deadly earnest
completely serious
These fanatics are in deadly earnest when they say they want to destroy all forms of government.
in earnest
When something begins in earnest, it has already started but is now being done in a serious and complete way
The election campaign has begun in earnest.
be in earnest
to be speaking honestly
parentof__eg__is__examp__firstchild"">I thought he was joking - I didn't realize he was in earnest.
earnestly
adverb."">adverb/ˈɜː.nɪst.li/ pronunciation symbol"">/ˈɝː-/ adv
pronunciation symbol"">/ˈɝː-/ advearnestness
noun /ˈɜː.nɪst .nəs/ pronunciation symbol"">/ˈɝː-/ n [ be used with 'a', 'an', or 'one'."">U]
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