modus operandi noun/mds prndi/mods prndi/[singular](from Latin, formal)-(abbreviation MO)-a particular method of working-The police gave a full description of the thiefs modus operandi.in toto adverb/n tt/ (from Latin, formal)-completely; including all parts-The proposal was accepted in toto.adjourn verb/dn/[intransitive, transitive, often passive](formal)-to stop a meeting or an official process, especially a trial, for a period of time-The court adjourned for lunch.-adjourn something The trial has been adjourned until next week.-The chairman may adjourn the meeting at any time.acculturate verb/kltret/[intransitive, transitive] acculturate (somebody) (to something) (formal) to learn to live successfully in a different culture; to help somebody to do this-people who have acculturated to the United States-The course is designed to acculturate new staff.inculcate verb/nklket(formal)-to cause somebody to learn and remember ideas, moral principles, etc., especially by repeating them often-inculcate something (in/into somebody) to inculcate a sense of responsibility in somebody-inculcate somebody with something -to inculcate somebody with a sense of responsibilityanimus noun/nms/[uncountable, singular] animus (against somebody/something) (formal) a strong feeling of opposition, anger or hatredanimistic adjective/nmstk/connected with the belief that plants, objects and natural things such as the weather have a living soul-connected with the belief that there is a power that organizes and controls the universecarpe diem exclamation/kpe diem//kpe daem/an expression used when you want to say that somebody should not wait, but should take an opportunity as soon as it appearsad valorem adjective,adverb/d vlrem/(finance)(of a tax) according to the estimated value of the goods being taxedclairvoyant noun/klevnt/a person who is believed to have the power to be able to see future events or to communicate with people who are dead or far away-to consult a clairvoyantimmersion noun/mn/[uncountable]immersion (in something) the act of putting somebody/something into a liquid so that they or it are completely covered; the state of being completely covered by a liquid-Immersion in cold water resulted in rapid loss of heat.-baptism by total immersion (= putting the whole body underwater)-immersion (in something) the state of being completely involved in something-his long immersion in politics-a two-week immersion course in French (= in which the student will hear and use only French)hemisphere noun/hemsf(r)/one half of the earth, especially the half above or below the equator-the northern/southern hemisphere-In the northern hemisphere, December is a winter month.-See related entries: Other geographic regions, The Earth and the atmosphere-either half of the brain-the left/right cerebral hemisphere-the left hemisphere of the brain-one half of a sphere (= a round solid object)metacognition -awareness and understanding of one's own thought processes.-She has also examined closed-head injury with respect to working memory, metacognition , and reading ability.precognition noun/priknn/uncountable](formal)-the knowledge that something will happen in the future, which somebody has because of a dream or a sudden feelinginchoate adjectiveBrE /nkt/ , /nket/ ; NAmE /nkot/ (formal) Add to my wordlistjust beginning to form and therefore not clear or developedinchoate ideasdendrite nounBrE /dendrat/ ; NAmE /dendrat/ (also dendron BrE /dendrn/ ; NAmE /dendrn/ )(biology) Add to my wordlista short branch at the end of a nerve cell, which receives signals from other cellscompare axonsensory adjectiveBrE /sensri/ ; NAmE /sensri/ [usually before noun](specialist) Add to my wordlistconnected with your physical sensessensory organssensory deprivationconcomitant adjectiveBrE /knkmtnt/ ; NAmE /knkmtnt/ Add to my wordlist(formal) happening at the same time as something else, especially because one thing is related to or causes the otheran increase in student numbers and the concomitant increase in class sizeneuron nounBrE /njrn/ ; NAmE /nrn/ (also neurone BrE /njrn/ ; NAmE /nron/ especially in British English)(biology) Add to my wordlista cell that carries information within the brain and between the brain and other parts of the body; a nerve cellsee also motor neurone diseasenascent adjectiveBrE /nsnt/ ; NAmE /nsnt/ (formal) Add to my wordlistbeginning to exist; not yet fully developeda nascent industrya nascent democracyreplete adjectiveBrE /rplit/ ; NAmE /rplit/ Add to my wordlist[not before noun] replete (with something) (formal) filled with something; with a full supply of somethingliterature replete with drama and excitement(old-fashioned or formal) very full of foodWe all felt pleasantly replete. enable verbBrE /nebl/ ; NAmE /nebl/ Verb Forms Add to my wordlist enable somebody to do something to make it possible for somebody to do somethingsynonym allowThe software enables you to create your own DVDs.a new programme to enable older people to study at college to make it possible for something to happen or exist by creating the necessary conditionssynonym allowenable something to do something Insulin enables the body to use and store sugar.enable something a new train line to enable easier access to the stadiumsubstantive adjectiveBrE /sbstntv/ ; NAmE /sbstntv/ ; BrE /sbstntv/ ; NAmE /sbstntv/ Add to my wordlist(formal) dealing with real, important or serious matterssubstantive issuesThe report concluded that no substantive changes were necessary.arbitrarily adverbBrE /btrerli/ , /btrli/ ; NAmE /rbtrerli/ Add to my wordlistin a way that does not seem to be based on a reason, system or plan and sometimes seems unfairThe leaders of the groups were chosen arbitrarily.(formal) in a way that uses power without restriction and without considering other peopleThe political frontiers in Africa were often arbitrarily drawn up by the old colonial powers.capriciously adverbBrE /kprsli/ ; NAmE /kprsli/ (formal) Add to my wordlistin a way that shows sudden changes in attitude or behaviour without good reasonlaws that capriciously interfere with personal freedomin a way that changes suddenly and quickly without an obvious patternsynonym unpredictablyThe disease spread capriciously, causing some 31000 estimated deaths.anthropocentric adjectiveBrE /nrpsentrk/ ; NAmE /nrpsentrk/ Add to my wordlistbelieving that humans are more important than anything else anthrax nounBrE /nrks/ ; NAmE /nrks/ [uncountable] Add to my wordlista serious disease that affects sheep and cows and sometimes people, and can cause death juxtaposition nounBrE /dkstpzn/ ; NAmE /dkstpzn/ [uncountable, countable](formal) Add to my wordlistthe fact of putting people or things together, especially in order to show a contrast or a new relationship between themthe juxtaposition of realistic and surreal situations in the novelmagnanimous adjectiveBrE /mnnms/ ; NAmE /mnnms/ (formal) Add to my wordlistkind, generous and forgiving, especially towards an enemy or a rivala magnanimous gestureHe was magnanimous in defeat and praised his opponent's skill.auscultation nounBrE /sklten/ ; NAmE /sklten/ [uncountable](medical) Add to my wordlistthe process of listening to somebodys breathing using a stethoscopeacrimonious adjectiveBrE /krmnis/ ; NAmE /krmonis/ (formal) Add to my wordlist(of an argument, etc.) angry and full of strong bitter feelings and wordssynonym bitterHis parents went through an acrimonious divorce.incipient adjectiveBrE /nspint/ ; NAmE /nspint/ [usually before noun](formal) Add to my wordlistjust beginningsigns of incipient unrestjuxtapose verbBrE /dkstpz/ ; NAmE /dkstpoz/ Verb Forms Add to my wordlist[usually passive] juxtapose A and/with B (formal) to put people or things together, especially in order to show a contrast or a new relationship between themIn the exhibition, abstract paintings are juxtaposed with shocking photographs.deflagrate verb-burn away or cause (a substance) to burn away with a sudden flame and rapid, sharp combustion.-the current will deflagrate some of the particlescheerio exclamationBrE /tri/ ; NAmE /trio/ (British English, informal) Add to my wordlistgoodbyeCheerio! I'll see you later.Cheerio now.Cheerio then. See you on Wednesday.conglomerate nounBrE /knlmrt/ ; NAmE /knlmrt/ Add to my wordlist[countable] (business) a large company formed by joining together different firmsa media conglomerate[singular] (formal) a number of things or parts that are put together to form a whole[uncountable] (geology) a type of rock made of small stones held together by dried clay incise verbBrE /nsaz/ ; NAmE /nsaz/ Verb Forms Add to my wordlistincise something (in/on/onto something) (formal) to cut words, designs, etc. into a surfaceThe letters were incised in stone.titillate verbBrE /ttlet/ ; NAmE /ttlet/ [intransitive, transitive](often disapproving)Verb Forms Add to my wordlistto interest or excite somebody, especially in a sexual waytitillating picturestitillate something a story intended to titillate the imagination of the publica selection of dishes to titillate your palate tit for tat nounBrE ; NAmE [uncountable] Add to my wordlista situation in which you do something bad to somebody because they have done the same to youthe routine tit for tat when countries expel each others envoystit-for-tat assassinations by rival gangsapropos prepositionBrE /prp/ ; NAmE /prpo/ (also apropos of) Add to my wordlistconcerning or related to somebody/somethingApropos (of) what you were just saying per se adverbBrE /p se/ ; NAmE /pr se/ (from Latin) Add to my wordlistused meaning by itself to show that you are referring to something on its own, rather than in connection with other thingsThe drug is not harmful per se, but is dangerous when taken with alcohol. germane adjectiveBrE /dmen/ ; NAmE /drmen/ Add to my wordlist[not usually before noun] germane (to something) (formal) (of ideas, remarks, etc.) connected with something in an important or appropriate waysynonym relevantremarks that are germane to the discussionThe report contains matters that are germane to the case.This issue may or may not be regarded as germane.hominid nounBrE /hmnd/ ; NAmE /hmnd/ (specialist) Add to my wordlista human, or a creature that lived in the past which humans developed fromoblivion nounBrE /blvin/ oblivio [uncountable] Add to my wordlista state in which you are not aware of what is happening around you, usually because you are unconscious or asleepHe often drinks himself into oblivion.Sam longed for the oblivion of sleep.the state in which somebody/something has been forgotten and is no longer famous or importantsynonym obscurityAn unexpected victory saved him from political oblivion.Most of his inventions have been consigned to oblivion.a minor masterpiece, saved from obliviona state in which something has been completely destroyedHundreds of homes were bombed into oblivion during the first weeks of the war.singurul remediu al mizeriilor este uitareaconsign verbBrE /knsan/ ; NAmE /knsan/ (formal)Verb Forms Add to my wordlistconsign somebody/something to something to put somebody/something somewhere in order to get rid of them/itI consigned her letter to the wastebasket.What I didn't want was to see my mother consigned to an old people's home.consign somebody/something to something to put somebody/something in an unpleasant situationThe decision to close the factory has consigned 6000 people to the scrapheap.A car accident consigned him to a wheelchair for the rest of his life.consign something to somebody to give or send something to somebodyacrid adjectiveBrE /krd/ ; NAmE /krd/ Add to my wordlisthaving a strong, bitter smell or taste that is unpleasantsynonym pungentacrid smoke from burning tyresThe fog was yellow and acrid and bit at the back of the throat.acquit verbBrE /kwt/ ; NAmE /kwt/ Verb Forms Add to my wordlistacquit somebody (of something) to decide and state officially in court that somebody is not guilty of a crimeThe jury acquitted him of murder.Both defendants were acquitted.She was acquitted on all charges.He was acquitted on the grounds of insufficient evidence.opposite convictacquit yourself well, badly, etc. (formal) to perform or behave well, badly, etc.He acquitted himself brilliantly in the exams.doctrine nounBrE /dktrn/ ; NAmE /dktrn/ Add to my wordlist[countable, uncountable] a belief or set of beliefs held and taught by a Church, a political party, etc.the doctrine of parliamentary sovereigntyChristian doctrineHe was deeply committed to political doctrines of social equality.Doctrine [countable] (US English) a statement of government policythe Monroe Doctrinefey,ode,vie,centrifuge,hominines,whimsical,temporizing,irrevocably,serendipitously,cumbersome,parenthetically,purloined,filched,joie de vivre,lollapalooza,inchoatebon jour or bonjour,mentor,multisyllabic,Latinate, lexicon,pulchritude,cutaneous,profundity,voluptuous, profound,abstruse,recondite,attributes,denominator, oblivious,pretentious,turbid,polyandry,caveat emptor,de jure, du jour,laissez faire,usufruct,abjure,, defalcate,discount,escrow,abeyance,franchise, quitclaim,stochastic,suborn, usurp,polyglot, procured,intermediary,ritzy,etymology,Celts, Angles,Saxons, Jutes,Normans,dispersed,lilt, gusto,potent,sociolinguists,inherently, exacting,lingua franca,eccentricities,versatile,mesmerizing,summit,torpor, voila,turgidity, tumidity,idiosyncratic,pinnacle, veritable,vignettes,augmentation, trove,au revoirhola,encrustations,rectitude,complicity,denigrate,coquettish, cacophony,antipathy,contiguous,cest la vie,neurotic, ado,cest la guerre,antipathy,coy,nest-ce paspaleolithic, din,rapacious,otiose,augment,bereft, cronies,destitute,eccentric,flatulent, gravity,hiatus, inept,jejune,karma,lachrymose,mewling,nihilistic,opined, puerile,quirky,quixotic,quest, rife,sententious,timorous,umbrage,vacuous,wont,expunge,extol, exacerbate,yokefellows,zymurgy,deliberation,pickings, moolah,civil,petulant,chastened,fold,minute,strife,apocryphal,adiosfecund,albeit,lithic,conglomerates,congeries,viridescent,biophytes,surveillance,ken,yen,zen,metacognition,sine qua non,status quo,tout de suite,sapid,gash,correlative,puissant,correlative,reciprocally,seminal,metacognition,saw,vernacular,adjacent,rendering,labyrinth,veracity,incidental,stylus,maze,impeded,requisite,concomitantly,juncture,abscond,cauterize,deify,disconcert,elucidate,expurgate,finagle,prognosticate,supersede,truncate,arrivederciunremitting, fealty,metier,interludes, hedonistic,renders,deflections, hebetudinous,hobbledehoy,decipher, sans,quintessential,perspicuous,perspicacious, advocate,nub, vow, vim,ebullient, alliteratively,decimate, metacognition,euphemism,euthanasia, euphoria,eulogy, sans souci,deja vu,wunderkind, prodigy,esurient,emaciated,guten Tag, sobriquet,ostentatiously,clerisy, bodacious,quipped, diminutive,tenured, traverse,assuredly, Thoreau,Walden, enterprise,measured,tenacity,bereft, addressograph,perused,legacy, indubitably,verily,categorically, Falstaff,Scaramouch,buffoon,Humpty Dumpty,cheekily, peevishly,ingrate,vagabond, lucrative,ennui,boatswains chair,banal, insipid, trite,penchant,paragon, expedite,abiding,alacrity, Horatio Alger,perseverance,steeplejacks, listlessness,sequester,auf Wiedersehensalaam,coruscating,entities,auriferous,et al, et cetera,et tu Brute, ebb,lop, vex,inane,tabula rasa,Homo sapiens, sapient,discerning,summum bonum,ratiocinate,superfluous, cataclysm,neophyte,synchronize, salaam,cogitation,contemplation,consideration,cerebration,quintessential, infallible,open sesame,puissant, ruminative,apical, apex, vertex,apogee,zenith, acme,pinnacle, acquisitive,substantive,abbreviated,precedent, prevenient,contemplative,antecedent, skitter,discourse, hobble,cardinal,strenuous, Siam,touchstone,probity, retention,stick-shift, debacle,moil, chagrin,recidivate, sublime,beau geste, impede,pivotal, cognition,ambivalence,ethnocentrism,compensation,rationalization,syncretism, mores,peripatetic,empirical, heuristic,Deweyan,shalomaloha,neophyte,serendipity,ado, ilk,pejorative,wen,homonym,homophone,homograph,truism nounBrE /truzm/ ; NAmE /truzm/ Add to my wordlista statement that is clearly true and does not therefore add anything interesting or important to a discussionIt has become a truism that every woman wants to choose how she delivers her baby.ad hoc,ad infinitum/ad nauseamad hominem adjective,adverbBrE /d hmnem/ ; NAmE /d hmnem/ (formal) Add to my wordlistdirected against a persons character rather than their argumentan ad hominem attackadieu exclamationBrE /dju/ ; NAmE /du/ (from French)(old use or literary) Add to my wordlistgoodbyeI bid you adieu.screed,diatribe,contumacious,nascent,auditorially,assuredly,patently,perceptions,formidable,stultifying,substantive,trivialize,minutiae,obscure,discourse,ameliorating,consummately,gaffes,obstreperous,cardinal,handsel,remunerated,squander,efficacious,fructuous,foudroyant,edification,manumit,beleaguered,alas, alack,bestead,audition,teratogenies,till,lode,mettle,elision,conundrum,Godspeedhail,scintillate,fulminate verbBrE /flmnet/ ; NAmE /flmnet/ ; BrE /flmnet/ ; NAmE /flmnet/ Verb Forms Add to my wordlist[intransitive] fulminate against (somebody/something) (formal) to criticize somebody/something angrilyHe was always fulminating against interference from the government.fulmination nounBrE /flmnen/ ; NAmE /flmnen/ ; BrE /flmnen/ ; NAmE /flmnen/ [countable, uncountable](formal) Add to my wordlistangry criticism of somebodyproselytize verb(British English also -ise)BrE /prsltaz/ ; NAmE /prsltaz/ [intransitive](formal, often disapproving)Verb Forms Add to my wordlistto try to persuade other people to accept your beliefs, especially about religion or politicsmellifluous adjectiveBrE /melflus/ ; NAmE /melflus/ (formal) Add to my wordlist(of music or of somebodys voice) sounding sweet and smooth; very pleasant to listen toa softly mellifluous voiceverisimilitude nounBrE /versmltjud/ ; NAmE /versmltud/ [uncountable](formal) Add to my wordlistthe quality of seeming to be true or realsynonym authenticityTo add verisimilitude, the stage is covered with sand for the desert scenes.asteroid, minim, penitent,punitive,suppress,veracious,-ana, tor,qua,peripatetic, minutiae,moue,roue,grimace,Mrs. Malaprop,allegory,progeny,reprehend, oracular,derangement,epitaphs,vernacular,epithets,Freudian,caustically,aspiring,hustings,thespian,masticate,besmirch,avid,bask,cloy, daft,ecru,flux,grig, hasp,icon,jape,knur, lank,moot,node,ogle,pate,quip,rasp,seep,tarn,vale, waif,Xeno,yean,zeal,transpose,ciaonamaste,reconnaissance,antedate,saltation,anterior, antebellum,impetuous,propitious,apocryphal,apogee, affaire de coeur,bibliophile,philharmonic,par excellence,Gesundheit,tour de force, epitome,penultimate, incipient,buckaroo,dispelling, angst,odious,noisome, repugnant,disquietude,circumspect,erudite,prudent,cognizant,transmissive,demographic,situational, attribute,paramount,ascertain,rationale,unequivocally,vacillation,cogitate,deliberate,precisely,trenchant,mundane, font,dictum, scope,incomparable,Gettysburg Address,qua, concise,gaffes,colloquial,discourse, clich,analogy,metaphor,simile, idiom,euphemism,non sequitur,trite, ascribing,sayonaraentities, vitreous,forbear, petrious,antebellum,bellicose, carnal, doctrine,den, squalid,fen, tarn, wry, pen,paradox, dogma,pandemic, amorphous,endomorph, ectomorph,mesomorph, pandemic,piece de resistance,magnum opus,in absentia,sesquipedalian, squib,incipient, scintillate,percolate, ululate,persnickety,quintessential,exponential, stolid, stodgy,prattle,Magna Carta,Gettysburg Address,eke, bog, mired,muck, hovel,penicillin, orthodox,pedestrian,raconteur, pedant,ostentatious,sycophant, savant,martinet,caparison, excoriate,abrade, censure,vitiate, transmogrify,vituperate, rail,particolored, nonpareil,salacious, erubescent,florid, nonplused,encomium, calumny,approbation, panegyric, vivacious,abrogate, vouchsafe,deign, deracinate,elucidate,Machiavellian,machinations,temerarious,sequacious,fawning, esculentgoodbyegongoristicsoliloquize verb(British English also -ise)BrE /sllkwaz/ ; NAmE /sllkwaz/ [intransitive]Verb Forms Add to my wordlist(especially of a character in a play) to give a speech about your thoughts, especially when you are alone on the stagequotidian adjectiveBrE /kwtdin/ , /kwtdin/ ; NAmE /kwotdin/ (formal) Add to my wordlistordinary; typical of what happens every daysynonym day-to-daytheir quotidian existencejingoistic adjectiveBrE /dstk/ ; NAmE /dostk/ (disapproving) Add to my wordlistshowing a strong belief that your own country is best, especially when this is expressed in support of war with another countryincisive adjectiveBrE /nsasv/ ; NAmE /nsasv/ (approving) Add to my wordlistshowing clear thought and good understanding of what is important, and the ability to express thisincisive comments/criticism/analysisan incisive mindSee related entries: Clevershowing somebodys ability to take decisions and act with forcean incisive performance