C2 Unit 40: Ideas & thinking 3
18 C2 words: embody, mediocrity, nascent, intrinsically, counterproductive, emulation… Learn them in 4 steps, then review them every day.
Word list
| Word | Meaning | Example | |
|---|---|---|---|
| embody/ɪmˈbɑdi/ v | to embodyto be a perfect example of something | The old museum seems to embody the spirit of the town.The old museum seems to embody the spirit of the town. | |
| mediocrity/ˌmidiˈɑkrəti/ n | mediocritythe state of being only average | Mediocrity in the team made the manager unhappy.Mediocrity in the team made the manager unhappy. | |
| nascent/ˈneɪsənt/ adj | nascentjust beginning to develop | The company is in a nascent stage of growth.The company is in a nascent stage of growth. | |
| intrinsically/ˌɪnˈtrɪnsɪkəli/ adv | intrinsicallyas a natural part of it | Kindness is intrinsically linked to good manners.Kindness is intrinsically linked to good manners. | |
| counterproductive/ˈkaʊntɚprəˌdʌktɪv/ adj | counterproductivehaving the opposite of the intended effect | Working late every night can be counterproductive.Working late every night can be counterproductive. | |
| emulation/ˌɛmjəˈleɪʃən/ n | emulationthe act of copying someone you admire | Emulation of good teachers helps young staff improve.Emulation of good teachers helps young staff improve. | |
| axiom/ˈæksiəm/ n | axioma statement accepted as true without proof | It is an axiom that two plus two makes four.It is an axiom that two plus two makes four. | |
| infallible/ˌɪnˈfæləbəl/ adj | infalliblenever wrong and never failing | No machine is infallible, and all of them sometimes fail.No machine is infallible, and all of them sometimes fail. | |
| detract/dɪˈtrækt/ v | to detractto reduce the value of something | One small mistake does not detract from her excellent work.One small mistake does not detract from her excellent work. | |
| hindrance/ˈhɪndrəns/ n | hindrancesomething that makes progress difficult | The heavy bag was a hindrance on the crowded train.The heavy bag was a hindrance on the crowded train. | |
| skew/skju/ v | to skewto make results unfairly one-sided | Bad data can skew the results of a survey.Bad data can skew the results of a survey. | |
| mystique/mɪˈstik/ n | mystiquea mysterious quality that attracts interest | The mystique of the old castle attracts many visitors.The mystique of the old castle attracts many visitors. | |
| arcane/ˌɑrˈkeɪn/ adj | arcanemysterious and known to few people | The professor spoke about arcane rules that nobody remembers.The professor spoke about arcane rules that nobody remembers. | |
| materialize/məˈtɪriəˌlaɪz/ v | to materializeto become real or actually happen | Her dream of opening a bakery finally began to materialize.Her dream of opening a bakery finally began to materialize. | |
| aberration/ˌæbɚˈeɪʃən/ n | aberrationsomething that differs from the normal | The sudden cold was an aberration in an otherwise warm month.The sudden cold was an aberration in an otherwise warm month. | |
| antithesis/ænˈtɪθəsəs/ n | antithesisthe exact opposite of something | Silence is the antithesis of a noisy party.Silence is the antithesis of a noisy party. | |
| mull over/mʌl ˈoʊvɚ/ v | to mull overto think about something carefully | Tom needs a night to mull over the job offer.Tom needs a night to mull over the job offer. | |
| paradoxically/ˌpɛrəˈdɑksəkli/ adv | paradoxicallyin a way that seems to contradict itself | Paradoxically, the smaller house felt bigger than the large one.Paradoxically, the smaller house felt bigger than the large one. |