TOEFL wordlist 9

1. motif [məʊˈti:f]

(1). n. A motif is a design which is used as a decoration or as part of an artistic pattern.

(2). n. A motif is a theme or idea that is frequently repeated throughout a piece of literature or music.

The sky seem from an airplane became one of her favorite motifs and the subject of her largest work.

2. parachute [ˈpærəʃu:t] 

(1). n. A parachute is a device which enables a person to jump from an aircraft and float safely to the ground. It consists of a large piece of thin cloth attached to your body by strings.

(2). phrase. If a person parachutes or someone parachutes them somewhere, they jump from an aircraft using a parachute.

(3). v. To parachute something somewhere means to drop it somewhere by parachute.

(4). v. If a person parachutes into an organization or if they are parachuted into it, they are brought in suddenly in order to help it.

Planes dropped supplies by parachute.

3. chapel [ˈtʃæpl]

(1). n. A chapel is a part of a church which has its own altar and which is used for private prayer.

(2). n. A chapel is a small church attached to a hospital, school, or prison.

(3). n. A chapel is a building used for worship by members of some Christian churches. Chapel refers to the religious services that take place there.

We always go to chapel on Sundays.

4. pollinate  [ˈpɒləneɪt]

v. To pollinate a plant or tree means to fertilize it with pollen. This is often done by insects.

These moths continue to pollinate the flowers until well into September.

5. twig [twɪg]

1. n. A twig is a very small thin branch that grows out from a main branch of a tree or bush.

2. v. If you twig, you suddenly realize or understand something.

Large mammals also have their own tactics for browsing among foodrich twigs.

6. ablaze  [əˈbleɪz]

(1). adj. Something that is ablaze is burning very fiercely.

(2). adj. If a place is ablaze with lights or colours, it is very bright because of them.

(3). adj. If someone is ablaze, or if their eyes are ablaze, their expression shows that they are feeling a strong emotion, such as great excitement or anger.

The whole building was soon ablaze.

7. vacate [vəˈkeɪt]

v. If you vacate a place or a job, you leave it or give it up, making it available for other people.

You muat vacate your room by June 3rd.

8. sustenance [ˈsʌstənəns][ˈluːmɪnəs]

n. Sustenance is food or drink which a person, animal, or plant needs to remain alive and healthy.

During the Neolithic period, some hunters and gatherers began to rely chiefly on agriculture for their sustenance.

9. charcoal [ˈtʃɑ:kəʊl]

n. Charcoal is a black substance obtained by burning wood without much air. It can be burned as a fuel, and small sticks of it are used for drawing with.

We use charcoal to grill the steaks.

10. caterpillar [ˈkætəpɪlə(r)]

n. A caterpillar is a small, worn-like animal that feeds on plants and eventually develops into a butterfly or moth.

Caterpillars are voracious feeders and many of them are considered pests in agriculture.

11. rash  [ræʃ]

(1). adj. If someone is rash or does rash things, they act without thinking carefully first, and therefore make mistakes or behave foolishly.

(2). n. A rash is an area of red spots that appears on  your skin when you are ill or have a bad reaction to something that you have eaten or touched.

(3). n. If you talk about a rash of events or things, you mean a large number of unpleasant events or undesirable things, which have happened or appeared within a short period of time.

Think twice before doing anything rash.

12. timber [ˈtɪmbə(r)] 

(1). n. Timber is wood that is used for building houses and making furniture. You can also refer to trees that are grown for this purpose as timber.

(2). n. The timbers of a ship or house are the large pieces of wood that have been used to build it.

The old couple lived in a small house built of timber.

13. astute [əˈstjuːt] 

adj. If you describe someone as astute, you think they show an understanding of behaviour and situations, and are skilful at using this knowledge to their own advantage.

It is astute to sell out the stocks just before prices go down.

14. luminous [ˈluːmɪnəs]

adj. Something that is luminous shines or glows in the dark.

The most distant luminous objects seen by telescopes are very far.

15. tavern  [ˈtævən] 

n. A tavern is a bar or pub.

The news spread in homes, workshops and taverns.

16. conciliate [kənˈsɪlieɪt]

v. If you conciliate someone, you try to end a disagreement with them.

It will be hard to conciliate the views of labor and management regarding health benefits.

17. devout [dɪˈvaʊt]

(1). adj. A devout person has deep religious beliefs.

(2). adj. If you describe someone as a devout supporter or a devout opponent of something, you mean that they support it enthusiastically or oppose it strongly.

He is a devout Christian.

18. gait [ɡeɪt]

n. A particular kind of gait is a particular way of walking.

Kids walk with a rolling gait.

19. gouge  [ɡaʊdʒ]

(1). v. If you gouge something, you make a hole or a long cut in it, usually with a pointed object.

(2). n. A gouge is a tool which is used for cutting and shaping wood.

(3). v. If you say that a business gouges its customers, you mean that is forces them to pay an unfairly high price for its goods or services.

The tyrant gouged the dissenter's eyes out.

20. candid [ˈkændɪd]

(1). adj. When you are candid about something or with someone, you speak honestly.

(2). adj. A candid photograph of someone is one that was taken when the person did not know they were being photographed.

I must be candid with you that this plan will not work out.

21. subjugate [ˈsʌbdʒuɡeɪt]

(1). v. If someone subjugates a group of people, they take complete control of them, especially by defeating them in a war.

(2). v. If your wishes or desires are subjugated to something, they are treated as less important than that thing.

Her personal ambitions had been subjugated to the needs of her family.

22. throng [θrɒŋ]

(1). n. A throng is a large crowd of people.

(2). v. When people throng somewhere, they go there in great numbers.

(3). v. If people throng a place, they are present there in great numbers.

We pushed our way through the throng.

People are thronging to see her new play.

23. corporeal [kɔːˈpɔːriəl]

adj. Corporeal means involving or relating to the physical world rather than the spiritual world.

Many states have outlawed corporeal punishment in schools.

24. stray [streɪ]

(1). v. If someone strays somewhere, they wander away from where they are supposed to be.

(2). adj. A stray dog or cat has wandered away from its owner's home.

(3). v. If your mind or your eyes stray, you do not concentrate on or look at one particular subject, but start thing about or looking at other things.

(4). adj. You use stray to describe something that exists separated from other similar things.

We seem to be straying from the main theme of the debate.

25. contempt [kənˈtempt]

(1). n. If you have contempt for someone or something, you have no respect for them or think that they are unimportant.

(2). n. Contempt means the same as contempt of court.

(3). phrase. If you hold someone or something in contempt, you feel contempt for them.

Mary speaks in contempt of the others.

26. corona  [kəˈrəʊnə]

n. The sun's corona is its outer atmosphere.

The corona is not always evenly distributed across the surface of the Sun.

27. deciduous  [dɪˈsɪdʒuəs]

adj. A deciduous tree or bush is one that loses its leaves in the autumn every year.

Deciduous trees shed their leaves in autumn.

28. utilitarian  [ˌjuːtɪlɪˈteəriən]

(1). adj. Utilitarian means based on the idea that the morally correct course of action is the one that produces benefit for the greatest number of people.

(2). adj. Utilitarian objects and buildings are designed to be useful rather than attractive.

Stoneware used to be simple, utilitarian kitchenware.

By our narrow utilitarian standards, scrub doesn't meet our selfish utilitarian needs.

29. penicillin [ˌpenɪˈsɪlɪn]

n. Penicillin is a drug that kills bacteria and is used to treat infections.

Penicillin is still one of the most widely used antibiotic agents.

30. cellist [ˈtʃelɪst]

n. A cellist is someone who plays the cello.

He is considered the greatest cellist of his time.

31. maneuver [məˈnuːvə]

(1). v. If you manoeuvre something into or out of an awkward position, you skilfully move it there.

(2). v. If you manoeuvre a situation, you change it in a clever and skilful way so that you can benefit from it.

(3). n. Military manoeuvres are training exercises which involve the movement of soldiers and equipment over a large area.

She maneuvered her way to the top of the company.

32. terrain  [təˈreɪn]

n. Terrain is used to refer to an area of land or a type of land when you are considering its physical features.

The moon may be divided into two major terrains.

33. excursion [ɪkˈskɜːʃn] 

(1). n. You can refer to a short journey as an excursion, especially if it is made for pleasure or enjoyment.

(2). n. An excursion is a trip or visit to an interesting place, especially one that is arranged or recommended by a holiday company or tourist organization.

(3). n. If you describe an activity as an excursion into something, you mean that it is an attempt to develop or understand something new that you have not experienced before.

The society's activities also included organized sketching excursions along the Hudson River.

34. saturation [ˌsætʃəˈreɪʃn]

(1). n. Saturation is the process or state that occurs when a place or thing is filled completely with people or things, so that no more can be added.

(2). adj. Saturation is used to describe a campaign or other activity that is carried out very thoroughly, so that nothing is missed.

The company was beset by price wars and market saturation.

整理自《柯林斯词典》、《新东方托福词汇》，侵删歉。