CAE Vocabulary Review

A complete list of vocabulary terms and definitions extracted from the CAE Reading and Use of English practice test notes, covering nouns, verbs, phrasal verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.

Obsession

An idea that you can't stop thinking about.

Impairment

Weakening, loss of ability.

Whip out

To produce something quickly, to take something out.

Rely on

To be dependent on something, to trust something.

Thus

In this manner, therefore.

Snatch

To seize, catch something suddenly.

Merely

Nothing more than, only.

Steer

To control (e.g. using a steering wheel).

Factual

Relating to or based on facts.

Confront

To face someone or something, usually to fight, criticise or accuse.

Complement

To add to, to make complete.

Overestimate

To estimate or value too highly, to think too much of something or somebody.

Hail from

To be from somewhere, to originate from.

Conduct

To do, to carry out.

Resign

To give up, to quit.

Rant and rave

To be in rage, furious.

Avoid

To evade, to keep away from.

Perceive

To see as, to recognise, or observe.

Mock

To ridicule or imitate someone.

Amateur

Not professional.

Dated

Short for outdated; unfashionable obsolete.

Transition

Change from one state to another.

Ubiquitous

Being everywhere, omnipresent.

Makeover

To renovate, change or rebuild.

Reference

The act of referring to something previously mentioned.

Knick-knacks

Ornaments or decorations.

Littered with

Full of something.

Imply

To say indirectly, to suggest.

Advent

Coming.

Unruly

Disobedient, not behaving properly.

Entrenched

Established after many years, culturally accepted.

Dissent

Disagreement, refusal to conform.

Foible

A minor weakness.

Quirky

Strange, queer.

Irrevocable

Unable to be changed, unalterable.

Parable

A short story, esp. those told by Jesus Christ.

Scatter

To throw in all directions, to spread unevenly.

Diverse

Having variety.

Contend with

(In this context) to have to deal with (a difficulty); also can mean 'to have a rivalry, to argue'.

Leave in doubt

Keep someone in uncertainty about something.

Probing

Thorough.

Justify

To be valid, to have reasons.

Sweeping statement

Generalised statement.

Overwhelming

Overpowering, extremely strong.

Bewildering

Confusing or puzzling.

Portrayal

Representation.

Vague

Not clear or certain.

Contentious

Subject to doubt or discussion.

Delegate

Give or transfer your duties to another person.

Get to grips with

To deal with, to be done with.

Lay person

Person without any specialised knowledge in the subject, non-professional.

Man

To control (a boat, a vehicle).

Freighter

A big cargo ship.

Dreadful

Horrible, scary, terrifying.

Battered

Worn out.

Footnote

A note printed at the bottom of the page, referring to a word with a number like this $^{2}$.

Rusty

Affected by rust - oxidised metal that becomes red and brittle, and eventually it crumbles.

Reek

To give a strong, unpleasant smell.

Estuary

The wide part of a river that nears the sea.

Midst

In the middle of.

Livid

Angry; pale, without colour.

Lash down

To tie or fasten.

Squarely

In a direct, straight way.

Lull

Soothe someone into sleep.

Weld

Unite or bring metal parts together by means of high temperatures.

Hinder

To slow down.

Defiance

Open and bold resistance to authority.

Vulnerability

Weakness.

Obscure

Not well known; difficult to understand.

Quixotic

Unrealistically optimistic; relating to Don Quixote.

Wistful

Sad and deep in thought about something.

Deaf

Unable to hear.

Acquire

To get or gain something, usually permanently.

Ad hoc

Made for a particular purpose.

Insight

Ability to see and understand something clearly and quickly.

From scratch

From the ground up, from nothing.

Gesture

A hand motion indicating something.

Cognitive

Relating to mind and thinking.

Decompose

To break down into smaller parts.

Map onto

To fit to or correspond with.

Derive from

Take from source or origin.

Rudimentary

Basic or fundamental.

Utterance

A statement.

Raw

Unfinished; relating to food, not cooked.

Innate

Existing in person from birth.

Uphold

To defend or maintain.

Primed

Prepared for.

Impose

To force something.

Cumbersome

Heavy and big in size, awkward.