Advanced English

speakeasy

n.(pl.)非法經營的酒店

US a place where alcoholic drink was sold illicitly during Prohibition

hectic

adj.

1. 繁忙的，忙亂的，興奮的，狂熱的 characterized by extreme activity or excitement

2. （因患肺病）發熱的，潮熱的 associated with, peculiar to, or symptomatic of tuberculosis

nostalgic

adj.

懷舊的，念舊的 a feeling of sadness mixed with pleasure and affection when you think of happy time in the past

amour

n. 戀情；風流韻事 a love affair,especially a secret one

flapper

n. （20世界20年代不受傳統拘束的）隨意女郎 a young woman in the 1920s who wore fashionable clothes, had short hair and was interested in modern music and new ideas.

vagaries

n.(pl.)奇思遐想；遊移不定；變幻莫測 changes in sb./sth. that are difficult to predict or control

degeneration

n. 蛻化；衰退；墮落 the process of becoming worse or less acceptable in quality or condition

provincial

adj.

1. 省的，一級行政區的of or connected with a province

2. 本省的，本地的characteristic of or connected with the provinces; local

3. 心胸狹隘的，守舊的，迂腐的having attitudes and opinions supposedly common to people living in the provinces; rustic or unsophisticated; limited

precipitate

v.

1. 使......突然降臨，加速（壞事的發生）to make sth. bad, happen suddenly or sooner than it should

2. 使突然陷入某種狀態（某種狀態）to suddenly force sb. / sth. into a particular state or condition

obsolescent

adj.

過時的，陳舊的，淘汰的 becoming old-fashioned and no longer useful

gaiety

n.

快樂，愉快，高興 the state of being cheerful and full of fun

orgy

n.

1. 奢靡的聚會；狂歡會 a party at which there is a lot of eating, drinking and sexual activity

2. 放縱，放蕩 an entreme amount of a particular activity

stalemate

n.

1. （國際象棋）僵局，和棋 a chess position in which any of a player's possible moves would place his king in check: in this position the game ends in a draw

2. （辯論或競賽中出現）僵局，僵持局面 a situation in which two opposing forces find that further action is impossible or futile; deadlock

insolence

n.

粗野無禮 extremely rude and showing a lack of respect

strenuous

adj.

1. 費力的；繁重的；艱苦的 needing great effort and energy

2. 勁頭十足的；奮力的；頑強的 showing great ebergy and determination

fracas

n. （通常有好幾個人的）高聲爭吵，打鬥 a noisy argument or fight, usually involving several people

harass

v.

1. 侵擾，騷擾 to annoy or worry sb by putting pressure on them or saying or doing unplaesant things to them

2. 持續攻擊 to make repeated attacks on an enemy

hypocritical

adj.

僞善的，虛僞的 to describe a person who pretends to have moral standards or opinions that they do not actually have

flout

v.

公然藐視；無視（法律）to show that you have no respect for a law, etc. by openly not obeying it

adjunct

n.

1. 附屬物，附件 something incidental or not essential that is added to something else

2. a person who is subordinate to another

iconoclastic

adj.

批評傳統信仰（或習俗思想）的 criticizing popular beliefs or established customs and ideas

sterile

adj.

1. 不能生育的，不育的 (of human or animals) not able to produce childern or young animals

2. 無菌的，消過毒的 completely clean and free from bacteria

3. 無結果的，沒有實際價值的 (of a discussion, an argument,etc.) not producing any useful result

4. 刻板的，無個性的，缺乏新意的 lacking individual personality, imagination or new ideas

5. 貧瘠的 ( of land) not good enough to produce corps

flay

v.

1. 剝（死人或動物的皮）to remove the skin from an animal or person, usually when they are dead

2. 毒打，狠狠鞭打 to hit or whip sb very hard so that some of their skin comes off

3. 嚴厲批評 to criticize sb/yourself severely

meander

v.

1. 蜿蜒而行；迂迴曲折 (of a river, road, etc.) to curve a lot rather than being in a straight line.

2. 漫步，閒逛 to walk slowly and change direction often especially without a particular aim.

3. 漫談；閒聊 (of a converstion, discussion, etc.) to develop slowly and change subject often, in a way that makes it boring or difficult to understand

anecdote

n.

1. 逸事；趣聞 a short, interesting or amusing story about a real person or event

2. 傳聞 a personal account of an event

alchemy

n.

1. 鍊金術（見於中世紀，企圖把普通金屬鍊成黃金）a form of chemistry studied in the Middle Age which involved trying to discover how to change ordinary metals into gold.

2. （改變事物）神祕力量、魔力 a mysterious power or magic that can change things.

tart

n.

甜果餡餅 an open pie filled with sweet food such as fruit.

adj.

1. 酸的；酸澀的 having an unpleasant sour taste

2. 尖酸的；刻薄的；辛辣的 (of remarks) quick and unkind

churl

n.

1. 粗魯無禮的人；粗野的人 a rude unpleasant person

2. （英）農民

poultry

n.

1. 家禽 chickens, ducks and geese, kept for their meat or eggs.

2. 家禽的肉 meat from chickens, duck and geese

snobbery

n.

勢利態度；自以爲優越的態度（或行爲）the attitudes and behaviour of people who are snobs

scamper

v.

（尤指兒童或小動物）歡快地奔走，蹦蹦跳跳 (especially of children or small animals) to move quickly with short light steps.

revolt

n.

（針對政府的）反抗；違抗；起義；叛亂 a protest against authority, especially that of a government, often involving violence; the action of protesting against authority.

v.

1. 反抗；反叛（當權者）(revolt against sb/sth) to take violent action against the people in power

2. 叛逆；違抗 to behave in a way that is the opposite of what sb expects of you, especially in protest

3. 使驚駭；令人厭惡 to make you feel horror or disgust

heir

n.

1. 繼承人；後嗣 a person who has the legal right to receive sb's property, money or title when that person dies.

2. （工作或傳統的）繼承人；傳人 a person who is thought to continue the work or a tradition started by sb else.

intercept

v.

攔截；攔阻；截住 to stop sb/sth that is going from one place to another from arriving

tussle

n.

扭打；爭鬥；爭執 a short struggle, fight or argument especially in order to get sth.

v.

扭打；爭鬥 to fight or compete with sb/sth, especially in order to get sth.

pejorative

adj.

貶損的；輕蔑的 a word or remark that expresses disapproval or criticism.

facetious

adj.

亂引人發笑的；不問場合耍小聰明的 trying to appear amusing and intelligent at a time when other people do not think it's appropriate and when it would be better to be serious.

ultimatum

n.

最後通牒 a final warning to a person or country that if they do not do what you ask, you will use force or take action against them.

punctuate

v.

1. 不時打斷 to interrupt sth at intervals

2. 給......加標點符號 to divide writing into sentences and phrases by using special marks, for example commas, question marks,etc.

sinister

adj.

邪惡的；險惡的；不祥的；有凶兆的 seeing evil or dangerous; making you think sth bad will happen.

on the rocks

1.（關係或生意）陷於困境，瀕臨崩潰 a relationship or business that is having difficulities and is likely to fail soon.

2. 加冰塊（但不加水）的 (of drinks) served with pieces of ice but no water.

get out of the bed on the wrong side

（無緣由地）一起牀就整天心情不好 to be bad-tempered for the whole day for no particular reson

lay down

1. 鋪；鋪設 to put sth down, especially on the floor, ready to be used.

2. 放下；停止使用 to put sth down or stop using it

3. 中斷（工作）；辭職，放棄 to stop

4. 規定，制定（條例或原則）if you lay down a rule or a principle, you state officially that people must obey it or use it.

5. 積存某物 to produce sth that is stored and gradually increases.

desultory

adj.

漫無目的的；無條理的；隨意的 going from one thing to another, without a definite plan and without enthusiasm.

make a point of doing sth

（因重要或必要）保證做，必定做 to be or make sure you do sth because it is important or necessary.

delve into

探索；探究；查考 to try hard to find out more information about sth.

turn your nose up at sth

拒絕；看不上；看不起 to refuse sth, especially because you do not think that it is good enough for you.

sit up at

關注；警覺 to strat to pay careful attention to what is happening, being said, etc.

into the shoes of

處於某人的境地；設身處地 to be in, or imagine that you are in, another person's situation, especially when it's an unpleasant or difficult one.

immune to

1. 有免疫力 that cannont catch or be affected by a particular disease or illness.

2. 不受影響 not affected by sth.

multiply

v.

1. 乘以，乘 to add a number to itself a particular number of times

2. 成倍增加，迅速增加 to increase or make sth increase very much in number or amount

3. （使）繁殖，增殖 to reproduce in large numbers; to make sth do this

chant

n./v.

1. 反覆呼喊的話語；重複唱的歌詞 words or phrases that a group of people shout or sing again and again.

2. 聖歌；反覆吟詠的禱文；單調的吟唱 a religious song or prayer or a way of sining, using only a few notes that are repeated many times.

hack

v.

1. 砍，劈 to cut sb/sth with rough,heavy blows.

2. 猛踢 to kick sth roughly or without control

3. 非法侵入（他人計算機系統）to secretly find a way of looking at and/or changing information on sb else's computer system without permission.

4. 能/不能應付某種情形 to be able/not able to manage in a particular situation.

5. 騎馬消遣 to ride a horse for pleasure

6. 開出租車 to drive a taxi

n.

1. 僱傭文人 (disapproving) a writer,especially of newspaper articles, who does a lot of qulity work and does not get paid much.

2. （受僱於組織，尤其是政客）從事艱苦乏味工作的人，雜務人員 a person who does the hard and often boring work for an organization. especially a politician.

3. 供人騎的馬；可出租的馬 a horse for ordinary riding or one that can be hired.

4. 出租車 a taxi

5. 砍，劈 an acting of hitting sth, especially with a cutting tool.

oblong

adj.

1. 矩形的，長方形的 a shape has four straight sides, two of which are longer than the other two, and four angles of 90 degrees.

2. 橢圓形的，橢圓體的，長方形的 used to describe any shape that is longer than it is wide.

inhabitant

n.

（某地的）居民；棲息動物 a person or an animal that lives in a particular place.

reach-me-down

n.

1. 現成衣服；舊衣服(often pl) a garment that is cheaply ready-made or second-hand.

2. 褲子(pl) trousers

3.(modifier) not original; derivative; stale: a stock of reach-me-down ideas

derelict

adj.

（尤指土地或建築物）荒廢的；被棄置的；破舊的 (especially of land or buildings) not used or cared for and in bad condition.

n.

無家可歸者；乞丐；社會棄兒 a person without a home, a job or property.

medieval

adj.

中世紀的（約公元1000年到1450年）connected with the Middle Ages (about AD 1000 to AD 1450)

ghettoes

n.

1.（相同種族或背景人的）聚居區，貧民區 an area of city where many people of the same race or background live, separately from the rest of the population. Ghettos are often crowded, with bad living conditions.

2. （昔日城市中的）猶太人居住區 the area of a town wher Jews were forced to live in the past.

booth

n.

1. 不受干擾的劃定空間（如電話亭，投票間等）a small confined place where you can do sth privately, for example make a telephone call, or vote.

2. 臨時貨攤（或放映棚）a small tent or temporary structure at a market, an exhibition or a fairground, where you can buy things, get information or watch sth.

3. （餐廳中）火車座，卡座 a place to sit in a restaurant which consist of two long seats with a table between them.

warp

v.

1. （使）扭曲；彎曲；變形 to become, or make sth become, twiste or bent out of its natural shape, for examole because it has become too hot, too damp, etc.

2. 使（行爲等）不合情理；使乖戾 to influence sb so that they begin to behave in an unacceptable or shocking way.

conspicuous

adj.

易見的；明顯地；惹人注意的 easy to see or notice; likely to attract attention

frenzied

adj.

疯狂的，狂暴的 involving a lot of activity and strong emotions in a way that is often violent and not under control.

grope

v.

1.摸索；搜索；搜寻；探寻 to try and find sth that you cannot see, by feeling with your hands.

2.（用手）摸索着往前走 to try and reach a place by feeling with your hands because you cannot see clearly.

erode

v.

1. 侵蚀；腐蚀；风化 to gradually destroy the surface of sth through the action of wind, rain, etc.;to be gradually destroyed in this way.

2. 逐渐毁坏；削弱；损害 to gradually destroy sth or make it weaker over a period of time; to be destroyed or made weaker in this way.

desolate

adj.

1. 无人居住的；荒无人烟的；荒凉的 (of a place)empty and without people, making you feel sad or frightened.

2. 孤独凄凉的；不幸的；忧伤的 very lonely and unhappy

v.

使感到悲惨；使感到凄凉；使悲伤绝望 to make sb feel sad and without hope.

conserve

v.

1. 节省；节约 to use as little of sth possible so that it lasts a long time

2. 保护；保存；保藏 to protect sth and prevent it from being changed or destroyed.

n.

(含有大块或整块水果的）果酱，蜜饯 jam containing large or whole pieces of fruit.

mummify

v.

把（尸体）制成木乃伊 to preserve a dead body by treating it with special oils and wrapping it in cloth.

infuritate

v.

使极为生气；使大怒；激怒 to make sb extremely angry

plight

n.

苦难；困境；苦境 a difficult and sad situation

slump

v. / n.

1. （价格、价值、数量等）骤降，猛跌，锐减 to fall in price, value, number, etc. suddenly and by a large amount.

2. 重重地坐下（或倒下）to sit or fall down heavily.

contemptuous

蔑视的；鄙视的；表示轻蔑的 feeling or showing that you have no respect for sb/sth.

sullen

adj.

1. 面有愠色的；闷闷不乐的；郁郁寡欢的 bad-tempered and not speaking, either on a particular occasion or because it is part of your character.

inquisitive

adj. 好学的，好奇的，兴趣广泛

the chances are that

可能

squash

v. 压软，挤扁

inaugural

adj. 就职的，开幕的；成立的，创始的

forebear

n. 祖先

prescribe

v. 规定，命令，指示

asunder

adv. 碎，散

subversion

n. 颠覆，破坏

invective

n. 辱骂

adversary

n. 对手，敌手

engulf

v. 包围，吞没，淹没；严重影响

eradicate

v. 根除，消灭，杜绝

tribulation

n. 忧患；苦难；磨难；痛苦

unleash

v. 发泄；突然释放；使爆发

sovereign

adj. 有主权的

belabour

v. 痛打，攻击，袭击；就......做过多的说明；反复研究

embattled

adj. 严阵以待的，投入战斗的

endeavour

n. 努力，尽力，尝试

testimony

n. 证据，证明

invoke

v. 祈求，祈祷，热切要求

forge

v. 锤炼，锻造；使形成

at odds

与......有分歧

flaccid

adj. 软弱的，松弛的，不结实的

pedantic

adj. 迂腐的，学究气的

perspicacious

adj. 敏锐的，有洞察力的，精明的

astute

adj. 精明的，狡猾的

incredulous

adj. 怀疑的