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raffish [ RAF-ish ]
|
| [ adjective ]
|
| MEANING :
|
| 1. cheaply vulgar
2. having a bad reputation
|
| USAGE EXAMPLE 1 :
|
| The main actor of the street play was attired in a raffish, silk outfit.
|
| USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :
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| A dapper New Yorker, his entertaining show at St Andrew's Church combined a raffish wit with tricks that just left you wondering how on earth he did it.
BBC, Fun with Melita, 19 september 2009
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|
reminiscent [ rem-uh'-NIS-uh'nt ]
|
| [ adjective ]
|
| MEANING :
|
| 1. arousing memories of somewhat similar instances
2. suggestive or indicative
|
| USAGE EXAMPLE 1 :
|
| He presented his girlfriend with a perfume that had a floral scent reminiscent of spring.
|
| USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :
|
| In scenes reminiscent of the Will Ferrell film Anchorman, Mr Anastos appeared oblivious to the slip, even as his co-presenter Dari Alexander's eyes visibly bulged with shock.
The Telegraph, Fox news anchor Ernie Arnastos's obscene chicken slip is instant internet catchphrase, Tom Chivers, 21 September 2009
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|
rotund [ roh-TUHND ]
|
| [ adjective ]
|
| MEANING :
|
| 1. a rounded shape
2. plump
3. loud or booming
|
| USAGE EXAMPLE 1 :
|
| The lady was embarassed because some of her friends commented on her husband's rotund figure during the party.
|
| USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :
|
| Abu Qarrar was young, rotund, and seemed new to the mujahedeen lifestyle.
CNN, Jill Carroll: Captivity turns to desperation, 25 August 2006
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|
sermon [ SUR-muh'n ]
|
| [ noun ]
|
| MEANING :
|
| 1. a religious lecture
2. a discourse based on scripture
|
| USAGE EXAMPLE 1 :
|
| The preacher's sermon on the topic of "love thy neighbour" touched the hearts of the people.
|
| USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :
|
| The meetings at his home lasted six to eight hours, with the screening of videos that included sermons and scenes promoting holy war, the statement said.
CNN, Madrid train bomb suspect moved to Spain, Al Goodman, 12 August 2009
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snub [ snuhb ]
|
| [ noun, adjective, transitive verb ]
|
| MEANING :
|
| 1. (tr. v.) 1. to ignore or refuse to recognize
2. (tr. v.) to turn down with a sharp retort
3. (n.) a deliberate insult
4. (adj.) blunt
|
| USAGE EXAMPLE 1 :
|
| The few innovative ideas put forth by the fresher were snubbed by his seniors.
|
| USAGE EXAMPLE 2 :
|
| Among other things, I didn't want to be -- to borrow from sixth-grade parlance -- a user, a phony who thought she could get what she wanted by conveniently nuzzling up to someone she usually snubbed.
CNN, Cancer, my parents and my doubts about God, Kelly Corrigan, 11 August 2009
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Spelled Pronunciation Key
Stress marks: [ CAPS ] indicates the primary stressed syllable, as in newspaper [NOOZ-pey-per ] and information [ in-fer-MEY-shuh' n ]
CONSONANTS
|
[b]
| boy, baby, rob
|
[d]
| do, ladder, bed
|
[f]
| food, offer, safe
|
[g]
| get, bigger, dog
|
[h]
| happy, ahead
|
[j]
| jump, budget, age
|
[k]
| can, speaker, stick
|
[l]
| let, follow, still
|
[m]
| make, summer, time
|
[n]
| no, dinner, thin
|
[ng]
| singer, think, long
|
[p]
| put, apple, cup
|
[r]
| run, marry, far, store
|
[s]
| sit, city, passing, face
|
[sh]
| she, station, push
|
[t]
| top, better, cat
|
[ch]
| church, watching, nature, witch
|
[th]
| thirsty, nothing, math
|
[th']
| this, mother, breathe
|
[v]
| very, seven, love
|
[w]
| wear, away
|
[hw]
| where, somewhat
|
[y]
| yes, onion
|
[z]
| zoo, easy, buzz
|
[zh]
| measure, television, beige
|
|
|
VOWELS
|
[a]
| apple, can, hat
|
[ey]
| aid, hate, day
|
[ah]
| arm, father, aha
|
[air]
| air, careful, wear
|
[aw]
| all, or, talk, lost, saw
|
[e]
| ever, head, get
|
[ee]
| eat, see, need
|
[eer]
| ear, hero, beer
|
[er]
| teacher, afterward, murderer
|
[i]
| it, big, finishes
|
[ahy]
| I, ice, hide, deny
|
[o]
| odd, hot, woffle
|
[oh]
| owe, road, below
|
[oo]
| ooze, food, soup, sue
|
[oo']
| good, book, put
|
[oi]
| oil, choice, toy
|
[ou]
| out, loud, how
|
[uh]
| up, mother, mud
|
[uh']
| about, animal, problem, circus
|
[ur]
| early, bird, stirring
|
|
|
FOREIGN SOUNDS
|
[a*]
| Fr. ami
|
[kh*]
| Scot. loch, Ger. ach or ich
|
[œ]
| Fr. feu, Ger. schön
|
[r*]
| Fr. au revoir, Yiddish rebbe
|
[uh*]
| Fr. oeuvre
|
[y*]
| Fr. tu, Ger. über
|
|
|
SAMPLE NASALIZED VOWELS
|
[an*]
| Fr. bien
|
[ahn*]
| Fr. croissant
|
[awn*]
| Fr. bon
|
[œn*]
| Fr. parfum
|
[in*]
| Port. Principe
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| |
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