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Vocabulary
Act I and II
snug
adjective UK US /sn/ (snugger, snuggest) (of
a person) feeling warm, comfortable, and protected, or (of
aplace, especially a small place) giving feelings of warmth,comfort,
and protection:We curled up in bed, all snug and warm, and listened to
the stormoutside.I bet your feet are nice and snug in your furlined boots! fitting closely:These shoes are a bit too snug - do you have
them in a larger size?
snugly
adverb UK US /sn.li/
She's curled up snugly in the armchair, reading a book.If we put
the washing machine over there the fridge will fit snugly (=closely) into
this space.
snug
noun [C] UK US /sn/ (ALSO snuggery ) UK
a small room or area in a pub where only a few people can sit
snuggle
verb [I usually + adv/prep] UK US /sn.l l/
to move yourself into
a warm and comfortable position,especially one in which your body is
against another person orcovered by
something:The children snuggled up to their mother to get warm.I was just
snuggling down into my warm duvet when my phone rang.
creed
noun [C] UK US /krid/ FORMAL
a set of beliefs that influences the way you live
Synonym
credo
dally
verb [I] UK US /dl.i/ OLD-FASHIONED
to waste time or do something slowly
See also
dilly-dally
Phrasal verbs
dally with sb
shovelboard
Shovel`board`
n1A board on which a game is played, by pushing or driving pieces of metalor
. . money to reach certain marks; also, the game itself. Called alsoshuffleboard,
shoveboard, shovegroat, shovelpenny.
2A game played on board ship in which the aim is to shove or drive with acue
. wooden disks into divisions chalked on the deck; - called alsoshuffleboard.
lye
noun [U] UK US /la/
a highly alkaline substance, usually
either sodium hydroxide orpotassium hydroxide, that
can cause severe damage or burnsand is used in
making cleaning products
Soda caustic / lejia
rankle
verb [I] UK US /r.kl/l
to make someone annoyed or angry for a long time:The unkind way in
which his girlfriend left him still rankled with himlong after.[+ that] It still
rankles that she got promoted, and I didn't.
marauder
noun [C] UK /mr.dr/ US /-r.d/
a person or animal that goes from one place to
another lookingfor people to kill or things to steal or destroy
parishioner
noun [C] UK /pr.n.r/ US /-/
innately
adverb UK US /-li/
I don't believe that human beings are innately evil.
defile
verb [T] UK US /dfal/ FORMAL
to spoil something or someone so that that thing or person is
less beautiful or pure:It's a shame that such a beautiful area has been
defiled by a rubbishdump.The soldiers deliberately defiled all the holy places.
defilement
noun [U] UK US /-mnt/
defile
noun [C] UK US /dfal/ LITERARY
a very narrow valley between two mountains
deceit
noun [C or U] UK US /dsit/
(an act of) keeping the truth hidden, especially to get
anadvantage:The story is about theft, fraud, and deceit on
an incredible scale.When the newspapers published the full story, all
his earlier deceits were revealed.
deceitful
adjective UK US /-fl/
deceitful behaviour
deceitfully
adverb UK US /-f.li/
deceitfulness
noun [U] UK US /-fl.ns/
steady
adjective UK US /sted.i/
steady adjective (GRADUAL)
B2 happening in a smooth, gradual, and regular way,
not suddenlyor unexpectedly:The procession moved through the streets at
a steady pace.Orders for new ships are rising, after several years of
steady decline.Over the last ten years he has produced a
steady flow/stream/trickleof articles and papers.Progress has
been slow but steady.
More examples
ingratiating
adjective UK /nre.i.e.t/ US /-tt/ DISAPPROVING
Ingratiating behaviour is intended to make people like you:an
ingratiating smile/manner
autocratic
adjective UK /.tkrt.k/ US /.ttkrtt-/
relating to an autocrat:an autocratic ruler/regimean
autocratic style of government/leadership/managementThe president resigned
after 30 years of autocratic rule.
autocratically
adverb UK US /-.kl.i/
autocrat
noun [C] UK /.t.krt/ US /.tt-/
a ruler with unlimited power, or someone
who demands thatpeople completely obey them
devoted
adjective UK /dv.td/ US /-vo.ttd/
B2 extremely loving and loyal:a devoted fan/husbandLucy is
devoted to her cats.
More examples
devotedly
adverb UK US /-li/
joint
adjective UK US /dnt/
B2 belonging to or shared between two or more people:a
joint bank accountThe project was a joint effort between the two schools (=
they workedon it together).The two Russian ice skaters came joint second (=
they were both given second prize) in the world championships.In court,
the parents were awarded joint custody of their son (= theright to care for
him was shared between them).
More examples
jointly
adverb UK US /dnt.li/
C1The Channel Tunnel was jointly funded by the French and British.
joint
noun [C] UK US /dnt/
joint noun [C] (BODY)
C2 a place in your body where
two bones are connected:an elbow/hip/knee jointAs
you become older, your joints get stiffer.put sth out of joint to force a
joint in the body out of its correct position byaccident:I put
my shoulder out of joint last weekend lifting heavy boxes.
joint noun [C] (CONNECTION)
a place where two things are fastened together:Damp
has penetrated the joints in the wood panelling.
joint noun [C] (MEAT)
a large piece of meat that is cooked in one piece:a joint
of beef/pork a piece of meat for cooking, usually containing a bone:Fry
four chicken joints in a pan with some mushrooms and garlic.
joint noun [C] (PLACE)
C1 INFORMAL a bar or restaurant that serves food and drink at lowprices:
We had lunch at a hamburger joint and then went
to see a movie. SLANG a place where people go
for entertainment, especially one that has
a bad reputation:He owned several bars in
the city and ran an illegal gambling joint.We arrived at the club just
before midnight and the joint was alreadyjumping (= busy).
joint noun [C] (DRUG)
SLANG a cigarette containing the drug cannabis
Idioms
put sth out of joint
joint
verb [T] UK US /dnt/
to cut meat into large pieces ready for cooking
hint
noun UK US /hnt/
hint noun (INDIRECT STATEMENT)
B2 [C] something that you say or do that shows, but not directly, what
you think or want:[+ that] He's dropped (= given) several hints to
the boss that he'll quitif he doesn't get a promotion.Did she give you any hints
about where she was going?You can't take (= understand) a hint, can you? Just
go away andleave me alone!
More examples
hint noun (ADVICE)
paradox
noun [C or U] UK /pr..dks/ US /per..dks/
C2 a situation or statement that seems impossible or
is difficult tounderstand because
it contains two opposite facts orcharacteristics:[+ that] It's
a curious paradox that drinking a lot of water can often make you feel thirsty.
paradoxical
adjective UK /pr.dk.s.kl/ US /per.dk-/
C2It seems paradoxical to me, but if
you drink a cup of hot tea it seems tocool you down.
paradoxically
adverb UK /pr.dk.s.kl.i/ US /per.dk-/
The hot thing in video equipment is, paradoxically, sound.
grip
verb UK US /rp/ (-pp-)
grip verb (HOLD)
B2 [I or T] to hold very tightly:The baby gripped my finger with
her tiny hand.Old tyres won't grip (= stay on the surface of the road) in
the rain very well.
More examples
grip verb (INTEREST)
C2 [T] to keep someone's attention completely:This trial has gripped
the whole nation.I was gripped throughout the entire two hours of the film.
grip verb (EMOTION)
C2 [T usually passive] When an emotion such as fear grips you,
youfeel it strongly:Then he turned towards me and I
was suddenly gripped by fear.
grip
noun UK US /rp/
theocracy
noun UK /ik.r.si/ US /-.kr-/
[C] a country that is ruled by religious leaders
[U] government by religious leaders
theocratic
adjective UK /i.krt.k/ US /-krtt-/
forge
verb UK /fd/ US /frd/
forge verb (COPY)
[T] to make an illegal copy of something in order to deceive:a
forged passporta forged signatureA number of forged works of art have
been sold as genuine.
forge verb (CREATE)
[T] to make or produce something, especially with
somedifficulty:The accident forged a close bond between the
two families.She forged a new career for herself as a singer.
forge verb (MOVE)
[I + adv/prep] FORMAL to suddenly and quickly move forward:Just
100 metres from the finishing line Jackson forged ahead.She forged through
the snow.
Phrasal verbs
forge ahead
forge
first novel, but I felt in the second she was going over the
same ground (= dealing with the same area of experience).
ground noun (WIRE)
[C usually singular] US (UK earth) a wire that makes
a connectionbetween a piece of electrical equipment and the ground,
so theuser is protected from feeling an electric shock if
the equipmentdevelops a fault
ground noun (COFFEE)
grounds [plural] the small grains of coffee left at the bottom of
a cup or othercontainer that has had coffee in it
See also
grind
Idioms
drive/work yourself into the ground
get (sth) off the ground
go/be run to ground
on the ground
ground
verb UK US /rand/
ground verb (GRIND)
PAST SIMPLE AND PAST PARTICIPLE OF grind
ground verb (KEEP ON LAND)
be grounded If a ship is grounded, it cannot move because it
has hit solidground:The oil tanker was grounded on a sandbank. [T often
passive] If aircraft are grounded, they
are prevented fromflying or ordered not to fly:The snowstorm meant that
all planes were grounded.
ground verb (PUNISH)
[T] to forbid (= refuse to allow) a child or young person from going
out as a punishment:My parents have grounded me for a week.
ground verb (PUT WIRE)
[T usually
passive] US (UK earth) to connect a piece of electricalequipment to the
ground with a wire:You could get a nasty shock from that water heater if it
isn't groundedproperly.
ground verb (CAUSE)
be grounded in sth FORMAL to be based firmly on something:Fiction
should be grounded in reality.Most phobias are grounded
in childhood experiences.
See also
well grounded
warrant
verb UK /wr.nt/ US /wr-/
warrant verb (MAKE NECESSARY)
[T] to make a particular activity necessary:Obviously what she did
was wrong, but I don't think it warranted quitesuch severe punishment.It's
a relatively simple task that really doesn't warrant
a great deal oftime being spent on it.
See also
unwarranted
warrant verb (PROMISE)
[I or T] OLD-FASHIONED to say that you are certain about something
warrant
noun UK /wr.nt/ US /wr-/
warrant noun (DOCUMENT)
[C] an official document, signed by a judge or
other person inauthority, which gives
the police permission to searchsomeone's home, arrest a person, or
take some other action:a search warrantJudge La Riva
had issued an arrest warrant/a warrant for his arrest.
warrant noun (REASON)
[U] OLD-FASHIONED a reason for doing something:There's no warrant for
that sort of behaviour!
perverse
adjective UK /pvs/ US /pvs/ DISAPPROVING
strange and not what most people would expect or enjoy:Jack was
being perverse and refusing to agree with anything we said.She took a
perverse pleasure in hearing that her sister was gettingdivorced.
perversely
adverb UK US /-li/
The best way to understand this book is to start, perversely, at the end.
perversity
noun [C or U] UK /-v.s.ti/ US /-v.s.tti/
The author of the book seems to be obsessed with sexual perversity.
hatred
noun [U] UK US /he.trd/
injunction
noun [C] UK US /ndk.n/
an official order given by a law court, usually to stop someone from
doing something:[+ to infinitive] The court has issued an
injunction to prevent theairline from increasing its prices.[+ -ing verb] She
is seeking an injunction
banning the newspaperfrom publishing the photographs.
bicker
verb [I] UK /bk.r/ US /-/ DISAPPROVING
to argue about things that are not important:Will you
two stop bickering!They're always bickering with each
other about/over their personalproblems.
bickering
noun [U] UK US /-/
The group finally elected a leader after several days of bickering.
boundary
noun [C] UK /ban.dr.i/ /-dri/ US /-d-/
C1 a real or imagined line that marks the edge or limit of
something:The Ural mountains mark the
boundary between Europe and Asia.Residents are opposed to
the prison being built within the cityboundary.C1 the limit of
a subject or principle:Electronic publishing is blurring the boundaries
between dictionariesand encyclopedias.
deed
noun [C] UK US /did/
deed noun [C] (ACTION)
an intentional act, especially a very bad or very good one:It seems to
me that a lot of evil deeds are done in the name ofreligion.She's
always helping people and doing good deeds.
deed noun [C] (DOCUMENT)
SPECIALIZED law a legal document that is an official record of
anagreement or official proof that someone owns land or abuilding
burst out
phrasal verb with burst UK /bst/ US /bst/ verb(burst, burst)
C2 to suddenly say something loudly:"Don't go!" he burst out.
revenge
noun [U] UK US /rvend/
B2 harm done to someone as a punishment for harm that they have
done to someone else:She took/got/exacted (her)
revenge on him for leaving her bysmashing up his car.He is believed to have
been shot by a rival gang in revenge for the shootings last week.
More examples
Idioms
revenge is sweet
revenge
verb [T] UK US /rvend/
to harm someone as a punishment for harm that they have done to
you:to revenge a death/defeat/injusticeThe red team revenged
themselves on the blue team by winning thesemifinal.
mumble
verb [I or T] UK US /mm.bl l/
B2 to speak quietly and in a way that is not clear so that the words
are difficult to understand:She mumbled something about being too busy.
[+ speech] "I'm sorry," he mumbled.
weep
verb UK US /wip/ (wept, wept)
weep verb (CRY)
cry
noun UK US /kra/
cry noun (SHOUT)
B1 [C] a loud, high sound that expresses an emotion:a cry
of despairB1 [C] a shout made to attract people's attention:They
were wakened by cries of "Fire!" from the next room.C2 [C] the noise that
a bird or animal makes:an eagle's cry
More examples
cry noun (TEARS)
[S] a period of crying:"Go on, have a good cry," he said, stroking her hair.
Idioms
a cry for help
in full cry
stir
verb UK /str/ US /st/ (-rr-)
stir verb (MIX)
B1 [I or T] to mix a liquid or other substance by moving an objectsuch
as a spoon in a circular pattern:Stir the sauce gently until
it begins to boil.Stir the egg yolks into the mixture.She paused to stir
some milk into her coffee.Slowly add the flour, stirring
until completely blended.
stir verb (MOVE)
C2 [I or T] to move or to cause something
to move slightly:A light breeze stirred the leaves lying on the path.He stirred
in his sleep as I kissed him.stir (yourself) to wake up or begin to move or
take action:Come on, stir yourselves, or you'll be late!The alarm clock went
off, but she didn't stir.
stir verb (CAUSE EMOTION)
C2 [T] If something stirs you, it makes you feel a strong emotion:I
was deeply stirred by her performance.[+ obj + to
infinitive ] The speech stirred the crowd to take action. [I] LITERARY If
an emotion stirs within you, you begin to feel it:Hope stirred within
her heart. [I] UK INFORMAL DISAPPROVING to cause trouble intentionally betw
een
other people, especially by telling false or secret information:There's a
lot of gossip about me going around. Have you been stirring?
See also
Idioms
stir the blood
Phrasal verbs
stir sth up
stir
noun UK /str/ US /st/
stir noun (MIX)
[C usually singular] the act of stirring a liquid or
other substancein order to mix it:Could you give the soup a quick stir?
stir noun (EXCITEMENT)
[U] INFORMAL a lot
of interest or excitement:The scandal caused/created quite a stir at
the time.
stir noun (MARCH)
[C usually singular] INDIAN ENGLISH an occasion when
a group ofpeople march or stand together to show that
they disagree with or support something or someone;
a demonstration
hearty
adjective UK /h.ti/ US /hr.tti/
hearty adjective (ENTHUSIASTIC)
enthusiastic, energetic, and often loudly expressed:a hearty welcomea
hearty laugh
hearty adjective (LARGE)
large or (especially of food) in large amounts:We ate a
hearty breakfast before we set off.She's got a hearty appetite (= she eats a
lot). OLD-FASHIONED very great:She has a hearty dislike of
any sort of office work.
scramble
verb UK US /skrm.bl/l
scramble verb (MOVE QUICKLY)
C2 [I usually + adv/prep] to move or climb quickly but with difficulty,
often using your hands to help you:She
scrambled up the steep hillside and over the rocks.He
scrambled into his clothes (= put them
on quickly) and raced tofetch a doctor.As the burning plane landed,
the terrified passengers scrambled forthe door (= tried to reach the door quick
ly). [I] to compete with other people for something there is very little
of:[+ to infinitive] People are
scrambling to buy property before pricesrise even further.
More examples
scramble verb (CHANGE SIGNAL)
[T] to change a radio or phone signal so that it can only
beunderstood using a special device
scramble verb (TAKE OFF)
[I or T] SPECIALIZED military to (cause a plane to) take off
veryquickly:A helicopter was scrambled within minutes of the news.
scramble verb (MIX)
[T] to mix eggs with a little milk and mix again as they are beingfried
scramble
noun UK US /skrm.bl/l
scramble noun (CLIMBING)
[S] a climb that is difficult so that you have to
use your hands tohelp you:It was a real scramble to the top of
the hillside. [S] an act of hurrying:[+ to infinitive] As soon as
the plane landed there was a mad/wildscramble to get out.
scramble noun (QUICK MOVEMENT)
[S] a hurried attempt to get something:After the death of
the dictator there was an unseemly scramble forpower among the generals.
scramble noun (SPORT)
[C] a motocross event:We're planning a scramble through
the forest next weekend.
scrambling
noun [U] UK US /skrm.bl/
motocross
sob
verb [I] UK /sb/ US /sb/ (-bb-)
B2 to cry noisily, taking in deep breaths:I found her sobbing in
the bedroom because she'd broken herfavourite doll.You're not going
to help matters by lying there sobbing!
Idioms
sob your heart out
sob
noun [C] UK /sb/ US /sb/
an act or sound of sobbing:I could hear her sobs from the next room.
sob story
noun [C] UK US INFORMAL DISAPPROVING
a story or piece of information that someone tells you or writes
about himself or herself that is intended to make
you feelsympathy for that person:She came out with some sob story about
not having enough money to go and see her father who was ill.
clamp
noun [C] UK US /klmp/
a device made of wood or metal that is used to hold two things
together tightly:Carefully tighten the clamp until
it firmly supports the pipette in avertical position.
clamp
verb UK US /klmp/
clamp verb (FASTEN)
[T usually + adv/prep] to fasten two things together, using a
clamp:Clamp the two pieces of wood (together) for
15 minutes. [T] MAINLY UK (US boot) If the police or
another person inauthority clamps a vehicle, they fix a metal device to
one of itswheels, usually because it is parked illegally. The device is
usually only removed when the owner pays an amount ofmoney:When
I finally got back, I found my car had been clamped.
quake
verb [I] UK US /kwek/
to shake because you are very frightened or find something
very funny, or to feel or show great fear:Every time I get on a plane, I
quake with fear.Charlie stood outside the head teacher's office,
quaking in hisboots/shoes (= feeling very frightened).The play was so funny,
we were all quaking with laughter.
quake
noun [C] UK US /kwek/
INFORMAL FOR earthquake
dissemble
verb [I] UK US /dsem.bl/l FORMAL
to hide your real intentions and feelings or
the facts:He accused the government of dissembling.
crane
noun [C] UK US /kren/
crane noun [C] (MACHINE)
a tall metal structure with a long horizontal part, used
for liftingand moving heavy objects:The crane lifted the container off
the ship.
crane noun [C] (BIRD)
a tall bird with long, thin legs and a long neck
crane
verb [I usually + adv/prep, T] UK US /kren/
to stretch in order to look at something:He
craned forward to see the procession.Mike was craning his neck to get the
first glimpse of the car.
bid
verb UK US /bd/
bid verb (OFFER)
C2 [I or T] (PRESENT PARTICIPLE bidding, PAST TENSE bid, PAST
PARTICIPLEbid) to offer a particular amount of money for something that
is for sale and compete against other people to buy it, especially at
a public sale of goods or property:She knew she couldn't afford it, so she
didn't
bid.The communications group has shown an interest in bidding for thecompa
ny.A foreign collector has bid $500,000 for the portrait.[+ two objects] What
am I bid for this fine vase? [I] (PRESENT PARTICIPLE bidding, PAST TENSE bid, PAST
PARTICIPLE bid) If two or more people bid for a job, they compete with
each other to do the work by offering to do it for
a particular amount ofmoney:The department is trying to ensure fairer com
petition among firmsbidding for city contracts. [T + to infinitive] (PRESENT
PARTICIPLE bidding, PAST TENSE bid, PAST PARTICIPLE bid) If someone bids to do
something, they competewith other people to do it:Paris
is bidding to host the next Olympics. [I or T] (PRESENT PARTICIPLE bidding, PAST
TENSE bid, PAST PARTICIPLEbid) (in some card games) to say,
before play starts, how manypoints you expect to win in
a particular game:Before you decide how to bid, you need
to evaluate how strong thehand of cards you are holding is.She bid
three diamonds.
bid verb (TELL)
[T] (PRESENT PARTICIPLE bidding, PAST TENSE bid or bade, PAST
PARTICIPLEbidden) OLD-FASHIONED to give a greeting to someone, or
to asksomeone to do something:[+ two objects] They bade her
good morning.I must now bid you farewell (= say goodbye to
you).LITERARY She bade her hopes farewell (= she stopped being hopeful).[+
object + (to) infinitive ] He bade (= asked) them (to) leave at once.
bid
noun [C] UK US /bd/
bid noun [C] (OFFER)
C2 an offer of a particular amount of money for something that is
for sale:I made a bid of $150 for the painting.She made/put in a bid of
69,000 for the flat, which was accepted.C1 an offer to do something when
you are competing with otherpeople to do it:[+ to
infinitive] Sydney made a successful bid to host the OlympicGames.I gave
the job to the contractors who made/gave the lowest bid (= whooffered to do
the work for the lowest amount of money). (in some card games)
a statement, made before play starts, of how
many points a player thinks he or she will get in a particulargame :The
declarer must make as many tricks as his bid has promised.
bid noun [C] (ATTEMPT)
C2 an attempt to achieve or get something:Her bid for reelection was unsuccessful.The company has managed to fight off
a hostile takeover bid (= anattempt by another company to take control of
it).They have reduced the cost of borrowing in a bid to get
the economymoving again.
conjure
verb [I or T] UK /kn.dr/ US /-d/
to make something appear by magic, or as if by magic:In an instant,
the magician had conjured (up) a dove from his hat.
Phrasal verbs
conjure sth up
conjure sb/sth up
sport
screech
verb [I] UK US /skrit/
to make an unpleasant, loud, high noise:She was screeching at him at
the top of her voice.He was screeching with pain/laughter.[+ speech] "Don't
you dare touch me!" she screeched.The car screeched to
a halt/standstill (= stopped very suddenly, making
a loud high noise).FIGURATIVE The economic recovery is likely to screech to
ahalt/standstill (= stop very suddenly) if taxes are increased.
screech
noun [C] UK US /skrit/
a long, loud, high noise that
is unpleasant to hear:He let out a loud screech.The truck stopped with a
screech of brakes.
gibberish
noun [U] UK /db.r./ US /--/ DISAPPROVING
spoken or written words that have no meaning:I was so nervous, I
just started talking gibberish.
sway
verb UK US /swe/
sway verb (MOVE)
[I] to move slowly from side to side:The trees were swaying in
the wind.The movement of the ship caused the mast to
sway from side toside/backwards and forwards.A drunk was standing in
the middle of the street, swaying uncertainlyand trying hard
to stay upright. [T] to cause something
snivel
verb [I] UK US /snv.l/ (-ll- or US USUALLY -l-)
to cry slightly in a way that is weak and does not make
otherpeople feel sympathy for you:He's sitting in his bedroom snivelling
because he was told off for not doing his homework.
begrudge
verb [T] UK US /brd/
envidiar
goody3
[goo d-ee]
Spell Syllables
noun, plural goodies.
1.
Archaic. a polite term of address for a woman of humble socialstanding.
OriginExpand
1550-60; good(wife)
goody2
/d/
noun (pl) goodies
1.
(archaic or literary) a married woman of low rank: used as a title:Goody TwoShoes
Word Origin
C16: shortened from goodwife
Word Origin and History for goodyExpand
n.
also goodie, "something tasty," 1745, from good (adj.) + -y (2); adj. usefor "sen
timentally proper" is 1830 (especially in reduplicated form goody-goody, 1871).
As an exclamation of pleasure, by 1796. Goody also usedsince 1550s as a short
ened form of goodwife, a term of civility applied to amarried woman in humble l
ife; hence Goody Two-shoes, name of heroine in1760s children's story who exul
ted upon acquiring a second shoe.
marvel
verb [I] UK /m.vl/ US /mr-/ (-ll- or US USUALLY -l-)
Word Origin
adjective
1.oppressive or tyrannical; stern or cruel.
2.having hands hardened by toil.
providence
noun [U] UK /prv..dns/ US /pr.v-/
an influence that is not human in origin and
is thought tocontrol people's lives:divine providence
ail
verb UK US /el/
ail verb (CAUSE DIFFICULTY)
[T] FORMAL to cause difficulty and problems for someone or
something:The government seems to have no understanding of what ails
thecountry.
ail verb (BE/MAKE ILL)
[I or T] OLD-FASHIONED to be ill, or to cause to be ill:She had been ailing
for years before she died.
dwindle
verb [I] UK US /dwn.dl/l
to become smaller in size or amount, or fewer
in number:The community has dwindled to a tenth of its former size in the
last two years.Her hopes of success in the race dwindled last night as
the weatherbecame worse.
dwindling
adjective UK US /-/
dwindling numbers/supplies
grievance
noun [C or U] UK US /ri.vns/
a complaint or a strong feeling that you have
been treatedunfairly:A special committee has
been appointed to handle prisoners' grievances.Bill still harbours/nurses a
grievance against his employers for
notpromoting him.The small amount of compensation is a further source of
grievance to the people forced to leave their homes.
faction
noun [C] UK US /fk.n/ MAINLY DISAPPROVING
a group within a larger group, especially one
with slightlydifferent ideas from the main group:the left-wing faction of
the party
factional
adjective UK US /-l/
factional leaders
factionalism
noun [U] UK US /-l..zm/
Factionalism was tearing the party and the country apart.
smirch
transitive verb \smrch\
Definition of SMIRCH
1a : to make dirty, stained, or discolored : SULLY
b : to smear with something that stains or dirties
2: to bring discredit or disgrace on
besmirch
verb [T] UK /bsmt/ US /-smt/ LITERARY
to say bad things about someone to influence other
people'sopinion of them:His accusations were false, but they served to
besmirch herreputation.
embittered
adjective UK /mbt.d/ US /-btt.d/
very angry about unfair things that have happened to
you:They ignored all her pleas and she became very
embittered.He died a disillusioned and embittered old man.
embitter
verb [T] UK /-bt.r/ US /-btt./
to make someone feel embittered
juncture
noun [C] UK /dk.tr/ US /-t/ FORMAL
a particular point in time:At this juncture, it is impossible to say whether
she will make a fullrecovery.
contempt
noun [U] UK US /kntempt/
contempt noun [U] (NO RESPECT)
C2 a strong feeling of disliking and having no respect for someone or
something:At school she had complete contempt for all her teachers.You
should treat those remarks with the contempt that
they deserve.She's beneath contempt (= I have no respect for her)!
hold sb/sth in contempt to feel contempt for someone or something
wither
verb UK /w.r/ US /-/ (ALSO wither away)
[I or T] (to cause) to become weak and dry and decay:Grass had
withered in the fields. [I] to slowly disappear, lose importance,
shrivel
verb UK US /rv.l/ (-ll- or US USUALLY -l-)
[I or T] to become dry, smaller, and covered with lines as if
bycrushing or folding, or to make something do this:The lack of rain has
shrivelled the crops.You ought to pick those lettuces before they
shrivel (up) and die. [I] to become much smaller than
is needed or wanted:Profits are shrivelling as the recession gets worse.
shrivelled
adjective UK US /-ld/
Those oranges were looking a bit old and shrivelled, so I threw them out.
gaze
verb [I usually + adv/prep] UK US /ez/
B2 to look at something or someone for
a long time, especially insurprise or admiration, or because you
are thinking about something else:Annette gazed admiringly at Warren as
he spoke.He spends hours gazing out of the window when he should
beworking.
More examples
gaze
noun [S] UK US /ez/
C2 a long look, usually of
a particular kind:a steady gazean innocent/admiring gazeLITERARY As
I looked out, my gaze fell on a small child by the road.
sly
adjective UK US /sla/ (slyer, slyest)
deceiving people in a clever way in order to get what you want:He's a
sly old devil - I wouldn't trust him with my money. [before
noun] seeming to know secrets:"You'll find out eventually," said Mary with a
sly smile.
slyly
adverb UK US /sla.li/
She grinned slyly and refused to tell me where the money came from.
slyness
noun [U] UK US /sla.ns/
sly
noun UK US /sla/
on the sly If you do something on the sly, you do it secretly because
you should not be doing it:He drives his mother's car on the sly while she's
at work.
Translations of sly
in Spanish
contention
noun UK US /knten.n/
contention noun (DISAGREEMENT)
[U] the disagreement that results from opposing arguments:There's a
lot of contention about that issue - for every person firmly infavour, there's
someone fiercely against it.The matter has been settled - it's
no longer in contention.
contention noun (OPINION)
[C] FORMAL an opinion expressed in an argument:[+ that] It is her
contention that exercise is more important than diet if
you want to lose weight.
contention noun (IN A COMPETITION)
be in/out of contention for sth to
be able/not able to achieve or win something, especially insport:This d
ecisive defeat puts them out of contention for this year'schampionship finals.
subservient
adjective UK /sbs.vi.nt/ US /-s-/ DISAPPROVING
willing to do what other people want, or considering yourwishes as
less important than those of other people:to adopt a
subservient role/positionThe government was accused of being
subservient to the interests of the pro-Europe campaigners.
subservience
noun [U] UK US /-ns/
subserviently
adverb UK US /-li/
reckoning
noun [C or U] UK US /rek.n./
a calculation that you make:By my reckoning, we should arrive in
ten minutes.
shudder
verb [I] UK /d.r/ US /-/
C2 to shake suddenly with very small movements because of a
veryunpleasant thought or feeling:The sight of so much blood made him
shudder.She shuddered at the thought of kissing him. When something
shudders, it shakes violently and quickly:I heard a massive explosion and
the ground shuddered beneath me.There was a screech of brakes and
the bus shuddered to a halt (=shook violently and stopped).
More examples
Idioms
I shudder to think
shudder to a halt
shudder
noun [C] UK /d.r/ US /-/
the act of shuddering:He gave a slight shudder as he considered how near
he had come todeath.She recalled with a shudder how
her boss had once tried to kiss her.FIGURATIVE America's
second biggest supermarket chain has sent ashudder through (= has had
a strong effect on) its rivals by slashingits prices.
Idioms
send shudders/a shudder down your spine
partisan
adjective UK /p.tzn/ /p.t.zn/ US /pr.tt.zn/
strongly supporting a person, principle, or political party, often
without considering or judging the matter very carefully:The audience
was very partisan, and refused to listen to her speech.partisan politics
See also
bipartisan
partisan
noun [C] UK /p.tzn/ /p.t.zn/ US /pr.tt.zn/
wintry
adjective UK US /wn.tri/
wintry adjective (LIKE WINTER)
typical of winter:It looks like this wintry weather is here
to stay.This afternoon we may see some
wintry showers (= snow mixed withrain) over higher ground.Wintry conditions
are making roads hazardous for drivers in thenortheast of England.
wintry adjective (EXPRESSION)
homestead
noun [C] UK /hm.sted/ US /hom-/
MAINLY US a house and the surrounding area of land usually used as
a farm US in the past, land given by the government for farming
homestead
verb [I or T] UK /hm.sted/ US /hom-/ US
in the past, to build a house and grow crops on land given by
the government
squabble
noun [C] UK /skwb.l/l US /skw.bl l/
an argument over something that is not important:Polly and Susie
were having a squabble about who was going to holdthe dog's lead.
squabble
verb [I] UK US
iniquity
noun [C or U] UK /nk.w.ti/ US /-tti/ FORMAL
a very wrong and unfair action or situation:They fought long and hard
against the iniquities of apartheid.The writer reflects on human injustice and
iniquity.
baffle
verb [T] UK US /bf.l/l
to cause someone to
be completely unable to understand orexplain something:She
was completely baffled by his strange behaviour.
bafflement
noun [U] UK US /-mnt/
baffling
adjective UK US /bf.l/
I found what he was saying completely baffling.
fathom
noun [C] UK US /f.m/
a unit for measuring the depth of water, equal to 1.8 metres or 6feet
fathom
verb [T] UK US /f.m/
UK to discover the meaning of something:For years people have
been trying to fathom (out) the mysteries of the
whale's song. to understand someone or why someone acts as they
do:I can't fathom her at all.
the Sabbath
noun [S] UK US /sb./
the day of the week kept by
some religious groups for rest andworship. The Sabbath is Sunday for
most Christians, Saturdayfor Jews, and Friday for
Muslims:to keep/break (= follow/not follow the religious rules for) the
Sabbath
quail
noun [C or U] UK US /kwel/ (PLURAL quail or quails)
a small, brown bird that is shot for sport or food, or the meat of
this bird:Quails' eggs are considered to be a delicacy.
quail
verb [I] UK US /kwel/ LITERARY
howl
verb UK US /hal/
howl verb (PERSON/ANIMAL)
[I] If a dog or wolf howls, it makes a long, sad sound:In the silence of
the night, a lone wolf howled. [I or T] to make a loud sound, usually
to express pain, sadness, or
another strong emotion:An injured dog lay in the middle of the road,
howling with/in pain.We were
howling with laughter.FIGURATIVE The opposition howled down the
government's proposal (=shouted loudly to express disapproval).
howl verb (WIND)
[I] If the wind howls, it blows hard and makes a lot of noise:Is there
someone outside, or is it just the wind howling in the trees?
howl
noun UK US /hal/
[C] a long, loud, sad sound:the howl of the wind in
the treesHe leaves his dog shut up in the house all day, and we
can hear itshowls.She let out a howl of pain. [C usually
plural] a strong expression of emotion, such
as angeror disagreement:Plans to build a new supermarket have
been greeted with howls ofprotest from local residents.
howling
adjective UK US /ha.l/
be a howling success to be very successful:Neither film was a
howling success.
riot
noun UK US /ra.t/
C1 [C] a noisy, violent, and uncontrolled public meeting:Inner-city
riots erupted when a local man was shot by police. [S] OLDFASHIONED INFORMAL a very funny or entertaining occasion orperson:"How
was the party?" "It was great - we had a riot."I met Mike's brother for the
first time - he's a riot.
More examples
Idioms
a riot of colour
run riot
riot
verb [I] UK US /ra.t/
C2 to take part in a riot:Students are rioting in the streets of the capital.
rioter
noun [C] UK /ra..tr/ US /-tt/
Police and rioters clashed violently.
rioting
noun [U] UK /ra..t/ US /-tt/
The government is afraid of further serious rioting today.
Quaker
noun [C] UK /kwe.kr/ US /-k/ (ALSO Friend)
a member of a Christian group, called the Society of Friends, that
does not have formal ceremonies or a formal system ofbeliefs, and
is strongly opposed to violence and war
Quaker
adjective UK US
defame
verb [T] UK US /dfem/ FORMAL
to damage the reputation of a person or group by saying or
writing bad things about them that are not true:Mr
Turnock claimed the editorial had defamed him.
libel
noun [C or U] UK US /la.bl/
enthral
verb [I or T] (-ll-) MAINLY UK (US USUALLY enthrall) UK /nrl/ US /-rl/
to keep someone completely interested:The baseball game completely e
nthralled the crowd.The audience was enthralled for two hours by
a sparkling, dramaticperformance.They listened enthralled to what he was
saying.
commune
noun UK /km.jun/ US /k.mjun/
commune noun (GROUP)
[C, + sing/pl
verb] a group of families or single people who liveand work together s
haring possessions and responsibilities:She left her husband to join a
women's commune.
commune noun (GOVERNMENT)
[C] in some countries, a unit of local government
commune
verb [I] UK /km.jun/ US /k.mjun/ FORMAL
to get very close to someone or something
by exchangingfeelings or thoughts:Lying naked in the grass, among
the trees and birds, he felt he was communing with nature.
overlay
verb [T often passive] UK /.vle/ US /o.v-/(overlaid, overlaid)
to cover something with a layer of something:The foundation of
the house is built from rubble overlaid withconcrete.be overlaid
with sth LITERARY something that is overlaid with something has
a particularquality added to it that influences its character:Her
new novel is overlaid with political concerns.
overlay
noun [C] UK /.v.le/ US /o.v-/
a thin covering of something:The wood frame has a gold overlay.
abrogate
verb [T] UK US /b.r.et/ FORMAL
to end a law, agreement, or custom formally:The treaty was abrogated
in 1929.
abrogation
noun [S or U] UK US /b.re.n/
congeries
(kn-jrz, knj-rz)
propitiate
verb [T] UK US /prp.i.et/ FORMAL
to please and make calm a god or person who is annoyed with you:In
those days people might sacrifice a goat or sheep to propitiate
anangry god.The radicals in the party were clearly sacked to propitiate
theconservative core.
propitiation
noun [U] UK US /-p.ie.n/
klatch
or klatsch (klch, klch)
n.A casual social gathering, usually for conversation.
fetish
noun [C] UK /fet./ US /fett-/
fetish noun [C] (INTEREST)
psychology a sexual interest in an object or a part of the bodyother
than the sexual organs:a rubber/foot fetishHe has a
fetish for/about high heels. psychology an activity or object that you are
so interested in that
you spend an unreasonable amount of time thinking about it or doing
it:She makes a fetish of organization - it's quite obsessive.He has a
fetish for/about cleanliness.
fetish noun [C] (RELIGIOUS OBJECT)
SPECIALIZED religion an object that is worshipped in
somesocieties because it is believed to have
a spirit or specialmagical powers
fetishism
noun [U] UK US /-..zm/
fetishistic
adjective UK /fet.s.tk/ US /fett-/
fetishistic religions
mores
noun [plural] UK /m.rez/ US /mr.ez/ FORMAL
the traditional customs and ways of behaving that are typical of
a particular (part of) society:middle-class moresthe mores and culture of
the Japanese
revulsion
noun [U] UK US /rvl.n/
a strong, often sudden, feeling that something
is extremelyunpleasant:I turned away in revulsion when
they showed a close-up of theoperation.She looked at
him with revulsion.He expressed his
revulsion at/against/towards the whale hunting.
atomize
verb atomize \a-t-mz\
atomizedatomizing
Definition of ATOMIZE
transitive verb
1: to treat as made up of many discrete units
2: to reduce to minute particles or to a fine spray
3: DIVIDE, FRAGMENT <an atomized society>; also : to deprive of meaningful ties
to others <atomized individuals>
4: to subject to attack by nuclear weapons
atomization \a-t-m-z-shn\ noun
Examples of ATOMIZE
1.
yeoman
noun [C] UK /j.mn/ US /jo-/ (PLURAL -men UK /-mn/ US )
in the past, a man who was not a servant and
who owned andcultivated (= grew crops on) an area of land
tract
noun [C] UK US /trkt/
tract noun [C] (WRITING)
a short piece of writing, especially on a religious or politicalsubject,
that is intended to influence other
people's opinions:a moral/religious/socialist tractHave you read John Milton's
tracts on divorce?
tract noun [C] (LAND)
a large area of land:The house is surrounded by vast tracts of woodland.
US a measured area of land that is used for a particularpurpose, such
as building houses or digging for oil:a 132-acre tract in Irving
tract noun [C] (TUBE)
a system of connected tubes and organs in the body of a personor
an animal, which has
a particular purpose:the urinary/respiratory/digestive tract
queer
adjective UK /kwr/ US /kwr/
queer adjective (GAY)
OFFENSIVE (especially of a man) gayNote:Gay people sometimes use this
word in a way that is not offensive.
queer adjective (STRANGE)
OLD-FASHIONED strange, unusual, or not expected:What a queer thing to
say!I'm feeling rather queer (= ill), may I sit down?
queer
noun [C] UK /kwr/ US /kwr/ OFFENSIVE
a gay person, especially a man
queer
verb UK /kwr/ US /kwr/ UK INFORMAL
queer sb's pitch to spoil a chance or an opportunity for someone,
often onpurpose:If she asks Dan for a pay rise before I do, it
will probably queer mypitch.
Translations of queer
in Spanish
strive
verb [I] UK US /strav/ (strove or strived, striven orstrived)
C2 to try very hard to do something or to make
something happen,especially for a long time or against difficulties:[+
to infinitive] Mr Roe has kindled expectations that he must now
strive to live up to.In her writing she
strove for a balance between innovation and familiarprose forms.
discomfit
verb [T] UK US /dskm.ft/ FORMAL
to make someone feel uncomfortable, especially mentally
discomfiture
noun [U] UK /-tr/ US /-t/
She turned away to hide her discomfiture.
Not give a hoot
not care/give two hoots
(ALSO not care/give a hoot) INFORMAL
to not care about something or someone:I don't give two hoots what
she thinks.
stumble
verb UK US /stm.bl/l
stumble verb (WALK)
C2 [I] to step awkwardly while walking or running and fall or beginto fa
ll:Running along the beach, she stumbled on a log and fell on the sand.In
the final straight Meyers stumbled, and although he didn't fall it was enough
to lose him first place. [I usually + adv/prep] to walk in a way that does
not seemcontrolled:We could hear her
stumbling about/around the bedroom in the dark.He pulled on his clothes and
stumbled into the kitchen.
stumble verb (PAUSE)
C2 [I] to make a mistake, such as repeating something or pausingfor
too long, while speaking or playing a piece of music:When
the poet stumbled over a line in the middle of a poem, someone in
the audience corrected him.
Phrasal verbs
stumble across/on/upon sth/sb
stumble into sth
crank
noun UK US /krk/
crank noun (PERSON)
[C] INFORMAL a person who
has strange or unusual ideas andbeliefs US [C] INFORMAL an unpleasant
and easily annoyed person:She's always a crank first thing in the morning.
crank noun (EQUIPMENT)
[C] a device that creates movement between parts of a machineor
that changes backward and forward movement into circularmovement
:a crank handle
crank noun (DRUG)
[U] US an illegal drug that is a form of methamphetamine
withal
(wth-l, wth-)
adv.
1. In addition; besides: "He ... made it clear to all that I was his friend andwitha
l a very good guy" (Joseph Epstein).
2. Despite that; nevertheless: "He was a crank and a nuisance, but withala dee
ply innocent and brave man" (Arthur Miller).
3. Archaic Therewith: "She needs no old woman's broomstick to flywithal!" (Nat
haniel Hawthorne).
prep. Archaic
With. Used especially at the end of a question or a relative clause: "Inurs'd her
daughter that you talk'd withal" (Shakespeare).
stoppage
noun [C] UK /stp.d/ US /st.pd/
stoppage noun [C] (NOT WORKING)
a time when work is stopped because of
a disagreementbetween workers and employers
stoppage noun [C] (MONEY)
UK (US AND AUSTRALIAN ENGLISH deduction) an amount that is taken away
from the money that you are paid before
you officiallyreceive it:Stoppages include things
like pension contributions and nationalinsurance.
clod
noun [C] UK /kld/ US /kld/
clod noun [C] (SOIL)
a piece of soil or clay:Their hoofs threw up clods of earth as
they galloped across the field.
clod noun [C] (PERSON)
OLD-FASHIONED a stupid person:Don't be such a clod!
heifer
noun [C] UK /hef.r/ US /-/
a young cow, especially one that has not yet given birth to
a calf(= baby cow)
draught
noun UK (US draft) UK /drft/ US /drft/
draught noun (COLD AIR)
C1 [C] a current of unpleasantly cold air blowing through a room
draught noun (BOATS)
[C] SPECIALIZED sailing the depth of water needed for a boat to
beable to float:A punt has a shallow draught.
draught noun (BEER)
[U] a system of storing and serving drinks from large containers,espe
cially barrels:Is the lager on draught or is it bottled?
draught noun (GAME)
draughts [U] UK (US checkers) a game for two people, each with
twelve circular pieces that theymove on
a board with black and white squares
draught
adjective [before noun] UK (US draft) UK /drft/ US /drft/
draught adjective [before noun] (BEER)
(of drinks such as beer) stored in
and served from largecontainers, especially barrels:draught beer/lager/c
ider
draught adjective [before noun] (ANIMALS)
(of animals) used for pulling heavy loads, vehicles, etc.:a
draught horse
bewilder
verb [T] UK /bwl.dr/ US /-d/
to confuse someone:The instructions completely bewildered me.
bewildered
adjective UK /-dd/ US /-dd/
Arriving in a strange city at night, I felt alone and bewildered.
ameliorate
verb [T] UK US /mil.j.ret/ FORMAL
to make
a bad or unpleasant situation better:Foreign aid is badly needed to
ameliorate the effects of the drought.
amelioration
noun [U] UK US /mi.li.re.n/
jabber
verb [I or T] UK /db.r/ US /-/ DISAPPROVING
to speak or say something quickly in a way that
is difficult tounderstand:The train was full of people jabbering (away) into t
heir mobile phones.He jabbered (out) something about
an accident further down the road.
crone
noun [C] UK /krn/ US /kron/
an unpleasant or ugly old woman
brim
noun UK US /brm/
brim noun (PART OF HAT)
[C usually singular] the bottom part of a hat that sticks out all around
the head
Compare
crown noun
brim noun (TOP)
[C] the very top edge of a container:She poured the cream until
it reached the brim.He filled the glass to the brim.She passed him
the mug, filled/full to the brim with hot black coffee.
-brimmed
suffix UK US /-d/
She wore a wide-brimmed hat.
brim
verb [I] UK US /brm/ (-mm-)
to become full of
something, especially a liquid:Her eyes brimmed with tears when
she heard that he
was alive.FIGURATIVE His recent triumphs have left the tennis ace brimming (ove
r) with (= full of) confidence and energy.
noose
noun UK US /nus/
[C] one end of a rope tied to form a circle that can be tightenedround
something such as a person's neck to hang (= kill) them:They put him
on the back of a horse and looped a noose around
hisneck. [S] a serious problem or limit:The noose
of poverty was tightening (= becoming more serious)daily.
ripe
adjective UK US /rap/
ripe adjective (FRUIT/CROPS)
B2 (of fruit or crops) completely developed and ready to
becollected or eaten:Those bananas aren't ripe yet - they're still green.
ripe adjective (CHEESE)
Ripe cheese has developed a strong flavour:This brie smells good and
ripe.
ripe adjective (SMELL)
A ripe smell is strong and unpleasant:There was a ripe smell from
his socks.
ripe adjective (LANGUAGE)
OLD-FASHIONED HUMOROUS used to describe language that is rude:a
ripe joke
ripeness
noun [U] UK US /rap.ns/
Idioms
ripe for
ripe old age
pewter
noun [U] UK /pju.tr/ US /-tt/
a bluish-grey metal that is a mixture of tin and lead:a
pewter plate/tankard
Translations of pewter
in Spanish
peltre
clapboard
noun UK /klp.bd/ US /-brd/
jangling
noun [U] UK US /d.l/
the noise of metal hitting metal:the jangling
of sleigh bellsa loud jangling noise
lair
noun [C usually singular] UK /ler/ US /ler/
a place where a wild animal lives, often underground andhidden, or
a place where a person hides:a fox's lairthe thieves' lair
budge
verb [I or T] UK US /bd/
budge verb [I or T] (MOVE)
If something will not budge or you cannot budge it, it will
notmove:I've tried moving the desk but it won't budge/I can't budge it.
budge verb [I or T] (CHANGE)
to change your opinion or to make
someone change theiropinion:I've tried persuading her, but
she won't budge.
Phrasal verbs
budge up
McCarthyism
A History of Jamestown
The founding of Jamestown, Americas first permanent English colony, in
Virginia in 1607 13 years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth in
Massachusetts sparked a series of cultural encounters that helped shape the
nation and the world. The government, language, customs, beliefs and
aspirations of these early Virginians are all part of the United States heritage
today.
The colony was sponsored by the Virginia Company of London, a group of
investors who hoped to profit from the venture. Chartered in 1606 by King
James I, the company also supported English national goals of
counterbalancing the expansion of other European nations abroad, seeking a
northwest passage to the Orient, and converting the Virginia Indians to the
Anglican religion.
The Susan Constant, Godspeed and Discovery,
carrying 105 passengers, one of whom died during the
voyage, departed from England in December 1606
and reached the Virginia coast in late April 1607. The
expedition was led by Captain Christopher Newport.
On May 13, after two weeks of exploration, the ships
arrived at a site on the James River selected for its
deep water anchorage and good defensive position.
The passengers came ashore the next day, and work began on the settlement.
Initially, the colony was governed by a council of seven, with one member
serving as president.
Serious problems soon emerged in the small English outpost, which was
located in the midst of a chiefdom of about 14,000 Algonquian-speaking
Indians ruled by the powerful leader Powhatan. Relations with the Powhatan
Indians were tenuous, although trading opportunities were established. An
unfamiliar climate, as well as brackish water supply and lack of food, conditions
possibly aggravated by a prolonged drought, led to disease and death. Many
of the original colonists were upper-class Englishmen, and the colony lacked
sufficient laborers and skilled farmers.
The first two English women arrived at Jamestown in 1608, and more came in
subsequent years. Men outnumbered women, however, for most of the 17th
century.
Captain John Smith became the colonys leader in September 1608 the fourth
in a succession of council presidents and established a no work, no food
policy. Smith had been instrumental in trading with the Powhatan Indians for
food. However, in the fall of 1609 he was injured by burning gunpowder and
left for England. Smith never returned to Virginia, but promoted colonization of
North America until his death in 1631 and published numerous accounts of the
Virginia colony, providing invaluable material for historians.
Smiths departure was followed by the starving time, a period of warfare
between the colonists and Indians and the deaths of many English men and
women from starvation and disease. Just when the colonists decided to
abandon Jamestown in Spring 1610, settlers with supplies arrived from
England, eager to find wealth in Virginia. This group of new settlers arrived
under the second charter issued by King James I. This charter provided for
stronger leadership under a governor who served with a group of advisors, and
the introduction of a period of military law that carried harsh punishments for
those who did not obey.
In order to make a profit for the Virginia Company, settlers tried a number of
small industries, including glassmaking, wood production, and pitch and tar and
potash manufacture. However, until the introduction of tobacco as a cash crop
about 1613 by colonist John Rolfe, who later married Powhatans daughter
Pocahontas, none of the colonists efforts to establish profitable enterprises
were successful. Tobacco cultivation required large amounts of land and labor
and stimulated the rapid growth of the Virginia colony. Settlers moved onto the
lands occupied by the Powhatan Indians, and increased numbers of indentured
servants came to Virginia.
The first documented Africans in Virginia arrived in 1619. They were from the
kingdom of Ndongo in Angola, West Central Africa, and had been captured
during war with the Portuguese. While these first Africans may have been
treated as indentured servants, the customary practice of owning Africans as
slaves for life appeared by mid-century. The number of African slaves
increased significantly in the second half of the 17th century, replacing
indentured servants as the primary source of labor.
The first representative government in British America began at Jamestown in
1619 with the convening of a general assembly, at the request of settlers who
wanted input in the laws governing them. After a series of events, including a
1622 war with the Powhatan Indians and misconduct among some of the
Virginia Company leaders in England, the Virginia Company was dissolved by
the king in 1624, and Virginia became a royal colony. Jamestown continued as
the center of Virginias political and social life until 1699 when the seat of
government moved to Williamsburg. Although Jamestown ceased to exist as a
town by the mid 1700s, its legacies are embodied in todays United States.
The Mayflower
From the Pilgrims' reasons for leaving Europe to the treacherous journey across
the Atlantic, musician and artist Jeffrey Lewis puts to song the story of the
Mayflower.
In September 1620, a merchant ship called the Mayflower set sail from
Plymouth, a port on the southern coast of England. Typically, the Mayflowers
cargo was wine and dry goods, but on this trip the ship carried passengers: 102
of them, all hoping to start a new life on the other side of the Atlantic. Nearly
40 of these passengers were Protestant Separatiststhey called themselves
Saintswho hoped to establish a new church in the New World. Today, we
often refer to the colonists who crossed the Atlantic on the Mayflower as
Pilgrims.
PILGRIMS BEFORE THE MAYFLOWER
In 1608, a congregation of disgruntled English Protestants from the village of
Scrooby, Nottinghamshire, left England and moved to Leyden, a town in
Holland. These Separatists did not want to pledge allegiance to the Church of
England, which they believed was nearly as corrupt and idolatrous as the
Catholic Church it had replaced, any longer. (They were not the same as the
Puritans, who had many of the same objections to the English church but
wanted to reform it from within.) The Separatists hoped that in Holland, they
would be free to worship as they liked
Did You Know?
The Separatists who founded the Plymouth Colony referred to
themselves as Saints, not Pilgrims. The use of the word
Pilgrim to describe this group did not become common until the
colonys bicentennial.
In fact, the Separatists (they called themselves Saints) did find religious
freedom in Holland, but they also found a secular life that was more difficult to
navigate than theyd anticipated. For one thing, Dutch craft guilds excluded the
migrants, so they were relegated to menial, low-paying jobs. Even worse was
Hollands easygoing, cosmopolitan atmosphere, which proved alarmingly
seductive to some of the Saints children. (These young people were drawn
away, Separatist leaderWilliam Bradford wrote, by evill [sic] example into
extravagance and dangerous courses.) For the strict, devout Separatists, this
was the last straw. They decided to move again, this time to a place without
government interference or worldly distraction: the New World across the
Atlantic Ocean.
THE MAYFLOWER
First, the Separatists returned to London to get organized. A prominent
merchant agreed to advance the money for their journey. The Virginia Company
gave them permission to establish a settlement, or plantation, on the East
Coast between 38 and 41 degrees north latitude (roughly between the
Chesapeake Bay and the mouth of the Hudson River). And the King of England
gave them permission to leave the Church of England, provided they carried
themselves peaceably.
In August 1620, a group of about 40 Saints joined a much larger group of
(comparatively) secular colonistsStrangers, to the Saintsand set sail from
England on two merchant ships: the Mayflower and the Speedwell. The
Speedwell began to leak almost immediately, however, and the ships headed
back to port. The travelers squeezed themselves and their belongings onto the
Mayflower and set sail once again.
Because of the delay caused by the leaky Speedwell, the Mayflower had to
cross the Atlantic at the height of storm season. As a result, the journey was
horribly unpleasant. Many of the passengers were so seasick they could
scarcely get up, and the waves were so rough that one Stranger was swept
overboard and drowned. (It was the just hand of God upon him, Bradford
wrote later, for the young sailor had been a proud and very profane yonge
man.)
THE MAYFLOWER COMPACT
After two miserable months at sea, the ship finally reached the New World.
There, the Mayflowers passengers found an abandoned Indian village and not
much else. They also found that they were in the wrong place: Cape Cod was
located at 42 degrees north latitude, well north of the Virginia Companys
territory. Technically, the Mayflower colonists had no right to be there at all. In
order to establish themselves as a legitimate colony (Plymouth, named after
the English port from which they had departed) under these dubious
circumstances, 41 of the Saints and Strangers drafted and signed a document
they called theMayflower Compact. This Compact promised to create a civil
Body Politick governed by elected officials and just and equal laws. It also
swore allegiance to the English king.
PLYMOUTH COLONY AND THE FIRST THANKSGIVING
The colonists spent the first winter, which only 53 passengers and half the crew
survived, living onboard the Mayflower. (The Mayflower sailed back to England
in April 1621.) Once they moved ashore, the colonists faced even more
challenges. During their first winter in America, more than half of the Plymouth
colonists died from malnutrition, disease and exposure to the harsh New
England weather. In fact, without the help of the areas native people, it is likely
that none of the colonists would have survived. An English-speaking Pawtuxet
named Samoset helped the colonists form an alliance with the local
Wampanoags, who taught them how to hunt local animals, gather shellfish and
grow corn, beans and squash. At the end of the next summer, the Plymouth
colonists celebrated their first successful harvest with a three-day festival of
thanksgiving. We still commemorate this feast today.
Eventually, the Plymouth colonists were absorbed into the
Puritan MassachusettsBay Colony. Still, the Mayflower Saints and their
descendants remained convinced that they alone had been specially chosen by
God to act as a beacon for Christians around the world. As one small candle
may light a thousand, Bradford wrote, so the light here kindled hath shone to
many, yea in some sort to our whole nation.
Protestant
Theology
Polity
Congregational
Distinct
fellowships
Associations
Friends United
Meeting,Evangelical Friends
International, Central Yearly
Meeting of Friends,Conservative
Friends,Friends General
Conference,Beanite Quakerism
Founder
George Fox
Origin
Mid-17th century
England
Separated
from
Church of England
Separations
Shakers[1]
the gospel of Jesus Christ. Some of these early Quaker ministers were women.
[10]
They based their message on the religious belief that "Christ has come to
teach his people himself," stressing the importance of a direct relationship with
God through Jesus Christ, and a direct religious belief in the universal
priesthood of all believers.[11] They emphasized a personal and direct religious
experience of Christ, acquired through both direct religious experience and the
reading and studying of the Bible.[12] Quakers focused their private life on
developing behavior and speech reflecting emotional purity and the light of
God.[13]
In the past, Quakers were known for their use of thou as an ordinary
pronoun, refusal to participate in war, plain dress, refusal to swear
oaths, opposition to slavery, and teetotalismthe opposition to alcohol. Some
Quakers have founded banks and financial institutions
including Barclays, Lloyds, and Friends Provident; manufacturing companies
includingClarks, Cadbury, Rowntree, and Fry's; and philanthropic efforts,
including abolition, prison reform, and social justice projects.
Desiderius Erasmus
Desiderius Erasmus
c. 27 October 1466
Rotterdam, Burgundian
Netherlands
Died
Other nam
es
Desiderius Erasmus
Roterodamus, Erasmus of
Rotterdam
Era
Renaissance philosophy
Region
Western philosophy
Main
interests
Christian
philosophy,Renaissance
humanism
Erasmus was a classical scholar who wrote in a pure Latin style. Amongst
humanists, he enjoyed the sobriquet "Prince of the Humanists"; he has been
called "the crowning glory of the Christian humanists". [2] Using humanist
techniques for working on texts, he prepared important
new Latin and Greek editions of the New Testament. These raised questions
that would be influential in the Protestant Reformation and Catholic CounterReformation. He also wrote On Free Will,[3] The Praise of Folly, Handbook of a
Christian Knight, On Civility in Children, Copia: Foundations of the Abundant
Style, Julius Exclusus, and many other works.
Erasmus lived against the backdrop of the growing European
religious Reformation; but while he was critical of the abuses within
the Church and called for reform, he kept his distance
from Luther and Melanchthon and continued to recognise the authority of the
pope. Erasmus emphasized a middle way, with a deep respect for traditional
faith, piety and grace, and rejected Luther's emphasis on faith alone. Erasmus
therefore remained a member of the Catholic Church all his life. [4] Erasmus
remained committed to reforming the Church and its clerics' abuses from
within. He also held to Catholic doctrines such as that of free will, which some
Reformers rejected in favour of the doctrine of predestination. His middle road
approach disappointed and even angered scholars in both camps.
Erasmus died suddenly in Basel in 1536 while preparing to return to Brabant,
and was buried in the Basel Minster, the former cathedral of the city.[5] A bronze
statue of him was erected in his city of birth in 1622, replacing an earlier work
in stone. Erasmus was hisbaptismal name, given after St. Erasmus of
Formiae. Desiderius was a self-adopted additional name, which he used from
1496. The Roterodamus in his scholarly name is the Latinized adjectival form
for the city of Rotterdam.