vocabulary

2026.8.11

vocab	meaning	example
prestigiuos	有声望的	This is the most prestigious* MFA program in the country
rigorous	严谨的	surrounding by serious artists in a rigorous academic environment
admission	入场券，承认，加入权	University admission office
portfolio	文件夹（资料）	We reviewed your portfolio and your twenty years of teaching experience
tremendous	极大的，精彩的	We think you would be a tremendous asset to our faculty
asset	有价值的事物，资产（商学术语）	We think you would be a tremendous asset to our faculty
texture	口感	but the texture is like a little bit more glutinous
yam	红薯	yam starch （红薯淀粉）
stretchiness	Q弹（口感）

2026.8.17

vocab	meaning	example
(sales) soar	（销量）飞升	China’s film sales soar as Online Scorn
scorn	嘲笑，蔑视	China’s film sales soar as Online Scorn
sensation	热点；感觉；轰动	A Chinese animated film became a social media sensation
unlikely	不可能的；不可思议的	The flood of scorn helped turn the movie into an unlikely box-office(票房) phenomenon
screening	排片	cinemas increased screenings as discussions spread

2026.8.19

vocab	meaning	example
(un)ironically	(不)讽刺的；确实的。	That was unironically a real move by the American government.
negotiation	谈判；协商	Peaceable negotiation between DPRK and South Korea
get pissed off about	恼火(irritated)	This time around D.J. took the lead, which the then South Korean government got pissed off about.
have a say	有话语权	(状语从句) Then you took them away from us without our having a single say in the matter
corruption	腐败	facilitate corruption 纵容腐败
storm	对……突袭	And then the people got really mad and then they stormed the parliament(议会厅) and democracy thrived that day.
saber rattling	战略恐吓	在20世纪以前，两军交战前，骑兵会高高举起军刀（saber），在空中猛烈晃动或敲击盾牌/马鞍，发出刺耳的金属碰撞声（rattling）来威慑敌人。 And the Gulf of Persia is where the dreams of American saber rattling against China die.

2026.8.23

vocab	meaning	example
niche	小众	This is a pretty niche location for you, right?
erosion	衰退	China’s reputation in the international sphere is gaining ground rapidly due to America’s erosion of reputation.
sphere	球（数）；（活动、兴趣、专业知识的）范围，领域；社会阶层；势力范围；天穹。	China’s reputation in the international sphere is gaining ground rapidly due to America’s erosion of reputation.
gain ground	取得进展	China’s reputation in the international sphere is gaining ground rapidly due to America’s erosion of reputation.
affair	事件	And reputation in international affairs matters very much.
intimidating	令人害怕的；令人畏惧的。	What did you find intimidating about coming here?
prejudice	偏见	People still have that sort of prejudice and feeling towards here.
oligarch	寡头

2026.8.31

vocab	meaning	example
obfuscate	掩盖，使模糊，使混淆	Meanwhile trying to obfuscate the atrocities(暴行) or genocide or any level of criticism.
proliferate	<正式>（在数或量上）激增，猛增；使（细胞、组织、结构等）增生，速生	So as much as I disagree with any censorship, I’m a freedom of speech absolutist, something here is it exists. It’s large, it proliferates. But at least it is done by the government here.
have got one’s head screwed on	头脑清醒	I think I’ve got my head screwed onto that pretty tightly as well given the amount of environments I’ve been in in sensitive areas around the world anyway.
digress	离题了；扯远了。	Sorry, I digressed.

2026.9.11

vocab	meaning	example
depletion	损耗	Overfishing has led to the depletion of fish stocks(鱼类资源) in many oceans.
manifest	明显的；证明，显示；舱单	Her frustration was manifest in the way she slammed the door and walked away.
transcribe	抄写；转录；改编	It took her several hours to transcribe the audio recording of the interview into a written document.
enlighten	启发；启迪	The teacher’s real life experiences enlighten the students about the importance of environmental protection.
transient	短暂的
embrace	v./n. 拥抱；接受	The company decided to embrace new technologies to improve efficiency and stay competitive.
swift	迅速的；敏捷的	The government took swift action. The White House was swift to deny the rumours(流言).
fringe	边缘；刘海；n. 附加（福利）	They are paid their salaries and are entitled（有权利） to fringe benefits on a pro-rata basis.
sensation	引起轰动的stuff；感觉；共情	The movie created a sensation among audiences due to its unexpected plot twists and stunning（极好的，令人震惊的） visuals.
allege	声称；指控	The witness alleged that she saw the suspect near the crime scene.

2026.9.12

vocab	meaning	example
consolation	安慰；慰藉	After losing the competition, her friend’s kind words were a great consolation to her.
ambiguity	模糊；歧义	The ambiguity in his statement made it difficult for the audience to understand his true intentions.
vacant	空的；空缺的；茫然的	The hotel had several vacant rooms, so we easily found a place for the night.
tropic	热带（地区）；回归线	The tropic regions are known for their warm climate and diverse ecosystems, making them popular destinations for tourists.
consensus	共识	The team reached a consensus on the best strategy to complete the project successfully.
congestion	拥堵	The traffic congestion in the city center during rush hour makes it difficult for people to reach their destinations on time.
juvenile [‘d3u:v厄nail]	青少年的；青少年；幼稚的（中偏贬义）；（比adolescent更侧重法学、生物学即自然科学）	Her juvenile sense of humor often made her friends laugh, even in serious situations.
provision	必需品；准备品；备案	The company made a provision for unexpected expenses in their annual budget to ensure financial stability. The government introduced a new provision in the law to protect the rights of minority groups.
veracity	真实性	The veracity of his statement was questioned during the interview, as some details seemed inconsistent.
vanish	消失；突然消失	The magician made the rabbit vanish into thin air. If we don’t take action to protect endangered species, they might vanish from the planet forever.
notion	概念，想法，definition	She has no notion(idea) of how difficult the exam would be. His notion(definition) of success is not just about earning money but also about making a positive impact on society.
commodity	商品；日用品；有用的stuff	The pice of this commodity has increased significantly due to high demand in the global market.
instil	灌输（褒义）；慢慢培养	Parents should instil good values in their children from an early age/
collocation	（词语的）搭配，组合；词组	The collocation of words in this sentence makes it sound natual and fluent.
creep	(悄悄地)爬行 creeper；蔓延；卑鄙小人	He felt a sense of unease(不安感) creep into his mind as he walked through the dark alley(小巷)
opulent	豪华的；大量的	Heavy silver plate adds an opulent touch to a formal dinner party.
adverse	不利的；有害的	The adverse weather conditions caused the cancellation of several flights at the airport.
excursion	短途旅行；游览	The company organized an excursion to the seaside, giving employees a chance to relax and bond outside the office.
adolescent	青少年；青春期的 （比juvenile更侧重社会学、心理学即人文科学）	The adolescent years are a critical period for developing emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills
cosmetic	化妆品；表面的	The changes made to the building were purely cosmetic and did not address the structural issues.
anecdote	轶事，趣闻	The professor began his lecture with a fascinating anecdote about a scientist who changed the course of history（历史进程）
tilt	v./n. 倾斜	As the boat rocked in the waves, it started to tilt dangerously, causing the passengers to hold on tightly.
genuine	真正的；真诚的	She gave a genuine smile. The painting was confirmed to be a genuine masterpiece from the 18th centry by art experts.
duplicate	v./n./adj. 复制，复现；副本；一样的	The scientist needed to duplicate（复现） the experiment to confirm the accuracy of the results.
intimate	私人的；亲密的；暗示 (比private更侧重情感)	The professor intimated that there might be a surprise quiz next week.
speculate	v. 推测；投机	Investors often speculate on the stock market, hoping to make a quick profit despite the risks involved.
disperse	驱散；（主动）散开	The teacher asked the students to disperse into smaller groups to discuss the topic more effectively. As the sun rose, the morning mist began to disperse. The police used tear gas to disperse the crowd that had gathered in the square.
plough	v. 犁地；耕种；n. 犁	The tractor was used to plough the large field, turning over the soil to make it fertile.
aggravate	加剧；使恶化；激怒	Pollution in hte city has aggravated respiratory(呼吸系统) problems for many residents.

2026.9.13

vocab	meaning	example
resilience	韧性	The resilience of the community was evident as they rebuilt their homes after the devastating(毁灭性的) flood.
lateral	侧面的；横向的	The engineer suggested adding lateral support beams to strengthen the structure against strong winds. During the experiment, the scientist observed a lateral movement of the particles under the microscope.
shrewd	精明的；敏锐的	The shrewd businessman quickly identified the best investment opportunities in the market. Her shrewd observations during the meeting helped the team avoid a costly mistake.
drawback	(美中不足的)缺点；瑕疵。 与disadvantage相比，它不强调比较中的不利，当你正在分析一个方案、产品或决定的“优缺点”时，drawback 是非常地道的用词；当你讨论社会不平等、竞争环境、个人条件或战略对比时，disadvantage 更合适。Drawback 更强调“内在属性”，而 Disadvantage 可以是由外部环境造成的。	One major drawback of living in a big city is the high cost of housing and daily expenses. The main drawback of this new technology is that it requirs a lot of energy to operate efficiently.
surplus	盈余，过剩；过剩的	The company decided to sell its surplus stock at a discounted price to clear the warehouse(仓库). The gov announced plans to redistribute the surplus budget to support education and healthcare programs.
deduce	推断；与speculate相比置信度度更高	From the evidence provided, we can deduce that the suspect was at the scene of crime.
comprehend	理解；掌握；搞懂。 比 understand 更强调智力上的领会，多用于学术，面对复杂、庞大、抽象的事物时，也使用comprehend表示理解	The human brain cannot fully comprehend the vastness of the universe. I cannot comprehend” = 我完全无法想象/这超出了我的认知范围（通常带有震惊、难以置信的情感色彩）。
retreat	v./n. 撤退；退缩；静修。	She decided to retreat to a quiet cabin(小木屋；船舱；机舱，客舱) in the mountains to relax. The soldiers were forced to retreat when they realized they were outnumbered by the enemy forces.
conversely	相反地；反之	She enjoys spending her weekends outdoors; conversely, her brother prefers staying at home.
astray	adv. 迷路地； adj. 误入歧途；	The hikers went astray in the dense forest, but they managed to find their way back before nightfall. Her parents worried that she might go astray if she continued to associate with the wrong crowd.

2026.9.14

vocab	meaning	example
parcel	v./n. 包裹	The courier delivered a parcel to my house this morning. She carefully wrapped the fragile items(易碎品) in bubble wrap before parcelling them up for shipping overseas.
sanction	v./n. 制裁	The government imposed economic sanctions on the country to pressure it into changing its policies.
dissertation	学位论文；专题论文	Completing a dissertation requires strong time management and excellent research skills.
plank	厚木板；政纲	She used a sturdy plank to bridge the gap between the two broken steps. One of the main planks of the political party’s platform is improving access to education.
embody	体现	The artist’s latest sculpture embodies the spirit of freedom and creativity.
incentive	激励；动机；激励的	The company offered a cash incentive to employees who achieved their sales targets.
motif	主体；图案；动机（与topic与theme的对比见interesting-words&phrase/motif、topic-and-theme.md）	The recurring motif of love and sacrifice is central to the novel’s theme.
pharmacy	药房；药剂学	I went to the pharmacy yesterday to buy some medicine for my cold. She decided to study pharmacy at university because she is interested in healthcare.
envisage	设想；展望，想象	When planning the project,the team had to envisage potential challenges and find ways to overcome them.
stitch	n.（缝纫的）针脚，一针；（缝合伤口的）缝线；缝纫法，编结法；（肋部）突然剧痛。v. 缝合（伤口）；缝补	The design can be worked in cross stitch. The surgeon would pick up his instruments, probe, repair, and stitch up again.
appraisal	评估；评价 （与evaluation相比，appraisal更强调评估后的实用性，目的通常是为了定价、交易、保险理赔或人事决策（如加薪、晋升），而evaluation则功利性更弱，侧重于发现问题、改进流程，或衡量是否达到了预期目标。）	During an annul appraisal, employees receive feedback on their work and discuss future goals with their supervisors.
prototype	原型；雏形；样机	The engineer presented a prototype of the new device to demonstrate its functionality and design.
chamber	n. 房间，室；会议厅，会所；议院；腔，膛；洞穴；<旧>卧室；法官办公室，律师事务所（chambers）。 v. 把子弹送入弹膛；把……关在房间里。 adj. 室内的；私人的，秘密的。	The heart has four chambers that work together to pump blood throughout the body. The ancient castle had a hidden chamber where treasures were stored for centries.
inhale	（生物）吸气	When practicing yoga, it is important to inhale deeply through your nose to calm your mind and body.
accustom	使…习惯；使…适应（与adapt不同之处在于：Accustom侧重习惯、脱敏、心理接受，Adapt侧重：改变、调整、功能匹配）	It took her a few weeks to accustom herself to the fast-paced lifestyle of the city.
disguise	v./n. 伪装；掩饰；化装	He disguised himself as a waiter to avoid being recognized by the guests at the party.

2026.9.15

vocab	meaning	example
rehearse	排练；练习	The actors gathered on stage to rehearse their lines for the upcoming play.
versatile	多才多艺的；用途广泛的	She is a versatile who excels in painting, sculpting and photography. The new smart phone is incredibly versatile, offering features like high-quality photography, gaming and productivity tools all in one device.
demolish	拆除（建筑物）；意外毁坏，破坏；推翻，驳倒（观点或理论）	The old factory was demolished to make space for a new shopping mall.
endorse	背书；认可；代言；支持	The professor decided to endorse the student’s research proposal because it showed great potential for innovation.
calibrate	校准；标定；衡量	Before starting the test, the scientist calibrated the equipment to avoid any potential errors in the results.
conceive	构思；设想；怀孕（conception之动词型，来源小故事见From Idea to Baby: Why “Conceive” Has Two Seemingly Unrelated Meanings?）	She managed to conceive a brilliant plan to solve the problem, impressing everyone in the meeting.
affluent	富裕的
invoice	发票；开发票	Please ensure thet the invoice is paid within 30 days to avoid any late fees.
prevail	盛行(占据上风)；战胜；说服	Despite the challenges, honesty and kindness often prevail in difficult situations, showing the strength of human values.
pervasive	普遍的	The influence of social media is so pervasive that it affects nearly every aspect of modern life.
exacerbate	使恶化（比aggravate更正式，且少了aggravate在口语中的激怒含义）	The government’s failure to address the issue has only exacerbated the economic crisis in the region.
embark	开始；着手；上船/飞机	The company plans to embark on a new project aimed at reducing carbon emissions in urban areas.

2026.9.16

vocab	meaning	example
canal	运河
basin	盆地；流域
verbal	口头的
impartial	公正的	The judge remained impartial throughout the trial, ensuring that both sides were treated fairly.
tenant	租户	As a tenant, it is important to pay rent on time and maintain the property in good condition.
impulse	脉冲；驱动力；冲动	The impulse to buy unnecessary items often leads to financial problems if not controlled.
shed	v. 脱落；流出；n. 棚屋	The snake shed its old skin, leaving a shiny new layer underneath.
antenna	天线；触角	The television antenna on the roof needs to be adjusted to receive a clearer signal.
compendium	概要；汇编	This book serves as a compendium of ancient myths and legends from various cultures.
denounce	谴责；告发	The journalist denounced the government for its failure to address the environmental crisis effectively.
recession	衰退；不景气	The country is facing a severe recession, leading to high unemployment and reduced consumer spending.

2026.9.17

vocab	meaning	example
trim	修剪；整齐的	She decided to trim the bushes in her garden to make them look neat and tidy.
evacuate	撤离；疏散	The authorities decided to evacuate the residents from the coastal area due to the approaching hurricane. During the fire drill, everyone was instructed to evacuate the building in an orderly manner.
notorious	臭名昭著的	The city is notorious for its heavy traffic, which often causes long delays during rush hours.
insulate	使绝缘；使隔热；隔离	The company developed a new technique to insulate buildings against extreme weather conditions.
summit	峰会；顶峰；达到顶峰	The annual economic summit brought together experts to address(地址；演讲；设法解决) the challenges facing the global market.
executive	执行的；高管	The company hired a new executive to oversee the marketing department and improve overall performance.
avenue	大街，道路；途经；方式	The main avenue in the city is lined with shops, restaurants and cafes, making it a popular destination for tourists. She decided to purse a different avenue in her career, focusing on creative writing instead of marketing.
emulate	效仿(中性，褒义，而mimic更指表面的模仿，中性贬义)	Many young artists try to emulate the style of famous painters to improve their own skills.
scrutiny	审查；细查	The new policy has come under close scrutiny by experts to ensure it meets environmental standards. The most serious penalty of all surely demands equal if not greater scrutiny.
plausible	貌似合理的；似乎可信的	The scientist presented a plausible theory that could explain the sudden changes in the climate.
stroll	v./n. 漫步；散步	After a long day at work, she decided to stroll through the park to clear her mind.
thorny	棘手的；多刺的	The negotiations between the two companies turned out to be thorny, requiring acreful handling to avoid conflicts.
eminent	杰出的	The eminent scientist was invited to give a lecture on climate change at the international conference.
anatomy	n. 解剖学；构造；解析	Cadavers are used to teach med students surgical skills and anatomy.
spur	v./n. 刺激；激励；马刺	The government introduced new policies to spur economic growth in the region.
extravagance	n. 奢侈；铺张浪费	The company’s extravagance in hosting lavish parties led to financial difficulties.

2026.9.18

vocab	meaning	example
warrant	n. 搜查令；授权。v. 保证；授权	The police officer presented a warrant to search the suspect’s house for evidence. The manager’s decision to hire more staff was warranted by the increasing workload in the department.
mercy	n. 仁慈；幸运；宽容	She begged for mercy, hoping her mistake would not lead to severe consequences.
nominate	v. 提名；任命	The committee decided to nominate her for the award because of her outstanding achievements.
contempt	n. 蔑视；轻视；藐视（法庭）	She looked at the unfair decision with contempt, feeling that justice had not been served.
outdo	v. 超过；胜过	The company launched a new product to outdo its competitors in the rapidly growing market.
acoustic	听觉的；声学的	The concert was held in an acoustic hall designed to enhance the quality of sound for the audience. acoustic guitar(木吉他)
capsule	胶囊；太空舱；简短的
defect	n. 缺点；缺陷。 v. 背叛	The engineer discovered a minor defect in the machine, which needed immediate attention to avoid further issues.
artery	动脉；主干道	The highway serves as the main artery connecting the northern and southern parts of the country.

2026.9.19

vocab	meaning	example
perpetual	永久的；持续不断的
withstand	v. 承受；经受住；抵抗	She had to withstand the pressure of working long hours while preparing for her final exams.
gauge	n. 测量仪器、仪表盘; v. 测量/估量(某种难以精确量化的事物的程度、大小或状态，如抽象事物（情绪、反应、公众舆论、兴趣）或物理量（压力、厚度、距离）)	Engineers often gauge the strength of materials to ensure they meet safety standards.
demographic	人口统计的；人口统计数据	The demographic data shows that the majority of the population in this city is under 30 years old.