Glossary:

1. endorse /ɪnˈdɔːs $ -ɔːrs/ verb [transitive]

to express formal support or approval for someone or something

endorse a proposal/an idea/a candidate etc

The prime minister is unlikely to endorse this view.

if a famous person endorses a product or service, they say in an advertisement that they use and
like it

to sign your name on the back of a cheque to show that it is correct

British English if your driving licence is endorsed for a driving offence, an official record is made on
it to show that you are guilty of the offence

Grammar

Endorse is usually passive in this meaning.

State and federal agencies have endorsed the plan, along with the county's cities.

These days, Jenner endorses products including health foods and sunglasses.

2. summit /ˈsʌmɪt/ noun [countable]

the European summit

The two presidents agreed to hold a summit in the spring.

a five-nation summit meeting

the top of a mountain → peak

summit of

Many people have now reached the summit of Mount Everest.

the summit of something

sum‧mit /ˈsʌmɪt/ noun [countable]

an important meeting or set of meetings between the leaders of several governments

The two presidents agreed to hold a summit in the spring.

3. outset /ˈaʊt.set/ noun

the beginning

I was fairly ignorant of Third World literature at the outset and in many respects still am.

Hennepin and La Salle, whose subsequent westward expedition he was to join, struck sparks off one
another from the outset.

4. sandwich /ˈsænwɪdʒ $ ˈsændwɪtʃ, ˈsænwɪtʃ/ noun

to put something in a very small space between two other things

be sandwiched in between somebody/something

He was sandwiched between Rory and Matthew's younger sister, Karen, who was a nurse.

I was sandwiched between two big men who joked over my head about how squashed they all were.

5. somewhat /ˈsʌmwɒt $ -wɑːt/ adverb

more than a little but not very

somewhat larger/higher/newer etc

The price is somewhat higher than I expected.

Things have changed somewhat since then.

somewhat of

To say that I was surprised is somewhat of an understatement.

Gloag had a deformity of the right arm and a somewhat high-pitched voice, but overall made a
forceful impression.

The Titan was designed to use only storable propellants, at the price of somewhat inferior specific
impulse.

6. beyond /bɪˈjɒnd $ -ˈjɑːnd/ preposition, adverb

on or to the further side of something

They crossed the mountains and headed for the valleys beyond.

Beyond the river, cattle were grazing. She drove through Westport, and stopped a few miles
beyond at a wayside inn.

later than a particular time, date etc SYN after

What changes await us in the coming year and beyond?

The ban has been extended beyond 2003. The disco went on until beyond midnight

more or greater than a particular amount, level, or limit

More people are choosing to work beyond retirement age.
Inflation has risen beyond the 5% level.
outside the range or limits of something or someone
Such tasks are far beyond the scope of the average schoolkid.

expensive luxuries that are beyond the reach of ordinary people

used to say that something is impossible to do

beyond repair/control/belief etc (=impossible to repair, control, believe etc)
 Scott’s equipment was damaged beyond repair.

The town centre had changed beyond all recognition.

Due to circumstances beyond our control, the performance has had to be cancelled
be beyond somebody

used to mean ‘except’ in negative sentences Fred owns nothing beyond the clothes on his
back.

7. self-sufficient adjective

able to provide all the things you need without help from other people

a self-sufficient farm

self-sufficient in

Australia is 65% self-sufficient in oil.

self-sufficiency noun [uncountable]

We grew up in a close-knit, self-sufficient family with few outside friends.

Further, education prepares individuals to be self-reliant and self-sufficient participants in society.

Who is going to pay for the necessary education to make them into productive, self-sufficient
people?

8. precarious /prɪˈkeəriəs $ -ˈker-/ adjective

a precarious situation or state is one which may very easily or quickly become worse

Her health remained precarious, despite the treatment.

the company’s precarious financial position

likely to fall, or likely to cause someone to fall

a precarious mountain trail

The path down to the beach was a precarious one, tiny steps hewn out of the sheer rock face.

9. revanchist /rɪˈvan(t)ʃɪz(ə)m/ noun

a policy of seeking to retaliate, especially to recover lost territory.

Extreme revanchist ideologues often represent a hawkish stance, suggesting that desired objectives
can be achieved through the positive outcome of another war.

The league was a rallying point for revanchist and nationalistic forces from the beginning.

10. reconcile /ˈrekənsaɪl/ verb

[transitive] if you reconcile two ideas, situations, or facts, you find a way in which they can both be
true or acceptable

The possibility remains that the two theories may be reconciled.

reconcile something with something

Bevan tried to reconcile British socialism with a wider international vision.

be reconciled (with somebody)

reconcile somebody to something

Within our immediate group we can learn to reconcile personal and group differences to the point of
rejecting personal values and beliefs.

The most powerful culture is that which reconciles the goals of the individual with those of the
collective.

11. dysfunctional /dɪsˈfʌŋkʃənəl/ adjective

not following the normal patterns of social behaviour, especially with the result that someone
cannot behave in a normal way or have a satisfactory life

12. vacate /vəˈkeɪt, veɪ- $ ˈveɪkeɪt/ verb [transitive] formal

to leave a job or position so that it is available for someone else to do

Clay will vacate the position on June 19.

to leave a seat, room etc so that someone else can use it

Guests must vacate their rooms by 11:00.

The newly inserted clause in the lease required a tenant to vacate the premises on 90 days notice.

There was a smell of coffee in the air and a feeling that every room had only just been vacated by
somebody.

13. prevail /prɪˈveɪl/ verb [intransitive] formal

if a belief, custom, situation etc prevails, it exists among a group of people at a certain time

prevail in/among etc

the economic conditions which prevail in England and Wales

I admired the creativity which prevailed among the young writers.

if a person, idea, or principle prevails in a fight, argument etc, they are successful in the end

Justice will prevail.

common sense prevails/reason prevails (=a sensible decision is made)

He considered lying, but then common sense prevailed.

prevail over/against

Your inner strength will enable you to prevail over life’s obstacles.

prevail on/upon somebody

His weaknesses were exposed by his Republican rivals in the primaries, but he prevailed because
their weaknesses were even worse.

But Clinton would sign the Kennedy-Kassebaum version, which is thus likely to prevail in the end.

In every case the draftsman should consider whether the plan is to prevail over the verbal description
or viceversa.

14. erode /ɪˈrəʊd $ ɪˈroʊd/ AWL (also erode away) verb [intransitive, transitive]

if the weather erodes rock or soil, or if rock or soil erodes, its surface is gradually destroyed

The cliffs are being constantly eroded by heavy seas.

The rocks have gradually eroded away.

to gradually reduce something such as someone’s power or confidence

Our personal freedom is being gradually eroded away.

Repeated exam failure had eroded her confidence.

Its stock price eroded from a 52-week high of about 39 in October to a low of nearly 15 Tuesday.

15. soar /sɔː $ sɔːr/ verb [intransitive]

to increase quickly to a high level OPP plummet

Her temperature soared.

The price of petrol has soared in recent weeks.

soaring unemployment

to fly, especially very high up in the sky, floating on air currents

She watched the dove soar above the chestnut trees.

to go quickly upwards to a great height

The ball soared to left field.

if your spirits (=the way you are feeling, for example happy, sad etc) or hopes soar, you begin to
feel very happy or hopeful OPP

Adam’s smile sent her spirits soaring.

16. unaminity /ˌjuːnəˈnɪməti/ noun [uncountable]

formal a state or situation of complete agreement among a group of people

Employment policies based on that kind of scientific unanimity can be implemented with confidence.

There is virtual unanimity of preference for oral teaching which might seem
to overbear the possibility of opposition.

17. limbo /ˈlɪmbəʊ $ -boʊ/ noun

[singular, uncountable] a situation in which nothing happens or changes for a long period of time,
and it is difficult to make decisions or know what to do, often because you are waiting for
something else to happen first

be in limbo

I’m in limbo now until I know whether I’ve got the job.

limbo of

the limbo of his eight years in jail

Goulding's move leaves Wigan's £75,000 scrum half Andy Gregory in limbo with the new season just
over a fortnight away.

Petey and Carol and Lois would be sent into limbo for a little scare.

18. mush /mʌʃ/ noun

[singular, uncountable] an unpleasant soft substance, especially food, which is partly liquid and
partly solid

The boiled vegetables had turned to mush.

She trudged through the mush of fallen leaves.

I watched the others to see how to scoop up the gluey mush with my hand.

19. Turning /ˈtɜːnɪŋ $ ˈtɜːr-/ noun [countable]

British English a road that connects with the one you are on SYN turn American English

He must have taken a wrong turning in the dark.

Take the first turning on the left.

Some vague sound had alarmed her - a creak, a footstep, maybe even a door handle turning.

20. candidate /ˈkændədət $ -deɪt, -dət/ noun [countable]

someone who is being considered for a job or is competing in an election

a presidential candidate

candidate for

There are only three candidates for the job.

British English someone who is taking an examination

Candidates are not allowed to use a calculator in this exam.