[noncount] : the quality of being believed or

accepted as true, real, or honest

▪ The new evidence lends credibility to their
theory. ▪ a lack/loss of credibility ▪ The scandal
undermined/damaged her credibility as an
honest politician. ▪ In this instance, the lawyer's
job is to make the jury doubt/question the
witness's credibility. ▪ They doubted
the credibility of the witness's story. [=they
doubted that the story was true]
 [noncount] formal : harsh or insulting
words : rude and angry language
▪ a barrage/stream of racist invective
 1 [noncount] : extreme anger : a strong feeling
of unhappiness because of something bad,
hurtful, or morally wrong
▪ Many people expressed outrage at the court's
decision. ▪ Public outrage over the scandal was
great. ▪moral outrage
 2 [count] : something that hurts people or is
morally wrong
▪ The rule is an outrage against women. ▪ This is
an outrage! I won't allow this kind of behavior
to continue.
[noncount] : the feeling that you understand
and share another person's experiences and
emotions
▪ He felt great empathy with/for/toward the
poor. : the ability to share someone else's
feelings ▪ His months spent researching
prison life gave him
greater empathy towards/for convicts. —
compareS YMPATHY
 [count] 1 : an original or first model of something
from which other forms are copied or developed
▪ They tested the prototype of the car. ▪ He is
developing a prototype for his invention.
 2 a : someone or something that has the typical
qualities of a particular group, kind, etc.
▪ He is the prototype of a conservative
businessman.
b : a first or early example that is used as a model
for what comes later
▪ The Sherlock Holmes stories are the prototypes of
modern detective stories.
[count] : a statement that is meant to prevent
an incorrect understanding of something
(such as a book, a movie, or an
advertisement)
▪ The documentary opens with
a disclaimer that many of its scenes
are “fictional re-creations” of real events.
 formal : the act or process of releasing a
strong emotion (such as pity or fear)
especially by expressing it in an art form
[noncount] ▪ Acting is a means
of catharsis for
her. [singular] ▪Painting/music/writing is
a catharsis for me.
 cathartic / adjective [more cathartic; most
cathartic]
▪ a cathartic experience
[+ obj] formal : to suggest (something, such as
an idea or theory) especially in order to start
a discussion
▪ The theory postulates [=claims, posits] that
carbon dioxide emissions contribute to
global warming.▪ Scientists
have postulated the existence of water on the
planet.
 [more overt; most overt] : easily seen : not
secret or hidden : OBVIOUS
▪ overt hostility — opposite COVERT
 — overtly adverb
▪ an overtly religious reference
 invalidates; invalidated; invalidating
 [+ obj] : to make (something) invalid: such
as a : to weaken or destroy the effect of
(something)
▪ actions that will invalidate the
contract ▪ invalidate a marriage ▪ invalidate an
election
b : to show or prove (something) to be false or
incorrect
▪ The study invalidates earlier theories. ▪ factors
that may invalidate the test results
 contests; contested; contesting
 1 [+ obj] : to make (something) the subject of an argument or a
legal case : to say that you do not agree with or accept
(something)
▪ Several of the dead man's relatives are contesting [=disputing,
challenging] his will (in court). ▪ The losing candidate
is contesting the results of the election. = (US) The losing
candidate is contesting the election. ▪ The rule is
being contested by a number of students at the university.
[=students are formally complaining about the rule]
 2 [+ obj] : to try to win (something)
▪ She plans to contest a seat in Congress next year. ▪ Both
candidates have agreed to another debate before this
hotly/bitterly contested election.
 3 [no obj] : to struggle or fight for or against something
▪ contesting for power
 mocks; mocked; mocking
 [+ obj] 1 : to laugh at or make fun of (someone or something) especially by
copying an action or a way of behaving or speaking
▪ The boys mocked him for showing fear. ▪ They mocked his cries for help.
[=they imitated his cries for help in an exaggerated way that was meant to
ridicule him] ▪ Other children would mock her accent. [=would make fun of the
way she spoke by copying it in an exaggerated way]
 2 : to criticize and laugh at (someone or something) for being bad, worthless, or
unimportant
▪ He mocks art only because he doesn't understand it. ▪ They continue
to mock the idea of a new government. ▪ We are being mocked for our religious
beliefs. ▪ You can mock me as much as you like, but I'm going to do it anyway.
 mocker / noun, plural mockers [count]
▪ mockers of poetry
 mocking adjective [more mocking; most mocking]
▪ mocking words ▪ a mocking crowd
 mockingly / adverb
▪ They laughed at him mockingly.
 [more articulate; most articulate] 1 : able to
express ideas clearly and effectively in speech or
writing
▪ She's an intelligent and articulate speaker. ▪ He
was very articulate about his feelings on the
subject. — opposite INARTICULATE
 2 : clearly expressed and easily understood
▪ an articulate argument/essay/speech ▪ The baby is
beginning to form articulate words and phrases.—
opposite INARTICULATE
 — articulately adverb
▪ She spoke clearly and articulately.
 — articulateness noun [noncount]
 promulgates; promulgated; promulgat
ing
 [+ obj] 1 formal : to make (an idea, belief,
etc.) known to many people
▪ Her ideas/theories have been
widely promulgated on the Internet.
 2 technical : to make (a new law) known
officially and publicly
▪ The law was promulgated in April 1988.
 in abeyance
 formal : in a temporary state of being
stopped
▪ The plans are in abeyance. = The plans are
being held in abeyance. [=the plans are not
now being used]
 notarizes; notarized; notarizing
 [+ obj] law : to sign (a document) as a
notary public
 suspends; suspended; suspending
 [+ obj] 1 : to force (someone) to leave a job, position, or place for a usually short period of time
as a form of punishment
▪ He was suspended from the team for missing too many practices. ▪ The police officers
weresuspended without pay for their conduct. ▪ The principal suspended the student from school
for fighting.
 2 a : to stop (something) for a usually short period of time
▪ The city suspended bus service during the storm. ▪ The company was forced
to suspend operations.▪ They have suspended the peace talks. ▪ The plot is ridiculous, but if you
can suspend (your) disbelief [=allow yourself to believe that something is true even though it
seems impossible], it's an enjoyable movie.
b : to make (something) happen later : to delay (something)
▪ The judge suspended [=postponed] the hearing for one week. ▪ I advise suspending judgment
until the investigation is over.
c : to make (something) invalid or ineffective for a usually short period of time
▪ Her license to practice law was suspended. ▪ We can suspend the rules just this once. ▪ He's
driving with a suspended license.
 3 a : to hang something so that it is free on all sides except at the point of support
▪ They suspended the lantern from the ceiling. ▪ A pot of stew was suspended over the fire. ▪ a
wiresuspended between two poles [=hung so that it is attached at each end to a pole]
b : to prevent (something) from falling or sinking by some invisible support — usually used
as(be) suspended ▪ Dust was suspended [=was floating] in the air. ▪ The structure appears to be
suspended in space.
 1 usually used before a noun : of or relating to schools and education
▪ She received awards for
her academic achievements/accomplishments. ▪ I spent
my academic career at one school. ▪ The board set
tough academic standards for graduation. ▪ He was offered a teaching
job and decided to return to academic life.
 2 : having no practical importance : not involving or relating to
anything real or practical
▪ His interest in sailing is purely academic. He's not a sailor
himself. ▪ It was a question of onlyacademic [=theoretical] interest.
 3 [more academic; most academic] chiefly Brit : good at studying and
at passing exams :good at academics
▪ He's not very academic, but he's good with his hands.
 — academically / adverb
▪ He did well enough academically to be accepted at many
colleges. ▪ an academically gifted student
 flimsier; flimsiest
 [also more flimsy; most flimsy] 1 : easily
broken, torn, etc. : not strong or solid
▪ a flimsy building ▪ flimsy construction ▪ a flims
y piece of material
 2 : not likely to be true or to be believed
▪ a flimsy [=weak] excuse ▪ They have only
the flimsiest of evidence against him. ▪ a movie
with aflimsy plot
 — flimsily / adverb [more flimsily; most
flimsily]
▪ flimsily [=weakly] constructed
 [more demonstrable; most
demonstrable] formal : able to be proven or
shown : possible to demonstrate
▪ There is no demonstrable evidence that the
treatment is effective. ▪ a
clearly demonstrableimprovement
 — demonstrably / adverb
▪ The statements
are demonstrably untrue/false.
 formal : not able to be avoided or changed
▪ You cannot escape
an ineluctable [=unavoidable]
fate. ▪ an ineluctable conclusion
 ineluctably adverb
 [more elusive; most elusive] 1 : hard to find
or capture
▪ elusive creatures ▪ The solution
remains elusive. ▪ The truth may
prove elusive.
 2 : hard to understand, define, or remember
▪ an elusive concept/idea/name
 elusively adverb
 elusiveness noun [noncount]
▪ the elusiveness of truth
 [more analogous; most
analogous] formal : similar in some way
▪ I could not think of an analogous situation. —
usually + to ▪ I could not think of a
situationanalogous to this one. ▪ The telescope's
lenses are analogous [=comparable] to a
person's glasses. ▪Think of the process
as analogous to [=like] riding a bike.
 analogously adverb
 [more overblown; most
overblown] disapproving : made to seem
very important, intelligent, or great
especially in order to impress people
▪ overblown [=pretentious]
claims/rhetoric ▪ The problem is overblown.
[=it has been exaggerated; it is not as bad as
people say it is]
 disentangles; disentangled; disentangling
 [+ obj] 1 : to separate (things that are twisted
together or caught on one another)
▪ I can't disentangle [=untangle] the
wires/hangers. — often + from ▪ She was trying
to disentangleher hair from her necklace. — often
used figuratively ▪ She
finally disentangled herself from a bad relationship.
 2 : to remove the twists or knots in (something)
▪ disentangle [=untangle] a knotted string/rope
 disentanglement / noun [noncount]
 plural skeins [count] : a long piece of yarn
or thread that is loosely wound —
compare HANK
 brandishes; brandished; brandishing
 [+ obj] : to wave or swing (something, such
as a weapon) in a threatening or excited
manner
▪ She brandished a stick at the dog. ▪ I could
see that he was brandishing a knife.
 [noncount] : a quality that expresses deep
feelings or emotions in a work of art : an
artistically beautiful or expressive quality
▪ poetic lyricism ▪ music rich
with lyricism ▪ the lyricism of his paintings
 1 [count] : something that limits or restricts someone or
something
▪ Lack of funding has been a major constraint on the building's
design. — usually plural ▪ Budgetconstraints [=restrictions]
have forced me to revise my travel plans. [=I've changed my
travel plans because I do not have enough money] ▪ Because of
time constraints [=limitations], speeches will be limited to five
minutes. ▪ Tradition puts/places/imposes constraints on [=puts
limits on] people and their actions.
 2 [noncount]: control that limits or restricts someone's actions
or behavior
▪ They demand freedom from constraint. ▪ They refuse to work
under constraint any longer.
 [more doctrinaire; most doctrinaire] formal
+ disapproving — used to describe a person
who has very strong beliefs about what
should be done and will not change them or
accept other people's opinions ▪ The senator
is less doctrinaire than generally
believed. ▪ a doctrinaire
conservative/socialist
 plural bumpkins
 [count] informal : a person who lives in the
country far away from cities and who is
regarded as stupid
▪ country bumpkins
 emulates; emulated; emulating
 [+ obj] : to try to be like (someone or
something you admire)
▪ She grew up emulating her sports
heroes. ▪ artists emulating the style of their
teachers
 Emulation noun [noncount]
 submits; submitted; submitting
 1 [+ obj]: to give (a document, proposal, piece of writing, etc.) to
someone so that it can be considered or approved
▪ Candidates interested in the position should submit their résumés to
the Office of Human Resources. ▪ Submit your application no later than
January 31st. ▪ Requests must be submitted in
writing. ▪ Photographs submitted for publication will not be returned.
 2 [no obj]: to stop trying to fight or resist something : to agree to do or
accept something that you have been resisting or opposing
▪ He vowed that he would never submit. [=give in] — often + to ▪ He
refused to submit to their demands. ▪ We will not submit to you
without a fight. ▪ Public outcry caused him to submit to an
investigation of his finances.
 3 [+ obj] formal: to offer (something) as an opinion or suggestion —
often + that ▪ I submit that his guilt has not been proven.
 exonerates; exonerated; exonerating
 [+ obj] formal : to prove that someone is not
guilty of a crime or responsible for a problem,
bad situation, etc.
▪ Her attorney claims that this new evidence
will exonerate [=clear] the defendant
completely. —sometimes + of or from ▪ evidence
that will exonerate her of/from the charges
 Exoneration noun [noncount]
▪ A review of the evidence led to her
complete exoneration.
 : of or relating to a style of artistic expression
that involves fancy curved forms and much
decoration and was popular in the 18th
century
 ▪ The chairs are carved in
a rococo style. ▪ rococo art