Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
Agitate (ajitet) - to argue strongly in public for or against some social or political
changes
The trade unions agitated against the retrenchment of some of their colleagues.
Agony (agny) - great pain of mind or body
The poverty generated great agony among the social workers.
The agony of the starving people in Orissa is unbearable.
Akin (akhin) - having the same appearance or character
The enquiry committee found that the new case of money mismanagement in the
department was akin to the earlier one.
Alacrity ele-kriti - great enthusiasm and zeal
The rebels accepted the government's offer with alacrity.
Alibi eleby - evidence that proves that a person was at other place at the time of
crime, excuse
All the suspects of murder had the alibi for the day of murder.
Alienate eliyenate - to make somebody feel that they don't belong to a particular
group
The supporting parties alienated when the government didn't accept their demands.
Allay alay - to make less strong, to calm
After purchasing the government's share in the factory, the private company allayed the
fears of the workers regarding cut in the jobs.
Allege a-lej - to state without giving proof
The opposition alleged that there is large scale corruption in the government.
The newspaper published a news regarding a person who allegedly murdered his own
child.
Alleviate aliviate - to reduce pain or difficulties for a short time
The company's financial problems alleviated after the rise in sale of its products..
An analogy can be drawn between the Bombay blasts and attack on World Trade
Centre.
Anarchy eneki - state of disorder, lawlessness
Violence and religious disputes spread anarchy in the country.
Anathema enethma - an idea you hate because you don't believe in it.
The anathema of bloody riots poses a serious threat to the brotherhood and national
unity of a country.
Anchor enke - to fix something strongly so that it can not move
Our constitution is anchored to the philosophy of democracy and secularism.
Anguish engvish - pain, suffering
The anguish of the rich people was unbearable who lost everything in the earthquake.
Animosity enimositi - a strong feeling of anger, opposition
Talks between the rival groups can bring to an end their animosity.
Annals anaals - historical records
In the annals of development, the newspapers have contributed a lot by bringing social
change in the country.
Annex enex - take control of a territory or country by force
The neighbouring country deployed heavy forces along the border in order to annex the
territory of the other country.
Anomaly a-nomli - different from what is expected, abnormality
The business community urged the government to rectify the anomalies in the tax
structure.
Anonymous anonmus - unknown, whose name is not known
An anonymous person informed the police about the bomb in the plane.
Ante enti - increase the level of demand for money
The researcher didn't up his ante while submitting the financial requirements for the new
project.
Antecedent enticeedent - any past history
The immigration officials found the suspected person of unknown antecedents.
Anticipate entici-pate - to expect in advance
The country is anticipating gold medal for Indian team in Olympics.
Anticlimax enti-clymax - not as exciting as expected
In an anticlimax, the government changed its stand in the court on the issue of banning
the old vehicles .
Antidote enti-dyot - which prevents the bad effect of poison or disease
The self employment scheme is an antidote to the nation's unemployment problem.
Antithesis entithsis - the opposite of something
The result of the strike was antithesis of the worker's expectations.
Anvil en-vil - about to happen or come
The authorities said that a comprehensive strategy was on the anvil for improving the
infrastructure in the country.
Anxiety en-ziatee - excessive worry for some bad expectation
There is lot of anxiety among the employees about the possible job losses.
Apathy e-pethi - lack of interest, indifference, unwillingness
The government's apathy towards the Handicraft industry was criticized by the business
community.
Apex e-pex - highest part of something
The apex court delivered the historic judgement on the disputed structure.
Apparent aperent - 1. easily understood or evident
The humiliation of the ruling party was apparent to everybody who lost on every seat.
B
Back bek - to support
The opposition parties backed the government in projecting a unified view before the
international community.
Backdrop bek-drop - the general conditions in which an event takes place
Riots started against the backdrop of the communal tension in the city.
Backlash baklesh - strong negative reaction shown by people
The administration had to face the backlash of destroying the temple.
Baffle bffle - confuse to the limit of inaction
The never ending list of problems baffled the government.
Bag baag - to win a prize, contract etc.
The newspaper bagged the award for the best story and editorial writing.
Bail out bale - rescue somebody from a difficult situation
The ailing public sector companies need to be bailed out by the government's funding.
Bait bet - a thing which attracts but is very harmful
A self reliant country should not fall prey to the bait of excessive foreign loans.
Banal benaal - lacking new ideas and originality
To ensure success, the banal ideas should be replaced with the creative ones.
Bane ben - cause of problem/trouble
The death of emotional feelings and sensitivity in people is the bane of the modern
society.
Banish bnish - to get rid of something, make something go away
The young minister vowed to banish the poverty and drought from his state.
Bank bnk - to rely on something, put hopes on something
Since no single party could get majority in the elections so the largest seats winning
party is banking upon the support of small parties to form government.
Bar baa - stop somebody from doing something
The weaker sections of the society alleged that they were barred from casting their votes
in the elections.
Barely be-lii -only a short time before, hardly
The stage is set for a biggest trade show for which barely a week is left.
Barge baaj - enter a place rudely and without permission
The protesting crowd barged into the Chief Minister's residence.
Barter ba-ta - to exchange something with another thing
While sharing the seats for the elections, political parties often resort to a barter system.
The opposition accused the government of bowing to the pressure of market forces.
Brew bru - something bad likely to happen soon
Resentment was brewing among the party workers over expulsion of some senior
members.
Brace to prepare for something difficult or unpleasant
During training, the rescue workers braced themselves for the troublesome rescue
missions in the future.
Brag brag - to say big things about oneself
The student bragged about his minor success in the examination.
Breach breech - to break an agreement, contract or rule
Leakage of the President's speech by the press before the scheduled time was termed
as a breach of trust by the government.
Bridge briz - fill the gap
There is lot of communication gap between teachers and students; we will have to
bridge this gap.
Brigand brigund - thief with arms, usually a band of thieves living in jungles and
mountains
Special task force raided the hideout and killed the notorious brigand.
Brink brink - on the edge of
The defence analysts pointed out that the earth is on the brink of nuclear disaster.
Brisk bris - quick and active
There is a brisk demand in the market for electronic products.
Brisk walk is good for health.
Broker brroka - to act as a middleman
The newspapers published a story on the misdeeds of power brokers who took money
from the companies and got their work done by the minister.
The United Nations brokered a peace plan in the countries affected by civil war.
Brutal brootul - very cruel, lack of kindness or human feelings
Animal lovers protested against the brutal treatment given to animals in the laboratories.
Buckle bakul - to bend, to get crushed under something
The government refused to buckle under the opposition's demand of reducing the oil
prices.
Bulwark bool-vk - anything that gives security or defence
The heavy deployment of security forces along the border is a bulwark against the cross
border terrorism.
Bumpy bumpee - uncomfortable, having lots of bumps, filled with troubles
With numerous problems before it, the new government will be walking on the bumpy
road.
Bungle bungul - which is done badly and causes problem, not done skillfully
The inefficient candidate bungled his last opportunity of job.
The lack of coordination between the security agencies bungled the rescue plan of the
hostages.
Buoyant bo-yunt -ability to recover quickly from disappointment, return to high level
after temporary slump
There is a buoyant market for small cars in India after the announcement of new
automobile policy by the government.
A buoyant attitude helps tide over difficult times.
Burgeon ba-zun - to begin to grow rapidly
There is a burgeoning demand for the computers in the market after reduction in the
import duty on computer hardware.
Bust bast - 1. to enter a place and arrest somebody
The infamous interstate gang was busted by the police.
C
Cadre caaa-daa - a small group of people chosen for a particular purpose
The ruling party tried to maintain the harmony among its cadres.
Caliber quality and ability of a person
Journalism requires caliber.
Callous k-lus - unsympathetic, unkind
The callous officials refused to help the victims of train accident.
Camaraderie kemeraa-d-ri - friendship and trust among colleagues
Camaraderie in the army has to be maintained at every cost in order to protect the
borders of the country.
Camouflage keme-flaash - colour, shape similar to that of surrounding, so as to make
detection difficult
The soldiers camouflaged themselves with green leaves in order to befool the enemies.
Canard k-naad - a false report, rumour
The stock markets are highly sensitive to the canards about the companies and
government's policies.
Candid Ken-did - frank, truthful, honest
The officer candidly admitted his mistake before the inquiry commission.
The famine was a major catastrophe which caused heavy loss of life.
Categorical ketegorikul - made without any doubt in the mind, unconditional.
The senior bureaucrat immediately issued a categorical denial of his involvement in the
scam.
Cease cees - to stop an activity
The operation against the militants was ceased following the announcement of ceasefire
by the government.
Ceiling ceeling - highest limit
The government raised the ceiling on the quota of newsprint import by the newspapers.
Cement ciment - to make strong/firm
The Prime Minister's visit has cemented our relations with the foreign countries.
Censure senshia - to criticize somebody severely and publicly for his wrongdoing
The court censured the administration for its failure to provide basic amenities to the
public.
Cessation cece-shun - stopping of something, pause
The cessation of all subsidies by the finance minister reduced the budget deficit
considerably.
Chagrin shegrin - disappointment caused by unfulfilled desires or hopes
Much to their chagrin, the result was a big zero.
Chalk chok - to draw a plan for dealing with a difficult situation
The administration chalked out a detailed plan to tackle the drought problem in the state.
Chaos ke-yos - state of total confusion and disorder
Because of the improper planning of the event, there was chaos all around.
Chart chaat - to design a plan to deal with some problem
The party charted out a strategy to win the support of the people who had been
alienated in the past.
Chauvinist shovinist - 1. unreasonable proud belief of one's own country
Saddam Hussain was termed as a chauvinist by the American media.
2. person who believes that the gender (male) to which he belongs is better than the
other (female)
The latest attempt of the male members to block the women reservation bill in the
parliament was termed by the women as "perfect example of male chauvinism".
Checkmate chek-mate - control, defeat somebody completely
The dismissal of the party's general secretary was seen as the move to checkmate the
rebels' activities.
Chequered che-kud - which contains both successful as well as unsuccessful periods
Indian industry has gone through a chequered past before settling to a comfortable
position.
Chide chaa-id - to criticize severely for some wrongdoing
The supreme court chided the state governments for not implementing the welfare
schemes for the poor in their respective states.
Christen kristun - to give a name to something
The new employment scheme was christened as "Sab ke liye Rojgar" or "employment
for everybody".
Chronic kronic - of a disease, lasting for a long time
Some victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy died after chronic illness.
The chronic problems of sewer and waterlogging during the monsoon are giving
sleepless nights to the authorities.
Chronology kronolozi - the order in which a series of events happened
The newspaper gave a chronology of violent attacks by the terrorists.
Chunk chunk - large amount of something
A big chunk of the population still lives below the poverty line even after fifty years of
independence.
Churn chhun - to produce something quickly in large amount
Various institutes churn out thousands of Information Technology professionals every
year still the country is facing the manpower shortage.
Circumspect surcum-spect - think very carefully before doing
The police should be circumspect before opening fire at the demonstrations.
Citadel citedul - fort, stronghold, area of dominant influence
West Bengal is regarded as the citadel of communists.
Cite cyte - to mention something as a support for what you are saying
The editor cited the heavy cost of newspaper production as the reason for high rates of
advertising.
Clamp klemp - Impose or inflict forcefully
The government clamped a heavy fine on the polluting industries.
Clandestine klendestin - done secretly
The rebels held a clandestine meeting to chalk out their offensive strategy against the
army.
Clash k'lash - fight
Twelve people were hurt in the clash between police and the mob.
Cleanse klens - to clean completely
The removal of corruption can definitely cleanse our social system.
Clinch klinch - to succeed in winning something
Public sector companies have clinched many lucrative deals from the foreign countries
in the today's era of liberalisation.
Clout klaut - power and influence
With the nuclear explosions and the Information Technology revolution, India's clout in
the internationl fora has increased considerably.
Club k'lub - 1. to hit a person with heavy object
The dacoits clubbed two persons to death in the high security area.
2. to join so as to make one
The court clubbed the two cases and decided to hear them together.
Clumsy klumzi - without skill, awkward
The inexperienced diplomat handled the sensitive diplomatic affair too clumsily.
Clutches -- khluch - net, control
The police rescued the young girls from the clutches of middleman who sell the girls as
prostitutes.
Coalition ko-lishun - two or more groups joined together
The political analysts feel that the coalition government doesn't last long.
Coerce ko-us - to force somebody to do something by using threats
The police inspector was accused of coercing the man into giving confessional
statement.
Cognizance kogniznce - take into consideration, law to take notice of
The Chief Justice took cognizance of misrepresentation of the case by authorities.
Cohesion koheezun - the state of sticking together, unity
The cohesion of joint family system is fast coming to an end in favour of nuclear family.
Indian culture is proud to have remarkable cohesion of bonds among family
members.
Cohort kohot - group of people with common interest
The militants discussed the government's proposal with their cohorts and surrendered
before the army.
The opposition raised commotion over the rising incidents of attacks on minorities.
Compassion kumpeshun - sympathy for suffering of others in order to help them
Social workers have great compassion for the downtrodden people.
Compatible kumpetibul - able to exist together due to harmony
The joint venture failed because the goals of both the companies were not compatible.
Competent kompitunt - having enough knowledge and skill to do something very well
The educated ministers are quite competent to do their job efficiently.
Complacent kumplaycunt - self-satisfied, have no worry even though one should
The educationist stressed that the students should not be complacent in acquiring
knowledge.
Comply kump-ly - to obey
Everybody has to comply with the court's order.
Comprehensive komperhensiv - detailed, elaborate, which includes almost
everything concerned
The inquiry commission came out with a comprehensive report on the causes of train
accidents.
Compute kum-pyut - to calculate
The delay in the construction of dams has escalated their earlier computed cost.
Conceal kun-sil - to hide
The raid on the premises of industrialists revealed that a huge income is concealed
from the income tax department in order to avoid payment of tax.
Concede kun-ceed - accept, admit something as true
The government conceded to the demands of industrialists to reduce the excise duty on
certain products.
Conceive kun-ceev - to form an idea, imagine, think of
The reputed political analyst said that an efficient government conceives the idea and
implements it too.
Concerted konsutd - planned and combined work done together
The poverty eradication needs concerted efforts by the government.
Conclave kon-klev - meeting to discuss something
The government decided to organize a conclave of Non Resident Indians to promote
investment.
Concoct kunkokt - to make a false story, excuse
The army officer blamed the investigative agency to concoct stories to prove him a
spy.
Concomitant kunkomitnt - happening at the same time with other thing as both are
related to each other
The liberalisation has taken place with the concomitant rise in the executive's income
manifold.
Concurrence kunka-runce - consent, agreement
My business partner didn't seek my concurrence and sold off the factory.
Condemn kundem - to express strong disapproval
The educated people must condemn the dowry system.
Conducive kundyuciv - helping to happen, favourable
This rain is conducive for good yield of the crop.
Conduit kondit - a person/organization which is used to pass things/information to
other person/places.
The police tried to trace the conduits through which the smugglers were operating in the
area.
Confer kun-faa - to give honour, bestow upon
Noted presonalities in different fields were conferred upon the awards by the President.
Contagious kunte-zus - which spreads from person to person by touching each other
The corruption is spreading like a contagious disease in our society.
Contemplate kontumplet - think deeply and thoughtfully
We contemplated on the issue and finally reached the solution.
Contempt kuntempt - lack of respect for something
A sensible citizen should not show contempt for minorities.
Disobeying the court orders is a contempt of court.
Contention kun-tenshun - arguing or struggling between people
The issue of Ram Mandir is no longer a matter of contention.
Contentment kuntentmnt - satisfaction, happiness
The favourable judgement by the court filled everybody with contentment.
Contingent kuntinjunt - dependent on something uncertain
The doctors said that the survival of the soldier is contingent upon the recovery signals
in next twenty four hours.
The employee's job security is contingent upon the outcome of the departmental
enquiry on the charges of bribe against him.
Contradict kontrdikt - to say opposite of what has been said earlier
The Prime Minister contradicted his minister's statement on tax concession.
Controversy kuntrovsy - dispute, disagreement
Much controversy was created over the nude scenes in the new film.
Conundrum knondrum - a question or problem which is difficult to solve
The religious disputes are proving to be a conundrum for the government.
Convene kunveen - to arrange for people for coming together
All party meeting was convened by the government to evolve a consensus on the issue
of foreign policy.
Converge kunvaaz - to move from different directions and meet at central point
Thousands of people converged on the auditorium to listen to their favorite leader.
Conviction kunvikshun - strong belief
The United Nations has the conviction that the negotiations can solve any dispute on the
earth.
Copious ko-pius - in large ammount
A theory must be supported by copious evidences.
Cordial kodiul - friendly and pleasant
The government enjoys the cordial relations with the neighbouring countries.
Core ko - central part , most important part of something
The core issue eluded discussion during the debate in the parliament.
Cornucopia konukopia - which contains large amount of something, storehouse
The newspaper is the cornucopia of the general knowledge.
Corroborate korob-ret - to give information in support of a statement, confirm
The charges of corruption against the officer were corroborated in the raid at his house
where large ammount of cash and property documents were found.
Cosmopolitan kosmopolitun - 1. showing broadminded outlook, having experience of
different places and world
The educated youth must have a cosmopolitan outlook of life.
2. existing in most parts of the world
Corruption seems to be a cosmopolitan disease.
Coterie ko-t-ri - a group of people with shared interests (negative sense)
The opposition alleged that the Prime Minister is often surrounded by the coterie
who misguides him.
Cough up khuff up - to forcibly accept an unpleasant thing
The company had to cough up financial losses due to the slump in the export market.
Counter kan-ta - response to somebody that opposes his idea
The issue of appointment of two more election commissioners was seen as a counter to
the chief election commissioner.
Counterfeit kantefit - not genuine, fake
The police seized a big haul of counterfeit currency notes from the foreign tourists.
Coup kuu - sudden illegal change of government
The democratically elected government was thrown out in a military coup.
Coveted ka-vet - much desired by everybody
India deserves the coveted post of permanent membership of United Nations.
Crack down krak daun - severe action taken to restrict the activities of criminals and
antisocial elements
The police's crack down on the gangs of smugglers led to the fall in smuggling from
across the border.
Cradle kre-dul - place of origin
China is the cradle of the art of acupuncture.
Credentials kredenshi ul - qualities, experience which makes somebody suitable for
something
Despite doubts in the public's mind, the new government proved that it had all
credentials to run the country successfully.
Credible kredibul - which can be believed or trusted
The big claims made by the government sounded incredible to the public.
Cripple kripul - weaken or damage seriously
The rise in the price of crude oil has crippled economies of many developing countries.
Crisis krysis - time of great trouble/difficulty
By withdrawing the support, the allies put the government in crisis.
Crisp krisp - fresh, firm, recently produced
People like to read the crisp news in the morning newspapers.
Crony kro-ni - friend (especially in the position of power)
The politicians are fond of showing undue favour to their cronies.
Crop krop - to occur unexpectedly
The idea of starting a new course in computers cropped up in the meeting.
Crow kro - to talk proudly what you have achieved, boast
The opposition members termed the minor success of ruling party as nothing to crow
about.
Crucial kru-shul - extremely important because it can affect other things
The investigative agency told the court that the investigation in hawala racket has
reached a crucial stage.
Crumble krumbul - break into small pieces
The business of Internet companies finally began to crumble in absence of any sound
business strategy.
The hopes of the rescuce workers began to crumble when the entire building started
burning furiously.
Crunch krunch - acute shortage
The country is facing foreign exchange crunch due to the heavy import bill of oil.
Crusade kru-sade - a long and determined struggle
The freedom is the result of long crusade carried out by our freedom fighters.
Crux krukx - most difficult part of a problem
Only after lengthy meetings, the organisers of the function reached the crux of the
matter.
Cue q - to copy what somebody else does as an example of how to behave
Taking a cue from Prime Minister's speech, the opposition leader raised the issue of
women reservation in the parliament.
Culminate kul-minate - to rise up to the highest point
The freedom movement ultimately culminated into the freedom of India.
Culpable kulpbul - deserving blame
It is a culpable act on the part of Intelligence agencies that they could not predict the
attack on parliament.
Cultivate kul-tivate - to develop/grow/prepare
One must cultivate the habit of reading newspaper daily.
Curb kaab - control, check
The government should curb the non plan expenditure in order to reduce the budget
deficit.
Curious q-rius - eager to know
The panchtantra has said that curiousity is the most important quality of a student.
Curtail ktale - to cut off or cut short
The audit committee recommended that the excessive expenditure by the government
should be curtailed.
Cyber sybaa - Internet or networks related
With the spread of use of Internet, cyber crimes are increasing day by day.
Cynosure sinejiva - object of everybody's attention
The Information Technology has become cynosure in modern society.
The peace efforts by the United Nations were decried by some of the militants group.
Defer difaa- to postpone
The car makers have deferred their plans of introducing new models.
Deficit defisit - when less money is coming and more is going, loss
The recent budget projected a heavy deficit, as a result extra taxes were imposed to fill
the gap.
Defray difray - to give somebody back (the money) they have spent on something
The state governments asked the central government to defray the entire cost of
education imparted to aged people.
Defunct difunkt - no longer existing or used
The defunct state electricity boards should be reconstituted in order to streamline the
power system.
Defuse difyuz - to stop a dangerous situation from happening
The police are trying to defuse the tension between the rival groups.
The anti bomb squad of the army defused the bomb lying near the building.
Defy di-fa-e - to disobey
Defying the court's order is considered as a contempt of court and a punishable act.
Degrade digrade - to treat as if it has no value, decline
The education minister expressed concern over the degrading education system in the
country.
Deja vu deja voo - the experience of thinking that a new situation had occurred before
The financial markets had a sense of deja vu during the last stock market
crash.
Delegate dlegate - to give one's power/right/authority to somebody else for a small
period
The President is going abroad that's why he has delegated his authority to the Vice
President.
Deliberate dlib-rut - 1. intentional
The attacks on minorities were seen as a deliberate attempt by the antisocial elements
to harm the country's reputation in the eyes of international community.
2. discuss thoughtfully
Let us deliberate upon the positive and negative points of this project.
Deliberation dlibreshun - discussion
The solution of some problems is always the outcome of long deliberations.
Delineate - describe in detail
The action plan was delineated to smash the terrorists' hideouts.
Deluge deluze - large numbers of things happening or coming simultaneously.
The foreign minister was deluged with the questions from the journalists.
Demolish dimo-lish - to break the building
The unauthorised construction was demolished by the authorities.
Denigrate deni-grate - criticize unfairly
The chairman denigrated the idea of his subordinate.
Denounce dinounc - criticize strongly
The government's functioning was denounced by the opposition parties.
Dent dent - hole
The government's failure on the international front has made a dent in its image.
Deplete dipleet - to disappear gradually
The natural resources are depleting fast due to the increasing population.
Deplore dip-lo - to show pity, criticize
The Supreme Court issued fresh directive on the contempt of court by the
government.
Disarmament disamamunt - principle of having no arms by countries
India is pursuing the policy of disarmament.
Disarray - - the state of confusion and lack of organisation
The ruling party lost the election despite the opposition being in total disarray.
Disband dis-bend - to terminate as organization
The department of the border tax collection was disbanded and the employees were
adjusted in other departments.
Disburse disbaas - distribute or pay out
The banks are disbursing the housing loans at small rate of interest.
Discern di-sun - to know, understand that thing which is not very clear
The new government's hidden agenda gradually became discernible to everybody.
Disclose dis-kloz - to give information which was previously secret
The police didn't disclose the name of the culprit seeing threat to his life.
Disconcerting diskunsating - to make feel confused, anxious and embarrassed
The situation in the violence affected area is disconcerting.
Discord dis-kord - disagreement, dispute
Kashmir is a matter of discord between India and Pakistan.
Discourse diskos - long and serious discussion on a subject
The parliament witnessed a lively discourse on the issue of women
reservation.
Discriminate diskrminut - to unfairly treat a person, better or worse than other person
The South African government used to discriminate between blacks and whites.
The disparity between rich and poor should be minimised to maintain the social
harmony.
Dispel dis-pel - to make a feeling go away, disappear
The government convened the meeting of its ministers to dispel the doubts about unity in
the party.
Dispense dispens - to give to many people
Following the customer's complaints, the telephone exchange opened the counter to
dispense telephone bills on the spot.
Displace disples - to remove somebody from his/her home to another place
The dam construction has displaced many people form their ancestral land.
Disposal dispo-zul - 1. on your own wish
The court left it on the disposal of the administration to chalk out a relief plan for cyclone
hit people.
2. act of getting rid of something
The police called the bomb disposal squad to defuse the time bomb.
Dispose dispos - to get rid of something
The backlog of lacs of cases pending in the courts, needs to be disposed off as soon as
possible.
Disproportionate disprporshenut - too large or too small when compared with
something else
The government officials are often accused of accumulating wealth disproportionate to
their known source of income.
Dispute dispyut - argument, disagreement, quarrel
Kashmir is still regarded as a disputed territory by some countries.
The religious disputes need careful handling.
Disrupt disrupt - disturb, to make something difficult to continue in a normal way
The normal life remained disrupted due to the daylong strike by the city's
transporters.
Disseminate disseminet - to spread the news/ideas/thoughts
The newspapers disseminate the information on variety of subjects.
Dissent disent - dissatisfaction, to express disagreement
The party workers expressed their strong dissent over the issue of unfair distribution of
tickets in the elections.
Dissipate disipet - to use foolishly, waste
The finance department dissipated all the reserves of foreign exchange in the bad
business deals.
Dissuade disu-ed - to advice against something
The chief of investigative agency complained that the influential people are trying to
dissuade him from conducting fair investigation.
Distinct distinkt - separate, clearly different
The rupee depreciation and heavy loan burden are not distinct issues but related to
each other.
Distort distot - to twist the true meaning
The media are sometimes accused of presenting the facts in a distorted manner.
Distraction distrekshun - a thing which disturbs the concentration
The noise proved to be the distraction in the teaching.
Distraught distrot - anxious and troubled up to the point of madness
The distraught farmers committed suicide as they were not able to repay their debts.
Distress distres - great suffering or worry
The long traffic jam caused great distress among the passengers.
Dither di-tha - state of indecisiveness
A few members of parliament are dithering in extending their support to the newly
elected government.
Diversify dyversi-fy - to move into other areas
The media companies are diversifying their business thus providing services in other
fields also.
The Cable TV culture and high income have diversified our social horizon.
Divulge dyvul-z - to tell
The police didn't divulge the identity of the suspect keeping in view, the threat to his life.
Doctor dok-ta - to falsify, to change in order to mislead somebody
The opposition members alleged the railway minister of producing doctored statistics of
the train accidents before the parliament.
Doctrine dok-trin - set of belief
The non-ahimsa doctrine is the only way to peaceful life.
Dogmatic dogmatik - uncompromising, who thinks that his ideas and beliefs are true
and people should accept them without question
The people started complaining about the dogmatic views of fundamentalists.
Doldrums d-oldum - state of sadness, lack of activity
Due to the financial crunch, the new development projects seem to be in doldrums.
Doom dooom - unavoidable destruction, a terrible fate
Many ambitious projects have doomed due to lack of finance.
Draconian drconi-un - extremely harsh and severe, just like devil
The newspapers argued heavily against the draconian foreign exchange act.
Drag - draag - to pull with great force
Don't drag your feet once you have decided to fight with the enemy.
The country needs dynamic leaders who can do well for the nation.
E
Eager eega - very excited and interested
The employees waited eagerly for some tax concessions in the annual budget.
Earnest aa-nest - serious and sincere
The poor countries requested the donor countries earnestly for funds.
Echelon eshelon - rank, position in an organization
The vigilance department found that there is widespread corruption at the higher
echelons of the government.
Echo e-ko - to reflect
The speech of the environment minister echoed the government's concern to reduce
pollution.
Ecstasy ekstsi - feeling of great happiness
The winning party was invited to form the government, as a result there was widespread
ecstasy in the party workers.
Efficacy efiksi - ability to produce the desired results
The judge of Supreme Court commented that the efficacy of the law should not be
doubted.
Egalitarian egeliterian - a belief that everybody is equal, having equal rights
For decades, social reformers have fought for the egalitarian society.
Elated ilet - extremely happy
Business community was elated over several tax benefits in the new budget.
Elegant elegunt - attractive and graceful
The premiere of the movie was quite elegant.
The writing gets embellished with the use of quotations between the sentences.
Embezzle embezzul - to steal or misuse the money of the employer
The accountant was convicted on the charges of embezzlement of the government's
money.
Embitter em-bitaa - to make somebody feel angry or disappointed over a period of
time
A long battle for the disputed area has left both the countries embittered.
Embody im-bodi - to include or contain
Indian constitution embodies the right to free speech and expression.
Embrace imbres - to accept with interest
The society must embrace Information Technology for speedy growth.
Emerge ee-muj - 1. to come out
By winning over the rebel ministers, the Prime Minister has emerged stronger.
2. to become known
The clear picture of the murder didn't emerge as there was absence of any concrete
evidence.
Eminent eminunt - famous and respected
Many eminent journalists were present at the conference on the topic of "Media Ethics".
Empathy em-pthi - ability to see other person's feelings/thoughts by putting yourself
in his situation
Empathy is the most important element in effective communication.
Emphasis emfesis - stress, force
The curriculum in the schools should lay emphasis on moral values in the students.
Emphasize emfesize - to stress, to give special importance to something
The eminent mediapersons emphasized the importance of accountability of media.
The building was engulfed in flames which took seven hours to extinguish.
The monster of excessive debt is engulfing many poor countries as they have to pay a
big amount as interest.
Enhance inhans - to increase or improve
The availability of skilled computer engineers has enhanced our country's image abroad.
Enigma enig-ma - mysterious, difficult to understand
The source of the cricketer's wealth was an enigma for the investigative agencies.
Enjoin en-joy-n - prohibit
The professional ethics enjoin the media not to report anything which can cause
religious hatred.
Enlighten enlytun - to give somebody information so that they understand something
better, to give knowledge
The newspaper enlightened its readers by publishing a comprehensive article on vedic
mathematics.
Enlist enlist - to persuade somebody to help you in doing something
The rebel leader enlisted the support of some more dissatisfied leaders.
Enormous e-nomus - very large, huge
The environmentalists have warned quite often that the earth can't feed the enormous
population.
Ensconce inskons - comfortable and safe in the place or position
The fundamental rights of a citizen are ensconced in the constitution.
Enshrine in-shry-n - included in written form
The fundamental rights are enshrined in our constitution.
Ensue en-syuu - to follow, to happen after as a result of another event
The economists feared that the economic reforms would lose their track in the ensuing
years.
The agreement to stop violence was evanescent as militants again started killing
innocent people.
Eventuality even-chu-ye-leti - a possible unpleasant event or result
There is little chance of war but the government is well prepared for any eventuality.
Evident evidunt - clear/obvious/easily seen
It was evident from the results that opposition party is going to get absolute
majority.
Evince evins -to show clearly (a feeling)
The newspapers have evinced keen interest in the adoption of new communication and
printing technologies.
Evolve evolv - to develop gradually by a long process
Despite a long discussion, no solution to the problem was evolved.
Human beings have evolved from apes in a long period of evolution.
Exacerbate igjese-bet - to aggravate, make worse
The recent rains have exacerbated the flood situation.
Exaggerate igje-jrate - to make larger than it really is
The outgoing government exaggerated its achievement in the last five years.
Exasperate igjes-prate - to make somebody extremely annoyed by testing his
patience
The industry department's delay in granting permission exasperated the company.
Excavate xkevet - to uncover by digging
The remnants of Indus Valley civilization were excavated in different parts of India.
Exchequer x-cheka - treasury of public money
The opposition blamed the government for cheating the public exchequer.
Execute xeequte - to do practically, perform
Task of rescuing the people from the flood needs to be executed immediately.
Exemplary igjem-plri - suitable to be copied as an example
India has done exemplary work in social development in the past ten years.
Exempt igjempt - to free from duty, service
The election commission exempted the disabled from the election duty.
Exercise xe-sa-iz - to use your power and rights in order to achieve something
The government was urged to exercise control over the overpricing by drug
manufacturing companies.
Exhaustive eg-jostiv - looking at every detail, comprehensive/ thorough
The newspapers give an exhaustive description of the country's political and economic
situation.
Exhibit igjibit - to show
The people showed the exhibits of the violence to the police.
The Industry is exhibiting signs of improvement after the new industrial policy of the
government.
Exhilarate igjil-rate - to make cheerful and excited
The aeroplane's joyride exhilarated all of us.
Exhort igjot - to motivate
The teacher exhorted the students to work hard.
Exigency xi-junci - an urgent need or situation to deal with
Every prudent government must keep in mind the economic exigencies.
Exodus xodus - leaving in large numbers, migration
India is witnessing exodus of IT engineers to western countries.
The civil war resulted in exodus of refugees to neighbouring countries.
The underworld is often accused of extorting money from the businessmen and film
stars.
Extract x-trekt - to obtain information from somebody who is unwilling to give it
Petrol and diesel are extracted from the crude oil.
The police couldn't extract anything substantial from the hardcore criminal.
Extraneous x-treni-us - irrelevant
The extraneous arguments disrupted the discussion on national security in the
parliament.
Extravagant xtra-vacant - wasteful
The government should not be extravagant in spending the public money.
Extricate x-tri-ket - to free oneself from a situation that is difficult to escape.
The body of the driver was extricated from the vehicle after much efforts.
The suspect of the murder told a lie to the police and extricated himself from the criminal
case.
Exude eg-jyu-d - to flow out slowly and spread
The supporters of the party were exuding confidence.
Eyewash i-vosh - an action done only to deceive people
The public alleged that the police's effort to arrest the corrupt minister is only an
eyewash.
F
Fabricate feb-i-ket - to invent false information to deceive people
The opposition party alleged a large-scale fabrication of criminal cases against its
workers.
Facilitate f-sili-tet - to make a process easier
The computer professionals feel that the cyber laws will facilitate the identification and
arrest of cyber criminals.
Faction fak-shun - a group within a large group
Different factions emerged in the political party over the issue of expulsion of corrupt
minister.
Fighting is continuing between different factions in Afghanistan for the last thirty years.
Fait accompli fet-akump-li - something already done which you cannot change
The separation of India and Pakistan is a fait accompli and harmony should prevail
between them.
Fallacy fele-si - false idea that people think is true
The Prime Minister said that it is a fallacy that subsidy on the fertilizers would be
increased.
Fanatic f-natic - who shows unreasonable support/keenness for a religion/political
party etc
The report said that the temple was demolished by the religious fanatics.
Fantabulous fente-byu-lus - fantastic + fabulous
The glossy editions of the newspapers are quite fantabulous.
Farce faas - absurdly futile proceedings, pretence
The security arrangements along the border were a farce.
Fastidious festidi-us - difficult to please
He is a very fastidious about the facilities at his place of work.
Fathom faa-dum - 1. to measure
The applications of Information Technology to solve the problems are unfathomable.
2. to understand
It is hard to fathom the agony of the mother whose child has died an unnatural death.
Faux pas fo-pa - a remark or action which causes embarrassment because it is not
socially correct
By expressing disgust over rituals, the visiting foreign delegate committed a faux pas.
Feign fe-en - to pretend that you are tired/ill
The student feigned illness to avoid the school.
Fend fend - to look after oneself
The children whose parents died in the earthquake, were left by the relatives to fend for
themselves.
Ferocious furo-shi-us - fierce, extremely violent
The army carried out a ferocious attack on the enemy.
Ferry ferry - to carry
The transport department decided to provide more buses to ferry the employees to the
offices.
Fetch fech - to bring
The sale of the government owned companies is not likely to fetch good price in the
market.
Feud few-d - angry and bitter argument for a long time
Family feuds are more common in joint family system.
Feudal few-dul - giving land to the people and demand work/fight in return
The feudal mentality is the root of every social problem in some of the most backward
states of our country.
Fiasco fi-us-co - complete failure
Because of the worldwide recession, the company's plans ended in fiasco.
Fickle fikul - changing suddenly without any reason
The government was accused of fickle mindedness on the issue of internal security.
The controversial law passed by the parliament created a furore among the minority
community.
Futile few-ty-l - in vain, unsuccessful
The ruling party members made futile attempts to save the government which fell
ultimately.
G
Gag geg - to put cloth in the mouth to stop somebody from speaking
The government is often accused of gagging the press.
Galaxy gele-k-si - gathering of eminent and clever people
Galaxy of mediapersons was present at the inauguration ceremony of the seminar.
Gallant gall-ent - brave, valorous, courageous
The country won the two wars because of its gallant soldiers.
Galore g-lo - in plenty/large numbers
The Non Resident Indians send money galore to their country which helps increase the
foreign exchange reserves.
The police found the evidences galore to pursue the case against the mafia don.
Gambit gem-bit - a thing done at the beginning of the situation to take some
advantage
The ruling party's promise to cut the taxes was criticized by the opposition as a pre
election gambit.
Gamut ge-mut - complete range of something
The advances in Information Technology will provide gamut of computer services to the
public.
Garble gaa-bul - to tell in a confused way thus giving false idea of the subject
The company's executive garbled his presentation and spoiled the opportunity of getting
the contract.
Garner gaa-naa - to obtain, collect
The newly launched political party was trying its best to garner the support of dissatisfied
voters.
Garrulous gere-lus - extremely talkative
Some garrulous people waste their time as well as others'.
Gauge ge-e-j - to calculate, to make a judgement on something
The newspapers helped the government to gauge the effects of violence against the
minorities.
Gear up gi-aa - to prepare yourself for action in advance
The Municipal Corporations are gearing up for the danger of flood in the
monsoon.
Generous jene-rus - kind in treating people
Social workers have to be generous by nature in order to help the needy people in a
better way.
The business community proved to be a generous donator to the relief fund for the
cyclone victims.
Genesis jene-sis - origin
The West Bengal is the place of genesis of naxalite problem.
Gesture jes-chaa - expression/action done to show feelings
American government asserted that Pakistan should show some friendly gestures
towards India.
Ghastly gaas-tli - terrible, causing great fear
Ghastly crimes have rocked the capital these days thus giving sleepless nights to the
police.
Giant jaa-unt - very large and powerful
The growing economies of the Asian countries have earned the name of Asian
giants.
Gibberish jibrish - meaningless sound/talk/writing
The speaker of the state assembly commented that the quality of debate is reduced
because of the gibberish speeches by the members.
Gigantic jy-gen-tik - extremely big, stupendous
The problems before the mankind are becoming gigantic day by day.
Gimmick gee-mik - dishonest tricks to catch people's attention
parties are often accused of employing gimmicks to get the votes.
The political
H
Hail he-ul - 1. to appreciate and describe as (something good)
The actor was hailed as the legend of the century.
2. to belong to
Most of the Prime Ministers hail from the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.
Hallmark hol-maak - most important and typical quality of something
The speedy result is the hallmark of Information Technology.
Hammer out hemma- to discuss a plan untill everybody agrees
The striking employees and the management hammered out a solution.
Hamper hem-pa - to put hurdles in the way
The increasing population is hampering the development process.
The
Heir he-yaa - successor, who carries on the work started by their elder ones
Even after such a long time since its president expired, the political party is yet to
choose its heir.
Helm halm - steering a boat or ship, control
The persons sitting at the helm of the affairs should be sensitive to the needs of a
common man.
Herald he-ruld - a sign of something about to happen
The Cuckoo's singing heralds spring.
Heresy here-si - criticism of God
The man was hanged at the religious gathering on the charges of heresy.
The religious court ordered that the culprit be hanged till death on the charges of
heresy.
Hiatus hy-e-tus - pause in the activity, gap
The government resumed the peace talks with the naxalites after a short hiatus.
Hibernate hy-be-net - to undergo long sleep in winter, to remain inactive for a long
time
The report published by the newspaper forced the hibernating district administration to
enquire into the misuse of the public money by municipal corporation.
Hideous hidi-us - very shocking, ugly
Everyone was shocked at the minister's hideous remarks.
Hinder hyn-daa - to make a situation difficult to happen, put hurdles in the way
The shortage of funds often hinders the implementation of development projects in the
rural areas.
Hitch hi-ch - obstruction
The cultural programme went on for five hours without hitch.
Hitherto hida-to - until this time
The recent movie describes certain sensitive points on sexuality hitherto untouched.
Holocaust holo-cost - great destruction of lives (especially by burning)
With the invention of nuclear bombs, the earth is sitting on the verge of nuclear
holocaust.
Horrendous horren-dus - extremely fearful, terrible
The accident site bore a horrendous look.
The end result of the war is always horrendous
Hostile hos-tyl - having strong disliking, enmity
The hostile nature of the neighbouring country is often a deterrent in the good relations.
Hue hyu - take on colour or become coloured
The rape charges against the politician gave a different hue to the election campaign.
Huge hyu-j - extremely large in size
The poverty eradication programme launched by the government was a huge succes.
The country has to spend huge ammount of money in elections.
Humiliate hyu-mil-yet - to feel ashamed, lower the respect
Pakistan suffered a humiliating defeat in Kargil war.
Hurl haal - to throw
The mob hurled stones on the police injuring many policemen.
Hustings hustings - elections
The ruling party suffered a humiliating defeat at hustings.
Hype to try to get public attention more than what it deserves The multinational
companies are resorting to media hype to promote their products.
Hypothetical hype-theti-kul - ideas based on imagination rather than truth and reality
I
In Toto in-toto - in total, in entirety
The recommendations of the fifth pay commission were accepted in toto by the central
government.
Ideology i-di-o-loji - set of ideas on which political or economic system is based
The American economy is based on the capitalist ideology.
The ideology of communism is on the decline.
Idle i-dul - waste time, doing nothing
Thousands of employees of public sector companies have to sit idle because of lack of
orders from the customers.
Ignominious ign-mini-us - shameful/humiliating/disgraceful
The enemy suffered a ignominious defeat in the Kargil war few years back.
Illusion elyu-zun - something seen wrongly than what it really is
The wallpapers of natural scenes gave an illusion of green hills inside the room.
Imbibe im-by-b - to take inside
Moral preaching was soon imbibed by the listners.
A student should imbibe as much knowledge as he/she can.
Imbroglio im-bro-li-o - complicated political situation which causes confusion
No single party got the absolute majority in the elections hence the country is going to
face imbroglio.
Imbue im-bue - to fill something with strong feelings
The minister asserted that all the policies of the government were imbued with the
welfare spirit of the common man.
The government is incurring heavy cost due to the delay in the completion of
developmental projects.
Indemnity in-dem-niti - protection against loss, promise to pay in case of
loss
The government has given indemnity to some of the foreign investors.
Indict in-dy-t - to charge with an offence
The police have indicted seven influential persons in the urea scam.
Indigenous in-dij-nus - something which belongs to a particular country
The Ayurveda is indigenous to India.
The car production has become totally indigenous .
Indignant in-dig-nunt - angered at something unjust/wrong
The indignant tribal people demonstrated before the office of deputy commissioner in
support of their demands.
Indignation indig-ne-shun - surprised anger
The union expressed strong indignation over the unreasonable dismissal of the
employee.
Indiscriminate indiskriminut - action done without thought and careful judgement.
The innocent persons were killed in the indiscriminate firing by the militants.
Indolent - Ind-lunt - lazy
The social activists criticized the government for its indolent attitude towards various
welfare schemes.
Induce in-dyu-s - to cause something
The booming stock market has induced the investors to invest more and earn
more.
Induct in-dukt - to officially introduce in a group
The four hundred cadets were inducted in the army.
The civil wars have inflicted trouble on many countries thus retarding economic and
social development.
Infotainment info-ten-munt - information + entertainment
The infotainment is the most important function of the mass media.
Learning through infotainment is the most effective method.
Infringe in-frinz - to illegally take over the right of another person or nation
The order to keep quiet is an infringement of my fundamental right to speech.
Infuse in-fyu-s - to fill
The speech of the minister infused confidence among the party workers.
Inherent in-hea-rent - present naturally as a part of something
Some problems are inherent in our social system.
Inherit in-herit - to receive from the previous generation
The finance minister inherited the toughest job of streamlining the financial
reforms.
Inimical inimi-kul - harmful
The acceptance of the terrorists' demands can prove inimical to the country.
Injunction in-junk-shun - order from the court/government that something must or
must not be done
The court passed the injunction against media for not publishing anything against the
accused under trial.
Inkling ink-ling - a hint
The finance ministry didn't have a slight inkling that the privatization of the industrial
units will result in indefinite strike by the workers.
Innocuous inno-q-us - harmless, not intended to upset anyone
The minister termed his remark on the religion as innocuous.
The reporter decided to interact with the people at the accident's site to get factual
information.
The new upcoming communication technologies are interactive.
Inter alia inter-eli-ya - among other things
The profits in the shares depends upon inter alia, the favourable policies of the
government which directly influence the stock market.
Intercept int-sept - to catch something in between
The new law allowed the police to intercept the telephonic communication.
Interim in-t-rim - a less part of something which is to be given full later
This is an interim relief, you will get full benefit later on.
Intermediate inter-midi-yut - between two places/states
The Journey for the betterment hasn't stopped, the country is only in the intermediate
stage.
Interpolate intaa-po-lut - to add few lines
The editor interpolated few lines on democracy in his speech.
Intervene inta-veen - to interrupt to prevent bad result
The teacher intervened when the students started fighting physically.
Intimate inti-mut - 1. let somebody know what you know
The Prime Minister intimated the President about recent developments at International
level.
2. close, friendly
India has always shared intimate relationship with its neighbouring countries.
Intimidate in-timi-det - to threaten
The terrorists intimidated the local people who helped them out of fear.
Intransigent intran-ji-junt - extreme ideas which can't be changed by anybody
The officer was requested to approve the proposal but he remained intransigent.
Intrepid in-tre-pid - fearless and bold
Today's freedom is the result of endless efforts of the intrepid freedom fighters.
Intricacy in-tri-kesi - complicated network and details
The intricacies of law are beyond the comprehension of a common man.
Intrigue intri-g - plot, secret plan (bad)
The serial bomb blasts in the city were the result of terrorist's intrigue.
Introspection intro-spek-shun - looking into one's inside (thoughts, ideas)
Introspection is the greatest way of personality development.
Intrude in-tru-d - to enter illegally,
The intelligence agency guessed that large number of terrorists have intruded into Indian
territory.
Invade in-ved - to come, attack and take control of something
The cultural department said that satellite channels from west are invading our culture.
Invincible in-vin-ci-bul - too strong to be defeated
The minister stayed invincible for long despite serious allegations of financial bungling
against him.
Invoke in-vo-ok - to call or bring into use (right, law)
The government has invoked the ESMA (Essential Services Maintenance Act) against
striking workers.
Ire aaya - anger
The protestors directed their ire towards public property while damaging it badly.
Irk aak - to annoy or irritate
The judiciary was irked by the publication of controversial news item relating to the
corruption among judges.
J
Jeopardy j-pa-di - trouble, danger
With the fall of the government, the new development projects were put into jeopardy.
Jackpot jeck-pot - biggest amount of money to be won in a game by chance
The young man hit jackpot of one crore in the television money game
show.
Jingoism jingo-i-zum - a belief that one's own country is better than other (used
threateningly)
The army officers are of the view that the neighbouring country believes in the ideology
of jingoism.
Jinx zink-s - the cause of bad luck
The mediapersons argue that growth in the electronic media won't be a jinx on print
media.
Jolt to shake severely
The murder of the minister jolted the government who claims to provide security to the
common man.
Jostle jo-sul - to push forcibly and roughly
The minister's involvement in the scam jostled the government.
Jugglery jug-lury - playing with something
The government was accused of making a jugglery of figures while presenting the
budget.
Juncture junk-chaa - a particular point in a series of events
The battle for supremacy reached a crucial juncture in the corridors of power.
Junta chun-ta - government (military) which has come to power by force rather than
through elections
K
Kickback kik-back - portion of an income given, often secretly, to someone who
made the income possible
The investigative agency started the investigations into the alleged kickback of 64 crore
rupees paid to the middleman.
Knack naak - a special natural skill or ability
The government should have a knack of foreseeing the future challenges before the
country.
Knowhow no-haa-o - skill, knowledge to perform a particular thing
India has the technical know how of the software development.
Kudos q-dos - credit
The kudos goes to the soldiers who are defending the borders.
L
Labyrinth lab-rinth - complicated network, path
The labyrinth of legal procedures sometimes proves a hurdle in the justice delivery of
justice.
Lackadaisical la-ke-deye-skul - lacking determination and seriousness
The teacher's union criticized the lackadaisical approach of the government towards the
important matters like education.
Lackluster leck-lustaa - lacking shining, dull
The Indian team gave a lackluster performance at Olympics.
Lacuna le-q-na - state of missing, lacking of something
Your selection can be easily cancelled on a slight lacuna in the selection process.
Laden le-dun - heavily loaded with burden
The government is laden with the backlog of incomplete work.
Laggard le-gud - falling behind
The speaker said that the communist countries were laggard in granting freedom to the
press.
Lambaste lem-baste - to criticize severely
The opposition lambasted the government's move to increase the price of petrol.
Lament la-ment - to express sorrow or regret
The parents lamented the bad effects of cable television on their children.
Languish lang-vish - to be forced to stay somewhere and suffer something
unpleasant
Many prisoners of war continue to languish in the enemy's jail for years.
Lapse laps - negligence
The murder inside the university campus is a serious lapse on the part of security
personnel.
pass slowly
Long time lapsed between the making of the law and its actual implementation.
Largesse la-jess - the act of giving money in big amount
The central government dispensed the largesse to the state governments to help them
tide over the financial problems.
Lash lash - criticize severely and angrily
The opposition lashed out at the government's faulty economic policy.
Laud lo-od - to praise very much
The newspapers must laud the positive developments in the society by giving more
coverage to development stories.
Laurel lo-rul - honour and praise
Our computer professionals have brought laurels for the country at International
level.
Legacy le-ge-si - anything bequeathed
The successive governments should carry forward the legacy of social welfare.
Legendary lejend-ri - very famous and widely known
The legendary figures of Indian literature have contributed a lot to the development of
journalism.
Legislate legis-let - to make laws
The job of the parliament is to legislate and it is upto the enforcement agencies to
implement the same in a proper way.
Legitimate legiti-mut - 1. reasonable
The right to speech and freedom is regarded as a legitimate fundamental right of a
citizen.
2. child of parents who are legally married
The parents said before the judge that the boy was their legitimate son.
Lenient li-ni-unt - not strict in punishment
The principal took a lenient view of the student's costly mistakes.
Lethal lee-thul - causing or able to cause death
The sick companies should be liquidated and the employees should be absorbed
somewhere else.
Loath lo-oth - not willing to do something
The accused loathed to accept his fault.
Lodge lo-oj - to make a formal statement to authorities
The harassed employee lodged a legal case against his senior officer in the
court.
Loggerhead logga-head - in strong disagreement
The government and the militants are at loggerheads over the ownership of disputed
territory.
Loner lo-ona - a person who is alone
The rebel minister seemed to be a loner in the process of resigning from the
government.
Long lo-ong - to want something very much
The print media is longing to receive concessions on newsprint imports.
Loom loom - something threatening which is likely to happen soon
The army predicted that the danger of war is looming large over the country.
Loophole lyu-phol - mistake or deficiency in law, system, contract etc
The citizen's forum urged the government to plug the loopholes in the criminal
law.
Lucid lu-sid - clearly expressed, easy to understand
The speaker in the parliament presented lucid arguments in support of his observation.
Lucrative lu-k-tiv - profitable
Agriculture is no longer a lucrative business for the farmers.
Ludicrous ludi-krus - ridiculous
M
Machination meki-ne-shun - a secret and complicated plan (negatively used)
The government charged the opposition of resorting to political machinations.
Magnitude meg-ni-chude - great size and importance of something
Despite the government's tall claims, the magnitude of crime has not decreased.
Maiden me-e-dun - being first of its kind
In his maiden press conference, the chief minister expressed serious concern over the
state of law and order.
Maim me-em - to injure somebody seriously
Two soldiers were maimed in the landmine blast.
Malice me-lis - desire to harm
Every religion tells that we should not bear the malice towards anybody.
Malaise me-les - a problem affecting a particular situation
The sociologists asserted that the cable TV is spreading social malaise in the
country.
Malfunction mel-funk-shun - to fail to work correctly
The government departments are often accused of malfunctioning.
Malign me-ly-n - to tell lie and unpleasant things about somebody
The newspaper was accused of maligning the honest minister.
Malpractice mel-prek-tis - illegal or unacceptable conduct
The recruitment officer was charged with several malpractices in recruitment.
Mammoth me-muth - huge, very big
Building the underground metro rail project is a mammoth project.
Mandarin men-de-rin - powerful official of high rank
The newspapers suggested that the media policy made by the mandarins of ministry
needs to be amended.
Mandate men-date - authority given to government by the people of country
The government was advised by the opposition to take fresh mandate from the public.
Mandatory men-de-tri - compulsory
The government made it mandatory that the persons from outside India should not be
allowed to hold the key posts.
The human rights commission took a strict note of inhuman treatment meted out to the
labourer by the police.
Meticulous meti-q-lus - giving or showing great care to details
The new government decided to follow the path of liberalization meticulously.
Mid-term mid-tum - in the middle of the period
The country headed for another mid-term poll when the President dissolved the Lok
Sabha.
Midst mid-st - middle part of something
The government suffered a severe setback in the midst of peace talks with the rebels.
Miff miff - to get angry or upset slightly
The employees were miffed at the decision of finance minister to cut their travelling
allowance.
Mileage my-lez - a benefit or advantage
Every opposition party seems eager to draw a political mileage out of the government's
failure.
Mindful my-nd-full - careful or conscious
The new minister is minister is quite mindful of his functioning.
Mingle min-gul - 1. to combine
The success of peace effort was mingled with the blood of innocent people.
2. to meet and mix with people
The visiting President of foreign country mingled freely with all the guests who were
present in the party.
Minority my-no-riti - less in numbers as compared to others
The government was reduced to minority when the supporting parties withdrew support.
Minuscule mini-s-q-l - extremely small
Several big political parties have minuscule vote bank these days.
Minute mi-nut - 1. very detailed, careful and thorough
The journalists have to study a problem minutely in order to suggest some solution to the
newspaper's readers.
2. extremely small
Even a minute disagreement can spoil the success of peace talks.
Miracle mi-ra-kul - like magic, lucky thing which happens without expectation
The new government did a miracle by presenting a surplus budget for the first time in the
country's history.
Mirage mi-rash - an optical effect looking like a sheet of water in the desert,
something unachievable
Wealthy life in underworld is a mirage for unemployed youth.
Miscellaneous misa-le-ni-us - of various types, from various sources
He has a miscellaneous collection of books on physics.
Mischief mis-chif - tendency to behave in a way that causes trouble
Somebody played a mischief by giving wrong information to the police regarding the
bomb inside the airport.
Miscreant mis-kri-unt - wrongdoer, person doing illegal things
The crime branch arrested the miscreants in connection with the murder case.
Misgiving mis-gi-ving - feeling of doubt and anxiety
The instability on the domestic front has spread misgivings on the international front.
Mishap mis-hap - mishappening, accident
Seven persons were killed in the mishap when the bus and car collided head on.
Mitigate miti-gate - to lessen the suffering
The government should mitigate the sufferings of a common man.
The investigative agencies have to adopt different modus operandi for different cases.
Mole mo-o-l - a person who works in an organization and passes important
information to other organization
The police are grappling with the problem of some moles.
Molest melest - to make indecent sexual advances to somebody
The criminals molested the young woman in the broad daylight.
Mollify moli-fy - to reduce anger, make calm
The demonstrators were mollified by the administration.
Momentum memen-tum - ability of increasing and developing
The issue of safety and security of minority community in the country has gain
momentum.
Monetary - mone-te-ri - related to money
It is alleged that the public sector companies don't provide monetary contribution to the
government, they just serve the cause of social responsibility.
Monitor moni-ta - watch and check over a period of time
The army is monitoring the situation along the line of control in Kashmir.
Monotonous mno-tun-us - dull, never changing, boring
The Information Technology is changing the monotonous style of life very fast.
Morale moraal - amount of motivation, confidence etc.
The army officers must try to boost up the morale of the soldiers.
Moratorium more-to-ri-um - a temporary stopping of an activity by official agreement
The newspaper suggested that there should be a four-year moratorium on all religious
disputes for the healthy development of the nation.
Moribund mori-bund - about to stop, coming to an end
The common man feels that the country's economy is fast becoming moribund.
N
Nab neb - to catch a thief or a person doing illegal work
The dacoits fled from the seen but one of them was nabbed by the local residents.
Naive na-eev - showing lack of experience, judgement and wisdom
The tribal people are quite naive as far as the issue of religion transformation is
concerned.
Narrate na-ret - to tell a story
The aggrieved party narrated its story of suffering in the court.
Nascent na-cent - in the developing stage
The Handicraft industry is nascent in our country.
Nasty naasti - unpleasant
The long journey in the general compartment of the train proves to be a nasty
experience for most of the passengers.
Naught no-ot - zero, failure
Despite the sincere efforts, the peace talks between rebels and state government came
to naught.
Nebulous ne-bu-lus - vague, not very clear
The government spelt out a nebulous description of its plans to revive the economy.
Nefarious ni-fe-ri-us - wicked, corrupt, immoral
The ministers are accused of indulging in nefarious activities.
Negate ni-gate - to nullify, to stop the effect of something
The infrastructure development which took years to build was negated by the floods in
hours.
Negotiate nigo-shi-et - to try to reach at agreement by discussion
You should negotiate the salary with your employer.
The international disputes can be resolved through negotiations.
Nemesis ne-mi-sis - bad time which can't be avoided
Every military ruler meets his nemesis someday.
Neo ni-o - new
The globalisation has increased the number of neo rich persons.
Nexus nek-sus - illegal series of connections
The media reported that there is a strong nexus between politicians and criminals and
bureaucrats.
Niche neesh - a comfortable and suitable role/job
The young artist found his niche in the paintings.
Niggle ni-gul - slight feeling of worry, pain that doesn't go away
The common man has niggling doubts whether the liberalization will really help him.
Nightmare ny-t-meya - very bad and unpleasant experience
Notwithstanding few failures, the outgoing government performed well as was expected
from it.
Novice no-vis - a person who is new and has little experience
The court ordered the government that the important decisions should not be left to the
discretion of novice.
Nuisance new-sun-s - cause of trouble/annoyance
The militancy is proving to be a nuisance for the Kashmir government.
Numerous in very large numbers
There are numerous examples of persons who succeeded by their sheer hard work.
Nurture new-mur-us - to encourage the growth of something
The teacher should nurture the talent in his students.
O
Obfuscate ob-fus-ket - to deliberately confuse or make difficult to understand
The state government is obfuscating the issue of salary hike of employees.
Obligatory obli-ge-tri - binding in law/conscience
The parliamentary committee remarked that it was obligatory for the director of the
intelligence agency to resign on the ground that the intelligence network had failed
completely.
Obliterate ab-liti-rut - to remove all the signs by destroying completely
The floods obliterated the whole city last year.
Oblivious not aware of something happening
The prisoners escaped but the jail authorities were oblivious of the situation.
Obscure abs-q-uaa - not clearly and easily understood.
The government's statement on the subsidy is obscure.
Obsess ab-sess - to fill the mind of somebody so much that one can not think
anything else
The younger generation seem to be obsessed with the Internet.
Obsolete obso-leet - no longer used
With the advent of new technology, the old technology is fast becoming obsolete.
Obstinate obs-ti-nut - difficult to persuade
A student should not be obstinate. He should have flexible attitude.
Obstruct ob-strukt - to block the way, to prevent somebody from making progress
The bureaucratic system is often accused of obstructing development by indulging in
formalities.
Obviate ob-vi-et - to remove a need
The advancement in technology in the domestic market has obviated the need of
importing the costly equipment from abroad.
Occult o-kult - related to magical powers
Sometimes politicians believe in occult practices to win elections.
Oddity o-diti - improper, quality of being odd
The parents were surprised by the oddity of their child's remark.
Offence a-fens - crime, illegal act
The insult to the national flag is a serious offence.
Offend a-fend - to annoy/insult/hurt somebody's feelings
The teacher was offended by the student's improper remarks.
Offing o-fing - likely to appear/happen soon
With the advent of new technology, different media of communication are in the offing.
Ominous omi-nus - indicating that something threatening and bad is going to happen
The crossing of border by the militants in large numbers is an ominous sign of more
violence.
Onerous on-rus - needing great pains and effort
The huge population and the poverty are two onerous tasks before the government.
Onset on-set - an assault, especially of troops, upon an enemy or fortification
The sociologists remarked that the onset of satellite channels would adversely affect the
children.
Onus o-onus - the responsibility of something
The onus lies on the new government to bring the economy back on track.
Onslaught on-slo-ot - fierce attack
The government was puzzled by the onslaught from the opposition parties.
The editor hoped that the newspapers would boldly face the onslaught of electronic
media.
Opaque a-pek - very difficult to understand, too dark to see through
The decision of raising the telephone rental charges by the telecom department was
termed as opaque by the consumers.
Opponent a-po-nunt - a person who is against some other person in fight
The party's candidate in the elections looked embarrassed by the charges levelled by
the opponents.
Opportune oppur-chu-n - action done at the right time to make it successful
The Prime Minister stressed that this is opportune moment for the industry to encash on
liberalized economy.
Optimum op-timum - most favourable, best
The condition is optimum for starting a new business.
Opulent op-u-lunt - wealthy, having lot of money
The advertising of the expensive products is directed towards the opulent section of the
population.
Ordeal o-deel - painful trying experience
Getting justice in the courts seems to be an ordeal these days.
Orient o-ri-unt - to direct something towards something else
The government decided to make the education system more value oriented.
Ostensible osten-si-bul - appearing to be true but not necessarily true
The student mentioned illness as an ostensible reason for his absence from the class.
Ostentation osten-te-shun - exaggerated display of skill/knowledge etc. to fill other
person with envious feelings
The Prince's speech was free from ostentation.
Oust a-oo-st - to remove a person from position of power/job etc
The democratically elected government of Nawaj Sharif was ousted by the army general
in Pakistan.
Outburst a-oo-t-bust - 1. sudden strong expression of emotions
The arm twisting tactics of the allies finally led to the Prime Minister's outburst publicly.
2. act of bursting
The outburst of numerous editions of newspapers provide variety of information to the
readers.
Outfit a-oo-t-fit - 1. an organization
Lashkar-e-toiba is a militant outfit operating in the Kashmir valley.
2. clothes worn for a particular occasion
The casual outfit is not suited for the interview.
Outlandish a-oo-t-landish - strange
A joke at a sad moment sounds quite outlandish.
Outpace a-oo-t-pace - move faster and rise faster than somebody else
The growht of technology in our country has outpaced many other developing countries.
Outrageous a-oo-t-re-jus - very shocking and unacceptable
The court treats even a minor crime committed on women as an outrageous one.
Outstrip a-oo-t-strip - to become larger/important than something else
Our economic development has outstripped the government's expectation.
Outwardly a-oo-t-wodli - from outside, on the surface
Outwardly the government agreed to reduce the oil prices but it seems reluctant
inwardly .
Owing to o-ing - because of
Owing to the government's lackluster performance in economic reforms, the donating
agencies didn't provide enough money to the country.
P
Pace pes - speed
Because of several litigations in the court, the work at the dam project is progressing
at snail's pace.
Pact pe-ekt - a formal agreement between two or more countries/people etc
India and Belgium signed two bilateral trade pacts.
Panacea pena-see-aa - an cure for all diseases
Separate states are not a panacea for all problem of a nations.
Pandemonium pende-mo-ni-um - situation of lot of noise and confusion
Pandemonium broke out in the parliament when finance minister presented the budget
having provisions for many more new taxes.
Paradigm pera-dy-m - typical example of pattern of something, most important
aspect of something
The government persisted on its agenda of cutting the extra work force in the offices.
Persistence p-sis-tuns - continue to try, to do something in spite of difficulties
The persistence of the scientists has given new horizons to the development in our
country.
The persistence of unemployment in the country is gradually becoming worrisome.
Persuade pa-su-ed - to convince through argument
The health workers were persuaded not to go on strike as it would severely affect the
health services.
Pertain p-ten - related to
The concessions announced in the budget don't pertain to the industry but consumers.
Pertinent pati-nunt - appropriate to a particular situation
The newspaper's responsibility is to raise pertinent issues before its readers.
Perverse pa-vus - strong desire to behave in an unacceptable and shocking manner
Our neighbouring country is often accused of having perverse desire to incite terrorism.
Pervert pa-vut - 1. to change the system in a bad way
The scientific discoveries have been perverted to create dangerous weapon of human
destruction.
2. to make immoral/corrupt and unacceptable
The psychologists argue that Cable TV is perverting the minds of children.
Peter out pi-taa aa-ut - to reduce gradually and finally end
With the temporary fall in the oil prices, the problem has petered out temporarily.
Petition piti-shun - a formal written request submitted especially in court
The judge accepted the petition for further hearing.
Phase fe-z - stage
The finance minister decided to lower the government's share in public sector units in a
phased manner.
Several important dam projects are in the last phase of completion.
Phenomenon fe-no-m-nun - fact, an event in the society
The highly lucrative career in Information Technology is an unbelievable
phenomenon.
Phlegmatic fleg-metik - not easily made angry or upset
The government remained phlegmatic over the serious allegations levelled by the
opposition leader.
Phobia fo-o-bi-a - extreme and abnormal fear
Phobia of liberalization should end soon in order to open up the markets.
Piecemeal pees-mey-ul - into fragments, gradually
The economic development has suffered a lot because of the piecemeal reforms.
Piggy-back pigi-bek - attached to or allied with something else
The new political party had to ride piggyback on the well known party to make an impact
on electorate.
Pile py-l - number of things that have been placed on one another
Due to the strike of advocates, the cases got piled up in the court.
Pilferage pil-frej - to steal in small amount
The company suffered losses in continuous pilferage.
Pin down pin da-oo-n - to criticize severely
The consumer's union did pin down the government for its failure to curb
inflation.
Pinnacle pi-ne-kul - top, climax
The Information Technology business has reached its pinnacle.
The article published by the newspaper poignantly highlighted the growing weakness of
country's economy.
Poise po-e-z - to be completely ready for something
With the signing of important trade agreements, the relations between two countries are
poised for a giant leap.
Polarisation pol-ry-ze-shun - to separate into two groups with completely opposite
opinions
The voters in the state are completely polarised for and against the ruling party.
Ponder pon-da - to think seriously
The administration pondered over the situation and came out with a strategy.
Pooh-pooh poo-poo - to dismiss an idea as worthless
The government pooh-poohed the idea of giving free ration to the poor people.
Portal po-o-tul - door, gate
Many countries are opening their portals for the Multinational companies.
Portray po-tre - to show something in picture
Foreign countries have stopped portraying India as a land of snake charmers.
Pose po-o-z - to create a problem or unpleasant situation
The emission of poisonous smoke from the vehicles can pose serious threat to the
environment.
Posse posi - group of people (soldiers) brought to deal with crime/violence etc
Large posse of security force was deployed to curb violence.
Possess p-zess - to have
Strong enemy doesn't possess enough ammunition to fight.
Posterity pus-te-riti - next generation
The environment must be conserved for the posterity.
The government prevaricated on the issue of lowering the income tax rates.
Prickly prik-li - covered with thorns, prickles
The land reforms continue to be a prickly issue for every government.
Prima facie prima-feshi - on the first impression
The tapped voice of a person is not a final evidence but it makes a prima facie case.
Primitive primitiv - belonging to an early stage of development, old fashioned
The government sanctioned the project on the primitive beliefs and magical rituals of the
tribal areas.
Proactive pro-ek-tiv - take initiative
The industrialists urged the government to play a proactive role in solving the anomalies
in the International trade with other countries.
Probable prob-bul - likely to happen
The probable outcome of every action should be thought in advance.
A student should be of probing mind.
Probe pro-ob - enquiry, to explore
After complaints of irregularities in the arms purchase, a probe was ordered in the
defence deals.
Probity pro-o-biti - quality of being trustworthy
No one can doubt the probity of our army.
Procession pro-se-shun - a line of people that moves along
The peaceful procession suddenly turned violent leaving many persons injured.
Proclaim prok-lem - to make something important known officially and publicly,
declare
The government proclaimed the emergency in 1975, only once in the history of India.
Proclivity prok-liviti - natural tendency
With the slump in the stock market, the portfolio investment seems to be a costly
proposition.
Prosaic proze-k - ordinary, not showing imagination, dull
Newly launched newspapers cannot afford to work in a prosaic manner.
Prosecute prosi-q-t - to charge somebody with crime in court of law
The corrupt officers should be prosecuted for their misdeeds.
Protagonist proteg-nist - the leader of a movement
Women parliamentarians are the protagonists of the women reservation bill in the
elections.
Protract pro-trakt - to last longer than expected, unnecessarily long
The religious disputes are being protracted by the vested interests who are accused of
showing no interest in the solution.
Provoke pro-vok - to encourage for doing wrong.
The murder of a leader of minority community provoked communal violence in the area.
Prune proon - to cut
The government should prune non-plan expenditure in order to reduce fiscal deficit.
Prudent proo-dunt - sensible and careful in taking decisions
The prudent government immediately announced relief package for the earthquake hit
state.
Pseudo si-oo-do - false, not genuine
The mass media are often accused of creating a pseudo phobia in the minority
community.
Pulsate pul-set - to make strong regular movements
The old man pointed out that the Gandhian principles are still alive and pulsating
throughout the world.
The live telecast of the game on television was quite pulsating.
Q
Quagmire kwag-maaya - marsh
The new officer also got involved in the quagmire of corruption.
Qualitative quali-tetiv - related to quality
The competition introduced by the multinational companies has brought many
qualitative changes in the products.
Qualm kwaam - feeling of doubt or worry
The newspapers being responsible messengers never write about sensitive issues
without qualm.
Quandary kwan-dri - state of indecision at the time of difficulty
The government was in a quandary over the issue of reduction of subsidies which could
affect their vote bank.
Quantify kwan-ti-fy - to measure or calculate interms of quantity
Psychologists say that a person's complete intelligence is impossible to quantify.
Quantitative kwanti-tetiv - related to quantity
A speech must be perfect qualitatively as well as quantitatively.
Quantum jump kwantum - sudden great improvement or development
The invention of artificial blood is a quantum jump in medical science.
Quarter kwo-taa - person or group of people
The erring government face voice of protest from every quarter.
Quash kwo-sh - to reject, to declare something no more valid (done by courts
especially)
The high court quashed the government's order of dismissal the employees.
Quasi kwe-zy - partly
The opposition demanded that a quasi judicial body should probe the case of human
rights violations.
Queer strange
His queer remarks about the departed soul angered everybody.
Quell kwal - to stop the violent protests
Extra police force was called to quell the rising incidents of violence.
The workers were doubtful regarding their pay scales but the manager convincingly
quelled their apprehensions.
Quench kwen-ch - to drink so that you no longer feel thirsty
The thirst of creativity never quenches.
Query kwe-ri - question, doubt
The students came to the teacher with several queries.
Quest kwest - search for something difficult
One must work hard in the quest for knowledge.
Quid pro quo kwid-pro-ko - a thing given in return for something else
The militants' attack was seen as a quid pro quo of the army's operation.
Quintessence kwin-te-sunce - the most essential part
The writing skill is quintessence for a journalism student.
Quip kwip - a quick and clever remark
The Chief Minister quipped on the issue of water dispute with the neighbouring states.
Quirk kwak - strange thing happening accidentally
By quirk of fate, the two friends met each other on the railway station after twenty years.
R
Radical redi-kul - 1. having extreme views
Terrorists in Kashmir are accused of having radical views about freedom.
2. thorough and complete
The economic policies require radical changes in order to survive the tough competition
in the international market.
Raison d' etre most important reason for existence of something
The violent disturbance is the sole raison d'etre for heavy deployment of the security
force.
Rake rek - to earn a lot of money
The multinational companies are often accused of interested in raking profits only while
caring little for social responsibilities.
Ramification remi-fi-keshun - large number of unexpected results which follow an
idea, action etc.
Decision to allow pornographic channel is bound to have serious cultural ramifications.
Rampage rem-pej - causing widespread violent destruction
The mob went on rampage and looted several shops.
Rampant rempunt - uncontrolled spreading
Corruption is rampant in most of the countries of the world.
Ramshackle rem-sha kul - 1. very bad condition, needing repair
After the severe earthquake, the government employees were forced to work in the
ramshackle buildings.
These days, celebrities are moving into the realm of social work.
Rebuff ri-baff - unkind refusal of a request, friendly offer etc
The government's offer of peace talks met with sharp rebuff from the militants.
Recap ree-kep - repeatition of main points.
The teacher started the class with a recap of previous class.
Recession ri-se-shun - decline (of trade, value etc.)
The economists feel that the economy will be in deep recession because of the high
interest rates.
Reciprocate reci-pro-kut - to make a mutual exchange
The enemy nation offered to settle the dispute peacefully but this was not reciprocated
by the other country.
Reckless rek-less - done without thinking of consequences
The government should stop this non plan reckless spending.
Reckoning rek-ning - the act of calculating something
The district municipal corporations were taken into reckoning while preparing a list of
development agencies.
Reconcile re-kun-cyl - to become friend again after the quarrel
The elder people always believe in reconciliation.
After overcoming the differences, the friends reconciled.
Recrimination rikri-mi-ne-shun - angry statements and counter statements made
between two persons
The ruling party and the opposition have become habitual of recrimination.
Rectify rek-ti-fy - to correct
The mistake in the document was rectified immediately.
Recuperate rekoo-pa-ret - to recover from illness
The terrorists who have surrendered should be rehabilitated in the mainstream of the
society.
Reinforce ri-infos - to make an idea or feeling stronger
The army resorted to a reinforcement exercise fearing large-scale violence by the
terrorists.
Reinstate ree-in-stet - to put back to previous position
The dismissed employee was reinstated by the government.
Reiterate ri-it-ret - to repeat what is already said
The Minister reiterated his commitment to end corruption in the government offices.
Rejuvenate ri-juu-vi-net - to make feel lively, to fill with fresh enthusiasm
The export industry is rejuvenated over the newly liberalized overseas market.
Rekindle ri-kin-dul - to make active again, to ignite again
The ceasefire from the militant's side has rekindled the hope of peaceful solution of the
problem.
Relapse ri-leps - to fall back into the previous situation after making some
improvement
The malaria was almost eradicated form the earth but it relapsed.
The patient recovered from the fever but he relapsed.
Relative ra-letiv - judged by comparing with something else
Unlike regular fighting, the border is relatively calm for the last few weeks.
Relinquish rilin-kwish - to give up, to stop having something
The government ordered the relief commissioner not to relinquish the responsibility of
supervising the relief work at the critical stage.
Relish re-lish - to like the taste
The democratic society doesn't relish the idea of dictatorship.
S
Sabotage sebo-taash - to damage intentionally and secretly
The government's plan to hold a big rally in the state was sabotaged by the opposition
party.
Sack sek - to dismiss from service, job
The government sacked thousands of workers due to its poor financial
condition.
Sacred se-kred - very important and treated with great respect, holy
Religion is the sacred matter hence utmost care should be taken while giving a
statement related to it.
In Hindu mythology, cow is regarded as a sacred animal.
Sacrilege sacri-liz - treating holy things without respect
The killing of cow is an act of sacrilege in our country.
Scenario si-naa-ri-oscene
The Information Technology is fast changing the social scenario.
Schism ci-zum - strong disagreement which leads to division of an organization
The schism in the supporting parties finally led to the fall of the government.
Scintillate sinti-let - to shine brilliantly
After the appointment of a new coach, the cricketers' gave a scintillating performance in
the match.
Scoff skof - to ridicule/speak with contempt about something
The manager scoffed at the idea of enhancing the employee's bonus.
Scot free skot free - without punishment
The culprits of this murder should not go scot free
Scramble skrem-bul - struggle or competition to get something
There is mad scramble among the unemployed youths for very few jobs.
Scrap skrep - to cancel/remove/finish
The import duty on the computer hardware should be scrapped in order to reduce their
prices in the market.
Scrupulous skru-pyu-lus - 1. paying attention to details, meticulous
A student should be scrupulous in order to have a good command over the subject.
2. right minded, moral, ethical
The citizens should be scrupulous in obeying the rules and regulations.
Scrutiny skroo-tini - careful examination of something
The defence deal was scrutinized by the parliamentary committee in order to verify its
genuineness
Scuffle ska-ful - struggle or fight between closely standing people
The situation turned grave as students got involved in a scuffle with the police.
Scuttle ska-tul - to deliberately cause to fail, foil
The court took a strict view of the Prime Minister scuttling the probe against his
minister.
Secession si-se-shun - act of withdrawing from the membership of states
or organisation
Dream of secession is an anti national activity.
Seclude sek-lood - to be away from people/society
No country can seclude itself form the outside world.
Secluded sek-loodid - not visited by people
The sociologists observed that the elder people are left to leave secluded life in modern
society.
Sectarian sek-te-ri-un - related to the differences between the people having different
religious views
The sectarian tendencies are not good for the unity and integrity of the country.
Sedition se-di-shun - provoke people to go against the authority of the state
Britishers charged Subhash Chander Bose with sedition.
Seduce sid-uu-s - to induce to have sexual intercourse
The Managing Director was accused of seducing his secretary.
Segment seg-ment - portion, one part of something
There is widespread disparity of income in different segments of the population.
Segregate seg-ri-gut - to keep something away from other similar things
Names of the successful candidates were segregated by the interview board from rest of
the group.
Seize seeez - to take something in your control by using force
The police seized a big consignment of smuggled goods from the suspects.
Seldom sel-dum - rarely, almost never
The district administration seldom solved any problem in the city.
Severe si-vi-yaa - harsh, very serious
The government came under severe criticism from the opposition parties on the issue
of heavy commission paid in defence deals.
Shabby she-bi - unfair, unreasonable
The poor accused the administration of shabby treatment.
Shamble shem-bul - to walk awkwardly
The government must do something for the shambling situation of law and order.
Shambles shem-buls - mess, in unorganised way
The country's economy is in shambles following the sanctions by the International
community.
Sheer shee-a - complete
The excessive spending on the marriages is a sheer wastage.
Shelve shel-v - to decide not to continue with a plan
In light of the new developments, the bureaucratic system should be shelved in favour of
a modern one.
After the recession, the car manufacturers shelved their plans to launch new models.
Shield sheel-d - to protect from danger or difficult situation
The Prime Minister was accused of shielding his corrupt ministers.
Shore up sho-o ap - to support something which is becoming weak
The increasing foreign investment can shore up a country's foreign exchange reserves.
Shortcoming sho-ot-kuming - a fault in somebody's plan/system etc.
The opposition failed the expose the government's shortcomings and failures on various
fronts.
Shrewd shrood - very clever and deceitful (like a fox)
The country has lot of shrewd politicians.
Shrink shrink - to become small
The small-scale industry is witnessing a shrinking market of its products.
Shroud shraa-ood - to conceal/cover inside something
Source of the cricketers' wealth is still shrouded in mystery.
Shrug shrug - to treat something as unimportant, reject
The election commission shrugged off the allegations of booth capturing and rigging in
the election.
Shuffle sha-ful - to change the position
The servant's duty was shuffled from housekeeping to security.
Shun shun - to avoid/keep off/give up
The militants should shun violence first and then talk to the government.
Siege seeej - surround a building to prevent access
The army laid siege around the building in which criminals were hiding.
Sigh saa-e - to take a deep breath
The government breathed a sigh of relief when the postal employees called off
their nation wide strike.
Significant signi-fi-kunt - important, noteworthy
The contribution of the Newton's law is significant to the society.
Simmer sima - to boil in a state of suppressed anger
Even after the riots, the town is simmering with anger and pain.
Simulate simyu-lut - to create an artificial situation just like the real one
The flight simulation tests reduce the accident rate of the air force's planes.
Sinister sinistaa - evil, designed to harm
Some antisocial elements are working on a sinister plan to divide the country.
Sink sink - to drown, forget the differences
The party president urged the workers to sink their differences and project a unified
voice before the public.
Siphon sy-fun - to remove money illegally from one place to another
The investigation report said that a big amount was siphoned off by the corrupt officials.
Sizeable sy-ze-bul - very large
There were sizeable number of people in the meeting.
Skeptic who doubts the accepted opinions
The proposal was passed unanimously by the board but few members were still skeptic
about its feasibility.
Skirmish ska-mish - 1. small physical fight
Some persons were hurt in the skirmish at the entry point of the stadium.
2. a short argument between political opponents
The opposition party got involved in the skirmish with the ruling party.
Slack sle-ek - sluggish, inactive
The developmental activities in the town are slack.
The industrial production in the country has slackened.
Slain slen - to kill in war or fight
The police saluted the slain police officer.
Slam sle-em - to criticize strongly
The militant organizations slammed the government's offer of talks and termed it too
rigid for peace efforts.
Slander slaanda - a false statement intended to damage the reputation of other
person
The minister sued the newspaper for slander.
Slash slash - to reduce by large amount
The government declined to slash the price of petroleum products.
Slew sloo - a large number of something
The telecommunication department announced the slew of decisions to benefit the
consumers.
Sluggish sla-gish - moving slowly
Because of recession in the international markets, the export is sluggish these days.
Slump slump - fall in the prices/value etc
The stock markets worldwide have witnessed a great slump in the past few months.
Smear smee-a - to put mud on something, defame
Some diplomats have smeared the country's reputation abroad.
The election commission took a strict note of the smearing campaign by the politicians.
Snag sne-g - unexpected obstacle
The computer stopped working because of a technical snag.
Snap sne-p - to break/discontinue
The storm snapped the communication link of the city with outside world.
Snare sne-aa - attractive but unpleasant situation which is difficult to escape from
The life of metropolitan cities is proving to be a snare for the younger generations.
Sneak sneek - to go somewhere secretly and without permission
The new batch of militants sneaked into the Indian territory from across the border.
Snub snab - to refuse to accept
The economists snubbed the new model of economic development.
Snuff snuff - to stop a small flame from burning
The president snuffed the disgruntled elements in his own party.
Sole so-ol - only one, single
The minister asserted that the sole objective of the government is to achieve peace and
prosperity for the country.
Soothe soo-th - to calm/soften
The meditation soothes angry feelings.
Sops sops - things offered to satisfy somebody who is angry
The finance minister announced sops for the small-scale industry.
Sordid so-o-did - dirty, dishonourable
The attack on minorities was a sordid event.
Sour saava - unpleasant, unfriendly, bitter
Persistent disputes sour the relations between two countries.
Spanner spe-naa - a hurdle in the progress, arm twisting
The demonstration of the displaced villagers proved to be a spanner in the construction
of dams.
Spark spaak flash of light, burning particle
The militants' decision to come forward for talks has sparked hope of peaceful
settlement of the problem.
Spate spe-et - large number of unpleasant events within a short period of time
Eleven persons were killed in the spate of violence in the state.
The media are the staunch supporters of a country's cultural and social values.
Steady ste-di - gradually growing and developing
The domestic industry accepted the challenge and made steady progress in the
liberalised market.
Stealthy stel-thi - doing things secretly and quietly
The intelligence agencies reported that stealthy preparations for the demolition of the
temple are going on.
Steep steep - rising or falling very quickly not gradually
The excessive wealth gives rise to the steep rise in crime rate of a state.
Stem stem - to be result of something, to originate
The worry of police has stemmed from the fact that the criminals had acquired more
sophisticated weapons.
Sterling sta-ling - of excellent quality
The Indian team gave a sterling performance at the Olympics.
Stern sta-n - strict, severe
Stern warning should be issued to the wrongdoers in order to reduce the crime rate.
Stiff stif - hard, firm, difficult to bend
The move to interfere in the religious matters met with stiff resistance from the public.
Stigma stig-ma - the feeling of hate or disliking by people for some action
The rape is the biggest social stigma in a woman's life.
The divorce has a social stigma attached to it.
Stimulate sti-myu-let - to make something work, make active
Dreams stimulate the desire to achieve big things in life.
Sting sting - to feel great pain
The ruling party was stung by the tremendous success of the opposition party in the
election.
Stipulate stipyu-lut - to state clearly with a condition
The court ordered the government that the work on the construction site should be
completed before the stipulated time.
The vacancy stipulates that the candidate should have at least 10 years of experience.
Stir - staa - agitation, act of opposing something
The staff of the government owned companies held stir in protest against the
privatisation.
Storm sto-om - to attack a place and capture
The cheap foreign goods have stormed the domestic market.
the building in which the terrorists were hiding.
The sports ministry hinted that the guilty players might be stripped of their awards.
Strive straa-iv - to try hard to get something
The newspaper wrote that government must strive for the upliftment of poor.
Stubborn sta-bun - determined not to change, obstinate
Both the sides were stubborn in peace talks, as a result no agreement could be reached.
Stuck stak - unable to move, fix
Because of the narrow roads and countless vehicles, the passengers got stuck in a
traffic jam.
Stumbling block stumbling-blok - something which prevents you from achieving
your goal
The high interest rates are seen as a stumbling block in the growth of domestic industry.
Stun stunn - to give extreme surprise and shock
The nation was stunned by the assassination of a young and promising Prime Minister.
Stupendous styu-pen-dus - extremely large, big and impressive
Our freedom fighters had the stupendous personality which led to the end of British rule.
The players won the match by their stupendous efforts.
Stymie sty-mee - to prevent the growth from happening
The government's disapproval stymied the company's ambitious plans.
Subjugate subju-get - to conquer
The United Nations criticized Iraq's illegal act of subjugating Kuwait in 1990.
Subsequent sub-sik-wunt - happening after something else
The strike was successful but the subsequent events were not satisfactory.
Subservient sub-saa-vi-yunt - too willing to obey other people
Some newspapers are always subservient to the ruling party.
T
Taboo ta-booo - embarrassing issues/things which are not usually discussed among
people
The issue of sex education is still a taboo in our society.
Tab - watch carefully
The investigation wing of the army is keeping a tab on the militant's activities.
Tacit te-sit - understood indirectly rather than expressed in words
The ruling party got the tacit support of independent members of the parliament.
Tactics tek-tik - methods for attaining success
The outgoing government used the "tax cut" as the tactics to win the next election.
Tactful tekt-full - skillful in handling delicate situations
The sensitive issues like religion require tactful handling.
Taint te-nt - to damage or spoil the quality of something
decided to deal strictly with the tainted players.
The rigid attitude shown by the striking workers further deepened the tangle.
Tantalize tente-ly-z - expectation of something which is out of reach
The glamour and materialism created by media is quite tantalizing for the new
generation.
Tantamount tenta-ma-unt - equal to, having the same bad effect as something else
The court clarified that if media presents the wrong interpretation of its order then it
would be tantamount to the contempt of court.
Tap tep - to find and use for a purpose
All the sources of non-conventional energy are still not fully tapped.
Tardy taa-di - slow
The development work in the area is progressing at a tardy pace.
Tarnish taa-nish - to spoil the good image
The corruption has tarnished the image of many countries at the International forum in a
big way.
Tedious ti-di-us - a boring job lasting for a long time
Wait is the most tedious job in this world.
Tempt tempt - to get attracted knowingly towards a wrong thing
The public is tempted by the finance companies for higher interest rates on their money.
Tentacle tenti-kul - big arms of octopus (animal), unavoidable influence of something
The sociologists fear that the tentacles of western culture are spreading very fast in our
society.
Tentative tente-tiv - a temporary arrangement which can be changed later on
The examination board declared the tentative date sheet of the exams.
Tenure ten-yaa - time period for which one holds important job
Computers were introduced in India during Rajiv Gandhi's tenure.
Nothing significant transpired at the meeting between the finance minister and the
industry representatives.
Trauma tro-oma - unpleasant and shocking experience
The trauma of the drought affected people is horrible.
Travail tre-ve-ul - unpleasant experience of difficulties and sufferings
The flood affected people were bearing travails of life.
Treachery tre-ch-ri - deceit, betrayal of trust
The misuse of public money by the higher authorities was termed as an act of treachery
by the court.
Tread tred - to walk along a track
The government has to tread cautiously over the issue of allowing entry of foreign media
in India.
Treason tree-zun - crime of helping enemies at the time of war
The army captain was found guilty of treason.
Tremendous tri-men-dus - very great
The Internet has tremendous applications in higher education.
Tremor trema - powerful shock
A powerful earthquake sent tremors across the country causing large-scale devastation.
Trigger tri-gaa - to make something start functioning
The idea of money collection for drought victims was triggered by our students.
The court's order was a trigger for the closure of polluting industries in the capital.
Trigger off tri-gaa off - to make something happen suddenly
The finance minister's pre budget speech triggered off speculations among industrialists.
Trim trimm - to reduce/cut
U
Ubiquitous u-bi-kwi-tus - very common, present everywhere
Rise in crime rate with the rise in wealth of the society is ubiquitous throughout the
world.
Umbrage umb-rej - to feel offended or upset by something without a good reason
The municipal corporation took umbrage of the people's decision to build the road
themselves without seeking help form the corporation.
Unanimous u-neni-mus - agreed upon by everybody in the group
The dynamic young man was unanimously elected as president of the teaching union.
Undaunting un-don-ting - enthusiastic despite great difficulties
Despite the hurdles in the way, the social reformers moved with undaunting spirits to
eliminate harmful rituals from our society.
Undercurrent unda-ka-runt - a negative feeling which is hidden but whose effects are
felt
The dissent in the party was not visible but the undercurrents surfaced in the meeting.
Underscore under-sko - to stress/emphasize
The two neighbouring countries underscored the need to move forward in improving
their relations.
Unearth aan-ath - to discover after digging, to bring to light
The police unearthed a scam in the animal breeding department.
Unequivocal un-ik-vi-vkul - expressing intentions and opinions very clearly
The independent parties extended their unequivocal support to the biggest party to form
the government.
Unfazed un-fezed - not shocked, relaxed
The minister looked unfazed despite his severe criticism by public.
The petroleum minister expressed inability to reduce petrol prices because of upswing in
prices of oil in international market.
Usher a-shaa - to make a new beginning
India and America signed many bilateral trade agreements thus ushering in a new era of
development.
Usurp u-zaap - to take somebody's power without having the right for doing this,
snatch
The military usurped power in many African countries.
Utmost ut-most - greatest
Utmost care has to be taken while solving the religious disputes.
Utopian u-to-pi-un - imaginary, not practical
Utopian welfare schemes can't remove poverty from our society.
Utter a-ta - to say
The thief uttered few words before the police.
Utterly ata-li - completely, entirely
The philosophy of democracy and communism are utterly different.
V
Vacillate veci-let - to fluctuate/keep changing the mind
Many people vacillate between happiness and gloom.
Vacuum ve-q-um - the state of emptiness
Vacuum in the journalism should be filled up with some enlightening work.
Vague ve-g - a lack of clear thought/idea
The question was pertinent but the answer was vague.
Valour ve-laa - bravery
The valourous soldiers have earned victory for the country in Kargil war.
Vandalism vende-li-zum -unlawful violent action
The people's forum took out a procession against the rising vandalism in the city.
Vanish ve-nish - to disappear
The policeman vanished from the scene of violence fearing reaction by the mob.
Vast vaa-st - extremely large, huge
Newspapers are the storehouse of vast knowledge on various fields.
Veer vee-aa - to change direction
The discussion in the parliament veered away as a member started discussing some
other problem.
Vehement vee-a-munt - showing ardent feelings
The mass media are the vehement supporters of the freedom of speech and expression.
Veil vel - cover with a cloth, not expressed directly so as not to make the meaning
clear
The World Bank issued a veiled threat to the state governments to pay up their debts.
Vendetta ven-detaa - a prolong quarrel to harm other person continuously
The Pakistani newspaper commented that Nawaj Sharief is a victim of political vendetta.
Venerable ven-re-bul - deserving great respect
Because of the age and experience, the elder people are venerable.
Vengeful venj-ful - interested in taking revenge, vindictive
The rebels' vindictive statements put an end to the peace talks with the government.
Venom ve-num - poison, bitter remarks
The common man alleged that politicians are habitual of spewing venom on their
enemies.
W
Wage ve-j - to start and continue
The naxalites are waging a war against the state government in Hyderabad.
Waive vev - give up
The party promised to waive the loan of the farmers in its election manifesto.
Wane ven - to decrease periodically
The influence of communists is on the wane.
Wannabe vaana-bee - aspirants
Information Technology wannabe are increasing day by day.
Ward off wo-od - to keep away the danger, attack etc
The finance minister's speech will ward off any doubt that foreign investors may have in
their mind.
Wary ve-ri - cautious, careful while dealing with somebody
The police need to keep a wary eye on the activities of anti social elements.
Watershed vota-shed - a period of time that marks important change
The adoption of modern printing technologies marked a watershed in the history of Print
media.
Waylay vey-ley - to stop somebody and attack
The robbers waylaid the businessman who was on his way to office.
Wean veen - to gradually stop doing something
The government will have to wean out the subsidy altogether in order to lower the
budget deficit.
Weed out veed - to remove completely
The corruption needs to be weeded out completely to ensure free and fair
administration.
Whopping vopping - very big in ammount
The country suffered a loss of whopping 20000 crores in earthquake.
Willy nilly vili-nili - whether you want it or not
The government was forced willy nilly to accept the court's order.
Wind up va-ind - to stop running a factory, close
The finance minister hinted at the winding up of the sick industries owned by the
government.
Wither vidaa - to become weak and disappear completely
The government fell down and all the new projects withered away.
Withstand vith-stend - strong enough not be damaged
The strong ties between two countries should withstand possible tension in the near
future.
Witness vit-ness - to see/look
The parliament often witnesses the allegations and counter allegations between
opposition and government.
Wizard vi-zud - magician, highly knowledgeable person
India has produced many computer wizards.
Woe vo-o - trouble, problem
The newspaper accused that the government doesn't have the time to listen to the woes
of poor.
Wrangle ren-gul - argument continued for a long time
The parliament's precious time often gets wasted in unnecessary wrangle between the
ruling party and the opposition parties.
Wrap up rap - to complete an agreement/meeting in a satisfactory way
Many political parties wrap up agreements with each other to fight the election unitedly.
Wrest rest - to snatch, to take control and power from somebody with great effort
The opposition party finally succeeded in wresting a seat in minister's constituency.
Y
Yardstick yaad-stik - standard of measurement of success
The educationists often argue that marks are not the criterion of a student's intelligence.
Yearn yaan - strong emotional desire
Everyone has a yearn to be the richest person in the world.
Yield yee-uld - to provide something new as profit
The investment in the Information Technology shares can yield good returns due to the
rising prices of technology stocks.
The government yielded to the demands of striking postal employees.