|
| fabricate |
v. invent |
| facade |
n. front (of a building) |
| facet |
n. any of the many sides of a cut stone or jewel |
| facetious |
adj. intended to be amusing, often inappropriately |
| facile |
adj. easily obtained or achieved (and so not highly valued) |
| facilitate |
v. (of an object, a process, etc but not of a person) make (sth) easy or less difficult |
| facsimile |
n. exact copy or reproduction of writing, printing, a picture, etc |
| faction |
n. small united group within a larger one, esp in politics |
| factious |
adj. of or causedby faction |
| factitious |
adj. deliberately created or developed; unnatural; artificial |
| factotum |
n. person employed to do all kinds of work |
| faculty |
n. any of the powers of the body or mind |
| fake |
n. object (eg a work of art) that seems genuine but is not |
| fallacious |
adj. misleading; based on error |
| fallible |
adj. liable to make mistakes |
| fallow |
adj. ploughed but left unplanted to restore its fertility |
| falsify |
make false by mutilation or addition; as of a message or story |
| falter |
v. move, walk or act hesitantly, usu because of weakness, fear or indecision |
| fanaticism |
n. great or obsessive enthusiasm |
| fancied |
imaginary; unreal |
| fancier |
n. person with a special interest in and love for sth |
| fanciful |
adj. using the imagination rather than reason |
| fancy |
n. power of the mind to imagine |
| fanfare |
n. short ceremonial piece of music, usu played on trumpets |
| fantastic |
adj. wild and strange |
| farce |
n. funny play for the theatre based on unlikely situations and events |
| far-fetched |
adj. (of a comparison) strained; unnatural |
| fashion |
n. manner or way of doing sth |
| fastidious |
adj. selecting carefully; choosing only what is good ; |
| fatalism |
n. belief that events are decided by fate(1); acceptance of all that happens as inevitable ; |
| fathom |
n. measure of the depth of water , 61.8 |
| fathomless |
adj. too deep to measure |
| fatuous |
adj. stupid and silly; foolish |
| fauna |
n. all the animals of an area or a period of time |
| favoritism |
[ favouritism: ] the practice of giving special treatment to a person or group |
| fawning |
[ fawn: ] a young deer of either sex aged under one year |
| faze |
v. fluster (sb) |
| feasible |
adj. that can be done; practicable; possible |
| feature |
n. one of the named parts of the face (eg nose, mouth, eyes) which together form its appearance |
| febrile |
adj. caused by a fever |
| feckless |
adj. inefficient; irresponsible ; |
| fecundity |
n. |
| feebleminded |
|
| feign |
v. pretend |
| feint |
n. pretended attack to distract an opponent's attention from the main attack |
| felicitous |
adj. (esp of words) well-chosen; apt |
| felicity |
n. great happiness |
| feline |
adj. n animal of the cat family |
| fell |
pt of fall1 |
| felon |
n. person guilty of felony |
| feral |
adj. (of animals) wild or savage, esp after escaping from captivity or from life as a pet |
| ferment |
v. change chemically through the action of organic substances (esp yeast) |
| fermentation |
n. fermenting |
| ferocious |
adj. fierce, violent or savage |
| ferret |
n. small animal of the weasel family, kept for driving rabbits from their burrows, killing rats, etc |
| fertile |
adj. able to produce much; rich in nutrients |
| fervent |
adj. showing warmth and sincerity of feeling; enthusiastic; passionate |
| fervid |
adj. = fervent |
| fervor |
intensity of feeling or expression |
| fester |
v. become infected and filled with pus |
| festive |
adj. of or suitable for a feast or festival; joyous |
| fete |
n. outdoor entertainment or sale, usu to raise money for a special purpose |
| fetid |
adj. smelling foul or unpleasant; stinking |
| fetish |
n. object that is worshipped, esp because a spirit is believed to live in it |
| fetter |
n. chain put round the feet of a person or animal to limit movement |
| feud |
n. long and bitter quarrel between two people, families or groups |
| fiasco |
n. complete and ridiculous failure |
| fiat |
n. formal authorization, order or decree |
| fickle |
adj. often changing; not constant |
| fictitious |
adj. imagined or invented; not real |
| fidelity |
n. ~ loyalty; faithfulness |
| fiend |
n. evil spirit; devil |
| figment |
n. thing that is not real but only imagined |
| figurative |
adj. (of words) used in an imaginative or a metaphorical way rather than literally |
| figure |
n. written symbol for a number, esp 0 to 9 09 |
| figurine |
n. small ornamental statue, esp of a person |
| filch |
v. steal (esp sth of small value) |
| filial |
adj. of or expected from a son or daughter |
| filibuster |
n. person who tries to delay or prevent the making of decisions in (esp parliamentary) meetings by making long speeches |
| filigree |
n. fine ornamental work using gold, silver or copper wire |
| filing |
[ card: ] an index in which each item is separately listed on systematically arranged cards |
| filth |
n. disgusting dirt |
| finale |
n. last part of a piece of music or a drama, etc |
| finery |
n. gay and elegant clothes or decoration |
| finesse |
n. skill in dealing with people or situations cleverly or tactfully |
| finicky |
adj. too fussy about food, clothes, etc |
| finish |
v. come or bring (sth) to an end |
| finished |
adj. ~ (infml ) in a state of having completed sth or no longer dealing with sb/sth |
| finite |
adj. having bounds; limited; not infinite |
| firebrand |
n. piece of burning wood |
| fissure |
n. long deep crack in rock or in the earth |
| fit |
adj. ~ for sb/sth; ~ to do sth suitable or suited for sb/sth; well adapted for sb/sth; good enough for sb/sth |
| fitful |
adj. occurring in short periods, not regularly and steadily |
| flaccid |
adj. soft and weak; loose and limp; not firm ; |
| flag |
n. piece of cloth with a particular design, that can be attached by one edge to a rope, pole, etc and used as a symbol of a country, party, etc or as a signal |
| flagrant |
adj. particularly bad, shocking and obvious |
| flail |
n. tool consisting of a stick swinging from a long handle, used esp formerly to separate grain from chaff , |
| flair |
n. ~ for sth natural ability to do sth well |
| flamboyant |
adj. showy, very confident and extravagant |
| flashy |
adj. attractive but usu not in good taste; showy |
| flaunt |
v. show (sth considered valuable) in order to gain the admiration of other people |
| flay |
v. remove the skin from (a dead animal) |
| fleck |
n. ~ very small patch or spot of a colour |
| fledgling |
inexperienced |
| fleece |
n. woolly hair of a sheep or similar animal |
| fleet |
n. group of warships, submarines, etc under one commander |
| flick |
n. quick light blow, eg with a whip or the tip of a finger |
| flicker |
v. (of a light or flame) burn or shine unsteadily |
| flighty |
adj. (esp of a woman or her behaviour) changeable and unreliable; not serious |
| flinch |
v. move or draw back suddenly, from shock, fear or pain |
| flip |
v. toss (sth) with a sharp movement of the thumb and forefinger so that it turns over in the air |
| flippancy |
n. being flippant |
| flippant |
adj. not showing sufficient respect or seriousness |
| flirt |
v. ~ behave (towards sb) in a romantic or suggestive way but without serious intentions |
| flit |
v. fly or move lightly and quickly from one place to another |
| floe |
n. sheet of floating ice, usu on the sea |
| flora |
n. all the plants of a particular area or period of time |
| florescence |
the process, state, or period of flowering |
| florid |
adj. elaborate and ornate; excessively decorated or colourful |
| flotsam |
n. parts of a wrecked ship or its cargo found floating in the sea |
| flounder |
v. move or struggle helplessly or clumsily; move with difficulty, as through mud or deep snow |
| flourish |
v. be successful, very active, or widespread; prosper |
| flout |
v. disobey openly and scornfully |
| flowery |
adj. covered with or having a lot of flowers |
| fluctuate |
v. ~ (of a price, number, rate, etc) rise and fall; change irregularly |
| fluctuation |
n. ~ (of/in sth) |
| fluency |
n. quality or condition of being fluent |
| fluke |
n. (infml ) thing that is accidentally successful; lucky stroke in a game |
| flush |
n. flow of blood to the face that causes a red colouring; blush |
| fluster |
v. make nervous and confused |
| fluted |
(esp. of the shaft of a column) having flutes |
| flutter |
v. (of the wings of birds, butterflies, etc) move lightly and quickly |
| flux |
n. continuous change or succession of changes; unsettled state |
| fodder |
n. dried food, hay, etc forhorses and farm animals , |
| foible |
n. small, usu harmless, peculiarity or weakness in a person's character |
| foil |
n. metal rolled or hammered into a very thin flexible sheet |
| foist |
v. foist sth on sb force sb into accepting sth not wanted |
| foliage |
n. leaves of a tree or plant; leaves with their stems and branches |
| foment |
v. arouse or increase |
| foolhardy |
adj. foolishly bold or rash; reckless |
| foppish |
adj. of or like a fop |
| foray |
n. sudden attack, esp to obtain sth; raid |
| forbearance |
n. patient self-control; tolerance |
| ford |
n. shallow place in a river where one can walk or drive across |
| forebears |
n. person from whom one is descended;ancestor |
| foreboding |
n. ~ strong feeling that danger or trouble is coming |
| forensic |
adj. of, related to or used in law |
| forerunner |
n. person or thing that prepares the way for the coming of sb or sth else more important; sign of what is to follow |
| foreshadow |
v. be a sign or warning of |
| foresight |
n. ability to see what one's future needs are likely to be; careful planning |
| forestall |
v. act before so as to prevent him from doing sth |
| forfeit |
v. lose or give up (sth) as a consequence of or punishment for having done sth wrong, or in order to achieve sth |
| forge |
n. workshop with a fire and an anvil where metals are heated and shaped, esp one used by a smith for making horseshoes |
| forgo |
v. give up or do without (esp sth pleasant) |
| forlorn |
adj. lonely and unhappy; uncared for |
| formality |
n. careful observance of rules, conventions, etc of language or behaviour |
| formidable |
adj. causing fear or great anxiety; frightening; awesome |
| forsake |
v. (fml ) give (sth) up; renounce |
| forswear |
v. (promise to) give up (sth); renounce |
| forte |
n. thing that sb does particularly well; strong point |
| forthcoming |
adj. about to happen or appear in the near future |
| forthright |
adj. clear and honest in manner and speech; straightforward |
| fortitude |
n. courage, endurance and self-control in facing pain, danger or difficulty |
| fortuitous |
adj. happening by chance or coincidence |
| forum |
n. place where important public issues can be discussed |
| forward |
adj. directed or moving towards the front |
| foster |
v. help the growth or development of (sth); encourage or promote |
| foul |
adj. having a bad smell or taste; dirty and disgusting |
| founder |
n. person who founds or establishes sth |
| fracas |
n. (usu sing)noisy quarrel, fight, or disturbanc |
| fractious |
adj. irritable; bad-tempered |
| frail |
adj. physically weak or delicate |
| frailty |
n. physical weakness |
| franchise |
n. right to vote at public elections |
| frantic |
adj. in an extreme state of emotion, esp fear or anxiety |
| fraudulent |
adj. deceitful or dishonest |
| fraught |
adj. ~ with sth filled with sth; charged with sth |
| fray |
n. the fray fight, contest or argument; lively or challenging action |
| freebooter |
buccaneer |
| frenetic |
adj. very excited; frenzied; frantic |
| frenzied |
adj. wildly excited or agitated; frantic |
| fresco |
n. picture painted in water-colour on a wall or ceiling before the plaster is dry |
| fret |
v. ~ (about/at/over sth) (cause sb to) become unhappy, bad-tempered, or anxious about sth; worry |
| friction |
n. rubbing of one surface or thing against another |
| frieze |
n. band of sculpture or decoration round the top of a wall or building |
| frigid |
adj. very cold |
| fringe |
n. (US bang) front hair cut so that it hangs over the forehead |
| frisk |
v. pass one's hands over (sb) in a search for hidden weapons, drugs, etc |
| fritter |
v. fritter sth away (on sth) waste (esp one's time or money) foolishly (on small useless things) |
| frivolous |
adj. not sensible or serious; foolish and light-hearted |
| frock |
n. dress worn by women or girls |
| frolic |
v. ~ (about) play about in a lively happy way |
| frolicsome |
adj. merry; playful |
| frond |
n. leaf-like part of a fern or palm |
| fructify |
v. (fml ) (cause sth to) bear fruit or be fruitful |
| frugality |
thrift |
| fruitful |
adj. having many good results; productive or profitable; successful |
| fruition |
n. fulfilment of hopes, plans, etc; getting what one wants or has worked for |
| frustrate |
v. prevent (sb) from doing or achieving sth |
| fuddle |
v. confuse (sb/sth), esp with alcoholic drink |
| fugitive |
n. ~ person who is running away or escaping |
| fulcrum |
n. point on which a lever is supported |
| fulminate |
v. ~ protest strongly and loudly |
| fulsome |
adj. excessive and insincere |
| fumble |
v. touch or handle awkwardly or nervously |
| functional |
adj. of or having a functionor functions |
| functionary |
n. person with official duties |
| fundamental |
adj. of or forming the basis or foundation of sth; essential |
| funereal |
adj. suitable for a funeral; gloomy; dismal |
| furor |
A general commotion; public disorder or uproar. |
| furrow |
n. long narrow trench cut in the earth, esp by a plough |
| furtive |
adj. done secretly and quietly so as not to be noticed |
| fusillade |
n. continuous or simultaneous shooting of guns |
| fusion |
n. the blending or uniting of different things into one, by melting, etc |
| fuss |
n. (esp unnecessary) nervous excitement or activity |
| fussy |
adj. (usu derog ) nervously active or excited about small things |
| futile |
adj. producing no result; useless; pointless |
