mere‧ly S3 W2 / mɪəli $ mɪrli / adverb1 used to emphasize how small or unimportant something or someone is SYN only :He’s merely a boy – you can’t expect him to understand.2 used to emphasize that nothing more than what you say is involved SYN just :We’re merely good friends.He merely shrugged and walked …
con‧sent 1 W3 AC / kənˈsent / noun [ uncountable ] 1 permission to do something : He took the car without the owner’s consent . Her parents gave their consent to the marriage. A patient can refuse consent for a particular treatment at any time. Most owners are happy to have their names used …
de‧ci‧pher / dɪˈsaɪfə $ -ər / verb [ transitive ] 1 to find the meaning of something that is difficult to read or understand → indecipherable : She studied the envelope, trying to decipher the handwriting. 2 to change a message written in a code into ordinary language so that you can read it SYN …
ac‧ro‧nym / ˈækrənɪm / noun [ countable ] a word made up from the first letters of the name of something such as an organization. For example, NATO is an acronym for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. ab‧bre‧vi‧a‧tion / əˌbriːviˈeɪʃ ə n / noun 1 [ countable ] a short form of a word or …
de‧lib‧er‧ate‧ly S3 / dɪˈlɪb ə rətli, dɪˈlɪb ə rɪtli / adverb 1 done in a way that is intended or planned : He deliberately upset her. 2 done or said in a slow careful way : He shook his head slowly and deliberately. THESAURUS deliberately if you do something deliberately, you do it because you …
ma‧li‧cious / məˈlɪʃəs / adjective very unkind and cruel, and deliberately behaving in a way that is likely to upset or hurt someone : a malicious girl malicious gossip/rumour Who is responsible for these malicious rumours? — maliciously adverb — maliciousness noun [ uncountable ] THESAURUS unkind treating people in a way that makes them …
fu‧gi‧tive 1 / ˈfjuːdʒətɪv, ˈfjuːdʒɪtɪv / noun [ countable ] someone who is trying to avoid being caught by the police fugitive from a fugitive from US justice
al‧leg‧ed‧ly / əˈledʒədli, əˈledʒɪdli / adverb [ sentence adverb ] formal used when reporting something that people say is true, although it has not been proved : a sports car, allegedly stolen in Manchester
de‧fect 1 / dɪˈfekt, ˈdiːfekt / noun [ countable ] a fault or a lack of something that means that something or someone is not perfect : All the cars are tested for defects before they leave the factory. a genetic defect COLLOCATIONS ADJECTIVES/NOUN + defect a serious defect The movie has a few serious …
coun‧ter‧in‧tel‧li‧gence / kaʊntərɪntelədʒ ə ns, kaʊntərɪntelɪdʒ ə ns / noun [ uncountable ]action that a country takes in order to stop other countries discovering its secrets