(adj.) increasing, building upon itself (The cumulative effect of hours spent using the Learn English Online website was a vast improvement in his vocabulary and general level of English.)

(v.) to lower the quality or esteem of something (The large raise that he gave himself debased his motives for running the charity.)

(v.) to criticize openly (Andrzej Lepper, the leader of the Polish Self Defence party decried the appaling state of Polish roads.)

(adj.) showing respect for another¡¯s authority (Donata is always excessively deferential to any kind of authority figure.)

(adj.) quiet, modest, reserved (Though everyone else at the party was dancing and going crazy, she remained demure.)

(v.) to laugh at mockingly, scorn (The native speaker often derided the other teacher¡¯s accent.)

(n.) one who has total power and rules brutally (The despot issued a death sentence for anyone who disobeyed his laws.)

(adj.) showing care in doing one¡¯s work (The diligent researcher made sure to double check her measurements.)

(adj.) overjoyed, thrilled (When he found out he had won the lottery, the postman was elated.)

(adj.) expressive, articulate, moving (The best man gave such an eloquent speech that most guests were crying.)

(v.) to steal money by falsifying records (The accountant was fired for embezzling €10,000 of the company¡¯s funds.)

(n.) sensitivity to another¡¯s feelings as if they were one¡¯s own (I feel such empathy for my dog when she¡¯s upset so am I!)

(n.) ill will, hatred, hostility (John and Scott have clearly not forgiven each other, because the enmity between them is obvious to anyone in their presence.)

(adj.) learned (My English teacher is such an erudite scholar that he has translated some of the most difficult and abstruse Old English poetry.)

(v.) to praise, revere (Kamila extolled the virtues of a vegetarian diet to her meat-loving boyfriend.)

(v.) to make up, invent (When I arrived an hour late to class, I fabricated some excuse about my car breaking down on the way to work.)

(adj.) wild, savage (That beast looks so feral that I would fear being alone with it.)

(adj.) astounded (Whenever I read an Agatha Christie mystery novel, I am always flabbergasted when I learn the identity of the murderer.)

(v.) to give up, renounce (I won't forsake my conservative principles.)

(adj.) troublesome or irritable (Although the child insisted he wasn¡¯t tired, his fractious behaviour - especially his decision to crush his jam sandwiches all over the floor - convinced everyone present that it was time to put him to bed.)

(adj.) secretive, sly (Claudia¡¯s placement of her drugs in her sock drawer was not as