2013.12.23 word (week16-1)

1.morsel(n.)

[count] : a small piece of food
▪ She ate every morsel. ▪ a tasty/delicious morsel

 — often used figuratively ▪ a juicy morsel of gossip

 

2.taint(v.)

[+ obj] 1) : to hurt or damage the good condition of (something)

 — often used as (be) tainted ▪ The reputation of the university has been tainted [=blemished, marred] by athletic scandals.

2) : to make (something) dangerous or dirty especially by adding something harmful or undesirable to it
▪ Bacteria had tainted [=contaminated, spoiled] the meat.

— often used as (be) tainted 

▪ The water had been tainted by pesticides.

*tainted (a.)
▪ tainted food

 

3.vaterant(n.)

[count] 1) : someone who fought in a war as a soldier, sailor, etc.
▪ a Navy veteran —called also (US, informal) vet

2) : someone who has a lot of experience in a particular activity, job, etc. 
▪ He's a 10-year veteran with/of the team.

*veteran (adj.)
▪ a veteran politician ▪ veteran police officers

 

4.deputy(n.)

[count] 1) : an important assistant who helps the person who the leader of a government, organization, etc.
▪ (US) a sheriff's deputy [=an assistant who helps a sheriff enforce the law]

— often used before another noun 

▪ a deputy sheriff ▪ She's now the department's deputy director. ▪ a deputy mayor

2) : a member of Parliament in some countries

 

5.pathological(a.)

1) : extreme in a way that is not normal or that shows an illness or mental problem
▪ He is a pathological liar/gambler. ▪ She has a pathological fear of heights.

2) medical : relating to or caused by disease
▪ a pathological condition ▪ pathological changes in the body

3) technical : of or relating to the study of diseases : relating to pathology
▪ a pathological study ▪ pathological research/findings

* pathologically (adv.)
▪ a pathologically greedy person