Unit 116

posit / poise

posit v. 假定，假设 (to suggest (something, such as an idea or theory), especially in order to start a discussion) /ˈpɒzɪt/

• Copernicus was the first person to posit the hypothesis that the Earth revolves around the Sun.

poise v. 使平衡 (to hold (something) in a balanced and steady position) / pɔɪz/

• Ashley remained poised under pressure, calmly and carefully spelling the word "crepuscular" to win the spelling bee.

loose / lose

loose adj. 松弛的 (not tightly fastened, attached or held) / luːs/

• The saddle's girth was so loose that the rider slipped off a moment after mounting the horse.

lose v. 遗失，失败 (to fail to win (a game, contest, etc.)) / luːz/

• The team felt quite depressed after they lost the fifth game in a row.

abhor / abort / abominate

abhor v. 厌恶 (to dislike very much) / əbˈhɔː/

• Artie abhors spinach so much that just smelling it makes him nauseous.

abort v. 流产，堕胎 (to end a pregnancy deliberately by causing the death of the fetus) / əˈbɔːt/

• Adrienne made the difficult decision to abort her fetus after she realized she was not ready to be a parent.

v. 使终止 (to stop something before it is completed because of problems or danger)

• The soldiers aborted their mission when they realized that they were about to enter a trap.

abominate v. 厌恶，不喜欢 (to feel great hatred for someone or something) / əˈbɒmɪneɪt/

• Activist Madalyn Murray O'Hair so greatly abominated the practice of prayer in public schools that she successfully lobbied for a law against the practice.

taboo / tattoo

taboo n. 禁忌，禁止 (a rule against doing or saying something in a particular culture or religion) / təˈbuː/

• In many cultures there is a taboo against touching food or other people with one's left hand.

tattoo n. 纹身 (an indelible mark or figure fixed upon the body by insertion of pigment under the skin or by production of scars) / təˈtuː/

• Getting tattoos used to be fairly taboo, but permanently decorating one's body with ink has now become a mainstream practice.