Unit 123

onerous / sonorous

onerous adj. 繁重的，费力的 (difficult and unpleasant to do or deal with) /ˈɒn(ə)rəs/

• Grace procrastinated all day in an attempt to postpone the onerous task of studying for her exam.

sonorous adj. 声音洪亮的 (having a sound that is deep, loud, and pleasant) / səˈnɔːrəs/

• To begin the Friday prayers, the cantor blew a sonorous note from his shofar in order to call the congregation to attention.

corroborate / collaborate

corroborate v. 佐证，提供证据证明 (to support with evidence or authority) / kəˈrɒbəreɪt/

• The criminal was sent to jail when his lawyer could not find enough evidence to corroborate his innocence.

collaborate v. 合作 (to work with another person or group in order to achieve or do something) / kəˈlabəreɪt/

• Our entire class collaborated in order to design a winning project for the school science fair.

intermittent / interminable / intermediary

intermittent adj. 间歇的，断断续续的 (starting, stopping, and starting again; not constant or steady) / ɪntəˈmɪt(ə)nt/

• Elsie could not sleep because of her neighbor's erratic television noise, blaring loudly during intermittent commercials.

interminable adj. 持续的，没完没了的 (continuing for a very long time) / ɪnˈtəːmɪnəb(ə)l/

• The afternoon seemed to drag on interminably, with the hands of the clock moving in an unusually slow manner.

intermediary n. （作为）中间人的 (acting as a mediator) /ˌɪntəˈmiːdɪəri/

• The negotiator was charged with acting as the intermediary between the hostage takers and their captives.

nettle / rattle

nettle v. 使... 生气 (to make (someone) angry) /ˈnɛt(ə)l/

• The boy kept nettling his little brother by hiding his toys.

rattle v. 扰乱 (to upset (someone) to the point of loss of poise and composure) /ˈrat(ə)l/

• The defendant became visibly rattled by the witness's testimony, turning pale when he realized that his alibi was lost.