Unit 132

coy / decoy / decay / decry

coy adj. 腼腆的 (having a shy or sweetly innocent quality that is often intended to be attractive or to get attention) / kɔɪ/

• The coy girl strung Erik along, flirting with him one moment and turning down his requests for a date the next.

decoy v. 诱骗 (to entice) / dɪˈkɔɪ/

• The hunters used bird whistles to decoy the ducks into flying within shooting range.

decay v. 衰退 (to decline in health, strength, or vigor) / dɪˈkeɪ/

• Time decays the good looks and health of even the most attractive and fittest among us.

decry v. 责难 (to say publicly and forcefully that you regard (something) as bad, wrong, etc.) / dɪˈkrʌɪ/

• There is a warrant for Julian Assange's arrest because he used his site WikiLeaks to decry the practices of the U.S. government.

rupture / rapture

rupture n. 破裂，决裂 (a crack or break in something) /ˈrʌptʃə/

• A massive rupture in Antarctica's Larsen C Ice Shelf will cause a giant iceberg to break off.

v. 破裂，决裂 (to part by violence)

• "Calving" is the term used to describe an event wherein a section of ice shelf ruptures then separates from its parent.

rapture n. 狂喜 (a state or feeling of great happiness, pleasure, or love) /ˈraptʃə/

• Gian Lorenzo Bernini's sculpture The Ecstasy of St. Theresa depicts her moment of rapture, when an angel pierced her heart with a feeling of love for God.

dilute / dilate

dilute v. 削弱，减轻 (to lessen the strength of (something)) / dʌɪˈl(j)uːt/

• Many people think that drinking liquor in a cocktail dilutes its strength, but the effects of added sugar or carbonation can make the alcohol enter the bloodstream faster.

dilate v. 扩大 (to become larger or wider) / dɪˈleɪt/

• As she entered the dark room, Tyra's pupils dilated to let in more of the available light.

detract / detract/distract

detract v. 贬低 (to diminish the importance, value, or effectiveness of something) / dɪˈtrakt/

• Belinda was worried that wearing glasses would detract from her appearance.

detract / distract v. 贬低 (to speak ill of) / dɪˈstrakt/

• Tucker detracted about Sophia at length, accusing her of any number of misdeeds.

v. 减去 (to take away)

• Belinda's new glasses did little to detract from her comeliness; rather, they gave her an added air of intelligence.

v. 转移 (to divert)

• Jane distracted her guests with a private performance by a noted opera singer.