Unit 143

fluster / cluster / bluster

fluster v. 使...不安 (to make (someone) nervous and confused) / ˈflʌstə /

• Selma was so attracted to Hamid that she became visibly flustered whenever she saw him.

cluster v. 聚集 (to come together to form a group) / ˈklʌstə /

• The students clustered around the exam results, attempting to see how they had placed.

bluster v. 咆哮，威吓 (to speak in a loud and aggressive or threatening way) / ˈblʌstə /

• Keith was so annoyed with the hotel's poor service that he strode down to reception and blustered wildly at several staff members.

peek / peak / peevish

peek v. 偷看，窥视 (to look at someone or something secretly, especially from a hidden place) / piːk /

• The child hid behind its mother and peeked fearfully at the stranger.

n. 一瞥 (a brief look)

• Nancy slipped over to her colleague's monitor and had a quick peek to see how his project was coming along.

peak n. 顶点，顶峰 (the highest level or greatest degree) / piːk/

• Chef Joel Robuchon has reached the peak of his profession, having been awarded an amazing total of 31 Michelin stars over the course of his career.

peevish adj. 易怒的，暴躁的 (feeling or showing irritation) /ˈpiːvɪʃ/

• Melody's mood became quite peevish when people interrupted her work to chat about nothing.

due / subdue / undue / imbue

due adj. 预期的 (required or expected to happen) / djuː/

• Anita hurried down the moving sidewalk, checking the monitor along the way to assure that her plane was still due at the same gate.

adj. 到期的 (owed as a debt)

• After losing a large bet at the gambling table, Jim had trouble paying what was due.

subdue v. 征服，打败 (to get control of (a violent or dangerous person or group) by using force, punishment, etc.) / səbˈdjuː/

• The zookeeper subdued the stampeding elephant by shooting it with a tranquilizer gun.

undue adj. 过量的 (adj. exceeding what is appropriate or normal) / ʌnˈdjuː/

• After the volcano exploded, an undue amount of ash blanketed every surface of the immediate area.

imbue v. 灌输，渗透 (to cause to be deeply affected by a feeling or to have a certain quality) / ɪmˈbjuː/

• Ashlynn was so deeply imbued with love for Michael that she was willing to provide him with a false alibi.