Unit 85

distraught / fraught / overwrought

distraught adj. 发狂的，心烦意乱的 (very upset; so upset that one is not able to think clearly or behave normally) /dɪˈstrɔːt/

• The twins were so distraught at the idea of being separated that they clung to each other, screaming and crying.

fraught adj. 忧虑的 (causing or characterized by emotional distress or tension) /frɔːt/

• Karen tried to relax but her anxiety overwhelmed her, making her feel even more fraught than before.

adj. 充满的 (full of or accompanied by something specified)

• The road to success is fraught with many possible pitfalls.

overwrought adj. 情绪激动且不高兴的 (very excited or upset) /əʊvəˈrɔːt/

• The car crash was so upsetting that Erica became overwrought and had to be given a tranquilizer.

flounder / founder / plunder / asunder

flounder v. 挣扎 (to struggle to move or obtain footing) /ˈflaʊndə/

• The fish floundered about in the bottom of the boat, flopping back and forth in an attempt to return to the sea.

founder v. 彻底失败 (to fail utterly; collapse) /ˈfaʊndə/

• When Grace's career in finance foundered, she returned to university for a law degree.

plunder v. 掠夺 (to steal things from (a place, such as a city or town), especially by force) /ˈplʌndə/

• Vikings are famous for sailing around the globe and plundering valuables from the cultures they encountered.

asunder adj. 分裂的 (into parts) /əˈsʌndə/

• The lions attacked, tearing the antelope's body parts asunder in their rush to eat its flesh.

negligible / negligent

negligible adj. 不重要的 (very small or unimportant) /ˈnɛɡlɪdʒɪb(ə)l/

• After spending most of her savings on holiday, Mitsuko was left with a negligible amount of money in her bank account.

negligent adj. 疏忽的，粗心大意的 (marked by or given to neglect, especially habitually) /ˈnɛɡlɪdʒənt/

• The children were placed in a foster home after it was shown that their parents were negligent in caring for them.