4000 CPE Vocabulary List

n. wasting away; decrease in size; reduction in the functionality of an organ caused by disease
It confirms earlier research showing a link between brain atrophy and low levels of B12.

n. a bond, as of affection or loyalty; fond regard; supplementary part; accessory
Her simplicity, gay prattle, and efforts to please inspired me, in return, with a degree of attachment sufficient to make us both content in each other's society.

v. achieve or accomplish; gain
The scarecrow sought to attain one goal: he wished to obtain a brain.

n. something, such as an accomplishment or achievement; achievement
The end of all scholarly attainment is to live nobly.

v. be present at; go to; take care of; tend
Britain's House of Lords has been described as the best club in London, and for many of the hereditary members who rarely attend debates, that's just what it is.

n. act of being present
In some countries, taking lots of days off work sick would get you fired, and the idea of offering prizes for good attendance would be little more than a joke.

n. aide; servant; accompanying; a person who participates in a meeting
The FBI has published an affidavit that describes how a flight attendant first smelled smoke from a match.

n. act or state of attending or heeding; application of the mind to any object of sense, representation, or thought
Ladies and gentlemen, could I have your attention, please?

v. make slender, fine, or small; weaken; lessen the density of
By withdrawing their forces, the generals hoped to attenuate the enemy lines.

n. clothes, especially of a particular or formal type; dress
I will attire my Jane in satin and lace, and she shall have roses in her hair, and I will cover the head I love best with a priceless veil.

n. appeal; a characteristic that provides pleasure and attracts
Harriet died peacefully in her enclosure at a zoo in northern Australia, where she was the star attraction.

a. appealing; pleasing; inviting; tempting
The mobile phone companies argue that reducing taxes will make legally imported phones more attractive than the cheaper smuggled models.

n. essential quality; reputation; honor
His outstanding attribute was his kindness.

v. relate to particular cause or source; ascribe; explain
I attribute her success in science to the encouragement she received from her parents.

n. a gradual decrease in numbers; reduction in the workforce without firing employees; wearing away through harassment
In the 1960s, urban churches suffered from attrition as members moved from the cities to the suburbs.

a. not normal; unusual or irregular; not representative of a group, class, or type
The child psychiatrist reassured Mrs. Keaton that playing doctor was not atypical for a child of young Alex's age.

a. fearlessly, often recklessly daring; bold
Audiences cheered as Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia made their audacious, death-defying leap to freedom, escaping Darth Vader's troops.

n. area of theater or concert hall where the audience sits
A seat in the stalls or in one of the elaborate boxes surrounding the horseshoe-shaped auditorium now costs nearly 700 pounds.

a. of or relating to hearing, the organs of hearing, or the sense of hearing
Short-term auditory memory, in particular, doesn't seem to last longer than around 10 seconds.

n. hand tool for boring holes; hollow drill used to take core samples of soil, ice
It was amazing what they could make just using an ax and an auger.