[1:06] The Story of a Brave Maid | Essential English Listening Practice for Exams

adj

1. (of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering

e.g. a barbarous crime
brutal beatings
cruel tortures
Stalin's roughshod treatment of the kulaks
a savage slap
vicious kicks

Synonym: barbarousbrutalfellroughshodsavagevicious

verb

1. provide with decoration

e.g. dress the windows

Synonym: dress

2. make more attractive by adding ornament, colour, etc.

e.g. Decorate the room for the party
beautify yourself for the special day

Synonym: adorngraceornamentembellishbeautify

3. award a mark of honor, such as a medal, to

e.g. He was decorated for his services in the military

4. be beautiful to look at

e.g. Flowers adorned the tables everywhere

Synonym: deckadorngraceembellishbeautify

noun

1. the work of inquiring into something thoroughly and systematically

Synonym: investigating

2. an inquiry into unfamiliar or questionable activities

e.g. there was a congressional probe into the scandal

Synonym: probe

adj

1. filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock

e.g. an amazed audience gave the magician a standing ovation
I stood enthralled, astonished by the vastness and majesty of the cathedral
astounded viewers wept at the pictures from the Oklahoma City bombing
stood in stunned silence
stunned scientists found not one but at least three viruses

Synonym: astoniedastonishedastoundedstunned

adj

1. showing the parts of something separated but in positions that show their correct relation to one another

e.g. the manufacturer provided an exploded view of the apparatus