Lesson No. 23

Word # 1

Confiscate (verb)

Definition: possessions taken or seized by authority / to take a possession away from someone when you have the right to do so, usually as a punishment and often for a limited period, after which it is returned to the owner / take temporary possession of as a security, by legal authority

Sentence: 1. Miss Edwards has confiscated my comics till the end of term! 2. His passport was confiscated by the police to prevent him from leaving the country. 3. I have had my radio confiscated by the prison guards. 4. Police confiscated my video collection.

Word # 2

Inevitable (adjective)

Definition: incapable of being avoided or prevented / certain to happen and unable to be avoided or prevented / something that is certain to happen and cannot be prevented

Sentence: 1. The accident was the inevitable consequence/result/outcome of carelessness. 2. Eventually the inevitable happened and he had a heart attack. 3. Making mistakes while learning a foreign language is inevitable. 4. It was inevitable that someone would eventually answer this question.

Word # 3

Downside (noun)

Definition: disadvantage / the disadvantage of a situation / a negative aspect of something

 

Sentence: 1. The downside of living here, of course, is that it is expensive. 2. Unemployment, inflation and greater inequality are often the downside of a market economy.

Word # 4

Discreet (adjective)

Definition: careful and modest / careful not to cause embarrassment or attract too much attention, especially by keeping something secret

Sentence: 1. To work for the royal family you have to be very discreet. 2. The family made discreet enquiries about his background. 3. They are very good assistants, very discreet - they wouldn't go shouting to the press.

Word # 5

Discrete (adjective)

Definition: distinct and separate / independent / having a clear independent shape or form; separate

Sentence: 1. These small companies now have their own discrete identity. 2. Even though they were married, they kept their money in two discrete accounts.