Advanced — Set 93

Set 93 of Advanced covers 5 words: urgency, ambiguity, obedience, pattern, facility. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

1. urgency · noun/ˈərdʒənsi/

   the need to handle a situation as quickly as possible

   The urgency of finding a cure for the virus alarmed doctors and scientists as so many people were dying as a result of it.

   Synonyms: seriousness, importance, imperativeness

2. ambiguity · noun/ˌæmbəˈɡjuədi/

   a situation that is unclear and confusing

   The politician's vague response to the controversial question left the audience in a state of ambiguity, unsure of their stance on the issue.

   Synonyms: uncertainity, doubt, vagueness

   Origin: late Middle English: from Old French ambiguite or Latin ambiguitas, from ambiguus ‘doubtful’ (see ambiguous)

3. obedience · noun/əˈbidiəns/

   doing what is being told, following a rule or law

   Milgram's experiement on obedience towards authority figures showed how cruel people in power can become in order to enforce rules.

   Synonyms: conformity, compliance

   Origin: Middle English: via Old French from Latin oboedientia, from the verb oboedire (see obey)

4. pattern · noun/ˈpædərn/

   something happening regularly

   Activities that include patterns can easily be incorporated into early years education as children really enjoy activities with repeated behaviours.

   Synonyms: motif, design, arrangement

   Origin: Middle English patron ‘something serving as a model’, from Old French (see patron). The change in sense is from the idea of a patron giving an example to be copied. Metathesis in the second syllable occurred in the 16th century. By 1700 patron ceased to be used of things, and the two forms became differentiated in sense

5. facility · noun/fəˈsɪlədi/

   a place that is provided for a particular purpose like sport, education etc.

   The new company that is planned to be built in the city promises to provide a recreational facility for its workers.

   Origin: mid 16th century (denoting the means or unimpeded opportunity for doing something): from French facilité or Latin facilitas, from facilis ‘easy’ (see facile)