The Hindu Editorial (Order at the border) – Feb 12, 2021

India and China finally reaching an agreement on disengagement at Pangong Lake, which has been at the heart of the recent LAC tensions,… For further reading, visit “The Hindu”. Below is today’s word list-1 for The Hindu Editorial (Order at the border) – Feb 12, 2021.

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The Hindu Editorial (Order at the border) – Feb 12, 2021:

order (noun) – condition, state, situation.
disengagement (noun) – withdrawal, departure, retreat (of military troops from an area of conflict).
Line of Actual Control (LAC) (noun) – the de-facto (effective) border between India and China. The LAC is a 4,057-km border running through three areas-Western (Ladakh, Ladakh (Kashmir)), middle (Uttarakhand, Himachal) and eastern (Sikkim, Arunachal).
vital (adjective) – key, essential, important.
at the heart of (phrase) – at the most important part of.
tension (noun) – worry, strain; suspense, uncertainty.
promising (adjective) – good, encouraging, favourable, hopeful, optimistic, positive.
cease (verb) – stop, halt, end, wind up, terminate.
deployment (noun) – the act of employing forces/troops into effective action.
phased (adjective) – gradual, step-by-step, incremental.
synchronized (adjective) – concurrent, coinciding, happening/done at the same time.
moratorium (noun) – a temporary suspension of an activity; embargo, ban, prohibition.
patrol (verb) – watch/guard an area (over a period of time).
armoured (adjective) – bulletproof, bombproof, mine proof, reinforced, protected.
tank (noun) – a heavily armoured fighting vehicle.
proximity (noun) – closeness, nearness, presence, adjacency (in area/distance).
frontline (noun) – a place where opposing armed forces/militaries face each other in war; vanguard, firing line, battlefield, combat zone.
frontline (adjective) – relating to the forces/personnel positioned on the military line that is nearest to the enemy.
personnel (noun) – force, staff, employees, workforce.
subsequently (adverb) – afterwards, later on, in due course.
base (noun) – camp, post, station.
Finger (area) (noun) – The 134 km of Pangong Tso lake’s northern bank juts/extends out like a palm, and the various protrusions/projections are identified as “fingers” to demarcate territory. While India asserts that the LAC (Line of Actual Control) starts at Finger 8, China claims it starts at Finger 2, which India dominates.
on foot (phrase) – walking.
motorable (adjective) – (of a road) navigable, passable, able to be travelled (by motor vehicles).
logistics (noun) – an act of arranging the movement, equipment, accommodation (of troops).
lead to (verb) – result in, cause, bring on, call forth, give rise to.
contested (adjective) – disputed, challenged.
buffer zone (noun) – neutral area.
infrastructure (noun) – structures and facilities (e.g. buildings, roads, & etc).
height (noun) – high place, high area, high ground.
range (noun) – a line or series of mountains/hills ranged in a line and connected by high ground.
countermove (noun) – an action taken in opposition.
leverage (noun) – advantage, influence, power/authority.
resolve (noun) – determination, willpower, firmness, resolution, courage.
stand-off (noun) – deadlock, stalemate, impasse (in a dispute/conflict).
artillery (noun) – a military branch that uses big guns, heavy weapons, cannons.
a hard/tough nut to crack (phrase) – a situation or an opponent that is difficult to deal with or beat.
hot springs (noun) – Hot Springs (Kyam) is the location of an Indian border checkpost operated by Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) in the Chang Chenmo River valley in Ladakh near the disputed border with China. It is so named because there is a hot spring at this location. (hot spring is generally a spring (well head) with water at temperatures substantially higher than the air temperature of the surrounding region).
take up (phrasal verb) – consume, use up, use, occupy (time).
plain (noun) – a large area of flat land.
Depsang plains (noun) – The Depsang plains lie south of DBO (Daulat Beg Oldie post) in a strategic area that the military calls Sub-Sector North (SSN). DBO is the country’s northernmost outpost where India operates an advanced landing ground to support its forward military deployments. The Depsang Plains are large plains that are suitable for driving armoured carriers, artillery and mechanised units, which is unusual at the height of about 17,000 feet above sea level. The Depsang plains are strategically important as it provides a flat surface amid the mountainous terrain which can be used by either of the two countries to launch a military offensive, similar to the Spanggur Gap in the Chushul sub-sector.
long-running (adjective) – lasting, long-lasting, permanent, continuing.
predate (verb) – happen at a date earlier than (something).
as yet (phrase) – so far, thus far, yet, still, until now.
on the ground (phrase) – in a situation/place where things are happening really/practically.
letter and spirit (phrase) – adhering to/obeying both literal interpretation/wording and the spirit/intent/purpose of the law.
enormous (adjective) – huge, very large, massive.
distrust (noun) – mistrust, suspicion, lack of trust.
hurdle (noun) – obstacle, difficulty, problem, hindrance.
bear/keep in mind (phrase) – take into account, consider.
at stake (phrase) – at issue, at risk; or in question.
populous (adjective) – densely populated.
ultimately (adverb) – eventually, in the end, finally; fundamentally, basically, essentially.
hinge on (verb) – depend on, be based, be dependent.