The Hindu Editorial (Afghan tragedy) – Aug 14, 2021

With the fall of Kandahar and Herat, Afghanistan’s second and third largest cities, to the Taliban, the war in the country appears to have entered an irreversible phase. For further reading, visit “The Hindu”. Below is today’s word list-2 for The Hindu Editorial (Afghan tragedy) – Aug 14, 2021.

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Courtesy: The Hindu

The Hindu Editorial (Afghan tragedy) – Aug 14, 2021:

tragedy (noun) – misfortune, affliction, blight.
second coming (noun – return.
on the verge of (phrase) – on the brink of, on the edge of, at a crucial or critical point.
murderous (adjective) – brutal, violent, savage/cruel.
regime (noun) – government.
irreversible (adjective) – irreparable, unrectifiable, irrevocable, final.
seize (verb) – capture, annex, occupy, take possession of, take over.
strategically (adverb) – in a way that is designed/planned to serve a particular purpose.
insurgent (noun) – guerrilla, extremist, militant, subversive.
go back (phrasal verb) – return to.
intelligence (noun) – the collection of (military/political) information.
reportedly (adverb) – supposedly, seemingly, apparently, professedly, ostensibly, purportedly.
campaign (noun) – an organized effort which seeks to influence the decision making progress within a specific group.
command (noun) – authority, control, power, domination, influence, sway.
concession (noun) – compromise, adjustment, modification.
offensive (noun) – campaign, drive, push; attack, thrust, act of aggression.
cut through (phrasal verb) – remove, take out; sever.
defences (noun) – barricade (against attack).
break-neck (adjective) – extremely fast, high-speed, speedy.
balance of power (phrase) – stability in a system composed of a number of autonomous forces. Whenever the equilibrium is disturbed either by an outside force or by a change in one or the other elements composing
the system, the system shows a tendency to re-establish either the original or a new equilibrium.
battlefield (noun) – battleground, theatre, arena of war.
withdrawal (noun) – retreat, departure, ending, disengagement.
legitimise (verb) – validate, legitimate, justify.
jihadist (noun) – an Islamic extremist.
extract (verb) – obtain, get, take.
unharmed (adjective) – unscathed, safe, uninjured.
stay away from (phrasal verb) – avoid, not get involved in.
assassination (noun) – murder, killing.
campaign (noun) – military operation, manoeuvre, battle plan.
lack (verb) – be without, be deprived of, not have enough of.
devoid of (adjective) – without, lacking, deprived of.
overstretch (verb) – overtax, push to the limit, pressure, burden, make tense.
under siege (phrase) – going through a siege; very seriously attacked/criticized.
crumble (verb) – collapse, fall down, cave in, break down.
sandcastle (noun) – a castle built out of sand.
press on (verb) – continue, carry on.
warlord (noun) – Warlord is a military leader who exercise military, economic, and political control over a sub-national territory/a country when the government is weak.
shore up (phrasal verb) – support, assist, strengthen, fortify, buttress.
defend (verb) – protect, guard, safeguard, secure, shield.
turn to (phrasal verb) – seek help from, have recourse to, approach, appeal to.
ethnic (adjective) – relating to a population subgroup (cultural, national, traditional/folk) with a common national or cultural tradition.
subject to (verb) – put through, undergo, go through, experience.
barbaric (adjective) – cruel, savage, vicious, ruthless, brutal.
totalitarianism (noun) – autocracy, absolute power, dictatorship.
surrender (verb) – capitulate, give in, yield, concede, back down; give up, relinquish, renounce, forgo.
militia (noun) – armed forces, military unit, soldiery (from the civil population to support main forces).
scant (adjective) – little or no, hardly any, meagre.
regard (noun) – consideration, care, concern, sympathy.