The Hindu Editorial (Snakes and ladders) – Mar 09, 2021

Editorial Words

4 years ago

The Hindu Editorial (Snakes and ladders) – Mar 09, 2021

Soaring political rhetoric has already set the tone for an intensely competitive Assembly election in West Bengal. The ferocity of the combat between the ruling Trinamool Congress… For further reading, visit “The Hindu”. Below is today’s word list-1 for The Hindu Editorial (Snakes and ladders) – Mar 09, 2021.

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The Hindu Editorial (Snakes and ladders) – Mar 09, 2021:

snakes and ladders (plural noun) – an ancient Indian board game; It is played on a game board with numbered, gridded squares. A number of “ladders” and “snakes” are pictured on the board, each connecting two specific board squares. The object of the game is to navigate one’s game piece, according to die/dice rolls, from the start (bottom square) to the finish (top square), helped by climbing ladders but hindered by falling down snakes.
competitive (adjective) – aggressive, fierce & intense, cut-throat.
disconcerting (adjective) – discomfiting, unsettling, disturbing.
writ large (phrase) – very clear, more obvious.
rhetoric (noun) – the art of speaking or writing effectively & persuasively or impressively (but, often lacking substance); bombast, loftiness, hyperbole/extravagant language.
soaring (adjective) – increasing rapidly.
set the tone (phrase) – to establish the mood/feeling of something.
ferocity (noun) – intensity, severity, strength.
set to (phrasal verb) – start doing something aggressively.
go north (phrase) – go up, increase.
prompt (verb) – induce, cause, motivate, persuade, encourage, impel, urge.
drastic (adjective) – extreme, serious, desperate, substantial.
corrective (adjective) – remedial, restorative, curative, reparative; correctional, punitive, reformatory.
measure (noun) – action, step, procedure.
deficiency (noun) – weakness, weak point, shortcoming.
defector (noun) – betrayer, turncoat, traitor.
ground game (noun) – canvassing, the main activity of a political ground game. (ground game generally means hand-to-hand combat that takes place while the combatants are on the ground).
alliance (noun) – association, union, partnership.
umbrella (modifier) – something (coalition) that has many different parts/elements.
rally (noun) – gathering, march, meeting.
surpass (verb) – be greater than, exceed.
address (verb) – give a talk to, give an address to, make a speech to.
lead from the front (phrase) – to demonstrate leadership (skills) by taking active role in what you are asking others to do.
absence (noun) – lack, unavailability, deficiency.
recognizable (adjective) – noticeable, notable, distinguishable.
patchy (adjective) – erratic, irregular, fluctuating, uneven.
within reach (phrase) – achievable, obtainable, realizable.
mobilise (verb) – bring (resources) into use for a particular purpose/cause.
go by (phrasal verb) – follow something.
dynamics (noun) – basic/fundamental cause or force which triggers change within a system.
at play (phrase) – in effect, happening.
roll out (phrasal verb) – launch, introduce, organize, inaugurate (something officially).
reach out (phrasal verb) – contact someone to obtain/offer help/assistance/cooperation.
tilt (verb) – change.
candidacy (noun) – the state/condition/fact of being a candidate, particularly in an election; candidate-ship.
take on (phrasal verb) – compete against, oppose, challenge, confront, face.
defect (verb) – go over to the enemy, change allegiances, change loyalties, change sides, turn traitor.
offensive (noun) – attacking campaign; drive/push, movement.
cadre (noun) – members of a group.
shadow (verb) – follow, trail, track.
spirited (adjective) – energetic, active, vigorous, dynamic, dashing, passionate, fiery.
focal point (noun) – main feature, central point.
call for (phrasal verb) – require, necessitate, ask for, demand.
regime (noun) – government.
prong (noun) – point.
strategy (noun) – plan of action (in order to achieve a more expansive set of political, economic, and security interests).
polarisation (noun) – separation of two contrasting groups (based on different opinions/beliefs).
second-rung (adjective) – second-level. (rung means level, rank, position, grade).
not-so-veiled (adjective) – not-so-concealed, not-so-hidden; direct, open.
insinuation (noun) – implication, hint/indication, suggestion (of something bad).
pose (verb) – constitute, present, create, cause (a problem or danger or risk).
mainstream (verb) – bring something into the mianstream (something (certain beliefs/ideas/activities) which are accepted or recognized by most people as a normal or typical).
outfit (noun) – organization, group.
misleading (adjective) – deceptive, confusing, false.
secular (adjective) – non-religious.
communalism (noun) – adherence/obedience to one’s own ethnic group (against the principle/practice of living together in wider society).
throw open (phrasal verb) – make something accessible/attainable suddenly & fully.
possibility (noun) – chance, probability.
anti-incumbency (noun) – a situation which is against elected officials currently in power; discontent against ruling government/ party in power.
liken someone to (phrase) – compare, equate, correlate.
strike (noun) – attack.