The Hindu Editorial (The second-best) – June 13, 2023

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The Hindu Editorial (The second-best) – June 13, 2023:

second-best (adjective) – next to the best.
hectic (adjective) – restless, very busy, very active, frantic, frenzied, feverish.
seem (verb) – appear, look.
drought (noun) – dry spell, dry period; lack, unavailability, deficiency of something (silverware/trophy/cup).
the dust settles (phrase) – things calm down.
meant past & past participle of mean (verb) – indicate, show, signify, suggest, imply.
humble (verb) – defeat, beat, crush, trounce, conquer, vanquish, rout, smash, overwhelm, get the better of.
summit clash (noun) – final match.
cut to the present (phrase) – come (back) to the present time.
suffer (verb) – experience, endure, undergo, go through, be subjected to.
cumulatively (adverb) – in a cumulative manner; collectively, totally.
silverware (noun) – trophy/cup made of silver.
choke (verb) – (in sports) fail to perform at a crucial time of a game/contest due to tension.
successor (noun) – inheritor, next-in-line; descendant, scion.
hard yards (noun) – a great amount deal of effort or hard work, specially in playing a sport.
do the hard yards (phrase) – to make a great effort or to do the hard work to achieve something (usually when this (effort/hard work) is not noticed by others).
short of breath (phrase) – finding it difficult to breathe properly.
centre on (phrasal verb) – to have something as the main topic of discussion; to have something as a main theme/subject.
at home (phrase) – in one’s own country.
recency (noun) – the fact of being recent; the state of being recent.
recency bias (noun) – a type of cognitive bias where people make conclusions based on recent events over historic ones; a memory bias.
at play (phrase) – being something that helps produce a result.
prevail (verb) – succeed, win through, be victorious, prove superior, conquer, finish first.
pursuit (noun) – quest, search, chase; activity.
wilt (verb) – lose energy, lose confidence, lose strength, lose vigour, flop, droop, languish.
steep (adjective) – sharp slope; unreasonably high.
a mountain to climb (phrase) – a very difficult task/challenge.
under-cooked (adjective) – underdone/cooked insufficiently; figuratively means “not performed well enough”.
shed (verb) – remove, discard, get rid of, throw out, drop, do away with, let go, dismiss.
frenzied (adjective) – frantic, hectic, hyperactive, intense.
slip (into) (verb) – get into, change into.
battle of attrition (noun) – a (military) strategy consisting of aggressive attempts to win a battle by wearing down (weakening) the enemy to the point of collapse through continuous losses in personnel and materiel.
think-tank (noun) – a panel of experts.
influence (verb) – affect, guide, control, brainwash.
overcast sky (noun) – this conditions occur when clouds cover all or most of the sky and cause low visibility conditions.
step in (phrasal verb) – to become involved in a difficult situation so as to help find a solution.
inexplicably (adverb) – in a way something can not be accountable/explainable/understandable.
overlook (verb) – miss, reject, dismiss, ignore, discount, disregard.
go awry (phrase) – not happen as planned.
flicker (noun) – a small sign/indication of something (that does not last very long); unsteady movement.
flicker (verb) – move unsteadily; flutter, tremble, tremble, wobble, shiver.
outing (noun) – innings (in a test match).
on the wrong side of (an age) (phrase) – older than the age mentioned.
drag in (phrasal verb) – bring into an argument inappropriately.
ageism (noun) – unfair treatment or discrimination towards others based on age.
transition (noun) – transformation, evolution, progression, adaptation.
blues (noun) – feelings of depression, feelings of sadness, feelings of unhappiness; misery, sorrow, gloominess.
exert (verb) – apply.
luxury (noun) – benefit, advantage, boon, comfort, ease.
largely (adjective) – mostly, mainly ,to a great extent/degree/level.
elude (verb) – (of something desired) fail to be attained by (someone).
unit (noun) – team, squad.
find a way (phrase) – to achieve or deal with something by discovering the right way.
milestone (noun) – an important event; a significant point (in your life).
composition (noun) – formation, arrangement, organization, set-up.
hard measures (noun) – stern/severe/strict/tough actions.