WORD Meaning

sustained continuing without becoming weaker

alleged supposed to be true, but not proved

scuttle to move quickly with small steps

defamation when someone says or writes bad and untrue things about someone else

staunch very loyal

weed a wild plant that grows where you do not want it to grow

gory involving a lot of violence and blood

mutilate to violently damage someone’s body, especially by cutting off part of it

cordon a line of police or soldiers around an area to stop people going there

mangled twisted and crushed

thaw to become more friendly or less formal

veteran 1 someone who has been a soldier, sailor etc in a war2 someone who has had a lot of experience of doing something

defy to refuse to obey someone or something

dampen to make something such as a feeling or activity less strong

emulate if you emulate someone, you try to be like them because you admire them

metaphor a way of describing something by referring to it as something else

collocation the fact of two or more words often being used together, in a way that happens more frequently than would happen by chance

grit 1 very small pieces of stone or sand2 informal determination and courage

charred black from having been burned

wreckage the broken parts of a vehicle or building that has been destroyed

recidivist a person who continues to commit crimes, and seems unable to stop, even after being punished

culpable deserving blame

acquit to decide in a court of law that someone is not guilty of a crime

juvenile 1 law relating to young people who are not yet adults2 disapproving silly and typical of a child rather than an adult

elope to run away with sb in order to marry them secretly

stringent stringent rules or laws are very strict and must be obeyed

heinous extremely shocking and bad

contentious likely to cause an argument

perpetrate to do something that is wrong or illegal

collateral property or money that you promise to give to someone if you cannot pay back a debt

liaise to work with other people and exchange information with them

equity 1.formal when everyone is treated fairly and equally2.the value of a company's shares; the value of a property after all charges and debts have been paid