#214 | HUMILITY
(noun) -- a modest and accurate sense of one's own importance; the absence of arrogance or false pride; genuine openness to one's own limitations.
Synonyms/Related: modesty, humbleness, meekness, unpretentiousness, self-effacement, diffidence, lowliness
Noun: humility | Adjective: humble | Verb: humble (to humble oneself) | Adverb: humbly | Opposite: arrogance, hubris, pride
Example Sentences:
Her humility in crediting the entire team for what was clearly her own breakthrough earned her more respect than any award could have.
Despite decades of international acclaim, the novelist maintained a genuine humility that surprised every interviewer who met him.
True humility is not thinking less of yourself -- it is thinking of yourself less often, and more about the work.
Note: From Latin humilis -- "on the ground, low" (humus = earth or soil). The same root gives human, humane, and exhume. Etymologically, to be humble is to be "grounded" -- connected to the earth rather than elevated above others.
Distinguish humility from false humility (performing modesty for social approval) and from meekness (which may imply passivity). Humility is compatible with strength and confidence -- it simply means accurately assessing one's place. Cross-reference with unassuming (#126) -- an unassuming person behaves humbly; a person with humility genuinely thinks humbly.
বাংলা: বিনয়, নম্রতা, নিরহংকার
Humility মানে নিজের সম্পর্কে সঠিক এবং নিচুতে রাখা মূল্যায়ন -- অহংকার নেই, কিন্তু আত্মসম্মান আছে।
False humility (ভান করা বিনয়) আর সত্যিকারের humility এক নয়। প্রকৃত বিনয় শক্তির সাথে সম্পূর্ণ সামঞ্জস্যপূর্ণ।
মনে রাখার সহজ উপায়: "হিউম্যান + ইটি -- প্রকৃত মানুষের সবচেয়ে বড় গুণই humility।"
বাংলা বাক্যে প্রয়োগ: এত বড় তারকা হওয়ার পরও তার সাধারণ জীবনযাপন এবং humility সবাইকে মুগ্ধ করে।
#215 | LIP
(noun / idiomatic verb) -- physically, the fleshy edges of the mouth; idiomatically, "give lip" means to speak rudely or back-talk; "lip service" means insincere verbal support without real action.
Synonyms/Related: (lip service) empty words, hollow promises, hypocrisy, rhetoric; (giving lip) backtalk, insolence, cheek
Key phrases: lip service, give/giving lip, pay lip service to
Example Sentences:
She was reprimanded for giving too much lip to the department supervisor in front of the entire team.
The politician paid lip service to environmental reform during the campaign but passed no meaningful legislation once in office.
Promising equal opportunity while quietly maintaining discriminatory hiring practices is nothing but lip service.
Note: The idioms are the exam focus here, not the anatomy. "Lip service" is by far the more important collocation: it means saying you support something without actually doing anything about it -- pure rhetoric. It is always negative.
"Giving lip" (or "giving someone lip") means talking back rudely to someone in authority -- slightly more informal. The construction "pay lip service to X" is the standard phrase: "They paid lip service to transparency while hiding the figures." Cross-reference with contumely (#212) and insolence (#211) -- they describe the same general territory of disrespectful speech.
বাংলা: ঠোঁট; (lip service) ফাঁকা বুলি; (giving lip) বেয়াদবভাবে তর্ক করা
"Lip service" মানে কথায় সমর্থন দেওয়া কিন্তু কাজে কিছু না করা -- ফাঁকা বুলি।
"Giving lip" মানে বড়দের মুখের ওপর বেয়াদবভাবে তর্ক করা।
মনে রাখার সহজ উপায়: "ঠোঁট (lip) দিয়েই কথা বলি -- ঠোঁটের কথাই lip service।"
বাংলা বাক্যে প্রয়োগ: দুর্নীতি দমনের কথা বলে নেতারা শুধু lip service দিচ্ছেন -- বাস্তবে কোনো পদক্ষেপ নেই।
#216 | DEFIANCE
(noun) -- open, bold resistance to authority or opposition; refusing to obey or conform, often in a dramatic or public way.
Synonyms/Related: resistance, disobedience, rebellion, insubordination, opposition, non-compliance, boldness, audacity
Noun: defiance | Verb: defy | Adjective: defiant | Adverb: defiantly | Phrase: "in defiance of"
Example Sentences:
Her open defiance of the dress code resulted in a written warning, though several colleagues quietly admired her for it.
In a powerful act of defiance, the workers refused to return to unsafe conditions until the management addressed every concern.
He submitted the report in defiance of his supervisor's direct instruction not to -- and it turned out he was right to do so.
Note: From Latin diffidere -- "to distrust, to defy" (dis- = apart, fidere = to trust). Defiance is context-dependent in its moral valence -- defying an unjust law or oppressive system is often portrayed positively in history and literature; defying a reasonable authority is usually negative.
The phrase "in defiance of" is common: "She proceeded in defiance of the court order." Cross-reference with contumacy (#213), which is specifically legal defiance; defiance is broader. Also cross-reference with smother (#217) -- an overly controlling environment often provokes defiance as a response.
বাংলা: প্রকাশ্য অমান্যকরণ, সাহসী বিরোধিতা
Defiance মানে কর্তৃত্ব বা নিয়মকে প্রকাশ্যে এবং সাহসের সাথে অমান্য করা।
এটি প্রসঙ্গ-নির্ভর: অন্যায় আইনের বিরুদ্ধে defiance সাহসিকতা; যুক্তিসঙ্গত কর্তৃত্বের বিরুদ্ধে defiance সমস্যা।
মনে রাখার সহজ উপায়: "ডিফাই (defy) + আন্স = defy করার স্বভাব।"
বাংলা বাক্যে প্রয়োগ: শত বাধা সত্ত্বেও স্বৈরশাসকের বিরুদ্ধে তাদের অকুতোভয় defiance ইতিহাসের পাতায় লেখা থাকবে।
#217 | SMOTHER
(verb) -- to kill by covering the nose and mouth; figuratively, to suffocate someone's growth, freedom, or creativity through excessive control or overprotection; to extinguish a fire by covering it.
Synonyms/Related: suffocate, stifle, suppress, repress, extinguish, overprotect, overwhelm, quash
Verb: smother | Adjective: smothering | Related: stifle (close synonym in figurative use)
Example Sentences:
The mother's anxious, constant smothering of her teenager left the child with no sense of independent judgment by the time she reached university.
The new rigid policies were meant to improve efficiency but instead smothered every trace of creative initiative in the team.
A fire blanket works by smothering the flames, cutting off the oxygen supply rather than dousing with water.
Note: From Middle English smoren -- "to suffocate." The physical sense (blocking airflow to extinguish) is quite literal; the figurative sense (blocking someone's growth through excessive control) is the more common exam usage.
Distinguish from repress (#117), which implies forceful suppression of feelings or political activity; smother implies suffocation through excess -- too much control, too much protection, too much oversight. Key collocations: "smother creativity," "smothering parent," "smother a fire," "smothering relationship."
বাংলা: শ্বাসরোধ করা; অতিরিক্ত নিয়ন্ত্রণে দম বন্ধ করে দেওয়া
Smother শারীরিকভাবে মানে বায়ু বন্ধ করে নেভানো বা শ্বাসরোধ করা।
রূপকভাবে মানে অতিরিক্ত সুরক্ষা বা নিয়ন্ত্রণে কারো স্বাধীনতা বা সৃজনশীলতা দমিয়ে দেওয়া।
মনে রাখার সহজ উপায়: "স্মোক (smoke) + আদার (other) -- ধোঁয়ায় অন্যের দম বন্ধ করা।"
বাংলা বাক্যে প্রয়োগ: অতিরিক্ত শাসনে বাচ্চাদের smother করলে তাদের মানসিক বিকাশ বাধাগ্রস্ত হয়।
#218 | ANOMALY
DU IBA June 2012, May 2018 | JU H 2018-19
(noun) -- something that deviates from what is standard, normal, or expected; an irregularity or outlier that breaks an established pattern.
Synonyms/Related: irregularity, aberration, deviation, abnormality, exception, quirk, oddity, inconsistency
Noun: anomaly | Adjective: anomalous | Adverb: anomalously
Example Sentences:
The financial report revealed a significant anomaly in the third-quarter revenue figures, prompting an immediate internal audit.
The scientist noticed an anomaly in the experiment's results that challenged the established theoretical model.
In an otherwise cold November, a week of thirty-degree temperatures was a striking meteorological anomaly.
Note: From Greek anomalia -- "unevenness" (an- = not, homalos = even or level). Anomaly and aberration (#177) are close synonyms and are often used interchangeably. The subtle distinction: aberration is slightly more evaluative (implying the deviation is undesirable or wrong); anomaly is more neutral (simply noting something doesn't fit the pattern, without necessarily implying it is bad).
In statistics, an anomaly is an outlier. In physics, it can be a theoretical inconsistency. Key collocations: "statistical anomaly," "anomalous result," "accounting anomaly," "weather anomaly," "anomaly detection."
বাংলা: ব্যতিক্রম, অস্বাভাবিকতা, নিয়মবহির্ভূত ঘটনা
Anomaly মানে এমন কিছু যা প্রতিষ্ঠিত ধারা বা প্রত্যাশার সাথে মেলে না।
Aberration (#177) থেকে সামান্য আলাদা: anomaly নিরপেক্ষ -- শুধু অদ্ভুত; aberration-এ নেতিবাচকতার ইঙ্গিত বেশি।
মনে রাখার সহজ উপায়: "অ + নরমাল = যা normal নয়, তাই anomaly।"
বাংলা বাক্যে প্রয়োগ: শীতকালে টানা এক সপ্তাহ প্রচণ্ড গরম পড়াটা এদেশের আবহাওয়ার একটি বড় anomaly।
#219 | APHORISM
DU IBA May 2018
(noun) -- a short, pithy statement expressing a general truth or principle; a memorable observation that contains universal wisdom.
Synonyms/Related: proverb, maxim, adage, saying, axiom, epigram, dictum, truism
Noun: aphorism | Adjective: aphoristic | Adverb: aphoristically | Related person: aphorist
Example Sentences:
"Actions speak louder than words" is an aphorism so widely known that it has, by now, become almost hackneyed.
The philosopher's slim volume consisted entirely of aphorisms -- each sentence a world in miniature.
A skilled speaker uses a well-chosen aphorism not as a substitute for argument but as a memorable crystallisation of one.
Note: From Greek aphorismos -- "definition, short pithy observation" (apo- = away, horizein = to bound or limit). An aphorism is distinguished from a proverb primarily by origin: proverbs are anonymous folk wisdom; aphorisms are attributed to specific thinkers. Hippocrates, Oscar Wilde, Benjamin Franklin, and Rabindranath Tagore are famous aphorists.
Distinguish from anecdote (#209) -- an anecdote is a brief story; an aphorism is a single compressed truth. Key collocations: "a famous aphorism," "aphoristic style," "aphorisms of X." Cross-reference with cogent (#201) -- a truly cogent argument may conclude with an aphorism that captures its essence.
বাংলা: প্রবাদ, নীতিবাক্য, সংক্ষিপ্ত জ্ঞানগর্ভ বাণী
Aphorism মানে এমন একটি সংক্ষিপ্ত বাক্য যার মধ্যে গভীর সত্য লুকিয়ে আছে।
Proverb (লোককথা, বেনামি) থেকে আলাদা -- aphorism সাধারণত কোনো নির্দিষ্ট মনীষীর বাণী।
মনে রাখার সহজ উপায়: "অ্যা + ফ্রেজ (phrase) -- ছোট একটি phrase-এ বড় সত্য।"
বাংলা বাক্যে প্রয়োগ: ঠাকুরমার ঝুলির গল্পে অনেক aphorism লুকিয়ে আছে, যা বাস্তব জীবনে কাজে লাগে।
#220 | AUGMENT
DU IBA May 2018
(verb) -- to make something greater, larger, or more effective by adding to it; to increase or supplement.
Synonyms/Related: increase, enlarge, expand, supplement, boost, enhance, reinforce, amplify, extend
Verb: augment | Noun: augmentation | Adjective: augmented | Related: augmented reality (AR -- technology)
Example Sentences:
The marketing team requested additional funds to augment the campaign's reach into secondary cities.
He took a part-time consultancy to augment his salary while the business was still growing.
Augmented reality technology augments the physical world by overlaying digital information onto what the user sees.
Note: From Latin augmentare -- "to increase" (augere = to grow). The same root gives author (one who causes something to grow), auction (where bids increase), and August (the month named after Augustus, meaning "great"). In technology, "augmented reality" (AR) is a major modern application of this word -- the digital layer augments, or adds to, the real world.
Key collocations: "augment income," "augment capacity," "augment forces," "augmented reality." Distinguish from supplement -- to supplement is to add what is missing; to augment is to make something already present larger or stronger.
বাংলা: বৃদ্ধি করা, বাড়ানো, সংযুক্ত করে শক্তিশালী করা
Augment মানে কোনো কিছু যা ইতিমধ্যে আছে তাকে আরও বড় বা কার্যকর করা।
Supplement (যা নেই তা যোগ করা) থেকে আলাদা: augment মানে যা আছে তাকেই বাড়ানো।
মনে রাখার সহজ উপায়: "আগস্ট (August) মাসে নদীতে পানি augment হয় -- বর্ষায় বৃদ্ধি পায়।"
বাংলা বাক্যে প্রয়োগ: সামরিক শক্তি augment করার জন্য দেশটি সম্প্রতি অত্যাধুনিক যুদ্ধবিমান কিনেছে।
#221 | BEMUSED
DU IBA June 2012
(adjective) -- mildly confused, puzzled, or bewildered, often with a touch of gentle amusement; unable to quite understand what is happening.
Synonyms/Related: puzzled, confused, perplexed, bewildered, baffled, nonplussed, mystified
Adjective: bemused | Adverb: bemusedly | Noun: bemusement | Verb: bemuse
Example Sentences:
The bemused expression on his face made clear that the technical jargon in the report had passed entirely over his head.
She stared at the unusual email with a bemused smile, genuinely unable to decide whether it was a joke or a serious request.
The audience was bemused by the magician's final trick -- not frightened, not delighted, but pleasantly unable to explain it.
Note: Bemused is one of the most commonly misused words in English -- it is frequently used to mean "amused," which is incorrect. Bemused means confused or puzzled; amused means entertained or finding something funny. They are related in sound but opposite in meaning.
The distinction: "He was amused by the joke" (he found it funny); "he was bemused by the joke" (he didn't quite understand it, perhaps with a mild smile). Cross-reference with bewilderment (#172) -- bewilderment implies stronger disorientation; bemusement is gentler and often carries a slight smile.
বাংলা: হতভম্ব, মৃদু বিভ্রান্তি, কিছুটা অবাক হওয়া
Bemused মানে সম্পূর্ণ বিভ্রান্ত নয়, কিন্তু কী হচ্ছে তা ঠিক বুঝে উঠতে পারছে না -- একটু অবাক, একটু বিভ্রান্ত।
গুরুত্বপূর্ণ: bemused ≠ amused। Amused মানে মজা পাওয়া; bemused মানে বিভ্রান্তিতে পড়া।
মনে রাখার সহজ উপায়: "বি + অ্যামিউজড + কনফিউজড = মজাও পাচ্ছে, বুঝতেও পারছে না।"
বাংলা বাক্যে প্রয়োগ: জাদুকরের অবিশ্বাস্য খেলা দেখে দর্শকরা পুরোপুরি bemused হয়ে পড়েছিল।
#222 | TORTUOUS
(adjective) -- full of twists and turns (literal); excessively complex, convoluted, or indirect (figurative).
Synonyms/Related: winding, twisting, convoluted, labyrinthine, circuitous, indirect, meandering, complicated, serpentine
Adjective: tortuous | Adverb: tortuously | Noun: tortuousness | Critical confusion: torturous (causing pain) ≠ tortuous (winding/complex)
Example Sentences:
The tortuous mountain road to the tea gardens switched back on itself sixteen times before reaching the plateau.
The legal proceedings were tortuous -- years of filings, hearings, adjournments, and counter-applications that exhausted everyone involved.
The politician's tortuous explanation of the policy change confused journalists who had expected a simple answer.
Note: From Latin tortuosus -- "full of twists" (torquere = to twist). The single most important exam note: tortuous (full of twists, winding, complex) versus torturous (causing torture or extreme pain). They sound almost identical but mean very different things.
A tortuous road is winding; a torturous ordeal is painful. Ironically, a tortuous process can also feel torturous -- but the words are technically distinct. Cross-reference with circuitous (#195) -- both mean indirect, but tortuous emphasises the painful complexity of the journey, while circuitous simply emphasises the roundabout route.
বাংলা: আঁকাবাঁকা; অত্যন্ত জটিল এবং ঘোরানো-প্যাঁচানো
Tortuous শারীরিকভাবে মানে আঁকাবাঁকা পথ; রূপকভাবে মানে অতিরিক্ত জটিল এবং দীর্ঘ প্রক্রিয়া।
সবচেয়ে গুরুত্বপূর্ণ পার্থক্য: tortuous (জটিল, আঁকাবাঁকা) ≠ torturous (যন্ত্রণাদায়ক)।
মনে রাখার সহজ উপায়: "টর্টয়েস (tortoise/কচ্ছপ) -- কচ্ছপের মতো ধীরে আঁকাবাঁকা পথে চলা।"
বাংলা বাক্যে প্রয়োগ: সরকারি অফিসের এই tortuous নিয়মকানুন সাধারণ মানুষের চরম ভোগান্তির কারণ।
#223 | APPRISE
(verb) -- to inform or notify someone of something; to make someone aware of a fact or situation.
Synonyms/Related: inform, notify, tell, advise, brief, update, acquaint, enlighten, report to
Verb: apprise | Construction: "apprise someone of something" | Critical confusion: apprise (inform) ≠ appraise (evaluate)
Example Sentences:
She immediately apprised the board of directors of the serious decline in the company's cash reserves.
The lawyer took a moment to apprise his client of the potential risks before they proceeded to trial.
Please apprise the team of any changes to the schedule at least forty-eight hours in advance.
Note: From French appris -- past participle of apprendre (to learn, to inform), from Latin apprehendere. The standard construction is "apprise [someone] of [something]" -- the preposition of is essential.
The single most important exam distinction: apprise (to inform) versus appraise (#224) (to evaluate or assess value). They look and sound extremely similar and are among the most frequently tested confusable pairs in IBA, DU, and BCS exams. A memory tip: apprise contains rise -- information "rises up" to the person's awareness.
বাংলা: অবহিত করা, জানানো, তথ্য দেওয়া
Apprise মানে আনুষ্ঠানিকভাবে কাউকে কোনো বিষয়ে অবহিত করা।
গুরুত্বপূর্ণ পার্থক্য: apprise (inform/জানানো) ≠ appraise (evaluate/মূল্যায়ন করা)। এটি IBA-র সবচেয়ে বিখ্যাত confusable pair।
মনে রাখার সহজ উপায়: "অ্যাপ (app) + রাইজ (rise) -- সকালে অ্যাপ খুলে সব খবর জানা = apprise।"
বাংলা বাক্যে প্রয়োগ: প্রকল্পের অগ্রগতি সম্পর্কে ঊর্ধ্বতন কর্মকর্তাদের নিয়মিত apprise করা অত্যন্ত জরুরি।
#224 | APPRAISE
(verb) -- to assess the value, quality, or nature of something formally; to evaluate performance or worth.
Synonyms/Related: evaluate, assess, value, estimate, judge, rate, gauge, review, size up
Verb: appraise | Noun: appraisal | Agent noun: appraiser | Critical confusion: appraise (evaluate) ≠ apprise (inform)
Example Sentences:
The experienced dealer appraised the antique at three times the price the seller had expected.
The HR manager will appraise each team member's performance before deciding on the annual bonus structure.
She took a moment to appraise the situation before committing to a course of action -- a habit that had served her well throughout her career.
Note: From Old French aprisier -- "to set a price on" (a- = to, pris = price). The noun appraisal is extremely common in professional life: "performance appraisal," "property appraisal," "annual appraisal." The agent noun appraiser is used in real estate and jewellery contexts.
Distinguish clearly from apprise (#223) -- one of the most tested confusable pairs in IBA and BCS. Memory aid: appraise contains praise and price -- both involve making a judgment of worth. Cross-reference with judicious (#181) -- a judicious appraiser evaluates fairly and without bias.
বাংলা: মূল্যায়ন করা, দাম নির্ধারণ করা, যাচাই করা
Appraise মানে কোনো কিছুর মূল্য বা গুণমান আনুষ্ঠানিকভাবে নির্ধারণ করা।
Apprise (#223) থেকে সম্পূর্ণ আলাদা। মনে রাখুন: appraise-এ "price" আছে -- দাম বা মূল্য নির্ধারণ।
মনে রাখার সহজ উপায়: "অ্যাপ্রেইজ = প্রেইজ (praise) + প্রাইস (price) -- মূল্য ও প্রশংসার যোগ্যতা যাচাই।"
বাংলা বাক্যে প্রয়োগ: পুরোনো এই বাড়িটি কেনার আগে সঠিক বাজারদর appraise করে নেওয়া উচিত।
#225 | CREDULOUS
DU IBA 2014-15 | DU IBA June 2017, Dec 2017 | DU A 2020-21
(adjective) -- too ready to believe things without sufficient evidence; easily deceived or fooled; gullible.
Synonyms/Related: gullible, naive, trusting, unsuspecting, easily deceived, over-trusting, simple-minded
Adjective: credulous | Adverb: credulously | Noun: credulity | Opposite: incredulous (refusing to believe), skeptical
Example Sentences:
The credulous investor transferred the full amount before realising the "guaranteed return" scheme was a textbook fraud.
When the CEO announced the sudden merger, the employees stared back with incredulous expressions -- it seemed simply too large to be real.
Credulity is not a virtue in financial markets: healthy skepticism and independent verification save careers.
Note: From Latin credulus -- "easy to believe" (credere = to believe). The same root gives credit, incredible, credentials, and creed. Three related words: credulous (too ready to believe), credible (worthy of belief -- positive), and incredulous (refusing to believe -- neutral or shocked).
The critical exam pair: credulous (believes too easily, gullible) versus incredulous (refuses to believe, shocked by something unbelievable). An "incredulous look" means disbelief; a "credulous person" is one who is easily fooled. Cross-reference with dubious (#202) -- a credulous person does not feel dubious about enough things.
বাংলা: অতিবিশ্বাসী, সহজে ধোঁকা খায় এমন; (incredulous) অবিশ্বাসী
Credulous মানে এমন কেউ যে প্রমাণ ছাড়াই সহজে সবকিছু বিশ্বাস করে ফেলে।
গুরুত্বপূর্ণ পার্থক্য: credulous (অতিবিশ্বাসী) vs. incredulous (বিস্ময়ে অবিশ্বাসী)। এবং: credulous (গুণ নেই) vs. credible (বিশ্বাসযোগ্য, গুণ আছে)।
মনে রাখার সহজ উপায়: "ক্রেডিট (credit) -- যে অচেনাকেও সহজে ক্রেডিট দেয়, সে credulous।"
বাংলা বাক্যে প্রয়োগ: সে এতটাই credulous যে ইন্টারনেটের যেকোনো মিথ্যা খবর মুহূর্তেই বিশ্বাস করে ফেলে।