height‧en / ˈhaɪtn / verb [ intransitive and transitive ]

if something heightens a feeling, effect etc, or if a feeling etc heightens, it becomes stronger or increases SYN intensify → strengthen :

There are fears that the march will heighten racial tension.

Increased levels of fat in the diet could heighten the risk of cancer.

heighten (sb’s) awareness (of something) (= make people realize something more clearly )

The case has heightened public awareness of the problem of sexual harassment.

merg‧er / ˈmɜːdʒə $ ˈmɜːrdʒər / noun [ countable ]

the joining together of two or more companies or organizations to form one larger one

merger of/between

a proposed merger between two of the largest software companies

merger with

There has been a lot of talk about a merger with another leading bank.

merger negotiations

freight 1 / freɪt / noun

1 [ uncountable ] goods that are carried by ship, train, or aircraft, and the system of moving these goods :

freight services

We’ll send your personal belongings by air freight and your furniture by sea freight.

2 [ countable ] American English a freight train

sub‧stan‧tial S3 W2 / səbˈstænʃ ə l / adjective

1 large in amount or number SYN considerable OPP insubstantial :

a substantial salary

a substantial breakfast

The document requires substantial changes.

2 [ only before noun ] large and strongly made OPP insubstantial :

a substantial piece of furniture

bulk 1 AC / bʌlk / noun

1 the bulk (of something) the main or largest part of something :

The bulk of consumers are based in towns.

2 [ countable usually singular ] a big mass or shape of something :

the great bulk of a building

3 [ uncountable ] the size of something or someone :

The dough will rise until it is double in bulk.

4 in bulk if you buy goods in bulk, you buy large amounts each time you buy them

cap‧tive 1 / ˈkæptɪv / adjective

1 kept in prison or in a place that you are not allowed to leave :

captive soldiers

captive animals

His son had been taken captive (= became a prisoner ) during the raid.

a pilot who was held captive (= kept as a prisoner ) for six years

2 captive audience people who listen or watch someone or something because they have to, not because they are interested

3 captive market the people who must buy a particular product or service, because they need it and there is only one company selling it

4 be captive to something to be unable to think or speak freely, because of being influenced too much by something :

Our communities should not be captive to the mistakes of the past.

grip 2 verb ( past tense and past participle gripped , present participle gripping )

1 hold tightly [ transitive ] to hold something very tightly :

I gripped the rail and tried not to look down.

grip something tightly/firmly

The woman moved closer to Beth, gripping her arm tightly.

2 have a strong effect [ transitive ] to have a strong effect on someone or something :

a country gripped by economic problems

Panic suddenly gripped me when it was my turn to speak.

in‧dig‧nant / ɪnˈdɪɡnənt / adjective

angry and surprised because you feel insulted or unfairly treated

indignant at/about

Liz was indignant at the way her child had been treated.

— indignantly adverb :

‘Of course I didn’t tell her!’ Sasha said indignantly.

ap‧pre‧hen‧sive / ˌæprɪˈhensɪv◂ / adjective

worried or nervous about something that you are going to do, or about the future

We’d been a little apprehensive about their visit.

Some had apprehensive looks on their faces.

— apprehensively adverb :

‘What’s wrong?’ I asked apprehensively.

su‧per‧vise / ˈsuːpəvaɪz $ -pər- / verb [ intransitive and transitive ]

to be in charge of an activity or person, and make sure that things are done in the correct way :

Griffiths closely supervised the research.