action verbs 1

Question 1

analogy noun /əˈnælədʒi/: [countable] a comparison of one thing with another thing that has similar features; a feature that is similar
analogy (between A and B) The teacher drew an analogy between the human heart and a pump.
analogy (with something) There are no analogies with any previous legal cases.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
* appropriate
* apt
* good
* …
verb + analogy
* draw
* make
* suggest
* …
analogy + verb
* fit
* hold
preposition
* by analogy
* by analogy to
* by analogy with
* …
phrases
* argument by analogy
* argument from analogy

Question 2

-swell –v:
1/ [intransitive] swell (up) to become bigger or rounder
Her arm was beginning to swell up where the bee had stung her.
Cook the lentils for 20 minutes until they swell and soften

2/ [intransitive, transitive] to go out or make something go out in a curved shape
swell (out) The sails swelled (out) in the wind.
His belly swelled out over his belt.
swell something (out) The wind swelled (out) the sails.

3/ [transitive, intransitive] to increase or make something increase in number or size
swell something (to something) Last year’s profits were swelled by a fall in production costs.
swell (to something) Membership has swelled to over 20 000.

swell the ranks/numbers of something (=increase the number of people in a particular situation)
: We are looking for more volunteers to swell the ranks (= increase the number) of those already helping.

-swelling –n
1/ [uncountable] the condition of being larger or rounder than normal (= of being swollen)
Use ice to reduce the swelling.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
* painful
* severe
* slight
* …
verb + swelling
* cause
* prevent
* reduce
* …
swelling + verb
* occur
* go down
* subside
* …
2/ [countable] a place on your body that has become larger or rounder than normal as the result of an illness or injury
The fall left her with a painful swelling above her eye.

Answer 2

a

Question 3

conquest noun /ˈkɒŋkwest/
1/[uncountable] the act of gaining control over something that is difficult or dangerous
the conquest of inflation
This new product is used to pave the way for the conquest of a new market.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
* violent
* military
* Muslim
* …
verb + conquest
* make
* complete
preposition
* by conquest
* through conquest
* conquest of
2/[ C ] humorous: someone you have had sex with but probably not a relationship:
I was determined not to become just another one of his conquests.
deduce (deduction) SYN infer /ɪnˈfɜːr/ (inference /ˈɪnfərəns/): to form an opinion about something based on the information or evidence that is available
deduce something (from something) Deduce a conclusion/theory/meaning/pattern/outcome

Inference –n: [countable] something that you can find out indirectly from what you already know
SYNONYM deduction
to draw/make inferences from the data
The clear inference is that the universe is expanding.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
* fair
* logical
* reasonable
* …
verb + inference
* draw
* make
* allow
* …
inference + verb
* be based on something
preposition
* inference about
* inference from

Answer 3

a

Question 4

Capture –v
1/[take control] capture something to succeed in getting control or possession of something that other people are also trying to get
The company has captured 90 per cent of the market.
He captured the world championship title in 2018.
2/ [make somebody interested] to make somebody interested in something
The project has captured the imagination of the local public.
His story captured the attention of Hollywood.
3/ [feeling/atmosphere] capture something to succeed in accurately expressing a feeling, an atmosphere, etc. in a picture, piece of writing, film, etc.
SYNONYM catch
Her photos capture the essence of her subjects.
The song captures the spirit of those times. (spirit of something [ singular] the typical or most important quality or mood of something)
They have captured a moment in people’s lives.

-get/enter into the spirit (of something): To show one’s interest in enjoying a social event by dressing appropriately or participating in related activities.
I specifically wore red and green to get into the spirt of Christmas.
-‘OK, I’ll try.’ ‘That’s the spirit (= the right attitude).’

Question 5

circuit -noun /ˈsɝː.kɪt/
1/ [visits] a series of events or places that are regularly visited by a particular group of people:
On a lecture/conference/speaking/tennis circuit: For the past two years he has been on the international lecture circuit, often speaking on business ethics./ They first met each other on the tennis circuit (= while at different tennis competitions).
2/ (CLOSED SYSTEM) C2 [ C ]
a closed system of wires or pipes through which electricity or liquid can flow:
A defect was found in the water-cooling/electrical circuit.

Question 6

draw –v
1/[conclusion] [transitive] to have a particular idea after you have studied something or thought about it
draw something (deduction, inference, conclusion) Is it possible to draw inferences about the environment during the Bronze Age?
draw something from something What conclusions did you draw from the report?
We can draw some lessons for the future from this accident.
2/[comparision/limits] [transitive] draw something to express a comparison or a contrast; to define the limits of something
to draw a comparison/a parallel/an analogy/a distinction between two events
He attempted to draw a contrast between himself and the prime minister.
3/[get reaction]
3.a/ [transitive] to produce a reaction or response
draw something (criticism/support/interest/) The plan has drawn a lot of criticism.
draw something from somebody The announcement drew loud applause from the audience.
3.b/ [transitive] draw something to direct or attract somebody’s attention to something
Our aim is to draw attention to the plight of these children.
The exhibition drew great critical attention.
4/[attract] [transitive] to attract or interest somebody
draw somebody (audiences/crowds/students/passers-by) The movie is drawing large audiences.
draw somebody to something Her screams drew passers-by to the scene. (passer-by: someone who is going past a particular place, especially when something unusual happens:The gunmen opened fire, killing a policeman and a passer-by.)

Question 7

Provide/explain + an anatomy of something: [countable] (formal) an examination of what something is like or why it happens: an anatomy of the current recession
fall short – idiom C1: to fail to reach an amount or standard that was expected or hoped for, causing disappointment: August car sales fell short of the industry’s expectations.
Head (someone or something) into (someone or something)” - Hướng dẫn hoặc chỉ cho ai/cái gì; đối đầu với cái gì.: If you head the car into that space carefully, I don’t think you’ll hit the cars parked on either side. (on either side: on both sides of something, such as on either side of the river.)
get something into your head – idiom: to start to believe something: When will you get it into your head that he’s not coming back?/ One day, she got it into her head (= decided for no reason) that we all hated her.
come/pop into one’s head – idiom : become a thought that’s not a result of reasoning: She always says the first thing that comes/pops into her head.
be looking to do something – phrase -C2: to be planning to do something: I’m looking to start my own business./ We are looking to open three new stores next year.

sidetrack somebody (into doing something) – [t] : SYN Digress from [I] , distract :to make somebody start to talk about or do something that is different from the main thing that they are supposed to be talking about or doing
got sidetracked.: I was supposed to be writing a letter but I’m afraid I got sidetracked.
sidetrack somebody (into doing something) :Don’t be sidetracked into discussing individual cases.

like crazy- idiom informal- B2: If you do something like crazy, you do a lot of it or do it very quickly: They were working like crazy to get the job done on time.
on the edge of your seat- idiom: very excited, and giving all your attention to something, because you want to know what is going to happen: They were both playing amazing tennis. Everyone was on the edge of their seats the entire time.

Question 8

media personality: Mia Khalifa is a Lebanese-American media personality and former pornographic film actress and webcam model. She began acting in pornography in October 2014, becoming the most viewed performer on Pornhub in two months.

quite a something/quite some something: British English used before a noun to emphasize that something is very good, large, interesting etc
That was quite a party you had.
The engines make quite a noise.
It’s quite some distance away.
“my job involves quite a lot of travel” (quite a lot:a considerable amount.)

have money to burn – idiom: to spend a lot of money on things that are not necessary:
I don’t know what her job is but she certainly seems to have money to burn.

throw yourself into something- idiom: to do something enthusiastically: She’s thrown herself into this new job.

the purse strings idiom: the spending of money by a family, company, or country:
hold/tighten/loosen the purse strings: A recent survey showed that in 53 percent of families, women hold (= control) the purse strings.

lump sum -noun [ C, usually singular ] FINANCE (also lump, lump sum payment): an amount of money that is paid in one large payment on one occasion:
She received a lump sum of €70,507 when she retired.
be paid/taken as a lump sum The entire amount can be taken as a lump sum.
If the pension is small, it may be paid as a one-off lump sum payment at age 65.

Question 9

ancillary adjective /ænˈsɪləri/ /ˈænsəleri/ SYNONYM auxiliary /ɔːɡˈzɪliəri/ nurses/workers/services
ancillary (to something) providing necessary support to the main work or activities of an organization
ancillary staff/services/equipment
ancillary workers in the health service such as cooks and cleaners

auxiliary noun /ɔːɡˈzɪliəri/: a worker who gives help or support to the main group of workers
nursing auxiliaries

Question 10

[standards/criteria/benchmark/norm/guideline] conform to/with something - phrasal verb with conform verb [ I ] /kənˈfɔːrm/ to obey a rule or reach the necessary stated standard, or to do things in a traditional way:
Before buying the baby’s car seat , make sure that it conforms to the official safety standards.
Members have to conform to a strict dress code.

conformable (to/with something) :adjective /kənˈfɔːrməbl/ (formal): similar in form or nature to something; in agreement with something
SYNONYM consistent
What happens in cases where common law is not conformable to the constitution?
Some of the things that he was saying were not conformable to common sense.
We must make sure that all of the steps we take are conformable with the law.

conformability noun /kənˌfɔːrməˈbɪləti/ [uncountable] (formal)
the fact of being able or willing to agree with, match or obey something: The database conformability is bad, coefficient of utilization is low .

Answer 10

a

Question 11

stereotype noun /ˈsteriətaɪp/
a fixed idea or image that many people have of a particular type of person or thing, but which is often not true in reality and may cause hurt and offence
cultural/gender/racial stereotypes
He doesn’t conform to the usual stereotype of the businessman with a dark suit and briefcase.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
* common
* popular
* traditional
* …
verb + stereotype
* hold
* create
* produce
* …
preposition
* stereotype about
* stereotype of

stereotype verb /ˈsteriətaɪp/ [often passive]: to form a fixed idea about a person or thing which may not really be true
stereotype somebody Children from certain backgrounds tend to be stereotyped by their teachers.
stereotype somebody as something Why are professors stereotyped as absent-minded?

Question 12

reinforce something ˌriːɪnˈfɔːs/: -v: to make a feeling, an idea, etc. Stronger:
tend to | serve to + Reinforce a sense of loss/…/ belief/message/ concept/ habit/stereotype/team/relationship/point

Question 13

chart something (history/process/progress of sth) [T]: to record or follow the progress or development of somebody/something
The exhibition charts the history of the palace.
The tests are used to chart the progress of both the schools and their pupils.
His job was to chart the progress of the spacecraft.

Question 14

catalogue something [T] to arrange a list of things in order in a catalogue; to record something in a catalogue
New books are catalogued on an electronic database.
It took six years to catalogue all the paintings.

Question 15

champion something [T]: to fight for or speak in support of a group of people or a belief
He has always championed the cause of gay rights.
A local trust has been set up to champion the restoration of the landscape.

Question 16

classify something (+ adv./prep.: to, into) [usually passive] to arrange something in groups according to features that they have in common
The books in the library are classified according to subject.
Patients are classified into three categories.

Question 17

Compel /kəmˈpel/: [T]: to force somebody to do something; to make something necessary
compel somebody to do something The law can compel fathers to make regular payments for their children.
I feel compelled to write and tell you how much I enjoyed your book.
The court has powers to compel witnesses to attend.
compel something Last year ill health compelled his retirement.

Question 18

Compile something [T] : USUALLY PASSIVE : to produce a book, list, report, etc. by bringing together different items, articles, songs, etc.; to collect information in order to produce a book, list, etc.
We are trying to compile a list of suitable people for the job.
The album was compiled from live recordings from last year’s tour.
The figures were compiled from a survey of 2  000 schoolchildren.

Question 19

conserve something [T]
1/[wildlife, creatures] to protect something and prevent it from being changed or destroyed
new laws to conserve wildlife in the area
2/[energy, resources] to use as little of something as possible so that it lasts a long time
Help to conserve energy by insulating your home.
Renewable energy resources can help conserve fossil fuels and reduce carbon emissions.

Question 20

Consolidate [I] [T]
1/ to join the different parts of something together, or to be joined:
[I] There is still scope for European industries to consolidate.
[T] consolidate sth into/with sth Manufacturing has been consolidated into fewer plants worldwide.
2/ to become or make something stronger or more successful:
[I] The company has been growing too rapidly and it is now time to stop the expansion and consolidate.
[T: position, lead] Net assets rose to £758 million, consolidating the company’s position as a member of the FTSE 250 index.

Question 21

Expel sb (from sth) - verb [ T ] /ɪkˈspel/ : to make someone leave a school, country, organization, or place:
Olympic athletes expelled for drug-taking/ She was expelled from school at 15.
expel sb from sth Officials want to expel settlers from protected forest.
The disciplinary tribunal has the power to suspend or even expel offenders from the profession.

Question 22

Contract –v
1/[FORMAL AGREEMENT]
1.a/[ I or T ] LAW: to make a legal agreement with another person or company, for example, to do work for them or to use their services:
be contracted to do sth A local architecture firm was contracted to design and plan the new symphony hall.
1.b/ [intransitive] [WORKPLACE] contract to do something: to make a legal agreement to work for somebody or provide them with a service
She has contracted to work 20 hours a week.
1.c/ [RELATIONS] contract a marriage/an alliance (with somebody) (formal) : to formally agree to marry somebody/form an alliance with somebody
2/[shorten] [ I ]: opp :expand
When wet fibers dry, they contract.
3/[become ill] [T]: to catch or become ill with a disease: She contracted pneumonia and was hospitalized.
-phrasal verb: contract in (to sth)/out (of sth): to formally agree to take part/stop taking part in an official plan or system: Have you contracted in to the pension scheme? / Many employees contracted out of the pension plan.
-put sth out to contract- WORKPLACE: if an organization, government, etc. puts something out to contract, they allow different companies to compete to provide a service or do a job for them: One way to make the process more efficient would be to put it out to contract.

Question 23

Convert –v [I] [T]
1/[ form, purpose, system ] [I] [T]: to change or make something change from one form, purpose, system, etc. to another
[T] convert something into something The hotel is going to be converted into a nursing home.
[I] convert into/to something A lot of conventional farmers have converted to organic production.
2/ [I] [T] [ religion or beliefs: (i) Christianity (đạo thiên chúa giáo)/ˌkrɪstiˈænəti , (Roman) Catholicism (đạo công giáo La Mã – Kitô giáo) /kəˈθɑː.lə.sɪ.zəm/, /, Protestantism /ˈprɒt.ɪ.stən.tɪ.zəm/ (đạo tin lành) , Judaism /ˈdʒuːdeɪɪzəm/ (do thái giáo) , (ii) Buddhism , (iii) Islam, (4i) shamanism]
convert to something She converted to Judaism to marry him.
convert somebody from something to something Mongolia was converted from shamanism to Buddhism in the late 16th century.
3/ [opinion , habit]: [I] [T]
convert (from something) to something I’ve converted to organic food.
convert somebody (from something) (to something) I didn’t use to like opera but my husband has converted me.

Question 24

• coordinate –V [T]: [COMBINE]to organize all the different activities and people who are involved in something so that it works effectively:
  coordinate activities/efforts/operations E-commerce has enabled us to coordinate international operations.
  coordinate something with something We try to coordinate our activities with those of other groups.
• phrasal verb: coordinate with sb/sth: [I] to work together with another person or organization in order to achieve something:
  Retailers should coordinate with suppliers in order to maximize the benefits of advertising campaigns.

Question 25

Counsel [T]: /ˈkaʊn.səl/
(formal) to advise somebody to do something
counsel something Most experts counsel caution in such cases.
counsel somebody + to do something / on | about sth: He counselled them to give up the plan./ My job involves counselling unemployed people on/about how to find work.

Question 26

-craft verb /kræft/ [usually passive]:to make something using special skills, especially with your hands
SYNONYM fashion
be crafted (from something) All the furniture is crafted from natural materials.
-Craft –n: [singular] all the skills needed for a particular activity
chefs who learned their craft in top hotels
the writer’s craft
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverb + craft
* hone
* learn
* master
* …
phrases
* a master of your craft

Question 27

critique something [T] /krɪˈtiːk/: To write or give your opinion of, or reaction to, a set of ideas, a work of art, etc.
Her job involves critiquing designs by fashion students.

Question 28

Deploy [T]
1/deploy something (formal) to use something effectively
to deploy arguments/resources/staff
She rejected the arguments that had been deployed against her.
be deployed to do sth The new capital available can be deployed to create yet more wealth.
2/deploy somebody/something to move soldiers or weapons into a position where they are ready for military action
2 000 troops/soliders were deployed in the area.
At least 5 000 missiles/weapons/tanks were deployed along the border. (/ˈmɪsaɪl/)

Question 29

Direct –v [T]
1/[control]
1.a/ [T] to control or be in charge of an activity, organization, etc.: She directs a large charity./ He was asked to take command and direct operations.
1.b/ [T] to tell people the direction in which they must drive:There was a police officer directing the traffic.
1.c/ to be in charge of a film or play and tell the actors how to play their parts:
[I] He wanted to give up acting and start directing (his own films).
[T] “Jaws” was directed by Steven Spielberg.
2/ (be aimed at sb/doing sth) C1 [ T usually + adv/prep ] to aim something at a particular goal or person, or in a particular direction:
direct something to something/somebody He directed his attention to the next task.
direct something + adv./prep. He directed the light straight in her face.
be directed + against/at/towards sb/sth: Criticism was directed against/at the manufacturers of the product./ All our efforts should be directed towards helping those who need it.
3/[show the way] [transitive] to tell or show somebody how to get to somewhere or where to go
direct somebody + adv./prep. The app directs you along the best cycle route to your destination.
direct somebody It’s not far—I’ll direct you.
direct somebody to something Could you direct me to the station?
He was directed to a table beside the window.
4/ direct verb (ORDER) to order someone, especially officially:
[ T + obj + to infinitive ] formal
direct someone to do something The judge directed the defendant to remain silent.

Answer 29

a

Question 30

Gaze – v [I] SYM stare, gaze ▪ peer ▪ glare: + adv./prep. to look steadily at somebody/something for a long time, either because you are very interested or surprised, or because you are thinking of something else
She gazed at him in amazement.
He sat for hours just gazing into space.
Gaze –n: a long, steady look at somebody/something : SYN Look , glance ▪ gaze ▪ stare ▪ glimpse ▪ glare
He met her gaze (= looked at her while she looked at him).
She dropped her gaze (= stopped looking).
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
* direct
* fixed
* level
* …
verb + gaze
* direct
* fix (somebody with)
* focus
* …
gaze + verb
* drift
* flick
* flicker
* …
preposition
* under somebody’s gaze

Question 31

-dispense /dɪˈspens/
1/[ T ] to provide something such as a service, money, or information:
dispense advice/information/justice A personal financial manager will dispense advice on investments.
2/[ T ] COMMERCE if a machine dispenses a product or cash, it gives it out when someone puts in money or a special number:
The company makes vending machines that dispense drinks and snacks.
The machines not only dispense cash but also accept deposits and transfer balances.
3/[medicines]to prepare medicines as a job and give or sell them to people:
dispense drugs/medication/medicine
Hundreds of wrong prescriptions have been dispensed.
-phrasal verb: dispense with something/someone [I] : to get rid of or stop using something or someone that you do not need: They’ve had to dispense with a lot of luxuries since Mike lost his job.

Question 32

Distribute – T
1/ distribute something (+ adv./prep.) to send goods to shops and businesses so that they can be sold
Who distributes our products in the UK?
Their trademark jeans enjoyed immediate success and were soon distributed worldwide.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
* internationally
* nationally
* exclusively
* …
2/[often passive] to spread something, or different parts of something, over an area
be distributed + adv./prep. Make sure your weight is evenly distributed.
Cases of the disease are widely distributed through Europe.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
* evenly
* uniformly
* unevenly
* …
preposition
* across
* among
* between
* …

Question 33

Diversify –V:
1/ [SYN: branch out into sth] If a business diversifies, it starts making new products or offering new services:
[I]: Many wheat farmers have begun to diversify into other forms of agriculture.
[T] It would be a good idea to diversify the local economy away from its present over-dependence on oil.
2/FINANCE :to put money into a range of different types of investments in order to reduce risk:
[T] He said he bought the shares in 2003 in order to diversify his portfolio.
[I] You could consider diversifying into a unit trust to spread the risk.

Question 34

-Divert
1/[direction] [often passive] to make somebody/something change direction
be diverted The course of the stream has now been diverted.
be diverted (from something) (to/into/onto something) Northbound traffic will have to be diverted onto minor roads.
2/[different purpose] [often passive] to use money, materials, etc. for a different purpose from their original purpose
be diverted (from something) (to/into something) More of the budget was diverted into promotions.
3/[distract]: to take a person’s or people’s attention away from something so that they think about something else:
divert something (away) from something: The war diverted people’s attention away from the economic situation.
divert somebody (from something) to/onto something: Dealing with complaints diverts a salesperson from his primary task of generating sales./ She managed to divert the baby onto a different activity.

Question 35

Document –v [T] document something to record something in the form of a written document, photograph, film, etc.
Urban life in the nineteenth century is well documented.
videos claiming to document animal abuse

Question 36

draft verb (MILITARY) [ T usually passive ] mainly US (UK conscript): to order people by law to join the armed forces:
He was drafted (into the army) at 18.

Question 37

single someone/something out : to choose one person or thing from a group for special attention, especially criticism or praise:
It’s not fair the way my sister is always singled out for special treatment.
Jamie was thrilled when the teacher singled out his poem and asked him to read it aloud.

Question 38

-Effect [T] effect something to make something happen
to effect a cure/change/recovery
The negotiators hoped to effect a smooth transition to an interim administration.
-affect [T] verb
1/[INFLUENCE] to produce a change in somebody/something
Does television affect children’s behaviour?
2/[PRETEND]:
2.a/[disapproving] to start to wear or do something in order to make people admire or respect you: Since joining the band he’s affected a ridiculous southern accent.
2.b/ to pretend to feel or think something:
To all his problems she affected indifference.

Question 39

Eliminate - v
1/[T] [stop considering] to stop considering that somebody/something might be responsible for something or chosen for something
eliminate somebody/something from something The police have eliminated two suspects from their investigation.
eliminate somebody/something (as something) Malaria was eliminated as a cause of death.
2/ [knock out] [ T often passive ]: to defeat someone so that they cannot continue in a competition:
He was eliminated in the third round of the competition.
3/ [kill] [ T ] slang: to murder someone:
A police officer was accused of helping a drug gang eliminate rivals.

Question 40

emphasize something [T] to make something easier to notice
She swept her hair back from her face to emphasize her high cheekbones.
The rising tone of his voice emphasized his panic.

Question 41

Stress – v
[worry] [intransitive, transitive] to become or make somebody become too anxious or tired to be able to relax
I just need to get some sleep and stop stressing.
stress out I try not to stress out when things go wrong.
stress somebody (out) Driving in cities really stresses me (out).

Question 42

Endure - V
1/[T] [I] SYNONYM bear:
endure something They had to endure a long wait before the case came to trial.
endure doing something He can’t endure being defeated.
endure to do something He can’t endure to be defeated.
2/[intransitive] to continue to exist for a long time
SYNONYM last1
a success that will endure
The torn flag has endured as a symbol of freedom.

Question 43

Last - v
1/[intransitive, transitive] to be enough for somebody to use, especially for a particular period of time
last out Will the coffee last out till next week?
last somebody We’ve got enough food to last us (for) three days.
last (+ adv./prep.) She hoped they had enough firewood to last through the night.
2/ [intransitive, transitive] to survive something or manage to stay in the same situation, despite difficulties
last out Can you last out until I can get help?
last out something Doctors say that she probably won’t last out the night (= she will probably die before the morning)

Question 44

be at liberty to do something phrase formal C2
to be allowed to do something:
I’m not at liberty to reveal any names.
You are perfectly at liberty to express your views.

enforce [T] LAW
1/to make sure that people obey something such as a law or rule:
enforce something against/on somebody/something (formal or law) The creditor should be at liberty to enforce his rights against the company’s property.
enforce something The bar had a lawsuit filed against it for not enforcing the smoking ban.
2/ enforce something (on somebody) : to force somebody to do something, or to make sure that something happens:
You can’t enforce cooperation between the players.
Ministers are preparing to enforce a minimum price for beer.
Instead of making enforced redundancies, the company will offer employees other alternatives, such as early retirement.

Answer 44

a

Question 45

Reinforce [T]
1/ [FEELING, IDEA] reinforce something to make a feeling, an idea, etc. stronger
The experience reinforced my sense of loss.
Such jokes tend to reinforce gender stereotypes.
2/ [MATERIAL] reinforce something to make a structure or material stronger, especially by adding another material to it
All buildings are now reinforced to withstand earthquakes.
reinforced plastic/steel/concrete

Question 46

engineer [t]
1/ [usually passive] to design and build something
be… engineered The car is beautifully engineered and a pleasure to drive.
engineer something the men who engineered the tunnel
2/ [usually disapproving] to try to arrange for something to happen, usually something complicated or difficult:
Engineer a compromise/meeting/takeover/downfall/coup /kuː/= an unexpectedly successful achievement: The more restrictive economic environment comes as part of China’s effort to engineer a gradual slowdown of its economic boom.
over-engineer :verb [ T ] to create, design, or build something to be more complicated or perform more actions than is necessary or helpful:
Over-engineer + N: systems, process, product, networks, brand :Her strategy is to over-engineer systems so that they will operate well even if conditions are more challenging than expected.

Question 47

downfall noun/ˈdaʊnfɔːl/ [singular]: the loss of a person’s money, power, social position, etc.; the thing that causes this
The sex scandal finally led to his downfall.
Greed was her downfall.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
* eventual
* ultimate
* dramatic
* …
verb + downfall
* bring about
* cause
* lead to
* …
downfall + verb
* come
phrases
* be somebody’s downfall

Question 48

coup –n : /kuː/
1/ [success] the fact of achieving something that was difficult to do
Getting this contract has been quite a coup for us.
He pulled off a major diplomatic coup by winning agreement from all the warring factions on a permanent ceasefire.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
* big
* great
* major
* …
verb + coup
* pull off
* score
2/(take power) a sudden illegal, often violent, taking of government power, especially by part of an army:
to stage/mount a coup
a failed/an abortive coup
She lost her position in a boardroom coup (= a sudden change of power among senior managers in a company).
He was sentenced to death for his part in the attempted coup.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
* abortive
* attempted
* failed
* …
verb + coup
* launch
* mount
* stage
* …
coup + noun
* attempt
* plot
* leader
* …
preposition
* coup against

Question 49

stage –v [T]
1/ stage something to organize and present a play or an event for people to see
to stage a play/an event/an exhibition
2/ stage something to organize and take part in action that needs careful planning, especially as a public protest
to stage a protest/demonstration/rally
3/ stage something (recovery, comeback) to make something happen
The dollar staged a recovery earlier today.
After five years in retirement, he staged a comeback to international tennis.
-N:
1/in stages: If you do something in stages, you divide the activity into parts and complete each part separately: We’re decorating the house in stages so it won’t be ready for another couple of months.
2/ take the stage: to go onto the stage and start to perform
3/ set the stage for something: to make it possible for something to happen; to make something likely to happen
Family problems in childhood can set the stage for stress in adult life.
The thrilling semi-finals set the stage for what should be a great game.
4/[in politics] [singular] an area of activity where important things happen, especially in politics
centre stage, committee stage, report stage, world stage, international stage, political stage: The country is now a major player on the world stage./Germany is playing a leading role on the international stage.

Question 50

mount –v
-1/ (INCREASE) -C2 [ I ]: to gradually increase, rise, or get bigger:
The children’s excitement is mounting as Christmas gets nearer.
N + mount:
feeling: excitement, anxiety, pressure, tension
Others: Debts, speculations, the death toll (the number of people who died as a result of an event)
2/ mount verb (ORGANIZE, arrange): C2 [ T ] to organize and begin an activity or event:
to mount an attack/campaign/challenge/protest
to mount an exhibition/display
- phrasal verb : mount up SYNONYM build up: to increase gradually in size and quantity
Meanwhile, my debts were mounting up.
The cost quickly mounts up.

Question 51

Toll
-v-[I] syn ring: (of a large bell) to ring slowly and repeatedly, or to cause a large bell to ring in this way: The town hall bell tolled at noon.
-n-
1/ an amount of money that you have to pay to use a road or bridge:
a toll bridge/highway/motorway: The government plans to build more toll roads and high-speed rail links.
2/ INTERNET, COMMUNICATIONS
2.a/ an amount of money that you have to pay to use the internet or to visit particular websites: Cable companies must treat all online traffic equally, without imposing higher tolls for certain content.
2.b/ the cost of a long-distance phone call: Is Bayonne a toll call (= a more expensive phone call) from New York? / Call us on one of our toll-free numbers.
3/(suffering) the total number of bad things or amount of damage that happens as a result of something:
The final toll of bankruptcies for this year is high.
The death toll from the earthquake was over a million.
financial/economic/emotional toll Layoffs carry a large human and financial toll.

Question 52

Speculate [I]
1/ SYN: imagine: [intransitive, transitive] to form an opinion about something without knowing all the details or facts
speculate (about/on/as to something) We all speculated about the reasons for her resignation.
2/ [intransitive] speculate (in/on something) to buy goods, property, shares, etc., hoping to make a profit when you sell them, but with the risk of losing money
He likes to speculate on the stock market.

Question 53

Enhance [t] to improve the quality, amount, or strength of something:
enhance the reputation of sb/quality of sth/performance/ability/experience/features/productivity: These latest discoveries have further enhanced our understanding of the origins of the universe.

Question 54

Redeem – v
1/[compensate] SYN save, rescue ▪ bail out ▪ redeem: to make somebody/something seem less bad
In an attempt to redeem the situation, Jed offered to help sell tickets.
The only redeeming feature of the job (= good thing about it) is the salary.
She seems to have no redeeming qualities (= good aspects of her character) at all.
2/[improve] redeem yourself : to do something to improve the opinion that people have of you, especially after you have done something bad
After his poor performance in the golf tournament two weeks before, he was determined to redeem himself by playing well.
3/[get back] redeem something to get back a valuable object from somebody by paying them back the money you borrowed from them in exchange for the object
He was able to redeem his watch from the pawnshop.
4/[exchange] redeem a coupon, voucher, points, etc.: to exchange a piece of paper representing a particular amount of money for that amount of money or for goods to this value:
I’ve never had any issues redeeming coupons there.
5/ redeem something to pay the full sum of money that you owe somebody; to pay a debt
to redeem a loan/mortgage

be glued to something: (informal) to give all your attention to something; to stay very close to something
He spent the whole trip glued to his phone.
Her eyes were glued to the screen (= she did not stop watching it).

Question 55

To elect to do something (formal) to choose to do something:
Increasing numbers of people elect to work from home nowadays.
Several of the tenants have elected to move to smaller premises.

lift someone’s spirits -phrase informal: to make someone happier:
Nothing - not even the prospect of dinner - could lift his spirits.
The singing lifted our spirits./ Spending time outdoors is good for stress and lifts your spirits.

Question 56

-Boost –v [T]: to make something increase, or become better or more successful
to boost exports/profits
to boost somebody’s confidence/morale (morale noun /məˈrɑːl/: the amount of confidence and enthusiasm, etc. that a person or a group has at a particular time)
Getting that job did a lot to boost his ego (= make him feel more confident).
-Booster –n
1/ (also booster rocket) a rocket that gives a spacecraft extra power when it leaves the earth, or that makes a missile go further
2/ a thing that helps, encourages or improves somebody/something:
a morale/confidence booster
3/booster seat noun /ˈbuːstə siːt/:a seat that you put on a car seat, or on a chair at a table, so that a small child can sit higher

Question 57

Enlist – v
1/ [transitive] to persuade somebody to help you or to join you in doing something
enlist something/somebody (in something) They hoped to enlist the help of the public in solving the crime.
enlist somebody (as something) We were enlisted as helpers.
enlist somebody to do something We were enlisted to help.
2/[ COMPARE call up, conscript /kənˈskrɪpt/, draft] [intransitive, transitive] to join the armed forces; to make somebody join the armed forces
They both enlisted in 1915.
enlist as something to enlist as a soldier
enlist somebody (in/into/for/as something) He was enlisted into the US Navy.

Question 58

List – v
1/[MAKE A LIST] [transitive] list something to write a list of things in a particular order
We were asked to list our ten favourite songs.
The key items are listed below.
2/[mention] [transitive, often passive] to mention or include somebody/something in a list
be listed in something Key benefits are listed in Table 1.
be listed among somebody/something The koala is listed among Australia’s endangered animals.
3/[price] [intransitive, transitive] list (at something) | list something (especially North American English) to be put or put something in a list of things for sale
[I] This laptop lists at $500.
[T] list (sth) at/for sth The property in W 4th Street has just been listed at over $2 million.
4/ [transitive, often passive] (business) OPP delist : to make shares in a company available for trading on a stock exchange
be listed (on something) The company will be listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
The new shares will be listed on the local main stock market on 19 November.

Question 59

bond –v
1/ develop relationship [intransitive, transitive] bond (with somebody) to develop or create a relationship of trust with somebody
[I] Mothers who are depressed sometimes fail to bond with their children.
[T] The aim was to bond the group into a closely knit team.
2/[SYN glue] to stick materials together, usually using glue:
[ I ] The pieces will bond in less than a minute.
[T] bond something This new glue bonds a variety of surfaces in seconds.
bond (A) to B It cannot be used to bond wood to metal.
bond (A and B) together The atoms bond together to form a molecule.