Advanced Words 6 Flashcards
Incorporeal(adj):
REAL
- not having a physical body but a spiritual form
Ex: In the film, the house was visited by a strange incorporeal being.
Ruffle sb’s feathers:
- to upset or annoy someone
the scales fall from someone’s eyes
- If the scales fall from your eyes, you suddenly know and understand the truth.
- contagious
- full of hate and violent opposition
Virulent (adj):
Formal
Ex: a virulent strain of flu
She is a virulent critic of US energy policy.
Get your claws into sb:
- to find a way of influencing or controlling someone
Ex: If the loan company gets its claws into you, you’ll still be paying off this debt when you’re 50.
Not see hide or hair of sb:
- to not see someone at all over a period of time
Ex: I haven’t seen hide nor hair of her since last Friday.
Go spare:
- go bananas/ballistic
Go by the board:
- to be forgotten or not used
Ex: Does this mean our holiday plans will have to go by the board?
Go/fall to pieces:
- unable to think clearly and control your emotions because of sth unpleasant and difficult
Ex: she went to pieces at the funeral
Go (the) whole hog:
- to do something as completely as possible
Ex: Having already limited local taxation, why not go the whole hog and abolish it completely?
Bright and early:
- early in the morning
Go rack and ruin:
- to become less successful or start to be in bad condition
Short and sweet:
- surprisingly short in a way that is pleasing
Ex: This morning’s meeting was short and sweet.
the whys and (the) wherefores:
- the reasons for sth
Ex: I know very little about the whys and the wherefores of the situation.
- helpful or useful in a particular situation, but sometimes not morally acceptable
Expedient (adj):
Formal
Ex: The management has taken a series of expedient measures to improve the company’s financial situation.
-intelligent and careful
Canny (adj):
Ex: a canny speculator
- someone who studies astrophysics (= the study of stars and other objects in space using physical laws)
Astrophysicist(n):
- powerful, strong, and energetic
- full of sexual strength and energy in a way that is considered attractive
Virile(adj):
Ex: In this role, Durante is able to give full expression to that wonderfully virile voice.
She likes her men young and virile.
- to cause someone to be unable to breathe, usually resulting in that person’s death
Asphyxiate(v):
Ex: The murder inquiry found that the children had been asphyxiated.
- talk that is confusing and intended to deceive
Flimflam(n):
- a false report or piece of information that is intended to deceive people
Canard(n):
- to fight in a way that is not serious
- a fight between many people, without weapons
Roughhouse(v, n):
Ex: A couple of boys were roughhousing (each other) in the park.
- the act of encouraging a country to go to war or of threatening violence against another country
Warmongering (n):
Ex: The president was accused of warmongering.
- a politician or other leader who is often encouraging a country to go to war
Warmonger(n):
- causing or involving angry disagreement
Confrontational(adj):
Ex: You should try to be less confrontational if you want to work well in a team.
- relating to fighting or aggression
Agonistic(adj):
Ex: He published a study of agonistic behaviour in freshwater crayfish.
- to persuade someone to do something in a clever and dishonest way, when they do not want to do it
Inveigle (v):
Formal
Ex: Her son tried to inveigle her into giving him the money for a car.
- perhaps
- uncertainty or doubt as to whether something is the case.
Peradventure(adv, n):
Ex: peradventure I’m not as wealthy as he is
that shows beyond peradventure the strength of the economy
- using only a few words or lasting only a short time
Brevity(n):
Ex: His essays are models of clarity and brevity.
The brevity of life
- the ability to perform a difficult action quickly and skilfully with the hands
- the ability to think quickly and effectively or do something difficult extremely well
Dexterity (n):
Ex: He caught the ball with great dexterity.
He answered the reporters’ questions with all the dexterity of a politician.
- Stoic
Stoical(adj):
- suitable or right and expressing well the intended thought or feeling
Felicitous(adj):
—> infelicitous
Ex: He summed up Jack’s achievements in one or two felicitous phrases.
- to make a person or animal unable to move or stop looking at something because they are so interested, surprised, or frightened
Transfix(v):
Ex: The conference delegates were transfixed by her speech.
Fall from grace:
- a situation in which you do something that makes people in authority stop liking you or admiring you
Max out:
- to reach the limit of something, so that nothing more is possible
Ex: We maxed out all our credit cards.
Fluff/flub up:
- to make something appear bigger or full of air by hitting or shaking it
Ex: I’ll just fluff up your pillows for you.
Saving grace(n):
- a good quality that something or someone has that stops it, him, or her from being completely bad
Ex: The film’s only/one saving grace is the excellent cinematography.
- to allow your house or land to be lived in or used by someone else in exchange for a regular payment
Let(v):
= rent
Ex: He’s let his flat to a young couple.
Blinding flash(n):
- an idea or answer that suddenly becomes obvious
Ex: The answer came to her in a blinding flash.
- to turn up
Rock up:
Ex: They rocked up two hours late, dressed in ball gowns.
- to revile
Inveigh against sb/sth:
Formal
Ex: There were politicians who inveighed against immigrants to get votes.
Come to terms with:
- to gradually accept a sad situation
Ex: I think he’s still coming to terms with the death of his wife.
- an act of separating from a group, especially because of disagreement
Breakaway(n):
Ex: The sports association accepted the inevitability of a breakaway by the elite clubs.
- to completely change a system so that it works more effectively
Overhaul(v, n):
Ex: The government has recently overhauled the healthcare system.
They announced plans for a radical overhaul of the country’s political system.
- in a way that is full of strong emotions
Tempestuously(adj):
= vehemently
Ex: “I owe you nothing!” she retorted tempestuously.
Ferret sth out:
- to find out a piece of information or find someone or something, after looking in many places or asking many questions
Ex: I know his name but I haven’t managed to ferret out where he lives.
- demeanor
Deportment(n):
Ex: speech and deportment lessons
—> deportation(n): sự trục xuất
- a vehicle
- the process of moving sth or sb from one place to another
Conveyance(n):
Ex: a horse-drawn/public conveyance
The conveyance of water
- gỉ
Rust(n, v):
Ex: There was an enormous bath with big rust stains.
- giving a clear, strong message
Eloquent(adj):
Ex: She made an eloquent appeal for action.
Silver-tongued(adj):
- If you are silver-tongued, you are good at persuading people to do things.
Ex: It was an ancestor of mine who was described as being silver-tongued.
- not intoxicated
- serious and calm
Sober(adj):
Ex: Are you sober enough to drive, Jim?
Anthony was in a very sober mood - I scarcely heard him laugh all night.
—> sobriety (n):
Sober(v)(2):
- a feeling that prevents you from doing something that you think is morally wrong or makes you uncertain about doing it
Scruple(n):
Ex: He is a man without scruple - he has no conscience.
- to not care that something you do is morally wrong or likely to have bad results
Not scruple to do sth:
Formal
Ex: He wouldn’t scruple to cheat his own mother if there was money in it for him.
= throw caution to the wind(s) = run/ride roughshod over sb
- to get enough food or money to stay alive, but no more
Subsist(v):
Formal
Ex: The prisoners were subsisting on a diet of bread and water.
- of or expressing sexual desire
Amorous(adj):
Ex: Amanda had rejected his amorous advances.
- to take temporary possession of someone’s property until they have paid back the money that they borrowed in order to buy it, or until they have obeyed a court order
Sequester = sequestrade(v):
Ex: You sign the acknowledgement of debt now and a few months later your property will be sequestered.
- to separate things that have become joined or confused
Disentangle(v):
Ex: It’s hard to disentangle the truth from all her lies.
- likely to cause unhappiness, offence or be unpleasant
Invidious(adj):
Formal
Ex: We are not going to seek for invidious comparisons between governments.
- ignorant
Dim-witted(adj):
Ex: We have a fine police force, and they are not dim-witted.
- tax that is paid to a national or state government on some types of goods such as alcohol, cigarettes, or petrol
Excise/excise tax/duty(n):
Ex: a 5% excise duty on cigarettes
- a tax paid on goods that are imported
Customs duty(n):
Ex: Non-traditional exporters are exempt from customs duty and VAT on imports of machinery and equipment.
- a government charge on goods entering or leaving a country
Tariff(n):
Ex: import tariffs
- to remove sth, esp.by cutting
Excise(v):
Formal
Ex: The official censors have excised the controversial sections of the report.
- to remove parts of a piece of writing that are considered likely to cause offence
Expurgate(v):
Formal
Ex: The book was expurgated to make it suitable for children.
- impressive in a way that seems expensive
Sumptuous (adj):
Ex: The celebrity guests turned up dressed in sumptuous evening gowns.
- (esp. of women) having a full, curving shape
- giving you a lot of pleasure because it feels extremely soft and comfortable or it sounds or looks extremely beautiful (ASMR)
Voluptuous (adj):
Ex: a voluptuous woman
I sank into the bed’s voluptuous warmth.
- a person or animal being hunted or looked for
Quarry(n):
Ex: The dogs pursued their quarry into an empty warehouse.
- very beautiful
Ravishing(adj):
Ex: She looked ravishing/She was a ravishing sight in her wedding dress.
- the front of a building
- masquerade
Facade(n):
/fowsa:d/
Ex: He kept his hostility hidden behind a friendly façade.
- behaviour that is intended to prevent the truth about something unpleasant or not wanted from becoming known
Masquerade(n):
Ex: They kept up the masquerade of being happily married for over 30 years.
- spacious
Commodious(adj):
- lethargic
Languid(adj):
= torpid(adj) (Formal)
Ex: a languid manner/voice
- an unusual habit or type of behavior, or something that is strange and unexpected
Quirk(n):
Ex: a personality quirk
It’s just one of the quirks of living there.
—> quirky(adj):
- unusual and strange and therefore surprising or noticeable
Offbeat(adj):
= quirky
- noisy and possibly violent
Rowdy(adj):
Ex: a rowdy party
- showy or too brightly colored
Garish(adj):
Ex: The coffee shop, painted a garish pink, is a landmark in the neighborhood.
- obscene
- not suitable, simple, dignified or beautiful
Vulgar(adj):
Ex: a vulgar patterned shirt
A vulgar joke
- to reduce the force of sth
Subdue(v):
Ex: She’d be hard to subdue if she got mad.
- differential, lithe
- improved because of many small changes that have been made
Refined(adj):
Ex: The hotel lobby reflects the refined taste of the owners.
A highly refined theory
- unpleasantly bright in colour or decoration
Gaudy(adj):
Ex: gaudy plastic flowers
- far-flung(adj):
Secluded(adj):
Ex: a secluded beach/area
- very unlikely to be true, and difficult to believe
Far-fetched(adj):
Ex: a far-fetched idea/story
- a group of experts who are brought together to develop ideas and give advice on a particular subject
Think tank(n):
Ex: corporate/economic/political think tank
Death wish(n):
- a desire for death
Ex: He takes so many chances that you’d think he had a death wish.
- happening because it is expected to happen
Self-fulfilling(adj):
Ex: Pessimism is self-fulfilling - expect the worst and it happens.
- a situation in which something happens because you expected or said it would happen
A self-fulfilling prophecy(n):
Ex: Sales predictions determine how a book is published, and a prediction of poor sales is often a self-fulfilling prophecy.
- to destroy or be destroyed, esp. by acid or rust, usually over a long period of time
Corrode(v):
Ex: Rain water corroded the metal pipes.
- the fact of an idea, product, etc. becoming popular or being accepted
Traction(n):
Ex: In our digital age, it takes less time for new words and phrases to gain traction than it did in the past.
- a large amount or supply of something
Cornucopia(n):
Formal = profusion
Ex: The table held a veritable cornucopia of every kind of food or drink you could want.
- covered with a thin layer of plastic to protect it
Laminated (adj):
Ex: a laminated menu
Emulsify (v):
- If two liquids emulsify or are emulsified, they combine and become a smooth mixture.
- a wide road in a city, usually with trees on each side or along the centre
Boulevard (n):
Ex: We strolled along the boulevard.
Lymph nodes(n):
- hạch bạch huyết
- the practical or boring work that needs to be done
Legwork(n):
Informal
Ex: Months of legwork enabled detectives to uncover a new lead.
- to cause someone or a group of people to stop supporting and agreeing with you
- to make someone feel that they are different and not part of a group
Alienate(v):
Ex: All these changes to the newspaper have alienated its traditional readers.
Disagreements can alienate teenagers from their families.
- to draw pictures or patterns while thinking about something else or when you are bored
Doodle (v, n):
Ex: She’d doodled all over her textbooks.
The textbooks had been defaced by doodles.
- to be patient and wait while someone does something
Bear with sb:
Ex: If you’ll just bear with me for a moment, I’ll find you a copy of the drawings.
- to write or draw sth carelessly
Scribble(v, n):
Ex: The baby’s just scribbled all over my new dictionary!
What are all these scribbles doing on the wallpaper?
- beard
- the stems left in the ground after a crop has been cut
Stubble(n):
Not a red cent:
- no money at all
Ex: It turns out his paintings aren’t worth a red cent.
- bồ hóng
Soot(n):
- to damage or spoil the appearance of sth
Deface/disfigure(v):
Ex: She was horribly disfigured by burns.
He was fined for defacing library books.
- to stay somewhere too long so that people want you to leave
Outstay/overstay my welcome:
Up/raise the ante:
- to increase your risks or demands in order to get a greater advantage
Ex: The governor upped the ante in her war of words with the mayor, by calling him “dangerous” for the city.
Scoop the pool:
- to win all the prizes that are available
Ex: Cuba scooped the pool in the boxing at this year’s Olympics.
Scoop sb/sth up:
- to lift something or someone with your hands or arms in a quick movement
Ex: She scooped the children up and ran with them to safety.
Can of worms:
- a situation that causes a lot of problems for you when you start to deal with it
Ex: Corruption is a serious problem, but nobody has yet been willing to open up that can of worms
- great courage/bravery
Valor/valour(n):
Formal
Ex: He was promoted to the rank of major in recognition of his valor during the battle.
- great enthusiasm or love
Ardor/ardour(n):
Formal
Ex: Her ardor for basketball impressed me.
- to cause something to become caught in something such as a net or ropes
Entangle(v):
Ex: The dolphin had become entangled in/with the fishing nets.
- involved with something or someone in a way that makes it difficult to escape
Entangled in/with sth/sb:
Ex: The mayor and the city council are anxious to avoid getting entangled in the controversy.
- late (in paying money owed)
Delinquent (adj):
Formal
Ex: She has been delinquent in paying her taxes.
- debacle, meltdown
Fiasco(n):
Ex: the show was a fiaso-one actor forgot his lines and another fell off the stage
Shore up sth:
- to make sth stronger by supporting it
Ex: after the earthquake we had to shore up ceilings and walls
Measure up:
- to be good enough, or as good as sb or sth else
Ex: she could never measure up to her mother’s expectations
Go into orbit:
- to increase or succeed very quickly or to be in a state of extreme activity
Ex: prices have gone into orbit this year .
Sell-by/pull date(n):
- a date printed on a product such as food after which it should not be sold
Ex: never eat meat that is past its sell-by/pull date
Bear/carry/have a sell-by date
Use-by date(n):
- a date that is printed on a container of food, medicine, etc. to show that it may not be safe to use it after that particular date
Ex: it is illegal for retailers to sell food past its use-by date
Cut-price(adj):
- cut-price products cost less than the usual
Ex: cut-price airline tickets
Beat the air:
- to make repeated futile attempts
Ex: there’s no way he’ll get his progressive agenda though-he’s just beating the air
Step off the curb:
- to die
Ex: Ralph almost stepped off the curb during his operation
Stem the tide (of sth):
- to stop sth from increasing or continuing
Ex: we have to do sth to stem the tide of violence
Hash sth out:
- to talk about sth with sb else in order to reach agreement about it
Ex: you two hash out the details of the presentation
Keel over:
/ki:l/
- to fall over suddenly
Ex: he finished, stood up to leave, and keeled over
- the support given to a business, esp. a shop, by the people who buy things or services from it
Custom(n):
Ex: if we don’t give good service, people will take their custom elsewhere.
Hang/hold fire:
- to delay doing sth
Ex: ideally we would settle the matter now, but I think we should hang fire until the general situation becomes clearer
- complaining or criticizing
- used to describe an unpleasant feeling that continues for a long period of time
Nagging(adj):
Ex: a nagging voice
Nagging doubts/pain
- without energy and effort
Lacklustre/lackluster(adj):
Ex: Britain’s number-one tennis player gave a disappointingly lackluster performance
- the power to make your own decisions
Volition(n):
Formal
Ex: the singer wished it to be known that he had left the band out of his own volition
- proclivity
Predilection(n):
Formal
Ex: ever since she was a child, she has had a predilection for spicy food
- not expressing an opinion or decision
Noncommittal(adj):
Ex: The ambassador was noncommittal about the introduction of further sanctions.
- an offender, criminal, felon, perpetrator
Malefactor(n):
Formal
- self-righteous
Holier-than-thou(adj):
- in a way that is too quick to criticize people
Judgmentally(adv):
Ex: He approached the subject non-judgmentally
You must try not to be so judgemental about people
- to admit that you have done something wrong
Own up:
Ex: No one has owned up to stealing the money.
- to feel that you belong in a place
Put down roots:
Ex: very quickly, settlers in Oregon built towns and put down roots
- likely to fail soon
On the rocks:
Ex: I think their marriage is on the rocks
- uncomfortable about yourself and worried about disapproval from other people
- intentionally done, made, written
Self-conscious(adj):
Ex: She was self-conscious about her weight
To be effective, charm must not be self-conscious
- admitted to having a characteristic that is bad or unpalatable
Self-confessed(adj):
Ex: a self-confessed gambler/alcoholic/liar
- containing everything that is needed within itself
- not have a large number of relationships with other people or not depend on others for support
Self-contained(adj):
Ex: the apartment is small, but completely self-contained
She’s very self-contained and isn’t at all worried about moving to a big city where she won’t know anybody
- by any method possible
By hook or by crook:
Ex: I decided I was going to get that job by hook or by crook
- the view behind sth
- the general situation in which particular events happen
Backdrop(n):
Ex: the mountains from a dramatic backdrop to the little village
Their love affair began against a backdrop of war
- a strong, negative reaction to sth
Backlash(n):
Ex: the mayor foresaw no political backlash against his proposal
- a person or a thing whose abilities, powers, or effects are not yet known
Unknown quantity(n):
Ex: the third candidate for the seat is a relatively unknown quantity
- to public attention or into a noticeable position
To the fore:
Ex: the prime minister has deliberately brought to the fore those ministers with a more caring image
- riveting
Gripping(adj):
Ex: i found the book so gripping that I couldn’t put it down
- extremely upsetting because connected with suffering
Harrowing(adj):
/he…/
Ex: for many women, the harrowing prospect of giving evidence in a rape case can be too much to bear
- to increase in size, number or level very quickly
Shoot up:
Ex: David has really shot up since I saw him last
- to accept a situation or fact although you do not like it
Reconcile yourself to sth:
= resign yourself to sth
Ex: she must reconcile herself to the fact that she must do some work if she wants to pass the exams
- to calmly accept that sth unpleasant will happen
Be resigned to sth:
Ex: she seems resigned to losing the race
- by means of a vein
Intravenously(adj):
/in…vin…/
Ex: drugs are often given intravenously
- sth that is always ready for use
Standby(n):
Ex: board games are a good standby to keep the children amused if the weather is bad
- ready to be used if necessary
On standby:
Ex: hospitals are on standby ready to deal with casualties from the crash
- below a satisfactory standard
Substandard(adj):
Ex: substandard housing/accommodation
- to cause sth to be no longer active or effective
Deactive(v):
Ex: all chemical weapons facilities will be deactivated
—> there is no such word as “inactivate”
- an increase in the number or amount of sth
- an improvement in a situation
Uptick(n):
Ex: movies sometimes see an uptick in revenue after an Oscars win
An uptick in once-struggling area could make a significant difference to voters’ perceptions of the economy
- not making yourself noticeable, or not trying to get the attention of other people
Self-effacing(adj):
= unassuming
Ex: the captain was typically self-effacing when questioned about the team’s successes, giving credit to the other players
- treated badly or unfairly
Downtrodden(adj):
Ex: the downtrodden masses
- nữ hộ sinh
Midwife(n):
- a person who supports a particular belief or political system
Apologist(n):
Ex: There are few apologists for the old system.
- to treat sb/sth as if they are not important
Marginalize(v):
Ex: Now that English has taken over as the main language, the country’s native language has been marginalized.
- a tall modern building
High-rise(n):
Ex: She lives in a high-rise overlooking the river.
- high-end
Upscale/upmarket(adj, adv):
Ex: an upscale brand name
- sth good or helpful
Boon(n):
Ex: Spring rains are a boon to local farmers.
- a cause of continuous trouble or unhappiness
The bane of sth:
Ex: that cat is the bane of my life
- having a special and detailed knowledge of something
Clued up(adj):
Ex: Shania is more clued up on/about movies than I am.
- in a correct and suitable amount compared to sth else
Commensurate(adj):
Formal
Ex: a salary that is commensurate with skills and experience
- to arrange for your money or property to be given to sb after your death
Bequeath(v):
Formal
Ex: her father bequeathed her the family fortune in his will
- inheritance
Bequest(n):
Ex: her will included small bequests to her family, while most of her fortune went to charity
- a person, typically a child, in ragged, dirty clothes
Rag(g)amuffin(n):
Ex: I can’t stand seeing raggamuffins wandering on the street while others are enjoying the New Year’s Eve
- To put your foot on sth or to press sth down with your foot
Tread(v):
Ex: I kept treading on his toes when we were dancing
- involving the release of strong emotions through a particular activity or experience
Cathartic(adj):
Ex: A cathartic experience
I find it very cathartic to dance
- (of sth such as bad behavior) not necessary, or with no cause
Gratuitous(adj):
Ex: A lot of viewers complained that there was too much gratuitous sex and violence in the film
- Absolutely unnecessary
Non-essential(adj):
Ex: Non-essential travel
- A situation in which a lot of people complain about sth angrily
Uproar(n):
Ex: The whole hall was in uproar after the announcement
- A situation in which people feel worried and nervous because things need to be done quickly
Panic stations(n):
Ex: two weeks before an exam it’s always panic stations as I realize how much I still have to do
- A difficult situation that forces you to make a decision or do sth
The crunch(n):
Informal
Ex: The crunch came when she was forced to choose between marriage and her career
- To put sb or sth into a lower or less important rank or position
Relegate(v):
Ex:  she resigned when she was relegated to a desk job
- extremely determined; never becoming weaker or conceding defeat
Unrelenting (adj):
Formal
Ex: an unrelenting opponent
- to become insane
Lose one’s marbles:
- to refuse to accept sth or sb because you feel that thing or person is not worth having
Spurn(v):
Ex: she spurned my offers of help
- a sudden, short period of activity, excitement or interest
Flurry(n):
Ex: a flurry of activity/excitement
- a soft mass of fibers, feathers, or hair
- useless or immaterial in4
- entertainment that is not serious/valuable
- to fail sth or do it badly
Fluff(n, v):
Ex: cotton fluff
Don’t expect all fluff-like most good satire, this contains some moments of truth
I fluffed my driving test
- to breathe fast and with difficulty
- to smoke tobacco
Puff(v):
Ex: he came puffing up the stairs
She was puffing on a cigarette at the time
Puff and pant: to breathe fast and with difficulty
- knowing or suggesting correctly what will happen in the future
Prescient(adj):
Formal /e…/
Ex: a prescient warning
- to bring together different pieces of written information so that the similarities and differences can be seen
- to collect and arrange the sheets of a report, book, etc. in the correct order
Collate(v):
Formal
Ex: to collate data/information
The photocopier will collate the documents for you
- showing control over your feelings
- brought together in one book or series of books
Collected(adj):
Ex: she appeared calm and collected
His collected poems were published in 1982
- upset or very excited about sth
Worked up(adj):
Ex: it’s very easy to get worked up when you’re tired and eveything seems to be against you
- to not have changed what you do or how you do it for a very long time so that it is not interesting any longer
Be in a rut:
Ex: i was in a rut and couldn’t get out of it
- a situation in which sb behaves as if sexually attracted to another person
Flirtation(n):
Ex: it was a harmless flirtation and nothing more
- (of relationship or emotion) affectionate but not sexual
Platonic(adj):
Ex: she knew he was attracted to her, but preferred to keep their relationship platonic
- sth that represents a quality or idea
Signifier(n):
Ex: the image of santa claus is a cultural signifier of Christmas
- a wave moving towards the coast
Breaker(n):
Ex: we swam out beyond the breakers
- an uncultured/benighted person
Barbarian(n):
Ex: how can you call those barbarians your friends?
- having or showing a confident and forceful personality
Assertive(adj):
Ex: patients should be more assertive with their doctors
- enthusiastic or passionate
Ardent(adj):
Ex: an ardent volleyball fan
- to be very excited and enthusiastic
Bubble over:
Ex: She was bubbling over with excitement/enthusiasm.
- to react angrily
Bristle(v):
Ex: She bristled at the suggestion that she had in any way neglected the child.
- curry favour
Fawn over/on sb:
Ex: I hate waiters who fawn over you.
Fawn on/upon sb:
If an animal such as a dog fawns on/upon you, it is very friendly towards you and rubs itself against you.
- to use or steal all of someone’s money or goods
Clean sb out:
Ex: Buying our new house has completely cleaned us out.
- to lose control, especially in a vehicle, and have an accident
Wipe out:
Ex: I was going too fast and I wiped out on the bend.
- to become very interested in something such as a new idea or fashion or in someone
- to get or take sth that you want
Glom onto sb/sth:
Ex: Retailers are glomming onto a new fashion among teens for outsize clothes.
He glommed onto a couple of my comics and I can’t get them back from him.
- to reduce the time that it takes you to do sth by a particular length of time
Clip off:
Ex: by successfully clipping two seconds off his last best time, our son has set the world record
- popular
Big(adj):
Ex: Hip-hop is still big today.
- liking or disliking particular things, especially food, for no good reason
Faddy(adj):
= faddish
Ex: I was a really faddy eater when I was young.
- an area around a city where many people who work in the city live
Commuter belt(n):
Ex: In the London commuter belt, house prices rose by up to 13.6%.
- important information printed in small letters in an agreement or document
Fine/small print(n):
Ex: Make sure you examine the fine print before you sign the contract.
- to move or move sth very quickly and with great power in a particular direction
Power(v):
Ex: despite the harsh flow of the stream, she powered her way through the water
- quiet and showing no wish for attention or admiration
Unassuming(adj):
Ex: He was shy and unassuming and not at all how you expect an actor to be.
- with your head in front of the rest of your body while you move forward
Headfirst(adv):
Ex: She dived headfirst into the pool.
- a person who chooses to eat food that is not bought from a shop, especially food that other people, shops, or organizations throw away, so that food is not wasted
Freegan/free-liver(n):
Ex: most homeless people in the US are free-livers/freegans, they are all around cafes and restaurants ready to pick up wasted foods or leftovers
- people who use twitter a lot
Twitterati(n):
- smitten, infatuated
Twitterpated(adj):
/…ei…/
Ex: Sam was twitterpated by Linda at first sight
- extremely ugly or deplorable
Hideous(adj):
Ex: hideous new apartment blocks
- public admiration/praise
Kudos(n):
Ex: Being an actor has a certain amount of kudos attached to it.
- to stop sb from doing or wanting sth bad
Cure sb of sth:
Ex: I ate so many sweets that day that I was cured of my sugar craving for months.
- a person who spends a lot of time on their computer and does not have an active style of life
Mouse potato(n):
- to remove a dead body from the ground after it has been buried
Exhume(v):
- to treat sb badly
Walk all over sb:
Ex: the unions accused management of walking all over their staff
- to do the things you have said you would do
Walk the talk:
Ex: Business groups are waiting to see if the incoming Governor will walk the talk on promises to boost the state’s economy.
- less important
- a company owned by a larger company
Subsidiary(adj, n):
Ex: a subsidiary role/factor
- feeling ill with a bad pain in the head and often wanting to vomit after having drunk too much alcohol
Hungover(adj):
Ex: That was a great party last night, but I’m (feeling) really hungover this morning.
—> hangover(n): a feeling of illness after drinking too much alcohol
- to buffet
Beat/knock/whale the tar out of sb:
Ex: the boxer hit the tar out of his opponent
- to blame, ascribe
- to calculate without knowing the exact in4
Impute(v):
Ex: the CEO imputed many typos in the letters to his idle secretary
To impute costs
- a small mistake
Typo(n):
- for a very long time
From/since time immemorial:
Ex: her family had farmed that land since time immemorial
- existing or traditional for a long time
Immemorial(adj):
Formal
Ex: immemorial customs
- treating sth holy or important without respect
Sacrilegious(adj):
= profane
Ex: sacrilegious practice/acts
- extremely great in ability, amount, or strength
Prodigious(adj):
Formal
Ex: a prodigious musician
- having or showing a strong wish to take things for yourself
Rapacious(adj):
= avaricious = covetous = acquisitive
Ex: a rapacious landlord/businessman
- to prove that what someone said or did was right or true
- exculpate
Vindicate(v):
Ex: The investigation vindicated her complaint about the newspaper.
They said they welcomed the trial as a chance to vindicate themselves.
- feeling sad and sorry for yourself
Maudlin(adj):
- impossible to correct or cure
Irremediable(adj):
Ex: irremediable flaws
- a large, impressive building
Edifice(n):
Formal
Ex: The town hall is the only edifice surviving from the 15th century.
- face
Visage(n):
- deportment
Comportment(n):
- to behave in a particular way
Comport yourself:
Ex: She comported herself with great dignity at her husband’s funeral.
- completely
Root and branch/roots and all:
Ex: racism must be eliminated, roots and all
- help given to someone
Succor/succour(n):
Ex: Her organization gave succour and strength to those who had been emotionally damaged.
- to complain angrily
- an angry complaint
Grouse(v, n):
Informal
Ex: She’s always grousing about how she’s been treated by the management.
- preposterous
Ludicrous(adj):
Formal
Ex: a ludicrous idea
- clairvoyant
Sibyl(n):
- so obvious that it can easily be seen or known
Palpable(adj):
Ex: a palpable effect
- that can be pulled back or in
Retractable(adj):
Formal
Ex: cats have retractable claws
- false and damaging one’s stature
Calumnious(adj):
Formal
Ex: calumnious personal attack
- nhào bột
Knead(v):
Ex: knead the dough until smooth
- to send or bring sb/money/property back to the country that he, she, it came from
Repatriate(v):
Ex: The government repatriated him because he had no visa.
- to be extremely determined to do sth
Be hell-bent on sth:
Informal
Ex: he was hell-bent on revenge
- to be hiding in a safe place
Be holed up:
Idiom
Ex: the thief was holed up in a deserted warehouse
- to be close to catching or finding sb
Be hot on sb’s trail/track:
- to remove the difficulties from sth
Smooth sth away:
Ex: My mother was always there to smooth away my fears.
- to write or say something in order to make the true facts known
See/put the record straight
Ex: She’s decided to write her memoirs to set the record straight once and for all.
- sb who does not live in their own country
Expatriate(n, adj, v):
Ex: a large community of expatriates have settled there
Expatriate community
He expatriated to England
- to accuse
Indict(v):
/indait/
Ex: five people were indicted making and selling counterfeit currency
- energy and strength
Vitality(n):
Ex: According to the packet, these vitamin pills will restore lost vitality.
- rude and not showing respect
Sneering(adj):
Ex: I don’t like that superior, sneering tone of his
- clear understanding and good judgment of a situation
Shrewdness(n):
Ex: she was a women of great courage and political shrewdness
—> shrewd(adj)
- unpleasant, easily annoyed, and arguing a lot
Shrewish(adj):
Ex: he plays a loving father who finds himself increasingly alienated from from his shrewish wife
- giải kk
Consolation prize(n):
- unable to be trusted
Perfidious(adj):
= treacherous
Ex: She described the new criminal bill as a perfidious attack on democracy.
—> perfidy(n): behaviour that is not loyal
- the quality of being extremely stupid
Imbecility(n):
Ex: the absolute imbecility of this show has to be seen to be believed
- lặn
Recessive(adj):
Ex: recessive gene
- to bespeak
- to allow another person/group to have authority over you
Submit(v):
Formal
Ex: In conclusion, I submit that the proposal will not work without some major changes
We protested about the changes for a long time, but in the end we submitted
- any change from one thing to its opposite
Turnaround/turnround(n):
Ex: a closer examination indicates that the consumption of dairy products undergoes a gradual decrease over time, while that of meat initially witnesses a surge to reach a peak, but later sees a turnaround.
- pleasant, clean and healthy to live in
Salubrious(adj):
Ex: a salubrious part of town
- not showing careful choice or planning, especially so that harm results
Indiscriminate(adj):
Ex: an indiscriminate terrorist attack on civilians
—> k co discriminate(adj)
- very loud, full of confusion, change, or uncertainty
Tumultuous(adj):
Formal
Ex: the former president appeared to tumultuous applause and a standing ovation
- control over a country or people
- the land that belongs to a ruler
Dominion(n):
Ex: Napoleon dreamed of achieving global dominion
The chief’s son would inherit all his dominions
- to bring a group of people together and keep them in one place, esp. to control them
- an area surrounded by a fence for keeping horse or cattle
Corral(v, n):
/kəˈræl/
Ex: Police corralled most of the demonstrators in a small area near the station
Ad nauseam(adv):
/ˌæd ˈnɑː.zi.æm/
If sb discusses sth ad nauseam, they talk about it so much that it becomes very boring
Ex: he talks ad nauseam about how clever his children are
- to appear or show very clearly and obviously
Stand (out) in relief:
Ex: the moutain stood out in sharp relief against the evening sky
- to make yourself very tired by working too much
Run yourself into the ground:
Ex: we ran ourselves into the ground to meet the deadlines
- relating to or like the time of day just before the sun goes down, when the light is not bright
- (of animals) active or appearing at the time of day when the light is not bright
Crepuscular(adj):
Ex: deer are crepuscular, meaning that they are most active at dawn and at dusk
- worth nothing or of little value
Nugatory(adj):
Formal
Ex: a nugatory amount
- to meet sb socially
Fraternize(v):
Ex: the soldiers were accused of fraternizing with the enemy
- to be suitable for a particular purpose
Fit the bill:
Ex: this new software fits the bill
- to make sth seem less good/important
- to not behave according to the rules of an agreement, acceptable behavior, etc.
Derogate from sth:
Ex: these criticisms are not meant to derogate from the excellent work they have done
- to visit/go to a lot of different places, enjoying yourself
Gallivant(v):
Ex: I don’t go gallivanting around like this every night
- angry
Riled (up) (adj):
Ex: the general public gets riled up by so many motorists parking for free
- at risk of failing or being harmed
On the line:
Ex: his job is on the line
- skillful, effective, and quick
Deft(adj):
Ex: he is very deft at handling awkward situations
- thought that lasts for only a short time
Fleeting thought(n):
- a complicated, difficult situation (predicament)
- a situation in which you become so interested in a subject or an activity
Rabbit hole(n):
Ex: she once went down that political rabbit hole
You can find yourself getting sucked into various rabbit holes
- to not use sth and use sth else instead
Sub out sth:
Ex: you can sub out the pecans for walnuts or almonds
- showing little respect for others by doing things they have no right to do
Presumptuous(adj):
Ex: it would be presumptuous of me to comment on the matter
- following sb closely, trying hard to catch them
In hot pursuit:
Ex: the gang drove off, with the police in hot pursuit
- to be nervous or worried
Fret(v):
Ex: she spent the day fretting about/over what she’d said to Nick
- to give sb special treatment
Pamper(v):
Ex: she pampers her dog with the finest steak and salmon
- a sudden, short period of noise, confusion, or excited movement
Commotion(n):
Ex: His arrival caused quite a commotion.
- to be certain that sth will happen
Rest assured(adj):
Ex: you can rest assured that you are going to get a good deal.
- to talk profusely, especially in an insolent, or in an agonistic manner
Run (sb’s) mouth off:
Ex: if she keeps going running her mouth off at the referee, she’s going to be ejected from the game
- the school, college, university where you studied
Alma mater (n):
/ˌɑːl.mə ˈmɑː.t̬ɚ/
Ex: he wanted to go back to his hometown and teach at his alma mater
- sth that happens that is the result of chance rather than skill.
Fluke(n):
/…u:/
Ex: the first goal was just a fluke
- badly and carelessly made
Shoddy(adj):
Ex: shoddy goods/workmanship
- to discover sb’s opinions or intentions
Sound sb out:
Ex: why don’t you sound her our before the meeting, to see which way she will vote?
- to stay close to sb, watching everything that they do
Breathe down sb’s neck:
Ex: it’s awful having a boss who breathes down your neck all the time
- using power or authority more forcefully than is needed, without thinking about the feelings or wishes of other people
High-handed(adj):
Ex: The politician in the film is arrogant and high-handed with his family but in public as smooth as sunscreen moisturiser.
- carrying many weapons
Armed to the teeth:
Ex: the gunman was reported as being armed to the teeth
- to be especially annoying, surprising, etc. or to be the worst or best of its kind
Take the cake/biscuit:
Ex: All of the reviews were bad, but hers took the cake.
- in the future
Down the track/road/line:
Ex: Cars that drive themselves are in development now, but a marketable product is a long way down the line.
- obeying exactly according to rules or instructions
By the book:
- to do something or go somewhere very slowly, taking more time than is necessary
Dawdle(v):
Ex: stop dawdling! You’ll be late for school
- a strong ability, sth that a person can do well
Forte(n):
/ˈfɔːr.teɪ/
Ex: Cooking was not exactly her forte.
= strong point/suit = long suit
- to have the opposite result from the one you intended
Backfire(v):
Ex: Her plans to make him jealous backfired on her when he started dating her best friend.
- avoiding being recognized, by changing your name or appearance
Incognito(adv):
Ex: The prince often travelled abroad incognito.
- to move closer to form a tight group
Bunch (sth) up/together:
Ex: the monkeys bunched together in their cage
- in the same style of speaking or writing
In the same vein:
- the most important part of sth, providing support for everything else
The backbone/mainstay of sth:
Ex: farming is the backbone of the country’s economy
- frightening or dangerous
Hairy(adj):
Ex: i like going on the back of Pedro’s motorbike, though it can get a bit hairy
- sb who is easily frightened
Scaredy-cat(n):
Ex: come on, scaredy-cat, it won’t bite you
- to make sb gradually stop using sth that is bad for them
Wean sb off/from sth:
Ex: It’s difficult to wean addicts off cocaine once they’re hooked.
- to gradually reduce sth so that it becomes smaller or weaker
Chip away at sth:
Ex: he gradually chipped away at her confidence
- excellent, perfect
Tip-top(adj):
Ex: tip-top shape/condition
- very brave or bravely determined
Valiant(adj):
/…i…/
Ex: make a valiant effort/attempt
- anger
Ire(n):
Formal
Ex: Petty restrictions easily raised/aroused the ire of such a creative artist.
- an area of soft, wet ground that you sink into if you try to walk on it
- a predicament
Quagmire(n):
Ex: At the end of the game, the pitch was a real quagmire.
Since the coup, the country has sunk deeper into a quagmire of violence and lawlessness.
- to take a lot of money from sb over a period of time
Bleed sb dry:
Ex: the west is bleeding poorer countries dry through interest payment on their debts
- careful and controlled, not fast
Measured(adj):
Ex: her response to their criticism was calm and measured
- tim ngừng đập
Cardiac arrest(n):
- tall and thin
Lanky(adj):
Ex: when Tsukki was in third grade, he was very lanky
- brave and determined
Stouthearted(adj):
(=stalwart)
Ex: even the most stouthearted of hikers would have to turn back in this weather
- to cause sb to use all their ability
Extend(v):
Ex: she feels that her job doesn’t extend her enough
- an extremely small amount
Iota(n):
/ai…/
Ex: I haven’t seen one iota of evidence to support his claim
- to admit that you were wrong or that you have been defeated
Back down:
Ex: eventually, he backed down and apologized
- a difficult game or competition
Slugfest(n):
Ex: the fight was a horrible 12-round slugfest
- to remove a difficulty
Obviate(v):
Formal
Ex: A peaceful solution would obviate the need to send a UN military force.
- to fill sb with fear
Make sb’s blood curdle:
Ex: the eerie sound made his blood curdle
Curdle(v):
- If a liquid curdles, or you curdle it, it gets thicker and develops lumps.
Ex: Over time, the milk thickens or curdles into a yogurt-like substance with a strong, sour flavor.
- little or no success in getting sth because there is not very much of it remaining
Slim pickings(n):
Ex: Buyers who have waited for bargains at the end of the year will find slim pickings.
- sb who is trained as a soldier
Reservist(n):
- sb who is very energetic, determined to be successful, and able to deal with new or difficult situations easily
Go-getter(n):
Ex: I guess that both Hinata and Bokuto are go-getters
