ANIME ENGLISH Flashcards
peninsula
an area of land that is almost surrounded by water but is joined to a larger piece of land
fleet
a group of military ships commanded by the same person
a fleet of destroyers
Nelson destroyed the Franco-Spanish fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar.
ingenuity
the ability to invent things or solve problems in clever new ways
The problem tested the ingenuity of even the most imaginative students.
Getting out of this mess was going to require a fair degree of ingenuity.
It didn’t take much ingenuity to transform the door into a table.
The children showed a lot of ingenuity.
There is always a solution, so long as you are prepared to use your ingenuity.
They adapted the available materials with great ingenuity.
We have to admire his ingenuity in redesigning the machinery.
someone who has the ingenuity to solve problems
crumble
to break or break something into very small pieces
Rice flour makes the cake less likely to crumble.
crumble something Crumble the cheese over the salad.
She crumbled the dry earth into fine powdery dust.
labor
work, especially physical work
manual labor (= work using your hands)
The price will include the labor and materials.
The company wants to keep down labor costs.
The workers voted to withdraw their labor (= to stop work as a means of protest).
a fair division of labor between men and women
once upon a time
used, especially at the beginning of stories, to mean ‘a long time ago in the past’
Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess.
weaponry
all the weapons of a particular type or belonging to a particular country or group
high-tech weaponry
US weaponry
He had a large collection of medieval and historical weaponry.
When they surrendered their weaponry was taken by the enemy.
deplorable
very bad and unacceptable, often in a way that shocks people
a deplorable incident
They were living in the most deplorable conditions.
The acting was deplorable.
We tried to forget the whole deplorable episode.
It is deplorable that… It is deplorable there is no legal protection for these children.
pose
pose something to create a threat, problem, etc. that has to be dealt with
to pose a threat/risk/challenge/danger
the threat posed by terrorism
Obesity poses real risks to health and happiness.
The task poses no special problems.
to pose a hazard/obstacle/barrier
Pollutants in the river pose a real risk to the fish.
the dangers posed by the possession of nuclear weapons
the environmental threat posed by oil spillages
pooped
very tired
I’m pooped!
devote to
to give an amount of time, attention, etc. to something
I could only devote two hours a day to the work.
The amount of time devoted to leisure is dropping.
wicked
morally bad (evil)
a wicked deed
stories about a wicked witch
It’s really wicked to leave old people without any help.
She despised herself for being selfish, even wicked.
That was a wicked thing to do!
The wicked witch casts a spell on the princess.
unwavering
not changing or becoming weaker in any way
unwavering support
fatherland
the country where a person, or their family, was born, especially when they feel very proud of it
grim
looking or sounding very serious
a grim face/look/smile
She looked grim.
with a look of grim determination on his face
He set about the task with grim concentration.
grim-faced policemen
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unpleasant and depressing
================
James had some rather grim news.
We face the grim prospect of still higher unemployment.
Despite the grim forecast, the number of deaths was slightly down on last year.
The outlook is pretty grim.
This latest attack is a grim reminder of how vulnerable our airports are to terrorist attack.
Booth paints a grim picture of life in the next century.
a grim struggle for survival
Things are looking grim for workers in the building industry.
The accident serves as a grim reminder of what drinking and driving can do.
vomit
to bring food from the stomach back out through the mouth
The smell made her want to vomit.
vomit something up He had vomited up his supper.
vomit something The injured man was vomiting blood.
trench
a long, deep hole dug in the ground in which soldiers can be protected from enemy attacks (for example in northern France and Belgium in the First World War)
life in the trenches
They had not been prepared for the horrors of trench warfare.
derail
(of a train) to leave the track; to make a train do this
The train derailed and plunged into the river.
derail something The rebels plotted to derail trains and blow up bridges.
a foregone conclusion
if you say that something is a foregone conclusion, you mean that it is a result that is certain to happen
The outcome of the vote is a foregone conclusion.
The result of the game was a foregone conclusion.
blend
to mix two or more substances together (MIX)
blend A with B Blend the flour with the milk to make a smooth paste.
blend A and B (together) Blend together the eggs, sugar and flour.
classified
(of information) officially secret and available only to particular people
classified information/documents/material
The British government is still refusing to disclose certain classified documents.
The magazine printed a controversial article based on classified material.
We are not in a position to divulge that information: it is classified.
utterly
completely
We’re so utterly different from each other.
She utterly failed to convince them.
enlistment
the act of joining the armed forces; the act of making somebody join the armed forces
his enlistment in the Royal Air Force
ream out
(North American English, informal) to criticize somebody strongly because they have done something wrong
He reamed me out in front of everyone.
compromise
an agreement made between two people or groups in which each side gives up some of the things they want so that both sides are happy at the end
After lengthy talks the two sides finally reached a compromise.
In any relationship, you have to make compromises.
a compromise solution/agreement/candidate
After much discussion, she offered a compromise.
He might be an attractive compromise candidate if both sides’ first choices are rejected.
I’m not making any more compromises.
It is best to try to seek a compromise rather than a perfect solution.
They came to a compromise over the exact amount to be paid.
They’re still trying to work out an acceptable compromise.
straight-laced
having strict or old-fashioned ideas about people’s moral behaviour
evildoer
a person who does very bad things
flee
to leave a person or place very quickly, especially because you are afraid of possible danger
She burst into tears and fled.
flee from somebody/something a camp for refugees fleeing from the war
flee to…/into… He fled to London after an argument with his family.
flee something He was caught trying to flee the country.
The driver had already fled the scene of the accident.
fiend
a very cruel or unpleasant person
on/to the verge of something/of doing something
very near to the moment when somebody does something or something happens
He was on the verge of tears.
They are on the verge of signing a new contract.
These measures brought the republic to the verge of economic collapse.
She was on the verge of a nervous breakdown when she finally sought help.
repel
repel somebody/something (formal) to successfully fight somebody who is attacking you, your country, etc. and drive them away
to repel an attack/invasion/invader
Troops repelled an attempt to infiltrate the south of the island.
(figurative) The reptile’s prickly skin repels nearly all of its predators.
in the lap of luxury
in easy, comfortable conditions, and enjoying the advantages of being rich
We spent two weeks in the hotel living in the lap of luxury.
elite
a small group of people in a society, etc. who are powerful and have a lot of influence, because they are rich, intelligent, etc.
a member of the ruling/intellectual elite
Public opinion is influenced by the small elite who control the media.
In these countries, only the elite can afford an education for their children.
He was an influential member of the ruling elite.
These people form an elite who have the power to make decisions.
a club for members of the business elite
the European Union’s technocratic elites
Cultural centres should not just be for the use of a social elite.
He came from the country’s intellectual elite.
The global elite has held meetings there since 1873.
The election result was seen as a backlash of the working class against the metropolitan liberal elite.
envision
to imagine what a situation will be like in the future, especially a situation you intend to work towards (imagine)
They envision an equal society, free of poverty and disease.
If you can envision your goals, you can achieve those goals.
attain
attain something to succeed in getting something, usually after a lot of effort
Most of our students attained five ‘A’ grades in their exams.
We only consider applicants who have attained a high level of academic achievement.
attain (a) degree/standard/level/proficiency/mastery
status
the legal position of a person, group or country
They were granted refugee status.
The party was denied legal status.
The company investigated the immigration status of its workers.
A majority voted for fully independent status for the region.
A referendum produced a massive majority in favour of fully independent status for the region.
Officers could determine their legal status.
She applied for resident status but was turned down.
The Institute has now achieved full status as part of the University.
The organization has charitable status.
They argued that the email had no signature and therefore no legal status.
They have acquired refugee status.
hospitals that have been given foundation status
In 1806 Napoleon raised Bavaria to the status of a kingdom.
They successfully applied for residency status.
vanguard
the part of an army, etc. that is at the front when moving forward to attack the enemy
The army was advancing steadily and the vanguard was already at the border.
presume
to suppose that something is true, although you do not have actual proof (assume)
They are very expensive, I presume?
‘Is he still abroad?’ ‘I presume so.’
presume (that)… I presumed (that) he understood the rules.
it is presumed that… Little is known of the youngest son; it is presumed that he died young.
presume somebody/something to be/have something I presumed him to be her husband.
I had presumed wrongly that Jenny would be there.
I presumed that he understood the rules.
They presume that a woman’s partner is supporting her financially, whether this is true or not.
fort
a building or buildings built in order to defend an area against attack
The fort finally fell after a week of intense fighting.
The fort was under attack for three days.
an Iron Age hill fort
incompetent
not having the skill or ability to do your job or a task as it should be done
an incompetent teacher
his incompetent handling of the affair
The prime minister was attacked as incompetent to lead.
I know my boss considers me incompetent.
a grossly incompetent piece of reporting
She worked for years under an incompetent manager.
gall
rude behaviour showing a lack of respect that is surprising because the person behaving badly is not embarrassed
Then they had the gall to complain!
I almost admired the utter gall of the man.
prick
an offensive word for a stupid or unpleasant man
(a penis)
==============
Don’t be such a prick!
subjugate
to defeat somebody/something; to gain control over somebody/something
be subjugated (to something) Her personal ambitions had been subjugated to (= considered less important than) the needs of her family.
a subjugated race
the strong subjugates the weak
accomplished
very good at a particular thing; having a lot of skills
an accomplished artist/actor/chef
She was an elegant and accomplished woman.
He came to New York in 1976, already accomplished in English.
Sarah had become accomplished at running the house.
a technically accomplished musician
By this time she was becoming quite an accomplished liar.
He was an accomplished linguist, fluent in French and German.
accomplishment
an impressive thing that is done or achieved after a lot of work (achievement)
It was one of the President’s greatest accomplishments.
The series of paintings is quite an accomplishment.
If this works, it will be a major accomplishment.
It would be quite an accomplishment if we could get this finished in time.
The administration’s success in cutting the budget was an impressive accomplishment.
the technical accomplishments of modern medicine
resolve
a determined desire to achieve something
The difficulties in her way merely strengthened her resolve.
It was a test of his stamina and resolve.
She did not weaken in her resolve.
resolve to do something The government reiterated its resolve to uncover the truth.
internment
the act of putting somebody in prison during a war or for political reasons, although they have not been charged with a crime
the internment of suspected terrorists
the purges, deportations and internments of the 1930s
internment camps
railroad
a track with rails on which trains run
flawless
without flaws and therefore perfect (perfect)
a flawless complexion/performance
Her English is almost flawless.
deploy
deploy somebody/something to move soldiers or weapons into a position where they are ready for military action
2 000 troops were deployed in the area.
At least 5 000 missiles were deployed along the border.
Tanks were deployed effectively during the long campaign.
——————
deploy something (formal) to use something effectively
===========
to deploy arguments/resources
She rejected the arguments that had been deployed against her.
pillboxes
a small shelter for soldiers, often partly underground, from which a gun can be fired
agile
able to move quickly and easily
(nimble)
=========
a strong and agile athlete
postpone
to arrange for an event, etc. to take place at a later time or date than originally planned
(put off)
===============
postpone something The game has already been postponed three times.
postpone something until something We’ll have to postpone the meeting until next week.
postpone something to something They have agreed to postpone repayment of the loan to a future unspecified date.
postpone doing something It was an unpopular decision to postpone building the new hospital.
Ruth wrote at once, asking Maria to postpone her visit.
The event has been postponed indefinitely due to lack of interest.
The game has been postponed from Wednesday night to Friday night.
absolute
total and complete
I’ve joined a class for absolute beginners.
absolute confidence/trust/silence/truth
‘You’re wrong,’ she said with absolute certainty.
Clean water is an absolute necessity.
Around them the darkness was absolute, the silence oppressive.
——————–
used, especially in spoken English, to give emphasis to what you are saying
============
We must keep costs to an absolute minimum.
This room is an absolute disgrace.
They’re talking absolute nonsense.
He must earn an absolute fortune.
——————-
definite and without any doubt
==========
There was no absolute proof.
He taught us that the laws of physics were absolute.
The story offers no clear message, no absolute truth.
——————
not limited in any way
============
absolute power/authority
an absolute ruler/monarchy (= one with no limit to their power)
allegiance
a person’s continued support for a political party, religion, leader, etc.
to switch/transfer/change allegiance
an oath/a vow/a statement of allegiance
People of various party allegiances joined the campaign.
allegiance (to somebody/something) to pledge/swear allegiance
He affirmed his allegiance to the president.
Every day the children say the Pledge of Allegiance.
Every day the schoolchildren pledge an oath of allegiance to their country.
He is now very rich but his allegiance to his working-class origins is still strong.
He keeps everyone guessing about his true allegiance.
He owed his allegiance to the organization that had given him all his opportunities.
It is hard to keep up with the changing allegiances between the various political parties.
render
render somebody/something + adj. (formal) to cause somebody/something to be in a particular state or condition
(make)
==============
to render something harmless/useless/ineffective
Hundreds of people were rendered homeless by the earthquake.
devoid
(devoid of something) completely without something
The letter was devoid of warmth and feeling.
The land is almost devoid of vegetation.
troops
soldiers, especially in large groups
They announced the withdrawal of 12 000 troops from the area.
The president decided to send in the troops.
Russian troops
filthy
very dirty and unpleasant
filthy rags/streets
It’s filthy in here!
maggots
a creature like a small, short worm that is the young form of a fly and is found in meat and other food that is going bad.
Maggots are often used as bait to catch fish.
redeem
redeem somebody/something to make somebody/something seem less bad
The excellent acting wasn’t enough to redeem a weak plot.
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.
In an attempt to redeem the situation, Jed offered to help sell tickets.
standby
a person or thing that can always be used if needed, for example if somebody/something else is not available or if there is an emergency
I always keep a pizza in the freezer as a standby.
a standby electricity generator
Wilson has been called into the squad as a standby.
A dark suit is a useful standby for any formal occasion.
befit
something befits somebody to be suitable and good enough for somebody/something
It was a lavish reception as befitted a visitor of her status.
He lived in the style befitting a gentleman.
at/in one fell swoop
all at the same time; in a single action, especially a sudden or violent one
If the new law is passed, it will remove press freedom in one fell swoop.
drop-dead
used before an adjective to emphasize that somebody/something is attractive in a way that is very easy to notice
a drop-dead gorgeous Hollywood star
so be it
used to show that you accept something and will not try to change it or cannot change it
If he doesn’t want to be involved, then so be it.
commence
to begin to happen; to begin something
The meeting is scheduled to commence at noon.
I will be on leave during the week commencing 15 February.
commence with something The day commenced with a welcome from the principal.
commence something She commenced her medical career in 1956.
The company commenced operations in April.
to commence bankruptcy proceedings against somebody
commence doing something We commence building next week.
commence to do something Operators commenced to build pipelines in 1862.
proceed
to continue doing something that has already been started; to continue being done
We’re not sure whether we still want to proceed with the sale.
Work is proceeding slowly.
He left detailed instructions about the best way to proceed.
I will instruct my lawyer to proceed with the preparation of draft contracts.
She decided not to proceed with the treatment.
I will remember your advice and proceed accordingly.
It will be necessary to proceed with caution.
The council must proceed on the basis of the vote.
This project cannot be allowed to proceed.
outshine
to be more impressive than somebody/something; to be better than somebody/something
He far outshone the rest of the class.
interpret
to explain the meaning of something
The students were asked to interpret the poem.
The data can be interpreted in many different ways.
These results must be interpreted cautiously.
sully
to damage or reduce the value of something
By cheating they have sullied the good name of their country.
—————
to make something dirty
=========
She wondered if she dared risk sullying the gleaming sink.
artillery
large, heavy guns which are often moved on wheels
The town is under heavy artillery fire.
artillery attacks/barrages/shells
nuclear artillery units
A stray artillery shell struck the hospital.
The army launched a heavy artillery barrage against enemy positions.
fonctional
practical and useful; with little or no decoration
Bathrooms don’t have to be purely functional.
The office was large and functional rather than welcoming.
Items such as musical instruments may be both functional and aesthetically pleasing.
pierce
to make a small hole in something, or to go through something, with a sharp object
pierce something The arrow pierced his shoulder.
He pierced another hole in his belt with his knife.
to have your ears/nose, etc. pierced (= to have a small hole made in your ears/nose, etc. so that you can wear jewellery there)
pierce somebody
(figurative) She was pierced to the heart with guilt.
pierce through something The knife pierced through his coat.
The narrowed blue eyes seemed to pierce right through her.
cretin
a very stupid person
Why did you do that, you cretin?
treaty
a formal agreement between two or more countries
the Treaty of Rome
a peace treaty
to draw up/sign/ratify a treaty
Under the terms of the treaty, La Rochelle was ceded to the English.
courageous
showing courage (brave) =========== a very courageous decision I hope people will be courageous enough to speak out against this injustice.
jubilation
a feeling of great happiness because of a success
There were scenes of jubilation among her supporters.
her jubilation at reaching the final
flaw
a mistake in something that means that it is not correct or does not work correctly
(defect, fault)
==============
The argument is full of fundamental flaws.
flaw in something The report reveals fatal flaws in security at the airport.
There is still a basic flaw in your selection procedure.
Flaws have appeared in the new version of the software.
It took me a long time to find the flaw in her logic.
Engineers have detected serious design flaws.
defect
a fault in something or in the way it has been made that means that it is not perfect
a speech defect
a defect in the glass
Goods with slight defects are sold at half price.
The photograph shows slight defects due to age.
The book contains serious defects.
He has a congenital heart defect.
Congenital defects occurred in 30% of babies born in areas where the weapons were used.
The child had a mild heart defect.
There is evidence that air pollution can cause birth defects.
The drug is widely known to cause birth defects.
Over-breeding in pedigree dogs can cause major genetic defects in puppies.
This is a physical defect that cannot be cured.
The builders agreed to remedy the structural defects.
A structural defect meant that the bridge could not be opened in time for the Millennium celebrations.
The inspector found defects in the aircraft’s construction.
a fundamental defect in the product
swine
(informal) an unpleasant person
He’s an arrogant little swine!
(have) a lot, nothing, etc. going for you
(to have) many/not many advantages
You’re young, intelligent, attractive—you have a lot going for you!
marksmanship
skill in shooting
hot air
(informal) claims, promises or statements that sound impressive but have no real meaning or truth
He talks a lot of hot air.
Don’t worry about what they’re saying—it’s all hot air.
The whole debate was just so much hot air.
give somebody hell
to shout at or speak angrily to somebody
Dad will give us hell when he sees that mess.
unparalleled
used to emphasize that something is bigger, better or worse than anything else like it
It was an unparalleled opportunity to develop her career.
The book has enjoyed a success unparalleled in recent publishing history.
versatility
the ability to do many different things
She is a designer of extraordinary versatility.
localized
happening within one small area
a localized infection (= in one part of the body)
localized fighting
perseverance
the quality of continuing to try to achieve a particular aim despite difficulties
They showed great perseverance in the face of difficulty.
The only way to improve is through hard work and dogged perseverance.
Does she have the perseverance to finish the work?
He showed great perseverance by staying in the job.
Her perseverance was ultimately rewarded.
His perseverance with the new technique paid off.
It may take some perseverance to find the right people.
his courage and perseverance in the face of serious illness
claw
one of the sharp curved nails on the end of an animal’s or a bird’s foot ============== The cat lashed out with its claws. The lion growled and showed its claws. The tiger dug its claws into his leg.
quick-witted
able to think quickly; intelligent
a quick-witted student/response
arms
weapons, especially as used by the army, navy, etc.
arms and ammunition
The UN imposed an arms embargo on the country.
He’s the world ‘s most notorious arms dealer.
Police officers in the UK do not usually carry arms.
They banned arms sales to countries with poor human rights records.
He was trying to rebuild the country’s nuclear arms programme.
all-rounder
a person who has many different skills and abilities
entrust
to make somebody responsible for doing something or taking care of somebody =========== entrust A (to B) He entrusted the task to his nephew. The rebuilding of London’s churches was entrusted to the brilliant young architect, Christopher Wren.
pull something off
(informal) to succeed in doing something difficult
We pulled off the deal.
I never thought you’d pull it off.
insubordination
the act of refusing to obey orders or show respect for somebody who has a higher rank
(disobedience)
==================
Two officers were reported for insubordination.
barracks
a large building or group of buildings for soldiers to live in
an army barracks
The troops were ordered back to barracks.
The soldiers are searched before they are allowed to leave barracks.
Troops are being withdrawn to barracks to avoid further clashes.
purge
to remove people from an organization, often violently, because their opinions or activities are unacceptable to the people in power
purge something (of somebody) His first act as leader was to purge the party of extremists.
purge somebody (from something) He purged extremists from the party.
composed
[not usually before noun] calm and in control of your feelings
She seemed outwardly composed.
He remained perfectly composed and calm.
He was pale but composed.
He looked composed as he went about his work.
She sat with a book on her lap, apparently quite composed.
screw
to fasten one thing to another or make something tight with a screw or screws
The bookcase is screwed to the wall.
You need to screw all the parts together.
Now screw down the lid.
——————————————————–
——————————————————–
screw him, you, that, etc.
===========
(taboo, slang) an offensive way of showing that you are annoyed or do not care about somebody/something
already
(North American English, informal) used after a word or phrase to show that you are annoyed
Just stop already, no one feels sorry for you.
mountainous
having many mountains
missy
(especially North American English, informal)
used when talking to a young girl, especially to express anger
==========
Don’t you speak to me like that, missy!
tail
tail somebody to follow somebody closely, especially in order to watch where they go and what they do
A private detective had been tailing them for several weeks.
She was closely tailed by a detective.
They decided to let him go and then tail him.
touching
causing feelings of sympathy; making you feel sad or emotional
(moving)
============
It was a touching story that moved many of us to tears.
She went up to the old man and kissed him. It was very touching.
He wrote me a touching letter of thanks.
I find his devotion to her rather touching.
rebel
rebel (against somebody/something) to fight against or refuse to obey an authority, for example a government, a system, your parents, etc.
He later rebelled against his strict religious upbringing.
Most teenagers find something to rebel against.
In 1215 the barons rebelled against the king.
The colonies rebelled and declared their independence.
torso
the main part of the body, not including the head, arms or legs
hail
small balls of ice that fall like rain =========== We drove through hail and snow. The hail melted once the sun came out. We got caught in the hail. It's hailing! Rain and hail pounded on the tiled roof.
roll call
the reading of a list of names to a group of people to check who is there
Roll call will be at 7 a.m.
The guest list reads like a roll call of the nation’s heroes.
sleep like a log/baby
(informal) to sleep very well
He was so tired after all his exertions, he slept like a baby.
I usually sleep like a log.
crawl
to move forward on your hands and knees or with your body close to the ground
Our baby is just starting to crawl.
A man was crawling away from the burning wreckage.
She crawled under the fence.
sewer
an underground pipe that is used to carry sewage away from houses, factories, etc.
a sewer pipe/system
an open sewer (= a channel on the surface of the ground that is used to carry sewage)
Much of the water runs away down the sewers.
A network of sewer tunnels runs underneath the prison.
lure
lure somebody (+ adv./prep.) to persuade or trick somebody to go somewhere or to do something by promising them a reward
The child was lured into a car but managed to escape.
Young people are lured to the city by the prospect of a job and money.
Comsumers are often lured into debt by unscrupulous lenders.
He tried to lure her away from her friends.
I tried to lure the fox back with some food.
a lone wolf
a person who prefers to be alone
call it a day
(informal) to decide or agree to stop doing something
After forty years in politics I think it’s time for me to call it a day (= to retire).
noose
a circle that is tied in one end of a rope, with a knot that allows the circle to get smaller as the other end of the rope is pulled, that can be used to kill somebody by hanging them by the neck
a hangman’s noose
The noose tightened around her neck.
They tied a noose around her neck.
(figurative) His debts were a noose around his neck.
make the cut
to reach or maintain the required standard
amnesia
a medical condition in which somebody partly or completely loses their memory
bustling
full of people moving about in a busy way
a bustling city
bustling with something The market was bustling with life.
spew
to flow out quickly, or to make something flow out quickly, in large amounts
+ adv./prep. Flames spewed from the aircraft’s engine.
spew something + adv./prep. Massive chimneys were spewing out smoke.
commotion
sudden noisy and confused activity or excitement
I heard a commotion and went to see what was happening.
The crowd waiting outside was causing a commotion.
What’s all the commotion about?
The dogs set up a terrible commotion as we came near the house.
The people upstairs were making a great commotion.
She waited until the commotion died down.
There was lots of shouting and commotion.
entourage
a group of people who travel with an important person
the President and members of his immediate entourage
an entourage of adoring fans
at short notice | at a moment’s notice
(North American English also on short notice)
not long in advance; without warning or time for preparation
=============
This was the best room we could get at such short notice.
You must be ready to leave at a moment’s notice.
make somebody’s acquaintance | make the acquaintance of somebody
(formal) to meet somebody for the first time
I am delighted to make your acquaintance, Mrs Baker.
I made the acquaintance of several musicians around that time.
I first made his acquaintance in 1992.
acquaintance
a person that you know but who is not a close friend
Claire has a wide circle of friends and acquaintances.
He’s just a business acquaintance.
I bumped into an old acquaintance on the train.
He was greeted as an old acquaintance.
I bumped into a casual acquaintance in town.
likewise
(formal) also
clue
a fact or a piece of evidence that helps you discover the answer to a problem
clue about something This data may provide clues about the current economic situation.
The trailer gives a few important clues about the film’s plot.
clue (as) to something Diet may hold the clue to the causes of migraine.
The text offers few clues as to his identity.
The picture contains subtle clues about the site’s history.
This research might provide an important clue about how cancer develops.
prudent
sensible and careful when you make judgements and decisions; avoiding unnecessary risks
a prudent businessman
a prudent decision/investment
It might be more prudent to get a second opinion before going ahead.
We thought it prudent to telephone first.
He had borrowed a little more than was prudent.
I think you made a prudent choice.
Most prudent employers see the benefit of having an organized workforce.
The minister had a reputation for being prudent and discreet.
What do you think is the most prudent course of action?
mere
used when you want to emphasize how small, unimportant, etc. somebody/something is
It took her a mere 20 minutes to win.
A mere 2 per cent of their budget has been spent on publicity.
He seemed so young, a mere boy.
You’ve got the job. The interview will be a mere formality.
behold
behold somebody/something to look at or see somebody/something
Her face was a joy to behold.
They beheld a bright star shining in the sky.
valiant
very brave or determined
( courageous)
————–
valiant warriors
She made a valiant attempt not to laugh.
The firefighters made valiant efforts to save them, but were beaten back by the flames.
She died last year after a valiant battle with cancer.
Despite their valiant efforts, they lost the game.
She made a valiant attempt to fix the problem.
hollow
having a hole or empty space inside =========== a hollow ball/centre/tube/tree a hollow metal cylinder The tree trunk was hollow inside. Her stomach felt hollow with fear. I felt hollow from lack of food. The experience left her feeling hollow and empty. I tapped the tin and it sounded hollow.
harsh
cruel, severe and unkind
The punishment was harsh and unfair.
The minister received some harsh criticism.
the harsh treatment of slaves
He regretted his harsh words.
We had to face up to the harsh realities of life sooner or later.
It may seem harsh to criticize him after his death.
‘She’s just totally useless!’ ‘That’s a bit harsh.’
reinstate
reinstate somebody/something (in/as something) to give back a job or position that had been taken away from somebody
He was reinstated in his post.
————————
reinstate something (in/as something) to return something to its previous position or status
(restore)
==========
There have been repeated calls to reinstate the death penalty.
Tennis has now been reinstated as an Olympic sport.
conscript (especially British English)
North American English usually draft
to order somebody by law to join the armed forces
be conscripted (into something) He was conscripted into the army in 1939.
be conscripted for something to be conscripted for military service
territory
land that is under the control of a particular country or political leader
enemy/disputed/foreign territory
occupied territories
They have refused to allow UN troops to be stationed in their territory.
The plane was shot down while overflying enemy territory.
The soldiers strayed into hostile territory.
The territory had been controlled by Azerbaijan for many years.
a town in British-occupied territory
former French territories
Their incursion into foreign territory is a clear act of aggression.
tame
tame something to make an animal, bird, etc. not afraid of people and used to living with them
Lions can never be completely tamed.
in truth
(formal) used to emphasize the true facts about a situation
She laughed and chatted but was, in truth, not having much fun.
graze
graze something (on something) to break the surface of your skin by rubbing it against something rough
I fell and grazed my knee.
He grazed his elbow on a sharp piece of rock.
spook
to frighten a person or an animal; to become frightened
be spooked (by somebody/something) We were spooked by the strange noises and lights.
spook at something The horse spooked at the siren.
implode
to collapse into the centre =========== The windows on both sides of the room had imploded. ----------------------- to fail suddenly and completely
merciless
showing no sympathy or kind treatment
(cruel)
===========
a merciless killer/attack
the merciless heat of the sun
She was subjected to the merciless criticism of her opponents.
It brought relief from the merciless summer heat.
hunch
a feeling that something is true even though you do not have any evidence to prove it
It seemed that the doctor’s hunch had been right.
My hunch is that the burglars are still in the area.
I had a hunch (that) you’d be back.
to follow/back your hunches
He decided to back his hunches with serious money.
Her hunches were confirmed the next day.
I called on a hunch to ask if he had any work for me.
I decided to follow my hunch and come and see you.
I had a hunch that she was not telling the truth.
They now have a database of information to back their hunches about customers’ preferences.
I didn’t know for certain—I was just going on a hunch.
hunch (that) I had a hunch that you might be here.
The detective’s hunch had been right.
militarism
the belief that a country should have great military strength in order to be powerful
atonement
the act of showing you are sorry for doing something wrong in the past
to make atonement for his sins
Yom Kippur, the Jewish day of atonement
thrust
to push something/somebody suddenly or violently in a particular direction; to move quickly and suddenly in a particular direction
thrust something/somebody/yourself + adv/prep. He thrust the baby into my arms and ran off.
She thrust her hands deep into her pockets.
(figurative) He tends to thrust himself forward too much.
Her chin was thrust forward aggressively.
+ adv./prep. She thrust past him angrily and left.
He thrust a piece of paper at me.
A microphone was thrust through the curtains.
She thrust her way through the dense undergrowth.
He thrust a handkerchief out to her.
My mother thrust the newspaper back into her bag.
She suddenly thrust out her arm.
Mike thrust her towards the staircase.
endeavour (also endeavor)
an attempt to do something, especially something new or difficult
There have been great advances in the field of scientific endeavour.
endeavour to do something Please make every endeavour to arrive on time.
The manager is expected to use his or her best endeavours to promote the artist’s career.
in an endeavour to do something The public bombarded the company with complaints in an endeavour to have the price increases revoked.
Enthusiasm is a vital ingredient in all human endeavour.
He has the ability to achieve success in whatever field of endeavour he should choose.
In an endeavour to improve the service, they introduced free parking.
Learning a foreign language well can be a lifelong endeavour.
She always encourages her children in their artistic endeavours.
We will make every endeavour to obtain sufficient supplies.
We wish her every success in this endeavour.
You must make an endeavour to work harder.
the government’s honest endeavours to improve the lives of the poor
wharf
a flat structure built next to the sea or a river where boats can be tied up and goods unloaded
dock
dock (something) if a ship docks or you dock a ship, it sails into a harbour and stays there
The ferry is expected to dock at 6.
scout
a person, an aircraft, etc. sent ahead to get information about the enemy’s position, strength, etc.
The commander sent out a scout to see if the road was clear.
stand down
stand down (as something) to leave a job or position
He stood down to make way for someone younger.
swimmingly
without any problems or difficulties
We hope everything will go swimmingly.
intellects
the ability to think in a logical way and understand things, especially at an advanced level; your mind
a man of considerable intellect
She has a formidable intellect.
She uses her powerful intellect to examine the relationship between human society and nature.
A teacher recognized his outstanding intellect.
He liked to think of himself as a man of intellect and learning.
It was lack of opportunity, not lack of intellect, that excluded women from higher education.
She was a brilliant scholar with a formidable intellect.
good grief
(informal) used to express surprise or shock
Good grief! What a mess!
cut it out
(informal) used to tell somebody to stop doing or saying something annoying
I’m sick of you two arguing—just cut it out!
upstage
upstage somebody to say or do something that makes people notice you more than the person that they should be interested in
She was furious at being upstaged by her younger sister.
drunkenly
in a way that shows the effects of having drunk too much alcohol
cling
to hold on tightly to somebody/something
cling to somebody/something survivors clinging to a raft
Leaves still clung to the branches.
cling on to somebody/something She clung on to her baby.
cling on Cling on tight!
cling together They clung together, shivering with cold.
I clung closely to my mother’s arm.
She clung fiercely to him.
She clung onto my arm.
The children clung together in fear.
houses clinging precariously to sheer cliffs
She clung tightly to her baby.
Survivors clung to pieces of floating debris.
The ground mist clung closely to the bushes.
(in) broad daylight
(in) the clear light of day, when it is easy to see
The robbery occurred in broad daylight, in a crowded street.
bite me
used to say to someone that they have made you feel angry or embarrassed
corpse
a dead body, especially of a human
The corpse was barely recognizable.
march on
to move on or pass quickly
Time marches on and we still have not made a decision.
declare
to say something officially or publicly
declare something The government has declared a state of emergency.
Germany declared war on France on 1 August 1914.
The government has declared war on (= officially stated its intention to stop) illiteracy.
He will probably have to declare bankruptcy.
Neither side was able to declare victory.
She declared her intention of running for the presidency.
to declare your interest/candidacy
declare that… The court declared that strike action was illegal.
declare something/somebody + noun In the end, they were both declared winners of the tournament.
The area has been declared a national park.
declare something to be something The painting was declared to be a forgery.
declare something as something Excess weight has been declared as one of the top ten health risks in the world.
declare something/somebody + adj. I declare this bridge open.
A doctor had declared him unfit to travel.
Kenya was officially declared independent on December 12, 1963.
gather
to come together, or bring people together, in one place to form a group
A crowd soon gathered.
+ adv./prep. His supporters gathered in the main square.
Can you all gather round? I’ve got something to tell you.
The whole family gathered together at Ray’s home.
be gathered + adv./prep. They were all gathered round the TV.
A large crowd was gathered outside the studio.
The kids were gathered together in one room.
They are all gathering for a major conference.
The boys gathered around the car.
resent
to feel bitter or angry about something, especially because you feel it is unfair
resent something/somebody I deeply resented her criticism.
The children resented the new woman in their father’s life.
resent doing something He bitterly resents being treated like a child.
resent somebody doing something She resented him making all the decisions.
(formal) She resented his making all the decisions.
I resent the implication that I don’t care about my father.
I resent the insinuation that I’m only interested in the money.
She deeply resented the fact that her husband had been so successful.
merit
the quality of being good and of deserving praise or reward
(worth)
==================
a work of outstanding artistic merit
without merit The plan is entirely without merit.
on merit I want to get the job on merit.
He was awarded a certificate of merit for his piano playing.
Films are given a rating of one to five stars according to merit.
I can see no merit in excluding the child from school.
Prizes are awarded entirely on merit.
She proved her merit as a serious actress.
She was elected on personal merit.
The winners are ranked in order of merit.
There is lots of merit to the idea.
There is some merit in his argument.
large-scale
involving many people or things, especially over a wide area
Large areas of the forest will be cleared for ranching as part of a large-scale development plan.
the large-scale employment of women
The proposals include large-scale investment in agriculture and industry.
These measures would facilitate the development of large-scale business enterprises.
demolition
the act of pulling or knocking down a building
The whole row of houses is scheduled for demolition.
—————-
the act of defeating somebody easily and completely
==============
Ferguson completed the demolition with a fifth goal 13 minutes from time.
take a heavy toll (on somebody/something) | take its toll (on somebody/something)
to have a bad effect on somebody/something; to cause a lot of damage, deaths, pain, etc.
Illness had taken a heavy toll on her.
The recession is taking its toll on the housing markets.
The pressure of fame can take a terrible toll.
supreme
highest in rank or position
the Supreme Commander of the armed forces
the supreme champion
It is an event in which she reigns supreme.
steering wheel
the wheel that the driver turns to control the direction that a vehicle goes in
He grabbed the steering wheel from her to prevent the car going off the road.
Turn the steering wheel hard to the right.
He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and waited.
pillar
a large round stone, metal or wooden post that is used to support a bridge, the roof of a building, etc., especially when it is part of an attractive design
Two white marble pillars stood on either side of the entrance.
The roof is supported by eight massive stone pillars.
He was hiding behind a pillar near the back of the church.
My view of the stage was blocked by a pillar.
inform
to tell somebody about something, especially in an official way
inform somebody The government took this decision without consulting Parliament or informing the public.
Have the police been informed?
inform somebody of something Please inform us of any changes of address.
He went to inform them of his decision.
inform somebody about something The leaflet informs customers about healthy eating.
inform somebody that… I have been reliably informed (= somebody I trust has told me) that the couple will marry next year.
I am pleased to inform you that you have won first prize in this month’s competition.
inform somebody + speech ‘He’s already left,’ she informed us.
inform somebody when, where, etc… I have not been informed when the ceremony will take place.
Inform me at once if there are any changes in her condition.
A notice informed the guests that formal dress was required.
I am not advising you. I am merely informing you of the situation.
I regret to inform you that you have been unsuccessful in your application.
Many people questioned whether patients were informed adequately of the risks.
Next time you decide to take some action, kindly inform me.
Students are clearly informed that drugs will not be tolerated.
The clinic is required to inform the patient about possible alternative treatments.
We will immediately inform you of any changes to the programme.
efforts to inform young people about the dangers of drugs
I am reliably informed that there are plans to close this school.
bench
a long seat for two or more people, usually made of wood
a park bench
ringleader
a person who leads others in crime or in causing trouble
The ringleaders were jailed for 15 years.
aspire
to have a strong desire to achieve or to become something
aspire (to something) She aspired to a scientific career.
aspire to be/do something He aspired to be their next leader.
errand
a job that you do for somebody that involves going somewhere to take a message, to buy something, deliver goods, etc.
He often runs errands for his grandmother.
Her boss sent her on an errand into town.
She made her brother run some little errands for her.
She’s gone on an errand for her mother.
He always seemed to have a lot of errands to do.
It was a perfectly simple errand—what went wrong?
suspicion
a feeling that somebody has done something wrong, illegal or dishonest, even though you have no proof
They drove away slowly to avoid arousing suspicion.
on suspicion of something He was arrested on suspicion of murder.
suspicion that… I have a sneaking suspicion that she’s not telling the truth.
My suspicions were confirmed when police raided the property.
She was reluctant to voice her suspicions.
His resignation seemed only to fuel suspicions.
It’s time to confront him with our suspicions.
chit chat
conversation about things that are not important
We spent the afternoon in idle chit-chat.
urchin
a young child who is poor and dirty, often one who has no home
a dirty little street urchin
stink
to have a strong, unpleasant smell ================ Her breath stank of garlic. It stinks of smoke in here. Don't go in there—it stinks.
knowing full well
to be very aware of a fact and unable to deny or ignore it
He knew full well what she thought of it.
the Orient [singular] (old-fashioned, literary)
the eastern part of the world, especially China and Japan
descendant
a person’s descendants are their children, their children’s children, and all the people who live after them who are related to them
He was an O’Conor and a direct descendant of the last High King of Ireland.
Many of them are descendants of the original settlers.
wage
to begin and continue a war, a battle, etc.
wage something The rebels have waged a guerrilla war since 2007.
He made the decision to wage war.
wage something against/on somebody/something He alleged that a press campaign was being waged against him.
unsightly
not pleasant to look at
(ugly)
================
an unsightly scar
unsightly factories
She had unsightly red blotches on her face.
There were unsightly marks on the walls caused by damp.
It was an area of unsightly derelict buildings.
pursuit
the act of looking for or trying to get something
pursuit of something the pursuit of happiness/knowledge/profit
in pursuit of something She travelled the world in pursuit of her dreams.
He devoted his waking hours to the single-minded pursuit of his goal.
He is engaged in the ruthless pursuit of pleasure.
people leaving their homes in pursuit of work
the endless pursuit of wealth
She moved to the US in pursuit of a movie career.
The purpose of the award is to encourage the pursuit of excellence.
toast
toast (to somebody/something) the act of a group of people wishing somebody happiness, success, etc. by drinking a glass of something, especially alcohol, at the same time
I’d like to propose a toast to the bride and groom.
He raised his glass as if to make a toast.
long-lasting
hat can or does last for a long time
long-lasting effects
a long-lasting agreement
cerebral
relating to the brain =============== a cerebral haemorrhage -------------------- relating to the mind rather than the feelings
diction
the choice and use of words in literature
Wordsworth rejected poetic diction in favour of ordinary language.
in turn
one after the other in a particular order
The children called out their names in turn.
tragedy
a very sad event or situation, especially one that involves death
It’s a tragedy that she died so young.
Tragedy struck the family when their son was hit by a car and killed.
The whole affair ended in tragedy.
Investigators are searching the wreckage of the plane to try to find the cause of the tragedy.
She had seen the tragedy unfold.
The closure of the factory is a tragedy for the whole community.
sympathize
to feel sorry for somebody; to show that you understand and feel sorry about somebody’s problems
sympathize (with somebody/something) I find it very hard to sympathize with him.
+ speech ‘That’s too bad,’ she sympathized.
We sympathized with the bereaved family.
‘I’ve got a terrible headache.’ ‘I can sympathize. I had one yesterday.’
I can really sympathize with what she’s going through.
It is hard not to sympathize with her dilemma.
eradication
the act of destroying or getting rid of something completely, especially something bad
the eradication of weeds
a tuberculosis eradication programme
curtain
a piece of cloth that is hung to cover a window
to draw/pull/close the curtains (= to pull them across the window so they cover it)
She opened her curtains and looked out.
It was ten in the morning but the curtains were still drawn (= closed).
a pair of curtains
She looked up and saw a face peering through the curtains.
Heavy red velvet curtains hung either side of the huge window.
She pulled back the curtains, and sunlight streamed in.
The curtains billowed as the wind caught them.
They sat in the dark with the curtains drawn.
amid
in the middle of or during something, especially something that causes excitement or fear
He finished his speech amid tremendous applause.
The firm collapsed amid allegations of fraud.
proclamation
an official announcement:
to issue a proclamation
A bloody civil war followed the proclamation of an independent state.
wander
to walk slowly around or to a place, often without any particular sense of purpose or direction
+ adv./prep. She wandered aimlessly around the streets.
We wandered back towards the car.
wander something The child was found wandering the streets alone.
Don’t go wandering all over the house!
He just wandered in one day and asked for a job.
He wandered into a bar and ordered a drink.
One day she wandered further afield.
Simply wandering is a pleasure in itself.
The cattle are allowed to wander freely.
They found him wandering around aimlessly.
Visitors are free to wander through the gardens and woods.
Cattle and sheep wander freely on the hilltops.
During the day I would wander the streets, asking passers-by for a few cents.
He was found wandering in the road late one night.
leave for dead
to leave (a person or animal) that one knows will probably die instead of trying to help
They hit the dog with their car and left it for dead on the side of the road.
He had been badly beaten and left for dead.
pep talk
(informal)
a short speech intended to encourage somebody to work harder, try to win, have more confidence, etc.
She gave us all a pep talk before the game.
complex (n)
a group of buildings of a similar type together in one place
a sports/leisure/shopping complex
an industrial complex (= a site with many factories)
(especially North American English) an apartment complex
(especially North American English) a housing complex
complex of something a complex of buildings covering about 300 square metres
teem with something
(usually be teeming with something) to be full of people, animals, etc. moving around
The streets were teeming with tourists.
a river teeming with fish
summon somebody (to something) | summon somebody to do something
(formal) to order somebody to come to you
In May 1688 he was urgently summoned to London.
She summoned the waiter.
He was summoned before the board of directors.
Extra Examples
She was duly summoned for an interview.
She was summoned back to his office.
thereof
of the thing mentioned
Is the property or any part thereof used for commercial activity?
shed blood
(formal) to kill or injure people, especially in a war
How much blood will be shed before the fighting ends?
artfully
in a clever or attractive way
an artfully devised plot
exile
to force somebody to leave their country, especially for political reasons or as a punishment; to send somebody into exile
be exiled (from…) (to…) He was exiled to Siberia.
the party’s exiled leaders
He was effectively exiled after a failed bid for power.
He was exiled for his beliefs.
The family was exiled from France.
The government decided to exile him to the colonies.
slumber
sleep; a time when somebody is sleeping
She fell into a deep and peaceful slumber.
The phone suddenly roused her from slumber.
I don’t want to wake him from his slumbers.
We could hear the breathing of someone in a deep slumber.
undisturbed
not moved or touched by anyone or anything
The treasure had lain undisturbed for centuries.
muster something (up)
to gather or bring together
the initiative
the power or opportunity to act and gain an advantage before other people do
to seize/regain the initiative
It was up to the US to take the initiative in repairing relations.
In the second half, Manchester United regained the initiative.
She then regained the initiative in winning the third game.
She took the initiative in asking the board to conduct an enquiry.
scourge (of somebody/something)
(formal) a person or thing that causes trouble, difficulty or mental pain
the scourge of war/disease/poverty
Inflation was the scourge of the 1970s.
He is well-known as a scourge of the Establishment.
The Green Party sees the motor car as a scourge on society.
freeing the world from the scourge of nuclear weapons
taking action against the growing scourge of hunger
alive and well
(of a person) still living and not injured or harmed
The missing student was found alive and well in Newcastle.
proceed
(formal) to move or travel in a particular direction
The marchers proceeded slowly along the street.
Passengers for Rome should proceed to Gate 32 for boarding.
I nodded and proceeded up the stairs.
Proceed along the Botley Road.
She proceeded back to her office.
Turn right at the next junction and proceed through the village.
(figurative) These students then proceed out into the world to positions of leadership.
post
the place where somebody, especially a soldier, does their job
a police/military/customs post
an observation post
Three soldiers were shot dead at a border post.
The guards were ordered not to leave their posts.
The guard took up his post at the gate.
The gun crew were at their posts.
The sentries had deserted their posts.
compliment
compliment somebody (on something) to tell somebody that you like or admire something they have done, their appearance, etc.
She complimented him on his excellent German.
infighting
arguments between people in the same group who are competing for power
political infighting within the party
grieve
to feel very sad, especially because somebody has died
grieve (for/over somebody/something) They are still grieving for their dead child.
grieving relatives
grieve somebody/something She grieved the death of her husband.
She had grieved deeply for her father.
He spoke on behalf of the grieving families.
The couple are grieving over the loss of their daughter.
devise
devise something to invent something new or a new way of doing something
A new system has been devised to control traffic in the city.
Scientists have devised a method of recycling the contaminated oil.
We must devise a new system for dealing with complaints.
specially devised tests
wrath
extreme anger
the wrath of God
He fled the country to escape the king’s wrath.
He incurred Helen’s wrath by arriving late.
He vented his wrath on his colleagues.
If the President fails, he will face the wrath of the voters.
She feared her father’s wrath.
They left gifts for the gods to appease their wrath.
They saw the floods as a sign of divine wrath.
This is the second hotel to feel the wrath of the bombers.
This remark brought the judge’s full wrath down on Sergeant Golding.
What had she done to provoke his wrath?
ideal
an idea or standard that seems perfect, and worth trying to achieve or obtain
He was accused of betraying his political ideals.
She found it hard to live up to his high ideals.
advancing the ideals of freedom and democracy
A journalist should always live up to the ideals of truth, decency and justice.
Platonic ideals of beauty
Sam was a real leader who had high moral ideals.
They still clung to the old ideals.
This is not an unattainable ideal.
We obviously share the same ideals.
romantic ideals of motherhood
the democratic ideals embodied in the charter
pledge
to formally promise to give or do something
pledge something Japan has pledged $100 million in humanitarian aid.
The government pledged their support for the plan.
pledge something to somebody/something We all had to pledge allegiance to the flag (= state that we are loyal to our country).
pledge to do something The group has pledged to continue campaigning.
pledge (that)… The group has pledged that they will continue campaigning.
The country pledged not to interfere in its neighbour’s affairs.
The government has pledged that it will not raise taxes.
renounce
renounce something to state officially that you are no longer going to keep a title, position, etc.
to renounce a claim/title/privilege/right
Will Charles renounce the throne in favour of his son?
The Prince has refused to renounce his right to the throne.
She formally renounced her citizenship.
despicable
very unpleasant or evil =============== a despicable act/crime I hate you! You're despicable. Police have condemned the theft from an elderly widow as despicable. To fail was considered despicable. What I find particularly despicable is their neglect of old people. That was a despicable act.
grave
of situations, feelings, etc.) very serious and important; giving you a reason to feel worried
The police have expressed grave concern about the missing child’s safety.
The consequences will be very grave if nothing is done.
We were in grave danger.
I fear you are making a very grave mistake.
recompense
something, usually money, that you are given because you have suffered in some way, or as a payment for something
recompense (for somebody/something) There must be adequate recompense for workers who lose their jobs.
in recompense (for something) I received $1 000 in recompense for loss of earnings.
He was given £1 000 in recompense for his loss.
She received a gift as recompense.
Substantial damages were paid in recompense.
recompense from the government
grant
to agree to give somebody what they ask for, especially formal or legal permission to do something
grant something My request was granted.
the rights expressly granted by the terms of the lease
The judge granted an injunction preventing the newspaper from printing the names.
grant somebody something I was granted permission to visit the palace.
She was granted a divorce.
The court granted him leave to appeal.
He was granted a licence to mine in the area.
The bank finally granted me a £500 loan.
grant something to somebody/something The bank finally granted a £500 loan to me.
These lands had been granted to the family in perpetuity.
Permission is hereby granted to reproduce this material.
Planning permission was finally granted in October.
The judge refused to grant him bail.
The law effectively grants the company immunity from prosecution.
Her wish was granted.
Planning permission for the development was granted last week.
The contract was granted to an Australian company.
bargain
to discuss prices, conditions, etc. with somebody in order to reach an agreement that is acceptable
(negotiate)
===============
bargain (with somebody) (about/over/for something) In the market dealers were bargaining with growers over the price of coffee.
He said he wasn’t prepared to bargain.
He bargained hard and was stubborn.
He tried to bargain with her.
He was prepared to bargain about money.
Crowds of men were bargaining over horses.
They just want to bargain for a decent wage.
They argued forecfully for the right of workers to bargain collectively.
petty
small and unimportant
(minor)
=============
I don’t want to hear any more about your petty squabbles.
a petty bureaucrat/official (= who does not have much power or authority, although they might pretend to)
petty corruption/tyranny/jealousies/feuds
He made his children’s lives a misery with all his petty rules.
Some of the prison officers were petty tyrants.
The removal of petty restrictions has made life easier.
There are plenty of petty bureaucrats who would report you for that.
covet
covet something to want something very much, especially something that belongs to somebody else
He had long coveted the chance to work with a famous musician.
They are this year’s winners of the coveted trophy (= that everyone would like to win).
part company (with/from somebody) (also part ways (with/from somebody))
to leave somebody; to end a relationship with somebody
This is where we part company (= go in different directions).
The band have parted company with their manager.
The band and their manager have parted company.
He parted ways with the team at the end of the season.
escort
a person or group of people or vehicles that travels with somebody/something in order to protect or guard them
Armed escorts are provided for visiting heads of state.
Prisoners are taken to court under police escort.
The convoy had an escort of ten destroyers.
Bomber planes were sent out with fighter escorts.
Get your planes ready for escort duties.
She had a police escort to the hospital.
The army provided a small armed escort for the delegation.
The opposition leader was arrested and taken to the capital under escort.
The referee needed a police escort as he left the stadium.
They left with a small escort.
an escort for the Queen’s car
an escort of ten soldiers
mobilize (somebody/something)
if a country mobilizes its army, or if a country or army mobilizes, it makes itself ready to fight in a war
The troops were ordered to mobilize.
The military is able to mobilize rapidly.
beanpole
a tall thin person
watch over somebody/something
(formal) to take care of somebody/something; to guard
and protect somebody/something
==============
Maria asked Amelia to watch over her daughter.
untold
used to emphasize how large, great, unpleasant, etc. something is
(immeasurable)
=============
untold misery/wealth
These gases cause untold damage to the environment.
overthrow
overthrow somebody/something to remove a leader or a government from a position of power by force
The president was overthrown in a military coup.
He was accused of plotting to overthrow the government.
The dynasty was overthrown and the country became a republic.
They succeeded in overthrowing the fascist dictatorship.
rebel
a person who fights against the government of their country
rebel forces
Armed rebels advanced towards the capital.
Some parts of the country fell into rebel hands.
The rebels seized control of the national radio headquarters.
The rebels were based in camps along the border.
The southern parts of the country had fallen into rebel control.
They sent in troops to back the rebels.
a group of rebels against the emperor
military operations against the rebels
new recruits to the rebel cause
Rebel forces clashed with government troops.
cower
to bend low and/or move backwards because you are frightened
A gun went off and people cowered behind walls and under tables.
The dog whimpered and cowered at his feet.
footfall
the sound of the steps made by somebody walking
He heard her familiar, light footfall in the hall.
apocalypse
the destruction of the world
We’re all waiting for the zombie apocalypse.
Civilization is on the brink of apocalypse.
overrun something (especially of something bad or not wanted)
to fill or spread over an area quickly, especially in large numbers
The house was completely overrun with mice.
Enemy soldiers had overrun the island.
The tiny village was overrun by tourists.
(pound something into someone/someone’s head)
(informal) to teach someone something by repeating it many times
My parents pounded it into my head never to talk to strangers.
gargantuan
extremely large
(enormous)
========
a gargantuan appetite/meal
exterminate
to kill all the members of a group of people or animals
(wipe out)
==============
Fur seals were nearly exterminated a few years ago.
atrocity
a cruel and violent act, especially in a war
In the war, both sides committed atrocities.
atrocities against the civilian population
one of the worst atrocities of the war
reports of atrocities by gunmen
behave
to do things in a way that people think is correct or polite
Will you kids just behave!
She doesn’t know how to behave in public.
The children always behave for their father.
(behave yourself) I want you to behave yourselves while I’m away.
transit
the process of being moved or carried from one place to another
The cost includes transit.
in transit goods damaged in transit
transit times
goods in transit between factory and store
Your insurance should cover transit by air, sea or rail.
precaution (against something)
something that is done in advance in order to prevent problems or to avoid danger
safety precautions
precautions against fire
You must take all reasonable precautions to protect yourself and your family.
I’ll keep the letter as a precaution.
I took the precaution of turning the water supply off first.
She had to stay in hospital overnight, just as a precaution.
We take every precaution to ensure that you have a comfortable journey.
You’ll be quite safe if you observe certain basic precautions.
a precaution against customers who try to leave without paying
the need to take great precautions to protect sources
Residents have a responsibility to take adequate precautions against fire.
Serious injury can occur if proper safety precautions are not followed.
carriage
a road vehicle, usually with four wheels, that is pulled by one or more horses and was used in the past to carry people
a horse-drawn carriage
A horse and carriage awaited the happy couple.
She arrived at the ball in horse-drawn carriage.
She went for a ride in the carriage that afternoon.
The queen waved from her ceremonial carriage.
They could hear the sound of carriage wheels on the gravel.
personnel
the people who work for an organization or one of the armed forces
There is a severe shortage of skilled personnel.
sales/technical/medical/security/military, etc. personnel
Only authorized personnel have access to the computer system.
The area was evacuated of all non-essential personnel.
an employment agency for ex-service personnel
firefighters and other rescue personnel
groups of support personnel, engineers and medics
police, fire and emergency medical personnel
the functions accomplished by uniformed personnel
the training of key health personnel
The bomb killed 28 military personnel.
They provide the training for technical personnel.
sit on your hands
to do nothing about a problem or a situation that needs dealing with:
Every day the crisis worsens and yet the government seems content to sit on its hands.
deepen
deepen (something) (into something) if an emotion or a feeling deepens, or if something deepens it, it becomes stronger
Their friendship soon deepened into love.
elevate
(formal) to give somebody/something a higher position or rank, often more important than they deserve
(raise, promote)
===============
elevate somebody/something (to something) He elevated many of his friends to powerful positions within the government.
elevate something (into/to something) It was an attempt to elevate football to a subject worthy of serious study.
He has elevated bad taste into an art form.
smoke out
to take action to discover where somebody is hiding or to make a secret publicly known
The police are determined to smoke out the leaders of the gang.
raid
a short surprise attack on an enemy by soldiers, ships or aircraft
to conduct/launch a raid
raid on something The carried out a bombing raid on enemy bases.
raid against something The raids against military targets continued.
awfully
very; extremely (terribly) ================ I'm awfully sorry about that problem the other day. That name sounds awfully familiar. I’m not awfully keen on fish.
plight
a difficult and sad situation
the plight of the homeless
The African elephant is in a desperate plight.
the desperate plight of flood victims
the plight of the 1.5 million refugees
A neighbour heard of her plight and offered to help.
He has expressed deep concern about the plight of the flood victims.
There are better ways to highlight the plight of the homeless.
pitiable
deserving pity or causing you to feel pity
The refugees were in a pitiable state.
Her life was pitiable and sad.
unforeseen
that you did not expect to happen
(unexpected)
============
unforeseen delays/problems
The project was running late owing to unforeseen circumstances.
The pilot study should highlight any unforeseen problems.
There were unforeseen obstacles to overcome.
fulfill
fulfil something to do or achieve what was hoped for or expected
to fulfil your dream/ambition/potential
He amply fulfilled the weight of expectation that they had placed on him.
The building is still fulfilling its original purpose admirably.
The movie doesn’t quite fulfil its promise.
Turkey is a market that has never quite fulfilled its potential.
Fulfil your dreams with a new career.
evacuate
to move people from a place of danger to a safer place
evacuate something Police evacuated nearby buildings.
evacuate somebody (from…) (to…) Children were evacuated from London to escape the bombing.
Families were evacuated to safer parts of the city.
Every police unit has been ordered to evacuate all civilians.
Helicopters were used to evacuate people from their homes.
The man has now been safely evacuated to the mainland.
to provide aircraft to help evacuate refugees
tremor
a small earthquake in which the ground shakes slightly
an earth tremor
(figurative) The scandal sent tremors through the political establishment.
tip somebody off (about something)
(informal) to warn somebody about something that is going to happen or has happened, especially something illegal
Three men were arrested after police were tipped off about the raid.
An informant tipped me off as to where he was seen last.
tip somebody off that… They were tipped off that he might be living in Wales.
usurper
a person who takes somebody’s position and/or power without having the right to do this
the usurper of the throne
shambles
a situation in which there is a great lack of order or understanding
(mess)
===============
The press conference was a complete shambles.
What a shambles!
He’s made an absolute shambles of his career.
in a shambles The government is in a shambles over Europe.
Our defending was a complete shambles.
The economy was in a shambles last year.
seal something off
(of the police, army) to prevent people from entering a particular area
Troops sealed off the site following a bomb alert.
The road will remain sealed off until the police have completed their investigations.
Police sealed off the area.
The nuclear plant would be effectively sealed off from the world.
rampage
a sudden period of wild and violent behaviour, often causing damage and destruction
Gangs of youths went on the rampage in the city yesterday.
A state of emergency was declared following overnight rampages by student demonstrators.
dignitary
a person who has an important official position
(VIP)
===========
The Prime Minister will be meeting local dignitaries and visiting places of work.
casualty
a person who is killed or injured in war or in an accident
Our primary objective is reducing road casualties.
Both sides had suffered heavy casualties (= many people had been killed).
Our division suffered only light casualties.
The guerrillas inflicted heavy casualties on the local population.
pulp
a soft wet substance that is made especially by pressing hard on something
Cook the fruit gently until it forms a pulp.
Mash the beans to a pulp.
His face had been beaten to a pulp (= very badly beaten).
Reduce the berries to a pulp.
fancy
something that you imagine; your imagination
night-time fancies that disappear in the morning
a child’s wild flights of fancy
manpower
the number of workers needed or available to do a particular job
a need for trained/skilled manpower
a manpower shortage
We have undertaken a major review to ensure best use of the available manpower.
Manpower will be reduced by an average of 20%.
The factory’s opening hours over the holiday period will depend on the availability of manpower.
They did not have the manpower to comply with every regulation.
catastrophic
(of a natural event) causing many people to suffer
(disastrous)
==============
a catastrophic earthquake/flood/wildfire
sturdy
(of an object) strong and not easily damaged
(robust)
==============
a sturdy pair of boots
a sturdy table
The vehicle is sturdy enough to withstand rough terrain
altitude
the height above sea level
at an altitude of something We are flying at an altitude of 6 000 metres.
The plane made a dive to a lower altitude.
The aircraft maintained an altitude of 28 000 feet.
The aviators reported the columns of smoke rising to an altitude of 2 000 feet.
The plane took off and climbed to cruising altitude.
The plane suddenly started to lose altitude.
at will
whenever or wherever you like
They were able to come and go at will.
She believes employers should have the right to hire and fire at will.
pull out
to move away from something or stop being involved in it
(withdraw)
==============
The project became so expensive that we had to pull out.
take somebody back (to…)
to make somebody remember something
The smell of the sea took him back to his childhood.
That song takes me back 30 years.
restrain
to stop somebody/something from doing something, especially by using physical force
restrain somebody/something The prisoner had to be restrained by the police.
He placed a restraining hand on her arm.
restrain somebody/something from (doing) something They have obtained an injunction restraining the company from selling the product.
I had to restrain her from hitting out at passers-by.
She had to be physically restrained.
The horse must be properly restrained in a location where it would not hurt itself.
He had to be forcibly restrained by team-mates.
fine
used to tell somebody that an action, a suggestion or a decision is acceptable
‘I’ll leave this here, OK?’ ‘Fine.’
(fine by) somebody ‘Bob wants to know if he can come too.’ ‘That’s fine by me.’
fine with somebody If you don’t agree, that’s fine with him.
fine with something She has been virtually ignoring me but I’m fine with that.
futile
having no purpose because there is no chance of success
(pointless)
============
a futile attempt/exercise/gesture
Their efforts to revive him were futile.
It would be futile to protest.
My appeal proved futile.
She made one last futile effort to unlock the door.
She wrapped her arms around her in a futile attempt to keep warm.
an utterly futile struggle for justice
It was a futile gesture as the real damage had already been done.
rear
at or near the back of something
front and rear windows
the rear entrance of the building
count on somebody/something
to trust somebody to do something or to be sure that something will happen
(trust)
================
‘I’m sure he’ll help.’ ‘Don’t count on it.’
count on somebody/something to do something I’m counting on you to help me.
count on doing something Few people can count on having a job for life.
count on somebody/something doing something We can’t count on this warm weather lasting.
recruit
a person who has recently joined the armed forces or the police
the training of new recruits
He spoke of us scornfully as raw recruits (= people without training or experience).
Army recruits are all trained in first aid.
Thousands of recruits had been enlisted and partly trained.
raw recruits marching up and down with the drill instructor
headcount
an act of counting the number of people who are at an event, employed by an organization, etc.; the number of people that have been counted in this way
to do a headcount
What’s the latest headcount?
The company now has a head count of around 70 staff.
tribute (to somebody)
an act, a statement or a gift that is intended to show your love or respect, especially for a dead person
At her funeral her oldest friend paid tribute to her life and work.
The crowd stood in silent tribute to those who had died in the war.
This book is a fitting tribute to the bravery of the pioneers.
floral tributes (= gifts of flowers at a funeral)
The President led the tributes to ‘a great statesman and a decent man’.
Tributes flooded in when her death was announced.
————
verb + tribute
pay /give /write
comb
comb something to pull a comb through your hair in order to make it neat
Don’t forget to comb your hair!
Her hair was neatly combed back.
it’s no use (doing something) | what’s the use (of doing something)?
used to say that there is no point in doing something because it will not be successful or have a good result
What’s the use of worrying about it?
It’s no use—I can’t persuade her.
debris
pieces of wood, metal, building materials, etc. that are left after something has been destroyed
Emergency teams are still clearing the debris from the plane crash.
Several people were injured by flying debris in the explosion.
Debris rained down around them.
Police have spent the day sifting through the debris for clues.
She found a pair of children’s shoes among the debris.
The tank exploded, scattering debris all over the field.
desperately
extremely or very much: ============= He was desperately ill. They desperately wanted a child. UK She always seems to be desperately busy! UK He was desperately in love with her.
take pride in someone or something
to be proud of someone or something
I take a great deal of pride in my children.
She takes pride in her work and it shows in her products.
precious to somebody
loved or valued very much
You are infinitely precious to me.
ascend
to rise; to go up; to climb up
The path started to ascend more steeply.
The air became colder as we ascended.
The results, ranked in ascending order (= from the lowest to the highest) are as follows:
Practise your scales ascending and descending.
The road ascends steeply from the harbour.
ascend from something Mist ascended from the valley.
ascend to something (figurative) He ascended to the peak of sporting achievement.
ascend something Her heart was thumping as she ascended the stairs.
convey
to make ideas, feelings, etc. known to somebody
convey something Colours like red convey a sense of energy and strength.
convey something to somebody (formal) Please convey my apologies to your wife.
convey how, what, etc… He tried desperately to convey how urgent the situation was.
convey that… She did not wish to convey that they were all at fault.
He managed to convey his enthusiasm to her.
The novel vividly conveys the experience of growing up during the war.
improv
a performance, for example of comedy or acting, that is improvised (= invented as it is done rather than using words or music written and practised in advance):
The show mixes scripted satire with improv.
I saw him do an improv at a comedy festival.
She started out with an improv theatre group.
Improv is usually either really good or really terrible.
He did a bit of jazz improv.
A few people walked out and then someone said “It’s an improv”.
He decided to have the actors do an improv in public as their characters.
hell of a
extremely, or extremely big:
It’s a/one hell of a big decision to take.
The house was in a/one hell of a mess.
savor
savor something to enjoy the full taste of something, especially by eating or drinking it slowly
He ate his meal slowly, savouring every mouthful.
She savoured the smell of freshly-made coffee.
hostage
a person who is captured and held prisoner by a person or group, and who may be injured or killed if people do not do what the person or group is asking
Three children were taken hostage during the bank robbery.
He was held hostage for almost a year.
The government is negotiating the release of the hostages.
The hijackers kept the pilot as a hostage on board the plane.
The gunmen took 24 hostages.
diplomatic efforts to get the hostages released
drag
to pull somebody/something along with effort and difficulty
drag somebody/something The sack is too heavy to lift—you’ll have to drag it.
drag somebody/something + adv./prep. I dragged the chair over to the window.
They dragged her from her bed.
He quickly dragged a comb through his hair.
drag somebody/something + adj. She managed to drag him clear of the wreckage.
companion
a person or an animal that travels with you or spends a lot of time with you
travelling companions
Geoff was my companion on the journey.
(figurative) Fear was the hostages’ constant companion.
pal
(informal, becoming old-fashioned) a friend
We’ve been pals for years.
skit
skit (on something) a short piece of humorous writing or a performance that makes fun of somebody/something by copying them
a skit on daytime TV programmes
stoop to doing something
to drop your moral standards to do something bad or unpleasant
You surely don’t think I’d stoop to that!
stoop to doing something I didn’t think he’d stoop to cheating.
hog
a pig, especially one that is kept and made fat for eating
long
to want something very much especially if it does not seem likely to happen soon
long for somebody/something Lucy had always longed for a brother.
long for somebody to do something He longed for Pat to phone.
long to do something I’m longing to see you again.
a stroke of luck.
something good that happens to you by chance:
He had exactly the part that I needed so that was a stroke of luck.
fluke
(informal)
a lucky or unusual thing that happens by accident, not because of planning or skill
==============
They are determined to show that their last win was no fluke.
fluke that… It was a sheer fluke that I happened to pick the winning number.
a fluke goal
pour something into something
to provide a large amount of money for something
The government has poured millions into the education system.
bypass something
to go around or avoid a place
A new road now bypasses the town.
loose
free to move around without control; not tied up or shut in somewhere
The sheep had got out and were loose on the road.
The horse had broken loose (= escaped) from its tether.
The animals ran loose without collars or leashes.
During the night, somebody had cut the boat loose from its moorings.
somebody’s pride and joy
a person or thing that causes somebody to feel very pleased or satisfied
The car is her pride and joy.
He loves that boat, it’s his pride and joy.
liberation
the act or process of freeing a country or a person from the control of somebody else
a war of liberation
out of the question.
impossible or not allowed and therefore not worth discussing
Another trip abroad this year is out of the question.
entertain something
(not used in the progressive tenses)
(formal) to consider or allow yourself to think about an idea, a hope, a feeling, etc.
==============
He had entertained hopes of a reconciliation.
to entertain a doubt/suspicion
briefly entertaining hopes that he might keep the affair a secret
She would make no promises, but was prepared to entertain the idea.
I am amazed that such a crackpot scheme could be seriously entertained.
assemble
to come together as a group; to bring people or things together as a group
All the students were asked to assemble in the main hall.
She then addressed the assembled company (= all the people there).
assemble something to assemble evidence/data
The manager has assembled a world-class team.
He tried to assemble his thoughts.
We had assembled for the first rehearsal.
the force that permits atoms to assemble into molecules
The French began to assemble an army
a hastily assembled force of warriors
dire
very serious ============= They were living in dire poverty. dire warnings/threats Such action may have dire consequences. We're in dire need of your help. The firm is in dire straits (= in a very difficult situation) and may go bankrupt.
rescind something
to officially state that a law, contract, decision, etc. no longer has any legal force
(revoke)
================
The agreement was rescinded on 20 March 1993.
edible
fit or suitable to be eaten; not poisonous
The food at the hotel was barely edible.
edible fungi/snails/flowers
The vegetables were old but still looked edible.
culinary
connected with cooking or food
culinary skills
Savour the culinary delights of Mexico.
rot
to decay, or make something decay, naturally and gradually
(decompose)
================
rotting leaves
rot (away) The window frame had rotted away completely.
(figurative) prisoners thrown in jail and left to rot
Food was being left to rot in warehouses.
rot something Too much sugar will rot your teeth.
conspiracy
a secret plan by a group of people to do something harmful or illegal
conspiracy (to do something) a conspiracy to overthrow the government
They were charged with conspiracy to murder.
conspiracy against somebody/something conspiracies against the president
a conspiracy of silence (= an agreement not to talk publicly about something that should be made public)
Extra Examples
He’s the sort of person who sees a conspiracy around every corner.
I suspected that he was involved in the conspiracy.
Officials have uncovered a conspiracy to discredit the government.
There is a conspiracy of silence about the killer.
This action was part of a conspiracy to deceive the public.
Who organized the conspiracy against the president?
a conspiracy against the king
a conspiracy between the police and the right-wing parties
charges of criminal conspiracy and corruption
A lot of people subscribe to the conspiracy theory.
He claimed there had been a conspiracy to overthrow the government.
There had been several conspiracies against the president.
There seems to be a conspiracy of silence on this matter.
mince
mince something to cut food, especially meat, into very small pieces using a special machine (called a mincer)
minced beef
gratitude
the feeling of being grateful and wanting to express your thanks
with gratitude He smiled at them with gratitude.
gratitude (to somebody) (for something) I would like to express my gratitude to everyone for their hard work.
I feel a deep sense of gratitude to her.
in gratitude for something She was presented with the gift in gratitude for her long service.
I owe you a great debt of gratitude (= feel extremely grateful).
His kindness and support earned him her eternal gratitude.
I remember them with gratitude.
I sent him some money as a token of my gratitude.
I would like to express my deep sense of gratitude to the staff for their patience.
They deserve our gratitude for all the work they do.
We owe her a deep debt of gratitude for her services.
You have our undying gratitude.
my gratitude at her thoughtfulness
the very deep gratitude I felt towards her
glare (at somebody/something)
to look at somebody/something in an angry way
He didn’t shout, he just glared at me silently.
I looked at her and she glared furiously back.
He stood at the bottom of the stairs, glaring up at us.
I looked at her and she glared angrily back.
unfathomable
too strange or difficult to be understood
an unfathomable mystery
We are confronted with the unfathomable nature of human motivation.
intact
complete and not damaged
(undamaged)
==============
Most of the house remains intact even after two hundred years.
He emerged from the trial with his reputation intact.
The character of the original house is very much intact.
The collection should be kept completely intact.
The mill machinery is still intact.
The team returns largely intact to defend its title.
We found the tomb perfectly intact.
a group of old army buildings that had been left largely intact
a hero who always escaped by the skin of his teeth, emerging miraculously intact after each cliff-hanging episode
concession
something that you allow or do, or allow somebody to have, in order to end an argument or to make a situation less difficult
The firm will be forced to make concessions if it wants to avoid a strike.
to win a concession from somebody
a major/an important concession
She made no concession to his age; she expected him to work as hard as she did.
The company will be forced to make concessions to the union.
The pressure group has won a number of concessions on environmental policy.
Both sides involved in the conflict made some concessions in yesterday’s talks.
He stated firmly that no concessions will be made to the terrorists.
They made no concessions to his disability.
They remained unwilling to make any substantial concessions.
auspicious
showing signs that something is likely to be successful in the future
(promising)
=================
an auspicious start to the new school year
It was an auspicious date for a wedding.
Their first meeting was hardly auspicious.
It was not a very auspicious beginning to his new career.
We waited for an auspicious moment to make our request.
lineage
the series of families that somebody comes from originally
(ancestry)
==========
a French nobleman of ancient lineage
totter
to walk or move with weak, unsteady steps, especially because you are drunk or ill
She managed to totter back to her seat.
burden
a duty, responsibility, etc. that causes worry, difficulty or hard work
to bear/carry/ease/reduce/share the burden
the burden (of something) The main burden of caring for old people falls on the state.
burden on somebody the heavy tax burden on working people
a burden to somebody I don’t want to become a burden to my children when I’m old.
procure
to obtain something, especially with difficulty
procure something (for somebody/something) She managed to procure a ticket for the concert.
They procured a copy of the report for us.
procure somebody something They procured us a copy of the report.
rest assured (that…)
(formal) used to emphasize that what you say is true or will definitely happen
You may rest assured that we will do all we can to find him.
trace of something
a very small amount of something
The post-mortem revealed traces of poison in his stomach.
She spoke without a trace of bitterness.
The police found traces of blood in the bathroom.
The water was found to contain traces of cocaine.
Remove all traces of rust with a small wire brush.
There was no trace of humour in his expression.
There was not the faintest trace of irony in her voice.
There was no trace of a smile on his face.
akin to something
similar to something
What he felt was more akin to pity than love.
She was wearing something akin to a pineapple on her head.
This game is closely akin to hockey.
mediation
attempts to end a problem between two or more people or groups who disagree by talking to them and trying to find things that everyone can agree on
Mediation is a way of sorting out the issues that arise when a couple separates.
The mediation process is without admission of liability.
livestock
the animals kept on a farm, for example cows or sheep
pawn
a person or group whose actions are controlled by more powerful people
The hostages are being used as political pawns.
The prince became a pawn in the game of power politics.
menial
of work) not considered important; not needing special skills and often boring or badly paid
menial jobs/work
menial tasks like cleaning the floor
perish
(of people or animals) to die, especially in a sudden violent way
A family of four perished in the fire.
Thousands perished at the hands of the invading forces.
authentic
known to be real and what somebody claims it is and not a copy
I don’t know if the painting is authentic.
(North American English diarrhea)
an illness in which waste matter is emptied from the bowels much more frequently than normal, and in liquid form
Symptoms include diarrhoea and vomiting.
hand-me-down
no longer wanted by the original owner
hand-me-down clothes
blush
to become red in the face because you are embarrassed or ashamed
(go red)
==============
blush (with something) (at something) to blush with embarrassment/shame
She blushed furiously at the memory of the conversation.
He looked away, blushing.
+ adj./noun He blushed scarlet at the thought.
He blushed at the mention of her name.
She blushed more readily when she was a teenager.
Stop teasing him—you’re making him blush.
Lia blushed a deep shade of red.
delicate
easily damaged or broken (fragile) ============= delicate china teacups The eye is one of the most delicate organs of the body. the delicate ecological balance of the rainforest Babies have very delicate skin. a cool wash cycle for delicate fabrics Her bones felt as delicate as a bird's. The glasses looked very delicate.
despise
to dislike and have no respect for somebody/something
despise somebody/something She despised gossip in any form.
I don’t know why they despise me so much.
despise somebody/yourself for (doing) something He despised himself for being so cowardly.
She thoroughly despised him for his weakness.
wail
to make a long, loud, high noise because you are sad or in pain
The little girl was wailing miserably.
campaign
a series of planned activities that are intended to achieve a particular social, commercial or political aim
an anti-smoking campaign
an advertising/a marketing campaign
an election campaign
the recent presidential campaign
campaign for something the campaign for parliamentary reform
campaign against something a campaign against ageism in the workplace
campaign to do something Today police launched a campaign to reduce road accidents.
They began a grass-roots campaign to encourage people to shop locally.
to mount/start a campaign
to run/lead/spearhead a campaign
Both sides have been accused of waging a dirty campaign.
the governor’s campaign manager
The candidates are on the campaign trail (= travelling around to attract support).
She led the campaign for parliamentary reform.
the campaign for racial equality
A campaign of intimidation was waged against people trying to vote.
Local people started a petition and letter-writing campaign to keep the hospital open.
She has fought a one-woman campaign for ten years about the lack of childcare provision in the town.
She led a successful campaign against the closure of the library.
The campaign failed to achieve its objectives.
The anti-fur organization financed an ad campaign featuring celebrities.
The campaign aims to inform the public of the dangers of this disease.
a carefully orchestrated campaign against striking workers
The campaign featured athletes talking about healthy lifestyles.
a concerted campaign aimed at educating young people about the dangers of drugs
After sliding in the opinion polls, the party had to rethink its plan of campaign.
The company launched a huge advertising campaign.
The advertising campaign was responsible for the massive rise in sales.
We designed an internet marketing campaign.
The general election campaign gets underway today.
A news conference was held at the party’s campaign headquarters.
Education has become an important campaign issue.
People have criticized the way in which she conducted her election campaign.
The President kept his campaign promises.
a health awareness campaign to promote a healthy lifestyle
election candidates on the campaign trail
The terrorists responded with a bombing campaign directed at business and commerce.
rumor
a piece of information, or a story, that people talk about, but that may not be true
to start/spread a rumour
rumour of something There are widespread rumours of job losses.
rumour about something Some malicious rumours are circulating about his past.
rumour that… I heard a rumour that they are getting married.
Many of the stories are based on rumour.
Rumour has it (= people say) that he was murdered.
I thought she was leaving the company, but perhaps it may be just a rumour.
His lengthy absence will fuel rumours that he has been fired.
Rumours about an impending divorce were rife.
The Chief Executive issued a statement to quash rumours of financial problems.
The actor confirmed rumours that he will be leaving the series.
The manager resigned suddenly amidst rumours of misconduct.
The rumour quickly swept the town.
There is no truth in the rumour that she is about to resign.
There were persistent rumours of drug taking among staff.
stance
stance (on something) the opinions that somebody has about something and expresses publicly
What is the newspaper’s stance on the war?
He is known for his anti-abortion stance.
Judges are increasingly taking a tougher stance on rape.
He has changed his stance on monetary union.
Her public stance was much tougher than her private feelings on the subject.
Lawmakers should take a proactive stance to protect these animals.
The president has adopted a hardline stance against abortion.
The wife of the accused has maintained an impartial stance throughout the trial.
the country maintained a neutral stance during the war.
He’s known for his anti-immigration stance.
They are beginning to adopt a more critical stance.
We do not yet know what stance the government will take.
frank
honest and direct in what you say, sometimes in a way that other people might not like
(honest)
======================
a full and frank discussion
a frank admission of guilt
He was very frank about his relationship with the actress.
To be frank with you, I think your son has little chance of passing the exam.
Macmillan was quite frank about his concerns.
She surveyed Sophie from top to toe in a disarmingly frank way.
She was brutally frank in her assessment of our chances.
To be frank, I don’t care who wins.
nought
used in particular phrases to mean ‘nothing’
All our efforts have come to nought (= have not been successful).
prosecute
to officially charge somebody with a crime in court
The police decided not to prosecute.
prosecute somebody/something Trespassers will be prosecuted (= a notice telling people to keep out of a particular area).
prosecute somebody/something for (doing) something The company was prosecuted for breaching the Health and Safety Act.
detention
the state of being kept in a place, especially a prison, and prevented from leaving
They were sentenced to 12 months’ detention in a young offender institution.
police powers of arrest and detention
allegations of torture and detention without trial
a detention camp
He made the confession while under detention.
He was held in detention from 1991 to 2001.
If found guilty of smuggling drugs, she could face indefinite detention.
Lawyers argued that she should be allowed to serve her detention in her home country.
Opponents of the regime had been subject to arbitrary detention, torture and execution.
Prisoners have the right to challenge their detentions.
She spent 18 years in detention.
Suspects were placed in preventive detention.
The judge will fix the period of detention.
banquet
a formal meal for a large number of people, usually for a special occasion, at which speeches are often made
A state banquet was held in honour of the visiting president.
He was suddenly taken ill at a banquet given in his honour.
Over 1 600 people attended a banquet in her honour.
The Lord Mayor attended a state banquet last night.
The kitchens are preparing for a lavish banquet.
The winners will be announced at the annual awards banquet.
Visitors to the castle can enjoy a medieval banquet with entertainment, in an authentic setting.
festivity
the activities that are organized to celebrate a special event
A number of celebrities will be flying in to take part in the festivities.
Christmas/New Year festivities
wedding festivities
detain
detain somebody to keep somebody in an official place, such as a police station, a prison or a hospital, and prevent them from leaving
One man has been detained for questioning.
He has been detained without trial for nearly two years now.
He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.
Over 60 people have been detained in connection with the coup attempt.
Prisoners cannot be detained indefinitely without charge.
She was arrested and detained for distributing pro-democracy leaflets.
The law allows police to detain suspects for questioning for up to 48 hours.
Two people were detained in hospital following the crash.
Two men have been detained in custody.
divulge
divulge something (to somebody) | divulge what, whether, etc… to give somebody information that is supposed to be secret
(reveal)
=================
Police refused to divulge the identity of the suspect.
She refused to divulge the information.
The plans must not be divulged to anyone.
blend in (with something/somebody)
if something blends in, it matches or is similar to everything that is around or near it
Choose curtains that blend in with your decor.
The carpet doesn’t blend in with the rest of the room.
The thieves soon blended in with the crowd and got away.
incursion
incursion (into something) a sudden attack on a place by foreign armies, etc.
Border patrols were increased to deter further incursions by foreign forces.
Government troops made an incursion into territory held by the rebels.
slim
not as big as you would like or expect (small) ================= a slim chance of success The party was returned to power with a slim majority.
precious
rare and worth a lot of money (valuable) ==================== a precious vase The crown was set with precious jewels—diamonds, rubies and emeralds. precious metals
conceal
to hide somebody/something
conceal somebody/something The paintings were concealed beneath a thick layer of plaster.
Tim could barely conceal his disappointment.
She sat down to conceal the fact that she was trembling.
conceal somebody/something from somebody/something For a long time his death was concealed from her.
caution
care that you take in order to avoid danger or mistakes; the fact of not taking any risks
extreme/great caution
with caution Statistics should be treated with caution.
He could find himself making enemies as well as friends unless he proceeds with the utmost caution.
I must stress the need for caution.
The information on the website should be treated with some caution.
The utmost caution must be exercised when handling explosives.
We proceeded with due caution.
We urge caution in the use of this medication.
culprit
a person who has done something wrong or against the law
The police quickly identified the real culprits.
Police hunting the culprits have condemned the attack.
faction
a small group of people within a larger one, whose members have some different aims and beliefs to those of the larger group
There are rival factions within the administration.
He brokered a ceasefire agreement between the warring factions.
the dominant faction within the government
the largest faction in the civil war
bickering
the activity of arguing about things that are not important
I wish they would stop their constant bickering.
desert
desert somebody to leave somebody without help or support ( abandon) =================== She was deserted by her husband. Don’t worry—I won’t desert you.
bow
to move your head or the top half of your body forwards and downwards as a sign of respect or to say hello or goodbye
bow (to/before somebody/something) He bowed low to the assembled crowd.
bow down (to/before somebody/something) The people all bowed down before the emperor.
He swept off his hat and bowed deeply to the queen.
The emperor’s subjects bowed down before him.
The pianist stood up and bowed to the audience.
stake
stake something (on something) to risk money or something important on the result of something
(bet)
====================
He staked £25 on the favourite (= for example, in horse racing).
She staked her political career on tax reform, and lost.
That’s him over there—I’d stake my life on it (= I am completely confident).
unseemly
(of behaviour, etc.) not polite or suitable for a particular situation
There followed an unseemly rush for the exits.
He had become embroiled in an unseemly dispute with the club president.
It was considered unseemly to talk in such a way in front of the children.
tumultuous
involving many difficulties and a lot of change and often violence
the tumultuous years of the English Civil War
It was a tumultuous time in her life.
deride
[often passive] (formal)
to treat somebody/something as silly and not worth considering seriously
(mock)
===============
be derided (as something) His views were derided as old-fashioned.
be derided by somebody The play was derided by the critics.
wretched
(formal) extremely bad or unpleasant (awful) ====================== She had a wretched time of it at school. The animals are kept in the most wretched conditions.
penny-pinching
[uncountable] (disapproving)
the act of trying to avoid spending even very small amounts of money
speculation
the act of forming opinions about what has happened or what might happen without knowing all the facts
His private life is the subject of much speculation.
speculation that… There was widespread speculation that she was going to resign.
speculation about something Today’s announcement ends months of speculation about the company’s future.
speculation over something The president’s absence led to speculation over his health.
She dismissed the newspaper reports as pure speculation.
Our speculations proved right.
He was dropped from the team amid speculation that he was sick.
Much speculation surrounds his role in the crisis.
Speculation is mounting that a new tax will be introduced.
Speculation was rife as to who would be chosen as a successor.
Speculation was rife as to whom the prince might marry.
There has been a lot of speculation linking the defender with a move to Chelsea.
There has been increasing speculation over the company’s future.
There was wild speculation among the students as to the reason for cancelling the lecture.
This is just speculation on my part.
This issue has attracted a great deal of speculation among economists.
Whether or not he will get the job is mere speculation.
With a lack of credible answers, speculation is running rampant.
amateur speculation based on questionable assumptions
Speculation was rife that he was having an affair.
The visit fuelled speculation about a major arms deal between the two countries.
There has been intense media speculation over the past few days.
oversee
oversee somebody/something to watch somebody/something and make sure that a job or an activity is done correctly
(supervise)
=============================
United Nations observers oversaw the elections.
He personally oversaw the design of all the rooms.
She will be responsible for overseeing strategic and operational plans.
The body was set up to oversee the implementation of the peace treaty.
inhale
to take air, smoke, gas, etc. into your lungs as you breathe
(breathe in)
=====================
She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply.
He inhaled deeply on another cigarette.
Lift your arms above your head and inhale as you stretch.
inhale something Local residents needed hospital treatment after inhaling fumes from the fire.
Inhaled medications are available in various types of inhalers.
speck
a very small spot; a small piece of dirt, etc.
The ship was now just a speck in the distance.
There isn’t a speck of dust anywhere in the house.
a speck of guilt
gravely
in a very serious and important way; in a way that gives you a reason to feel worried
She is gravely ill.
Local people are gravely concerned.
Rinse
rinse something (with something) to wash something with clean water only, not using soap
Rinse the cooked pasta with boiling water.
obediently
in a way that obeys what you are told to do
She walked out of the room and the dog followed obediently at her heels.
steadfast
not changing in your attitudes or aims (firm) =============== steadfast loyalty steadfast in something He remained steadfast in his determination to bring the killers to justice.
contaminate
contaminate something (with something) to make a substance or place dirty or no longer pure by adding a substance that is dangerous or carries disease
(adulterate)
=====================
The drinking water has become contaminated with lead.
contaminated blood/food/soil
a river contaminated by pollution
These substances can contaminate groundwater.
——————————
contaminate something (formal) to influence people’s ideas or attitudes in a bad way
==================
They were accused of contaminating the minds of our young people.
supposedly
according to what is generally thought or believed but not known for certain
The novel is supposedly based on a true story.
a poem supposedly written by Shakespeare
Police have found the supposedly stolen car.
compulsion
strong pressure that makes somebody do something that they do not want to do
compulsion (to do something) You are under no compulsion to pay immediately.
compulsion (on somebody) to do something There are no compulsions on students to attend classes.
The legal system is based on compulsion.
There is an element of compulsion in the new plan for the unemployed.
There is no compulsion to say anything.
You are under no compulsion to disclose this information.
You’re under no compulsion to take part.
Although there was no legal compulsion, the moral obligation to pay was strong.
The use of compulsion in psychiatric care is a controversial issue.
yearn
to want something very much, especially when it is very difficult to get
(long)
=================
yearn (for something/somebody) The people yearned for peace.
There was a yearning look in his eyes.
She yearned for children of her own.
yearn to do something She yearned to escape from her office job.
I’ve always yearned to go stock car racing.
farewell
the act of saying goodbye to somebody
She said her farewells and left.
Maria raised her hand in farewell.
a farewell party/drink, etc.
I said a silent farewell to my home as I left for the city.
I waved farewell to my friends from the deck of the ship.
Is this farewell or will we see each other again?
Let me give her a farewell kiss.
She was sorry to bid farewell to Portugal.
The court dignitaries made their farewells to the emperor.
The families made their farewells to each other.
The team was given an emotional farewell by a crowd of 500 000.
descend
to come or go down from a higher to a lower level
OPPOSITE (ascend)
=====================
The plane began to descend.
The results, ranked in descending order (= from the highest to the lowest) are as follows…
descend something She descended the stairs slowly.
undoing
the reason why somebody fails at something or is unsuccessful in life
(downfall)
====================
That one mistake was his undoing.
seize
to take somebody/something in your hand suddenly and using force
(grab)
===================
seize something from somebody She tried to seize the gun from him.
seize somebody/something He seized her by the arm.
She seized hold of my hand.
Extra Examples
He seized the book from her hand.
The wrestlers try to seize hold of each other.
virtue
an attractive or useful quality
(advantage)
==================
The plan has the virtue of simplicity.
He was extolling the virtues of the internet.
They could see no virtue in discussing it further.
There is no inherent virtue in having read all the latest books.
The brochure makes a positive virtue of the island’s isolated position.
There is, of course, no inherent virtue in moderation.
a story celebrating the virtues of democracy
He was going on about the virtues of the internet.
Her book has the cardinal virtue of simplicity.
antiquated
old-fashioned and no longer suitable for modern conditions
(outdated)
==================
antiquated legal procedures
The antiquated heating system barely heats the larger rooms.
The committee has recommended that all antiquated legal procedures should be simplified.
resolve
a determined desire to achieve something
(resolution)
=================
The difficulties in her way merely strengthened her resolve.
It was a test of his stamina and resolve.
She did not weaken in her resolve.
resolve to do something The government reiterated its resolve to uncover the truth.
wiggle
to move from side to side or up and down in short, quick movements; to make something move in this way
Her bottom wiggled as she walked past.
wiggle something He removed his shoes and wiggled his toes.
They wiggled their hips to the rhythm of the music.
writhe (about/around) (in/with something)
to twist or move your body without stopping, often because you are in great pain
She was writhing around on the floor in agony.
The snake writhed and hissed.
(figurative) He was writhing (= suffering a lot) with embarrassment.
She was writhing in agony.
The dog writhed with pain in the dust.
taint
to damage or harm the quality of something or the opinion that people have of somebody/something
be tainted with something The administration was tainted with scandal.
be tainted by something The courts were irredeemably tainted by past association with the military.
massacre
massacre somebody to kill a large number of people, especially in a cruel way
Hundreds of innocent women and children were massacred.
pest
an insect or animal that destroys plants, food, etc.
insect/plant/garden pests
a pest control officer
These birds provide a useful function in controlling insect pests.
successor
successor (to somebody/something) a person or thing that comes after somebody/something else and takes their/its place
Who’s the likely successor to him as party leader?
Their latest release is a worthy successor to their popular debut album.
He chose as his successor a relative newcomer to the organization.
She has been appointed as his successor.
She will hand over to her successor in one year’s time.
The former newsreader is being tipped as a possible successor to the outgoing Head of Broadcasting.
The new Ministry of Food is the successor to the old Department of Agriculture.
ravage
ravage something to damage something badly
( devastate)
==============
a country ravaged by civil war
a recession that has ravaged the textile industry
The countryside has been ravaged by pollution.
the flood-/quake-/tornado-/war-ravaged country
rarity
a person or thing that is unusual and is therefore often valuable or interesting
Women are still something of a rarity in senior positions in business.
His collection of plants contains many rarities.
plunge
to decrease suddenly and quickly
Stock markets plunged at the news of the coup.
This year profits plunged by 40 per cent.
wield
wield something to have and use power, authority, etc.
She wields enormous power within the party.
salvation
a way of protecting somebody from danger, disaster, loss, etc.
Group therapy classes have been his salvation.
Chew
to bite food into small pieces in your mouth with your teeth to make it easier to swallow
chew (at/on/through something) After the operation you may find it difficult to chew and swallow.
chew something (up) teeth designed for chewing meat
He is always chewing gum.
The baby chewed on a piece of bread.
Chew your food up well before you swallow it.
comrade
(old-fashioned) a friend or other person that you work with, especially as soldiers during a war
They were old army comrades.
dose somebody/yourself (up) (with something)
to give somebody/yourself a medicine or drug
She dosed herself up with vitamin pills.
He was heavily dosed with painkillers.
unfold
unfold (something) to spread open or flat something that has previously been folded; to become open and flat
to unfold a map
She unfolded her arms.
She unfolded the letter and read it yet again.
The collapsible ladder unfolds quickly and locks into place for added safety.
sane
having a normal healthy mind; not mentally ill
No sane person would do that.
Being able to get out of the city at the weekend keeps me sane.
primitive
belonging to a very simple society with no industry, etc.
primitive tribes
primitive beliefs
distress
a feeling of great worry or unhappiness; great mental pain
The newspaper article caused the actor considerable distress.
She sensed his deep emotional distress.
in distress She was obviously in distress after the attack.
scattered
spread far apart over a wide area or over a long period of time
a few scattered settlements
sunshine with scattered showers
Her family are scattered around the world.
deterrent
something that makes somebody less likely to do something (= that deters them)
deterrent to somebody/something Hopefully his punishment will act as a deterrent to others.
deterrent against something a deterrent against cheating
Defenders of the death penalty regard it as the ultimate deterrent.
The bodies of executed criminals were hung on the city gates as a deterrent.
There is no effective deterrent for these young criminals.
They stressed the need for an independent nuclear deterrent.
a deterrent to all but the most determined attacker
a deterrent to crime
millennium
a period of 1 000 years, especially as calculated before or after the birth of Christ (plural millennia)
the second millennium AD
For millennia, it was accepted that the earth was at the centre of the universe.
feat
an action or a piece of work that needs skill, strength or courage
The tunnel is a remarkable feat of engineering.
to accomplish/achieve/perform astonishing feats
That was no mean feat (= it was difficult to do).
Dragging the fully laden boat across the sand was no mean feat.
He emulated the feat of the legendary athlete Jesse Owens.
He has pulled off an extraordinary feat in completing the voyage single-handedly.
She was capable of remarkable feats of endurance.
The tunnel was one of the greatest engineering feats of the 19th century.
a remarkable feat of strength
an unprecedented feat in the history of the industry
physical feats of strength and skill
goatee
a small pointed beard (= hair growing on a man’s face) that is grown only on the chin
exploit something (disapproving)
to treat a person or situation as an opportunity to gain an advantage for yourself
He exploited his father’s name to get himself a job.
She realized that her youth and inexperience were being exploited.
The opposition parties will always exploit government problems to their own advantage.
He pursued his own interests, cynically exploiting his privileged position as trustee.
They were hoping to exploit any weaknesses the other team might have.
This legal loophole has been ruthlessly exploited by many unscrupulous investors.
cattle
enlarge imagecows and bulls that are kept as farm animals for their milk or meat
a herd of cattle
twenty head of cattle (= twenty cows)
dairy/beef cattle
The prisoners were herded into trucks like cattle.
Cattle that stray onto the electric railway line are killed instantly.
Cattle were first domesticated in Neolithic times.
Farmers drove cattle along major roads as a protest against high taxes.
He moved his cattle farther down into the valley in winter.
Villagers traditionally have the right to graze their cattle on the common land.
cattle grazing in the fields
Electric cattle prods were used against the demonstrators.
