BBC Flashcards
Dislodge
- To force or knock something out of its position
Ex: She tried to dislodge the bone from his throat. - To make someone leave a place or lose a position of power
Ammunition
Bullets, shells etc that are fired from guns
Atrocity
An extremely cruel and violent action, especially during a war
Bulletin
An official statement that tells people about something important
Sprawling
Spreading over a wide area in an untidy or unattractive way
Ex: The sprawling city has been in lockdown for weeks.
Mandatory
If something is mandatory, the law says it must be done (compulsory, obligatory)
Ex: Hong Kong has implemented a mandatory two-week quarantine period for anyone arriving from mainland China.
Flout
To deliberately disobey a law, rule etc, without trying to hide what you are doing
Ex: Flouting the rules will be punishable with a fine and a prison sentence.
Incubation period
潛伏期
Scoop
To win a prize or award
Ex: She scooped the top prize.
Satire
諷刺[U]
諷刺作品[C]
Ex: The film is a vicious social satire.
Manage
To succeed in dealing with problems, living in a difficult situation etc
Ex: It has now managed what no other subtitled film has done in the 92-year history of the Academy Awards.
Lucklustre
Not exciting, impressive etc
Ex: He has suspended his presidential bid after a lackluster finish in the Nee Hampshire primary.
Outlast
To continue to exist or be effective for a longer time than something else.
Ex: A leather sofa will usually outlast a cloth one.
Self-deprecating
Trying to make your own abilities or achievements seem umimportant
Ex: He used his signature self-deprecating humour to sell his chief campaign proposal: universal basic income.
Automation
The use of computers and machines instead of people to do a job
Ex: It was a financial cushion against job losses due to increased automation.
Atypical
Not typical or usual
Outstrip
To do something better than someone else or be more successful
Ex: We outstripped all our competitors in sales last year.
Be down to somebody/ something
To be the result of one person’s actions or one particular thing
Ex: Her success is all down to him.
Downplay
To make something seem less important than it really is
Ex: The local officials were downplaying the severity of the epidemic.
Stifling
A situation that is stifling stops you from developing your own ideas and character.
Ex: Excessive control risked stifling individual expression.
Malevolent
A malevolent person wants to harm other people
Consignment
A quantity of goods that are sent somewhere, especially in order to be sold
Vilify
To say or write bad things about someone or something
Ex: She ended up vilified by a hostile British press.
Inextricably linked
If two or more things are inextricably linked, they are very closely related and affect each other.
Ex: Physical health is inextricably linked to mental health.
Exemption
Permission not to do or pay something that you would normally have to do or pay
Ex: Exemptions will be given to those with valid reasons.
Be geared to somebody/ something
To be organized in a way that is suitable for a particular purpose or situation
Ex: The system is not geared to what we need right now.
Deterrent
Something that makes someone less likely to do something, by making them realize it will be difficult or have bad results
Ex: The small fines for this type of crime do not act as much of a deterrent.
