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Proverbs and Idioms flashcards
1
Q

skirting board

A

плінтус

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2
Q

fag

A

// ‘Remember your fag.’
‘Oh, I forgot.’
She took a drag, then a couple more puffs before stubbing it out with quick, efficient jabs.

: noun, informal, British: a cigarette

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3
Q

hoover

A

// I could be of help over in the house, cooking and washing up, hoovering the sofa even if no one would ever notice.

: vacuum cleaner

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4
Q

lapwing

A

czajka

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5
Q

fallow

A 
// I thought about the lapwing tumbling over the fallow field.
// Many of the fallow fields were bright pink, the fireweed was in season.
// fallow field

: usually cultivated land that is allowed to lie idle during the growing season
: of a light yellowish-brown color

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6
Q

reverberate

A

// His cousin shouted back from below, his voice reverberating off the outside walls.

: to continue in a series of echoes
: resound

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7
Q

hop

A

// He picked his underpants off the floor and pulled them on, hopping about on one foot.

: a short brisk leap especially on one leg

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8
Q

put up with

A 
// 'At some point,’ I said. ‘I’m thinking about becoming a teacher.'
'I’d think twice if I were you,’ said Ruth with a laugh. ‘See what I have to put up with?”

: to endure or tolerate without complaint or attempt at reprisal

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9
Q

wry

A 
// He had a wry smile on his face.
// a wry nose
// a wry smile
// a wry wit

: bent, twisted, or turned usually abnormally to one side
: bent, twisted, or turned usually abnormally to one side
: bent, twisted, or turned usually abnormally to one side

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10
Q

dig

A 
// Ruth had a little dig at him. 
// a subtle dig at their lack of preparedness

: a cutting remark
• have a dig at
: to make a mocking, sarcastic, or insulting remark

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11
Q

sheen

A 
// Her hair has a sheen to it
// polished the metal until it had an even sheen
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12
Q

bob

A

// bob the head

: to move up and down in a short quick movement

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13
Q

dollop

A

// My piece of pie was served with a dollop of whipped cream.

chiefly British : an indefinite often large quantity especially of something liquid

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14
Q

cartilage

A

chrząstka

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15
Q

ligaments

A

: a short band of tough, flexible fibrous connective tissue which connects two bones or cartilages or holds together a joint
: wiązadło
: зв’язка

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16
Q

drop bars/ drop handlebars/ bike handlebars

A

: a straight or bent bar with a handle at each end specifically one used to steer a bicycle or similar vehicle – usually used in plural

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17
Q

seamstress

A

: a woman whose occupation is sewing

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18
Q

at any rate

A

: in any case; anyway

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19
Q

butcher

A

: a person who slaughters animals or dresses their flesh

: a dealer in meat

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20
Q

ferry

A

: a merchant ship used to carry passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo, across a body of water

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21
Q

chirp

A

// she chirped ‘good morning’

: the characteristic short sharp sound especially of a small bird or insect
: to utter with a cheerful liveliness

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22
Q

nursery

A

: a place where plants are propagated and grown to a desired age
: a child’s bedroom
: a place where children are temporarily cared for in their parents’ absence

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23
Q

wiggle

A 
// I wiggled my toes.
// the puppy wiggled with excitement
// the baby wiggled in her sleep
// a slight wiggle of the hips

: move or cause to move up and down or from side to side with small rapid movements

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24
Q

peat

A

// I walked the last bit and leaned the bike against some stacked-up sacks of peat.

: turf; a brown deposit resembling soil

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25
Q

sack

A 
// I walked the last bit and leaned the bike against some stacked-up sacks of peat.
// She brought me some walnuts, a whole bag, it was practically a sack.

: a usually rectangular-shaped bag
: to put in or as if in a sack

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26
Q

hardy

A 
// I looked at the hardy perennials, the grasses and the cactuses, and read all the names.
// hardy plants
// hardy outdoor furniture
// hardy soldiers

: bold, brave
: capable of withstanding adverse conditions, robust

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27
Q

perennial

A 
// I looked out of the window. There was a big lawn and flowerbeds with blue perennials, and birch trees with still, bare branches.
// perennials will transform the garden in summer
// perennial student

: present at all seasons of the year
: (of a plant) leaving for several years
: lasting for a long a apparently infinite time

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28
Q

scribble

A

// She scribbled on a piece of paper with a biro while she spoke.

: write or draw carelessly or hurriedly

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29
Q

exhaust

A

: the escape of used gas or vapor from an engine
: consume entirely; use up
: tire extremely

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30
Q

fume

A

// sometimes his head gets a little hot with the fumes of patriotism

: smoke, vapor, or gass
: something (such as an emotion) that impairs one’s reasoning
: a state of excited irritation or anger – usually used in the phrase ‘in a fume’
: to emit fumes
: to utter while in a state of excited irritation or anger

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31
Q

irate

A

: arising from anger; angry, furious

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32
Q

binman

A

// I’ve just been down with the rubbish because the binmen are coming in the morning.

: garbageman

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33
Q

overall

A 
// overall and in most of its detail the film has remarkable power
// was third overall in earnings

: in view of all the circumstances or conditions
: as a whole, generally
• overalls
: loose protective trousers worn over regular clothes

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34
Q

kerfuffle

A

: a disturbance or commotion typically caused by a dispute or conflict

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35
Q

stout

A

: brave, bold
: physically or materially strong
: bulky in body, fat

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36
Q

tongs

A

: any of numerous grasping devices consisting commonly of two pieces joined at one end by a pivot or hinged like scissors

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37
Q

toot

A 
// The man from the council got into his lorry outside the chemist’s, tooted his horn and pulled away...
// an accidental toot from the saxophonist

: a short, sharp sound made by a horn, trumpet, or similar instrument

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38
Q

pensioner

A

: a person who receives or lives on a pension

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39
Q

nibble

A

: to bite gently
: to eat in small bits
: a very small quantity or portion
: a tentative expression of interest

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40
Q

flick

A 
// he sent his cigarette spinning away with a flick of his fingers
// Take care of yourself, won’t you, love?’ she said, and flicked the end of her cigarette onto the lawn
// flicked at the spot with his finger

: a sudden quick movement
: a sudden release of a bent finger or thumb, especially to propel a small object
: informal: cinema film
: to direct flicks at something
• flick through
: look quickly through a book, magazine, etc

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41
Q

sweeten

A

: to make sweet / to become sweet
: to soften the mood or attitude of
: to make more valuable or attractive
: to make less painful

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42
Q

varnish

A

: a liquid preparation that when applied to a surface dries to form a hard lustrous typically transparent coating
• nail varnish

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43
Q

tidy

A

: arrange neatly, bring order to

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44
Q

(down) in the dumps

A

: unhappy

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45
Q

slim

A

: to become slender

: decrease the size of

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46
Q

shrug

A

: raise (one’s shoulders) slightly and momentarily to express doubt, ignorance, or indifference
: dismiss something as unimportant

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47
Q

aloof

A

: distant either physically or emotionally

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48
Q

likewise

A

: similarly

: in addition

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49
Q

gulp

A

: to swallow hurriedly or greedily or in one swallow

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50
Q

coach trip

A

: a comfortably equipped bus used for longer journeys

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51
Q

paunch

A

: the belly and its contents

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52
Q

billow

A

: a great wave or surge of water

: to rise or roll in waves or surges

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53
Q

waft

A 
// Lars coughed and wafted the smoke away.
// Heavenly aromas wafted from the kitchen.

: (with reference to a scent, sound, etc.) pass or cause to pass gently through the air
: a gentle movement of air
: to cause to move or go lightly by or as if by the impulse of wind or waves

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54
Q

ruddy

A

// He was tall and ruddy, she fitted under his arm when they walked along the street.

: (of a person’s face) having a healthy red colour

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55
Q

precarious

A 
// Then she picked up my suitcase and wedged it diagonally between her legs. It looked precarious.
// he made a precarious living as a painter

: not securely held or in position; dangerously likely to fall or collapse
: depending on the will or pleasure of another
: dependent on chance circumstances, unknown conditions, or uncertain developments

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56
Q

wobble

A 
// The table wobbles where the leg is too short.
// I got off and we wobbled off.

: move or cause to move unsteadily from side to side

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57
Q

clamp

A

: лещата; скоба; затискач

: fasten (something) in place with a clamp

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58
Q

prick

A 
// Hare pricked up its ears.
// A dog pricking its ears.

: make a small hole in (something) with a sharp point; pierce slightly
: a mark or shallow hole made by a pointed instrument
: a pointed instrument or weapon
: to cause to be or stand erect

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59
Q

clonk

A

// The roads were wide and dusty. Manholes clonked under our wheels.

: an abrupt, heavy sound
: to make a dull hollow thumping sound

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60
Q

manhole

A

// The roads were wide and dusty. Manholes clonked under our wheels.

: a small covered opening in a paved area allowing access beneath

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61
Q

communal

A 
// Then kitchen and bathroom were communal.
// communal violence

: shared by all members of a community; for common use

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62
Q

stubble

A 
// He was so tanned his stubble was luminous.
// fields of yellow stubble

: short, stiff hairs growing on a part of the body that has not been shaved for a while, especially on a man’s face.
: the cut stalks of cereal plants left sticking out of the ground after the grain is harvested

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63
Q

fiddle

A 
// I'd read a newspaper he'd bought home from the nursery and fiddle with the arrangement in the mug.
// she fiddled with her cup

: touch or fidget with something in a restless or nervous way
: a violin

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64
Q

gravy

A

// We ate lots of potatoes with cold gravy.

: a sauce made by mixing the fat and juices exuded by meat during cooking with stock and other ingredients

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65
Q

jiffy

A

// I washed the peach stain off under the tap, it dried again in a jiffy.

: a very short period of time; moment
• in a jiffy

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66
Q

exuberant

A 
// His voice was by turn exuberant and weary.
// a noisy bunch of exuberant youngsters

: full of energy, excitement, and cheerfulness
: characterized by a vigorously imaginative artistic style

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67
Q

while away

A

// He turned and waved again at the top of the road. Now I had a whole day and an evening to while away.

: to pass time idly and usually pleasantly

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68
Q

raisin

A

// I sat and picked raisins out of the muesli.

: a partially dried grape

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69
Q

drowsy

A 
// Afterwards, I felt so drowsy I had to go home and have a lie-down.
// the wine had made her drowsy

: ready to fall asleep; sleepy
: causing sleepiness
: (of a place) peaceful and quiet

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70
Q

ivy

A

: any of several climbing plants

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71
Q

flap

A 
// Washing flapped in a farmhouse garden, a breath of fabric softener in a gust of wind.
// a pheasant flapped its wings

: (of a bird) move (its wings) up and down when flying or preparing to fly
: to sway loosely

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72
Q

jaunty

A

// I smiled back, then turned jauntily on my heels.

: having or expressing a lively, cheerful, and self-confident manner

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73
Q

rattle

A 
// I decided to cycle around a bit, I didn’t know what else to do. The chain rattled as I set off.
// the roof rattled with little gusts of wind

: make a rapid succession of short, sharp knocking sounds
: make (someone) nervous, worried, or irritated

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74
Q

fir

A

: evergreen trees of the pine family

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75
Q

hobble

A

// We got down on the floor and knocked over a chair, we pulled and tore, my leg stuck up in the air like a white post… We hobbled into the bedroom.

: to move along unsteadily or with difficulty
: to cause to limp; make lame

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76
Q

thump

A

// His body was firm and triangular, we thumped against the slats.

: to strike or beat with something thick or heavy so as to cause a dull sound
: (of a person’s heart or pulse) beat or pulsate strongly, typically because of fear or excitement
: play a tune enthusiastically but heavy-handedly

77
Q

flop

A

// His body was firm and triangular, we thumped against the slats… We flopped apart and sighed separately, it felt better then.

: fall, move, or hang in a loose and ungainly way

78
Q

slat

A

// His body was firm and triangular, we thumped against the slats.

: a thin, narrow piece of wood, plastic, or metal, especially one of a series which overlap or fit into each other, as in a fence or a Venetian blind

79
Q

mull

A 
// I invited Dorte over for mulled wine.
// a glass of mulled wine
// she began to mull over the various possibilities

: warm (an alcoholic drink, especially wine or beer) and add sugar and spices to it
: think about (a fact, proposal, or request) deeply and at length
: humus formed under non-acid conditions
thin, soft, plain muslin, used in bookbinding for joining the spine of a book to its cover

80
Q

snap

A 
// I bought ginger snaps and gingerbread creams from the baker’s to go with it, they had three for ten kroner.
// she closed her purse with a snap
// a snap decision
// ‘I'm still waiting,’ he said with a snap

: [Northern English]: food, especially food taken to work to be eaten during a break
: [North American] a small fastener on clothing, engaged by pressing its two halves together
: break suddenly and completely, typically with a sharp cracking sound
: a sudden, sharp cracking sound or movement
: suddenly lose one’s self-control
: a sudden brief spell of cold or otherwise distinctive weather
: done or taken on the spur of the moment, unexpectedly, or without notice
: a hurried, irritable tone or manner
: an easy task

81
Q

herring

A

// She brought me some walnuts, a whole bag, it was practically a sack… A piece of brie, some honey and two jars of pickled herring.

: śledź

82
Q

glazed

A

// I could tell she was feeling down. Her look was glazed.

: (of a person’s eyes or expression) showing no interest or animation
: (of a window or door frame or similar structure) fitted with panes of glass
: (of food, fabric, etc.) overlaid or covered with a smooth, shiny finish

83
Q

dab

A

// Let’s see what you’ve got, eh?’ she said, and then the tears came, and she laughed, and opened the bag with one hand and peered inside. ‘Gingerbread creams! You’ve not spent all your money, have you?’ she said, dabbing her cheeks with her forearm and smudging her new cardigan with mascara in the process. She rubbed it, and made it worse.

\: a sudden blow or thrust, poke
\: press against (something) lightly several times with a piece of absorbent material in order to clean or dry it or to apply a substance; a gentle touch, pat
\: to apply lightly or irregularly
\: to strike or touch lightly
\: a small amount
84
Q

smudge

A 
// Let’s see what you’ve got, eh?’ she said, and then the tears came, and she laughed, and opened the bag with one hand and peered inside. ‘Gingerbread creams! You’ve not spent all your money, have you?’ she said, dabbing her cheeks with her forearm and smudging her new cardigan with mascara in the process. She rubbed it, and made it worse.
// she dabbed her eyes, careful not to smudge her make-up
// Don't smudge the picture with your dirty hands!
// the low smudge of hills on the horizon

: cause (something) to become messily smeared by rubbing it
: make blurred or indistinct
: a blurred or smeared mark on the surface of something
: an indistinct or blurred view or image
: a smoky outdoor fire that is lit to keep off insects or protect plants against frost

85
Q

ratty

A 
// We’d cycled eighteen kilometres and the only thing we could think about was getting home and having something to drink, we were getting ratty with each other.
// Those shoes are getting pretty ratty.

: resembling or characteristic of a rat
: [informal] in bad condition; shabby; unkempt
: [informal, British] bad-tempered and irritable

86
Q

waylaid

A 
// 'There’s Riborg. Hello, Riborg', Dorte called out as we rode past, but Riborg waylaid us.
// he waylaid me on the stairs

: to lie in wait for or attack (someone) from ambush
: stop or interrupt (someone) and detain them in conversation or trouble them in some other way

87
Q

frothy

A 
// ...failed courses of treatment, an acute kidney infection, frothy urine, a change of medicine that gave renewed hope, then the relapse, fluid retention and failing strength..
// steaming mugs of frothy coffee
// lots of frothy interviews

: full of or covered with a mass of small bubbles
: light and entertaining but of little substance

88
Q

relapse

A 
// ...failed courses of treatment, an acute kidney infection, frothy urine, a change of medicine that gave renewed hope, then the relapse, fluid retention and failing strength..
// two of the patients in remission relapsed after 48 months
// he relapsed into silence

: (of a sick or injured person) deteriorate after a period of improvement
: return to (a less active or a worse state)

89
Q

retain

A

// …failed courses of treatment, an acute kidney infection, frothy urine, a change of medicine that gave renewed hope, then the relapse, fluid retention and failing strength..

: to keep in possession or use
: not abolish or alter, maintain
: absorb and continue to hold (a substance)
: hold fixed

90
Q

tail off (or away)

A 
// I reached out for a big strawberry in her basket and gave it to Riborg. Riborg ate it. It was a good one. I gave her another and her narrative tailed away. We were able to get going again after that.
// the economic boom was beginning to tail off

: gradually diminish in amount, strength, or intensity.

91
Q

squirm

A

// Other times he turned the clock on its face and pulled the duvet up over his head. I squirmed out of the foot end and opened the balcony door.

: wriggle or twist the body from side to side, especially as a result of nervousness or discomfort
: show or feel embarrassment or shame
: to twist about like a worm

92
Q

strangle

A 
// It’s worse, it makes me feel ill just thinking about it,’ he said, and slapped his hand down on the table. His voice was strangled, emotion welled in his throat.
// repression strangles free speech

: squeeze or constrict the neck of (a person or animal), especially so as to cause death
: stifle
: sounding as though the utterer’s throat is constricted
: suppress (an impulse, action, or sound)

93
Q

stifle

A

// stifled our anger
: to withhold from circulation or expression
: to cut off (the voice, the breath, etc.)
: to be or become unable to breathe easily

94
Q

crook

A

// A fat woman stood outside a crooked house in her slippers, it was the woman who’d come to my rescue, only without her moped this time.

: a bend in something, especially at the elbow in a person’s arm
: bend (something, especially a finger as a signal)
: the hooked staff of a shepherd
: [informal] a person who is dishonest or a criminal

95
Q

wobbly

A

// I went and sat with my crossword at the wobbly table in the kitchen.

: tending to move unsteadily from side to side

96
Q

flapjacks

A

// They’d started selling flapjacks at the petrol station for some reason. I bought one every day and had it for lunch.

: [British] a sweet dense cake made from oats, golden syrup, and melted butter, served in rectangle
: [North American] a pancake

97
Q

trestle

A

// A caretaker stood painting a wooden board on two trestles over by an annexe, he waved to me with his brush.

: a braced frame serving as a support

98
Q

snatch

A 
// She had something in her hand that she lifted up in the air, they all laughed and one of the others tried to snatch it.
// the baby was snatched from a shopping centre last night
// we snatched a few hours' sleep

: quickly seize (something) in a rude or eager way
: steal (something) or kidnap (someone) by seizing or grabbing suddenly
: quickly secure or obtain (something) when a chance presents itself
: eagerly take or accept (an offer or opportunity)

99
Q

spray

A 
// I cut two new sprays in the dim light of the yard.
// refresh your flowers with a quick spray

: a usually flowering branch or shoot
: liquid that is blown or driven through the air in the form of tiny drops

100
Q

daft

A 
// I felt daft standing in the bar with a whisky. Mostly because of the clutch, but I couldn’t stand whisky either.
// don't ask such daft questions
// I was daft about him

[informal, British]
: silly; foolish
: infatuated with

101
Q

graze

A 
// After the fourth whisky I collected myself and went out into the street. I fell over a cobblestone and grazed my hand and knee.
// cattle graze on the open meadows
// advertisers should not encourage children to graze on snacks or sweets

: scrape and break the surface of the skin of (a part of the body).
: touch or scrape lightly in passing
: (of cattle, sheep, etc.) eat grass in a field
: (of a person) eat frequent snacks at irregular intervals

102
Q

swig

A

// He came back with the bottle of chocolate milk and offered it to me, it hadn’t been touched. I took a swig.

: drink in large draughts

103
Q

kerb

A 
// He took my hand and helped me down from the high kerb. We crossed the road, still holding on to each other.
// They sat on the curb eating their ice cream.

: a stone edging to a pavement or raised path
: an edging (as of concrete) built along a street to form part of a gutter
: бордюр

104
Q

clutter

A

// He stood there as I walked off down the alley. The yard behind the shop was full of clutter, I hid in between two skips and waited.

: things that clutter a place

105
Q

skip

A

// He stood there as I walked off down the alley. The yard behind the shop was full of clutter, I hid in between two skips and waited.

: move along lightly, stepping from one foot to the other with a hop or bounce
: a light, bouncing step; a skipping movement

106
Q

poppy seed

A

// In the mornings I went to the baker’s for a poppy-seed twist and a roll.

: мак

107
Q

soldering iron

A

// …I would try to find the soldering iron for him. I found it in the storage room, only it was an immersion heater instead. He said it didn’t matter…

: паяльник, lutownica

108
Q

immersion heater

A

// …I would try to find the soldering iron for him. I found it in the storage room, only it was an immersion heater instead. He said it didn’t matter…

: water heater
: кип’ятильник

109
Q

bran

A

// He asked if I wanted a bag of muesli for nothing. He’d bought it himself, but there was too much bran in it, it was like having a mouthful of dust.

: pieces of grain husk separated from flour after milling;
: otręby

110
Q

squat

A

// the dog squatted under a street lamp

: kucać, siedzieć po turecku

111
Q

tug

A

// I turned and looked back, the dog squatted under a street lamp. They tugged on its lead, they looked like they were happy.

: pull (something) hard or suddenly
: a hard or sudden pull

112
Q

lead

A

// I turned and looked back, the dog squatted under a street lamp. They tugged on its lead, they looked like they were happy.

: [British] a strap or cord for restraining and guiding a dog or other domestic animal

113
Q

choke

A 
// I took too big a sip of my coffee and gulped some air down with it, I choked and had to swallow some more.
// I was so choked up I started crying and couldn't sing any more

: swallow something with difficulty
: (of a person or animal) have severe difficulty in breathing because of a constricted or obstructed throat or a lack of air
: cause (a person or animal) to choke
: make (someone) speechless with a strong feeling or emotion
: fill (a space) so as to make movement difficult or impossible

114
Q

cotton on

A

// The headmaster’s name was Grauballe, they called him The Grauballe Man, after the bog body, even the teachers, as if it wasn’t obvious enough, but Hase didn’t cotton on until years later.

: to begin to understand something : to catch on

115
Q

sand down

A

// He was the kind of person who sanded things down and used primer, it was sickening really.

: smooth or polish with sandpaper or a mechanical sander

116
Q

bun

A

// The good baker’s at Central Station had cream buns, I’d planned to get one on the way home and hoped I wouldn’t forget.

: a small cake, typically containing dried fruit
: a bread roll
: a hairstyle in which the hair is drawn back into a tight coil at the back of the head

117
Q

foundation

A

// I splashed water on my face, then remembered I was wearing foundation and dabbed myself dry with a paper towel.

118
Q

open mic

A

// He’d started going to a poetry club in the autumn where it was open mic…

119
Q

pluck

A 
// He’d started going to a poetry club in the autumn where it was open mic, at first he’d just sat and listened to the others, but then in November he’d plucked up the courage and put his name down to read
// she plucked his sleeve
// the turkeys are plucked and cleaned by machine
// whether you pluck your eyebrows depends on your type of looks

: take hold of (something) and quickly remove it from its place
: pull the feathers from (a bird’s carcass) to prepare it for cooking
: pull some of the hairs from (one’s eyebrows) to make them look neater

120
Q

arty

A

// It was a funny thing about those leather hats. Whenever there was something arty on there would always be at least one.

: showily or pretentiously artistic

121
Q

slurp

A 
// 'They always applaud,’ he said, and took a slurp of his beer.
// He always slurps his soup.
// His dinner date slurped her soup directly from the bowl.

: to make a sucking noise while eating or drinking

122
Q

yawn

A

// I was sleeping a bit better at night. I’d found a technique of sitting up yawning for an hour before going to bed.

: to open wide
: to open the mouth wide and take a deep breath usually as an involuntary reaction to fatigue or boredom

123
Q

repel

A

// I got under the covers, I repelled intrusive thoughts by saying ‘Right you are’.

: to fight against
: to drive back

124
Q

soppy

A 
// I was just about to say something soppy. Only it wasn’t Knud’s white dressing gown, this one was green.
// I look at babies with a soppy smile on my face
// my little sisters were too soppy for our adventurous games

: sentimental
: very wet
: [informal, British] lacking spirit and strength of character; feeble

125
Q

knackered

A 
// Remember to put your sheets on first thing. You’re always knackered after a move.
// you look absolutely knackered
// a knackered CD player

: [informal, British] extremely tired, worn out or damaged by overuse

126
Q

suede

A

// She had pyjama pants on under her dressing gown and a pair of furry boots with suede laces.

: leather with the flesh side rubbed to make a velvety nap

127
Q

indistinctly

A 
// 'That must be hard on you,’ I said, a bit indistinctly, I had to clench my teeth so they wouldn’t start chattering.
// indistinct figures in the fog

: not clearly recognizable or understandable
: not sharply outlined or separable

128
Q

clench

A

// ‘That must be hard on you,’ I said, a bit indistinctly, I had to clench my teeth so they wouldn’t start chattering.

: (with reference to the fingers or hand) close into a tight ball, especially as a manifestation of extreme anger.
: grasp (something) tightly and firmly

129
Q

scramble

A

// Right you are,’ I said with a nod, then turned and went back in to what passed for warmth. I took the duvet off the boiler and scrambled into bed.

: to move with urgency or panic
: to move or climb hastily especially on all fours

130
Q

raucous

A

// …music was coming from the pub, upbeat jazz and a chorus of raucous voices joining in on a repeated line.

/ˈrɔːkəs/
: disagreeably harsh or strident

131
Q

cob

A

// I cut a couple of slices off a cob loaf.

: [British] a round loaf of bread

132
Q

stanza

A

// …you were sitting there in your slippers behind a single pane, with a shaky stanza in your head.

/ˈstanzə/
: a division of a poem consisting of a series of lines arranged together in a usually recurring pattern of meter and rhyme : strophe

133
Q

blotch

A 
// His hair was dishevelled, there was a red blotch on his cheek. 
// red blotches on her face
// her face was blotched and swollen with crying

: a large irregular patch or unsightly mark on the skin or another surface
: cover with blotches

134
Q

dishevel

A

// His hair was dishevelled, there was a red blotch on his cheek.

: make (a person’s hair or clothes) untidy
: dishevelled: (of a person’s hair, clothes, or appearance) untidy; disordered.

135
Q

hiss

A

// Muffled sounds came up from the street, cars and a horn, a voice shouting, another shouting back. Then came a sharp hiss that stopped abruptly.
‘That’s just someone getting air,’ he said.
‘How do you mean?’
‘From the bike shop.’
// the audience hissed loudly at the mention of his name
// he was hissed off the stage
// “‘Get back!’ he hissed”

: make a sharp sibilant sound as of the letter s
: express disapproval of (someone) by hissing
: whisper something in an urgent or angry way

136
Q

penne

A

// He found a packet of penne in the kitchen, we were both really hungry and the dinner was taking for ever.

/ˈpɛneɪ,ˈpɛni/
: pasta in the form of short wide tubes

137
Q

skid

A 
// He skidded out into the kitchen on his sock with the hole in it.
// her car skidded and hit the grass verge
// Barbara's foot skidded and she fell to the floor

: (of a vehicle) slide, typically sideways or obliquely, on slippery ground or as a result of stopping or turning too quickly
: a braking device consisting of a wooden or metal shoe preventing a wheel from revolving
: a beam or plank of wood used to support a ship under construction or repair

138
Q

hob

A

// I turned off the oven and took the leg out. I put it on the hob, it was spitting fat.

: [British] a cooking appliance, or the flat top part of a cooker, with hotplates; metal shelf by a fireplace

139
Q

streak

A 
// My face was streaked, but it didn’t matter.
// tears streaking her face
// the cat streaked across the street
// there's a streak of insanity in the family
// the theatre is on a winning streak
// a streak for charity

: a long, thin line or mark of a different substance or colour from its surroundings; stripe
: a narrow band of light
: an element of a specified kind in someone’s character
: a continuous period of specified success or luck
: [informal] an act of running naked in a public place so as to shock or amuse others
: cover (a surface) with streaks
: dye (hair) with long, thin lines of a different colour to that of one’s natural hair colour
: move very fast in a specified direction

140
Q

amble

A 
// I left the brush and ambled across.
// they ambled along the riverbank
// a peaceful riverside amble

: to go at or as if at an easy gait; walk or move at a slow, relaxed pace
: a walk at a slow, relaxed pace, especially for pleasure

141
Q

swivel chair

A

// He sat on the swivel chair and put his hand on my knee.

: a coupling between two parts enabling one to revolve without turning the other
: turn around a point or axis or on a swivel

142
Q

snooze

A

// “You’ll be having yourself a nice long snooze now”, he said.

: to take a nap

143
Q

draught

A 
// When I got back to the bungalow the door had blown shut. It must have been the draught, all the open windows.
// heavy curtains at the windows cut out draughts
// she downed the remaining beer in one draught
// a draught horse
// he took deep draughts of oxygen into his lungs
// draught ale

: chiefly British spellings of draft, drafty
: a current of cool air in a room or other confined space
: a single act of drinking or inhaling
: the depth of water needed to float a ship
: denoting an animal used for pulling heavy loads
: denoting beer or cider served from a barrel or tank rather than from a bottle or can

144
Q

wriggle

A 
// I opened the window all the way and wriggled my way over the ledge and straight into bed.
// the puppy wriggled in his arms
// Susie wriggled out of her clothes
// don't try and wriggle out of your contract
// she gave an impatient little wriggle

: twist and turn with quick writhing movements
: move in a particular direction with wriggling movements
: avoid (something) by devious means
: a wriggling movement.

145
Q

sundae

A

// I ate on a bench on Axeltorv looking across at Scala. They’d put tables and chairs out now, when the weather was nice people sat with burgers and ice-cream sundaes.

: ice cream served with topping (such as crushed fruit, syrup, nuts, or whipped cream)

146
Q

blister

A 
// I discovered I’d got a blister on my heel, but it was too far to the bin I’d dumped my shoes in.
// his heels were covered in blisters
// check for cracks and blisters in sheet roofing felt

: a small bubble on the skin filled with serum and caused by friction, burning, or other damage
: form blisters on the skin or other surface
: a swelling filled with air or fluid on the surface of a plant, heated metal, painted wood, etc

147
Q

limp

A 
// I discovered I’d got a blister on my heel... I limped along bit by bit.
// he limped heavily as he moved
// the badly damaged aircraft limped back to Sicily
// the accident left him with a pronounced limp
// she let her whole body go limp
// a limp handshake

: walk with difficulty, typically because of a damaged or stiff leg or foot
: (of a damaged ship, aircraft, or vehicle) proceed with difficulty
: to walk lamely
: to go unsteadily
: lacking internal strength or structure; not stiff or firm
: without energy or vigour

148
Q

rummage

A 
// I discovered I’d got a blister on my heel, but it was too far to the bin I’d dumped my shoes in. I might not have liked rummaging around for them anyway.
// he rummaged in his pocket for a handkerchief
// Mick rummaged up his skateboard

: search unsystematically and untidily through something
: find (something) by rummaging
: (of a customs officer) make a thorough search of (a vessel)

149
Q

tinfoil

A

// I could go and see her, there was an address and a ward number, and two hundred kroner in a square of tinfoil.

: foil made of aluminium or a similar grey metal, used especially for covering or wrapping food

150
Q

doormat

A

// I sat on the step and felt unstuck. The ankle boot was on the doormat, I still had the other one on.

: a mat placed in a doorway, on which people can wipe their shoes on entering a building

151
Q

snigger

A

// The bus I’d taken had gone right along the edge, the only passengers had been me and two young girls. They kept sniggering about something one of them had in her bag.

: laugh in a half-suppressed, typically scornful way
: sniker

152
Q

soar

A

// The gulls soared silently over the fjord.

: fly or rise high in the air

153
Q

due

A 
// When I reached the stop, the bus had already gone eight minutes earlier and there was an hour and a half until the next one was due.
// the baby's due in August

: expected at or planned for at a certain time

154
Q

perceptive

A

// ‘How come you don’t like her?’ said Hase.
‘I do like her.’
‘I think she’s very perceptive.’
‘She’s a bit smarmy. With that hair, and everything.

: characterized by sympathetic understanding or insight
: responsive to sensory stimuli

155
Q

smarmy

A

// ‘How come you don’t like her?’ said Hase.
‘I do like her.’
‘I think she’s very perceptive.’
‘She’s a bit smarmy. With that hair, and everything.
// smarmy eroticism

: ingratiating and wheedling in a way that is regarded as insincere or excessive
: of low sleazy taste or quality

156
Q

budding

A 
// 'I suppose that’s the best advice I can give. Lots of things sound good, and anything can go into a text. Anything you like. But there has to be a reason. Anyone can have a funny little man in a hat wander in.’
‘Or a budding writer. Or a woman on a moped,’ I said. 
// budding young actors

: (of a plant) having or developing buds
: (of a body part) becoming larger as part of normal growth
: beginning and showing promising signs of continuing

157
Q

appraisal

A

// She was meeting someone on Havnegade at four o’clock, so it was a brief appraisal.

: a formal assessment, typically in an interview, of the performance of an employee over a particular period

158
Q

appraise

A 
// there is a need to appraise existing techniques
// they appraised the painting at £200,000
// some companies are considering team appraisals instead of appraising individuals

: assess the value or quality of
: assess the performance of (an employee) formally.

159
Q

tacit

A

/ˈtasɪt/

// And she followed you with the step of a young girl without knowing, without seeing, tacit and fluid.
// your silence may be taken to mean tacit agreement

: understood or implied without being stated

160
Q

roseate

A

/ˈrəʊzɪət/

// And when daylight appeared
with roseate laughter on the deep immense blue,
she never found herself again
to return.
// the early, roseate light
// his letters home give a very good, although somewhat too roseate, idea of how he lived

: rose-coloured
: optimistic or idealistic

161
Q

pliant

A

/ˈplʌɪənt/

// You walked beside her with the pliant step of love.

: easily bent
: easily influenced or directed; yielding

162
Q

limpid

A

/ˈlɪmpɪd/

// Everything that day was silver-green, everything
was childhood, hope and goodness,
because you walked beside her, limpid
like a child in your dazzling smile.
// the limpid waters of the Caribbean
// the limpid grey eyes gazed trustfully at her

: (of a liquid) completely clear and transparent
: (of a person’s eyes) unclouded; clear
: (especially of writing or music) clear and accessible or melodious

163
Q

cajole

A

/kəˈdʒəʊl/

// And she on your arm folded to your rhythm
as a light boat on a wave: she, a woman small and profound, born to follow, born to cajole, born to shine
of your light.
// he hoped to cajole her into selling the house

: persuade (someone) to do something by sustained coaxing or flattery

164
Q

compel

A

// And you gripped her with the claw of an eagle,
and compelled all of her with your strength,
re-molding her to you with such fury that she lost
her sense of existence.

: force or oblige (someone) to do something
: bring about (something) by the use of force or pressure
: force to come or go in a particular direction

165
Q

crow

A

/krəʊ/

// When the crow of the rooster sawed the sky
and she still asleep smiled at you.

: a large bird with mostly glossy black plumage
: an old or ugly woman

166
Q

rooster

A

/ˈruːstə/

// When the crow of the rooster sawed the sky
and she still asleep smiled at you.

: a cock (півник)

167
Q

cirrus

A

/ˈsɪrəs/

// And new to your eyes were the pink cirrus clouds
of the sky reflected in peach blossoms.

: cloud forming wispy filamentous tufted streaks

168
Q

ravage

A

/ˈravɪdʒ/

// By day, by night, present, absolute, o invisible
love, o universal love,
you absorb her like the times when your embrace
ravaged all of her.
// the hurricane ravaged southern Florida
// his face had withstood the ravages of time
// the ravages committed by man

: cause severe and extensive damage to
: the destructive effects of something
: acts of destruction

169
Q

pyre

A

/pʌɪə/

// She too ascended to your funeral pyre,
to be forgiven and purified.

: a heap of combustible material, especially one for burning a corpse as part of a funeral ceremony

170
Q

apt

A

// Your letters were brief, precise, all muscle
and nerve,
in a hand more apt for the compass, the square,
the tough wave of command.
// the theme could not be more apt
// he is apt to be swayed by irrational considerations
// she proved an apt pupil

: appropriate or suitable in the circumstances
: having a tendency to do something
: quick to learn

171
Q

throb

A

// Violet shadows around her half-open mouth,
her thin nose — a furious throb in her veins swelling
at the temples, at the throat — eyelids shut tight.
// the war drums throbbed
// her foot throbbed with pain
// the throb of the ship’s engines
// the dull ache became a throb

: beat or sound with a strong, regular rhythm; pulsate steadily
: a strong, regular beat or sound; a steady pulsation
: a feeling of pain in a series of regular beats

172
Q

rapture

A

// Violet shadows around her half-open mouth,
her thin nose — a furious throb in her veins swelling
at the temples, at the throat — eyelids shut tight, jaws tense with desire — the face of an agonizing woman in rapture.
// Leonora listened with rapture
// the tabloids went into raptures about her

: a feeling of intense pleasure or joy
: expressions of intense pleasure or enthusiasm about something

173
Q

predacious

A

/prɪˈdeɪʃəs/

// So, from the tomb, with the predacious power
of written words, you imprison her, o vanished one, you possess her thus.
// predacious insects

: (of an animal) predatory

174
Q

furtive

A

/ˈfəːtɪv/

// Without protest she endured with trembling heart your long harsh silences, only trailing your steps with the velvet step of a shadow, only daring furtive caresses with her small light hands, the more tender the more heavily you trampled on your yoke of love.
// they spent a furtive day together
// the look in his eyes became furtive

: attempting to avoid notice or attention, typically because of guilt or a belief that discovery would lead to trouble; secretive
: suggestive of guilty nervousness

175
Q

trample

A

/ˈtramp(ə)l/

// Without protest she endured with trembling heart your long harsh silences, only trailing your steps with the velvet step of a shadow, only daring furtive caresses with her small light hands, the more tender the more heavily you trampled on your yoke of love.
// the fence had been trampled down
// a lay statesman ought not to trample upon the opinions of his Church advisers
// destruction's trample treads them down

: tread on and crush
: treat with contempt
: an act or the sound of trampling

176
Q

yoke

A

/jəʊk/

// Without protest she endured with trembling heart your long harsh silences, only trailing your steps with the velvet step of a shadow, only daring furtive caresses with her small light hands, the more tender the more heavily you trampled on your yoke of love.
// the yoke of imperialism

: used to refer to something regarded as oppressive or restrictive
: a thing whose name one cannot recall, does not know, or does not wish to specify

177
Q

sepulcher

A

/ˈsɛp(ə)lkə/

// But now your rage has lasted too long,
but lost are the keys that lock the bronze door,
but in vain the small hand goes to knock on the door
day and night,
but without pity, without end is the silence
of your sepulcher.
// tomes are soon out of print and sepulchred in the dust of libraries
// when ocean shrouds and sepulchres our dead

: a small room or monument, cut in rock or built of stone, in which a dead person is laid or buried
: lay or bury in or as if in a sepulchre
: serve as a burial place for

178
Q

lair

A

/lɛː/

// The woman who now lives hidden like a wounded
animal in its lair and no longer dares look at the sun because your eyes are closed forever.

: a place where a wild animal, especially a fierce or dangerous one, lives
: a secret or private place in which a person, especially a criminal or enemy, takes refuge

179
Q

inexhaustible

A 
// On that mouth she would be kissing you, in that fresh
breath breathe you in, she, created and creator, lover and mother, in the inexhaustible fervor of giving.

Excerpt From
The Book of Mara (Italica Press Dual-Language Poetry Series)
Ada Negri
This material may be protected by copyright.
// his inexhaustible energy

: (of an amount or supply of something) unable to be
used up because existing in abundance

180
Q

succulent

A

/ˈsʌkjʊl(ə)nt/

// Happy to be your servant, she would still be
your servant by worshipping your son, by eating stale bread so he may enjoy succulent fruit, by crushing rocks and thorns so he may leap in merriment across prairies in bloom.

: (of food) tender, juicy, and tasty
: plant

181
Q

merriment

A

ˈmɛrɪm(ə)nt/

// Happy to be your servant, she would still be
your servant by worshipping your son, by eating stale bread so he may enjoy succulent fruit, by crushing rocks and thorns so he may leap in merriment across prairies in bloom.
// her eyes sparkled with merriment

: gaiety and fun

182
Q

reap

A

/riːp/

// I will reap them myself with the scythe
that reaped you.
// many men were employed to reap the harvest
// farmers agreed to continue reaping the land by traditional means
// the company is poised to reap the benefits of this investment

: cut or gather (a crop or harvest)
: harvest the crop from (a piece of land)
: receive (something, especially something beneficial) as a consequence of one’s own or another’s actions

183
Q

scythe

A

/sʌɪð/

// I will reap them myself with the scythe
that reaped you.
// the grass was scythed at regular intervals
// attacking players can scythe through defences

: a tool used for cutting crops such as grass or corn
: cut with a scythe
: move through or penetrate something rapidly and forcefully.

184
Q

sheaf

A 
// Then I will sit on a sheaf, my face turned
to the crescent moon.
// he waved a sheaf of papers in the air
// the corn had to be sheafed

: a bundle of grain stalks laid lengthways and tied together after reaping
: a bundle of objects of one kind, especially papers
: bundle into sheaves

185
Q

crescent

A

/ˈkrɛz(ə)nt,ˈkrɛs(ə)nt/

// Then I will sit on a sheaf, my face turned
to the crescent moon.
// the moon was a slender crescent
// a three-mile crescent of golden sand
// a crescent moon

: the curved sickle shape of the waxing or waning moon
: a thing which has the shape of a single curve that is broad in the centre and tapers to a point at each end
: having the shape of a crescent
: growing, increasing, or developing

186
Q

ascension

A

// his ascension to the presidency

: the action of rising to an important position or a higher level
: the ascent of Christ into heaven on the fortieth day after the Resurrection

187
Q

fervent

A

// Will you know how to cleanse yourself of sin,
free yourself of evil, live in fervent purity and act in fervent
humility?

: having or displaying a passionate intensity
: [arch] hot, burning, or glowing

188
Q

marrow

A 
// Will you know how to continue the dream and work
of your dead man, bear him witness in faith with sanctified voice and hand, make of him marrow for your bones and others’, vermillion blood for your heart and others.
// marrow donors
// such men were the marrow of the organization
// come here, marrer, we need to talk

1.
: a long white-fleshed gourd with green skin, which is eaten as a vegetable (кабачок)
: a soft fatty substance in the cavities of bones, in which blood cells are produced
: the essential part of something

2.
: a friend, companion, or workmate (often used as a form of address)
: something that forms a pair with something else; a counterpart or twin

189
Q

vermillion

A 
// Will you know how to continue the dream and work
of your dead man, bear him witness in faith with sanctified voice and hand, make of him marrow for your bones and others’, vermillion blood for your heart and others.

English (6 decks)

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