Chapter 1 Flashcards
good-for-nothing (adj)
a good-for-nothing person is lazy and useless:
an idle good-for-nothing drunk
crane (v)
to look around or over something by stretching or leaning
shudder (v)
to shake for a short time because you are afraid or cold, or because you think something is very unpleasant:
Maria shuddered as she stepped outside.
dull (adj)
not bright and with lots of clouds:
Outside the weather was hazy and dull. a dull sky
hum (v)
to sing a tune by making a continuous sound with your lips closed
wrestle (v)
to move something or try to move it when it is large, heavy, or difficult to move:
wrestle with Ray continued to wrestle with the wheel.
tawny (adj)
brownish-yellow in colour:
a lion’s tawny fur
peck somebody on the cheek/ forehead etc
to kiss someone quickly and lightly:
She pecked her father lightly on the cheek.
tantrum (n)
a sudden short period when someone, especially a child, behaves very angrily and unreasonably:
have/ throw a tantrum
She throws a tantrum when she can’t have the toy she wants.
cereal (n)
a breakfast food made from grain and usually eaten with milk
tyke (n)
a child who is behaving badly a small child
chortle (v)
to laugh because you are amused or pleased about something:
Harry chortled with delight.
back a car
back/ reverse a car (=make it move backwards)
Suzy backed the car into the driveway.
peculiar (adj)
strange, unfamiliar, or a little surprising:
There was a peculiar smell in the kitchen.
jerk (v)
to move with a quick sudden movement, or to make part of your body move in this way:
Wilcox jerked his head to indicate that they should move on.
‘Is that the only way out of here?’ he asked, jerking a thumb at the door.
tabby cat (adj)
a cat with light and dark lines on its fur
getup
a set of clothes, especially strange or unusual clothes:
I hardly recognized him in that getup!
drum (v)
to make a sound similar to a drum by hitting a surface again and again:
I could hear the rain drumming against the windows.
Lisa drummed her fingers impatiently on the table.
huddle (n)
a group of people or things that are close together, but not arranged in any particular order, pattern, or system
weirdo (n)
someone who wears strange clothes or behaves strangely:
Jenny’s going out with a real weirdo.
enrage (v)
to make someone very angry➔ anger:
Many readers were enraged by his article.
emerald (n)
a valuable bright green stone that is often used in jewellery a bright green colour
strike (v)
if something strikes you, you think of it, notice it, or realize that it is important, interesting, true etc:
A rather worrying thought struck me.
stunt (n)
something that is done to attract people’s attention, especially in advertising or politics:
Todd flew over the city in a hot-air balloon as a publicity stunt.
swoop (v)
if a bird or aircraft swoops, it moves suddenly down through the air, especially in order to attack something:
The eagle hovered, ready to swoop at any moment.
gaze (v)
to look at someone or something for a long time, giving it all your attention, often without realizing you are doing so
bun (n)
a small round type of bread:
a hamburger bun
eye (v)
to look at someone or something carefully, especially because you do not trust them or because you want something:
The man behind the desk eyed us suspiciously.
A crowd of local children gathered around, eying us in silence.
clutch (v)
to hold something tightly because you do not want to lose it
SYN grip, grasp
She was clutching a bottle of champagne.
stop dead (in your tracks)
suddenly stop moving completely:
She was so shocked that she stopped dead in her tracks.
flood (v) (of feelings)
if a feeling or memory floods over you or floods back, you feel or remember it very strongly:
I felt happiness and relief flooding over me.
Memories of my time in Paris flooded back.
dash (v)
to go or run somewhere very quickly:
Olive dashed into the room, grabbed her bag, and ran out again.
snap (v)
to say something quickly in an angry way:
‘What do you want?’ Mike snapped.
He snapped at Walter for no reason.
seize (v)
to take hold of something suddenly and violently
SYN grab
Suddenly, he seized my hand.
stroke (v)
to move your hand gently over something:
He reached out and stroked her cheek tenderly.
upset (adj)
unhappy and worried because something unpleasant or disappointing has happened
grunt (v)
to make short sounds or say a few words in a rough voice, when you do not want to talk:
He just grunted and carried on reading his book.
stumble (v)
to hit your foot against something or put your foot down awkwardly while you are walking or running, so that you almost fall
squeaky (adj)
making very high noises that are not loud:
a squeaky voice squeaky floorboards
passerby (n)
someone who is walking past a place by chance:
They sell drinks to passersby.
rejoice (v)
to feel or show that you are very happy:
rejoice at/over/in
His family rejoiced at the news.
We rejoiced in our good fortune.
you know who/what
used to talk about someone or something without mentioning their name:
I saw you know who yesterday.
walk off
to leave someone by walking away from them, especially in a rude or angry way:
Don’t just walk off when I’m trying to talk to you!
rooted to the spot/floor/ground etc
so shocked, surprised, or frightened that you cannot move:
She stood rooted to the spot, staring at him.
rattle (v)
1: if you rattle something, or if it rattles, it shakes and makes a quick series of short sounds:
Dan banged on her door and rattled the handle.
The window rattled in the wind.
Bottles rattled as he stacked the beer crates.
2: to make someone lose confidence or become nervous:
His mocking smile rattled her more than his anger.
It was hard not to get rattled when the work piled up.
His confidence was rattled by the accident.
set off
to start to go somewhere:
I’ll set off early to avoid the traffic.
set off for Jerry and I set off on foot for the beach.
stern (adj)
serious and strict, and showing strong disapproval of someone’s behaviour:
sterner penalties for drug offences
stern look/voice/expression etc
‘Wait!’ I shouted in my sternest voice.
stern warning/rebuke
His actions have earned him stern rebukes from human rights organizations.
pull yourself together
to force yourself to stop behaving in a nervous, frightened, or uncontrolled way:
With an effort Mary pulled herself together.
newscaster (n)
someone who reads the news on radio or television
phone in
1: to telephone the place where you work, especially in order to report something:
I’ll phone in and let them know.
phone something ↔ in
I’ll phone the report in tomorrow morning.
She phoned in sick (=telephoned to say that she was ill and could not come to work).
2: to telephone a radio or television show to give your opinion or ask a question:
There’s still time to phone in before the end of the programme.
downpour (n)
a lot of rain that falls in a short time
armchair (n)
a comfortable chair with sides that you can rest your arms on
sip (v)
to drink something slowly, taking very small mouthfuls
purse (v)
if you purse your lips, you bring them together tightly into a small circle, especially to show disapproval or doubt: Mrs Biddell pursed her lips and shook her head.
stiff (adj)
unfriendly if someone’s behaviour is stiff, they behave in a very formal or unfriendly way: Their goodbyes were stiff and formal. Parsons gave a stiff performance in the main role.
your heart sinks (alsoyour spirits sink)
used to say that you lose hope or confidence: His heart sank the way it always did when she left him. She felt desperately tired, and her spirits sank.
get out
if information gets out, a lot of people then know it although it is meant to be secret:
We have to make absolutely certain that none of this gets out.
It’s bound to get out that he’s retiring soon.
drift (v)
to move, change, or do something without any plan or purpose: drift around/ along etc Jenni spent the year drifting around Europe. drift into I just drifted into teaching, really. drift away The others drifted away. Melanie stayed. drift from something to something The conversation drifted from one topic to another. let your gaze/ eyes/ thoughts/ mind etc drift Idly she let her eyes drift over his desk.
quiver (v)
to shake slightly because you are cold, or because you feel very afraid, angry, excited etc
twitch (v)
if a part of someone’s body twitches, or if they twitch it, it makes a small sudden movement: His mouth twitched slightly, and then he smiled. He twitched his eyebrows.
tuck (v)
to push something, especially the edge of a piece of cloth or paper, into or behind something so that it looks tidier or stays in place: tuck something in Jack tucked his shirt in. tuck something into/under/behind etc something She tucked an unruly lock of hair behind her ear.
robe (n)
a long loose piece of clothing, especially one worn for official ceremonies
sweep (v)
to move things from a surface with a brushing movement: I swept the papers quickly into the drawer.
