Concepts Flashcards
The sales conference will be _ _ soon.
(of a regular event) happening at its usual time
The sales conference will be coming around soon.
We’d better start _ those sales reports _.
making someone do something more quickly, making something happen more quickly
We’d better start hurrying those sales reports along.
I can’t believe that the conference is _ _ again already.
will be happening soon
I can’t believe that the conference is coming up again already.
This last year seems to have_ _.
passed very quickly
This last year seems to have slipped away
I know! There’s an awful lot to do _ _ to the conference, especially as it’s going to be held in our branch this year.
(preparing in the period before an event begins)
I know! There’s an awful lot to do leading up to the conference, especially as it’s going to be held in our branch this year.
Oh well, at least it _ things _ and makes life a bit more interesting, I suppose.
(makes a period of time more interesting by being different from what you are doing for the rest of the time)
Oh well, at least it breaks things up and makes life a bit more interesting, I suppose.
It hasn’t been that bad a year, surely. There was all the excitement over the new marketing campaign.
Oh, that completely _ me _. It didn’t really affect me in my department.
(went unnoticed)
It hasn’t been that bad a year, surely. There was all the excitement over the new marketing campaign.
Oh, that completely passed me by. It didn’t really affect me in my department.
OK, Paul. Time’s _ _ a bit now. I need to head home. Let’s talk about what we need to do tomorrow.
((mainly British and Australian informal) it’s getting late)
OK, Paul. Time’s getting on a bit now. I need to head home. Let’s talk about what we need to do tomorrow.
Right, I’m not going to _ this _.
make something continue for longer than necessary
Right, I’m not going to spin this out.
You only have two weeks now till the exams start and you’re going to have to _ _ _ _ if you want to pass.
(make an effort to improve, an idiom using a phrasal
verb (see Unit 8 for more))
You only have two weeks now till the exams start and you’re going to have to pull your socks up if you want to pass.
We’re going to _ _ the next fortnight just for revision.
use time for one purpose and no other purpose
We’re going to set aside the next fortnight just for revision.
In other words, we’re going to _ _ some time by cancelling all non-exam lessons like sport.
(make time or money available for a particular use by not using it another way)
In other words, we’re going to free up some time by cancelling all non-exam lessons like sport.
All school sports matches will be_ _ until the exams are finished.
(delayed and arranged for a later date)
All school sports matches will be held over until the exams are finished.
We felt that would be better than trying to _ revision _ around sport commitments.
(do it between other activities)
We felt that would be better than trying to fit revision in around sport commitments.
The sports staff agree that _ _(1) these matches won’t cause any major problems, but we mustn’t _ schedules _(2) by more than two weeks or we won’t be able to fit in all the matches before the end of term.
(1) - causing something to happen later than it should
happen
(2) - make something happen more slowly, or make
something happen later than it should
The sports staff agree that putting back these matches won’t cause any major problems, but we mustn’t set schedules back by more than two weeks or we won’t be able to fit in all the matches before the end of term.
So now, put everything else out of your minds and concentrate on your revision. No more _ time _ get down to some serious work.
(wasting time by using it for unimportant things)
So now, put everything else out of your minds and concentrate on your revision. No more frittering time away get down to some serious work.
There was a lot of excitement _ _ to the final match.
preparing in the period before an event begins
There was a lot of excitement leading up to the final match.
My birthday seems to be _ _ more quickly every year.
(of a regular event) happening at its usual time
My birthday seems to be coming around more quickly every year.
The annual meeting will be coming up some time next month.
will be happening soon
The annual meeting will be coming up some time next month.
I’d better go as it’s _ _ now.
(mainly British and Australian informal) it’s getting late
I’d better go as it’s getting on now.
It’s getting late – can you start _ people _?
making someone do something more quickly, making something happen more quickly
It’s getting late – can you start hurrying people along?
My staff often _ things _ much longer than they need to so that they don’t get asked to do any more work.
(make something continue for longer than necessary)
My staff often spin things out much longer than they need to so that they don’t get asked to do any more work.
As a result they sometimes _ the schedules _(1) by days or even weeks, and then I have to _ them _(2) so that the work gets done on time.
(1) - make something happen more slowly, or make
something happen later than it should
(2) - making someone do something more quickly, making something happen more quickly
As a result they sometimes set the schedules back by days or even weeks, and then I have to hurry them along so that the work gets done on time.
And not only do I have to keep an eye on the staff , I also have to find time to _ _ (1) consultations with management and the unions, and inevitably meetings have to be _ _(2) because of some unexpected emergency, or important tasks have to be _ _(3) till the more immediate problems can be sorted out.
(1) - do it between other activities
(2) - causing something to happen later than it should happen
(3) - delayed and arranged for a later date
And not only do I have to keep an eye on the staff , I also have to find time to fit in consultations with management and the unions, and inevitably meetings have to be put back because of some unexpected emergency, or important tasks have to be held over till the more immediate problems can be sorted out.
I try to _ _ at least one hour every day for planning, but it’s not easy.
(use time for one purpose and no other purpose)
I try to set aside at least one hour every day for planning, but it’s not easy.
I like to take a proper lunch break and get out of the office. I find that _ _ the day down nicely.
(makes a period of time more interesting by being different from what you are doing for the rest of the time)
I like to take a proper lunch break and get out of the office. I find that breaks up the day down nicely.
You’d get far more done if you didn’t _ _ so much time.
wasting time by using it for unimportant things
You’d get far more done if you didn’t fritter away so much time.
The children tried to _ their game _ so they didn’t have to go to bed.
(make something continue for longer than necessary)
The children tried to spin their game out so they didn’t have to go to bed.
Cameron might lose his job if he doesn’t _ _ _ _.
make an effort to improve, an idiom using a phrasal verb
Cameron might lose his job if he doesn’t pull his socks up.
We must discuss what we need to do _ _ to the opening of the new branch.
(preparing in the period before an event begins)
We must discuss what we need to do leading up to the opening of the new branch.
Let’s try to _ some time _ next month to discuss progress on the project.
(use time for one purpose and no other purpose)
Let’s try to set some time apart next month to discuss progress on the project.
We’ve had to _ the meeting _ to this Tuesday as Austin will be away next week.
(move a meeting or event to an earlier date or time.)
We’ve had to bring the meeting forward to this Tuesday as Austin will be away next week.
Francesca always _ _ any discussion.
unnecessarily prolong something
Francesca always drags out any discussion
I think we should _ our meetings _ a bit more.
position two or more items at an equal distance from one another
I think we should space our meetings out a bit more.
I thought I had ages to prepare for my exams, but they have _ _ _ me in no time at all.
(position two or more items at an equal distance from one another.)
I thought I had ages to prepare for my exams, but they have crept up on me in no time at all.
I think we should try to _ _ the printing paper.
to make (a supply) last as long as possible
I think we should try to eke out the printing paper.
Recent events in Herean City _ _ a failure of central government to control spending by local and regional authorities.
(make it seem likely that something is true)
Recent events in Herean City point to a failure of central government to control spending by local and regional authorities.
This failure can be _ _ _ a long-standing reluctance to tackle local corruption, which has resulted in a situation where certain powerful local politicians feel free to act outside the law.
(thought to be caused by (used for problems and bad experiences))
This failure can be put down to2 a long-standing reluctance to tackle local corruption, which has resulted in a situation where certain powerful local politicians feel free to act outside the law.
This then _ _ a general atmosphere in which all politicians are mistrusted.
(to play a significant part in making something happen)
This then contributes to a general atmosphere in which all politicians are mistrusted.
Arthur Power’s explanation for the growth of crime in our cities just does not _ _.
((slightly informal) constitute a reasonable or likely explanation for something)
Arthur Power’s explanation for the growth of crime in our cities just does not add up.
He _ recent rises in crime _ a decline in leisure facilities for young people and the economic recession.
(to think of (something) as being a quality of (someone or something))
He attributes recent rises in crime to a decline in leisure facilities for young people and the economic recession.
But the problem in fact _ _ a longer-term neglect of the cities, and dealing with the problem depends on accepting this fact first and foremost.
(is caused by)
But the problem in fact stems from a longer-term neglect of the cities, and dealing with the problem depends on accepting this fact first and foremost.
We have been talking about rising crime rates for decades and after the last general election the government set up an inquiry into inner-city crime, but as yet nothing seems to have _ _ _ this enquiry.
((of a fact) emerge; become known.)
We have been talking about rising crime rates for decades and after the last general election the government set up an inquiry into inner-city crime, but as yet nothing seems to have come out of this enquiry.
No one should be surprised that the recent education reforms have _ _ the government.
(had a bad effect on the person who did it with the result that they did not achieve what they were trying to achieve)
No one should be surprised that the recent education reforms have rebounded on the government.
The reforms were _ _(1) a deep-seated elitism, which _ _(2) the fact that inequality has grown rather than diminished, as your report showed (13 November).
(1) - based on, or caused by
(2) - explains the reason for
The reforms were rooted in a deep-seated elitism, which accounts for the fact that inequality has grown rather than diminished, as your report showed (13 November).
As always, the effects have _ most _(1) poorer families, where the new system has _ _(2) parents being unable to afford a good education for their children.
(1) - had a noticeable effect on
(2) - to begin a process that causes something to happen
As always, the effects have impacted most on poorer families, where the new system has led to parents being unable to afford a good education for their children.
