Deck 25 Flashcards
to wrong
to treat someone in an unfair or unacceptable way
- ‘She felt deeply wronged by his accusations.’
a steamroller
- a person who forces other people to agree with them and prevents any opposition
- a vehicle that moves forward on a large, heavy wheel in order to make a road surface flat
to pull your weight
to work as hard as other people in a group
an appendage
an arm, leg, or other body parts
- ‘He had a tattoo on every visible appendage.’
a chairperson
a person in charge of a meeting or organization
a tryst
a meeting between two people who are having a romantic relationship, especially a secret one
to stifle
to (cause to) be unable to breathe because you have no air
- ‘He is said to have stifled his victim with a pillow.’
an infringement
an action that breaks a rule, law, etc.
a sight for sore eyes
a way of saying that you are very pleased to see someone or that you think someone is very attractive
to embezzle
to secretly take money that is in your care or that belongs to an organization or business you work for
* embezzlement
freshly/newly minted
recently produced or made
to impound
If the police impound something that belongs to you, they take it away because you have broken the law
- ‘The police impounded cars and other personal property belonging to the drug dealers.’
wantonly
in a deliberate and unprovoked manner
- ‘During the raids, the police wantonly destroyed property.’
to galvanise
to cause someone to suddenly take action, especially by shocking or exciting them in some way
- ‘The prospect of his mother coming to stay galvanized him into action and he started cleaning the house.’
to make/do the rounds
to talk to a lot of people
(all) of a piece
of the same kind
- ‘Willner edited the music to make the different parts seem all of a piece.’
food for thought
something worth thinking seriously about
- ‘Thank you for your suggestion – it gave us a lot of food for thought.’
to hold up one’s end
to fulfil or attend to one’s obligation(s) or promise(s) as agreed
chiseled
clearly marked with firm, strong and sharp lines
- ‘chiselled abs/face’
a tarp
a large piece of waterproof cloth or plastic that is used as a cover
knee–deep
deeply engaged or occupied
- ‘knee–deep in work’
to spitball
throw out (a suggestion) for discussion.
-‘I’m just spitballing a few ideas.’
the id
in psychoanalysis, the deepest part of the unconscious mind that represents the most basic natural human needs and emotions such as hunger, anger, and the wish for pleasure
to stay put
to remain in the same place or position
to chortle
to laugh, showing pleasure and satisfaction, often at someone else’s bad luck
livid
extremely angry
teeny
tiny
a voyeur [vwah-yœr]
a person who gets sexual pleasure from secretly watching other people in sexual situations, or (more generally) a person who watches other people’s private lives
to be vested in sb/sth
If power or authority is vested in someone or something, or if someone or something is vested with power or authority, it is officially given them
- ‘By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife.’
tone-deaf
incapable of understanding or comprehending the different facets/nuances of a given situation
to meet someone halfway
to make a compromise with someone
- ‘The buyers wanted to bring the price down from $15,000 to $10,000, so I offered to meet them halfway at $12,500.’
to retch
to react in a way as if you are vomiting
a ped xing
on road signs: pedestrian crossing
unbridled
not controlled or limited
- ‘unbridled ambition/enthusiasm/lust’
to jeopardise
to put (someone or something) into a situation in which there is a danger of loss, harm, or failure
a don
a lecturer (= a college teacher), especially at Oxford or Cambridge University in England
a retcon
a piece of new information given in a film, television series, etc. that changes, or gives a different way of understanding, what has gone before. Retcon is short for “Retroactive Continuity”.
the truth will out
said to show that you believe the truth will always be discovered
to be penny-wise and pound-foolish
to be extremely careful about small amounts of money and not careful enough about larger amounts of money
to hold someone accountable (for something)
to consider someone responsible for something; to blame something on someone
to give the sack
to terminate the employment of
to take a dislike
If you take a dislike to someone or something, you decide that you do not like them.
to posit
to suggest something as a basic fact or principle from which a further idea is formed or developed
- ‘Experts posit that such a rocket could potentially travel 4,100 miles.’
reciprocity
behaviour in which two people or groups of people give each other help and advantages
to be devoid of sth
to lack or be without something that is necessary or usual
- ‘Their apartment is devoid of all comforts.’
to cut up
to behave in a very active and silly way in order to make people laugh
- ‘There are a couple of kids who are always cutting up in class.’
fickle
likely to change your opinion or your feelings suddenly and without a good reason
on file
in a file or filing system
a lingo
the language and speech, especially the jargon or slang of a particular field, group, or individual
of late
recently
eye-watering
an eye-watering amount is extremely high or large, and much higher or larger than you would expect
to concoct
- to make (a dish or meal) by combining various ingredients
2. to invent an excuse, explanation, or story in order to deceive someone
to get on your high horse
to start talking angrily about something bad that someone else has done as if you feel you are better or more clever than they are
regicide
the action of killing a king
/or [C]: a person who kills or takes part in killing a king
deprecating
showing that you think something is of little value or importance
- ‘His deprecating smile clearly showed that she thought I’d said something stupid.’
congenital
A congenital disease or condition exists at or from birth
hirsute
having a lot of hair, especially on the face or body
irreconcilable
impossible to find agreement between or with, or impossible to deal with
kibble
food for animals in the form of hard round balls
dismay
a feeling of unhappiness and disappointment
- ‘She discovered, to her dismay, that her exam was a whole month earlier than she’d expected.’
to screen
to protect or hide
to bicker
to argue about things that are not important
- ‘They’re always bickering with each other about/over their personal problems.’
on my honour
used when someone is promising to do something
to spin a good yarn
to tell a good story
epiphany
a moment when you suddenly feel that you understand, or suddenly become conscious of, something that is very important to you
on the back burner
If something is on the back burner, it is temporarily not being dealt with or considered, especially because it is not urgent or important
to blow a raspberry
to make a rude noise by putting your tongue between your lips and blowing
to maim
to injure a person so severely that a part of their body will no longer work as it should
- ‘Many children have been maimed for life by these bombs.’
to usurp
to take control of a position of power, especially without having the right to
a sleuth
someone whose job is to discover information about crimes and find out who is responsible for them
to abet
to help or encourage someone to do something wrong or illegal
- ‘His accountant had aided and abetted him in the fraud.’
to coerce
to persuade someone forcefully to do something that they are unwilling to do
- ‘The court heard that the six defendants had been coerced into making a confession.’
a mild oath
Swearing without being vulgar. Shoot! instead of Sh*t! Darn! instead of Gdamn!
Egad!
used as a mild oath
gestation
(the period of) the development of a child or young animal while it is still inside its mother’s body
to accost
to approach and address (someone) boldly or aggressively.
- ‘Reporters accosted him in the street.’
to mince
to walk with small, delicate steps, in a way that does not look natural
defunct
no longer existing, living, or working correctly
to get/keep out of someone’s hair -
to keep away from someone in order to avoid trouble or to avoid annoying them
the pitter patter
the sound of water or a similar liquid rapidly dripping or falling onto a surface
- ‘The pitter patter of the rain outside was relaxing as I snuggled in my warm bed.’
to put your foot down
to decide something and express your decision
- ‘Mom put her foot down and said I couldn’t use the car until my grades improved.’
to pummel
to hit someone or something repeatedly, especially with your fists
- ‘The boxer had pummelled his opponent into submission by the end of the fourth round.’
infirmity
physical or mental weakness
to supersede
to replace something, especially something older or more old-fashioned
- ‘Most of the old road has been superseded by the great interstate highways.’
repugnant
If behaviour or beliefs, etc. are repugnant, they are very unpleasant, causing a feeling of disgust
- ‘a repugnant smell’
to waver
to lose strength, determination, or purpose, especially temporarily
capricious
changing mood or behaviour suddenly and unexpectedly
fodder
food that is given to cows, horses, and other farm animals
dead wood
people or things that are no longer useful
a nutcase
a mad or foolish person
grandiose
larger and containing more detail than necessary, or intended to seem important or great
municipal
of or belonging to a town or city
- ‘municipal authorities’
a caveat
A caveat is a warning. When someone adds a caveat to something they’re telling you to beware — maybe what they’re telling you comes with certain conditions or maybe there’s something dangerous lurking.
to protrude
extend beyond or above a surface
- ‘Something like a fin protruded from the water.’
compelling
If a reason, argument, etc. is compelling, it makes you believe it or accept it because it is so strong
wistful
sad and thinking about something that is impossible or in the past
to jog along/on
continue in a steady, uneventful way
- ‘Our marriage worked and we jogged along.’
to have/take a gander
to have a quick look
to torch
to burn a building or other large thing, intentionally and usually illegally
to wince
to show pain suddenly and for a short time in the face, often moving the head back at the same time
- ‘It makes me wince even thinking about eye operations.’
