Ellii Idioms Flashcards
Prankster is an understatement. This fire alarm business has really gotten out of hand. I feel like I need to be here around the clock!
3 Idioms
I have an inkling that one of the seniors is behind this.
one word
He’s always pushing my buttons.
one Idiom
Last year he ripped off one of the teachers
one idiom
hypothetical
based on situations or ideas that are possible and imagined rather than real and true
a hypothetical question/situation/example
knit
to make clothes, etc. from wool, cotton or other thread using two long thin knitting needles or a machine
knit (something) I knitted this cardigan myself.
bald
having little or no hair on the head
He started going bald in his twenties.
wig
a piece of artificial hair that is worn on the head, for example to hide the fact that a person is bald, to cover somebody’s own hair, or by a judge and some other lawyers in some courts of law
Do you think she was wearing a wig?
Sunburnt
suffering from sunburn
Her shoulders were badly sunburned.
critic
a person who expresses opinions about the good and bad qualities of books, music, etc.
a film/an art/a music critic
wilderness
a large area of land that has never been developed or used for growing crops because it is difficult to live there
entomologist
a scientist who studies insects
entertained
to interest somebody or make somebody laugh in order to please them
dystopian
typical of or featuring an imaginary place or state in which everything is extremely bad or unpleasant
totalitarian
of a country or system of government) in which there is only one political party, which has complete power and control over the people
contributions
a gift or payment that is made to a person or an organization in order to help pay for something
honorary
(of a university degree, a rank, etc.) given as an honour, without the person having to have the usual qualifications
cherish
cherish somebody/something to love somebody/something very much and want to protect them or it
utter
used to emphasize how complete something is
That’s complete and utter nonsense!
mourning
the feeling of being sad that you have and show because somebody has died
SYNONYM grief
The government announced a day of national mourning for the victims.
plague
(also the plague) (also bubonic plague) [uncountable] a disease spread by rats that causes a high temperature, swellings (= areas that are larger and rounder than usual) on the body and usually death
a decline in population following outbreaks of plague
wake of
If something happens in the wake of something else, it happens after and often because of it: Airport security was extra tight in the wake of yesterday’s bomb attacks.
abortion
[uncountable] the deliberate ending of a pregnancy at an early stage
to support/oppose abortion
a woman’s right to abortion
constitution
[countable] the system of laws and basic principles that a state, a country or an organization is governed by
your right to vote under the constitution
lapel
one of the two front parts of the top of a coat or jacket that are joined to the collar and are folded back
to wear a flower in your lapel
rosy
pink and pleasant in appearance
She had rosy cheeks.
The sky was turning rosy over the harbour.
avalanche
a mass of snow, ice and rock that falls down the side of a mountain
alpine villages destroyed in an avalanche
suffrage
the right to vote in political elections
Grant
to agree to give
Satiric, Satirical
using satire to criticize somebody/something
a satirical magazine
He is a sharp, satirical observer of the London social scene.
Satire
a way of criticizing a person, an idea or an institution in which you use humour to show their faults or weaknesses; a piece of writing that uses this type of criticism
political/social satire
a work full of savage/biting satire
wit
the ability to say or write things that are both clever and humorous
to have a quick/sharp/dry/ready wit
a woman of wit and intelligence
a book full of the wit and wisdom of his 30 years in politics
Resign
to officially tell somebody that you are leaving your job, an organization, etc.
She was forced to resign due to ill health.
resign as something He resigned as manager after eight years.
resign from something Two members resigned from the board in protest.
resign over something Some judges have threatened to resign over this issue.
resign something My father resigned from his directorship last year.
Mock
mock (somebody/something) | mock (somebody) + speech to laugh at somebody/something in an unkind way, especially by copying what they say or do
SYNONYM make fun of
He’s always mocking my French accent.
The other children mocked her, laughing behind their hands.
You can mock, but at least I’m willing to have a try!
back down
to take back a demand, an opinion, etc. that other people are strongly opposed to; to admit defeat
She refused to back down on a point of principle.
Reflexive Pronouns
Reflexive pronouns reflect the subject of the verb. Use these pronouns when the subject and object of the verb are the same person.
McClung herself played the role of premier.
Even though everyone knew the women would win, the women themselves were surprised at the outcome.
Intensive Pronouns
Intensive pronouns are reflexive pronouns that are used to emphasize the subject or object noun. They can be removed without any change of meaning.
McClung herself played the role of premier.
Even though everyone knew the women would win, the women themselves were surprised at the outcome.
extricate
to escape or enable somebody to escape from a difficult situation
He had managed to extricate himself from most of his official duties.
ropy, Ropey
not in good condition; of bad quality
We spent the night in a ropy old tent.
Cassette
a small flat plastic case containing tape for playing or recording music or sound
a video cassette (= for recording sound and pictures)
a cassette tape
a cassette recorder/player
on cassette I remember listening to their first album on cassette.
Leeway
the amount of freedom that you have to change something or to do something in the way you want to
SYNONYM latitude
How much leeway should parents give their children?
Duet
the amount of freedom that you have to change something or to do something in the way you want to
SYNONYM latitude
How much leeway should parents give their children?
Nascent
beginning to exist; not yet fully developed
a nascent industry
a nascent democracy
Spawn
to cause something to develop or be produced
The band’s album spawned a string of hit singles.
