English Contents

Question 1

windswept

/ˈwɪndswept/

Answer 1

adj. having hair that is untidy because it has been blown in different directions by the wind, (of a place) having strong winds and little protection from them

• Mr Weasley, Mr Diggory and Cedric were still standing; though looking very windswept; everybody else was on the ground.
• windswept hair
• We drove down to the windswept Atlantic coast of Portugal.

Question 2

couldn’t wish for a nicer/better etc.

Answer 2

; used to emphasize that you are very happy with what you have and cannot imagine anymore or anything better

• I couldn’t wish for a better husband.
• You couldn’t wish for a more enthusiastic Head of the Sports Department, though. He played Quidditch for England himself.

SEE ALSO the nicest/best etc. … I could have wished for

• It’s the best birthday present I could have wished for.

Question 3

lax

Answer 3

(disapproving) adj. not strict, severe or careful enough about work, rules or standards of behavior

SYNONYM slack, careless

• but Ludo’s always been a bit … well … lax about security.
• lax security/discipline
• a lax attitude to health and safety regulations
• ~ contends that the authorities were lax in investigating most of the cases.

Question 4

distraught

/dɪˈstrɔːt/

Answer 4

** adj.** extremely upset and anxious so that you cannot think clearly

• Ron: I suppose I was a bit distraught.
• They were extremely distraught at the news of his accident.

Question 5

grit your teeth

Answer 5

• We’ve just gotta grit our teeth and do it. Tonight, when we get back to the common room, we’ll both have partners.

C2 to accept a difficult situation and deal with it in a determined way:

• We had to grit our teeth and agree with their conditions because we wanted the contract.