every sunday Flashcards
to experience something, usually something unpleasant, as a result of actions you have taken
incur debts/fines/bills/costs/expenses/a charge/fee, incur the wrath/anger
Please detail any costs/expenses incurred by you in attending the interview.
remain liable for any loss incurred
having a legal responsibility for sth, be likely to do sth
liable for
1. hold sb liable, be liable for the costs
2. liable to flooding, be liable to do sth
income is liable to fluctuate wildly
generally, as a whole
society at large; representative of the population at large
there has been a loss of community values in society at large
also: at large - free(of a criminal)
layer that is left
what are other meanings?
deposit
leave a thick deposit of mud. In hard-water areas, a chalky deposit often forms in pipes and kettles.
mineral/oil/coal deposit
1. leave a sum of money as a deposit, pay/put a deposit of … on the house, put down a deposit;
2. pay a deposit of … on , refundable/returnable deposit
3. make a deposit, hold/keep money on deposit, deposit a sum of money in a bank/safe
4. salary deposited directly into your bank account. deposit money/a cheque
to face, meet, or deal with a difficult situation or person:
confront
be confronted by/with sth/sb ,confront an issue, be confronted with many profound difficulties
confrontation between sb, risk/get into a confrontation
a confrontation with
confront serious obstacles
a detailed plan or route of a journey:
itinerary
The tour operator will arrange transport and plan your itinerary.
people do not yet know the answer or have not yet decided if it is good or bad:
the jury is still out
to tell someone what they do not want to hear, often because it is about something bad that they have done or because it needs an explanation:
confront sb with sth
confront sb with suspicions
improve very quickly
come on in/by leaps and bounds
productivity improved in leaps and bounds
to eagerly accept the chance to do or have something:
leap at
When I offered her the job, she leapt at it.
leap at the opportunity/chance to do sth
to make a sound by forcing air out of your mouth and through an instrument, or to make a sound when someone does this:
blow
blow a few notes on the trumpet, blow a whistle
blow the dust off, the wind was blowing harder, blow smoke in sb’s face, blow sth down
1. a hard hit with a weapon/hand : a sharp blow to sthe stomach/skull,
an unexpected event that has a damaging effect on someone or something
blow
be a severe blow to sb/sth, sth comes as a terrible blow to sb
deal/deliver a blow to, suffer a major /devastating blow
when you find sth very exciting and unusual
it blows your mind
be inconsistent and unsure abt sth
blow hot and cold
he’s been blowing hot and cold about the trip to…
used when you mention something in addition to all the other (bad) things that have happened:
to cap it all
you accept parts of both things in order to satisfy some of the demands of both sides in an argument, rather than all the demands of just one side:
strike a balance
It’s a question of striking the right balance between quality and productivity
to stop something unwanted from spreading or increasing:
stem the rise of/the tide/the flow
originate from
stem from, spring from
to show the meaning or truth of something more clearly, especially by giving examples
illustrate
illustrate your point with
The exhibition will illustrate how life evolved from water.
further illustrate sth
pay attention to sth
heed advice/warnings/pleas,
The airline has been excoriated for failing to heed advice/warnings about lack of safety routines.
take heed, pay no heed
to reduce or be reduced in size or importance:
diminish sb’s achievements, diminish sb in sb’s eyes, diminish greatly/sharply/substantially in value
regular
routine
routine inspection/traffic stops/medical check-up
a fixed/set routine, the daily routine, routine and mundane, a matter of routine
think of sth as
conceive of sth as, conceive how, hard to conceive that
outlook , opinion
perception
affect people’s perceptions, change the public’s perceptions, it continues to be a significant problem in terms of public perception
completely or extremely aware
acutely aware/ embarrassing
keep your eyes open
beware
beware sb, beware of sth,
beware! dangerous submerged rocks ahead
give rise to
spark concern/debate, spark off mass demonstrations
related to the amount of money that is available to spend:
budgetary
budgetary constraints, face budgetary shortfall,
exercise budgetary restraint, the project cannot be extended due to budgetary limitations, due to budgetary constraints, cover budgetary shortfalls, budgetary problems/targets, prevent budgetary cuts to
an amount that is less than the level that was expected or needed:
shortfall
cause serious shortfall in the food supply, face a budget shortfall for this fiscal year, grapple with a major shortfall in, , meet/cover/make up a shortfall
face an expected … shortfall in revenue
to try to develop and improve something:
cultivate an image as, cultivate a friendship
1. cultivate food crops, cultivate domestically
2. cultivate your mind
strive to continuously progress in our cultivation of virtue
when you have no results
prove fruitless
difficult to describe or achieve
elusive success/memories/answers, exceedingly elusive and complex
something that controls what you do by keeping you within particular limits:
the constraints of politeness, Financial constraints on the company are preventing /deterring them from employing/taking on new staff.
the constraint of distribution costs; budget/financial constraints , a major constraint to/on sth, place/put a constraint on sth
This growth in revenue may soften the government’s budget constraints and allow it to increase public spending.
Some external factors placed constraints on the scope of the work that could be undertaken.
time constraint/ the main constraint on
the range of a subject covered by a book, programme, discussion, class, etc.:
scope
be beyond/outside the scope of sth, within the scope of, broaden/widen/expand the scope of , go beyond the scope of, scope and diversity , expand the scope to encompass a vast range of subjects
The matter falls outside the scope of the present committee.
large/ambitious in scope;
opportunity for doing sth
There is limited scope for further reductions in the workforce.
the scope for political change is limited by
there is scope for further improvement
the income that a government or company receives regularly:
revenue
Taxes provide most of the government’s revenue.
Government revenues fell dramatically.
These measures will increase the club’s ability to generate revenue.; introduce measures to generate revenue, generate incalculable revenue
scrabble around for ways to increase revenue without putting up taxes
a source of revenue, expected/projected revenue, a fall/increase in revenue, an estimated annual revenue of, generate/bring in revenue
raise government revenue and lower expenditure,
an increase in the size or the importance of something:
growth
limit population growth,Electronic publishing is a growth area , the marked growth to local enterprises, the growth of the city affects the local climate
the growth of the economy, economic growth, achieve long-term sustainable growth (in), growth rate, revenue/job growth, rapid/impressive growth of sth, create an environment that is conducive to economic growth
able to continue over a period of time
a sustainable diet, put in place sustainable solutions, A large international meeting was held with the aim of promoting sustainable development in all countries.
The website encourages sustainable fashion through swapping.
Marketing plays a key role in a company’s plan for sustainable business development.
as a result of an action
thereby
Diets that are high in saturated fat clog up our arteries, thereby reducing the blood flow to our hearts and brains.
students perform in hospitals, thereby gaining a deeper awareness of the therapeutic power of music
the state of being near in space or time
proximity
the best thing about the location of the house is its proximity to the town centre
when an account lacks the funds to cover a withdrawal but the bank allows the transaction to go through anyway
to run up/pay off an overdraft , to offer overdraft facilities Research shows that 58% of students have an overdraft.
I paid off my overdraft as soon as I got my pay cheque
an overdraft fee/charge
to judge the quality, effect, importance, or value of something:
measure - assess
measure the success of sth, measure performance
there is no way of measuring the damage done to morale
take further measures to ; these measures were designed to improve car safety ; introduce measures, cost-cutting measures, drastic, draconian, radical measures, safety/preventative measures;
be a measure of sth , have no accurate measure of sth
- measure- amount : a large measure of (agreement), retain a measure of independence
His success was IN SOME MEASURE due to his being in the right place at the right time.
measure- indication of sth : a good/reliable measure of sth
in addition
for good measure
throw sth in for good measure
when everything about a situation is considered together:
by and large
be good enough
measure up
measure up to the standards you set
measure phrasal verbs
measure up - to be good enough
measure sth out - weigh a certain amount of sth :
measure out … grams of flour/sugar ; measure out the ingredients
measure someone/sth against sth : i don’t measure myself against celebrities
the total amount by which money spent is more than money received:
deficit
There are many priorities, but reducing the budget deficit is paramount/is of paramount importance.
a deficit of, cut/reduce a deficit, government/public deficit, run a deficit
When the government runs on a deficit, often the loss can be offset by a raise in taxes
run a budget/trade deficit of 300000 dollars
suddenly experience or suffer sth
come under sth
come under pressure (the government is coming under pressure to ), come under attack/criticism,
Swimming pools usually come under “leisure centres” in the phone directory.
a book that gives a list of names, addresses, or other facts:
directory
a business directory, a directory of hotels
Our idea was to create a local directory with information for new residents.
be listed in the directory,
be criticised
come under fire
to have to deal with sth
come up against difficulties
facility - synonym
amenity
lack basic amenities
spend money on public amenities
The hotel’s rooms are functional, incorporating all the basic amenities but no more.
use sth(resources)
deploy resources/staff/skills/talents
willing to listen to and accept new ideas and suggestions:
receptive
be receptive to an idea
a receptive audience
become worse
deteriorate
conditions deteriorate , a situation deteriorates rapidly
If the economy continues to deteriorate, it will affect the firm’s future performance. My eyesight began to deteriorate quite rapidly.
continue to deteriorate, deteriorate steadily/sharply/significantly
deteriorating economic conditions
become worse
deteriorate
conditions deteriorate , a situation deteriorates rapidly
If the economy continues to deteriorate, it will affect the firm’s future performance. My eyesight began to deteriorate quite rapidly.
continue to deteriorate, deteriorate steadily/sharply/significantly
deteriorating economic conditions
get control or influence
prevail
common sense will prevail in the end/ reason prevails over emotion, the attitude prevails - is common , a convivial atmosphere prevailing among the crowds, prevailing attitude
- win in an argument, esp. in the court
- persuade sb - prevail upon/on sb
enterprise or project
undertaking
The construction of the tunnel is a large and complex undertaking.
ambitious/enormous undertaking
business - concern (an operating/family concern)
commercial undertaking, national transport undertakings
- a formal pledge : give undertakings to do sth, give an undertaking that,
undertake -do: undertake experiments/ promise to do sth- undertake that …/ i undertake not to
the ability to read and write
literacy
far more resources are needed to improve adult literacy, have a literacy rate of, computer/economic/financial literacy
extremely large in size or degree
immense
immense value/wealth, spend an immense amount of time
a factor of immense importance
show sth clearly
manifest
choose to manifest one’s dissatisfaction in a series of strikes , an illness manifests itself as
obvious
manifest
manifest lack of interest,
a list of people or items on a vehicle
manifest
be listed on the manifest for the flight
to correct a situation/ or sth that isn’t right
rectify the situation , to rectify errors/mistakes
- I undertake to take whatever action is necessary to rectify the situation,
take necessary steps to rectify a problem/situation/mistake
Marketing strategies appear to have been weak and this must be rectified to facilitate growth
the arrangements and tasks needed to control the operation of a plan or organization:
administration
Teachers complain that more of their time is taken up with administration than with teaching.
Reputable charities spend the lion’s share of donations on aid and a tiny fraction on administration.
the day-to-day administration of the company;
Administration of the scheme is costly in terms of time.
She studied business administration at New York University.- the people in an org. who manage its business- the school/university administration
administrative work, an administrative problem, mainly administrative responsibilities
The cost-cutting measures include streamlining administrative procedures in the company
.an administrative nightmare for management.
administrative costs/staff
the act of getting rid of something, especially by throwing it away:
disposal
regulate waste disposal, the disposal of hazardous substances
The manufacturing process is being changed in a bid to reduce waste disposal costs.
available to be used- at your disposal - i don’t have a car at my disposal
The government will use every tool at its disposal to provide relief for the affected area.
launch a disposal programme to generate cash/ set a firm timetable for asset disposal
to control sth
regulate
You can regulate the temperature in the house by adjusting the thermostat.
to strictly regulate how
The travel industry is regulated by a set of guidelines.
the act of judging or deciding the amount, value, quality, or importance of something, or the judgment or decision that is made:
assessment
a fair assessment of ( the situation)Both their assessments of production costs were hopelessly inaccurate.;We conduct an annual assessment of the system to determine the need for any safety improvements.
make/carry out an assessment of, They intend to conduct a more detailed/thorough assessment of potential clients.
initial/preliminary assessment, safety assessment , the assessment of educational needs
initial -
preliminary talks/investigations, preliminary data/numbers/statistics
preliminary report/hearing/estimate
in order to establish a preliminary agreement.
something that happens
occurrence
an everyday occurrence and not a rare phenomenon
the occurrence of a disease
agreement that something is true or legal:
recognition
diplomatic recognition from the international community, a growing recognition that,
-If you are given recognition, people show admiration and respect for your achievements: give sb recognition for sth, in recognition for, deserve recognition for their tremendous job , gain /seek recognition
- change out of all/beyond recognition
- brand recognition//name recognition
the quality of being good and deserving praise:
merit
an entertaining film with little artistic merit , to have merit,Proposals will be judged strictly on merit by an external committee., the merits of the scheme/of herbal tea, writers/people of outstanding merit
- to merit sth - deserve it- merit scrupulous attention to detail, to merit a response , merit attention/discussion
Your certificate might merit a prominent place on your bulletin board!
to judge/consider sb on its(her/his/their/your) own merits(assess sth solely with regard to its intrinsic quality rather than other external factors)
not yet used
untapped
a wealth of untapped demand
huge untapped market for cutting-edge green exports
untapped potential/resources
the total amount that can be contained or produced:
capacity
have a seating capacity of, a capacity crowd/audience, have a capacity of (can produce) 20 , work at full capacity(work as fast as possible), run below / at full capacity(produce less than possible), be filled to capacity, expand/increase capacity(production)
- ability to do sth - to have a capacity for hard work, within sb’s capacity to do sth, mental capacity- the task was beyond my intellectual capacity
- a particular job or position - in your(sb’s) capacity as In her capacity as manager, she has primary responsibility for making day-to-day investment decisions.
he should be retained in his present capacity at a higher salary
to do something without worrying about the risk or negative results:
throw caution to the wind
to keep something for a particular purpose or time:
reserve
reserve sth for sth, be reserved for sb, to reserve judgement on an issue,
- to reserve a seat for sb, reserve a table
- keep a little money in reserve, put sth on reserve for sb, food reserves in case of emergency- ; a reserve of cash, oil/fuel reserves , Land should be kept in reserve at the airport for a second runway which could be built -; to dip into reserves/ , a nature, wildlife reserve
- to call up the reserves
- reserve the right to
business
enterprise, - a commercial /private enterprise , a state-owned/multinational enterprise
The road is bordered by shopping centers, restaurants, retail outlets, and other commercial enterprises.
a domestic/local/foreign enterprise
run a family enterprise
to support local small enterprise development.
- enterprise - business activity in general The government unveiled a wide range of measures to boost business and enterprise yesterday.
enterprise and development, promote enterprise
eagerness to do something new and clever, despite any risks
enterprise
demonstrate a lot of enterprise and initiative in setting up this project
We need someone with enterprise and imagination to devise a marketing strategy.] ,
a task or job you commit to
undertaking
understand sth in a particular way
construction
put a ..(an honest/sordid) construction on sth
that’s not the construction I put on it/ put a positive construction on- interpret sth
information intended to advise people on how something should be done or what something should be:
guideline
issue guidelines on
being only one/single, not shared with others
sole
the sole survivor of the accident , My sole objective/aim is to make the information more widely available.
have sole charge of, have sole responsibility for
sole owner/director
solely
-buy sth solely for that purpose, , solely to blame, be attributable solely to, appoint solely on the basis of merit
strong and tight
firm
a firm handshake,Keep a firm hold of the handrail as you go down., have a firm grip on sth, a firm grasp of sth
Some people still claim that there is no firm evidence linking smoking with lung cancer., a firm believer/supporter - staunch
the continued use, existence, or possession of something or someone
retention
water/heat retention, the retention of sth(a law/tax, technology)Health benefits are an important recruitment and retention tool.m improve staff retention,Employee retention is one of the major issues confronting business today.Revenue growth, in turn, is achieved by pursuing growing market segments, by finding new customers, and by improving the retention of existing customers
enhance retention of facts
hurt the soil’s retention of moisture
stick collocations and verbs
stick around - linger, dawdle, stick by sth - support (stick by our decision), stick together, stick up for sb(i can stick up for myself), stick it out- grin and bear it, stick at sth- persevere, stick to sth-adhere to, stick out for - continue to demand
start to like sb
take to sth,
I’ve taken to basketball like a duck to water,
take to doing sth - make a habit of
an official instruction
directive
issue a directive about
Under a directive to cut utility costs, one office building has installed skylights in conference rooms to reduce the need for artificial light.
the new directive should lay out guidelines for
to never do sth because you think it’s wrong
draw the line
draw the line at doing sth
i draw the line at …
omething hidden but important, something that shapes the meaning or effect of something else, without being explicit itself.
underlying
The underlying message of the film is that love transcends everything else.
We need to tackle the underlying causes of poverty and suffering.
It is imperative to consider all the underlying causes of the conflict
the fundamental issue which underlies the conflict
More fundamental economic problems may underlie last week’s stock market slide.
rise to a very high level(of prices of figures)
go through the roof
prices have gone through the roof
- get very angry my parents went through the roof when …( send sb round the bend)_ hit the roof, flip your lid
a way of thinking abt a particular subject/ a way of dealing with sth
line of reasoning/thinking;
official line(the government’s official line is to), take a tougher line with sb(punish severely/come down heavily/hard on), disagree with sb’s line on sth, take a particular sort of line in sth, line of inquiry, on … lines, along the same line
It seems inevitable that the country will be divided along ethnic lines
(a fishing line, put clothes on the line)
on the line, toe the line
the dividing line between fact and fiction is becoming increasingly blurred./blur the line between news and entertainment/ cut across class lines
- a railway track
- to line the streets, be lined with trees, line the route
- be in line for sth-likely to get a job, in line for a windfall-likely to receive, there is a fine line between, step/be out of line - behave inappropriately
similar to or the same as
in line with
seek a pay rise that’s in line with inflation, bring sth into line with sth,
A workforce diversity committee will set specific objectives in line with the policy- according to
along the lines of sth - similar to sth :
be good at music or languages
have an ear for
I’d never had much of an ear for languages but once I applied myself my english has come on in leaps and bounds ;
to use or spend money/effort/time
You expend so much effort for so little return.
expend a lot of resources on
expend energy/effort/time/money/funds
be a lot better than your competition
be head and shoulders above the field
to collect a large number of things over a long period of time:
accumulate
As people accumulate more wealth, they tend to spend a greater proportion of their incomes instead of putting it aside
accumulate debt during the acquisition of
;
-gradually increase in amount: A thick layer of dust had accumulated in the room
households accumulate wealth; while the deficit was allowed to accumulate, nothing was done to address the problem;
amass
amass a huge fortune/wealth
accrue: little benefit will accrue to the city from the new transport links. accrue student debt in your educational pursuits ; financial benefits will accrue from
If you can accrue enough extra credit to build up your grade, you won’t have to take the final exam
wealth colloc
create/generate/accumulate/accrue wealth,Households accumulate wealth by spending less than they earn;
financial/economic, oil/gas wealth, mineral wealth
a large amount of sth good- contain a wealth of data/information, contribute a wealth of experience, have a wealth of teaching experience,
appalling poverty and great wealth coexist
something that is usually or regularly done, often as a habit, tradition, or custom:
practice
- put sth (an idea/scheme) into practice, work in practice
-in practice - in reality
-business practice, common practice (It’s common practice to), standard/common/usual practice, draw up a code of practice , practice of ing,
to be completely covered with or full of a particular type of thing:
be crawling with
an area of interest or activity
- realm
in the realm of (politics/economics)
the economic realm, the realm of literature/art
the realm of academic research
beyond/within the realms of possibility : - in the public domain, it’s not my domain/ i treat it as my domain, the political/scientific domain, the domain of sb, be the exclusive domain of sb
interests are in the realm of practical politics.
seminal work in the literature domain
isolation in the domain of sport
respectful action
tribute
tributes pour in/flood in, floral tributes, ; pay tribute to sth/sb
judge or calculate the importance or value of sth
evaluate;
It’s impossible to evaluate these results without first ascertaining the methods employed;
evaluate how ( the material stands up to wear and tear;
be extremely difficult to evaluate the effects of sth; evaluate contrary point of view ;
the research aims to evaluate the effectiveness/performance of ; evaluation - noun: evaluation of this treatment cannot take place until all the preliminary data have/has been collected , conduct an initial evaluation of the programme, crucial evaluation
Sophisticated statistical analysis was employed to obtain these results.
examining or liking to examine things in detail, in order to discover more about them
analytical mind/skills/tools
adopt analytical approach to sth
demonstrate evaluative and analytical skills
ability to do sth
capability
within/beyond sb’s capabilities: Many retailers are struggling because they expanded beyond their capabilities.; capability to respond to customer needs
have the capability to do sth;
manufacturing/marketing capability
an amount of something produced by a person, machine, factory, country, etc.:
output- the total quantity of goods it produces.
manufacturing output falls/declines/is down by 13 %;
increase/boost/raise output, reduce/cut/limit output of (greenhouse gases)an increase/fall in output
economic/industrial output, global/domestic output, annual/overall output
good morals
virtue
- patience is a virtue ; discretion is a virtue well worth cultivating
- an advantage or good point: would there be any virtue in doing it/is there any virtue in ?i fail to see any virtue in such an arrangement, there’s no virtue in, extol the virtues of sth/sb
- by virtue of - as a result of `; i succeeded by virtue of my dogged perseverance
- make a virtue of sth -
I had a couple of months to spare between jobs so I thought I’d make a virtue of necessity by acquiring a few new skills.
treat sb differently and often unfairly
discriminate
- be discriminated against on the basis of/on the grounds of, to discriminate in favour of sb
take a stand against discriminatory practices/treatment
able to see a difference between
discriminate between
differentiate between, to differentiate sth from, Service providers are all keen to differentiate themselves from their competitors, to differentiate between luxuries and necessities
- make sth different: unique attributes that differentiate me from the field /other applicants ,
disappointed because you found out sth abt sth
disillusioned
become disillusioned ,be thoroughly disillusioned with
a position from which sth is looked at
angle
look at sth from the wrong angle, from every angle
- discuss the problems from every conceivable angle, try looking at the problem from a different angle/from my angle, a new/fresh angle on the situation
at an angle- sloping in one direction - hang at an angle, wear a hat at a jaunty angle,
a thin thread of sth
strand
a strand of dental floss, a loose strand of hair,
- many different strands to the plot , bring the disparate strands of the party together, represent many different strands of opinion,
caused by
be attributable to
economic growth is attributable to a plethora of factors , be largely attributable to the fact that
always support sb no matter what
stick with sb through thick and thin
ability to get or achieve sth
grasp
sth looks within your grasp, be beyond your grasp, slip from your grasp, lose your grasp on reality
- shake hands i=with a firm grasp,
- grasp the main points/the significance/importance of
- have an impressive grasp of
shape without any details
outline
draw the outline of sth
- description of the main facts - write an outline, give a broad outline of, to outline what,
The government has outlined a series of environmental goals it is seeking to meet by. , … outlined in , outline a proposal/plan/strategy, outline the terms of, When planning objectives, it’s a good idea to use a checklist to ensure that you meet the criteria outlined above., terms of the deal are clear in outline, broad/general outline
with the aim of doing sth
with a view to doing sth
these measures have been taken with a view to increasing the company’s profits and stimulating the economy
developing gradually
progressive
progressive decline in the standard of living , the progressive deterioration of
to do everything you can to achieve a good result, especially when looking for something:
accept criticism
leave no stone unturned
face the music
a range of different positions, opinions, etc. between two extreme points:
spectrum
the survey revealed a wide spectrum of opinion
the whole political /social spectrum, A wide spectrum of opinion was represented at the meeting.
cover the entire spectrum of sth
a wide/broad spectrum
across the whole political//economic spectrum
expanded my notion of the human spectrum.
disagreement and argument abt sth
controversy
cause fierce/heated controversy, a lot of controversy surrounding/over sth
stir up much controversy
to cause an unpleasant emotion or problem to begin or grow:
stir up
stir up trouble, stir up some painful memories
be deeply stirred by
stir the crowd to take action
the state of having what you need in order to stay alive, but no more:
subsistence food
the minimum income needed for subsistence Agricultural production is below subsistence level, leaving many dependent on emergency aid.
live at subsistence level
work for subsistence; means to obtain necessities “social security provided only a bare subsistence”
the willingness to give a lot of time and energy to something because it is important:
dedication
she applied herself to the task with enormous energy and dedication.require tremendous dedication
a dedicated teacher/parent, be dedicated to work, be dedicated to protecting the environment
- designed to be used for a single purpose a dedicated high-speed rail link, a dedicated computer , dedicated phone lines,
being an extremely important and basic characteristic of a person or thing:
—intrinsic
works of little intrinsic value/interest
access to the arts is intrinsic to a high quality of life
Maths is an intrinsic part of the school curriculum.
an intrinsic part/element of
— inherent dangers/risks
—- innate capacity for, people differ in terms of their innate abilities
be busy doing a lot of things
run around
i’m exhausted-i’ve been running around all morning
equality esp in pay
parity , parity of incomes between
demand pay parity with
reach economic parity with
In spite of many advances, women are far from achieving parity with men in many areas of employment.
to prove that something exists or is true, or to make certain that something is correct:
verify
verify account/theory/report/conclusions
Under interrogation, she verified (that) the tapes were authentic.
The results will need to be independently verified by experts.
o cause or allow something to continue for a period of time:
sustain
The economy looks set to sustain its growth into next year.
sustain relationship/conversation
sustain heavy losses, sustain severe damage - incur, sustain injury
harvest is insufficient to sustain a growing population. If you sustain an interest in what you’re studying, it means that you’re just as excited about the subject after studying as you are when you began.
anxious and worried
concerned
be concerned about/for sth, be concerned that, be concerned to V, , it concerns sb greatly , it concerns me that he hasn’t been in contact , growing concern for, public concern over,
- involved:I’d like to thank everyone concerned for making the occasion run so smoothly., all/everyone concerned,Her job is something concerned with computers. where… is concerned ( where money is concerned), the report concerns events which, mainly concerned with 1987 onwards , Matters of pollution and the environment concern us all.
The documentary concerns a woman who
- concern yourself with
- as far as i’m concerned- in my opinion, as far as sth is concerned, these measures are irrelevant as far as inflation is concerned
- be concerned with sth/sb - be about sth/sb, A large part of the book is concerned with his early life.
-His concern to appear sophisticated amused everyone. ( need to do/be sth), sole concern is to , a matter of some concern , the prospect should be of concern to us all, High levels of stress hormones are of concern because they are linked to several illnesses.
a sound
note
high/low note, change its note
- take copious notes, make a note of, notes scribbled in the margins
- a note of caution,His speech struck just the right note, end on a positive note
- importance - sth of note , worthy of note; a composer of considerable note - distinction, notable - remarkable, a notable achievement notable for,
- please note that , note how easy it is to…
- make a mental note of, make a note to do sth,
- take note of - give attention to You should take careful note of what she tells you because she knows their strategy well., employers should take note of the needs of…
I find it really difficult to strike the right note when I’m writing job applications.
main
primary
primary/sole concern is to… ,The primary responsibility lies with those who break the law.,primary source of income, primary goal/objective/purpose
the process of broadcasting or sending out something by radio or television, on the internet, etc., or something that is broadcast or sent out :
transmission
We rely on high-speed transmission of data, a live transmission , satellite transmission,
-Communication is the sharing of meaning through the transmission of information.,The guidelines focus on preventing the transmission of infectious animal diseases to humans.,one of the main ways to help prevent the transmission of,Water quality plays a crucial role in determining the transmission of disease.
upgrade the transmission of electricity to
transmission of knowledge and culture
transmission networks/grids/facilities
Large-scale television transmission on the planet Earth began only in the late 1940’s.
to solve or end a problem or difficulty:
resolve
resolve a problem/conflict/matter/differences
Have you resolved the problem of transport yet?
The couple resolved their differences and made an effort to get along.
A mediator has been called in to resolve the crisis.
- decide - to resolve that, resolve against Ving,
resolve that a strike would be detrimental to all concerned
- determination- weaken/strengthen sb’s resolve use setbacks as an opportunity to strengthen their resolve.
- resolution: make a resolution to do sth ( decide to do sth),
-an official decision that is made after a group or organization has voted: approve/adopt a resolution, vote to support=pass a resolution to, resolution was passed unanimously
- a successful resolution to a crisis, it is hoped that the proposals will pave the way for a satisfactory resolution of the problem, a swift/peaceful resolution
- dispute resolution procedures
more than enough
ample
ample opportunity/evidence,
abundant supply/evidence
amply compensated/rewarded
not showing any emotion
a blank stare/expression/incomprehension
a blank refusal/denial
your mind goes blank
to blank - ignore sb
fill in the blanks
agree on sth
settle
that’s all settled, settle wh,
that settles that, settle once and for all
settle the details of the contract, settle out of court, settle the dispute/strike. settle/resolve differences,
settle in front of, ettle back, settle oneself down, The house had been empty for years, and dust had settled on all the surfaces.
- pay money that you owe= please settle your account/bill without further delay, settle one’s claim,
payment of your account is now overdue, and we must ask you to settle immediately , settle an account/an old score,
settle claims of unfair dismissal
settle on sth, settle in
settle for
settle down to work
settle down on the sofa, settle down and have a family, settle down in a new job/house
support or confirm sth
bear out
this assumption is not borne out by a scrap of evidence
to bear sb out on sth
usual
customary
your customary good sense
it is customary for …. to
customary social practices and conventions
a reason for sth
ground
on grounds of, on the grounds that, legitimate grounds for dismissal, on health/environmental grounds
get off the ground or get sth off the ground,
stand your ground, go to ground
ground sb in sth,be grounded -unable to fly, planes are grounded
to form an opinion or guess that something is true because of the information that you have
infer
to infer sth from sth, i inferred from her expression that she wanted to leave
from these indisputable facts we can infer that
wave colloc
crime collco
the corn waved gently in the summer breeze, at night, i listened to the sound of the waves breaking /crashing against the shore
give sb a wave
crime wave, swept by a wave of protests,
a wave of panic
wave sth aside-repudiate/dismiss
he rate of violent crime falls, serious crime, a rising crime rate, crime prevention
sb is accused of/charged with/convicted of a crime a range of crimes, from theft to murder.
combat/tackle crime Most local stores were involved in the initiative to tackle retail crime.
not advanced
backward
be backward(offensive), backward region/area/country
- a backward glance/somersault,
be backward - reticent/shy backward in ing
take a step backwards
I’ve been bending over backwards trying to help you, and this is all the thanks I get!, we have bent over backwards to
the process of becoming gradually damaged or worse, insufficient
decay
environmental/urban/moral decay
dental/tooth decay, the industry has been in decay for some time, fall into decay, the decay of values
facilities decay when the government allocates inadequate funds to infrastructure maintenance
inadequate funds/incomes/pensions,/supplies
inadequate oversight/monitoring, woefully inadwquate work,
cause sth esp a problem or difficulty
pose
pose a threat to, pollution levels pose a threat to public health
ask a question(formal) pose a question
pose for a photograph
adopt/assume/strike a pose
pose as - pretend to be sb in order to deceive people: he’s posing as her date but
clear and certain
concrete
concrete evidence/proof, nothing is concrete yet
concrete blocks, reinforced concrete,
I’ve been bending over backwards trying to help you, and this is all the thanks I get!
hang in the balance
the game hung in the balance until the last minute
the time when a situation or event is strongest or most full of activity:
the height of sth
the height of the tourist season, the height of the violence/crisis
reach the heights of your profession, prices scaled new heights, rise to the dizzy.lofty heights of
take consumerism to new heights
- it would be the height of bad manners to
= in height, be terrified of heights
a change from one thing to another
transition
be in transition, an interim government to oversee the transition to
a transition phase/period, economic/political transition, the transition from to, make a transition, a smooth/difficult transition, manage/achieve/complete a transition, How do you plan to complete a transition that is so far-reaching in terms of its targets without compromising the corporate culture?
make a transition to a more knowledge-based economy
hold sth tightly
grip
grip your finger
the trial has gripped the whole nation- interest
i was gripped throughout the film
i was suddenly gripped by fear
a weak/firm grip,
- get a grip
get/come to grips with sth( with a problem)
to be famous and written about in newspapers and magazines and seen on television
be in the public eye
to behave in a way that expresses your confidence, importance, or power and earns you respect from others:
assert yourself
must assert myself more in meetings.
don’t be afraid to assert yourself and take a stance on these issues
- say that sth is certainly true: assert that, assert that the cuts in the budget will not affect development
- defend or uphold- assert one’s right to , assert one’s authority when required
make sb feel shocked and upset
shake sb up
be shaken up by the accident
=to cause large changes in something such as an organization, usually in order to make improvements:
technologies advances have shaken up many industries, shake up the management , undergo a radical shake-up,
to shake as a leaf, be shaking in one’s boots/shoes , - tremble with apprehension,
your voice shakes, be shaking with fear/rage
get rid of sth = shake the habit of a lifetime, shake off reputation
to shake off a cold
completely or extremely
radically
radically change
radically different approach
radically alter
They propose a radically different way of measuring economic progress
radical views, make some radical changes to our operating procedures, be a radical
controlling sth
regulatory
regulatory control, develop a new regulatory framework to ensure the safety of investors, be subject to regulatory approval , a radical overhaul of the existing regulatory framework
announced plans for a radical overhaul of the country’s political system.
organizational infrastructure needed a major overhaul.regulatory are meant to keep you from falling out of line.
a change made to the words of a text
a change to sth , usually to improve it
amendment
make a few last-minute amendment to (the text/book),
reduce presidential power by a constitutional amendment
modification
slight/minor modifications, the design of the engine is undergoing extensive modification
Instead of simply punishing them, the system encourages offenders to modify their behaviour.(administer/mete out punishment, mete out harsh punishment), economic policy has been substantially modified
to officially force a law/rule
impose
impose high taxes on (imports),,imposing increasingly heavy fines for minor driving offences,
impose a ban on alcohol in the city parks
impose a restriction/ban/penalty on, impose taxes on all non-renewable forms of energy
impose religious belief/ideas on, impose a levy on, exempt from a levy
the process of changing one thing to another
conversion
solar power is the conversion of the sun’s energy into heat and electricity; the conversion of waste into energy
conversion to a new religion, i used to be a radical, but recently i’ve undergone something of a conversion
convert the small bedroom into a second bathroom? the sofa converts into a bed
I used to hate exercise, but my sister has converted me (to it).
a way of operating, living, or behaving:
a way of communicating with people or getting something done:
mode
Each department in the company has its own mode of operation
Railways are an important mode of transport for the economy.
switch phone to silent mode
The bicycle is still a crucial mode of transportation within Beijing. main mode of communication
mode of travel
open the channels of communication between, pursue every official/diplomatic channel, Complaints should be made through the proper/usual channels., a variety of sales channels, apply through proper channels
= direct sth -Ditches were constructed to channel water away from the buildings., channel energy into sth useful,
A substantial amount of money has been channelled into research in that particular field.profits will be channeled back into advertising.
channel efforts towards recruiting new personnel
media channels such as newspapers, digital television, and the internet,
beyond colloc
The repercussions will be felt throughout the industry and beyond
circumstances beyond our control, to live beyond one’s means,
beyond repair/belief/recognition, integrity is beyond question,
beyond you
Physics is completely beyond me.
beyond compare = beautiful
In terms of technical expertise, these artists were beyond compare.
beyond one’s wildest dreams command salaries beyond the wildest dreams of common workers
beyond a shadow of a doubt He is responsible beyond a shadow of a doubt
beyond all dispute(indisputable), the main part of your argument is beyond dispute
beyond belief - riches beyond belief
beyond excited/serious
a memory of sth
recollection
have many pleasant recollection of
extraordinary powers of recollection
to the best of my recollection
quickly
remove bad feelings between people
in the blink of an eye, …
in a flash
clear the air
the limit of a subject
boundary
blur the boundaries - electronic publishing is blurring the boundaries between
mark the boundary between, residents are opposed to the prison being built within the city boundary
start again
resume
normal services will resume
resume speaking
the talks are due to resume today
have interest in(with colloc)
follow
follow most sports avidly
follow academic progress closely
follow suit - tend to follow suit
extremely bad
strength of character
disastrous
have a disastrous impact on
disastrous first attempt
resilience- display an indomitable resilience in the face of misfortune(Trauma researchers emphasize the resilience of the human psyche., resilient material)
not important
although
to sth
of little consequence: these problems are of little consequence, (suffer/take the consequences, as a consequence of, look at the consequences)
albeit
The nation is adapting, albeit slowly, to the new global economy.
proceed - she sat down and proceeded to tell me …; proceed with the case, preparations for the festival are now proceeding smoothly, proceed with the investigations
not in use anymore by virtue of being old
not having enough knowledge
obsolete
payments by cheque will soon be rendered obsolete Traditional retailing is in danger of being rendered obsolete by the internet.
the retention of obsolete equipment
out of your depth- i was out of my depth in the advanced class
the most essential things
pack the bare essentials,
the bare facts/details, with your bare hands, bare its teeth/fangs,
a cupboard bare of food, bare floorboards, be down to the bare bones, the bare bones of sth
The airline offers a bare-bones service - no assigned seating, no sandwiches, no nuts
.We have packed the bare necessities in case we need to leave in a hurry.
the most essential things
pack the bare essentials,
the bare facts/details, with your bare hands, bare its teeth/fangs,
a cupboard bare of food, bare floorboards, be down to the bare bones, the bare bones of sth
The airline offers a bare-bones service - no assigned seating, no sandwiches, no nuts
.We have packed the bare necessities in case we need to leave in a hurry.
a way of making a decision by asking a group of people to vote
we called the meeting in order to take/hold a vote on the issue
dont’ have the vote
