focus Flashcards
1 [singular] formal the way in which something is done or happens
manner of (doing) something
It seemed rather an odd manner of deciding things.
He felt some guilt over the manner of her death.
in a … manner
I had hoped you would behave in a more responsible manner.
The issue will be resolved in a manner that is fair to both sides.
a member of an all-male religious group that lives apart from other people in a monastery → nun
monk
monkish
• Each monk received good clothing, although bathing took place only irregularly unless they were ill.
1 not well known and usually not very important
obscure/əbˈskjʊə an obscure poet The details of his life remain obscure. difficult to understand obscure legal phrases For some obscure reason, the group is very popular. مبهم، تیره، تاره
1 SPEED OF EVENTS/CHANGES [singular] the speed at which something happens or is done
pace
pace of
The pace of change in our lives is becoming faster and faster.
at a steady/slow etc pace
Public spending continues to rise at a steady pace.
1 [countable] a sudden strong feeling of excitement and pleasure, or the thing that makes you feel this
thrill
Winning first place must have been quite a thrill.
the thrill of (doing) something (=the excitement you get from something)
the thrill of travelling at high speeds
1 extremely worried and frightened about a situation, so that you cannot control your feelings
frantic/ˈfræntɪk
get/become frantic
There was still no news of Jill, and her parents were getting frantic.
frantic with
Your mother’s been frantic with worry wondering where you’ve been.
1 the belief that it is good to buy and use a lot of goods and services – often used to show disapproval
consumerism/kənˈsuːmərɪzəm
the growth of consumerism
lie in the field of
the answer lies in the field of psychology
1 [uncountable] the habit of allowing yourself to do or have whatever you want, or allowing someone else to do or have whatever they want → self-indulgence at self-indulgent
2 [countable] something that you do or have for pleasure, not because you need it
indulgence/ɪnˈdʌldʒəns
An occasional glass of wine was his only indulgence.
3 [uncountable] formal willingness to ignore someone’s faults or weaknesses
a spirit of indulgence and forgiveness
1 [uncountable] calm sensible controlled behaviour, especially in a situation when it is difficult to stay calm SYN self-control
restraint
The police were praised for their restraint in handling the demonstrators.
show/exercise restraint
He urged the millions of protesters to exercise restraint.
1 an act of interfering
interference/ˌɪntəˈfɪərəns
I resent his interference in my work.
Industrial relations should be free from state interference.
2 unwanted noise on the radio, television, or on the telephone, or faults in the television picture
a difficult time when there is less trade, business activity etc in a country than usual
recession/rɪˈseʃən
the economic recession of the early 1980s
There is deep recession in the UK.
into/out of recession
attempts to pull the country out of recession
get on
perform or make progress in a specified way.
“how are you getting on in your new job?”
to leave a place:
to leave your home in order to spend time somewhere else, usually for a holiday:
go away
Go away and leave me alone!
We usually go away for the summer.
atheism/eɪθi-ɪzəm
the belief that God does not exist
atheist
atheistic
he is being selfish
he is being = he is behaving at the moment
he is being selfish, he is behaving selfishly at the moment
rivers … to the sea
flow
if something …….., or if you ………it, it breaks open or apart suddenly and violently so that its contents come out
burst
The pipes had burst and the house was under two feet of water.
ترکیدن
to move somewhere suddenly or quickly, especially into or out of a place
burst into/through/in etc
Jo burst into the room.
پریدن ، جهیدن، حرکت سریع کردن
if a river ………….., water from it goes onto the land
burst its banks
• Residents were evacuated from the town as the waters rose and the Ouse threatened to burst its banks.
capsize
if a boat capsizes, or if you capsize it, it turns over in the water
• There, in theory, it would be safe and the weight would help stabilise the raft and prevent a capsize.
If you ……….., you arrange the sheets and blankets on it so someone can sleep there.
make the bed
The chambermaid made the bed with fresh sheets.
a) to rub a surface with something in order to remove dirt, liquid etc
wipe
Wipe the table with a damp cloth.
Bill wiped his eyes (=wiped the tears from his face) and apologized.
He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his nose.
زمین شوی و سطل
mop and bucket
wash the floors with a mop and bucket
1 [intransitive, transitive] to clean the dust from a surface by moving something such as a soft cloth across it
dust
metropolis
mɪˈtrɒpəlɪs
a very large city that is the most important city in a country or area
The city has become a huge, bustling metropolis.
bustling
ˈbʌsəlɪŋ
a bustling place is very busy
Even the bustling atmosphere of the 550 building itself seemed not to have invaded the Hugo Varna floor.
something that makes a place comfortable or easy to live in
amenity/ /əˈmiːnəti $ əˈme-/
The hotel is in the city centre, close to shops and local amenities.
houses that lack basic amenities (=basic things that people need, such as heat and running water)
when other people do not know who you are or what your name is
anonymity/ˌænəˈnɪməti
1 a ………….. place has people from many different parts of the world –
cosmopolitan
a vibrant cosmopolitan city
a lively hotel with a cosmopolitan atmosphere
1 the problem of too much traffic in a place
Councillors are looking at ways to reduce traffic congestion in the town centre.
exorbitant
an exorbitant price, amount of money etc is much higher than it should be SYN astronomical
exorbitant rent/prices etc
exorbitant rates of interest
• It’s a nice hotel, but the prices are exorbitant.
lenient
ˈliːniənt
not strict in the way you punish someone or in the standard you expect
the lenient sentences handed down by some judges
School examiners say that marking has become more lenient in recent years.
to state, giving clear reasons, that something is true, should be done etc
argue that
Croft argued that a date should be set for the withdrawal of troops.
It could be argued that a dam might actually increase the risk of flooding.
argue for/against (doing) something
Baker argued against cutting the military budget.
She argued the case for changing the law.
استدلال کردن، دلیل آوردن
a connection between two ideas, facts etc, especially when one may be the cause of the other
correlation/ˌkɒrəˈleɪʃən
correlation between
a strong correlation between urban deprivation and poor health
strong/high/close/significant etc correlation
There is a direct correlation between the best-known brands and the best-selling brands.
1 time when you are not working or studying and can relax and do things you enjoy
leisure/ ˈliːʒər
Most people now enjoy shorter working hours and more leisure time.
1 very busy or full of activity
hectic/ˈhektɪk
I’ve had a pretty hectic day.
a hectic social life
prosperity
prɒˈsperəti
when people have money and everything that is needed for a good life
a time of economic prosperity
the future prosperity of the country
engagement
ɪnˈɡeɪdʒmənt
1 BEFORE MARRIAGE [countable] an agreement between two people to marry, or the period of time they are engaged
Their engagement was announced in the paper.
3 INVOLVEMENT [uncountable] when you become involved with someone or something in order to understand them
engagement with/in
a strategy of engagement and cooperation with China
Many students pass without any real engagement in learning.
relevant
Word family (noun) relevance ≠ irrelevance (adjective) relevant ≠ irrelevant (adverb) relevantly ≠ irrelevantly
directly relating to the subject or problem being discussed or considered OPP irrelevant
Relevant documents were presented in court.
We received all the relevant information.
relevant to
What experience do you have that is relevant to this position
in the same way SYN similarly
likewise
Nanny put on a shawl and told the girls to do likewise.
The clams were delicious. Likewise, the eggplant was excellent.
1 relating to your spirit rather than to your body or mind
spiritual
ˈspɪrətʃuəl
Painting helps fill a spiritual need for beauty.
spiritual values
ˈspɪrətʃuəl/ ●●○ W3 adjective
1 relating to your spirit rather than to your body or mind
Painting helps fill a spiritual need for beauty.
spiritual values
► see thesaurus at religious
2 relating to religion SYN religious
Islam was inspired by the teachings of the spiritual leader Mohammed
1 [countable, uncountable] a statement in which someone complains about something
complaint/kəmˈpleɪnt
If you wish to make a complaint, you should see the manager.
The sales assistants are trained to deal with customer complaints in a friendly manner.
complaint about
Keating was dismissed after complaints about the quality of his work.
complaint of
complaints of police brutality
complaint from/to
complaints from local residents
a complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority
complaint against
All complaints against police officers are carefully investigated.
complaint that
We are concerned by complaints that children are being bullied.
1 a serious argument or disagreement
dispute/ˈdɪspjuːt
dispute with
The firm is involved in a legal dispute with a rival company.
dispute over
He got into a dispute over a taxi fare.
dispute between
the bitter border dispute between the countries
1 the practice of treating one person or group differently from another in an unfair way
Word family (noun) discrimination (adjective) discriminatory (verb) discriminate
discrimination
laws to prevent discrimination
discrimination against
widespread discrimination against older people in the job market
discrimination in favour of
discrimination in favour of university graduates
racial/sex/religious etc discrimination (=treating someone unfairly because of their race, sex etc)
1 [uncountable] a system of government in which every citizen in the country can vote to elect its government officials
democracy/dɪˈmɑː
a return to democracy after 16 years of military rule
a country that has a government which has been elected by the people of the country
a parliamentary democracy
Western democracies
Word family (noun) democracy democrat democratization (adjective) democratic ≠ undemocratic (verb) democratatize (adverb) democratically ≠ undemocratically
democratize
to change the way in which a government, company etc is organized, so that it is more democratic
democratize/dɪˈmɒkrətaɪz
democratization/dɪˌmɒkrətaɪˈzeɪʃən
1 [transitive] to help a skill, feeling, idea etc develop over a period of time SYN encourage, promote
foster/ˈfɑːstər
The bishop helped foster the sense of a community embracing all classes.
2 [intransitive, transitive] to take someone else’s child into your family for a period of time but without becoming their legal parent → adopt
The couple wanted to adopt a black child they had been fostering.
1 relating to your money, possessions, living conditions etc, rather than the needs of your mind or soul OPP spiritual
material goods/possessions/wealth etc
The spiritual life is more important than material possessions.
a society that places high importance on material rewards
4 formal important and having a noticeable effect OPP immaterial
material changes to the schedule
very much
vastly
This book is vastly superior to his last one.
vastly different opinions
“at the expense of”
The expression at the expense of means “in a way that harms (something or someone).” Here are some examples in context:
Malls flourished at the expense of small stores downtown.
1 DAMAGE [transitive] to have a bad effect on something so that it is no longer attractive, enjoyable, useful etc SYN ruin
spoil1
ruin
The whole park is spoiled by litter.
We didn’t let the incident spoil our day.
I don’t want to spoil your fun.
Why do you always have to spoil everything?
1 MAKE SOMETHING CONTINUE to make something continue to exist or happen for a period of time SYN maintain
sustain
Word family (noun) sustenance sustainability (adjective) sustainable ≠ unsustainable (verb) sustain
She found it difficult to sustain the children’s interest.
He was incapable of sustaining close relationships with women.
the policies necessary to sustain economic growth
sustenance
ˈsʌstənəns
1 food that people or animals need in order to live
Without sustenance, the animals will soon die.
Potatoes were their only means of sustenance.
2 when something is made to continue
Elections are necessary for the sustenance of democracy.
acute/əˈkjuːt
1 PROBLEM an acute problem is very serious
The housing shortage is more acute than first thought.
2 FEELING an acute feeling is very strong
acute pain
acute embarrassment
acute anxiety
1 to put several things, problems etc in order of importance, so that you can deal with the most important ones first
prioritize/praɪˈorətaɪz
You need to prioritize your tasks.
2 to deal with one thing first, because it is the most important
The public wants to see the fight against crime prioritized.
1 quickly and easily
readily/ˈredəli
Boats are readily available to visitors.
The information is readily accessible on the Internet.
a particular type of land
terrain
teˈreɪn
rocky terrain
conservationist
ˌkɒnsəˈveɪʃənɪst
someone who works to protect animals, plants etc or to protect old buildings
preservationist
ˌprezəˈveɪʃənɪst
someone who works to prevent historical places, buildings etc from being destroyed
the substance or essence of a speech or text.
she noted the gist of each message
le point principal
keep a record/account/diary etc
to regularly record written information somewhere
• A relaxed regime of visiting the lavatory after each main meal and at bedtime is established with the parents keeping a record.
• Each day we are to keep a diary.
1 a scientific test done to find out how something reacts under certain conditions, or to find out if a particular idea is true
experiment with/in/on
experiments with alcohol-fuelled cars
experiments on sleep deprivation
the lack of something that you need in order to be healthy, comfortable, or happy
deprivation/ˌdeprəˈveɪʃən
Sleep deprivation can result in mental disorders.
Low birth weight is related to economic deprivation.
the deprivations of prison life
a child who has no brothers or sisters
an only child
• I was brought up by adoptive parents as an only child.
about or concerning
documents relating to immigration laws
• The less tangible effects of the Senate bill will come from the provisions relating to jobs and social services for immigrants.
1 end argument [intransitive, transitive] to end an argument or solve a disagreement
settle
settle a dispute/lawsuit/conflict/argument etc Rodman met with Kreeger to try and settle the dispute over his contract. We hope the factions will be able to settle their differences (=agree to stop arguing) by peaceful means. Forensic tests should settle the question of whether Bates was actually present at the scene of the crime.
dictate the terms
• The state will always dictate the terms of the relationship.
1 firm hold [countable usually singular] the way you hold something tightly, or your ability to do this
grip
Hold the microphone in a firm grip and keep it still. She felt her wrist caught in a vice-like grip. Don’t loosen your grip on the rope or you’ll fall.
2 power [singular] power and control over someone or something
have/keep a grip on something Stalin’s determination to keep an iron grip on Eastern Europe
contrary
on‧tra‧ry1 /ˈkɒntrəri $ ˈkɑːntreri/ ●●○ AWL noun
1 → on the contrary/quite the contrary
2 → evidence/statements etc to the contrary
• On the contrary, it liberated us.• On the contrary, they were getting better all the time.• He may also have kept the stewardship of Tottington and Rochdale, in spite of Edward’s orders to the contrary.
willing to consider new ideas or listen to someone else’s opinions
receptive/rɪˈseptɪv
ou might find them in a more receptive mood tomorrow. a receptive audiencereceptive to a workforce that is receptive to new ideas
to succeed in doing something, especially after trying very hard
ac‧com‧plish /əˈkʌmplɪʃ $ əˈkɑːm-, əˈkʌm-/ ●○○ verb [transitive]
We have accomplished all we set out to do. Mission accomplished (=we have done what we intended to do).
to make a great effort to achieve something
strive
strive to do something I was still striving to be successful.strive for/after We must continue to strive for greater efficiency.► see thesaurus at try
trivial
ˈtrɪviəl
trivial problem/matter/complaint etc We were punished for the most trivial offences. a trivial sum Her feelings for Simon seemed trivial by comparison.
an idea that is suggested as an explanation for something, but that has not yet been proved to be true SYN theory
hypothesis
hypothesis
Word family (noun) hypothesis (adjective) hypothetical (verb) hypothesize (adverb) hypothetically
One hypothesis is that the victim fell asleep while driving.prove/test/support etc a hypothesis We hope that further research will confirm our hypothesis.hypothesis about The authors reject the hypothesis about unemployment contributing to crime.
1 when you guess about the possible causes or effects of something without knowing all the facts, or the guesses that you make
speculation/ˌspekjəˈleɪʃən
speculation that There is speculation that the president is ill.speculation about/on speculation about the future
1 if two or more people get along, they have a friendly relationship
get along phrasal verb 1 if two or more people get along, they have a friendly relationship We’ve always got along quite well. with They seem to get along with each other.
1 [countable, uncountable] the opinions and feelings that you usually have about something, especially when this is shown in your behaviour
attitude/ˈætɪttuːd
As soon as they found out I was a doctor, their whole attitude changed.
attitude to/towards
The people have a very positive attitude to life.
an attitude of mind British English (=a way of thinking)
Being young is simply an attitude of mind.
somebody has an attitude problem (=someone is not helpful or pleasant to be with)
Some of the male students have a real attitude problem.
risk-taking
• The culture in Silicon Valley values risk-taking and entrepreneurship.
entrepreneur/ɑːntrəprəˈnɜːr
someone who starts a new business or arranges business deals in order to make money, often in a way that involves financial risks
—entrepreneurship noun [uncountable]
Once again private entrepreneurship has not waited for government to take the initiative.
1 to make a bad situation, an illness, or an injury worse OPP improve
aggravate/ˈæɡrəveɪt
Their money problems were further aggravated by a rise in interest rates.
Building the new road will only aggravate the situation.
2 to make someone angry or annoyed SYN irritate
What really aggravates me is the way she won’t listen.
1 giving all your attention to what is happening, being said etc
alert/əˈlɜːt
The animal raised its head, suddenly alert.
Taking notes is one of the best ways to stay alert in lectures.
2 able to think quickly and clearly
Jack was as mentally alert as a man half his age.
1 to officially warn someone about a problem or danger so that they are ready to deal with it
The school immediately alerted the police.
warn
1 very different from what you are used to, especially in a way that is difficult to understand or accept SYN strange
alien/ˈeɪliən
1 very different from what you are used to, especially in a way that is difficult to understand or accept SYN strange
the alien environment of the city
2 belonging to another country or race SYN foreign
alien cultures
1 British English someone whose job is to look after a building, especially a school SYN janitor American English
caretaker
2 someone who looks after a house or land while the person who owns it is not there
4 American English someone who looks after other people, especially a teacher, parent, nurse etc SYN carer British English
• Apparently she accepted that she was the primary caretaker of her children and the linchpin of family life.
executive/ɪɡˈzekjətɪv
1 a manager in an organization or company who helps make important decisions
a marketing executive
senior/top executive
top executives on high salaries
→ Chief Executive
3 British English a group of people who are in charge of an organization and make the rules
the union’s executive
1 [transitive] to make someone decide to do something
prompt
prompt somebody to do something
What prompted you to buy that suit?
2 [transitive] to make people say or do something as a reaction
The decision prompted an outcry among prominent US campaigners.
1 done quickly, immediately, or at the right time
Prompt action must be taken.
Prompt payment is requested.
likely or able to be changed in the future
provisional
prəˈvɪʒənəl
a provisional government
We accept provisional bookings by phone.
1 (also prune something ↔ back) to cut off some of the branches of a tree or bush to make it grow better
prune/pruːn
The roses need pruning.
2 especially British English to make something smaller by removing parts that you do not need or want
The company is pruning staff in order to reduce costs.
1 [intransitive, transitive] to practise or make people practise something such as a play or concert in order to prepare for a public performance
rehearse/rɪˈhɜːs
I think we need to rehearse the first scene again.
The band was rehearsing for their world tour.
2 [transitive] to practise something that you plan to say to someone
She had carefully rehearsed her resignation speech.
a situation in which there is a lot of damage or a lack of order, especially so that it is difficult for something to continue in the normal way SYN chaos
havoc/ˈhævək
A strike will cause havoc for commuters.
policies that would wreak havoc on the country’s economy
Rain has continued to play havoc with sporting events.
play havoc with
play havoc with
• They also play havoc with your skin and it tends to get a bit sweaty under all the make-up I have to wear.
circadian
sɜːˈkeɪdiən
relating to a period of 24 hours, used especially when talking about changes in people’s bodies
the body’s circadian rhythm
1 needing a lot of ability, effort, or skill
demanding Word family (noun) demand demands (adjective) demanding ≠ undemanding (verb) demand
a demanding job
physically/emotionally/intellectually etc demanding
Climbing is physically demanding.
done in order to find out more about something
exploratory
Word family (noun) exploration explorer (adjective) exploratory unexplored (verb) explore
He’s going to have exploratory surgery on his knee.
1 [uncountable] the quality of being very careful to avoid danger or risks → cautious
with caution
We must proceed with extreme caution.
The physician must exercise caution when prescribing antidepressants.
carbohydrate
ˌkɑːrboʊ
1 [countable, uncountable] a substance that is in foods such as sugar, bread, and potatoes, which provides your body with heat and energy and which consists of oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon
2 [countable usually plural] foods such as rice, bread, and potatoes that contain carbohydrates
one of several natural substances that exist in food such as meat, eggs, and beans, and which your body needs in order to grow and remain strong and healthy
protein
ˈprəʊtiːn $ ˈproʊ
to begin to do something:
take up something
I’m not very good at golf – I only took it up recently.
the way you earn money in order to live
a means/source of livelihood
Fishing is the main source of livelihood for many people in the area.
It’s difficult to earn a livelihood as an artist.
Bates says he will lose his livelihood if his driving licence is taken away.
livelihood
Word family (noun) liveliness living livelihood (adjective) live lively living liveable (verb) live outlive relive liven up (adverb) live
the emotional part of someone’s character, especially how likely they are to be happy, angry etc
temperament
artistic/nervous/good etc temperament
Jill has such a lovely relaxed temperament.
by temperament
Tolkien was, by temperament, a very different man from Lewis.
interested only in yourself and the things that affect you
Teenagers always seem so self-absorbed.
self-absorbed
• Sometimes the self-absorbed child also shows little interest in his parents, ignoring them or seeming not to focus on them.
خود شیفته
out of sorts
feeling a little ill or upset
Louise went back to work feeling rather out of sorts.
put into practice
To carry out or commence doing something that had heretofore only been discussed, suggested, or planned. We’ve decided to put your ideas into practice for the next meeting. I’ve been putting that technique you showed me into practice during my training sessions.
1 the reason that makes someone do something, especially when this reason is kept hidden
motive
What do you suppose the killer’s motive was?
motive for (doing) something
The police believe the motive for this murder was jealousy.
motive behind
The motives behind the decision remain obscure.
the lack of something that you need in order to be healthy, comfortable, or happy
deprivation
Sleep deprivation can result in mental disorders.
social/economic/emotional etc deprivation
Low birth weight is related to economic deprivation.
deprivation of
the deprivations of prison life
relating to or using your senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, or touch
sensory stimuli such as music
sensory deprivation
not broken, damaged, or spoiled
intact
Only the medieval tower had remained intact.
His reputation survived intact.
1 [intransitive] to talk about something in a very interested or excited way
enthuse
enthuse about/over
Rick was there, enthusing about life in Australia.
2 [transitive] to make someone interested in something or excited by it
be enthused by/with something
The owners were certainly enthused by the offer.
1 [only before noun] doing something from habit, and unable to stop doing it
habitual Word family (noun) habit habitué (adjective) habitual (verb) habituate (adverb) habitually
habitual criminal/offender
habitual drinker/smoker/gambler
2 done as a habit that you cannot stop
His drinking had become habitual.
1 if pain or the effect of something …., it gradually stops
wear off
The effects of the anaesthetic were starting to wear off.
2 the novelty wears off used to say that you stop feeling interested or excited about something because it is no longer new
It was funny for a while but the novelty soon wore off.
1 someone who seems to be the leader of a country or organization but who has no real power → puppet
figurehead
The Queen is merely a figurehead.
pick up an accent
During his stay in England, he had picked up an English accent.
lose your accent (=no longer speak with an accent)
After 9 years in London, Ben had lost his French accent.
put on an accent (=deliberately speak with a different accent from your usual one)
When Mum’s on the phone, she puts on a funny accent.
a strong/broad/thick/pronounced accent (=very noticeable) She spoke with a strong Scottish accent. a broad Australian accent a slight/faint accent He has a very slight accent.
convenient
convenient
Word family (noun) convenience ≠ inconvenience (adjective) convenient ≠ inconvenient (verb) inconvenience (adverb) conveniently ≠ inconveniently
1 useful to you because it saves you time, or does not spoil your plans or cause you problems OPP inconvenient
Mail-order catalogs are a convenient way to shop.
My secretary will call you to arrange a convenient time to meet.
convenient for
Is three o’clock convenient for you?
convenient to do something
It is simple and convenient to use.
close and easy to reach OPP inconvenient
The bus stop around the corner is probably the most convenient.
1 to succeed in dealing with a difficult problem or situation
cope
Sometimes I find it hard to cope.
He coped quite well as manager while still captaining the team.
cope with
She feared she wouldn’t be able to cope with two new babies.
Local authorities have to cope with the problems of homelessness.
2 if a system or machine copes with a particular type or amount of work, it does it
cope with
No system is designed to cope with the floods we have had this year.
My computer can cope with huge amounts of data.
a form of a language which is spoken only in one area, with words or grammar that are slightly different from other forms of the same language → accent
dialect/ˈdaɪəlekt
Chinese/Yorkshire etc dialect
The people up there speak a Tibetan dialect.
the local dialect
1 an …….. quality or ability is something you are born with
innate/ˌɪˈneɪt
Children have an innate ability to learn language.
ذاتی ، مادرزادی
instead of
rather than
I think you’d call it a lecture rather than a talk.
Rather than go straight on to university why not get some work experience first?
Bryson decided to quit rather than accept the new rules.
1 always behaving in the same way or having the same attitudes, standards etc – usually used to show approval
consistent/kənˈsɪstənt
She’s the team’s most consistent player.
consistent in
We need to be consistent in our approach.
نامتناقض، استوار، ثابت قدم
firm
Cal replied with a polite but firm ‘no’.
What this country needs is firm leadership.
minority
məˈnɑː
a small group of people or things within a much larger group OPP majority
Gaelic is still spoken in Ireland by a minority.
minority of
Only a minority of people supported these new laws.
Gay men are a small but significant minority.
majority
məˈdʒɑː
1 MOST PEOPLE OR THINGS [singular] most of the people or things in a group OPP minority
The majority of workers find it quite hard to live on the amount of money they earn.
The majority of workers find it quite hard to live on the amount of money they earn.
great/vast/overwhelming majority of something (=almost all of a group)
In the vast majority of cases the disease is fatal.
be in the majority (=form the largest group)
In this city, Muslims are in the majority.
proportion
prəˈpɔːʃən
proportion (adjective) proportional proportionate (verb) proportion (adverb) proportionally proportionately
a part of a number or an amount, considered in relation to the whole
The proportion of women graduates has increased in recent years.
Every parent is asked to contribute a proportion of the total cost.
high/large/small etc proportion
The decision affects a significant proportion of the population.
to believe that
be of the opinion that
People seemed to be of the opinion that the evening’s drama was best viewed as part of the fun.
to get something, especially an advantage or a pleasant feeling, from something
derive something from something
Medically, we will derive great benefit from this technique.
derive pleasure/enjoyment etc
Many students derived enormous satisfaction from the course.
derives more benefits that drawbacks
if a solid ………, or if you …….. it, it mixes with a liquid and becomes part of it
Stir until the sugar dissolves.
dissolve in
Sugar dissolves in water.
dissolve something in something
Dissolve the tablet in water.
2 END [transitive] to formally end a parliament, business arrangement, marriage etc
The monarch had the power to dissolve parliament.
gradually become smaller or weaker before disappearing, or to make something do this
to gradually become smaller or weaker before disappearing, or to make something do this
Her enthusiasm dissolved his shyness.
A few clouds formed briefly before dissolving again.
monarch/ˈmɒnɑːrk/
monarchic /məˈnɑːkɪk /
the old monarchical system
a king or queen
parliament/ˈpɑːləmənt /
1 [countable] the group of people who are elected to make a country’s laws and discuss important national affairs → government, MP
They demanded a free parliament and press.
be elected to parliament
She was elected to parliament in 1997.
stand for parliament (=try to be elected)
Ms Jackson stood for Parliament as a Labour candidate.
enter/get into parliament (=be elected as a member of parliament)
Tony Blair first entered Parliament in 1983.
be returned to Parliament (=be elected)
Creevey was returned to Parliament as MP for Appleby.
a bill is passed by parliament (=it is made into a law)
The bill was passed by Parliament last May.
a bill goes through parliament (=it goes through the process of being made a law)
The bill is currently going through Parliament.
go before/be put before parliament (=be considered by parliament)
The Bill goes before Parliament on November 16.
dissolve parliament formal (=officially end parliament before holding an election)
The prime minister will ask the Queen to dissolve Parliament and call an election.
1 probably not honest, true, right etc
dubious/ˈduː-
The firm was accused of dubious accounting practices.
Many critics regard this argument as dubious or, at best, misleading.
not sure whether something is good or true SYN doubtful
I can see you are dubious; take some time to think about it.
dubious about
Some universities are dubious about accepting students over the age of 30
dubiously adverb
—dubiousness.
a plan, idea, or method that is …… is possible and is likely to work SYN possible
a feasible solution
economically/technically/politically etc feasible
It was no longer financially feasible to keep the community centre open.
feasibly adverb
—feasibility
to move something with a quick sudden movement so that it is in a different position
He flipped the top off the bottle and poured himself a drink.
flip over
He flipped the paper over and started writing on the back.
to make a flat object such as a coin go upwards and turn over in the air SYN toss
We flipped a coin to see who would go first.
1 FIRE [countable] a very small piece of burning material produced by a fire or by hitting or rubbing two hard objects together
spark
sparks from the fire
The scrape of metal on metal sent up a shower of sparks.
to be the cause of something, especially trouble or violence SYN provoke
spark
spark something ↔ off)
The police response sparked outrage in the community.
A discarded cigarette sparked a small brush fire.
viable
1 a viable idea, plan, or method can work successfully
viable alternative/proposition/option etc
The committee came forward with one viable solution.
economically/commercially/financially viable
Will a hotel here be financially viable?
viably
viability ˌvaɪəˈbɪləti
the long-term economic viability of the company
a programme on the radio or on television
broadcast/ˈbrɒːdkæst
a news broadcast
CNN’s live broadcast of the trial (=sent out at the same time as the events are happening)
continuing, or continuing to develop
ongoing
their ongoing search for a new director
ongoing negotiations
The discussions are still ongoing.
1 something which is futuristic looks unusual and modern, as if it belongs in the future instead of the present
futuristic/ˌfjuːtʃəˈrɪstɪk
The futuristic sports stadium is the pride of the city.
futuristic ideas, books, films etc imagine what may happen in the future, especially through scientific developments
Orwell’s disturbing futuristic novel, ‘1984’
an exact copy of something, especially a building, a gun, or a work of art
replica/ˈreplɪkə
replica of
an exact replica of the Taj Mahal
replica guns
the action of immersing something in liquid, or the state of being immersed
immersion
his near-fatal immersion in the icy Atlantic Ocean
2 [uncountable] the fact of being completely involved in something you are doing
my immersion in black music and culture
communicator
communication communicator (adjective) communicative ≠ uncommunicative (verb) communicate She’s a skilled communicator.
1 to order someone to come to a place
summon/ˈsʌmən
Robert summoned the waiter for the bill.
summon somebody to something
The president summoned Taylor to Washington.
summon somebody to do something
He was summoned to attend an emergency meeting.
2 to officially order someone to come to a court of law
Hugh was summoned to appear before the magistrate.
3 (also summon something up) to try very hard to have enough of something such as courage, energy, or strength, because you need it
He had to summon the energy to finish the race.
احظار، فراخواندن،
miniaturize
ˈmɪnətʃəraɪz $ ˈmɪniə-/
to make something in a very small size
miniaturized
a miniaturized listening device
literary expensive possessions and large amounts of money SYN wealth
riches
He was enjoying his new-found riches.
the story of her rise from rags to riches (=from being poor to being rich)
happening or existing in many places, and therefore not special or unusual
commonplace
common
Car thefts are commonplace in this part of town.
• Organ transplants are now commonplace.
to include or show something as a special or important part of something, or to be included as an important part
feature
The exhibition features paintings by Picasso.
1 a way of doing something, especially the correct or usual way → process
procedure/prəˈsiːdʒə
What’s the procedure for applying for a visa?
correct/proper/normal etc procedure
This is standard procedure for getting rid of toxic waste.
1 invasive medical treatment involves cutting into someone’s body
invasive/ɪnˈveɪsɪv
2 an invasive disease spreads quickly and is difficult to stop
invasive bladder cancers
affecting someone’s private life or interrupting them in an unwanted and annoying way
intrusive/ɪnˈtruːsɪv
They found the television cameras too intrusive.
causing disruption or annoyance through being unwelcome or uninvited.
to find out what illness someone has, or what the cause of a fault is, after doing tests, examinations etc
diagnose/noʊs diagnose somebody as (having) something Joe struggled in school before he was diagnosed as dyslexic. diagnose something as something The illness was diagnosed as mumps. diagnose somebody with something She was diagnosed with breast cancer.
1 someone who is ……….has many different skills
versatile/ˈvɜːrsətl
a very versatile performer
a more versatile workforce
2 having many different uses
The potato is an extremely versatile vegetable.
versatility
Hegley’s outstanding versatility as an all-round entertainer
2 informal someone who is …….. is bad-tempered SYN grumpy
crusty
a crusty old man
3 having a thin dry hard layer of something on the surface
The lake was ringed by crusty salt deposits.
close to a place
The beach is within easy reach of the hotel.
1 REQUEST [countable] an urgent request for something important
appeal/əˈpiːl
The police have issued a new appeal for information.
appeal to
All the organizations involved have sent urgent appeals to the government, asking for extra funding.
the set of tools and machines that you use for a particular scientific, medical, or technical purpose
æpəˈrætəs $ -ˈræ
equipment
Astronauts have special breathing apparatus.
English someone who is trained to give medical care and treatment to sick animals S
vet/vetərəˈneəriən $ -ˈner-/
ˌupwardly ˈmobile
moving up through the social classes and becoming richer
1 money that a business or organization receives over a period of time, especially from selling goods or services → income
revenueˈrevənuː
advertising revenue
Strikes have cost £20 million in lost revenues.
2 money that the government receives from tax
an increase in tax revenues of 8.4%
1 the natural features of a particular part of a country that you can see, such as mountains, forests, deserts etc
The best part of the trip was the fantastic scenery.
beautiful/lovely
The scenery was beautiful and the people were really friendly.
stunning (=very beautiful)
We drove through some stunning scenery.
spectacular/magnificent/wonderful etc (=very impressive)
Tourists come for the winter sports and the spectacular scenery.
dramatic (=unusual and impressive)
Discover the dramatic scenery of the Yorkshire Dales on a guided walk.
breathtaking (=very beautiful and impressive)
The scenery is breathtaking, a unique combination of mountains, valleys, and lakes.
mountain scenery
This fascinating village is surrounded by magnificent mountain scenery.
coastal scenery
The walk takes in some of Britain’s most breathtaking coastal scenery.
VERBS
admire the scenery
We stopped to admire the scenery.
enjoy/take in the scenery (=spend time looking at beautiful scenery)
Relax with a glass of local wine while you take in the beautiful scenery.
bend over backwards (to do something)
to try very hard to be helpful
We bent over backwards to finish it on time.
• They also needed to stop rationalizing the problem to themselves and bending over backwards to be fair.
like two peas in a pod
informal exactly the same in appearance, behaviour etc
practical and direct in a sensible honest way
down-to-earth
Fran’s a friendly, down-to-earth person.
a chef with a down-to-earth approach to cooking
have your head in the clouds
to think about something in a way that is not practical or sensible, especially when you think things are much better than they really are
1 PARTS/MEMBERS [countable, uncountable] the way in which something is made up of different parts, things, or members
composition/ˌkɒmpəˈzɪʃən
The composition of the group that is studied depends on the interests of the researcher.
Some minerals have complex chemical compositions.
a) [countable] a piece of music, a poem, or a piece of writing → compose, composer
a composition by jazzman Dave Brubeck, called ‘Chromatic Fantasy’
3 PICTURE [countable, uncountable] the way in which the different parts that make up a photograph or picture are arranged
Martin starts by lightly sketching in the compositions for his paintings.
to hold someone or something very close to you with your arms around them, especially to show that you love them → hug
cuddle
Dawn and her boyfriend were cuddling on the sofa.
1 to change someone’s appearance so that people cannot recognize them
disguise/dɪsˈɡaɪz
disguise yourself as somebody/something
Maybe you could disguise yourself as a waiter and sneak in there.
He escaped across the border disguised as a priest.
disguise something as something
a letter bomb disguised as a musical greetings card
3 to hide a fact or feeling so that people will not notice it
Try as he might, Dan couldn’t disguise his feelings for Katie.
1 having a lot of small parts or details put together in a complicated way SYN intricate
pure silks embroidered with elaborate patterns
2 carefully planned and organized in great detail SYN complex
a very elaborate telecommunications network
e‧lab‧o‧rate2 /ɪˈlæbəreɪt/ verb
[intransitive, transitive] to give more details or new information about something SYN enlarge
He said he had new evidence, but refused to elaborate any further.
McDonald refused to elaborate on his reasons for resigning.
to think that something is likely to happen in the future
The scheme cost a lot more than we had originally envisaged.
envisage doing something
I don’t envisage working with him again.
imagine
1 something that you are trying hard to achieve, especially in business or politics SYN goal
objective
Word family (noun) objectivity (adjective) objective (adverb) objectively
He vowed to achieve certain objectives before the end of his presidency.
aim, purpose
have an objective
Our main objective is to reduce road accidents.
set an objective (=decide what you are trying to achieve)
Pupils should be encouraged to set their own objectives.
achieve/accomplish an objective (also attain an objective formal)
The policy should help us achieve our objective of reducing paper waste.
reach/meet an objective (=achieve an objective)
We need to control spending in order to meet our financial objectives.
pursue an objective (=try to achieve something you want)
War has always been a means of pursuing nat
aims and objectives (=all the things someone wants to achieve)
The department should clearly state its aims and objectives.
1 a way of dealing with a problem or making a bad situation better SYN solution
remedy/ˈremədi
The problems in our schools do not have a simple remedy.
remedy for
The program is one remedy for discrimination.
2 a medicine to cure an illness or pain that is not very serious SYN cure
remedy for
a remedy for colds
take a remedy
Have you tried taking herbal remedies?
relating to or happening in a sequence
sequential/sɪˈkwenʃəl
sequence sequencing (adjective) sequential (verb) sequence (adverb) sequentially
• a sequential arrangement
• A sequential data file that is indexed is called an indexed sequential file.
1 GO SECRETLY [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to go somewhere secretly and quietly in order to avoid being seen or heard SYN creep
sneak/sniːk sneak in/out/away etc They sneaked off without paying! She snuck out of the house once her parents were asleep. حرکت پنهانی
a paved path for pedestrians at the side of a road.
sidewalk
1 a …… event or situation makes you feel very sad, especially because it involves death or suffering → comic
tragic/ˈtrædʒɪk
The parents were not to blame for the tragic death of their son.
2 [only before noun] relating to tragedy in books or plays OPP comic
a great tragic actor
meanwhile
1 while something else is happening
Cook the sauce over a medium heat until it thickens. Meanwhile start boiling the water for the pasta.
2 (also in the meanwhile) in the period of time between two events
The flight will be announced soon. Meanwhile, please remain seated.
to be able to remember something SYN remember
recollect/ˌrekəˈlekt
All I recollect is a grey sky.
recollect that
She recollected sadly that she and Ben used to laugh a lot.
recollect how/when/what etc
Can you recollect how your brother reacted?
1 to discover or explain exactly the real facts about something or the cause of a problem
pinpoint/ˈpɪnpɔɪnt
It’s difficult to pinpoint the cause of the accident.
pinpoint what/how/why etc
They need to pinpoint exactly what skills are necessary.
2 to find or show the exact position of something
Rescue teams have now pinpointed the location of the ship.
an extremely short period of time
split second
For a split second the two men hesitated.
able to understand other people’s feelings and problems
sensitive/ˈsensətɪv
a sensitive and intelligent young man
sensitive to
It’s made me much more sensitive to the needs of the disabled.
4 SITUATION/SUBJECT a situation or subject that is sensitive needs to be dealt with very carefully, because it is secret or because it may offend people
Abortion is a very sensitive issue.
sensitive matters such as national security
1 based on facts, or making a decision that is based on facts rather than on your feelings or beliefs OPP subjective
objective assessment/measurement/description etc
It’s hard to give an objective opinion about your own children.
Scientists need to be objective when doing research.
purely/totally/completely objective
the importance of a completely objective, independent press
factual
ˈfæktʃuəl
based on facts or relating to facts
Try to keep your account of events as factual as possible.
factual information/knowledge/statements etc
Libraries are stores of factual information.
The report contained a number of factual errors.
deterrent
1 something that makes someone less likely to do something, by making them realize it will be difficult or have bad results
The small fines for this type of crime do not act as much of a deterrent.
the deterrent effect of prison sentences
to make it difficult for something to develop or succeed SYN hamper
hinder/ˈhɪndə
His career has been hindered by injury.
policies that will hinder rather than help families
► Do not confuse with prevent (=to make it impossible for someone to do something): His poor health prevented him from going to work (NOT His poor health hindered him from going to work).
In everyday English, people often say something gets in the way of something rather than hinders it:
This could get in the way of rescue attempts.
1 someone who is guilty of a crime
offender/əˈfendə
Community punishment is used for less serious offenders.
At 16, Scott was already a persistent offender (=someone who has been caught several times for committing crimes).
Word family (noun) offense/offense offender offensive offensiveness (adjective) offensive ≠ inoffensive offended offending (verb) offend (adverb) offensively
aboriginal/ˌæbəˈrɪdʒɪnəl
1 (also Aboriginal) relating to the Australian aborigines
2 formal relating to the people or animals that have existed in a place or country from the earliest times SYN indigenous
1 extremely unpleasant SYN terrible
dreadful
We’ve had some dreadful weather lately.
Michelle felt absolutely dreadful (=very ill).
3 (also summon something up) to try very hard to have enough of something such as courage, energy, or strength, because you need it
summon something up
He had to summon the energy to finish the race.
2 formal to supply or provide something
furnish Word family (noun) furnishings furniture (adjective) furnished ≠ unfurnished (verb) furnish
sweetener
ˈswiːtnə
1 [countable, uncountable] a substance used to make food or drink taste sweeter
No artificial sweeteners are used in this product.
not involved in a particular situation, and therefore able to give a fair opinion or piece of advice SYN fair OPP biased
We offer impartial advice on tax and insurance.
an impartial inquiry into the deaths
impartially
بی طرفانه
1 a false warning about something dangerous
hoax
a bomb hoax
hoax calls (=telephone calls giving false information) to the police
a bomb hoax
hoax calls (=telephone calls giving false information) to the police
2 an attempt to make people believe something that is not true
an elaborate hoax
1 [countable, uncountable] the type of activity or subject that a person or organization seems most interested in and gives most attention to
orientation
orientation towards/to
The company needs to develop a stronger orientation towards marketing its products.
How can we get students to adopt a serious orientation to learning?
1 to communicate or express something, with or without using words
convey
All this information can be conveyed in a simple diagram.
Ads convey the message that thin is beautiful.
He was sent to convey a message to the UN Secretary General.
convey something to somebody
I want to convey to children that reading is one of life’s greatest treats.
convey a sense/an impression/an idea etc
You don’t want to convey the impression that there’s anything illegal going on
ironing
ˈaɪənɪŋ
1 the activity of making clothes smooth with an iron
I hate doing the ironing.
2 clothes that are waiting to be ironed or have just been ironed
I’m tired and there’s still a pile of ironing to do.
uncountable nous
hair = you have got very long hair(there is a hair in my soup) experience = i had some interesting experiences = things that happened to me(they offered a job to me because i had lot of experience)
news C or U
travel
the news was very depressing
travel =U = travelling in general
they spend a lot of money on travel
trip , journey = C = We had a very good trip , journey
job , work
I’m looking for a job , I’m looking for work. (not a work)
view , scenery
What a beautiful view! , What beautiful scenery!
day, weather
it’s a nice day today / it’s nice weather today.
bag, case , baggage, luggage
C We had a lot of bags and cases.
C We had a lot of baggage/luggage.
chair , furniture
These chairs are mine
This furniture is mine
suggestion , advice
That’s a good suggestion
That’s good advice
all uncountable nouns
accommodation advice baggage behaviour bread chaos damage furniture information
Luck Luggage news permission progress scenery ----, traffic weather work
when we use plural nouns alone?
when we want talk about what kind of something or someone they are
that is a nice table
these are nice chairs
when we dont use some
when we are taling about things in general
i love banana
my aunt writes books
a brightly coloured flower that is shaped like a cup and grows from a bulb in spring
گل لاله
tulip
Some nouns end in -ics, but are not usually plural. For example:
athletics economics electronics gymnastics
maths (=mathematics) physics politics
=. Gymnastics is my favourite sport. (not Gymnastics are)
Some words ending in -s can be singular or plural. For example:
means, a means of transport, many means of transport
series, a television series, two television series
species, a species of bird, 200 species of bird
Some singular nouns are often used with a plural verb. For example:
audience committee company family firm government staff team
The government(= they) have decided to increase taxes. The staff at the company (=they) are not happy with their working conditions
In the same way, we often use a plural verb after the name of a sports team or a company:
Italy are playing Brazil next Sunday (in a football match).
Shell have increased the price of petrol
We use a …… verb with police:
:= The police are investigating the crime, but haven’t arrested anyone yet.
We think of a sum of money, a period of time, a distance etc. as one thing. So we use a singular verb
Fifty thousand pounds(= it) was stolen in the robbery. (not were stolen)
0 Three years(= it) is a long time to be without a job. (not Three years are)
0 Two miles isn’t very far to walk.
[countable, uncountable] a substance such as coal, gas, or oil that can be burned to produce heat or energy
Coal is one of the cheapest fuels.
to make an argument or disagreement worse
add fuel to the fire/flames
Rather than providing a solution, their statements merely added fuel to the fire.
fossil
ˈfɒsəl
fossils of early reptiles
Marine sponges have a long fossil record (=their development has been recorded over a long period).
different types of fossil
a fossil fuel (=a fuel such as coal or oil, produced by the gradual decaying of plants and animals)
Global warming may be caused by burning fossil fuels.
nuclear fuel
What do we do with the spent nuclear fuel?
solid fuel (=a solid substance, such as coal, that is used as a fuel)
The number of homes using solid fuel for heating has decreased.
domestic/household fuel (=used in a house)
There has been a sharp rise in domestic fuel costs.
smokeless fuel (=that burns without producing smoke)
The government is trying to encourage the use of environmentally-friendly smokeless fuels.
unleaded fuel (=that does not contain lead)
Modern cars run on unleaded fuel.
a green fuel (=a fuel that harms the environment as little as possible)
Are green fuels, like Biodiesel, really the solution to our fuel crisis?
a clean fuel (=fuel that does not harm the environment)
The proposal is to cut tax on cars that run on clean fuel.
aviation fuel (=used used by planes)
high-octane aviation fuel
VERBS
unleaded/ʌnˈledɪd
unleaded petrol does not contain any lead
Ben’s car only takes unleaded.
biosphere/ˈbaɪəsfɪə
technical the part of the world in which animals, plants etc can live
not influenced by, showing, or involving personal feelings.
impersonal
Business letters do not have to be impersonal and formal.
Sometimes she seems a very impersonal, even unkind, mother.
2 a place or situation that is impersonal does not make people feel that they are important
I hate staying in hotels; they’re so impersonal.
a formal and impersonal style of management
something that is …… makes you feel anxious or worried
worrying
worry worrier (adjective) worried ≠ unworried worrying worrisome (verb) worry (adverb) worryingly worriedly
The situation is extremely worrying.
This is a worrying development for small businesses.
It’s been a worrying few weeks for us all.
inadvisable
an action that is inadvisable is not sensible SYN unwise
Changes in the patient’s condition may make surgery inadvisable.
it is inadvisable to do something
It is inadvisable to involve more than one contractor on a project.
1 to make a place or substance dirty or harmful by putting something such as chemicals or poison in it
contaminate/kənˈtæməneɪt
Drinking water supplies are believed to have been contaminated.
2 to influence something in a way that has a bad effect
He claims the poster ads have ‘contaminated Berlin’s streets’.
contamination / radioactive contamination
formal to correct something that is wrong SYN put right
I did my best to rectify the situation, but the damage was already done.
rectification /ˌrektɪfɪˈkeɪʃən
a substance that makes air, water, soil etc dangerously dirty, and is caused by cars, factories etc
pollutant/pəˈluːtənt
air/environmental/water etc pollutants
New regulations will reduce hazardous air pollutants.
a dumping ground for toxic pollutants
the process of cleaning a liquid by passing it through a filter
filtration/fɪlˈtreɪʃən
• Will I sacrifice water quality by reducing filtration?
water table
the level below the ground where there is water
erosion
1 if the weather erodes rock or soil, or if rock or soil erodes, its surface is gradually destroyed
The cliffs are being constantly eroded by heavy seas.
The rocks have gradually eroded away.
soil erosion
logging
the work of cutting down trees in a forest
2 ANIMALS [intransitive, transitive] to illegally catch or shoot animals, birds, or fish, especially on private land without permission
poach
Deer have been poached here for years.
to make a bad situation worse
exacerbate/ɪɡˈzæsəbeɪt
The recession has exacerbated this problem.
I don’t want to exacerbate the situation.
exacerbation /ɪɡˌzæsəˈbeɪʃən $ -sər-/
• Financial problems have been exacerbated by declining enrollment.
impurity
purification purist purity ≠ impurity purifier (adjective) pure ≠ impure (verb) purify (adverb) purely
1 [countable usually plural] a substance of a low quality that is contained in or mixed with something else, making it less pure
All natural minerals contain impurities.
tainted
1 a tainted substance, especially food or drink, is not safe because it is spoiled or contains a harmful substance or poison
butler
the main male servant of a house
1 to cause someone to feel extremely embarrassed or ashamed
mortify/ˈmɔːtɪfaɪ
• As a teenager, making any mistake socially would have mortified me.
turn your back (on somebody/something)
a) to refuse to help, support, or be involved with someone or something
How can you turn your back on your own mother?
In his twenties he turned his back on his Catholic faith.
dismiss
1 to refuse to consider someone’s idea, opinion etc, because you think it is not serious, true, or important
The government has dismissed criticisms that the country’s health policy is a mess.
dismiss something as something
He just laughed and dismissed my proposal as unrealistic.
It’s an idea that shouldn’t be dismissed out of hand (=dismissed immediately and completely).
dismiss an idea/suggestion
Both actors dismissed any idea of a romantic relationship between them.
dismiss a notion formal (=idea)
The Minister dismissed the notion that he had cut petrol tax because of the forthcoming by-election.
dismiss a possibility
The prime minister dismissed the possibility of an early election.
dismiss a claim
An industrial tribunal dismissed his claim of unfair discrimination.
dismiss an allegation/charge
She claimed that she was honest and dismissed the allegations against her.
dismiss a thought
Was he lying? I tried to dismiss the thought.
pharmaceutical
ˌfɑːrməˈsuː
relating to the production of drugs and medicines
ideas about city
excellent shopping friendly people, friendly inhabitants great food lots to do unusual building lively festivals spectacular scenery --- fast public transport crowded streets high crime rate
to ask someone for information
inquire/ˈkwaɪr
‘Why are you doing that?’ the boy inquired.
inquire about
I am writing to inquire about your advertisement in ‘The Times’.
inquire whether/why/how etc
The waiter inquired whether we would like to sit near the window.
inquire something of somebody
‘Where’s the station?’ she inquired of a passer-by.
Toby would have liked to inquire further (=ask more questions).
the day, week etc that follows the next one
the day/week etc after next
Have you remembered it’s Susie’s birthday the week after next?
spoken used to say that you are asking a question only because you are interested and not because you need to know
(just) out of interest/as a matter of interest
Just out of interest, how much did they offer you?
a number of people or things that are all different, but are all of the same general type
range/reɪndʒ
a range of services
The drug is effective against a range of bacteria.
age/price/temperature etc range
toys suitable for children in the pre-school age range
a temperature range of 72–85º,
in/within a … range
Your blood pressure’s well within the normal range.
a wide/broad range
The Institute organises talks on a wide range of topics.
a whole range (=a wide range)
He also supports a whole range of other charities.
a large/great/huge/vast range
A vast range of plants are used in medicines.
a diverse range
During his career he has run a diverse range of businesses.
a narrow/limited range
They only had a very limited range of products available.
a) to include a variety of different things or people in addition to those mentioned
range from something to something
The show had a massive audience, ranging from children to grandparents.
b) if prices, levels, temperatures etc range from one amount to another, they include both those amounts and anything in between
There were 120 students whose ages ranged from 10 to 18.
1 related to a suburb, or in a suburb
suburban//səˈbɜːbən
a quiet, suburban street
2 boring and typical of people who live in the suburbs
narrow-minded, suburban attitudes
amenity
Amenities are things such as
shopping centres or sports facilities that
are provided for people’s convenience,
enjoyment, or comfort. ■ The hotel amenities
include health clubs, conference facilities, and
banqueting rooms
n a place, the place is extremely
crowded and blocked with traffic or people.
congestion
The problems of traffic congestion will not
disappear in a hurry. ■ Energy consumption,
congestion and pollution have increased
You refer to the
buildings in which people live as ……….
when you are talking about their standard,
price, or availability.
housing
a shortage of
affordable housing
The ………… of a house or area are
the people who live there.
resident
The Archbishop
called upon the government to build more low
cost homes for local residents. ■ More than
10 percent of Munich residents live below the
poverty line
introducing new and better methods or ideas for the first time
pioneering
pioneering work/research/efforts etc
the pioneering work of NASA scientists
She played a pioneering role in opening higher education to women.
The school has won awards for
its pioneering work with the community. ■ a
pioneering Scottish surgeon and anatomist
named John Hunter
spreading over a wide area in an untidy or unattractive way
sprawling
A place that is sprawling has
been built over a large area in an untidy or
uncontrolled way ■ a sprawling suburb on the
edge of a big city ■ The house was a sprawling
ranch-style building
simplistic
treating complex issues and problems as if they were much simpler than they really are.
simplistic solutions
the distance or measurement around the outside of a circle or any round shape
circumference/səˈkʌmfərəns circumference of the circumference of the Earth in circumference The island is only nine miles in circumference. The circumference of a circle, place, or round object is the distance around its edge. a scientist calculating the Earth's circumference ■ The island is 3.5 km in circumference
1 to establish political control over an area or over another country, and send your citizens there to settle
colonize/ˈkɒlənaɪz
2 if animals or plants colonize an area, large numbers of them start to live there
2 if animals or plants colonize an area, large numbers of them start to live there
colonization /ˌkɒlənaɪˈzeɪʃən
colonial/,kəˈlōnyəl
1 [intransitive] (also crumble away) if something, especially something made of stone or rock, is …. , small pieces are breaking off it
crumble
The old stonework was crumbling away.
crumbling colonial buildings
1 [intransitive, transitive] to die from being under water for too long, or to kill someone in this way
drown
Many people drowned when the boat overturned.
Jane was drowned in the river.
make an error
We made too many errors, and that cost us the game.
commit an error formal (=make an error, especially a serious one)
He knew he had committed a grave error of judgement.
have/contain an error
If the data contains errors, the results will be wrong.
find/spot/notice an error
His accountant spotted several errors in his tax return.
realize your error
By the time she realized her error, it was too late.
correct an error (also rectify an error formal)
We will rectify the error as soon as possible.
avoid errors
He resolved to learn from his mistakes and avoid similar errors in the future.
compound an error (=make it worse)
He refused to listen to our advice, which compounded the error.
an error arises/occurs formal (=happens)
If an error occurs, you will have two more chances to re-enter your password.
informal a place that is a long way from other places and is difficult to get to
the back of beyond
It’s a nice little cottage but it really is in the back of beyond.
1 [intransitive, transitive] to combine, or to join things together to form one thing
The bank announced that it was to merge with another of the high street banks.
The villages have grown and merged together over the years.
a long written story in which the characters and events are usually imaginary → fiction
novel a novel by Jane Austen not like anything known before, and unusual or interesting novel idea/approach/method etc What a novel idea!
1 [transitive] formal to make something develop and grow strong again
regenerate
efforts to regenerate the US economy
The Marshall Plan sought to regenerate the shattered Europe of 1947.
a new strategy for urban regeneration
1 [countable, uncountable] something that you do to show publicly that you think that something is wrong and unfair, for example taking part in big public meetings, refusing to work, or refusing to buy a company’s products
protest
Students held a protest march against the war.
Five thousand employees came out on strike in protest at the poor working conditions.
hold/stage/mount a protest
Opponents of the plan have staged several protests.
lead to/spark (off) protests (=cause them)
The arrests sparked off violent street protests.
organize a protest
She organized a protest outside the store.
protests erupt (=start suddenly)
Massive protests erupted across the country.
to give information about something to the public, so that they know about it
publicize
public publication publicist publicity (adjective) public (verb) publicize (adverb) publicly
television’s failure to publicize the unemployment issue
well/widely/highly publicized (=receiving a lot of attention)
His visit was highly publicized.
1 something that prevents or saves someone or something from danger, loss, or failure
salvation/sælˈveɪʃən
be somebody’s/something’s salvation
A drug treatment program was Ron’s salvation.
salvation of
The Internet turned out to be the salvation of the company
1 to hit your foot against something or put your foot down awkwardly while you are walking or running, so that you almost fall SYN trip
stumble
In her hurry, she stumbled and spilled the milk all over the floor.
3 to stop or make a mistake when you are reading to people or speaking
موجب ناراحتی
having many thorns or thorn bushes.
thorny
1 → a thorny question/problem/issue etc
thorniness
a house, apartment etc where people live
dwelling
• By 1951 the Labour government had built 900,000 houses, falling short of its target of 240,000 dwellings a year.
to completely change the way people do something or think about something
revolutionize
Word family (noun) revolution revolutionary (adjective) revolutionary (verb) revolutionize
New technology is going to revolutionize everything we do.
His work revolutionized the treatment of this disease.
a road that you pay to use
toll road
• It could be the first modern private toll road north of the border.
1 complete loss of your money, moral standards, social position etc, or the sudden failure of an organization
1 complete loss of your money, moral standards, social position etc, or the sudden failure of an organization
be somebody’s downfall
an addiction to gambling that proved to be her downfall
a loss of power, prosperity, or status.
سقوط
the crisis led to the downfall of the government
the work involved in designing and building roads, bridges, machines etc
engineering works
• The investigation showed that the pollution probably derived from an engineering works that closed some 15 years ago.
mutate
2 to change and develop a new form
Technology continues to mutate at an alarming rate.
up to this time
hitherto\ˌhɪðəˈtuː
a species of fish hitherto unknown in the West
1to decide that something is not possible or suitable
rule something → out phrasal verb [transitive]
Management has not ruled out further redundancies.
2to make it impossible for something to happen
The mountainous terrain rules out most forms of agriculture.
formal a particular type of art, writing, music etc, which has certain features that all examples of this type share
genre
/ˈʒɑːnrə
a new genre of film-making
a literary genre
1 to bring an activity, meeting etc to an end
wind up
OK, just to wind up, could I summarize what we’ve decided?
wind something ↔ up
It’s time to wind things up – I have a plane to catch.
2 wind something ↔ up to close down a company or organization
Our operations in Jamaica are being wound up.
5 wind something ↔ up to turn part of a machine around several times, in order to make it move or start working
someone who has been elected or chosen to speak, vote, or take decisions for a group → representative
delegate
Around 350 delegates attended the conference.
1 [only before noun] a forthcoming event, meeting etc is one that has been planned to happen soon
forthcoming
the forthcoming elections
Keep an eye on the noticeboards for forthcoming events.
2 willing to give information about something OPP unforthcoming
forthcoming about
IBM is usually pretty forthcoming about the markets for its products.
1 someone who illegally enters a building or area, usually in order to steal something
intruder
The police think the intruder got in through an unlocked window.
2 someone who is in a place where they are not wanted
At first I felt like an intruder in their family.
1 GET/ACHIEVE to get or achieve something that will be permanent, especially after a lot of effort
secure
secure a deal/contract
The company secured a $20 million contract.
Negotiators are still working to secure the hostages’ release.
Boyd’s goal secured his team’s place in the Cup Final.
2 SAFE FROM HARM to make something safe from being attacked, harmed, or lost
Troops were sent to secure the border.
secure something against somebody/something
They built a ten-foot high fence to secure the house against intruders.
1 simple, old-fashioned, and not spoiled by modern developments, in a way that is typical of the countryside
The village had a certain rustic charm.
2 [only before noun] roughly made from wood
a rustic chair
rusticity /rʌˈstɪsəti
1 a ……….. place is pretty and interesting in an old-fashioned way
a quiet fishing village with a picturesque harbour
informal a place that is a long way from other places and is difficult to get to
the back of beyond
a place or experience in which everything is peaceful and everyone is perfectly happy
a rural idyll
• This rural idyll is, however, the privilege of the minority.
An idealized, romanticized construct that presents rural areas as happier, healthier, and with fewer problems than urban areas.
1 a very quiet place not influenced by outside events or new ideas – used to show disapproval
backwater
a rural backwater
1 [transitive] formal to make something develop and grow strong again
regenerate
efforts to regenerate the US economy
The Marshall Plan sought to regenerate the shattered Europe of 1947.
a new strategy for urban regeneration
restoration
1 when you repair something such as an old building or a piece of furniture, so that it looks the same as when it was first built or made
a fund for the restoration of historic buildings
Major restoration work will begin in May.
a ……. building or piece of land is in very bad condition because it has not been used for a long time
derelict/ˈderəlɪkt
• Today the site of the Mill is derelict.
the part near the middle of a city, especially where the buildings are in a bad condition and the people are poor
inner city
the problems of our inner cities
1 having a lot of leaves
leafy green vegetables such as spinach
2 having a lot of trees and plants
a leafy suburb
1 a residential part of a town consists of private houses, with no offices or factories → suburban
residential
a quiet residential neighbourhood
a house, apartment etc where people live
dwelling
• By 1951 the Labour government had built 900,000 houses, falling short of its target of 240,000 dwellings a year.
someone who travels a long distance to work every day► see thesaurus at travel
commuter/kəˈmjuːtə
a commuter train/plane (=a train or plane that people use to travel to work in a city)
Several commuter trains were delayed because of the bad weather.
commuter traffic
The new measures are aimed at reducing commuter traffic into the capital.
a commuter service
More money is needed to improve commuter services in the region.
a commuter town/village (=that a lot of people leave each day to travel to work)
It’s a commuter town about 40 miles from London.
a commuter line (=a railway line that commuters use)
There’s a fast and reliable commuter line across Kent.
a commuter route (=a road or railway line that commuters use)
a road that you pay to use
toll road
• It could be the first modern private toll road north of the border.
1 TIME [usually singular] the time when something or someone is best, greatest, highest, most successful etc
peak
The British Empire was at its peak in the mid 19th century.
Sales this month have reached a new peak.
at the peak of something
Hotel rooms are difficult to find at the peak of the holiday season.
the work involved in designing and building roads, bridges, machines etc
engineering works
• The investigation showed that the pollution probably derived from an engineering works that closed some 15 years ago.
1 a situation in which streets in a city are so full of cars that they cannot move
gridlock/ˈɡrɪdlɒk
The battle over spending led to gridlock.
• In the new Washington fewer laws will be passed, and gridlock will be a frequent problem.
someone who travels through an unknown area to find out about it► see thesaurus at travel
explorer exploration explorer (adjective) exploratory unexplored (verb) explore
done in order to find out more about something
exploratory/ɪkˈsplɔːrətɔːri
He’s going to have exploratory surgery on his knee.
اکتشافی
1 FAR AWAY far away in space or time
distant/
the sound of distant gunfire
Her honeymoon seemed a distant memory.
distant from
stars that are distant from our galaxy
the distant past/future (=a long time in the past/future)
It is a fictional story set in the distant past.
In the distant future, there may be a cure for the disease.
a distant memory (=something that happened a long time ago)
Already the summer seemed like a distant memory.
distant mountains/hills
From here, you can look out to the distant hills.
a distant planet/galaxy/star
They saw telescope images of the distant planet Neptune.
a distant sound
Sometimes you can hear the distant sound of traffic from the main road.
distant thunder
Distant thunder rumbled over the mountains.
distant places
She loved the wild, distant places of Scotland.
a distant land literary (=a country that is a long way away)
He fled to a distant land.
1 large in size, amount, or degree
extensive
The house stands in extensive grounds.
Fire has caused extensive damage to the island’s forests.
the extensive use of pesticides
2 containing or dealing with a lot of information and details
Extensive research is being done into the connection between the disease and poor living conditions.
—extensively adverb
As a student, he travelled extensively in the Middle East.
به طور گسترده
Oriental studies
Oriental studies is the academic field of study that embraces Near Eastern and Far Eastern societies and cultures, languages, peoples, history and archaeology; in recent years the subject has often been turned into the newer terms of Asian studies and Middle Eastern studies.
a group of people with their own particular set of beliefs and practices, especially within or separated from a larger religious group → sectional
sect
2 DO SOMETHING DIFFICULT [intransitive, transitive] to succeed in doing something difficult, especially after trying very hard
manage to do something
I finally managed to push the huge animal away.
How do you manage to stay so slim?
We somehow managed to persuade him.
1 [countable] a long and carefully organized journey, especially to a dangerous or unfamiliar place, or the people that make this journey
expedition/ˌekspəˈdɪʃən
an expedition to the North Pole
another Everest expedition
on an expedition
He went on an expedition to Borneo.
2 [countable] a short journey, usually made for a particular purpose SYN trip
a shopping expedition
a fishing expedition
go on an expedition
After the war, Swainson went on an expedition to Patagonia.
make an expedition (=go on an expedition)
The men made expeditions to Spain, Greece and Asia Minor to find fossils.
set off on an expedition (also embark on an expedition formal) (=leave at the start of an expedition)
Trent set off on an expedition to collect plants with fellow botanical students.
used when someone says something that makes you realize or remember another thing
Now you mention it, I did see a strange man outside.
Ways of talking about memories:that reminds me, as (far as) I recall, if my memory serves me (well/right/correctly)…
to have a conversation
hold a conversation
• This involved being around, or hanging around, just watching, recording, holding conversations.
a sailor or someone who travels regularly by ship
seafarer/ˈsiːˌfeərə $ -ˌferər
to give someone a piece of information that someone else has given to you
pass something ↔ on to
She said she’d pass the message on to the other students.
pass something ↔ on
a) to give something, especially a disease, to your children through your genes
b) to give a slight illness to someone else
to
One catches the virus and they pass it on to the rest.
someone who is active and confident, and who enjoys spending time with other people OPP introvert
extrovert/ˈekstrəvɜːt
Her sister was always more of an extrovert.
reason
reason reasoning reasonableness (adjective) reasonable ≠ unreasonable reasoned (verb) reason (adverb) reasonably ≠ unreasonably
reason for
People give different reasons for wanting to change jobs.
reason why
We’d like to know the reason why she didn’t accept the job.
reason (that)
The reason I called was to ask about the plans for Saturday.
reason behind
He explained the reasons behind the decision.
for reasons of something
The bridge is closed for reasons of safety.
reason to do something
This work gives me a reason to live.
there is no reason to do something
There is no reason whatsoever to doubt her story.
by reason of something formal (=because of something)
a person disqualified by reason of age
advantage
advantage of
One of the many advantages of living in New York is that you can eat out at almost any time of day.
there is an advantage in (to) doing sth
there are many advantages in living alone
a written or spoken request to someone, inviting them to go somewhere or do something
invitation invite (adjective) uninvited inviting ≠ uninviting (verb) invite (adverb) invitingly
an invitation to do something
an invitation to speak at a scientific conference
invitation to
Roger never turns down an invitation to dinner.
something that is inviting is very attractive and makes you want to be near it, try it, taste it etc
inviting The log fire looked warm and inviting. —invitingly adverb She smiled invitingly. • Nothing's more inviting than a plump sofa or chair.
surprise (proposition)
i was surprised at her reaction to the problem
1 EVENT [countable] an unexpected or unusual event → shock
What a surprise to find you here!
We had a big surprise when we found out the truth.
——To my surprise, the whole family was there.
be a surprise
His decision to marry was a complete surprise.
come as a surprise (=be surprising)
The announcement came as a surprise to most people.
get/have a surprise
We got a surprise when we got home and found him waiting for us.
give somebody a surprise
She wanted to give him a surprise.
have a surprise for somebody (=be planning to give someone a surprise)
I think Jenny might have a surprise for you.
spring a surprise (on somebody) (=give someone a surprise)
The chairman sprang a surprise this week by announcing his intention to quit.
angry, annoyed, furious, upset (pro)
about sth
with somebody for doing sth
There’s no point in getting angry about things that don’t matter.
2 Are you annoyed with me for being late?
r:: Lisa is upset about not being invited to the party.
pleased, satisfied, happy, delighted, disappointed
with something you receive
They were delighted with the present I gave them.
8 Were you happy with your exam results?
surprised I shocked I amazed I astonished I upset
AT or BY something
Everybody was surprised at (or by) the news
I hope you weren’t shocked by (or at) what I said
impress
impression impressionism impressionist impressiveness (adjective) impressionable impressive ≠ unimpressive impressionistic unimpressed (verb) impress (adverb) impressively impressionistically
Steve borrowed his dad’s sports car to impress his girlfriend.
impress somebody with/by something
We were very impressed by the standard of work.
One candidate in particular impressed us with her knowledge.
fed up
fed up I bored WITH something
I don’t enjoy my job any more. I’m fed up with it. I I’m bored with it.
in keeping (or not in keeping) with someone’s usual pattern of behaviour and motives.
in (or out of) character
“his outburst was entirely in character”
fond
be fond of somebody
to like someone very much, especially when you have known them for a long time and almost feel love for them
2 → be fond of (doing) something
3 → be fond of doing something
• He was very fond of her but it strained imagination to see how she could fit into a policeman’s life.
Joe’s quite fond of her, isn’t he?
Over the years we’ve grown very fond of each other.
suspicious
1 thinking that someone might be guilty of doing something wrong or dishonest
suspicious of
Some of his colleagues at work became suspicious of his behaviour.
suspicious about
They were suspicious about my past.
His reluctance to answer my questions made me suspicious.
suspect suspicion (adjective) suspect suspected unsuspecting suspicious (verb) suspect (adverb) suspiciously
1 allowing people to do, say, or believe what they want without criticizing or punishing them
tolerant of/towards
Luckily, my parents were tolerant of my choice of music.
a tolerant society
2 plants that are tolerant of particular weather or soil conditions can exist in those conditions
tolerant of
trees that are tolerant of salt sea winds
1 AWARE [not before noun] noticing or realizing something SYN aware
conscious of (doing) something
I became conscious of someone watching me.
I was very conscious of the fact that I had to make a good impression.
health conscious
People are health conscious nowadays and careful about what they eat.
fashion conscious
Young girls are always very fashion conscious.
security conscious
Most airports are extremely security conscious.
safety conscious
Workers are encouraged to be safety conscious.
cost conscious
Companies keen to increase their profits have to be cost conscious.
class conscious (=concerned about what class of society people come from)
In the past, people were much more class conscious.
fuLL I short OF …
Amy is a very active person. She’s always fuLL of energy.
C I’m short of money. Can you lend me some?
typical OF …
” He’s late again. it’s typical of him to keep everybody waiting.
keen ON
e stayed at home because Chris wasn ‘t very keen on going out.
dependent ON … (but independent OF .. . )
U I don’t want to be dependent on anybody.
Norway’s economy is heavily dependent on natural resources.
Jan’s mother was dependent on her for physical care.
Word family (noun) dependant dependence ≠ independence dependency (adjective) dependable dependent ≠ independent (verb) depend (adverb) dependably independently
independent of
We need a central bank that is independent of the government.
1 someone you spend a lot of time with, especially a friend
companion
For ten years he had been her constant companion.
His dog became his closest companion.
a travelling companion
2 one of a pair of things that go together or can be used together
This book is a companion to Professor Farrer’s first work.
contemplate
to think about something that you might do in the future SYN consider
He had even contemplated suicide.
contemplate doing something
Did you ever contemplate resigning?
predisposition
a tendency to behave in a particular way or suffer from a particular illness
predisposition to/towards
a predisposition towards alcoholism
brush up
to practise and improve your skills or your knowledge of something that you learned in the past
I must brush up on my French before I go to Paris.
a holiday organized by a company at a fixed price that includes the cost of travel, hotel etc
package deal
2 an offer or agreement which includes several things that you must buy or accept together
The Commission attempted to bring all three proposals into one package deal.
informal to live for a short time in conditions that are not very comfortable
I don’t mind roughing it for a while. I dont want to rough it anymore • It's backpacking, but with horses carrying the load and first-class meals, it's not roughing it.
British English a house that someone owns where they go during their holidays
holiday home
• They want it primarily as a holiday home, for recreation.
1 a short journey arranged so that a group of people can visit a place, especially while they are on holiday
excursion/ɪkˈskɜːrʒən
Included in the tour is an excursion to the Grand Canyon.
1 sudden and unexpected
an abrupt change of plan
come to an abrupt end/halt etc
The bus came to an abrupt halt.
abruptness
almost
The plums are just about ripe now.
Just about everybody will be affected by the tax increases.
spoil somebody rotten
to treat someone too well or too kindly, especially a child, so that they think they should always have what they want
He was the favorite, and his mother spoiled him rotten.
1 the quality of being brave when you are facing a difficult or dangerous situation, or when you are very ill → bravery OPP cowardice
Sue showed great courage throughout her illness.
courage to do something
Gradually I lost the courage to speak out about anything.
He did not have the courage to tell Nicola that he was ending their affair.
summon/pluck up the courage (to do something) (=find the courage to do something)
I plucked up the courage to go out by myself.
Driving again after his accident must have taken a lot of courage (=needed courage).
have courage
She certainly has a lot of courage.
show courage
The pilot showed great skill and courage.
summon (up)/muster your courage (=make yourself feel brave)
Summoning all her courage, she got up to see what the noise was.
1 extremely brave or determined, and admired by many people SYN courageous
heroic
her heroic efforts to save her family
Lawrence’s heroic struggle against his destiny
She portrayed him as a heroic figure.
1 HEAD a side view of someone’s head
profile Dani has a lovely profile. in profile I only saw her face in profile. 2 DESCRIPTION a short description that gives important details about a person, a group of people, or a place a job profile profile of a short profile of the actor
a) [intransitive always + adverb/preposition, not in progressive] to have a particular position in a list of people or things that have been put in order of quality or importance
rank as/among
Today’s match ranks as one of the most exciting games that these two have ever played.
We rank among the safest countries in the world.
rank with/alongside (=be of the same importance or quality)
Cuvier wanted to turn natural history into a science that would rank with physics and chemistry.
1 a refusal to accept someone’s authority or obey rules or laws SYN rebellion
The prime minister is now facing a revolt by members of his own party.
The prime minister is now facing a revolt by members of his own party.
revolt against
a revolt against authority
revolt over
a revolt over the proposed spending cuts
in revolt
French farmers are in revolt over cheap imports.
► see thesaurus at revolution
1 an organized attempt to change the government or leader of a country, using violence → coup, revolution
rebellion/rɪˈbeljən
an armed rebellion
rebellion against
a rebellion against the military regime
someone who is a member of a political party that supports communism, or who believes in communism → capitalist, socialist
communist/ˈkɒmjənɪst
loyalty and general agreement between all the people in a group, or between different groups, because they all have a shared aim
solidarity/ˌsɒləˈdærəti
Word family (noun) solid solidarity solidity solids solidification (adjective) solid (verb) solidify (adverb) solidly
a gesture of solidarity
an appeal for worker solidarity
horrendous
həˈrendəs 1 frightening and terrible SYN horrific a horrendous experience She suffered horrendous injuries. 2 informal extremely unreasonable or unpleasant horrendous debts The traffic was horrendous.
if one person does something single-handedly, they do it without help from anyone else SYN alone
She brought up three children single-handedly.
a single-handed voyage across the Atlantic
extremely good SYN excellent
su‧perb
The food was superb.
superb weather
actions, reactions, decisions etc that are justifiable are acceptable because they are done for good reasons
justifiable
Word family (noun) justification (adjective) justifiable ≠ unjustifiable justified ≠ unjustified (verb) justify (adverb) justifiably ≠ unjustifiably
justifiable anger
economically/commercially justifiable
Are these experiments morally justifiable?
2 PRAISE [uncountable] approval or praise that you give to someone for something they have done
credit for
Credit for this win goes to everybody in the team.
They never give Gene any credit for all the extra work he does.
take/claim/deserve etc (the) credit
She deserves credit for trying her best.
to somebody’s credit (=used to say that someone has done something good)
To Jamie’s credit, he remained calm.
Credit must go to Fiona for making sure everything ran smoothly.
1 old-fashioned very good SYN excellent
a splendid idea a splendid opportunity The staff are doing a splendid job. 2 beautiful and impressive SYN magnificent All the rooms have splendid views. a splendid cathedral
privilege
1 [countable] a special advantage that is given only to one person or group of people
He had no special privileges and was treated just like every other prisoner.
the privilege of a good education
امتیاز، برتری
1 someone who is important in the early development of something, and whose work or ideas are later developed by other people
pioneer/ˌpaɪəˈnɪə
John Whitney was a pioneer of computer animation.
He was a pioneer in the field of biotechnology.
2 one of the first people to travel to a new country or area and begin living there, farming etc
the early pioneers of the Dakota territory
reformation
form formation transformation reformer reform reformation reformist transformer formlessness (adjective) reformed reformist formless (verb) form reform transform (adverb) formlessly
if a process ………….or if something ……………..it, it happens faster than usual or sooner than you expect
accelerate/əkˈseləreɪt
speed up
quicken
easy to notice SYN obvious
apparent/əˈpærənt
1 informal very good, especially in a way that makes you feel happy and excited SYN great
terrific/təˈrɪfɪk That’s a terrific idea! The actress who played the lawyer was terrific. 2 very large in size or degree a terrific bang He drank a terrific amount of beer.
1 to respect and like someone because they have done something that you think is good, or to respect their qualities or skills
I really admire the way she brings up those kids all on her own.
admire somebody for (doing) something
Lewis was much admired for his work on medieval literature.
I admire him for his courage (=I respect and like him).
✗Don’t say: I am admiring him.
• Admire is often used in the progressive in meaning 2. You say:
He was admiring himself in the mirror (=he was looking at himself).
look up to somebody to admire someone who is older or who has more experience than you
All the young comedians look up to him.
a reason for being regarded as unusual or noteworthy.
claim to fame
“the town’s only claim to fame is that it is the birthplace of Elgar”
a place or person’s claim to fame is the reason why they are famous – often used humorously to mention something that is not very important
My main claim to fame is that I once shook Madonna’s hand.
designate
appoint (someone) to a specified position.
he was designated as prime minister
appointed to an office or position but not yet installed.
very calm or peaceful
serene/səˈriːn The child’s face was serene and beautiful. a serene mountain lake serenely serenity /səˈrenəti
………………….. people or things have always been in the place where they are, rather than being brought there from somewhere else SYN native
indigenous/ɪnˈdɪdʒənəs
Blueberries are indigenous to America.
the many indigenous cultures which existed in Siberia
a distinguishing quality or characteristic, typically one belonging to a person.
trait/treɪt
a mental illness associated with particular personality traits
a type of animal that drinks milk from its mother’s body when it is young. Humans, dogs, and whales are mammals.► see thesaurus at animal
mammal/ˈmæməl
• More than 100 bird species and 35 mammal species have been identified at the park.
an animal that eats flesh
carnivore/ˈkɑːrnəvɔːr
an animal that only eats plants
herbivore/ˈhɜːrbəvɔːr
to come together in a group OPP disperse
congregate/ˈkɒŋɡrɪɡeɪt
Crowds began to congregate to hear the president’s speech.
informal able to think or act quickly and intelligently
on the ball
an assistant who’s really on the ball
take something → on
2 take something → on to agree to do some work or to be responsible for something
Gibson is taking on the post of vice president.
Work Schedule
he is capable of taking on hectic work schedule
later in the future, not immediately → long-term
in the long run
Moving to Spain will be better for you in the long run.
2 do something ↔ up to repair an old building or car, or to improve its appearance
do up
They did up an old cottage in the Scottish Highlands.
to make you dislike something or not want to do something
put somebody ↔ off
Don’t let the restaurant’s decor put you off – the food is really good.
put somebody off (doing) something
Don’t let your failures put you off trying harder.
the money that you have to spend regularly, for example on rent or food
outgoings/ˈaʊtˌɡəʊɪŋz
List all your outgoings for a month.
1 very shocking and extremely unfair or offensive
outrageous outrageous prices an outrageous attack on his policies it is outrageous (that) It’s outrageous that the poor should pay such high taxes.
………. remark is unofficial and is not supposed to be made public
an off-the-record
1 to make someone make a mistake, especially deliberately and in order to prove that they are lying
The interviewer may try to catch you out.
1 the part of your mind that tells you whether what you are doing is morally right or wrong
conscience/ˈkɒnʃəns
a guilty/troubled conscience
It was his guilty conscience that made him offer to help.
Well, at least I can face them all with a clear conscience (=the knowledge that you have done nothing wrong).
5 the ability to feel relaxed or behave in a natural relaxed way
He had a natural ease which made him very popular.
with great/considerable ease (=very easily)
The car handles these mountain roads with great ease.
with apparent ease (=seeming easy, although this may not be the case)
I was amazed by the apparent ease with which she got through the security system.
1 [countable, uncountable] the total amount of money that a government, organization, or person spends during a particular period of time → income
expenditure/ɪkˈspendɪtʃə
expenditure on research and development
huge cuts in public expenditure (=the amount of money a government spends on services for the public)
government expenditure on education
capital expenditure (=spending by a company on buildings, machinery, equipment etc)
1 a legal agreement which allows you to use a building, car etc for a period of time, in return for rent
lease/liːs
They took out a lease on a seven-acre field.
The landlord refused to renew his lease.
have/hold a lease
Who has the lease on the flat?
take (out) a lease (=start having a lease)
He took a seven-year lease on the place.
renew a lease (=keep a lease for a longer period of time)
The company decided not to renew the lease on the office.
grant somebody a lease (=let someone have a lease)
The landlord may grant a lease for a short or long period.
sign a lease (=agree to the legal details of a lease by signing it)
He refused to sign the new lease because the rent was too high.
to use a needle and thread to make or repair clothes or to fasten something such as a button to them
sew
I learned to sew at school.
sew something on something
Can you sew a patch on my jeans?
sew something together
She sewed the two sides together.
1 a general tendency in the way a situation is changing or developing
trend
Lately there has been a trend towards hiring younger, cheaper employees.
recent trends in education
The current trend is towards more part-time employment.
the amount of business done during a particular period
turnover
The illicit drugs industry has an annual turnover of some £200 billion.
Turnover rose 9%.
the facts, ideas, or things from which something can be developed
basis
Their claim had no basis in fact (=it was not true).
on a regular/daily/weekly etc basis (=regularly, every day, week, etc)
I’m saving money on a regular basis.
Board meetings are held on a weekly basis.
behaving in a very honest and moral way
virtuous
a virtuous man
Sue considered herself very virtuous because she neither drank nor smoked.
2 old use not willing to have sex, at least until you are married
1 staying in good condition for a long time, even if used a lot SYN hard-wearing
durable
Wood is a durable material.
2 continuing for a long time SYN long-lasting
His poetry has proved durable.
durably adverb
—durability /ˌdjʊərəˈbɪləti $ ˌdʊr-/ noun [uncountable]
….. clothes or other goods are not wanted or have been thrown away
ˈcast-off
fasten onto somebody/something
1 to give particular attention to something because you think it is important or interesting
2 to follow someone and stay with them, especially when they do not want you to SYN
latch onto somebody
The dog seemed lost and fastened onto us.
a popular and fashionable style, activity, method etc SYN fashion
vogue/voʊɡ
the vogue for large families in the pre-war years
be in vogue/be the vogue
Short skirts are very much in vogue just now.
Suntanning first came into vogue in the mid-1930s.
to bring in more supplies to replace those that have been used
restock
• These boxed kits are supplied to the dealers who restock it as the individual strings are sold.
a) if something has ……………, it is changed or repaired so that it can continue
a new lease of life
Historic buildings can have a new lease of life through conversion.
a) [transitive] to remove a load from a vehicle, ship etc
unload something from something
The driver unloaded some boxes from the back of the truck.
a small mark, especially a mark on someone’s skin or on the surface of an object, that spoils its appearance
blemish
pristine
1 extremely fresh or clean
a pristine white shirt
2 something that is pristine is in the same condition as when it was first made
The car has been restored to pristine condition.
3 not spoiled or damaged in any way
pristine African rainforest
surround syn
encircle
The island was encircled by a dusty road.
enfold
The wizard screamed as the darkness enfolded him.
He reached out to enfold her in his arms.
envelop
to cover or wrap something or someone up completely
envelop in
mountain peaks enveloped in mist
the enveloping darkness
to make something less painful or difficult to deal with
alleviate/əˈliːvieɪt
alleviate the problem/situation/suffering etc
a new medicine to alleviate the symptoms of flu
measures to alleviate poverty
—alleviation /əˌliːviˈeɪʃən/ noun [uncountable]
1 an arrangement in which two or more countries, groups etc agree to work together to try to change or achieve something
alliance/əˈlaɪəns
alliance with
Britain’s military alliance with her NATO partners
alliance between
the possibility of a political alliance between the two parties
make/enter into/form/forge an alliance (=agree to work together)
The companies have formed an alliance to market the product.
2 a group of two or more countries, groups etc who work together to achieve something
independent organizations and alliances
3 → in alliance (with somebody/something)
4 formal a close relationship, especially a marriage, between people
ally
1 a country that agrees to help or support another country in a war
a meeting of the European allies
3 someone who helps and supports you when other people are trying to oppose you
Ridley was one of the Queen’s closest allies.
1 continuing for ever and having no end
eternal /
the Christian promise of eternal life
She’s an eternal optimist (=she always expects that good things will happen).
permanent
to stay in a place a little longer, waiting for something to happen
stick around
Perhaps you’d like to stick around and watch?
Tom will be sticking around for a while.
to take control of something →
take something ↔ over
His only reason for investing in the company was to take it over.
Ruth moved into our apartment and promptly took over.
takeover
happening before something that is more important, often in order to prepare for it
preliminary/prɪˈlɪmənəri
the preliminary stages of the competition
a preliminary draft
preliminary to
The discussions were preliminary to preparing a policy paper.
extraordinaire
used, often humorously, to describe someone who is very good at doing something
gardener/cakemaker/chef etc extraordinaire
influenced by the most fashionable styles and ideas
trendy
a trendy Bay Area restaurant
1 a small amount of a particular colour SYN shade, hue
tint
paper with a yellowish tint
2 aware of the newest ideas and styles and therefore considered very fashionable
edgy
The band has developed an edgy new image.
She’s been edgy lately, waiting for the test results.
a) if a place is …………., you are not allowed to go there SYN out of bounds
be off limits
be off limits to/for
Footpaths are, of course, off limits to bikers.
b) if a subject is off limits, you are not allowed to talk about it
Unlike most group discussions, nothing was off limits.
1 in a real and sincere way
genuinely/ˈdʒenjuɪnli
genuinely concerned/interested/surprised
He was genuinely concerned for the children.
His victims genuinely believed that he was helping them.
2 used for emphasizing a particular quality
genuinely new information
Matisse is a genuinely popular artist.
genuine
ˈdʒenjuɪn
1 a genuine feeling, desire etc is one that you really feel, not one you pretend to feel SYN sincere
genuine interest/concern/desire etc
The reforms are motivated by a genuine concern for the disabled.
a genuine fear of invasion
‘Did he really?’ Her surprise seemed genuine.
2 something genuine really is what it seems to be SYN real
We need laws that will protect genuine refugees.
The strap is genuine leather.
old-fashioned wise and careful use of money, so that none is wasted
thrift/θrɪft
• You have to work at thrift.
• Nor are we going to preach about the importance of inculcating children with the habit of thrift.
a) if a place is …………….. , it is in a quiet area
1 be tucked away
The village of Eyam is tucked away behind the hills.
b) if someone or something is tucked away, they are hidden or difficult to find
The envelope was tucked away in her jewel box.
come out with
say (something) in a sudden, rude, or incautious way.
“a gentleman should not come out with those remarks”
a newspaper that has small pages, a lot of photographs, and stories mainly about sex, famous people etc rather than serious news → broadsheet► see thesaurus at newspaper
tabloid/ˈtæblɔɪd
go by
rely on , judgge something by one has heard, seen , read
an experience from which you learn something surprising or new
eye-opener
The whole trip has been a real eye-opener.
exactly according to rules or instructions
by the book
an experience from which you learn something surprising or new
She feels she has to go by the book and can’t use her creativity.
do/play something by the book
The police were careful to do everything by the book.
if people …………., their relationship gradually ends
drift apart
Over the years my college friends and I have drifted apart.
very serious and sincere
earnest
a rather earnest young man
Matthews was in earnest conversation with a young girl.
an earnest desire to offer something useful to society
1 [countable] an area surrounded by a wall or fence, and used for a particular purpose
enclosure/ɪnˈkləʊʒə
the bear enclosure at the zoo
2 [uncountable] the act of making an area separate by putting a wall or fence around it
the enclosure of arable land for pasture
to make someone breathe again or become conscious after they have almost died → revive
resuscitate/rɪˈsʌsɪteɪt
Doctors managed to resuscitate him.
resuscitation
mouth-to-mouth resuscitation (=when you breathe air into someone’s mouth to make them breathe)
• She had been resuscitated and her condition improved.
informal if you can see something a mile off, it is very easy to notice
can see/spot/tell something a mile off
You can tell a mile off that he likes you.
spot off = notive
solicit
to offer to have sex with someone in exchange for money
She was arrested for soliciting.
2 [intransitive, transitive] formal to ask someone for money, help, or information
Morgan is accused of illegally soliciting campaign contributions.
solicit something from somebody
The governor sent two officials to Mexico City to solicit aid from the president.
3 [intransitive, transitive] American English to try to sell a product or service by taking it to homes or businesses and showing it to the people there
No soliciting on company premises is allowed.
work up
4 work something ↔ up to develop and improve something such as a project or a piece of writing
Jack took notes which he would work up into a report later.
2 work up an appetite/a thirst/a sweat to make yourself hungry or thirsty, or make yourself sweat, especially by doing physical exercise
You can work up a really big thirst playing tennis.
1 work up enthusiasm/interest/courage etc to make yourself feel interested, brave etc
I’m trying to work up enough courage to go to the dentist.
consistency
1 the quality of always being the same, doing things in the same way, having the same standards etc – used to show approval OPP inconsistency
Consumer groups are demanding greater consistency in the labelling of food products.ثبات، توافق
persistence
1 determination to do something even though it is difficult or other people oppose it
Her persistence paid off when she was offered the job of manager.
‘Why can’t I come?’ repeated Will with dogged persistence.
dogged
dogged behaviour shows that you are very determined to continue doing something
a dogged determination to succeed
a quick visit because you do not have much time
a flying visit
• Its inventor looks like he’s on a flying visit to the twentieth century.
to do something surprising
spring a surprise (on)
Roy is unlikely to spring any surprises.
• Calvin Smith, the world-record holder, could always spring a surprise.
• Theo distracted him from this gloomy conclusion by springing a surprise on him.
a priest in the Church of England who is in charge of a church in a particular area
vicar
• Most of the congregation at Drayton would certainly welcome their Minister-in-Charge becoming a vicar.
to go to an event for a short time, because you think you should rather than because you want to
put in an appearance/make an appearance
At least Marc managed to put in an appearance at the party.
whirlwind /
a whirlwind situation or event happens very quickly
a whirlwind romance
to provide the things that are needed for (an event, such as a meeting or convention)
play host to. :
Each year, the city plays host to the film festival for one week.
pay (somebody) a call/visit
to visit a person or place
I decided to pay my folks a visit.
pay (somebody) a call/visit to
If you have time, pay a visit to the City Art Gallery.
baffle
if something baffles you, you cannot understand or explain it at all
The question baffled me completely.
We were all utterly baffled.
baffled
nuisance
a person, thing, or situation that annoys you or causes problems
a real/awful/terrible etc nuisance
I hate to be a nuisance …/Sorry to be a nuisance …
I hate to be a nuisance, but could you move your car to the other side of the street?
a serious disease that causes spots which leave marks on your skin
smallpox/ˈsmɒːlpɑːks
something that is ……………… must be done because it is the law or because someone in authority orders you to → voluntary
the threat of compulsory redundancies
compulsory schooling/education
11 years of compulsory education
Car insurance is compulsory.
obligatory [not usually before noun] if something is obligatory, you must do it because of a rule or law. Obligatory is more formal than compulsory
optional if something is optional, you can choose whether to do it or not
You don’t have to do French – it’s optional.
voluntary done because you want to do it and not because you have to – used especially about things that you do because you think they will help other people or be useful
The programme is entirely voluntary, and no one will be forced to join.
an illness that is not very serious
ailment/ˈeɪlmənt
minor ailments
• Coughs and colds and minor ailments began to seem poor substitutes for the wounds everybody had been expecting when the bombs fell.
millennium/mɪˈleniəm
1 a period of 1,000 years
people who have inhabited this land for millennia
millennia
someone who studies history, or the history of a particular thing
historian/hɪˈstɔːriən
art/literary/military etc historian
the state of being kept safe, or the action of keeping something safe
safekeeping
safekeeping
My passport was in the inner pocket of my bag, for safekeeping
lodestone
a piece of magnetite or other naturally magnetized mineral, able to be used as a magnet.
unable to leave your bed, especially because you are old or ill
bedridden
• In 1999 he took the key role of the bedridden father in the ensemble piece Magnolia.
1 tired and almost asleep SYN sleepy
The drug can make you drowsy.
drowsily
drowsiness
• Cold medicines can make you feel drowsy.
2 MAKE SOMEBODY TIRED [transitive] to make someone feel very tired and without any energy
drain
Working with children all day really drains you.
something that helps a process to develop more quickly or more strongly
stimulus/ˈstɪmjələs
Tax cuts provided the stimulus which the slow economy needed.
The discovery of oil acted as a stimulus to industrial development.
1 to frighten or threaten someone into making them do what you want
intimidate/ɪnˈtɪmədeɪt
intimidate somebody into doing something
They tried to intimidate the young people into voting for them.
Attempts to intimidate her failed.
2 to make someone feel worried and not confident
The whole idea of going to Oxford intimidated me.
—intimidation /ɪnˌtɪməˈdeɪʃən/ noun [uncountable]
She had endured years of intimidation and violence.
the intimidation of voters
1 technical the top or highest part of something pointed or curved
apex/ˈeɪpeks
the apex of the roof
the apex of a pyramid
2 formal the most important position in an organization or society
The king was at the apex of society.
3 formal the most successful part of something SYN peak
He was at the apex of his career.
vi‧cious
1 violent and cruel in a way that hurts someone physically
a vicious murder
a vicious killer
Keep away from that dog, he can be vicious.
► see thesaurus at cruel, violent
2 very unkind in a way that is intended to hurt someone’s feelings or make their character seem bad SYN malicious
Sarah can be quite vicious at times.
a vicious personal attack on the Duchess
She was shocked by the vicious tone in his voice.
3 unpleasantly strong or severe SYN violent
a vicious gust of wind
a vicious headache
—viciously adverb
He twisted her arm viciously.
go part time
after retruning from maternity leave, i decided to go part time
when two people share one full-time job, dividing the hours and work between them
ˈjob ˌsharing noun [uncountable]
What is your company’s policy on job sharing? a job-sharing scheme —job share verb [intransitive] We have job shared for two years now. —job share noun [countable] women working in job shares
happening completely by chance without being planned →
coincidental
purely/completely/entirely coincidental
Any similarity between this film and real events is purely coincidental.
—coincidentally adverb [sentence adverb]
We have become profitable. Not coincidentally, we have only half as many employees as we did in 1988.
animals such as cows and sheep that are kept on a farm → cattle
livestock
• E coli is a by-product of intensive livestock practices.
work as a doctor
practice medicine
showing in a gentle way that you love someone and care about them SYN loving
affectionate affectionate towards Jo is very affectionate towards her. an affectionate hug —affectionately adverb
unable to leave your bed, especially because you are old or ill
bedridden
• In 1999 he took the key role of the bedridden father in the ensemble piece Magnolia.
1 tired and almost asleep SYN sleepy
The drug can make you drowsy.
drowsily
drowsiness
happening or making progress more quickly than is usual
fast-track
a fast-track procedure for adoption
to know what is most important and needs attention first
get your priorities right
(also get your priorities straight American English)
We need to get our priorities right.
1 WORKERS [countable, uncountable] the people who work for an organization
staff
Our department has a staff of seven.
The entire staff has done an outstanding job this year.
They employ a total of 150 staff.
The staff were very helpful.
full-time/part-time staff
The school has over 100 full-time staff.
permanent/temporary staff
Much of the work is done by temporary staff.
senior/junior staff
I have taken on board the comments of my senior staff.
medical/academic/technical etc staff
We would like to thank all the medical staff at Broadgreen Hospital.
hospital/library/office etc staff
He had responsibility for training library staff.
support staff (=office staff, technical staff etc)
A school needs good support staff.
trained/qualified staff
Recruitment of trained staff was a continuing problem.
a) to get rid of something that you do not want
Ellie dumped all the photos of her ex-husband.
He dumped her body into the sea.
b) to get rid of waste material by taking it from people’s houses and burying it under the soil
Britain dumps more of its waste than any other European country.
relating to a woman who is pregnant or who has just had a baby →
maternity/məˈtɜːnəti
paternity
a maternity dress
maternity benefits/pay etc (=money that the government or employers give to a woman after she has had a baby)
• Laws extending health insurance and maternity leave?
to burn something with a sudden powerful heat
sear
The heat seared their skin.
when two people share one full-time job, dividing the hours and work between them
ˈjob ˌsharing noun [uncountable]
What is your company’s policy on job sharing? a job-sharing scheme —job share verb [intransitive] We have job shared for two years now. —job share noun [countable] women working in job shares
the distance between the place where food is produced and the place where it is eaten, which is a way of measuring its harmful effect on the environment
food miles
Reducing food miles would reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
the practice of doing things that will make your activities carbon neutral
carbon offsetting
There are websites that let you buy carbon offsets.
work as a doctor
practice medicine
1 [countable] if you find your ………., you find a job or activity that is very suitable for you
niche/niːʃ
Amanda soon found her niche at the club.
He’s managed to create a niche for himself in local politics.
2 [singular] an opportunity to sell a product or service to a particular group of people who have similar needs, interests etc
niche in
He spotted a niche in the market.
create/carve out a niche (=do something in a particular way that is different to and better than anyone else)
She had carved out a niche for herself as a children’s television presenter.
someone who has a similar job to yours in another organization or department
opposite number
They liaised with their opposite numbers in the foreign subsidiaries for the production of publicity.
something that is ……………………..exists in such large amounts that it can never be finished or used up
inexhaustible/ˌɪnɪɡˈzɔːstəbəl
She has an inexhaustible supply of funny stories.
a man of inexhaustible energy
happening or making progress more quickly than is usual
fast-track1
a fast-track procedure for adoption
to practise and improve your skills or your knowledge of something that you learned in the past
brush up (on) something
I must brush up on my French before I go to Paris.
I have already said how little I knew about cancer, and I now began to brush up on it.
to criticize someone and make them feel silly or stupid SYN belittle
put somebody ↔ down
I hate the way Dave puts me down the whole time.
put yourself down
Stop putting yourself down.
a) to criticize someone
have a go
You’re always having a go.
have a go at
Will you stop having a go at me!
have a go at somebody for/about something
Mum had a go at me for not doing my homework.
1 not complete
partial
Word family (noun) part counterpart parting partition (adjective) partial parting part (verb) part partition (adverb) part partially partly
The exhibition was only a partial success.
a partial solution to traffic congestion in Oxford
lay out
3 EXPLAIN to describe or explain something clearly SYN set out
The financial considerations are laid out in a booklet called ‘How to Borrow Money’.
2 ARRANGE to arrange or plan a building, town, garden etc SYN set out
The garden is laid out in a formal pattern.
the distance between the place where food is produced and the place where it is eaten, which is a way of measuring its harmful effect on the environment
Reducing food miles would reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
the practice of doing things that will make your activities carbon neutral
carbon offsetting
There are websites that let you buy carbon offsets.
2 something that consists of or comes from a mixture of two or more other things
hybrid
hybrid architecture
1 in or under the sea and not far from the coast →
offshore
inshore, onshore
offshore oil fields
an offshore island
a tax, for example a tax on fuel, that is intended to reduce harm to the environment
green tax
something that is ……………………..exists in such large amounts that it can never be finished or used up
inexhaustible/ˌɪnɪɡˈzɔːstəbəl
She has an inexhaustible supply of funny stories.
a man of inexhaustible energy
a fairly large amount or to a fairly large degree
quite a bit
She’s quite a bit older than you, isn’t she?
He knows quite a bit about painting.
quite a bit of
I expect you do quite a bit of travelling?
quite a bit more/less
They’re worth quite a bit more than I thought.
to practise and improve your skills or your knowledge of something that you learned in the past
brush up (on) something
I must brush up on my French before I go to Paris.
• I have already said how little I knew about cancer, and I now began to brush up on it.
to criticize someone and make them feel silly or stupid SYN belittle
put somebody ↔ down
I hate the way Dave puts me down the whole time.
put yourself down
Stop putting yourself down.
a) to criticize someone
have a go
You’re always having a go.
have a go at
Will you stop having a go at me!
have a go at somebody for/about something
Mum had a go at me for not doing my homework.
1 extremely important and needing to be done or dealt with immediately
imperative/ɪmˈperətɪv
It is imperative that politicians should be good communicators.
lay out
3 EXPLAIN to describe or explain something clearly SYN set out
1 reasonable, practical, and showing good judgment
sensible
She seems very sensible.
sensible advice
It’s sensible to keep a note of your passport number.
Moving house seemed like the sensible thing to do.
► A sensible person is reasonable and shows good judgment. A sensitive person is easily upset, or understands other people’s feelings and problems.
2 suitable for a particular purpose, and practical rather than fashionable
Eat a sensible diet and exercise daily.
an old woman in sensible shoes and a neat skirt
3 formal noticeable
a sensible increase in temperature
insensibility= the state of being unconscious
senseless=happening or done for no good reason or with no purpose, Her death seemed such a senseless waste of life.
if something ……. you, you cannot understand or explain it at all
baffle The question baffled me completely. baffled adjective We were all utterly baffled. —baffling adjective a baffling mystery
to get an illness
come down with something
I think I’m coming down with a cold.
• She came down with this summer flu everyone’s getting and went home before I got in.
responsible for the effects of your actions and willing to explain or be criticized for them
accountable to The government should be accountable to all the people of the country.accountable for Managers must be accountable for their decisions. The hospital should be held accountable for the quality of care it gives.
accountability
to break something such as corn or coffee beans into small pieces or powder, either in a machine or between two hard surfaces
a) (also grind up)
grind
freshly ground pepper
b) American English to cut food, especially raw meat, into very small pieces by putting it through a machine
1 [singular] something that is hard work and physically or mentally tiring
I find the journey to work a real grind. workers emerging from their daily grind in the factory
two problems or situations that are so closely connected that they are really just two parts of the same thing
two sides of the same coin
Great opportunity and great danger are two sides of the same coin.
a large building for storing large quantities of goods
warehouse/ˈweəhaʊs
sheer
1 → the sheer weight/size etc2 → sheer luck/happiness/stupidity etc3 a sheer drop, cliff, slope etc is very steep and almost vertical4 sheer nylon, silk etc is very thin and fine, so that it is almost transparent
1 to get rid of something, especially something that is difficult to get rid of
dispose of something
an incinerator built to dispose of toxic waste 2 to sell something, especially part of a business I am still not sure how best to dispose of the shares. 3 formal to deal with something such as a problem or question successfully Your idea at least disposes of the immediate problem.4 to defeat an opponent Two goals by Raúl disposed of Barcelona.
to control or limit something in order to prevent it from having a harmful effect
curb
measures to curb the spread of the virus
curb on We are trying to keep a curb on their activities.
to be very likely to do or feel a particular thing
be bound to
Don’t lie to her. She’s bound to find out.
it is bound to be (=used to say that something should have been expected)
‘It’s hot!’ ‘Well, it was bound to be – I just took it out of the oven.’
When you are dealing with so many patients, mistakes are bound to happen.
Bound to is used mainly in spoken English. In written English, people usually use certain to, it is inevitable that instead:
Mistakes are bound to happen. → It is inevitable that mistakes will happen.
2avoid something that is difficult or causes problems for you
get round something
Most companies manage to get round the restrictions.
spoken to regularly tell someone the most recent news about something
keep somebody posted
I’ll keep you posted on his progress.
1 if a problem ……, it happens or appears suddenly and in an unexpected way SYN arise
2 if something such as a name or a subject crops up, it appears in something you read or hear SYN come up
Your name kept cropping up in conversation.
to keep being unable to make a final decision about something
dither/ˈdɪðə
dither over/about/between
He accused the government of dithering over the deal.
Stop dithering, girl, and get on with it!
• No weakness was tolerated, no dithering allowed.
• For those still tempted to dither, consider this.
تردید داشتن
easy to recognize
unmistakable
the unmistakable sound of gunfire
obvious•
His name is incorrectly spelt in the caption as N V Matovski, but the face is unmistakable.
two problems or situations that are so closely connected that they are really just two parts of the same thing
two sides of the same coin
Great opportunity and great danger are two sides of the same coin.
to be or feel unfairly treated
be/feel hard done by
As a child I felt hard done by, living so far away from my friends.
exploit
make full use of and derive benefit from (a resource).
1 to treat someone unfairly by asking them to do things for you, but giving them very little in return – used to show disapproval
Homeworkers can easily be exploited by employers.
2 to try to get as much as you can out of a situation, sometimes unfairly
The violence was blamed on thugs exploiting the situation.
to ask someone for information or help
so‧li‧cit /səˈlɪsɪt/
solicit something from somebody
He admitted that he solicited $34 million from 1,000 investors.
to neither make a profit nor lose money
break even
We’re hoping that we’ll at least break even, and perhaps make a small profit.
to include someone in an activity
count somebody in
When the game gets started, you can count me in.
2avoid something that is difficult or causes problems for you
get round something
Most companies manage to get round the restrictions.
spoken to regularly tell someone the most recent news about something
keep somebody posted
I’ll keep you posted on his progress.
1 if a problem ……, it happens or appears suddenly and in an unexpected way SYN arise
2 if something such as a name or a subject crops up, it appears in something you read or hear SYN come up
Your name kept cropping up in conversation.
a short stay somewhere between parts of a journey, especially on a long plane journey
stopover
a two-day stopover in Hong Kong
if someone is…………. something, or if something is about to happen, they will do it or it will happen very soon
be about to do something
We were just about to leave when Jerry arrived.
Work was about to start on a new factory building.
b) if you are on standby to do something, for example to travel by plane, you are on a list of people who may be allowed to do it if places become available
on standby
We can put you on standby.
1 a long and difficult journey, made especially on foot as an adventure SYN hike
trek
a lonely trek through the forest
2 informal a distance that seems long when you walk it
I’m afraid it’s a bit of a trek to the station.
go trekking
willing to do dangerous things or go to dangerous places – often used humorously SYN brave
intrepid
intrepid explorers
something that is ….. is so unusual that it has not happened or been known before
unheard of
Travel for pleasure was almost unheard of until the 19th century.
a ………… thing or event is one that you want very much
longed-for
the birth of her first longed-for child
feelings of happiness and energy, especially when you are having fun
high spirits
It was a bright sunny day and we set off in high spirits.
I don’t think they intended any harm – it was just high spirits.
• He is in high spirits…
their spirits were high
while
whilst
keep your eyes peeled/skinned
spoken to watch carefully and continuously for something
She stumbled along, keeping her eyes peeled for a phone box.
1 to move so that you are lying or sitting with your arms and legs bent close to your body
I just wanted to curl up and go to sleep.
Sarah was curled up on the sofa.
a short stay somewhere between parts of a journey, especially on a long plane journey
stopover
a two-day stopover in Hong Kong
not costing a lot of money
low-cost
government initiatives to increase the supply of low-cost housing
b) if you are on standby to do something, for example to travel by plane, you are on a list of people who may be allowed to do it if places become available
on standby
We can put you on standby.
1 a long and difficult journey, made especially on foot as an adventure SYN hike
trek
a lonely trek through the forest
2 informal a distance that seems long when you walk it
I’m afraid it’s a bit of a trek to the station.
go trekking
willing to do dangerous things or go to dangerous places – often used humorously SYN brave
intrepid
intrepid explorers
1 a large area of land that has never been developed or farmed
wilderness
the Alaskan wilderness
2 a place that seems no longer used or cared for by anyone
The garden was a wilderness.
The south side of the city had become a lawless wilderness.
سرزمین بکر،
a ………… thing or event is one that you want very much
longed-for
the birth of her first longed-for child
feelings of happiness and energy, especially when you are having fun
high spirits
It was a bright sunny day and we set off in high spirits.
I don’t think they intended any harm – it was just high spirits.
• He is in high spirits…
their spirits were high
while
whilst
keep your eyes peeled/skinned
spoken to watch carefully and continuously for something
She stumbled along, keeping her eyes peeled for a phone box.
1 to move so that you are lying or sitting with your arms and legs bent close to your body
I just wanted to curl up and go to sleep.
Sarah was curled up on the sofa.
1 to make someone feel calm or as if they want to sleep
The hum of the tyres on the road lulled her to sleep.
2 to make someone feel safe and confident so that they are completely surprised when something bad happens
lull somebody into (doing) something
The police lulled me into believing that they did not suspect us.
to start to become successful or to feel better or happier, after a time when you have been unsuccessful, ill, or unhappy
turn the corner
We knew Dad had turned the corner when he started complaining about the hospital food.
• A superior actor might have turned the corner on this film.
1 a hollow area in the surface of something, usually made by something hitting it
dent
There was a large dent in the passenger door.
1 DO WORK get through something to do an amount of work
get through
We got through half the application forms this morning.
We’ve got a lot of work to get through.
2 STORY [transitive] to put many different ideas, subjects, stories etc together and connect them smoothly
weave1
She weaves a complicated plot of romance and intrigue.
weave something together
the complex patterns which evolve when individuals’ lives are woven together
1 able to move quickly and easily
agile
Dogs are surprisingly agile.
2 someone who has an agile mind is able to think very quickly and intelligently
He was physically strong and mentally agile.
—agility /əˈdʒɪləti/ noun [uncountable]
With surprising agility, Karl darted across the road.
1 [countable] an amount of money that is given to someone by an educational organization to help pay for their education
scholarship
scholarship to
She won a scholarship to Iowa State University.
on a scholarship
He attended college on a drama scholarship.
win a scholarship
subjects that have to be studied at a school or college
core curriculum/subjects/skills etc
the national core curriculum
the core subjects of English, maths, and science
Schools have to deliver the core skills.
main
British English a book that must be studied for an examination
set book/text etc
• So was Naipaul, the writer of a book which was a classroom set text.
2 someone who knows a lot about a particular subject, especially one that is not a science subject
scholar
a Shakespearean scholar
3 someone who has been given a scholarship to study at a school or college
He was a King’s scholar at Eton College.
1 to put your name on a list for something because you want to take part in it
sign up
for
I’m thinking of signing up for a yoga course.
sign up to do something
Over half the people who signed up to do engineering were women.
2 sign somebody ↔ up if someone is signed up by an organization, they sign a contract in which they agree to work for that organization
enroll on
1 [only before noun] very easy to notice SYN noticeable
marked
a marked lack of enthusiasm
The patient showed a marked improvement in her condition after changing medication.
Miller’s organized desk stood in marked contrast to the rest of the office.
1 LISTEN/LOOK/THINK CAREFULLY [uncountable] when you carefully listen to, look at, or think about someone or something
attention
My attention wasn’t really on the game.
She tried to pay attention to what he was saying.
If you paid more attention in class, you might actually learn something!
As a society we need to give more attention to the needs of older people.
During the lecture Sarah’s attention began to wander.
somebody’s attention wanders (=someone stops listening, watching etc carefully)
During the service, her mind began to wander.
1 [countable] the state of being able to do something
high/low/average ability
a group of low ability pupils
Many of these students are of above average ability.
Children of high ability demand more absorbing tasks.
great/considerable ability
He was a young man of great ability.
These drawings required considerable ability on the part of the artist.
remarkable/outstanding/exceptional ability
a writer of remarkable ability
The company aims to select people of outstanding ability.
his exceptional ability as a swimmer
natural ability (also innate ability formal) (=an ability that you are born with)
He didn’t have the natural ability of his brother.
Babies have an innate ability to do simple maths.
physical/athletic ability
He has considerable athletic ability.
artistic/creative ability
You do not need to have any artistic ability.
musical ability
Tim showed musical ability at an early age.
have the ability to do something (also possess the ability to do something formal)
She has the ability to make people feel relaxed.
show/demonstrate the ability to do something
a chance for candidates to demonstrate their abilities
1 DECISIONS [uncountable] the ability to make decisions and take action without waiting for someone to tell you what to do
initiative
I wish my son would show more initiative.
Don’t keep asking me for advice. Use your initiative.
Lt. Carlos was not obeying orders. He acted on his own initiative (=he was not told what to do).
1 a student who stays away from school without permission
truant
persistent truants
British English to stay away from school without permission SYN skive British English, play hooky American English
• Billy was caught playing truant and has been given extra homework for a month.
if something proliferates, it increases quickly and spreads to many different places
proliferate/prəˈlɪfəreɪt
Computer courses continue to proliferate.
a small group of specially trained people in a profession, political party, or military force
cadre/ˈkædri
a cadre of highly trained scientists
1 a person, team, company etc that is competing with another
competitor
Last year they sold twice as many computers as their competitors.
major/main competitors
The company’s four major competitors have nothing to rival the new product.
2 [countable usually singular, uncountable] when there is confusion about something, and things are done wrong as a result
muddle
Our accountant finally managed to sort out the muddle.
muddle over/about
There was a bit of a muddle over our hotel reservations.
1 to put things in the wrong order
Someone’s muddled up all the papers on my desk.
The government seems to have lost its way and muddled its priorities.
a young person who has a great natural ability in a subject or skill → genius
prodigy/ˈprɒdɪdʒi
Mozart was a musical prodigy.
• She was an authentic prodigy, first appearing with an orchestra at age 7.
to give someone anything they want in order to please them, even if it seems unreasonable or unnecessary – used to show disapproval
Some newspapers feel they have to pander to the prejudices of their readers.
Highly trained staff will pander to your every whim.
1 to make someone feel pleased and satisfied
gratify/ˈɡrætɪfaɪ
He was gratified by Lucy’s response.
be gratified to see/hear/learn etc
John was gratified to see the improvement in his mother’s health.
2 to satisfy a desire, need etc
She did not propose to gratify Gloria’s curiosity any further.
—gratification /ˌɡrætɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/ noun [countable, uncountable]
sexual gratification
pander to somebody/something
to give someone anything they want in order to please them, even if it seems unreasonable or unnecessary – used to show disapproval
Some newspapers feel they have to pander to the prejudices of their readers.
Highly trained staff will pander to your every whim.
1 a badly behaved child
brat
a spoiled brat
not satisfied with your government, leader etc, and therefore no longer loyal to them or no longer believing they can help you
disaffected
the disaffected youth from poor neighborhoods
• Last-minute concessions had been made to disaffected groups to win their support.
ناراضی
1 [only before noun] law relating to young people who are not yet adults
juvenile crime a juvenile court 2 silly and typical of a child rather than an adult – used to show disapproval SYN childish a very juvenile sense of humour نوجوان
1 behaving in a way that is illegal or that society does not approve of → criminal
delinquent
delinquent girls/boys/children/teenagers
2 technical a delinquent debt, account etc has not been paid on time
the recovery of delinquent loans
literary to realize that you have been behaving badly and decide to stop
see the error of your ways
• In fact Brian Moore reckoned it would take only twelve days for the administrators to see the error of their ways.
to believe that something is true without making sure
take it for granted (that)
He just took it for granted that he would pass the exam.
to realize that you are not as young or active as you used to be
feel your age
Looking at his grandson made him really feel his age.
1 a sudden feeling of slight pain
twinge/twɪndʒ
I felt a twinge of pain in my back.
1 air that is hazy is not clear because there is a lot of smoke, dust, or mist in it
hazy
2 an idea, memory etc that is hazy is not clear or exact SYN vague
My memories of the holiday are rather hazy.
hazy about
She was a little hazy about the details.
1 someone who is ………….is easily affected by emotions such as love, sympathy, sadness etc, often in a way that seems silly to other people
sentimental/ˌsentəˈmentl
She said a sentimental goodbye.
to read or look at something very carefully for a long time
pore over something
She was poring over a book.
to make someone have a particular feeling, thought etc again SYN reawaken
rekindle/riːˈkɪndl
The trial has rekindled painful memories of the war.
undivided
1 [usually before noun] complete
I’ll give the matter my undivided attention.
2 not separated into smaller parts
an undivided country
come to no harm/not come to any harm
to not be hurt or damaged
She was relieved to see the children had come to no harm.
1 to become popular and fashionable
catch on
The idea of glasses being a fashion item has been slow to catch on.
2 to begin to understand or realize something
to
It was a long time before the police caught on to what he was really doing.
2 legally responsible for the cost of something
liable/ˈlaɪəbəl
liable for
people who are liable for income tax at a higher rate
3 likely to be affected by a particular kind of problem, illness etc SYN prone
liable to
You’re more liable to injury when you don’t get regular exercise.
1 strange, unfamiliar, or a little surprising
peculiar/pɪˈkjuːliə
There was a peculiar smell in the kitchen.
Something peculiar is going on.
It seems very peculiar that no one noticed Kay had gone.
1 [intransitive, transitive] to ask for something that you want very much, in a sincere and emotional way SYN beg
plead/pliːd ‘Don’t go!’ Robert pleaded. plead for Civil rights groups pleaded for government help. plead with somebody (to do something) Moira pleaded with him to stay.
1 formal to move someone or something to a more important level or rank, or make them better than before SYN raise
elevate
Language has elevated humans above the other animals.
elevate somebody/something to something
Their purpose is to elevate AIDS to the top of government priorities.
1 an organized attempt to change the government or leader of a country, using violence → coup, revolution
rebellion an armed rebellion rebellion against a rebellion against the military regime in rebellion The Bretons rose in rebellion against the King.
an attempt by a group of people to change the government, laws etc in an area or country SYN rebellion
uprising
a popular uprising (=by the ordinary people in a country)
an armed uprising
used when giving your opinion to say that there are good reasons why something might be true
Senna was arguably the greatest racing driver of all time.
a quality or feature, especially one that is considered to be good or useful
What attributes should a good manager possess?
attribute something to somebody/something
1 to believe or say that a situation or event is caused by something
1 to believe or say that a situation or event is caused by something
The fall in the number of deaths from heart disease is generally attributed to improvements in diet.
1 appearing to have a particular quality, when this may or may not be true SYN apparently
seemingly
The new minister was faced with a seemingly impossible task.
seemingly unaware/oblivious
Alice was standing in the street, seemingly oblivious to the rain.
2 [sentence adverb] formal according to the facts as you know them SYN apparently
There is seemingly nothing we can do to stop the plans going ahead.
informal someone who tries to look or behave like someone famous or like a particular type of successful person, because they want to be like them – usually used to show disapproval → would-be
wannabe/ˈwɒnəbi
a load of Michael Schumacher wannabes trying to show what they can do on the track
to compete very hard with someone in order to get something
vie for
Simon and Julian were vying for her attention all through dinner.
vie with
There are at least twenty restaurants vying with each other for custom.
vie to do something
All the photographers vied to get the best pictures.
to express formal support or approval for someone or something
endorse
endorse a proposal/an idea/a candidate etc
The prime minister is unlikely to endorse this view.
► see thesaurus at support
1 to sign a formal document for something that you own so that ownership changes to someone else
تائید کردن ، پشت نویسین کدن
something that you get legally from your work in addition to your wages, such as goods, meals, or a car
perk
theatre tickets and other perks
the perks of working at a large law firm
I only eat here because it’s free – one of the perks of the job.
1 [uncountable] the state of not being known or remembered
fade/slide/sink etc into obscurity The group produced two albums before disappearing into obscurity. live/work/remain etc in obscurity O'Brien died in obscurity. from obscurity to something She rose from obscurity to stardom.
1 to make something publicly known, especially after it has been kept secret SYN reveal
disclose
a man who has been chosen to speak officially for a group, organization, or government → spokesperson
spokesman
a White House spokesman
spokesman for
a spokesman for the victims’ families
survey
1 a set of questions that you ask a large number of people in order to find out about their opinions or behaviour → poll
carry out/conduct a survey (=do a survey)
We conducted a survey of parents in the village.
survey of
a survey of US businesses
survey shows/reveals (that)
The survey showed that Britain’s trees are in good health.
2 an examination of an area of land in order to make a map of it → surveyor
to talk about a religious subject in a public place, especially in a church during a service
preach
preach to
Christ began preaching to large crowds.
preach on/about
The vicar preached a sermon about the prodigal son.
He traveled the southern states, preaching the gospel.
1 excellent and providing a good example for people to follow
exemplary/ɪɡˈzempləri
ɪɡˈzempləri
theft
1 [uncountable] the crime of stealing → thief, burglary, robbery
Car theft is on the increase.
an arrest for petty theft (=stealing small things)
Three men were charged with attempted theft.
car theft British English, auto theft American English:
Northern Ireland had one of the highest levels of car theft in Europe.
identity theft (=when someone steals your personal information and uses it to obtain goods or money)
Credit card companies and banks bear the financial loss, rather than the victim of the identity theft.
petty theft (=the stealing of something that is not very valuable)
There had been a rash of petty thefts in the hotel.
art theft
Robbers stole paintings worth £25 million in the French Riviera’s biggest art theft.
a serious crime such as murder → misdemeanour►
felony
Then you had got to have good grounds to believe that they were going to commit a felony.
someone who copies the way that other people look, speak, and behave, as part of a performance
impersonator
• He also moonlights as a Hulk Hogan impersonator.
infringe
to do something that is against a law or someone’s legal rights
A backup copy of a computer program does not infringe copyright.
the infringement of human rights
