LXXVIII Flashcards
plait /plæt/
1) to twist three long pieces of hair or rope over and under each other to make one long piece SYN braid
“She plaited her hair hurriedly.”
“a plaited leather belt”
2) a length of something, usually hair, that has been plaited SYN braid
in plaits
“Jenni wore her hair in plaits.”
bistro /ˈbiːstrəʊ/
a small restaurant or bar
“a French bistro”
stem /stem/
1) the long thin part of a plant, from which leaves, flowers, or fruit grow SYN stalk /stɔːk/
2) the long thin part of a wine glass, vase etc, between the base and the wide top
3) the narrow tube of a pipe used to smoke tobacco
4) to stop something from happening, spreading, or developing
stem the tide/flow/flood of something
“The measures are meant to stem the tide of illegal immigration.”
stem the growth/rise/decline etc
“an attempt to stem the decline in profits”
epitome /ɪˈpɪtəmi/
the epitome of something
the best possible example of something
“She looked the epitome of elegance.”
“He was the very epitome of evil.”
snap /snæp/
1) to break with a sudden sharp noise, or to make something do this
“The wind snapped branches and power lines.”
snap (something) off (something)
“I snapped the ends off the beans and dropped them into a bowl.”
snap (something) in two/in half (=break into two pieces)
“The teacher snapped the chalk in two and gave me a piece.”
2) to move into a particular position suddenly, making a short sharp noise, or to make something move like this
snap together/back etc
“The pieces just snap together like this.”
“The policeman snapped the handcuffs around her wrist.”
snap (something) open/shut
“She snapped her briefcase shut.”
3) to say something quickly in an angry way
“‘What do you want?’ Mike snapped.”
snap at
“He snapped at Walter for no reason.”
4) to suddenly stop being able to control your anger, anxiety, or other feelings in a difficult situation
“The stress began to get to her, and one morning she just snapped.”
5) if an animal such as a dog snaps, it tries to bite you
snap at
“The dog started snapping at my heels.”
6) to take a photograph
“Dave snapped a picture of me and Sonia.”
7) a sudden loud sound, especially made by something breaking or closing
“He shut the book with a snap.”
snap judgment/decision
a judgment or decision made quickly, without careful thought or discussion
snap election
an election that is announced suddenly and unexpectedly
genus /ˈdʒiːnəs/
one of the groups into which scientists divide animals or plants, in which the animals or plants are closely related but cannot produce babies together. A genus includes fewer members than a family and more members than a species.
potion /ˈpəʊʃən/
1) a drink intended to have a special or magical effect on the person who drinks it, or which is intended to poison them
“a magic potion”
“a love potion”
2) a medicine, especially one that seems strange or old-fashioned
pitcher /ˈpɪtʃə/
1) the player in baseball who throws the ball
2) a container for holding and pouring a liquid, with a handle and a shaped part to help the liquid flow out SYN jug British English
“a pitcher of water”
3) a large clay container with two handles, used in the past for holding and pouring a liquid
grief /ɡriːf/
1) extreme sadness, especially because someone you love has died
grief over/at
“The grief she felt over Helen’s death was almost unbearable.”
with grief
“Charles was overcome with grief.”
2) something that makes you feel extremely sad
“Every change in our lives brings with it griefs.”
3) trouble or problems
“You’ll save yourself a lot of grief if you check the measurements first.”
good grief!
used when you are slightly surprised or annoyed
“Good grief! What a mess!”
come to grief
to fail, or to be harmed or destroyed in an accident
“candidates who come to grief in exams”
give somebody grief
to criticize someone in an annoying way
entice /ɪnˈtaɪs/
to persuade someone to do something or go somewhere, usually by offering them something that they want
entice into/away/from etc
“The birds were enticed back into Britain 40 years ago.”
entice somebody/something to do something
“Our special offers are intended to entice people to buy.”
