No.70 Flashcards
We live in an acquisitive society which views success primarily in terms of material possessions.
eager to own and collect things
They plan to hold the Olympics’ equestrian events in another part of the city.
connected with the riding of horses
the downtrodden masses
badly and unfairly treated
a high-flying investment banker
extremely successful
The water lapped against the side of the pool.
(of waves) to hit something gently, producing quiet sounds
Syria’s civil war has been lapping at Lebanon’s edges since it began three years ago, breaking over its border at regular intervals and disturbing Lebanon’s hard-earned calm.
If something such as a holiday is hard-earned, you deserve it because you have been working very hard.
She sloshed (= poured without care) some more brandy into her glass.
(of a liquid) to move around noisily in the bottom of a container, or to cause liquid to move around in this way by making rough movements
Repairing a watch is a very fiddly job .
difficult to do because the parts involved are small
Such a difficult choice placed her in an invidious position .
likely to cause unhappiness or be unpleasant, especially because unfair
Some argue that money has debased football.
to reduce the quality or value of something
I’m afraid my concentration began to waver as lunch approached.
to lose strength, determination or purpose, especially temporarily
He gave a bravura performance .
unnecessary actions to make what is being done look more exciting or clever than it is
The phrase ‘born again’ is used metaphorically to mean that someone has suddenly become very religious.
describes language which contains metaphors
The government can’t afford to wobble on this issue.
to be uncertain what to do or to change repeatedly between two opinions
He accused the government of dissembling.
to hide your real intentions and feelings or the facts
Due to a slight technical hitch the concert will be starting half an hour late.
a temporary difficulty which causes a short delay
We’ve decided to go to Scotland to get away from it all .
to go somewhere to have a holiday, often because you need to rest
Easy access to a railway network weighed heavily with us when we chose a site for the new factory.
(of something such as a fact or an event) to have an influence or be important
Both countries had thrown off the communist yoke.
something which connects two things or people, usually in a way that unfairly limits freedom
the wellspring of the creative spirit
the place something comes from or starts at, or the cause of something; the source
We view future developments with some trepidation.
fear or worry about what is going to happen
the silent grandeur of the desert
the quality of being very large and special or beautiful
I seem to have a constant compulsion to eat.
a very strong or uncontrollable wish (to do something repeatedly)
You’d better keep your gob shut about what happened.
to not say anything
I’ve always been deeply cynical about politicians.
believing that people are only interested in themselves and are not sincere
He launched a feisty attack on the government.
active, forceful and full of determination
Yesterday’s coup brought further upheaval to a country already struggling with famine.
(a) great change, especially causing or involving much difficulty, activity or trouble
This contravenes the Race Relations Act.
to do something that a law or rule does not allow, or to break a law or rule
Despite the wind and the rain, they plodded on until they reached the cottage.
to walk taking slow steps, as if your feet are heavy
With a knife clenched in/between his teeth, he climbed up the tree to cut some coconuts.
to close or hold something very tightly, often in a determined or angry way
Regular exercise can result in a general diminution in stress levels.
reduction in size or importance
Despite his kindly, sometimes whimsical air, he was a shrewd observer of people.
unusual and strange in a way that might be funny or annoying
That could rise to nearly $25 billion if underwriters opt to sell more shares, surpassing Agricultural Bank of China’s $22.1 billion listing in 2010.
the one who gives the activity financial support and takes responsibility for paying any costs if it fails.
In a multicultural society is it not anomalous to have a blasphemy law which only protects one religious faith?
different from what is usual, or not in agreement with something else and therefore not satisfactory
He remembered the old adage ‘Look before you leap’.
a wise saying; proverb
This year’s biology prize went to a study showing that dogs prefer to defecate along a north-south axis.
to pass the contents of the bowels out of the body
I love the tranquillity of the countryside.
a peaceful calm state, without noise, violence, worry, etc.; the quality of being tranquil
The mansion had an atmosphere of genteel elegance and decay.
having or typical of a high social class
David Cameron will take the historic step of meeting Iran’s president as he reaches out to the pariah state in an attempt to secure support in the increasingly desperate battle against Islamic State militants.
a person who is not accepted by a social group, especially because he or she is not liked, respected or trusted
The airline authorities are not expecting a let-up in delays (= are not expecting delays to stop) for the rest of the summer.
a reduction in strength or intensity
MrCameron’s move is thus a sound one. It must not, however, translate into any reciprocal gestures of support for Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
A reciprocal action or arrangement involves two people or groups of people who behave in the same way or agree to help each other and give each other advantages.
Witnesses reported gangs of marauding soldiers breaking into people’s houses and setting fire to them.
going from one place to another killing or using violence, stealing and destroying
He was flabbergasted when we told him how cheap it was.
to shock someone, usually by telling them something they were not expecting
Patients are being asked to promise not to go to the doctor for at least five days if they have a cough, cold or sore throat in an attempt by health chiefs to slow the rise of superbugs.
a type of bacteria that causes an illness that cannot be cured by antibiotics
an over-the-counter medicine
an over-the-counter drug is bought from a shop without visiting a doctor first
It’s a subject which has aroused a lot of interest .
to cause someone to have a particular feeling
We mustn’t forget, and we won’t forget, that Labour is only going to get into office if we build a big tent and there cannot be any no-go areas for our party.
an area, especially in a town, where it is very dangerous to go, usually because a group of people who have weapons prevent the police, army and other people from entering
We sat by the glowing/dying embers of the fire.
a piece of wood or coal, etc. which continues to burn after a fire has no more flames
Oh don’t be so tough on yourself, Bill - mellow out (= become more relaxed and less severe) .
to become more relaxed
He became/grew increasingly despondent when she failed to return his phone calls.
unhappy and with no hope or enthusiasm because you feel you are in a difficult situation
He became increasingly dissatisfied and querulous in his old age.
often complaining, especially in a weak high voice
His book extolling the benefits of vegetarianism sold thousands of copies.
to praise something or someone very much
crooked police officers
dishonest
They’ve been feuding with their neighbours for years over a boundary issue.
to have an argument with someone
She wanted to be independent and beholden to no one.
feeling you have a duty to someone because they have done something for you
Some spending, such as the huge Medicare programme for the elderly and Medicaid for the hard-up, is obvious. But much is opaque.
必要な支払をするべき十分なお金を持っていない人
He wants all the money up front or he won’t do the job.
If you give someone an amount of money up front, you pay them before they do something for you
Since income taxes are progressive (with a higher rate levied at higher income), it is inevitable?and appropriate?that the most affluent should pay a growing share of the overall tax take.
describes a tax system in which the rate of tax is higher on larger amounts of money
The interest I receive on my savings account is paid after the deduction of tax.
when an amount or a part of something is taken away from a total, or the amount that is taken
He was a cruel and capricious tyrant.
changing mood or behaviour suddenly and unexpectedly
He’s a shoo-in for the White House.
someone who is certain to win an election or a competition
Murderers should be locked up for life.
to put someone in a prison or a hospital for people who are mentally ill
There have been calls for the drug’s immediate suspension, following reports that it has dangerous side effects.
when someone stops something happening, operating, etc. for a period of time
The paper’s top brass came clean painfully slowly, after those involved in preparing the stories had left.
to tell the truth about something that you have been keeping secret
The signing of the Treaty of Rome was the greatest event in the annals of European integration.
historical records of the activities of a country or organization, or history in general
Those are the rules, and anyone who transgresses will be severely punished.
breaking a law or moral rule
I followed the recipe slavishly.
obeying completely; without any ideas of your own
She had a wealth of experience to draw on.
to use information or your knowledge of something to help you do something
Screaming at the top of your voice is a good way of venting pent-up frustration.
Pent-up feelings are not allowed to be expressed or released
The visitors were met by a functionary who escorted them to the director’s office.
a person who has official duties, especially in a government or political party
We have six desks in this room, so we’re rather cramped ( for space).
not having enough space or time
her complete adoration of her brother
very strong love or worship for someone
She swanned into the room, carrying a glass of wine, taking no notice of the fact that she’d kept us all waiting for hours.
to travel, move or behave in a relaxed way for pleasure and without worrying that others may feel annoyed
We were awarded a derisory sum.
describes an amount that is so small it is silly
She had the gumption to write directly to the company manager and persuade him to give her a job.
the ability to decide what is the best thing to do in a particular situation, and to do it with energy and determination
He worked as a builder in Chicago and remitted half his monthly wage to his family in the Philippines.
to send money to someone
There have been yelps of pain. Carlsberg, Adidas, Soci?t? G?n?rale and others have had share-price falls or made write-offs due to Russia.
making a sudden, short, high sound, usually when in pain
The orchestra ground out the same tunes it has been playing for the last twenty years.
to produce the same thing, especially a boring thing, again and again
He’s always had a thirst for adventure.
a strong wish
He was incandescent with rage .
showing extreme anger or happiness
I picked up a really impressive prospectus for Shirley Heath Junior School.
a document giving details of a college, school or business and its activities
Prominently placed legalese frames the purpose of sites as “entertainment” and their content as “fiction”.
language used by lawyers and in legal documents, which is difficult for ordinary people to understand
You can lower the price by cutting out (= avoiding the use of) the middleman and buying directly from the factory.
a person who buys goods from a producer and makes a profit by selling them to a shop or a user
Many hotels are offering discounts in an attempt to attract punters/pull in the punters.
a customer; a user of services or buyer of goods
He needs a good spanking.
the act of hitting someone with the hand, usually several times on the bottom as a punishment or for sexual pleasure
“Can you trust him with this?” “Yes, he’s the soul of discretion (= he will not tell other people) .”
the ability to behave without causing embarrassment or attracting too much attention, especially by keeping information secret
Some kinds of plastic become pliable if they’re heated.
A pliable substance bends easily without breaking or cracking
The earthquake dislodged stones from the walls and the roof.
to remove something or someone, especially by force, from a fixed position
If you cancel now I’m afraid you forfeit your deposit.
to lose the right to do or have something because you have broken a rule
The noise of the car engine revving up woke the whole neighbourhood.
to increase the operating speed of an engine while the vehicle is not moving, usually to warm it to the correct temperature
Her dress was tightly belted, accentuating the slimness of her waist.
to emphasize a particular feature of something or to make something more noticeable
She mumbled something about being too busy.
to speak quietly and in a way that is not clear so that the words are difficult to understand
The scene will be etched on my memory forever.
to be something that you will continue to remember
After working for her father for ten years, she felt it was time to strike out on her own .
to start doing something new, independently of other people
The car’s suspension is so good that when you hit a pothole you hardly notice it.
a hole in a road surface which results from gradual damage caused by traffic and/or weather
Stop romanticizing! Nothing’s that perfect.
to talk about something in a way that makes it sound better than it really is, or to believe that something is better than it really is
Roz and I sat by the swimming pool, drooling over all the gorgeous young men.
to show extreme and sometimes silly pleasure while looking at someone or something
But getting people to save is hard. One reason is the economic version of myopia: the failure to give adequate weight to future benefits over immediate pleasures.
when someone cannot see things that are far away clearly
The local authorities annually disburse between ?50m and ?100m on arts projects.
to pay out money, usually from an amount that has been collected for a particular purpose
She sends a small remittance home to her parents each month.
a sum of money which you send to someone
