Old Vocab Flashcards
Cloudy weather
Overcast
Cold weather
Biting (بايتينگ)
Hot weather
Blistering
Windy weather
Blustery
Crook
- informal a dishonest person or a criminal:
The crooks got away across the park. - a long stick with a curved end, used by people who look after sheep
- the crook of your arm the part of your arm where it bends
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ criminal someone who is involved in illegal activities or has been proved guilty of a crime. Criminal is used especially about someone who often does things that are illegal: Criminals are stealing people’s credit card details off the Internet. | He is one of the most wanted criminals in the United States.
▪ offender someone who breaks the law: The courts should impose tougher punishments on offenders. | a special prison for young offenders
▪ crook informal a dishonest person, especially one who steals money and who you cannot trust: Some politicians are crooks, but not all of them. | They’re just a bunch of crooks.
▪ felon law especially American English someone who has committed a serious crime: Convicted felons should not be allowed to profit from their crimes.
▪ the culprit the person who has done something wrong or illegal: The culprits were never found. | If I ever catch the culprit, he or she is in big trouble. | The culprits were just six years old.
▪ delinquent a young person who behaves badly and is likely to commit crimes - used especially in the phrase juvenile delinquent: He later worked with juvenile delinquents in a Florida youth services program.
▪ accomplice someone who helps a criminal to do something illegal: Police believe the murderer must have had an accomplice.
II. crook2 BrE AmE verb [transitive]
if you crook your finger or your arm, you bend it
Woe
- woes [plural] formal the problems and troubles affecting someone:
the country’s economic woes - [uncountable] literary great sadness
- woe is me spoken humorous used to say that you are extremely unhappy or in a difficult situation
- woe betide somebody British English used to warn someone that there will be trouble if they do something – especially used humorously:
Woe betide anyone who smokes in our house!
Plaid (پلَد) shirt
چهارخونه
نيشرت يقه گرد
Crew_neck tee
قبر خودتو كندي
Dig your own grave
My car has been keyed
ماشينم خط افتاده
Burry the hatchet
كدورت ها رو كنار گذاشتن
Hatchet تبر كوچك
Charm the pants off sb
You need to charm the pants off her
مخ زدن
Have a soft spot for sb
Have especial feeling for sb
She had soft spot for her youngest brother and was always fighting for her
ساعتم زنگ نزد
My alarm didn’t go off
Vicious cycle
چرخه معيوب
Are you in a blood feud(فيود)
پدر كشتگي دارين باهم
Skint
/skɪnt/ BrE AmE adjective [not before noun] British English informal
[Date: 1900-2000; Origin: skinned ‘defeated, overcome, having no money’ (1900-2000), from skin]
having no money, especially for a short time SYN broke:
I’m skint at the moment
حفظي چيزي رو بلد بودن
Do you know off the top of your head when the meeting is?
تقويم ميلادي
Gregorian calendar
Solar calendar تقويم شمسي
مي خواي بگي نوروز معمولا ٢٠ مارچ ميفته
It falls on the 20th of March
To stuff your face with food
خودتو با غذا خوردن خفه كردن
When I wasn’t so long in the tooth
موقعي كه خيلي پير نبودم
Sterilize
- to make something completely clean by killing any ↑bacteria in it:
Sterilize the bottles with boiling water.
sterilized milk
sterilizing solution - if a person or animal is sterilized, they have an operation to stop them producing babies
—sterilizer noun [countable]:
an electric sterilizer
—sterilization /ˌsterəlaɪˈzeɪʃən, ˌsterɪlaɪˈzeɪʃən $ -lə-/ noun [uncountable and countable]
The cup is cheaped
لب پر شده
Pergola
/ˈpɜːɡələ $ ˈpɜːr-/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1600-1700; Language: Italian; Origin: Latin pergula]
a structure made of posts built for plants to grow over in a garden
Turf
- [uncountable] especially British English a surface that consists of soil with grass on top, or an artificial surface that looks like this:
soft green turf - [countable] British English a square piece of turf cut out of the ground
- the turf the sport of horse racing, or the track on which horses race
- [uncountable] informal an area that you think of as being your own:
How vigorously will the local companies defend their turf?
sb’s own/home turf (=the place that someone comes from or lives in)
We beat Canada on their home turf.
turf war/battle (=a fight or argument over the areas or things you think belong to you)
turf wars among government bureaucracies
II. turf2 BrE AmE verb [transitive]
to cover an area of land with turf
turf somebody ↔ out (also turf somebody off (something)) phrasal verb
British English informal to make someone leave a place or organization, usually suddenly or roughly SYN kick somebody out
turf somebody ↔ out of
The families claim they are being turfed out of their homes
Boggle
bɒɡəl $ ˈbɑː-/ BrE AmE verb
[Date: 1500-1600; Origin: Perhaps from bogle; ⇨ ↑bogey]
the/your mind boggles, (also something makes the/your mind boggle, something boggles the/your mind) informal if your mind boggles when you think of something, it is difficult for you to imagine or accept it:
The sheer amount of data makes the mind boggle.
the/your mind boggles, at
My mind boggles at the amount of work still to do.
How are you getting on?
اوضاع احوالتون چه طوري پيش ميره
I’m getting there
خوبيم
صبر ايوب داشتن
She has 4 unruly children. She has the patience of a saint with every single one of them
Thrifty
Frugal كسي كه قدر پول رو ميدونه
Don’t mistake it with skint
كمبود خواب شديد دارم
I am so sleep-deprived
I made a serious faux pas in front of everyone.I wish the ground would swallow me up
Faux pas (فو پا) :
سوتي وحشتناك
زمين دهن باز ميكرد منو قورت ميداد
To be on point
Your cheek line is on point
خط ريشت عالي شده
I’m desperate for wee
به شدت نياز فوري دارم كه برم جيش كنم
I’m desperate for fag
به شدت نياز به سيگار دارم
فضاي سمي مثلا در محيط كار
پشت سر هم ميزنن و…
Bitchy
I think you are trying to manage me out and that’s so unfair
فك ميكنم شما داريد سعي ميكنيد كه منو وادار به استعفا كنيد
I think there is too much favoritism going on here
فك ميكنم اينجا پارتي بازي خيلي زياده
One rule for one and one for another
من انجام بدم بده ولي فلاني انجام بده ايراد نداره
ماشينت خراب بوده و همسايه ازت ميپرسه وضعيت ماشين چه طور پيش ميره؟
How’s the car coming along?
How’s the pregnancy coming along?
محض اطلاعتون
Just so you know, we have run out of steak
Depends on your tone it can be sarcastic
I have reduced my hours and I have more free time on my hands, I can definitely spare some time
Spare some time ميتونم وقت بيشتري ذخير
It grows on me
كم كم ازش خوشم اومد
Cut out your appetite
اشتهاتو كور ميكنه
Some people don’t drink alcohol for religious obligations
Religious obligations معذوريت هاي مذهبي
رو به بهبوديم
I’m on the mend
Make sure you allow enough time for that
Allow time زمان اختصاص دادن به كاري
پر كردن ماشين ظرف شويي
Loading dishwasher
Rind(رايند)
پوست ميوه مثل هندونه
٤ نفر هستيم
There are four of us
Tag along
Join
Do u want to tag along with us at the party?
We throw a few ideas around
بحث كرديم
Veal
/viːl/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: veel, from Latin vitellus ‘small calf’, from vitulus ‘calf’]
the meat of a ↑calf (=a young cow)
Mutton
/ˈmʌtn/ BrE AmE noun
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: moton ‘(male) sheep’]
1. [uncountable] the meat from a sheep ⇨ lamb
2. mutton dressed as lamb British English used to describe, in a disapproving way, someone who is wearing clothes that are usually worn by younger people
Horse
- [countable] a large strong animal that people ride and use for pulling heavy things ⇨ pony, equine, equestrian:
a horse and cart
Lee had never ridden a horse before. - the horses British English informal horse races:
Jim likes a bet on the horses. - [countable] a piece of sports equipment in a ↑gymnasium that people jump over
- (straight/right) from the horse’s mouth if you hear or get information straight from the horse’s mouth, you are told it by someone who has direct knowledge of it
- horses for courses British English the process of matching people with suitable jobs or activities
- a two/three/four etc horse race a competition or an election that only two etc competitors can win
- a horse of a different color (also a horse of another color American English) something that is completely different from another thing
- horse sense old-fashioned sensible judgment gained from experience SYN common sense
- [uncountable] old-fashioned informal ↑heroin
⇨ ↑dark horse, ⇨ never/don’t look a gift horse in the mouth at ↑gift(7), ⇨ be flogging a dead horse at ↑flog(3), ⇨ hold your horses at ↑hold1(15), ⇨ put the cart before the horse at ↑cart1(4), ⇨ ↑stalking horse, ↑white horses
II. horse2 BrE AmE verb
horse around/about phrasal verb
informal to play roughly ⇨ horseplay:
Stop horsing around – you’ll break something
It’s right up my street
Opp of it is not my cup of tea
Attuned
be/become attuned to something to be or become familiar with the way someone thinks or behaves so that you can react to them in a suitable way:
British companies still aren’t really attuned to the needs of the Japanese market.
Call
- TELEPHONE [intransitive and transitive] to telephone someone:
She calls her father every couple of days.
I’ll call you soon.
What time did Tony call?
call a doctor/the police/a cab etc (=telephone someone and ask them to come to you)
I think we should call a doctor.
I’m gonna call the cops!
► Do not say ‘call to someone’. Say call someone. - DESCRIBE [transitive] to use a word or name to describe someone or something in a particular way
call somebody something
Are you calling me a liar?
You may call it harmless fun, but I call it pornography.
call somebody names (=use insulting names for someone)
The other kids used to call me names, but I tried to ignore them. - HAVE A NAME [transitive] to have a particular name or title, or use a particular name or title for someone or something
be called something
Our son is called Matthew.
The arrow that appears on the screen is called a cursor.
call somebody something
My name’s Virginia, but my friends call me Ginny.
Do you want to be called Miss or Ms?
call somebody by something
I prefer to be called by my middle name. - GIVE SOMEBODY/SOMETHING A NAME [transitive] especially British English to give someone or something the name they will be known by in the future SYN name American English:
What are you going to call the new puppy?
call somebody something
They’ve decided to call the baby Louise. - ASK/ORDER BY SPEAKING [transitive] to ask or order someone to come to you
call somebody into/over/across etc
Peter called the waitress over and ordered a large brandy.
Marcie was called up to the principal’s office. - ARRANGE [transitive] to arrange for something to happen at a particular time
call a meeting/strike/election etc
The Security Council has called an emergency session to discuss the crisis.
According to the law, the election must be called within the next two months. - SAY/SHOUT [intransitive and transitive] to say or shout something loudly so that someone can hear you:
I heard someone calling in the distance.
‘I’m coming!’ she called down the stairs.
Sheila was just sneaking out when her mother called her.
She heard him call her name. - call yourself something to say that you are a particular type of person, although you do nothing to show this is true:
How could Julian call himself a friend and then let me down so badly? - call the shots/tune informal to be in a position of authority so that you can give orders and make decisions:
It was a job in which she was able to call the shots. - call it a day informal to decide to stop working, especially because you have done enough or you are tired:
Come on, let’s call it a day and go home. - call collect American English to make a telephone call that is paid for by the person who receives it SYN reverse the charges British English
“Hi, this is Jamie. I’m calling from a hotel room. Can you reverse the charges for this call?”
12. READ NAMES [transitive] (also call out) to read names or numbers in a loud voice in order to get someone’s attention:
When I call your name, go and stand in line.
13. COURT [transitive usually passive] to tell someone that they must come to a law court or official committee
call somebody to do something
They were called to give evidence at the trial.
14. call (something) into question to make people uncertain about whether something is right, good, or true:
I feel that my competence is being called into question here.
15. be/feel called to do something to feel strongly that you should do something:
He felt called to write to all his fellow investors, warning them of the impending crisis.
16. call somebody/something to order formal to tell people to obey the rules of a formal meeting
17. VISIT [intransitive] (also call round British English) to stop at a house or other place for a short time to see someone or do something:
She called round for a chat.
call on somebody
Let’s call on James on the way home.
call (in) at something
I regularly called in at his office for news.
call into something
People often call into the library while they’re out shopping.
18. call it £10/two hours etc spoken used to suggest a general figure rather than a more specific one, especially in order to make things simpler:
‘I owe you £10.20.’ ‘Oh, call it £10!’
19. call it a draw if two opponents in a game call it a draw, they agree that neither of them has won ⇨ call it quits at ↑quits(2)
20. call it/things even spoken use this to say that someone who owes you something does not have to give you anything more than they have already given you
21. call (sb’s) attention to
a) to ask people to pay attention to a particular subject or problem:
May I call your attention to item seven on the agenda?
b) to make someone notice someone or something:
I wanted to shout out to Ken, but I didn’t want to call attention to myself.
22. call something to mind
a) to remind you of something:
Don’t those two call to mind the days when we were courting?
b) to remember something:
I couldn’t call to mind where I’d seen him before.
23. call a huddle American English informal to make people come together to talk about something
24. call time (on somebody/something) to say that it is time for something to finish or stop
25. TRAINS/SHIPS [intransitive] if a train, ship, bus etc calls at a place, it stops there for a short time SYN stop:
This train calls at all stations to Broxbourne.
26. COIN [intransitive and transitive] to guess which side of a coin will land upwards when it is thrown in the air, in order to decide who will play first in a game:
It’s your turn to call.
27. CARD GAME [intransitive and transitive] to risk the same amount of money as the player who plays before you in a ↑poker game
⇨ ↑so-called, ⇨ call sb’s bluff at ↑bluff2(2), ⇨ too close to call at ↑close2(8)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for call for somebody/something Meaning 1)
■ call for + NOUN
▪ call for an end to something Demonstrators have called for an end to the fighting.
To “call for an end to something” means to publicly demand or urge that a particular activity, practice, or situation should stop. It implies a strong request or appeal for cessation or termination of that thing. For example, calling for an end to a policy means advocating for the policy to be discontinued.
▪ call for sb’s resignation Opposition parties called for the President’s resignation. ▪ call for action The European Parliament have called for action on age discrimination. ▪ call for a ban French farmers have called for a ban on imports. ▪ call for a boycott In 1980 he called for a boycott of the Olympic Games. ▪ call for a change Scientists are calling for a change in the law. ▪ call for an inquiry/investigation Relatives have called for an inquiry into the causes of the plane crash. ▪ call for a return to something The Prime Minister called for a return to traditional Labour values. ▪ call for reform The Church has called for reform of the law. ▪ call for the abolition of something Human Rights groups have called for the abolition of the death penalty. ▪ call for a ceasefire (=for an end to a war) The United Nations called for an immediate ceasefire. • • • THESAURUS ▪ phone to speak to someone by telephone. Phone is more common in British English than American English: I’ll phone you tomorrow. ▪ call to phone someone. Call is used in both British and American English: One of the neighbors called the police. | Call me later. ▪ ring British English spoken to phone someone. Ring is more informal than phone or call: I can ring her at the office tomorrow. ▪ give somebody a call (also give somebody a ring) spoken to phone someone: If you ever come to Seattle, give me a call. | I’ll give the hospital a ring and see how he is. ▪ telephone formal to phone someone: Angry listeners telephoned the BBC to complain. ▪ Skype /skaɪp/ trademark to make a telephone call using special software that allows you to make calls over the Internet: I Skyped her last night and we spoke for hours. call back phrasal verb 1. call (somebody) back to telephone someone again, for example because they were not at home when you telephoned last time: I’ll call back later. Can you ask John to call me back when he gets in? 2. British English to return to a place you went to earlier: You could call back to collect her at noon. call by phrasal verb to stop and visit someone when you are near the place where they live or work: I thought I’d call by and see how you were. call down something phrasal verb formal to ask for someone, especially a god, to make something unpleasant happen to someone or something call down something on/upon He called down vengeance on them. call for somebody/something phrasal verb 1. if a group of people call for something, they ask publicly for something to be done: Human Rights groups are calling for the release of political prisoners. 2. to need or deserve a particular type of behaviour or treatment: Dealing with children who are so damaged calls for immense tact and sensitivity. That kind of abuse is really not called for (=it is unnecessary and unwelcome). ⇨ ↑uncalled for 3. British English to meet someone at their home in order to take them somewhere: I’ll call for you at eight o'clock. 4. American English to say that a particular kind of weather is likely to happen SYN predict: The forecast calls for more rain. call something ↔ forth phrasal verb formal to produce a particular reaction: Great works of classical music can often call forth a mixture of responses from the listener. call in phrasal verb 1. call somebody/something ↔ in to ask someone to come and help you with a difficult situation: The government then called in troops to deal with the disturbances. 2. to telephone somewhere, especially the place where you work, to tell them where you are, what you are doing etc: Rachael called in sick (=telephoned to say she was too ill to come to work). 3. to telephone a radio or television show to give your opinion or to ask a question: Over 2,000 viewers called in with complaints about the bad language used in the programme. 4. call in a loan/debt to officially tell someone to pay back money you lent them: The bank can call in the loan at any time. 5. British English to visit a person or place while you are on your way to somewhere else call in on/at Could you call in on Mum on your way home? call somebody/something ↔ off phrasal verb 1. to decide that a planned event will not take place SYN cancel: The trip to Italy might be called off. 2. to officially decide that something should be stopped after it has already started: Rescuers had to call off the search because of worsening weather conditions. 3. to order an animal or person to stop attacking or threatening someone: Call your dog off. call on/upon somebody/something phrasal verb 1. to formally ask someone to do something call on somebody to do something The UN has called on both sides to observe the ceasefire. 2. to visit someone for a short time: Why don’t you call on my sister when you’re in Brighton? call out phrasal verb 1. to say something loudly call something ↔ out ‘Hi there!’ I called out. call out to The firemen called out to him. 2. call somebody ↔ out to ask or order a person or an organization to help, especially in a difficult or dangerous situation: The army was called out to help fight fires. 3. call somebody/something ↔ out British English to order workers to go on ↑strike: The transport workers were called out. call up phrasal verb 1. especially American English informal to telephone someone call somebody ↔ up He called me up to tell me about it. I’m going to call up and cancel my subscription. 2. call something ↔ up if you call up information on a computer, you make the computer show it to you: I called up their website, but it didn’t have the information I was looking for. 3. call somebody ↔ up British English to officially order someone to join the army, navy, or air force SYN draft American English: I was called up three months after war broke out. 4. call somebody ↔ up to choose someone for a national sports team ⇨ call-up: Hurst was called up for the game against Mexico. 5. call something ↔ up to produce something or make it appear: She can call up the spirits of the dead. II. call2 S1 W1 BrE AmE noun 1. TELEPHONE [countable] when you speak to someone on the telephone call for Were there any phone calls for me while I was out? call from I received a call from an old friend last week. It’s cheaper to make calls after 6 pm. I’ll give you a call at the weekend. 2. be on call if someone such as a doctor or engineer is on call, they are ready to go and help whenever they are needed as part of their job: Don’t worry, there’s a doctor on call 24 hours a day. 3. SHOUT/CRY [countable] a) a loud sound that a bird or animal makes SYN cry call of the call of an owl b) a shout that you make to get someone’s attention 4. VISIT [countable] a visit, especially for a particular reason: Sorry, Doctor Pugh is out on a call at the moment. pay/make a call (on somebody) (=visit someone) 5. REQUEST/ORDER [countable] a request or order for something or for someone to do something: Members obediently answered the calls for funds. call for somebody to do something There have been calls for the secretary to resign. a call to arms (=an order for people to fight against an enemy) 6. DECISION a) [countable] the decision made by a ↑referee in a sports game make a good/bad call There may have been a few bad calls, but they’re making them for a reason. b) [singular] informal a decision: Don’t just say what you think I would like. It’s your call. make a call (=decide something) an easy/hard call (=an easy or difficult decision) judgement call (=a decision based on your personal judgement of a situation) 7. there isn’t much call for something used for saying that not many people want a particular thing: There isn’t much call for black and white televisions these days. 8. there is no call for something spoken used to tell someone that their behaviour is wrong and unnecessary: There’s no call for that kind of language! 9. AT AN AIRPORT [countable] a message announced at an airport that a particular plane will soon leave: This is the last call for flight BA872 to Moscow. 10. have first call on something a) to have the right to be the first person to use something b) to be the first person that you will help because they are important to you: Her children had first call on her time. 11. the call of something literary the power that a place or way of life has to attract someone: the call of the sea 12. the call of nature a need to ↑urinate (=pass liquid from your body) – used especially humorously ⇨ be at sb’s beck and call at ↑beck(1), ⇨ ↑port of call, ↑roll-call, ↑wake-up call • • • COLLOCATIONS ■ verbs ▪ make a call He made a few calls and then went out. ▪ give somebody a call (=phone someone) I’ll give him a call later today. ▪ get/have a call (also receive a call formal) At 11 in the evening we got a call from the police. ▪ there is/was a call There was a phone call for you. ▪ answer a call We’re sorry that we cannot answer your call right now. ▪ take a call (=answer one) Monica took the call upstairs. ▪ return sb’s call (=call someone after they have tried to call you) I left a message for her but she didn’t return my call. ▪ expect a call She’s expecting a phone call from Matt. ▪ transfer a call (=connect one to another person’s phone) The call was transferred to his secretary. ▪ put through a call (=transfer or make one) She asked the switchboard to put the call through. ■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + call ▪ a phone/telephone call I had a phone call from Barbara in Australia. ▪ a quick call This is just a quick call to make sure you’re OK. ▪ a local call Local calls are free at weekends. ▪ a long-distance call I’d like to make a long-distance call. ▪ an international call ▪ a collect call American English (=one paid for by the person who receives it) Can I make a collect call to Florida, please? ▪ incoming/outgoing calls (=coming into or going out of a place) You have to dial 9 first to make an outgoing call. ▪ an emergency call (=to the police, fire service, or ambulance service) The police normally respond immediately to an emergency call. ▪ a hoax call (=one intended to trick someone) They received a hoax call warning of a bomb in the building. ▪ an anonymous call (=in which the caller does not give their name) The £10,000 demand was made in an anonymous call to his home. ▪ a crank call (=made by someone you do not know, as a joke or to annoy you) The heavy breathing sounded like a crank call.
Sow
/səʊ $ soʊ/ BrE AmE verb (past tense sowed, past participle sown /səʊn $ soʊn/ or sowed)
[Language: Old English; Origin: sawan]
1. [intransitive and transitive] to plant or scatter seeds on a piece of ground:
Sow the seeds in late March.
sow something with something
These fields used to be sown with oats.
2. [transitive] to do something that will cause a bad situation in the future:
repressive laws that are sowing the seeds of future conflicts
sow doubt/confusion/dissatisfaction etc
an attempt to sow doubt among the jury members
3. sow your wild oats if a man sows his wild oats, he has sex with many different women, especially when he is young
—sower noun [countable]
II. sow2 /saʊ/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Language: Old English; Origin: sugu]
a fully grown female pig ⇨ boar
Respectively
in the same order as the things you have just mentioned:
The cups and saucers cost £5 and £3 respectively.
Submiss
/səbˈmɪʃən/ BrE AmE noun
[Word Family: noun: ↑submission, ↑submissiveness; verb: ↑submit; adverb: ↑submissively; adjective: ↑submissive]
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: Old French; Origin: Latin, from submittere; ⇨ ↑submit]
1. [uncountable] the state of being completely controlled by a person or group, and accepting that you have to obey them
force/frighten/beat etc somebody into submission
Napoleon threatened to starve the country into submission.
in submission
His head was bowed in submission.
2. [uncountable and countable] when you give or show something to someone in authority, for them to consider or approve:
The deadline for the submission of proposals is May 1st.
Plans were drawn up for submission to the housing council.
Submissions will not be accepted after May.
3. [uncountable] formal an opinion or thought that you state SYN view:
It is important, in my submission, that a wider view of the matter be taken.
4. [countable] law a request or suggestion that is given to a judge for them to consider
NB
BrE AmE (also NB British English) written
[Date: 1600-1700; Language: Latin; Origin: nota bene ‘note well’]
(nota bene) used to make a reader pay attention to a piece of information
NB: The assessor doesn’t award the final grades
Appraise
/əˈpreɪz/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: Old French; Origin: aprisier, from prisier ‘to value’; influenced by praise]
1. formal to officially judge how successful, effective, or valuable something is SYN evaluate:
Greenpeace has been invited to appraise the environmental costs of such an operation.
2. literary to look carefully at someone or something to make an opinion about them:
His eyes appraised her face
Gooey
/ˈɡuːi/ BrE AmE adjective (comparative gooier, superlative gooiest) informal
1. sticky and soft:
gooey cakes
gooey mud
2. showing your love for someone in a way that other people think is silly SYN soppy:
Babies make her go all gooey.
In the space of two days they asked us to leave
ظرف دو روز از ما خواستن كه اينجا رو ترك كنيم
I had a chills
لرز داشتم
Menstrual leave
مرخصي عادت ماهيانه
Compassionate leave
مرخصي فوت بستگان درجه يك
Syn bereavement leave
Baby formula
شير خشك
Diabetes runs in my family
ديابت تو خانواده من ارثيه
Wedding band
حلقه ازدواج
Serves you right
حقته
Getting stood up vs. getiing ghosted
- Wait for sb to show up in a meeting or etc
- داري با يكي اس ام اس بازي ميكني يك دفعه وسطش غيب ميشه ديگه جواب نميده left me on read
محل كنسرت
Concert venue
Duh
We say when sth is obvious
Do u know Australia is going to get u?
Duh. With my points it’s obvious
Give it a rest
چرند نگو
Penny for your thoughts
بگو چي تو ذهنت ميگذره
Trudge
To walk with heavy steps especially because you are tired or it is difficult to walk
We trudged home through the snow
Bog
تو باتلاق گير كردن
باتلاق
به مشكل خوردن كاري يا پروژه اي
Outback
The Australian countryside far away from cities where few people live
Syn: out in the boonies
Deference
احترام
His students show him deference
Out of sorts
Not in the mood
Sad
See sb off
بدرقه كردن
Today I am going to see my aunti off
Opposite of pick sb up or welcome sb at airport masalan
Make no bones about
Not to try to hide your feeling
He made no bones about his dissatisfaction with the service
با اين اشتباه نشه
I have a bone to pick on you
ازت گلايه دارم
Subpar
Sub=below
Par= level
Below average
نوظهور
New-found
She stayed up all night in shock considering her newfound fortune
تعارف نكن
Don’t stand on ceremony
سرمو برد
He talked my ear off
Cargo area
صندوق عقب
Trunk
Coincide
- to happen at the same time as something else, especially by chance ⇨ coincidence
coincide with
His entry to the party coincided with his marriage.
When our vacations coincided, we often holidayed together.
planned/timed/arranged to coincide
The show is timed to coincide with the launch of a new book. - [not in progressive] if two people’s ideas, opinions etc coincide, they are the same ⇨ coincidence:
The interests of the US and those of the islanders may not coincide.
coincide with
The cloth had a natural look which coincided perfectly with the image Laura sought. - to meet or be in the same place:
The journey coincides in part with the Pennine Way
Stay on the top of sth or keep on the top of sth
To stay on top of is to keep abreast of, to remain informed about, to be completely aware of what is happening
When you stay on top of something, you follow it closely to make sure that you’re up to date. This means that you are fully in control of the situation and can react quickly if something changes. This expression can be used in both personal and professional contexts.
Rubric
/ˈruːbrɪk/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: rubrique ‘words written in red’, from Latin rubrica, from ruber ‘red’]
1. formal a set of instructions or an explanation in a book, examination paper etc
2. a title under which particular things are mentioned or discussed:
The names were listed under the rubric ‘Contributors
Lead-in
remarks made by someone to introduce a radio or television show
Capitalise
BrE AmE (also capitalise British English) /ˈkæpətl-aɪz, ˈkæpɪtl-aɪz/ verb [transitive]
1. to write a letter of the alphabet using a ↑capital letter
2. to supply a business with money so that it can operate
3. technical to calculate the value of a business based on the value of its ↑shares or on the amount of money it makes
—capitalization /ˌkæpɪtl-aɪˈzeɪʃən $ -tl-ə-/ noun [uncountable]
capitalize on something phrasal verb
to use a situation or something good that you have, in order to get an advantage for yourself:
Ecuador has capitalized on its natural beauty to attract tourism.
Leaflet
/ˈliːflət, ˈliːflɪt/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
a small book or piece of paper advertising something or giving information on a particular subject
leaflet on
a leaflet on skin cancer
hand/pass/give/send out a leaflet
Students were handing out election leaflets at the station.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ booklet a very short book with paper covers that usually contains information on one particular subject: a free booklet on drug abuse | Have you read the information booklet?
▪ brochure a thin book with paper covers that gives information on something you may want to buy or advertises something: glossy holiday brochures | The hotel was nothing like it said it would be in the brochure. | The brochure shows you all the different types of washing machine.
▪ leaflet a small book or piece of paper, often only one or two folded pages, that advertises something or gives information on a particular subject: a leaflet about library services | They were handing out leaflets for the Socialist Party.
▪ pamphlet a very thin book with paper covers, in which someone writes about their opinions about something, or gives information about something: a political pamphlet | Paine wrote a pamphlet about slavery. | The pamphlet tells you all you need to know about growing cactuses.
▪ prospectus especially British English a thin paper book that advertises and gives information about a school, college, new business etc: I asked them to send me the college prospectus.
▪ flyer a small sheet of paper advertising something: People were giving out flyers advertising the fair.
▪ tract a thin short book, especially about a moral or religious subject - a rather formal use: Two women were handing out religious tracts.
II. leaflet2 BrE AmE verb [intransitive and transitive]
to give leaflets to people:
He’s leafleting the neighbourhood
Remark
- [countable] something that you say when you express an opinion or say what you have noticed SYN comment:
Unfortunately, a local journalist overheard the remark. - remarks [plural] the things you say in a formal speech
introductory/opening/concluding remarks
the chairman’s introductory remarks
in sb’s remarks
Caldwell, in his remarks, emphasized the need for cooperation.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ make a remark I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have made that remark.
▪ ignore a remark He ignored my remark and carried on working.
▪ address your remarks to somebody (=make your remarks to someone) He addressed all his remarks to her husband.
▪ mean something by a remark What did you mean by that remark?
■ adjectives
▪ a casual/throwaway remark (=one that you do not think about carefully) These days a casual remark can get you into trouble. | I didn’t mean to upset you – it was just a throwaway remark.
▪ a chance remark (=one that is not planned or intended) I found out about their relationship from a chance remark Teddy made at dinner.
▪ a personal remark (=a remark about someone’s appearance or behaviour, especially an offensive one) He kept making personal remarks about Tom.
▪ a racist/sexist remark (=an offensive remark showing racist/sexist attitudes) The men are accused of making racist remarks to a taxi driver in a dispute over a fare. | When faced with a sexist remark, women have to either confront the person or ignore it.
▪ a disparaging remark (=one that shows you do not think someone or something is very good) My aunt always makes disparaging remarks about my appearance.
▪ a rude remark The children kept interrupting and making rude remarks.
▪ a snide remark (=one that criticizes in an indirect way, especially unfairly) Will you stop making snide remarks about my mother!
▪ a witty remark (=one that is clever and amusing) I tried to think of a witty remark to make.
▪ a sarcastic remark (=one that seems to mean the opposite of what you really mean) She was always making sarcastic remarks about his work.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ comment something that you say or write in order to give your opinion: Does anyone have any comments? | Readers are invited to send in their comments and suggestions.
▪ remark something that you say: Just ignore them if they start making rude remarks. | I’m not sure what he meant by that last remark.
▪ point something that someone mentions about a subject in a discussion, argument, article etc: That’s an interesting point, Steve. | He raises (=mentions) a number of important points in his paper.
▪ observation a comment in which you say what you think or have noticed about something: Karl Marx made the observation that history repeats itself first as tragedy, second as farce.
▪ aside a comment made in a low voice, that you intend only certain people to hear: ‘Is that true?’, she whispered in an aside to Don.
▪ quip /kwɪp/ a clever and amusing comment: She knew she should reply with some light-hearted quip.
▪ dig informal a comment you make to annoy or criticize someone: I’m tired of her little digs at me.
▪ taunt /tɔːnt $ tɒːnt/ a comment intended to make someone angry or upset: The fans made racist taunts throughout the game.
II. remark2 BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[Word Family: verb: ↑remark; noun: ↑remark; adverb: ↑remarkably; adjective: ↑remarkable ≠ ↑unremarkable]
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: French; Origin: remarquer, from marquer ‘to mark’]
to say something, especially about something you have just noticed:
‘This house must be very old,’ he remarked.
remark that
Anderson left the table, remarking that he had some work to do.
remark on/upon
He remarked on the difference in security measures at the two airports.
• • •
THESAURUS
■ to say something
▪ say to tell someone something, using words: ‘I really ought to go,’ she said. | Lauren said she’d probably be late.
▪ state to say something, especially in a definite or formal way – used in official contexts: The witness stated that he had never seen the woman before. | Please state your name and address.
▪ announce to publicly tell people about something: The chairman announced his resignation. | The results will be announced tomorrow. | We will announce the winners next Sunday. | They were announcing the train times over the loudspeaker system.
▪ declare to say something very firmly: ‘My personal life is none of your business,’ she declared.
▪ mention to talk about someone or something, especially without giving many details: Did Tom mention anything about what happened at school? | Your name was mentioned!
▪ express to let someone know your feelings by putting them into words: Young children often find it difficult to express their emotions.
▪ comment to say what your opinion is about someone or something: The prime minister was asked to comment on the crisis.
▪ note/remark formal to say that you have noticed that something is true – used especially in formal writing: We have already noted that most old people live alone. | Someone once remarked that the problem with computers is that they only give you answers.
▪ add to say something more, after what has already been said: He added that he thought it could be done fairly cheaply.
▪ point out to mention something that seems particularly important or relevant: Dr Graham points out that most children show some signs of abnormal behaviour. | It’s worth pointing out that few people actually die of this disease.
▪ air to talk about your opinions, worries, or the things you disagree about: air your views/grievances/differences: The programme will give listeners the chance to air their views about immigration. | Workers were able to air their grievances.
▪ voice to talk publicly about your feelings or about whether you approve or disapprove of something formal: voice concern/support/doubt/fears etc: The president has already voiced his support for the proposal. | She voiced concern for the safety of the hostages
Flyaway
/ˈflaɪəweɪ/ BrE AmE adjective
flyaway hair hair that is soft and thin and becomes untidy easily
Contribute
/kənˈtrɪbjuːt/ BrE AmE verb
[Word Family: noun: ↑contribution, ↑contributor; verb: ↑contribute; adjective: ↑contributory]
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: past participle of contribuere, from com- ( ⇨ COM-) + tribuere (, ↑tribute)]
1. [intransitive and transitive] to give money, help, ideas etc to something that a lot of other people are also involved in
contribute to/towards
City employees cannot contribute to political campaigns.
contribute something to/towards something
The volunteers contribute their own time to the project.
2. [intransitive] to help to make something happen ⇨ contributory:
Stress is a contributing factor in many illnesses.
contribute to
Alcohol contributes to 100,000 deaths a year in the US.
contribute substantially/significantly/greatly etc to something
Enya’s success has contributed substantially to the current interest in Celtic music.
3. [intransitive and transitive] to write articles, stories, poems etc for a newspaper or magazine ⇨ contributor
contribute to
one of several authors contributing to the book
Beep test
The multi-stage fitness test, also known as the beep test, bleep test, PACER, PACER test, FitnessGram PACER test, or the 20 m Shuttle Run Test, is a running test used to estimate an athlete’s aerobic capacity. The test requires participants to run 20 meters back and forth across a marked track keeping time with beeps
Beep
- [intransitive] if a machine beeps, it makes a short high sound SYN bleep:
Why does the computer keep beeping? - [intransitive and transitive] if a car horn beeps, or if you beep your car horn, it makes a loud noise
—beep noun [countable]:
Leave your message after the beep.
• • •
THESAURUS
■ a high sound
▪ squeak a very short high sound or cry: I heard the squeak of his shoes on the tiled floor. | Annie gave a squeak of surprise.
▪ creak a long high sound that something makes when someone opens it, walks on it, sits on it etc - used especially about a door, wooden floor, bed, or stairs: the creak of floorboards | The door opened with a creak.
▪ screech a loud, long, unpleasantly high sound - used especially about someone’s voice, or about brakes, tyres etc: There was a screech of tyres followed by a bang. | She let out a screech of horror.
▪ beep (also bleep British English) a high electronic sound that a machine sends out, especially in order to attract someone’s attention: You’ll hear a bleep when the photocopier’s finished printing
Slot
/slɒt $ slɑːt/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: esclot ‘hollow place in the bone in the middle of the chest’]
1. a long narrow hole in a surface, that you can put something into:
Alan dropped another quarter into the slot on the pay phone.
2. a short period of time allowed for one particular event on a programme or ↑timetable:
a ten-minute slot on the breakfast show
landing slots at Heathrow Airport
A new comedy is scheduled for the 9 pm time slot.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ hole an empty space in the surface of something, which sometimes goes all the way through it: A fox had dug a hole under our fence. | Rain was coming in through a hole in the roof.
▪ space an empty area between two things, into which you can put something: Are there any empty spaces on the bookshelf? | a parking space
▪ gap an empty area between two things or two parts of something, especially one that should not be there: He has a gap between his two front teeth. | I squeezed through a gap in the hedge.
▪ opening a hole that something can pass through or that you can see through, especially at the entrance of something: The train disappeared into the dark opening of the tunnel. | I looked through the narrow opening in the wall.
▪ leak a small hole where something has been damaged or broken that lets liquid or gas flow in or out: a leak in the pipe | The plumber’s coming to repair the leak.
▪ puncture especially British English a small hole in a tyre through which air escapes: My bike’s got a puncture.
▪ crack a very narrow space between two things or two parts of something: The snake slid into a crack in the rock. | She was peering through the crack in the curtains.
▪ slot a straight narrow hole that you put a particular type of object into: You have to put a coin in the slot before you dial the number. | A small disk fits into a slot in the camera.
▪ crater a round hole in the ground made by an explosion or by a large object hitting it hard: a volcanic crater | The meteor left a crater over five miles wide. | the craters on the moon
II. slot2 BrE AmE verb (past tense and past participle slotted, present participle slotting) [intransitive, transitive always + adverb/preposition]
to go into a slot, or to put something in a slot
slot something into something
Mary slotted a cassette into the VCR.
slot into
Each length of board slots easily into the next.
All the wood parts come pre-cut so that they can be slotted together (=put together using slots).
slot in phrasal verb British English informal
to fit something or someone into a plan, organization etc, or to fit in:
Stewart has slotted in well.
slot somebody/something ↔ in
We should be able to slot the meeting in before lunch
Zero
- the number 0 SYN nought British English:
Make x greater than or equal to zero. - the point between + and – on a scale for measuring something, or the lowest point on a scale that shows how much there is left of something:
The petrol gauge was already at zero. - a temperature of 0º on the Celsius or Fahrenheit scale
above/below zero
It was five degrees below zero last night. ⇨ ↑absolute zero, ↑sub-zero - none at all, or the lowest possible amount
sb’s chances are zero (=they have no chance of success)
Mike’s chances of winning are virtually zero.
From 1971 to 1976 West Vancouver experienced zero population growth.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ zero the number 0. Also used when saying there is nothing at all: A million is written as one followed by six zeros. | a temperature of zero degrees | Our chances of success are virtually zero.
▪ nil British English zero - used especially in the results of sports games: United won the game three-nil. | In rural areas, employment opportunities are almost nil.
▪ nought British English spoken zero – used in calculations and figures: It has increased by nought point seven five per cent (=0.75%).
▪ O used to say the number 0 like the letter O: The code for Oxford is 0 one eight six five (=01865).
II. zero2 BrE AmE verb
zero in on somebody/something phrasal verb - to direct all your attention towards a particular person or thing SYN home in on:
She immediately zeroed in on the weak point in his argument. - to aim a gun or other weapon towards something or someone
Parody
/ˈpærədi/ BrE AmE noun (plural parodies)
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: parodia, from Greek, from para- ( ⇨ ↑para-) + aidein ‘to sing’]
1. [uncountable and countable] a piece of writing, music etc or an action that copies someone or something in an amusing way
parody of
a brilliant parody of classical dance
in a parody of something
He swung the door wide open in a parody of welcome.
Her performance contains a strong element of self-parody (=when someone makes fun of their own style).
2. [countable] something that is not a correct or acceptable example of something
parody of
Although his comment was a parody of the truth, Diana was upset by it.
The trial was a parody of justice (=very unfair).
II. parody2 BrE AmE verb (past tense and past participle parodied, present participle parodying, third person singular parodies) [transitive]
to copy someone or something in a way that makes people laugh:
His style has often been parodied.
—parodist noun [countable]
To come out swinging
to react to something or begin something in a strong, forceful way: He came out swinging at his critics, accusing them of having their own agenda. The company knew it was going to have to come out fighting. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases. Reacting and responding
Alfresco
/ælˈfreskəʊ $ -koʊ/ BrE AmE adjective, adverb
[Date: 1700-1800; Language: Italian; Origin: ‘in the fresh (air)’]
if you eat alfresco, you eat in the open air:
We dined alfresco, on a balcony overlooking the sea.
alfresco lunch/supper etc
Top-down
adjective [only before noun] British English
1. a top-down way of organizing a business is one in which the most important people make decisions and tell the people below them what they should do:
The company has a top-down management system.
a top-down approach to decision-making
2. a top-down way of understanding or explaining something starts with a general idea and adds details later
Can of worms
phrase. If you say that someone is opening a can of worms, you are warning them that they are planning to do or talk about something which is much more complicated, unpleasant, or difficult than they realize and which might be better left alone. You’ve opened up a whole new can of worms here, I think
Plunge
- [I, T always + adv/prep] to move, fall, or be thrown suddenly forwards or downwards
plunge off/into etc
Her car swerved and plunged off the cliff.
Both the climbers had plunged to their deaths. - [intransitive] if a price, rate etc plunges, it suddenly decreases by a large amount:
The unemployment rate plunged sharply.
plunge to
Oil prices have plunged to a new low.
In the recession, the company’s profits plunged 60%. - [intransitive] literary if a ship plunges, it moves violently up and down because of big waves
plunge in (also plunge into something) phrasal verb - to start talking or doing something quickly and confidently, especially without thinking about it first:
It’s a difficult situation. You can’t just plunge in and put everything right.
‘I don’t agree,’ she said, plunging into the conversation. - to jump or ↑dive into water:
He stripped off and plunged into the sea. - plunge something ↔ in (also plunge something into something) to push something firmly and deeply into something else:
He opened the bag and plunged his hand in.
Plunge the pasta into boiling water.
Repeatedly she plunged the knife into his chest.
plunge (somebody/something) into something phrasal verb
to suddenly experience a difficult or unpleasant situation, or to make someone or something do this:
A strike would plunge the country into chaos.
The house was suddenly plunged into darkness.
After the war, the family plunged into debt.
II. plunge2 BrE AmE noun - take the plunge to decide to do something important or risky, especially after thinking about it for a long time:
We took the plunge and set up our own business. - [countable] a sudden large decrease in the price, value etc of something
plunge in
a dramatic plunge in house prices - [countable usually singular] a sudden movement down or forwards:
The plane began a headlong plunge towards the Earth. - [countable usually singular] when someone suddenly becomes involved in something new
plunge into
his sudden plunge into marriage - [countable usually singular] a jump or ↑dive into water, or a quick swim
plunge in/into
a quick plunge in the lake
Spin doctor
someone whose job is to give information to the public in a way that gives the best possible advantage to a politician or organization:
White House spin doctors
Flake
- a small thin piece that breaks away easily from something else
flake of
flakes of snow
chocolate flakes ⇨ ↑snowflake - American English informal someone who seems strange or who often forgets things SYN space cadet
II. flake2 BrE AmE verb - (also flake off) [intransitive] to break off in small thin pieces: پوسته پوسته شدن
The paint is beginning to flake off.
Use a moisturising cream to stop your skin flaking. - [intransitive and transitive] to break fish or another food into small thin pieces, or to break in this way:
Poach the fish until it flakes easily.
Remove the skin and flake the flesh.
flake out phrasal verb informal - British English to fall asleep because you are extremely tired:
Phil’s flaked out on the sofa. - American English to do something strange, or to not do what you said you would do
flake out on
Kathy said she’d help but she flaked out on us
Smudge
a dirty mark SYN smear
smudge of
a smudge of lipstick on the cup
—smudgy adjective
• • •
THESAURUS
■ a dirty mark
▪ mark a dirty area on something that spoils its appearance: The bark of the tree had made black marks on her trousers.
▪ spot a small mark on something: a grease spot on my shirt
▪ stain a mark that is difficult to remove, especially one made by a dark liquid: a wine stain on the tablecloth | blood stains
▪ smudge a mark that is made when something touches against a surface: There was a smudge of lipstick on his cheek. | He had a smudge of chalk on his jacket.
▪ smear a mark that is made by a small amount of something spread across a surface: The table had a smear of paint on the top.
▪ fingerprint (also fingermark British English) a mark on the surface of something that is made by someone’s fingers: The glass was covered with greasy fingerprints.
II. smudge2 BrE AmE verb
1. [intransitive and transitive] if ink, writing etc smudges, or if you smudge it, it becomes dirty and unclear because it has been touched or rubbed:
Don’t touch it! You’ll smudge the ink.
2. [transitive] to make a dirty mark on a surface:
Someone had smudged the paper with their greasy hands
Screw the lid off opp screw the lid back on
سر شو بپيچون باز كن ( مثلا در بطري خيار شور)
I haven’t been able to find one for love nor money
به هر دري زدم يكي رو پيدا كنم نتونستم
Ridge
- a long area of high land, especially at the top of a mountain:
We made our way carefully along the ridge. - a) something long and thin that is raised above the things around it:
A small ridge of sand separated the field from the beach.
The ridges on the soles give the shoes a better grip.
b) the part at the top of a roof, where the two sides meet - ridge of high pressure technical a long area of high air pressure in the ↑atmosphere, which has an effect on the weather
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ mountain a very high hill: the highest mountain in Austria
▪ hill an area of land that is higher than the land around it, which is like a mountain but smaller and usually has a rounded top: We went for a walk in the hills. | The house is surrounded by woods, farmland and gentle hills.
▪ Mount (also Mt written abbreviation) used in the names of mountains. Don’t say ‘Fuji Mountain’ – say ‘Mount Fuji’: Mount Everest
▪ cliff the steep side of an area of land, often next to the sea: the white cliffs of Dover
▪ precipice especially literary a very steep and dangerous cliff: They were standing on the edge of a precipice.
▪ crag a high steep rock or mountain: An eagle sailed over the high crags.
▪ ridge a long narrow area of high ground, especially at the top of a mountain: I could see a group of climbers high up on a ridge.
▪ knoll a small round hill: a grassy knoll
▪ volcano a mountain with a large hole at the top, through which ↑lava (=hot liquid rock) is sometimes forced out: the eruption of a volcano
▪ summit the very highest point of a mountain: the summit of Mt Everest
▪ peak especially literary the top of a mountain: the snow-covered peaks of the Himalayas | a distant peak
▪ range/chain a group of mountains or hills arranged in a line: the mountain range that is part of the border between Norway and Sweden
▪ foothills a group of smaller hills below a range of high mountains: the Sierra foothills
Coordinate
- [transitive] to organize an activity so that the people involved in it work well together and achieve a good result:
The agencies are working together to co-ordinate policy on food safety. - [transitive] to make the parts of your body move and work together well:
Her movements were beautifully co-ordinated.
I couldn’t get my brain to function or coordinate my muscles. - [intransitive and transitive] if clothes, decorations etc coordinate, or if you coordinate them, they look good together because they have similar colours and styles:
Don’t be afraid to mix colours, as long as they co-ordinate.
You might coordinate your curtains and cushions.
coordinate with
The cooker is green, to co-ordinate with the kitchen.
II. co‧or‧din‧ate2 AC BrE AmE (also co-ordinate British English) /kəʊˈɔːdənət, kəʊˈɔːdɪnət $ koʊˈɔːr-/ noun [countable] - technical one of a set of numbers which give the exact position of a point on a map, computer screen etc
- coordinates [plural] things such as clothes that can be worn or used together because their colours match or their styles are similar:
Matching bag and accessories provide a complete ensemble of colour coordinates.
III. coordinate3 AC BrE AmE (also co-ordinate British English) adjective technical - equal in importance or rank in a sentence ⇨ subordinate:
coordinate clauses joined by ‘and’ - involving the use of coordinates
Dapper
/ˈdæpə $ -ər/ BrE AmE adjective
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: Middle Dutch; Origin: ‘quick, strong’]
a man who is dapper is nicely dressed, has a neat appearance, and is usually small or thin:
a dapper little man in a grey suit
This is my lunch and it came to 3$ even
اين ناهاره منه و قيمتش دقيقا ٣ دلاره
Methodical
/məˈθɒdɪkəl, mɪˈθɒdɪkəl $ -ˈθɑː-/ BrE AmE adjective
[Word Family: noun: ↑method, ↑methodology; adjective: ↑methodical, ↑methodological; adverb: ↑methodically]
1. a methodical way of doing something is careful and uses an ordered system:
He always checked every detail in a methodical way.
a methodical approach to answering questions
2. a methodical person always does things carefully, using an ordered system:
She’s a very methodical person.
He had a neat, methodical mind.
—methodically /-kli/ adverb:
He went through the papers methodically, one by one.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ careful trying to avoid mistakes and do everything correctly by paying a lot of attention to details: Try to be more careful with your punctuation. | A careful inspection showed cracks in the foundation of the building.
▪ methodical always doing things in a careful and well-organized way: He is very methodical in his work and likes to plan everything in advance. | This time the researchers used a more methodical approach to the problem.
▪ thorough /ˈθʌrə $ ˈθʌroʊ, ˈθʌrə/ careful to examine or deal with every part of something, so that you do not miss anything important: There will be a thorough investigation into the circumstances of her death. | Our mechanics will check everything – they’re very thorough.
▪ meticulous very careful about every small detail in order to make sure everything is done correctly: She keeps meticulous records of the students’ progress. | He was meticulous about keeping the place clean and tidy.
▪ systematic using a fixed plan in a careful and well-organized way in order to do everything that you should: a systematic review of the scientific evidence | We need a systematic way to evaluate employees.
▪ painstaking using a lot of time and effort to do something in a very careful and thorough way: The book is the result of ten years of painstaking research. | They began the long and painstaking task of translating his work into English.
Jigsaw
- (also ˈjigsaw ˌpuzzle) a picture cut up into many pieces that you try to fit together
- [usually singular] a very complicated situation, especially one that you are trying to understand:
As he explained, another piece of the jigsaw fell into place. - a tool for cutting out shapes in thin pieces of wood اره مويي
Know something by heart
: to have learned or memorized something completely and perfectly
Command
/kəˈmɑːnd $ kəˈmænd/ BrE AmE noun
1. CONTROL [uncountable] the control of a group of people or a situation
under sb’s command
troops under the command of General Roberts
in command (of something)
Lieutenant Peters was now in command.
He felt fully in command of the situation.
take command (of something) (=begin controlling a group or situation and making decisions)
The fire officer took command, ordering everyone to leave the building.
at sb’s command
Each congressman has a large staff at his command (=available to be used).
By 1944, Fletcher had command of a B-17 bomber and a ten-man crew.
2. ORDER [countable] an order that should be obeyed:
Shoot when I give the command.
3. COMPUTER [countable] an instruction to a computer to do something
4. command of something knowledge of something, especially a language, or ability to use something
(have a) good/excellent/poor etc command of something
He’s studied in the US and has a good command of English.
5. MILITARY [countable also + plural verb British English]
a) a part of an army, navy etc that is controlled separately and has a particular job:
pilots of the Southern Air Command
b) a group of officers or officials who give orders:
the Army High Command
c) the group of soldiers that an officer is in control of
6. at your command if you have a particular skill at your command, you are able to use that skill well and easily:
a pianist with the keys at his command
7. be in command of yourself to be able to control your emotions and thoughts:
Kathleen walked in – tall, slim, confident, and in total command of herself.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 1)
■ phrases
▪ be in command of something The Colonel showed that he was in complete command of the situation.
▪ the chain/line of command (=a system of passing decisions from people at the the top to the bottom) Our company has a traditional management chain of command.
■ verbs
▪ have command Athens had command of the oceans.
▪ take command (=begin controlling a group or situation) Captain Kent took command of the Emergency Control Centre.
▪ assume command formal (=start to be in charge of a group of people) He assumed command of all the troops in the Washington area.
▪ put/place somebody in command A third goal put Brazil in command of the game.
▪ lose command The enemy was losing command of the situation.
▪ be relieved of your command formal (=lose your military position because you have done something wrong) The General was relieved of his command due to misconduct.
■ adjectives
▪ complete/full command Their fighters had full command of the air over Pearl Harbor.
▪ military command A large area was already under US military command.
▪ joint command (=shared by two people, countries etc) Russia and Ukraine had joint command over the Fleet.
▪ sole command (=not shared with anyone) He was in sole command of a small military unit.
■ command + NOUN
▪ a command structure (=the way in which a military organization is organized into ranks) Each of our national defence forces has its own command structure.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 2)
■ verbs
▪ give a command (also issue a command formal) The General gave the command to open fire.
▪ obey a command Your dog will soon learn to obey your commands.
▪ carry out a command (=obey one) The men carried out the command immediately.
▪ shout a command Kruger shouted his commands: ‘Faster, faster!’
▪ bark a command (=shout one rather rudely) She just stands there barking commands while everyone works.
II. command2 BrE AmE verb
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: comander, from Vulgar Latin commandare, from Latin commendare ( ⇨ ↑commend); influenced by Latin mandare ‘to order’]
1. ORDER [intransitive and transitive] to tell someone officially to do something, especially if you are a military leader, a king etc
command somebody to do something
Captain Picard commanded the crew to report to the main deck.
command that
The General commanded that the regiment attack at once.
2. LEAD THE MILITARY [intransitive and transitive] to be responsible for giving orders to a group of people in the army, navy etc ⇨ commander:
He commands the 4th Battalion.
3. DESERVE AND GET [transitive] to get something such as respect or attention because you do something well or are important or popular
command respect/attention/support etc
Philip was a remarkable teacher, able to command instant respect.
command a high fee/wage/price etc
Which graduates command the highest salaries?
4. CONTROL [transitive] to control something:
The party that commands a majority of seats in Parliament forms the government.
5. VIEW [transitive] if a place commands a view, you can see something clearly from it:
The Ramses Hilton commands a magnificent view of Cairo.
• • •
THESAURUS
■ to tell someone they must do something
▪ order to tell someone that they must do something, using your official power or authority: A policeman ordered him to stop. | He ordered his men to put down their weapons. | ‘Don’t move,’ he ordered.
▪ tell to say to someone that they must do something: Stop telling me what to do! | The headmaster told me to wait outside his office.
▪ give orders/instructions to tell someone exactly what they must do: The police chief gave orders to shoot. | The doctor gave instructions that she should rest as much as possible.
▪ command used about a high-ranking person such as a general, captain, or king ordering someone to do something: The general commanded the troops to fall back. | They believe that the Lord has commanded them to do this.
▪ instruct formal to tell someone to do something, especially when you tell them exactly how it should be done: The architect was instructed to keep the plans simple. | She took three tablets every day, as instructed by her doctor.
▪ direct to give someone an official or legal order to do something: The judge directed the jury to find her not guilty.
▪ subpoena /səˈpiːnə, səb-/ to officially order someone to appear in a court of law in order to answer questions: Another three of the President’s advisors were subpoenaed
Splinter
a small sharp piece of wood, glass, or metal, that has broken off a larger piece:
I’ve got a splinter in my finger.
splinter of
splinters of glass
—splintery adjective
II. splinter2 BrE AmE verb [intransitive and transitive]
1. if something such as wood splinters, or if you splinter it, it breaks into thin sharp pieces
2. to separate into smaller groups or parts, or to make a group or organization do this, especially because of a disagreement
splinter into
The once-powerful Communist Party has splintered into hundreds of pieces.
Roll
- ROUND OBJECT [intransitive always + adverb/preposition, transitive] if something rolls, especially something round, or if you roll it, it moves along a surface by turning over and over
roll down/into/through etc
The ball rolled into the street.
One of the eggs rolled off the counter.
roll something along/in/onto etc something
Roll the chicken breasts in flour. - PERSON/ANIMAL [intransitive, transitive always + adverb/preposition] (also roll over) to turn your body over one or more times while lying down, or to turn someone else’s body over
roll down/onto/off etc
The children rolled down the hill, laughing.
Ralph rolled onto his stomach.
roll somebody onto/off something
I tried to roll him onto his side. - SHAPE OF TUBE/BALL [transitive] (also roll up) to make something into the shape of a tube or ball
roll something into a ball/tube
Roll the dough into small balls.
Would you like the paper rolled or folded? - MAKE SOMETHING FLAT [transitive] to make something flat by rolling something heavy over it ⇨ rolling pin:
Pizza dough should be rolled thinly. - CLOTHES [transitive] (also roll up) to fold the sleeves or legs of something that you are wearing upwards, so that they are shorter:
His sleeves were rolled above his elbows. - SOMETHING WITH WHEELS [intransitive, transitive always + adverb/preposition] to move on wheels, or make something that has wheels move
roll into/forwards/past etc
Her car was slowly rolling away from the curb.
roll something to/around etc something
The waitress rolled the dessert trolley over to our table. - DROP OF LIQUID [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to move over a surface smoothly without stopping
roll down/onto etc
Tears rolled down her cheeks. - WAVES/CLOUDS [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to move continuously in a particular direction
roll into/towards etc
Mist rolled in from the sea.
We watched the waves rolling onto the beach. - GAME [intransitive and transitive] if you roll ↑dice, you throw them as part of a game
- SOUND [intransitive] if drums or ↑thunder roll, they make a long low series of sounds:
Thunder rolled in the distance. - MACHINE/CAMERA [intransitive] if a machine such as a film camera or a ↑printing press rolls, it operates:
There was silence as the cameras started to roll. - SHIP/PLANE [intransitive] if a ship or plane rolls, it leans one way and then another with the movement of the water or air
- CIGARETTE [transitive] to make your own cigarette, using tobacco or ↑marijuana and special paper ⇨ roll-up:
Ben rolled a joint (=a cigarette containing marijuana) and lit it.
It’s cheaper to roll your own (=make your own cigarettes). - SHOULDERS [transitive] to move your shoulders forward, up, and back down:
He rolled his shoulders back. - EYES [transitive] to move your eyes around and up, especially in order to show that you are annoyed or think something is silly:
Lucy rolled her eyes as Tom sat down beside her. - ATTACK [transitive] American English informal to rob someone, especially when they are drunk and asleep:
Kids on the streets rolled drunks for small change. - (all) rolled into one if someone or something is several different things rolled into one, they include or do the work of all those things:
Mum was cook, chauffeur, nurse, and entertainer all rolled into one. - get (something) rolling to start happening or make something start happening in a smooth and successful way:
The business didn’t really get rolling until 1975.
Have a good breakfast to get your day rolling. - be rolling in money/dough/cash/it to have or earn a lot of money:
‘He’s rolling in it,’ said the girl, pointing at Lewis. - be rolling in the aisles if people in a theatre, cinema etc are rolling in the aisles, they are laughing a lot
- be ready to roll spoken to be ready to start doing something:
The car was packed and we were ready to roll. - let’s roll spoken used to suggest to a group of people that you all begin doing something or go somewhere
- roll with the punches to deal with problems or difficulties by doing whatever you need to do, rather than by trying only one method:
Strong industries were able to roll with the punches during the recession. - roll on something British English spoken used to say that you wish a time or event would come quickly:
Roll on the weekend! - roll your r’s to pronounce the sound /r/ using your tongue in a way that makes the sound very long
- a rolling stone gathers no moss used to say that someone who often changes jobs, moves to different places etc is not able to have any permanent relationships or duties
⇨ set/start/keep the ball rolling at ↑ball1(5), ⇨ heads will roll at ↑head1(36), ⇨ let the good times roll at ↑let1(20)
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ push to make something or someone move by pressing them with your hands, arms etc: Push the door, don’t pull it. | She pushed him away and walked out.
▪ shove to push someone or something in a rough or careless way: People were shoving to get to the front of the queue. | Tom shoved his suitcase under the bed.
▪ stuff informal to push something quickly and carelessly into a small space: She stuffed a few clothes into a bag and left.
▪ poke to push someone or something with your finger or something sharp: I poked the snake with a stick but it was dead.
▪ nudge to push someone beside you gently with your elbow to get their attention: Toby nudged me and pointed out of the window.
▪ roll to push something round or something on wheels so that it moves forward: They rolled the logs down the hill. | The car still didn’t start so we tried to roll it off the road.
▪ wheel to push something with wheels, for example a bicycle or a ↑trolley, so that it moves forward, while guiding it with your hands: Rob wheeled his bike round the back of the house.
roll around (also roll round British English) phrasal verb
if a time, event etc that happens regularly rolls around, it arrives or takes place again:
By the time Wednesday rolled around, I still hadn’t finished.
roll something ↔ back phrasal verb - to reduce the influence or power of a law, system, government etc:
a threat to roll back the legislation of the past 12 years - especially American English to reduce a price, cost etc:
the administration’s promise to roll back taxes ⇨ ↑rollback - to force your opponents in a war to move back from their position
- roll back the years British English to make someone remember something from the past:
Looking at those old photos really rolled back the years.
roll something ↔ down phrasal verb - roll a window down to open a car window
- to unfold the ends of your sleeves or trouser legs so that they are their usual length:
He rolled down his sleeves and buttoned the cuffs.
roll in phrasal verb - to happen or arrive in large numbers or quantities:
As the result of our appeal, the money came rolling in. - to arrive, especially later than usual or expected:
Chris finally rolled in at about 4:00 am. - if mist, clouds etc roll in, they begin to cover an area of the sky or land:
Fog rolled in from the sea.
roll out phrasal verb - roll something ↔ out to make food that you are preparing flat and thin by pushing a ↑rolling pin over it:
Roll out the dough on a floured surface. - roll something ↔ out to make a new product available for people to buy or use SYN launch:
The company expects to roll out the new software in September. ⇨ ↑roll-out - to leave a place, especially later than expected
roll out of
We used to hear people rolling out of the pubs at closing time.
He finally rolled out of bed at noon. - roll something ↔ out to put something flat on the ground or a surface, when it was previously rolled into a tube shape:
We rolled out our sleeping bags under the stars. - roll out the red carpet to make special preparations for an important visitor
roll (somebody) over phrasal verb
to turn your body over once so that you are lying in a different position, or to turn someone’s body over:
Ben rolled over and kissed her.
roll (somebody) over onto
The guards rolled him over onto his front.
roll up phrasal verb - to make something into the shape of a tube or ball, or to become this shape
roll something ↔ up
Painters arrived and rolled up the carpet.
roll up into
Many animals roll up into a ball for warmth. - roll your sleeves/trousers etc up to turn the ends of your sleeves or trouser legs over several times so that they are shorter
- roll your sleeves up to start doing a job even though it is difficult or you do not want to do it:
It’s time to roll up our sleeves and get some work done on the basics. - roll a window up to close the window of a car
- to arrive somewhere, especially late or when you were not expected:
Max rolled up just after 9 o’clock. - roll up! British English spoken used to call people to come and watch or buy things at a ↑circus or ↑fair
II. roll2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Word Family: verb: ↑roll, ↑unroll; noun: ↑roll, ↑roller; adjective: ↑rolling]
[Sense 1-3, 6: Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old French; Origin: rolle ‘rolled-up document’, from Latin rotula, from rota; ⇨ ↑rotate]
[Sense 4-5, 7-10: Date: 1600-1700; Origin: ⇨ ↑roll1] - PAPER/FILM/MONEY ETC a piece of paper, camera film, money etc that has been rolled into the shape of a tube
roll of
I used up three rolls of film on holiday.
There’s a new roll of silver foil in there.
wallpaper costing £3 a roll ⇨ ↑kitchen roll, ↑toilet roll - BREAD a small round ↑loaf of bread for one person ⇨ bun:
hot soup served with crusty rolls
bread rolls with butter
ham/cheese etc roll British English (=one that is filled with ham, cheese etc) - LIST OF NAMES an official list of names SYN register
on the roll British English:
a school with 300 pupils on the roll
call/take the roll (=say the list of names to check who is there)
The teacher called the roll.
Three senators missed the roll call.
the electoral roll British English the (voter) rolls American English (=a list of the people who are allowed to vote)
welfare rolls American English (=a list of people without jobs who claim money from the state)
Thompson said he had cut welfare rolls by 39%. ⇨ ↑roll of honour, ↑honor roll - be on a roll informal to be having a lot of success with what you are trying to do:
Midvale High was on a roll, having won their last six basketball games. - GAME the action of throwing ↑dice as part of a game:
If you get a 7 or 11 on your first roll, you win. - SKIN/FAT a thick layer of skin or fat, usually just below your waist
roll of
the rolls of fat on her stomach - PHYSICAL MOVEMENT
a) British English a movement in which you roll forward or back in a controlled way with your body curled so that your head is near your feet, often done as part of a sport SYN somersault:
a forward roll
gymnasts doing rolls and handsprings
b) especially British English the action of turning your body over one or more times while lying down:
a young horse having a roll in the field - DRUMS/GUNS/THUNDER a long low fairly loud sound made by drums etc:
There was a roll of thunder, and the rain started pelting down.
a drum roll - SHIP/PLANE the movement of a ship or plane when it leans from side to side with the movement of the water or air
- a roll in the hay old-fashioned informal when you have sex with someone – used humorously
⇨ ↑rock ‘n’ roll, ↑sausage roll, ↑spring roll, ↑Swiss roll
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ record information about something that is written down: your medical records | the public records office | I have to keep a record of all my spending when I’m travelling on business.
▪ file a set of written records, or information stored on a computer under a particular name: He began reading the file on the case. | I think I may have accidentally deleted the file.
▪ accounts (also books informal) an exact record of the money that a company has received and spent: Companies are required by law to publish their annual accounts. | Someone had been falsifying the accounts. | The company’s books all seemed to be in order.
▪ ledger one of the official books in which a company’s financial records are kept, which show how much it has received and spent: The costs have been moved from one column of the ledger to another.
▪ minutes an official written record of what is said and decided at a meeting: Both points are mentioned in the minutes of the last meeting on August 3rd.
▪ diary a book in which you regularly write down the things that have happened to you: In his diary he wrote, ‘It s lovely having him here, we’ve had so many cosy talks.’ | I’ll just check in my diary to see if I’m free.
▪ blog a web page on the Internet on which someone regularly writes about their life, opinions, or a particular subject: I may not always agree with David, but I always read his blog.
▪ register an official list of names of people, organizations etc: Guests must sign the hotel register. | the national register of births, deaths, and marriages | Lloyds Register of Shipping
▪ roll an official list of names, especially of people who are allowed to do something such as vote or be in a class at school: the electoral roll (=list of people who can vote in an area) | The teacher called the roll (=read out the list of the names of the students, who then have to say if they are present).
▪ log an official record that is kept on a ship or plane: Mr Appleby said he complained to a senior officer, who made a note in the ship’s log
Frenzy
- [uncountable and countable] a state of great anxiety or excitement, in which you cannot control your behaviour
frenzy of
a frenzy of religious feeling
in a frenzy
The women were screaming and in a frenzy to get home.
Doreen had worked herself into a frenzy. - [countable] a time when people do a lot of things very quickly شور و هيجان
frenzy of
a frenzy of activity
a selling frenzy - a feeding frenzy
a) an occasion when a lot of people get involved in an activity in an uncontrolled way:
The film put America’s moviegoers into a feeding frenzy.
b) an occasion when a lot of wild animals, especially ↑sharks, eat something in a very excited way
Gear
- IN CARS ETC [uncountable and countable] the machinery in a vehicle such as a car, truck, or bicycle that you use to go comfortably at different speeds:
His mountain bike had 18 gears.
Andy drove cautiously along in third gear.
Does this thing have a reverse gear?
Any cyclist can climb a difficult hill; you just change gear.
Don’t turn off the engine while you’re still in gear.
It’s a good habit to take the car out of gear while you’re at a stoplight. - [uncountable and countable] used to talk about the amount of effort and energy that someone is using in a situation:
During this period, Japan’s export industries were in top gear (=were as active as they could be).
The Republican’s propaganda machine moved into high gear.
step up a gear British English (=increase the level of effort)
United stepped up a gear in the second half. - change gear British English, change/switch/shift gears American English to start doing something in a different way, especially using more or less energy or effort:
The boss expects us to be able to change gear just like that. - EQUIPMENT [uncountable] a set of equipment or tools you need for a particular activity:
He’s crazy about photography – he’s got all the gear.
We’ll need some camping gear. - CLOTHES [uncountable] a set of clothes that you wear for a particular occasion or activity:
Bring your rain gear.
police in riot gear - MACHINERY [uncountable] a piece of machinery that performs a particular job:
the landing gear of a plane
heavy lifting gear - DRUGS [uncountable] British English informal a word meaning illegal drugs, used by people who take drugs
- get your ass in gear American English informal used to tell someone to hurry SYN move your ass:
You’d better get your ass in gear – you’re late.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ adjectives
▪ first/second/third etc gear The heavy traffic meant that we seldom got out of second gear.
▪ a low gear (=first or second gear) You should use a low gear when going up a hill.
▪ a high gear (=third, fourth, or fifth gear) Put the car into a higher gear.
▪ top gear British English (=the highest gear) Hamilton slipped effortlessly into top gear.
▪ bottom gear British English (=the lowest gear) The car trundled slowly forward in bottom gear.
▪ reverse gear (=for driving backwards) He put the truck into reverse gear.
■ verbs
▪ change gear (also switch/shift gears American English) It takes some time to learn when to change gear.
▪ put the car etc into (first/second/third etc) gear He put the car into gear, and they moved slowly forwards.
▪ engage first/second etc gear (=put the car into gear) Nick struggled to engage first gear.
▪ be in the wrong gear The straining noises from the engine told him that he was in the wrong gear.
▪ crunch/grind the gears (=change gear in a way that makes an unpleasant noise) He crunched the gears into reverse.
II. gear2 BrE AmE verb [transitive]
be geared to somebody/something to be organized in a way that is suitable for a particular purpose or situation:
The typical career pattern was geared to men whose wives didn’t work.
be geared to do something
The course curriculum is geared to span three years.
gear up phrasal verb
to prepare for something
gear up for
The organization is gearing up for a convention in May.
gear up/be geared up to do something
Fast food restaurants are geared up to serve thousands of people daily
Gush
- a) [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] if a liquid gushes, it flows or pours out quickly and in large quantities SYN spurt
gush out/from/down etc
Water gushed from the broken pipe.
He opened the door and smoke gushed out.
b) [transitive] if something gushes a liquid, the liquid pours out quickly and in large quantities SYN spurt:
The wound gushed blood. - [intransitive and transitive] to express your praise, pleasure etc in a way that other people think is too strong:
‘I simply loved your book,’ she gushed. - (also gush out) [intransitive] if words or emotions gush out, you suddenly express them very strongly:
All that pent-up frustration gushed out in a torrent of abuse.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ flow if liquid flows, it moves in a steady continuous stream: Blood flowed from his hand. | The river flows very quickly at this point.
▪ run to flow – used when saying that something flows in a particular direction: Water was running down the walls of the room. | Sweat ran off his nose. | The river runs into the sea.
▪ come out to flow out of something: You couldn’t drink any of the water that came out of the tap.
▪ pour to flow in large quantities: The rain poured down. | Blood was pouring from a wound on his head.
▪ gush to flow out quickly in very large quantities: Water was gushing out at more than 3000 gallons a minute.
▪ spurt to flow out suddenly with a lot of force: Oil was spurting from a small hole in the pipe.
▪ trickle to flow slowly in drops or in a thin stream: Clare felt sweat trickling down the back of her neck.
▪ leak to flow in or out through a small hole or crack, usually when this is not meant to happen: Oil was leaking from the engine.
▪ ooze to flow from something very slowly – used about blood or a thick liquid: Blood was oozing from the wound. | Jam oozed out as she bit into the cake.
▪ drip to fall in drops: Water dripped from the tap continuously.
▪ cascade to flow down the side of something in large amounts: Water cascades down the hilllside.
II. gush2 BrE AmE noun - [countable usually singular] a large quantity of something, usually a liquid, that suddenly pours out of something SYN spurt:
a gush of ice-cold water - a gush of relief/self-pity etc a sudden feeling or expression of emotion
Scalp
/skælp/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1300-1400; Origin: From a Scandinavian language]
1. the skin on the top of your head:
Massage the shampoo gently into your hair and scalp.
2. sb’s scalp informal if you want someone’s scalp, you want them to be completely defeated:
The board members were after the chairman’s scalp.
II. scalp2 BrE AmE verb [transitive]
1. American English informal to buy tickets for an event and sell them again at a much higher price SYN tout British English
2. to cut the hair and skin off the head of a dead enemy as a sign of victory
Juggernaut
/ˈdʒʌɡənɔːt $ -ərnɒːt/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1800-1900; Language: Hindi; Origin: Jagannath, title of the god Vishnu; from the belief that people who worshiped him threw themselves under the wheels of a large carriage with his image on it]
1. British English a very large vehicle that carries goods over long distances SYN semi American English
2. a very powerful force, organization etc whose effect or influence cannot be stopped:
the juggernaut of industrialization
Canny
- clever, careful, and not easily deceived, especially in business or politics:
a canny political advisor - nice, good – used in Scotland:
a canny lass
—cannily adverb
Loaded
- GUN/CAMERA containing bullets, film etc:
a loaded pistol - FULL a loaded vehicle or container is full of things:
a loaded trailer
She came back carrying a loaded tray.
loaded with
a truck loaded with bananas - RICH [not before noun] informal very rich:
Giles can afford it – he’s loaded. - loaded with something informal full of a particular quality, or containing a lot of something:
snacks loaded with fat
a collection of paintings loaded with cultural significance - WORD/STATEMENT a loaded word, statement etc has more meanings than you first realize and is intended to influence the way you think:
He ‘deserved’ it? That’s a loaded word.
There was a loaded silence. - a loaded question a question that is unfair because it is intended to affect your opinions and make you answer in a particular way ⇨ leading question at ↑leading1(4)
- DRUNK [not before noun] American English informal very drunk:
Greg used to come home loaded almost every night. - the dice/odds are loaded against somebody/something used to say that someone or something is unlikely to succeed or win
- something is loaded against somebody/something used to say that a system, situation, or organization is unfair and some people have a disadvantage SYN biased:
The justice system is loaded against people from ethnic minorities. - loaded dice ↑dice that have weights in them so that they always fall with the same side on top, used to cheat in games
Rule
- ABOUT WHAT IS ALLOWED [countable] an official instruction that says how things must be done or what is allowed, especially in a game, organization, or job
rule of
the rules of the game
under the rules/according to the rules
Under the rules, the company must publish its annual accounts. - ABOUT WHAT YOU SHOULD DO [countable] what you should do in a particular situation, or a statement about this:
There are no hard and fast rules (=clear and definite rules) about what to wear to classes.
rule of
There are two basic rules of survival.
The rule is: if you feel any pain you should stop exercising immediately. - NORMAL/USUAL [singular] something that is normal or usually true
as a (general) rule
As a general rule most students finish their coursework by the end of May.
Early marriage used to be the rule in that part of the world.
A series of payments used to be the exception rather than the rule.
Unfortunately there is an exception to every rule. - GOVERNMENT [uncountable] the government of a country or area by a particular group of people or using a particular system
under … rule
people living under communist rule
the end of colonial rule
a period of military rule
direct rule from Westminster
the restoration of majority rule (=government by the party that most people have voted for) to Northern Ireland - IN GRAMMAR/SCIENCE ETC [countable] a statement about what is usually allowed in a particular system, such as the grammar of a language, or a science
rule of
the rules of English punctuation - the rule of law a situation in which the laws of a country are obeyed:
We are here to uphold the rule of law. - the rules of natural justice what people believe to be right and fair:
The governor failed to observe the rules of natural justice. - rule of thumb a rough figure or method of calculation, based on practical experience:
As a general rule of thumb, children this age should not spend more than one hour on homework. - make it a rule (to do something) to try to make sure that you always do something:
I make it a rule never to mix business with pleasure. - FOR MEASURING [countable] old-fashioned a ↑ruler
⇨ ↑golden rule, ↑ground rules, ↑home rule, ↑slide rule, ⇨ work to rule at ↑work1(32)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ break a rule (also violate a rule formal) (=not obey it) He had clearly broken the official rules. | Any one who violates this rule will be severely punished.
▪ obey/follow a rule She wasn’t going to obey their silly rules.
▪ comply with/abide by/observe a rule formal (=obey it) All members must comply with the rules of the organization. | There is little that one country can do if another fails to abide by the rules. | We expect you to observe the general rules of conduct as set out below.
▪ stick to/go by the rules informal (=obey them) We all have to stick to the rules.
▪ make the rules I’m only an assistant manager – I don’t make the rules.
▪ the rule says … The rule says that you must be standing inside the line.
▪ the rule stipulates that … formal (=it says that something must be done) The rules stipulate that clubs must field the strongest team available.
▪ the rule prohibits/forbids something The rule forbids women from becoming members of the club.
▪ the rule requires (that) … formal (=it says that people must do something) School rules required all girls to tie back their hair.
▪ the rule applies to somebody/something (=it concerns them) Everyone thinks that the rule doesn’t apply to them.
▪ play by the rules (=do what is expected and agreed) The system works well enough — as long as everyone plays by the rules.
▪ bend/stretch the rules (=allow someone to do something that is not normally allowed) They bend the rules to suit themselves.
▪ relax the rules (=make them less strict) Britain relaxed its immigration rules.
▪ tighten (up) the rules (=make them stricter) The EU has tightened the rules on the quality of drinking water.
▪ enforce a rule (=make sure that it is obeyed) The planning office does not always enforce its own rules.
▪ flout a rule (=break it, without trying to hide what you are doing) The party continues to flout its own rules.
▪ be bound by rules (=have to obey them) Solicitors are bound by strict rules that regulate their professional conduct.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + rule
▪ strict They have very strict rules about gambling.
▪ simple The rules of the game are quite simple.
▪ petty (=unreasonable rules about unimportant things) There are hundreds of petty rules.
▪ a school/prison/club etc rule He had broken one of the school rules.
▪ an unwritten rule (=a rule of behaviour that everyone in a group understands) There’s an unwritten rule that you never call an actor before 10 a.m.
▪ health and safety rules You should follow any health and safety rules which apply to your workplace.
■ phrases
▪ be against the rules (=not be allowed) It was against the rules to talk in class.
▪ the rules concerning/governing/relating to something formal (=the rules about something) the rules governing food labeling
▪ a change in the rules I didn’t realise that there had been a change in the rules.
▪ a breach of the rules formal (=something that is against the rules) a serious breach of the rules
▪ rules and regulations The government keeps introducing more and more rules and regulations.
▪ rules are rules spoken (=a rule must be obeyed) Rules are rules and you have to abide by them.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ rule an instruction that says what people are allowed to do or not allowed to do, for example in a game, school, or company: the rules of baseball | He disobeyed the school rules.
▪ law an official rule that everyone in a country, city, or state must obey: It is against the law to carry a concealed weapon. | The law requires motorcyclists to wear helmets.
▪ regulation an official rule or order, which is part of a set of rules made by a government or organization: the regulations for applying for a passport | building regulations | environmental regulations on air pollution
▪ restriction an official rule that limits what people can do: new restrictions on immigration | The government is planning to impose regulations on the amount of alcohol you can bring into the country.
▪ guidelines rules or instructions about the best way to do something: the Department of Health’s guidelines for a healthy diet | guidelines for classroom teachers
▪ code a set of rules that people or organizations agree to obey but are not forced to obey: The school has a dress code for its students. | the company’s code of conduct
▪ statute formal a law that has been officially approved by a parliament, council etc, and written down: The statute banned corporal punishment.
▪ ordinance American English a law, made by a city or town, that forbids or restricts an activity: A local ordinance limited speed in the parks to ten miles an hour.
II. rule2 W2 BrE AmE verb
[Word Family: noun: ↑rule, ↑ruler, ↑ruling, ↑unruliness; adjective: ↑ruling, ↑unruly, ↑ruled; verb: ↑rule, ↑overrule] - GOVERNMENT [intransitive and transitive] to have the official power to control a country and the people who live there ⇨ govern:
Queen Victoria ruled England for 64 years.
African tribal societies were traditionally ruled by a council of elders.
rule over
Alexander the Great ruled over a huge empire.
He announced that henceforth he would rule by decree (=make all the important decisions himself). - CONTROL/INFLUENCE [transitive] if a feeling or desire rules someone, it has a powerful and controlling influence on their actions:
the passion for power and success which rules her life - COURT/LAW [intransitive always + adverb/preposition, transitive] to make an official decision about something, especially a legal problem ⇨ decree
rule that
The judge ruled that she should have custody of the children.
rule on
The Supreme Court has yet to rule on the case.
rule in favour of/against somebody/something
The tribunal ruled in her favour.
be ruled illegal/unlawful etc
This part of the bill was ruled unconstitutional. ⇨ ↑ruling1 - rule the roost informal to be the most powerful person in a group:
His wife rules the roost in their house. - rule somebody/something with a rod of iron alsorule somebody with an iron fist/hand to control a group of people in a very severe way:
Although he was a fair man, he ruled us with an iron fist. - somebody/something rules informal used to say that the team, school, place etc mentioned is better than any other:
Arsenal rules OK. British English
graffiti saying ‘Poheny High rules’ - DRAW A LINE [transitive] to draw a line using a ruler or other straight edge:
Rule a line under each answer.
⇨ ↑overrule, ⇨ let your heart rule your head at ↑heart(2)
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ control to have power over a country, place, company etc, and decide what happens there: The Democrats controlled the US Congress. | Government forces now control the city.
▪ run to make the important everyday decisions concerning a company, organization, country etc, so that it can continue to operate: He runs a software company in New York. | The parents want to run the school themselves. | The government is unfit to run the country. | The charity runs a medical clinic in one of the poorest parts of the city.
▪ be in charge of somebody/something to have control over something, or responsibility for a group of people: She is in charge of training new employees. | I left him in charge of the children while I was out.
▪ manage to be in charge of a company, especially one that someone else owns: In 1963, she opened a furniture store, and her son has managed it since 1985.
▪ be in power if a group or leader is in power, they have political control of a country: Abe resigned after less than a year in power. | It was the first time a democratically elected government had been in power.
▪ rule if a leader or political group rules a country, they have political control of that country: President Assad ruled the country for almost 30 years. | The same party has ruled Japan for many years.
▪ supervise to be in charge of a group of workers or students and make sure that they do their work properly: Professor Braude supervised the research team. | He’s supervising the building work.
rule something/somebody ↔ out phrasal verb - to decide that something is not possible or suitable:
The police have ruled out suicide.
She has refused to rule out the possibility of singing again. - to make it impossible for something to happen:
The mountainous terrain rules out most forms of agriculture. - to state that someone will not be able to take part in a sports event
rule something/somebody ↔ out of
He has been ruled out of the match with a knee injury
Confide
/kənˈfaɪd/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[Word Family: noun: ↑confidence, ↑confidant, ↑confidentiality; adverb: ↑confidently, ↑confidentially; adjective: ↑confident, ↑confidential; verb: ↑confide]
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: Latin; Origin: confidere, from com- ( ⇨ COM-) + fidere ‘to trust’]
1. to tell someone you trust about personal things that you do not want other people to know
confide to somebody that
He confided to his friends that he didn’t have much hope for his marriage.
2. formal to give something you value to someone you trust so they look after it for you
confide something to somebody
He confided his money to his brother’s safekeeping.
confide in somebody phrasal verb
to tell someone about something very private or secret, especially a personal problem, because you feel you can trust them:
I’ve never felt able to confide in my sister.
Confidant
/ˈkɒnfədænt, ˈkɒnfɪdænt, ˌkɒnfəˈdænt, -ˈdɑːnt $ ˈkɑːnfədænt/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Word Family: noun: ↑confidence, ↑confidant, ↑confidentiality; adverb: ↑confidently, ↑confidentially; adjective: ↑confident, ↑confidential; verb: ↑confide]
[Date: 1600-1700; Origin: confident]
someone you tell your secrets to or who you talk to about personal things
Conventional
- [only before noun] a conventional method, product, practice etc has been used for a long time and is considered the usual type:
Internet connections through conventional phone lines are fairly slow.
Bake for 20 minutes in a conventional oven; 8 in a microwave. - always following the behaviour and attitudes that most people in a society consider to be normal, right, and socially acceptable, so that you seem slightly boring:
a strong believer in conventional morals
conventional in
He is conventional in his approach to life. - (the) conventional wisdom the opinion that most people consider to be normal and right, but that is sometimes shown to be wrong:
As traffic grew, the conventional wisdom was to widen the roads. - [only before noun] conventional weapons and wars do not use ↑nuclear explosives or weapons:
conventional forces - conventional medicine the usual form of medicine practised in most European and North American countries SYN western medicine
—conventionally adverb
—conventionality /kənˌvenʃəˈnæləti, kənˌvenʃəˈnælɪti/ noun [uncountable]
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ normal usual, typical, and as you would expect it to be: Is this cold weather normal for the time of year? | It had been another normal working day in the office.
▪ ordinary (also regular especially American English) not special, unusual, or different from normal: They lived in an ordinary three-bedroomed house. | It looks like an ordinary car, but it uses solar power. | Would you like a regular salad or a Caesar salad? | I just want an ordinary bicycle, not a mountain bike.
▪ average [only before noun] around the usual level or amount: She is of average height. | He is of above average intelligence. | The average price of a pint of milk has gone up.
▪ standard normal – used about methods of doing something, or about the size, shape, features etc of products: It’s standard practice to X-ray hand-baggage at most airports. | We stock shoes in all the standard sizes.
▪ routine used about things that are done regularly as part of a series of things: The fault was discovered during a routine check of the plane. | routine tasks such as shopping and cooking
▪ everyday [only before noun] used about things that happen or that you use as part of normal life: He painted scenes of everyday life in France. | Sally was still dressed in her everyday clothes.
▪ common used about birds and plants that are of the most usual type, and in the phrase the common people (=people who are not rich and powerful): the common goldfish | an alliance between the aristocracy and the common people
▪ conventional [only before noun] of the kind that is usually used – used when comparing this with a different or special type: The engine is more efficient than a conventional diesel engine. | the drugs used in conventional medicine | conventional weapons (=not nuclear, chemical, or biological) | conventional ovens and microwaves
Conventional
- [only before noun] a conventional method, product, practice etc has been used for a long time and is considered the usual type:
Internet connections through conventional phone lines are fairly slow.
Bake for 20 minutes in a conventional oven; 8 in a microwave. - always following the behaviour and attitudes that most people in a society consider to be normal, right, and socially acceptable, so that you seem slightly boring:
a strong believer in conventional morals
conventional in
He is conventional in his approach to life. - (the) conventional wisdom the opinion that most people consider to be normal and right, but that is sometimes shown to be wrong:
As traffic grew, the conventional wisdom was to widen the roads. - [only before noun] conventional weapons and wars do not use ↑nuclear explosives or weapons:
conventional forces - conventional medicine the usual form of medicine practised in most European and North American countries SYN western medicine
—conventionally adverb
—conventionality /kənˌvenʃəˈnæləti, kənˌvenʃəˈnælɪti/ noun [uncountable]
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ normal usual, typical, and as you would expect it to be: Is this cold weather normal for the time of year? | It had been another normal working day in the office.
▪ ordinary (also regular especially American English) not special, unusual, or different from normal: They lived in an ordinary three-bedroomed house. | It looks like an ordinary car, but it uses solar power. | Would you like a regular salad or a Caesar salad? | I just want an ordinary bicycle, not a mountain bike.
▪ average [only before noun] around the usual level or amount: She is of average height. | He is of above average intelligence. | The average price of a pint of milk has gone up.
▪ standard normal – used about methods of doing something, or about the size, shape, features etc of products: It’s standard practice to X-ray hand-baggage at most airports. | We stock shoes in all the standard sizes.
▪ routine used about things that are done regularly as part of a series of things: The fault was discovered during a routine check of the plane. | routine tasks such as shopping and cooking
▪ everyday [only before noun] used about things that happen or that you use as part of normal life: He painted scenes of everyday life in France. | Sally was still dressed in her everyday clothes.
▪ common used about birds and plants that are of the most usual type, and in the phrase the common people (=people who are not rich and powerful): the common goldfish | an alliance between the aristocracy and the common people
▪ conventional [only before noun] of the kind that is usually used – used when comparing this with a different or special type: The engine is more efficient than a conventional diesel engine. | the drugs used in conventional medicine | conventional weapons (=not nuclear, chemical, or biological) | conventional ovens and microwaves
High_sounding
high-sounding statements, principles etc seem very impressive but are often insincere
Livid
ˈlɪvəd, ˈlɪvɪd/ BrE AmE adjective
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: French; Origin: livide, from Latin lividus, from livere ‘to be blue’]
1. extremely angry SYN furious:
She was absolutely livid that he had lied.
2. formal a mark on your skin that is livid is dark blue and grey:
livid bruises
3. literary a face that is livid is very pale
• • •
THESAURUS
■ extremely angry
▪ furious/livid extremely angry: She was furious when she found out he’d been lying to her. | He looked absolutely livid.
▪ outraged very angry and shocked by something you think is unfair or wrong: Most people were outraged by the 9/11 attacks. | complaints from outraged viewers
▪ incandescent with rage British English formal extremely angry – used mainly in writing, for example in newspaper reports: Gordon Brown was reported to be incandescent with rage over the article.
▪ lose your temper to suddenly become very angry and start shouting at someone: It was the first time I’d seen her lose her temper.
Catchy
a catchy tune or phrase is easy to remember:
a catchy song
catchy advertising slogans
Banger
informal
1. a ↑sausage:
bangers and mash (=sausages and mashed potato)
2. an old car in bad condition:
an old banger
3. a type of noisy ↑firework
Self_sufficient
able to provide all the things you need without help from other people:
a self-sufficient farm
self-sufficient in
Australia is 65% self-sufficient in oil.
—self-sufficiency noun [uncountable
I am a sucker for sth
Like sth very much
I am a sucker for ice cream
Wrap one’s head around
To comprehend sth that one consider challenging, confusing, or a foreign concept
Kate is willing to pay full price for an expensive handbag, but I just can’t wrap my head around that
Jack up the price
Increase the price
در و پيش كن
Leave the door ajar
با اين اشتباه نشه
Leave the door cracked open يكم باز بذار
Clockwork
كوكي
Clockwork toy
شيويد
Dill
ريحان
Basil
كدو سبز
Zucchini
Radish
تربچه
لبو
Beetroot
شلغم
Turnipبا لبو (چغندر) اشتباه نشه
زيره
Cumin كيومن/كامين
زرشك
Barbery
Exhaustion
/ɪɡˈzɔːstʃən $ -ˈzɒːs-/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
1. extreme tiredness
with exhaustion
He collapsed with exhaustion.
Sheer exhaustion forced him to give up.
Many runners were suffering from heat exhaustion (=when you become tired and ill because you are too hot).
nervous exhaustion (=when you become ill because you have been working too hard or have been very worried)
2. when all of something has been used
exhaustion of
the exhaustion of oil supplies
Conformist
/kənˈfɔːməst, kənˈfɔːmɪst $ -ɔːr-/ BrE AmE adjective
[Word Family: noun: ↑conformity, ↑conformist; verb: ↑conform; adjective: ↑conformist]
thinking and behaving like everyone else, because you do not want to be different, or forcing people to do this – often used to show disapproval ⇨ nonconformist:
a country with a conformist education system
—conformist noun [countable
Topical
a subject that is topical is interesting because it is important at the present time
topical subject/issue/theme etc
a new TV comedy dealing with topical issues
topical jokes (=jokes about topical subjects)
—topically /-kli/ adverb
—topicality /ˌtɒpɪˈkæləti, ˌtɒpɪˈkælɪti $ ˌtɑː-/ noun [uncountable]
Tangent
- go off at a tangent British English, go off on a tangent American English informal to suddenly start thinking or talking about a subject that is only slightly related, or not related at all, to the original subject:
Let’s stay with the topic and not go off at a tangent. - technical a straight line that touches the outside of a curve but does not cut across
You’ll get there in the end
You will succeed finally
Zip along/past/around
To move somewhere very quickly
Recur
- if something, especially something bad or unpleasant, recurs, it happens again:
There is a danger that the disease may recur.
Love is a recurring theme in the book.
recurring dream/nightmare - technical if a number or numbers after a ↑decimal point recur, they are repeated for ever in the same order
Waffle
- [countable] a flat cake, marked with a pattern of deep squares
- [uncountable] British English informal talk or writing that uses a lot of words but says nothing important
II. waffle2 BrE AmE verb [intransitive] informal
[Date: 1600-1700; Origin: woff ‘to bark’ (17-19 centuries), from the sound] - British English (also waffle on) to talk or write using a lot of words but without saying anything important:
Stop waffling and get to the point. - American English informal to be unable to decide what action to take:
He cannot continue to waffle on this issue.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ talk to use words to communicate with someone about something: I need to talk to you about your work. | She always enjoyed talking to Jim. | Can we talk?
▪ speak to talk. Speak is a little more formal than talk. You often use it when saying that someone speaks in a particular way, or that you will speak to someone in order to try to get something done. You only use speak when saying that someone speaks a language: He spoke with confidence and authority. | She was speaking quietly so she didn’t disturb anyone. | I’d like to speak to the manager. | Do you speak German?
▪ go on/drone on/ramble to talk too much or for too long about something, in a way that makes people bored: He went on about how great the team was. | I’d better stop rambling and let you get on with your work.
▪ waffle /ˈwɒfəl $ ˈwɑː-/ British English disapproving informal to talk using a lot of words but without saying anything important: I wish he would stop waffling and get to the point!
▪ prattle on disapproving informal to talk continuously about silly and unimportant things: She prattled on about her boyfriend for the entire journey. | What’s he prattling on about now?
Sideswipe
/ˈsaɪdswaɪp/ BrE AmE noun [countable usually singular]
if you take a sideswipe at someone or something, you criticize them while you are talking about something different:
Sir Kenneth concluded with a sideswipe at his critics.
II. sideswipe2 BrE AmE verb [transitive] American English
to hit the side of a car with another car so that the two sides touch quickly:
She was going too fast and sideswiped a parked car.
Pull off the impossible
‘pulled off the impossible’ is correct and usable in written English. You can use this phrase when referring to someone who has achieved something that was thought to be impossible. For example, “When no one thought it was possible, John pulled off the impossible and won the marathon in record time.
Be mindful of something
به چيزي توجه كردن
Be mindful of what exactly students dont know about…
Top
- HIGHEST PART the highest part of something OPP bottom
top of
The tops of the mountains were still covered with snow.
She could only just see over the tops of their heads.
at the top (of) something
He was standing at the top of the stairs.
We’ll sit down once we’re at the top.
Write your name at the top of the page.
to the top (of) something
Stop and wait for us when you get to the top of the slope.
I filled the glass right to the top.
The book I wanted was at the very top of the pile.
cliff top/mountaintop/hilltop/treetop
We could just see the white cliff tops in the distance. - UPPER SURFACE the flat upper surface of an object:
a low wooden table with a glass top
top of
We walked along the top of the ancient city walls.
on (the) top of something
She put the papers down on the top of the piano.
Her fingers drummed on the table top. - BEST POSITION the top the best, most successful, or most important position in an organization, company, or profession OPP bottom
the top of
He has reached the top of his profession.
at the top (of something)
It’s the people at the top who make the decisions.
to the top (of something)
All young footballers dream of making it to the top.
the groups that are currently at the top of the tree (=the highest position in a profession) in the pop world - COVER something that you put on or over an object to cover it, protect it, or prevent liquid coming out of it:
I can’t get the top off the jar.
You’ve left the top off the toothpaste again!
Can you put the top back on the bottle when you’ve finished with it?
bottle top/pen top etc
Has anyone seen my pen top? - CLOTHES a piece of clothing that you wear on the upper part of your body:
She was wearing a stripy knitted top.
a skirt with a matching top
a bikini top
I can’t find my pyjama top. - be (at the) top of the list/agenda something that is at the top of a list will be dealt with or discussed first:
Europe is once again at the top of the political agenda. - on top
a) on the highest part or surface of something:
The cake was a bit burnt on top.
a high roof with a chimney on top
b) on the highest part of your head:
Can you cut it quite short on top, please.
c) winning in a game or competition:
After the first set, the Australian was comfortably on top. - on top of something
a) on the highest surface of something:
There should be an envelope on top of the fridge.
b) in complete control of a situation:
Don’t worry; I’m back on top of things now.
I should be more on top of my work next week.
c) if something bad happens to you on top of something else, it happens when you have other problems:
On top of everything else, I now have to go to work next Saturday! - one on top of the other (also on top of one another) in a pile:
We stacked the crates one on top of the other. - on top of somebody if something dangerous or threatening is on top of you, it is very near you:
The truck was almost on top of us. - get on top of somebody if your work or a problem gets on top of you, it begins to make you feel unhappy and upset:
Things are starting to get on top of him. - come out on top to win a difficult struggle or argument, especially one that has continued for a long time:
It’s difficult to predict who will come out on top. - on top of the world informal extremely happy:
When I heard she’d been released I felt on top of the world! - PLANT the part of a fruit or vegetable where it was attached to the plant, or the leaves of a plant whose root you can eat:
Cut the tops off the tomatoes.
I’ve found a recipe for beetroot tops. - STREET/FIELD ETC the part of the street or of a piece of land that is the furthest away from you:
I waited at the top of East Street. - the top of the milk British English the cream that rises to the top of a bottle of milk
- the top of the table the part of a long dinner table where the most important people sit
- off the top of your head informal if you say something off the top of your head, you say it immediately, without thinking carefully about it or checking the facts:
Just off the top of my head, I’d say there were about 50. - sing/shout at the top of your voice to sing or shout as loudly as you can:
Angela ran out of the house, shouting at the top of her voice. - be at the top of your game (also be on top of your game) to be doing your job, especially playing a sport, very well
- from the top spoken an expression meaning from the beginning, used especially in the theatre:
Right, let’s take it from the top once more. - from top to bottom if you clean or search somewhere from top to bottom, you do it very thoroughly:
The whole house needs cleaning from top to bottom. - from top to toe if a person is dressed or covered in something from top to toe, they are completely dressed or covered in it:
They were covered in mud from top to toe. - the top and bottom of it British English spoken the general result or meaning of a situation, expressed in a few words:
He’s trying to embarrass you, that’s the top and bottom of it. - not have much up top British English spoken to be not very intelligent:
Poor Nigel, he doesn’t have very much up top. - tops spoken used after a number to say that it is the highest possible amount of money you will get:
It’ll cost you £200, £250 tops. - TOY a child’s toy that spins around on its point when you twist it
- spin like a top to spin or turn round very quickly:
The impact of the blow sent me spinning like a top.
II. top2 S1 W1 BrE AmE adjective
[Word Family: adjective: ↑top, ↑topless, ↑topmost; noun: ↑top, ↑topping; verb: ↑top; adverb: ↑tops] - HIGHEST [only before noun] nearest to the top of something OPP bottom:
We have a flat on the top floor of the building.
the top button of his shirt
I managed to scrape off the top layer of paint.
I found the letter in the top drawer of his desk. - BEST [usually before noun] best or most successful:
our top tennis players
a top New York salon
one of the world’s top engineering companies
people in top jobs
She got top marks.
The top score was 72. - WINNING winning in a game or competition
top of
Barcelona remain top of the league after beating Real Madrid.
Despite losing last night, Manchester United are still top (=the highest in a list of clubs in a competition). - top left/right/centre expressions meaning the picture at the top of a page on the left or right or in the centre, used in magazines and newspapers:
Top right: silk blouse £195 from Harrods. - top speed the fastest speed a vehicle can move at:
We tore down the motorway at top speed.
a sports car with a top speed of 140 miles per hour - top priority the thing that you think is most important:
Education is this government’s top priority. - GOOD British English spoken informal very good:
Clive’s a top bloke. - top copy British English a letter or document from which copies can be made
III. top3 BrE AmE verb (past tense and past participle topped, present participle topping) [transitive]
[Word Family: adjective: ↑top, ↑topless, ↑topmost; noun: ↑top, ↑topping; verb: ↑top; adverb: ↑tops] - BE HIGHER to be higher than a particular amount:
Their profits have reportedly topped £1,000,000 this year. - BE MOST SUCCESSFUL to be in the highest position in a list because you are the most successful:
The Tower of London tops the list of London’s most popular tourist attractions.
the team that has topped the Premiership for the last three seasons
In 1998 the group topped the charts with the song ‘Don’t Stop Loving Me’. - DO BETTER if you top something, you do something that is better than it:
He topped his previous best performance, coming second in the 100 metres. - top an offer/a bid etc to offer more money than someone else:
A rival company topped our offer by $5 million. - be topped by something to have something on top:
The roof was topped by a chimney.
a hill topped by pine trees - be topped (off) with something if food is topped with something, it has that thing on it or over the top of it:
a strawberry tart topped with whipped cream
The cake can be topped off with fresh fruit. - to top it all spoken in addition to other bad things that have happened to you:
To top it all I lost my job. - top that spoken used when you are asking someone if they have done something more exciting or successful than you:
Well, I’ve been asked to appear on a TV show later this year, so top that! - top and tail British English to cut the top and bottom off a piece of fruit or a vegetable
- top yourself British English informal to kill yourself deliberately
- REACH THE TOP literary if you top a hill, you reach the top of it:
We topped the hill and looked down towards the valley below us.
top something ↔ off phrasal verb
to complete something successfully by doing one last thing:
Let’s top off the evening with a drink.
top out phrasal verb
if something such as a price that is increasing tops out, it reaches its highest point and stops rising:
Do you think interest rates have topped out now?
top something/somebody ↔ up phrasal verb especially British English - to add more liquid to a container that is partly full:
I’ll just top up the coffee pot. - to put more drink in someone’s glass or cup after they have drunk some:
Can I top you up? - to increase the level of something slightly so as to bring it back to the level you want:
He had to do extra jobs at the weekend to top up his income
Make judgment call
If you refer to a decision as a judgment call, you mean that there are no firm rules or principles that can help you make it, so you simply have to rely on your own judgment and instinct. Well, physicians make judgment calls every day.
Troubleshooter
- an independent person who is employed to come into an organization to deal with serious problems
- computer software which asks you a series of questions to try to find the cause of a computer problem, and suggests possible solutions
—troubleshooting noun [uncountable]
I’ll take you at your word
I believe what you’re saying
I was doing it out of concern for my daughter
من اونو واسه اينكه نگران دخترم بودم انجامش دادم
Toe up loose ends
to complete the parts of something that have not been completed. We still have to tie up some loose ends of the project
What’s that got to do with me
اون به من چه ربطي داره
In action
someone or something that is in action is doing the job or activity they are trained or designed to do:
photos of ski jumpers in action
see/watch something/somebody in action
I’d like to see the new computer system in action
Is it temporary?
No it is for good
موقتيه؟
نه واسه هميشه است
كلاس نميتوني بياي؟ نه
موقتيه؟ no it’s for good
Bee
- a black and yellow flying insect that makes ↑honey and can sting you:
a swarm of bees
a bee sting ⇨ ↑bumblebee - have a bee in your bonnet (about something) informal to think something is so important, so necessary etc that you keep mentioning it or thinking about it:
Dad’s got a bee in his bonnet about saving electricity. - sewing/quilting etc bee American English informal an occasion when people, usually women, meet in order to do a particular type of work
- a busy bee spoken someone who enjoys being busy or active
- be the bee’s knees spoken old-fashioned to be very good:
She thought the party was just the bee’s knees.
⇨ ↑spelling bee, ⇨ the birds and the bees at ↑bird(3)
Can’t/won’t + have+ sb +verb ing
We can’t have people arriving late
We can’t let them to be late
Gasp
/ɡɑːsp $ ɡæsp/ BrE AmE verb
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old Norse; Origin: geispa ‘to yawn’]
1. [intransitive and transitive] to breathe in suddenly in a way that can be heard, especially because you are surprised or in pain
gasp in/with
Ollie gasped with pain and slumped forward.
gasp at
The audience gasped at the splendour of the costumes.
‘My leg!’ he gasped. ‘I think it’s broken!’
2. [intransitive] to breathe quickly in a way that can be heard because you are having difficulty breathing ⇨ pant
gasp for air/breath
Brendan climbed slowly, gasping for breath.
3. be gasping (for something) British English spoken to feel that you urgently need something such as a drink or cigarette:
I’m gasping for a pint!
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ breathe [intransitive and transitive] to take air into your lungs and send it out again: Mary knew he was asleep because he was breathing deeply. | He breathed the clear spring air.
▪ sigh to breathe out slowly and make a noise that shows you are disappointed, tired, ↑relieved etc: She just sighed and shook her head. | ‘Never mind,’ he sighed. ‘I’m sure there’ll be other opportunities.’
▪ pant to breathe quickly and noisily through your mouth, because you have been using a lot of effort: They were panting by the time they got to the finish line.
▪ gasp to breathe very quickly and deeply and with difficulty: Her eyes were wide, and she was gasping for breath. | ‘Do you think you can walk?’ ‘I’ll try to,’ he gasped.
▪ snore to breathe noisily while you are sleeping: I couldn’t sleep because my husband was snoring.
▪ wheeze to breathe with difficulty, making a noise in your throat and chest, because you are ill: His asthma was making him wheeze.
▪ be out of breath to be unable to breathe easily, especially because you have been running or doing other exercise: I was out of breath by the time we reached the top of the hill.
▪ be short of breath to be unable to breathe easily, especially because you are unhealthy: Because she was so overweight, she was often short of breath.
II. gasp2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
1. when you take in a breath suddenly in a way that can be heard, especially because you are surprised or in pain
gasp of
With a gasp of pure horror, Lewis jumped up and ran.
She gave a little gasp and clutched George’s hand.
2. when you breathe in air quickly because you are having difficulty breathing:
Her breath came in shallow gasps.
3. sb’s/sth’s last gasp the time when someone is about to die, or when something is about to stop happening or existing:
the last gasp of an industry in decline
Bask
bɑːsk $ bæsk/ BrE AmE verb [intransitive]
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old Norse; Origin: bathask, from batha ‘to take a bath’]
1. to enjoy sitting or lying in the heat of the sun or a fire
bask in
Lizards were basking in the morning sun.
2. if a place basks in the sun, it is sunny and warm
bask in
Tenerife was basking in afternoon sunshine as they arrived.
3. to enjoy the approval or attention that you are getting from other people
bask in
She basked in the admiration of the media.
⇨ bask/bathe in sb’s reflected glory at ↑glory1(4)
- bask/bathe in sb’s/sth’s (reflected) glory to share some of the importance and praise that belongs to someone close to you
Meet me for a bevi this arvo
Bevi نوشيدني هاي الكلي
Arvo : afternoon
Semitic
/səˈmɪtɪk, sɪˈmɪtɪk/ BrE AmE adjective
1.
a) belonging to the race of people that includes Jews, Arabs, and, in ancient times, Babylonians and Assyrians
b) relating to any of the languages of these people
2. another word for ↑Jewish
⇨ anti-Semitic at ↑anti-Semite
Amass
əˈmæs/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: Old French; Origin: amasser, from masser ‘to gather into a mass’]
if you amass money, knowledge, information etc, you gradually collect a large amount of it:
For 25 years, Darwin amassed evidence to support his theories.
He amassed a fortune after the war.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ collect to get things of the same type from different places and bring them together: She collects stamps (=as a hobby). | They have collected 650 signatures for their petition.
▪ gather to collect information from different places, or to collect crops, flowers, wood etc, especially from the ground: Computers make it easier to gather information. | The men gathered firewood.
▪ assemble formal to collect something such as information in an organized way: When all the evidence is assembled, we will write our report.
▪ build up to gradually collect more things of the same type over time: He has built up one of the country’s finest collections of art.
▪ accumulate to gradually get more and more of something such as money, possessions, or knowledge, over time. Accumulate is more formal than build up: He is driven by the desire to accumulate wealth.
▪ amass to collect a large amount of something such as money, information, or knowledge, over time: Carnegie amassed a fortune in the steel industry.
▪ run up a bill/debt/loss informal to allow a debt to increase quickly, especially by spending too much: He ran up huge gambling debts.
What does generation-defining mean in this sentence
Swift’s catalog of generation-defining hits
In that context, “generation-defining” suggests that Taylor Swift’s songs in her catalog are significant and impactful, influencing and resonating with a particular generation of people. These hits have left a lasting mark on the cultural landscape of that time
What does generation-defining mean in this sentence
Swift’s catalog of generation-defining hits
In that context, “generation-defining” suggests that Taylor Swift’s songs in her catalog are significant and impactful, influencing and resonating with a particular generation of people. These hits have left a lasting mark on the cultural landscape of that time
Bloody/bloodied but unbowed
Harmed by events but not defeated by them:
He emerged from the discussion bloody but unbowed
Cut your teeth(on something)
To get your first experience of doing something and learn the basic skills:
Both reporterscut their journalistic teeth on the same provincial newspaper
2 alternatives for always
He works day in and day out
He works around the clock don’t mistake it with work against the clock
Don’t mistake it with by and large
4 alternatives for happy
Elated
Walking/floating in air
Over the moon
Dancing in the street
4 alternatives for wait
Cool your jet
Cool your heel
Hold your horses
Hold tight
4 different ways when sb annoys you
You’re bugging me
You’re getting on my nerves
You’re getting under my skin
You’re bother me
5 alternatives for because
Since
Owing to: owing to his illness he couldn’t continue his study
Seeing that: seeing that it’s raining, I’ll bring an umbrella
On account of dinner: was somewhat delayed on account of David’s rather tardy arrival
In that : I was very lucky in that my parents allowed a lot freedom
5 ways to say go away
On your bike lad
Do one you dickhead
Jog on mate
Bugger off
Sling your hook pal
6 alternatives to sometimes
1-ever and anon. /əˈnɒn $ əˈnɑːn/ BrE AmE adverb literary
[Language: Old English; Origin: on an ‘in one’]
soon:
See you anon
2-at times
3- now and again
4- off and on
5- on occasion
6- every so often
8 alternatives for cheap
frugal
thrifty
economical
prudent
tight
pennywise
fraction of cost
cheep as chips
8 alternatives for cheap
frugal
thrifty
economical
prudent
tight
pennywise
fraction of cost
cheep as chips
86
Eighty-six or 86 is American English slang used to indicate that an item is no longer available, traditionally from a food or drinks establishment, or referring to a person or people who are not welcome in the premises
In the restaurant industry, 68 may be used as a code meaning “put back on the menu”, being the opposite of 86 which means “remove from the menu”. 68 may also be used as slang for oral sex, based on a play on words involving the number 69
86
Eighty-six or 86 is American English slang used to indicate that an item is no longer available, traditionally from a food or drinks establishment, or referring to a person or people who are not welcome in the premises
In the restaurant industry, 68 may be used as a code meaning “put back on the menu”, being the opposite of 86 which means “remove from the menu”. 68 may also be used as slang for oral sex, based on a play on words involving the number 69
Casanova
/ˌkæsəˈnəʊvə $ -ˈnoʊ-/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1900-2000; Origin: Giacomo Girolamo Casanova (1725-98), Italian famous for having many lovers]
a man who has had sexual relationships with many women
II. Casanova, Gia‧co‧mo /ˈdʒækəməʊ $ ˈdʒɑː-/ BrE AmE
(1725–98) an Italian writer famous for having had many lovers
DINK
Double income no kids
Debbie downer
Sb who speaks about depressing thing, who brings other down
FF&E
FF&E is shorthand for Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment.
In architecture and interior design, FF&E typically encompasses all movable or easily removed objects in a building, not including sellable products
Fall guy
كسي كه كاسه كوزه ها سرش شكسته ميشه
Goblin mode
goblin
a small ugly creature in children’s stories that likes to trick people
شرايطي كه ميخواي بلمبوني و بخوري بنوشي و نگران هيچي نباشي
[example: I’m gonna be in Goblin Mode for the next two days ]
Gregorian calendar
Gre‧go‧ri‧an cal‧en‧dar /ɡrɪˌɡɔːriən ˈkæləndə $ -dər/ BrE AmE noun [singular]
[Date: 1600-1700; Origin: Because it was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII]
the system of arranging the 365 days of the year in months and giving numbers to the years from the birth of Christ, used in the West since 1582
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned
No one is angrier than a woman who has been emotionally hurt by someone, especially in a romantic relationship * Ricardo wants to end his 18-month relationship with Carla, but he’s scared because he knows that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned
I am an avid coffee drinker
Avid حريص و مشتاق
من عاشق نوشيدن قهوه هستم
I am in my days
Aunt Flo is here
It’s lady time
I’m on the rag
It’s my moon time
I am running around circles
This is not working syn: running into the sand
I’m snowed under with work this week
I’m swamped with work
I’m sorry if that’s too much information but I have got the runs
خيلي خيلي عذر ميخوام (گلاب به روتون) اما من اسهال دارم
I am torn
دو دلم
I bear you no ill will
خصومتي باهت ندارم
I can’t function without my coffee
من تا قهوه نخورم نميتونم كار كنم
I can’t shake it
I can’t get rid of it
Syn: cut sub loose
I carry most of weight in my ass
بيشتر وزنم تو كونمه
I could do with something
If you say that you could do with something, you mean that you need it or would benefit from it. I could do with a cup of tea
I couldn’t care less
I don’t care
I cried myself to sleep
The phrase “I cried myself to sleep” means that someone cried so much that they eventually fell asleep. It is often used to describe someone who is feeling very sad or upset. The phrase can also be used to describe someone who is exhausted from crying
I develop an allergy as I grow older
بزرگتر كه شدم حساسيت گرفتم
I don’t give a rat’s arse
I couldn’t care less
I don’t think he’ll succeed in passing the exam, for he hasn’t made any efforts
For here means because
Not that after for we use subject
I don’t want to drink your backwash
نميخوام دهني تو رو بخورم
I feel gutted
I feel disappointed
I finally tear myself away from work
آخر سر تونستم خودمو از كار خلاص كنم
I flew off the handle
از كوره در رفتم
I get an early start on English at the age of 6
من انگليسي رو از سن خيلي پايين ٦ سالگي شروع كردم
To get an early start on sth
I got eaten alive/up
I am bitten by mosquitoes
I got my ass busted
كونم پاره شده
I got wind she is going to be promoted
I heard
Syn: I heard around the water cooler
I guess it’s gonna be baptism by fire
فك ميكنم قراره تجربه اولت باشه
“Baptism by fire” is a phrase commonly used to describe a person or employee who is learning something the hard way through a challenge or difficulty. In many cases, someone who starts a new job must undergo a baptism by fire, meaning they must immediately deal with one or more difficult situations
I guess it’s gonna be baptism by fire
فك ميكنم قراره تجربه اولت باشه
“Baptism by fire” is a phrase commonly used to describe a person or employee who is learning something the hard way through a challenge or difficulty. In many cases, someone who starts a new job must undergo a baptism by fire, meaning they must immediately deal with one or more difficult situations
I had a hunch that …
به دلم افتاده كه …
I happened to watch that movie
من هم اتفاقا اون فيلم رو ديدم
I have B.O
(Body odour) an unpleasant smell from someone’s body caused by sweat
I have a beef with you
باهت يه مشكلي دارم
باهت يه اختلافي دارم
I have a burning desire to visit london
خيلي دام ميخواد لندن رو ببينم
I have a confidence in her
بهش اعتماد دارم
I have no time for idle talk
حرف مفت
I have to go working to bring home the bacon
بايد كار كنم كه سر سفره نون ببرم
نان آور breadwinner
I have to go working to bring home the bacon
بايد كار كنم كه سر سفره نون ببرم
نان آور breadwinner
I have to stay back at home
To remain at work more than usual or normal hours
I haven’t been myself lately
اخيرا از نظر روحي حالم خوب نيست
I haven’t the foggiest idea
I have no idea at all
I ignore the insult you just made
I’ll let it slide
I just wanna tone up
سفت كردن هيكل در بدن سازي
خط افتادن عضلات
I know these days you are all in and out
ميدونم اين روزا شما اين ورو اونور بوديد
I know where you are coming from
نظرتو،عقيدتو، حس و حالتو ميفهمم
I married her off
شوهرش دادم
I miss you Big time
I miss you so much
I need coffee for pick-me-up
به قهوه احتياج دارم كع سر حال شم
I never out someone’s secret
هيچ وقت راز كسيو علني نميكنم
I practice architecture
I work as an architect
I second that
I agree with you
I shrugged
شونه بالا انداختن
I stand corrected
اشتباهمو قبول ميكنم
I took the plunge
دل به دريا زدم
I tried baking the cake vs I tried to bale the cake
Ing form shows that it is your first time that bake the cake but with to version means you just try hard to bake the cake
I understand you’re upset with me
ميدونم كه از دستم ناراحتي
I wait my turn in line
تو صف منتظر نوبتم هستم
I want facial cream that prevents skin from sagging
Sagging آويزون شدن
Don’t mistake it with flabby and soggy
I was tossing and turning all night
تمام شب رو از اين پهلو به اون پهلو ميشدم( خوابم نميبرد)
I will make amends
جبران خواهم كرد
I worked up an appetite
I am hungry
I would like to pose a couple of questions (formal)
I wanna ask a couple of questions
I wouldn’t pass sb
Means sb would totally do sth like that
I wouldn’t pass Bob to steal my glasses
IRS
Internal Revenue Service; the agency that collects taxes in the U.S.
* If you are honest about your finances and pay your taxes regularly, you don’t have any reason to be afraid of the IRS.
If the weather holds, I’ll be able to mow the lawn
اگه هوا همينجوري بمونه
Indiscriminate
an indiscriminate action is done without thinking about what harm it might cause
indiscriminate attacks/killing/violence/bombing etc
terrorists responsible for indiscriminate killing
the indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers
—indiscriminately adverb:
Soldiers fired indiscriminately into the crowd
I’ll never forget my trip to Giza and getting my first sight of pyramids
هيچ وقت سفرم به گيزا و اولين بار ديدن اهرام رو فراموش نميكنم
I’m a meal down
تحت الفظي: يك وعده غذايي عقبم
ولي به طور كلي يعني ميتونم بيشتر بخورم
I’m between a rock and hard place
When u have to choose between two bad options
Syn: being in a catch-22 situations
I’m gone on you
خاطرتو ميخوام
I’m in awe of him
ازش حساب ميبرم
I’m in my element when I’m cooking
وقتي آشپزي ميكنم كيفم كوكه
I’m just gonna come out and say it
ميخوام رك و بي پرده بگويم
I’m on a kick for something
روي دور چيزي افتادن
I’m on a kick for mangoes or eating chocolate
I’m so thirsty
I’m parched
I’m spitting feathers
I’m struggling to pay off my balance
واسم سخته كه مانده بدهي حسابم رو پرداخت كنم
I’m susceptible to heat
گرماييم
Syn: heat sensitive
I’m thirsty. I could do with a cup of tea
I need a cup of tea
I’ve been thrown in at deep end
To make sb start a new job without helping them or preparing them for it
I’ve got no change on me
پول خرد ندارم
I’ve run my race
من ديگه عمرمو كردم
JOMO
the joy of missing out
Y. You likely know FOMO (fear of missing out) and its cousin FOBO (fear of better options) – but the next generation of tailored-for-social-media acronyms is ‘JOMO’, or the joy of missing out
The party became cancelled and I really enjoyed myself alone at home such a JOMO.
توفيق اجباري
Miss and Ms and Mrs
When to use Miss, Mrs and Ms. Miss: You should use ‘Miss’ when addressing girls and young, unmarried women. Ms: You should use ‘Ms’ when unsure of a woman’s marital status or if she is unmarried and prefers to be addressed with a marital-status neutral title. Mrs: You should use Mrs when addressing a married woman
Saran wrap
/səˈræn ræp/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable] trademark American English
thin transparent plastic, used for wrapping food SYN clingfilm British English ˈklɪŋfɪlm
پلاستيك هاي بسيار نازك كه روي ظرف غذا ميكشن
Self-discipline
noun [uncountable]
the ability to make yourself do the things you know you ought to do, without someone making you do them:
A lot of the kids seemed to lack self-discipline.
—self-disciplined adjective
TBC
(to be confirmed) British English used in writing to show that the time, place etc of a future event is not yet definite:
The concert will be in Harrogate (venue tbc) on the 29th.
The restaurant was rammed earlier but it’s died down a lot now
رستوران اولش شلوغ بود ولي الان خيلي خلوت شده
W rizz
/wriz/
كسي كه خوب بلده مخ بزنه
Syn: W game ( winner game)
You got a W rizz
A breath of fresh air
A change for the better
Moving to a new apartment is a breath of fresh air
Bumpy relationship
رابطه نامتعادل
Top-up
BrE AmE noun [countable] British English
1. an amount of liquid that you add to a glass, cup etc in order to make it full again: سر ريز
Would you like a top-up?
2. an extra payment that brings an amount to the desired level:
top-up loans for students
A clerk rings up the sale
يعني حساب كتاب اجناسي كه خريدم رو تو اون ماشين زد و رسيد رو صادر كرد
a course of business or a course in business
► Course is never followed by ‘of’. Do not say ‘a course of Business Studies’. Say ‘a course in Business Studies
a course of business or a course in business
► Course is never followed by ‘of’. Do not say ‘a course of Business Studies’. Say ‘a course in Business Studies
a course of business or a course in business
► Course is never followed by ‘of’. Do not say ‘a course of Business Studies’. Say ‘a course in Business Studies
A dime a dozen
anything that is common, inexpensive, and easy to get or available any where
[example: people with your skills are a dime a dozen these days
A fork in the road
– the point where one road becomes two or more roads * When you come to the fork in the road, you can take a right to go to the university, or you can take a left to go to the town
A group of fish is called
School
a group of gorillas is called
group of gorillas
a band of gorillas
a group of kittens is called
A litter of kittens
a group of lion is called
a group of lions
a pride of lions
a group of owl
Parliament
a group of sheep is called
group of sheeps
a flock of sheep
a group of tiger is called
group of tiger
a streak of tigers
a group of wasps is called
group of wasps
a pledge of wasps
a group of wolves is called
a group of wolves
a pack of wolves
A no go
1-it’s not going to happen, impossible
[example: I asked my boss for a raise and he said that’s a no go
2-it’s forbidden
this lake for tourists is a no go
3- it’s unacceptable syn: it’s frowned upon
[example: wearing a bikini at office is a no go(every frowned upon you)]
a wild goose never laid a tame egg
we must never presume that humanity will be without violence, after all, a wild goose never laid a tame egg
a word before is worth two after
جنگ اول به از صلح آخر است
abacus
چرتكه
Abeyance
in abeyance something such as a custom, rule, or system that is in abeyance is not being used at the present time
fall into abeyance (=no longer be used)
Abeyance
in abeyance something such as a custom, rule, or system that is in abeyance is not being used at the present time
fall into abeyance (=no longer be used)
Abhorrent
/əbˈhɒrənt $ -ˈhɔːr-/ BrE AmE adjective
something that is abhorrent is completely unacceptable because it seems morally wrong SYN repugnant
abhorrent to
The practice of killing animals for food is utterly abhorrent to me
abide by decision (formal)
accept the decision
absence makes the heart grow fonder
هرچي كمتر باشي بيشتر دوست دارن
Abstract
adj
1. based on general ideas or principles rather than specific examples or real events SYN theoretical
abstract idea/concept etc
the ability to translate abstract ideas into words
By the age of seven, children are capable of thinking in abstract terms.
Human beings are the only creatures capable of abstract thought (=thinking about ideas).
2. existing only as an idea or quality rather than as something real that you can see or touch OPP concrete:
the abstract nature of beauty
3.
abstract paintings, designs etc consist of shapes and patterns that do not look like real people or things
⇨ ↑abstract noun
II. abstract2 AC BrE AmE noun [countable]
1. a painting, design etc which contains shapes or images that do not look like real things or people
2. a short written statement containing only the most important ideas in a speech, article etc
3. in the abstract considered in a general way rather than being based on specific details and examples:
Talking about crime in the abstract just isn’t enough.
III. ab‧stract3 AC /əbˈstrækt, æb-/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
1. to write a document containing the most important ideas or points from a speech, article etc
2. formal to remove something from somewhere
acclimate or acclimatize
(also acclimatise British English) /əˈklaɪmətaɪz/ (also ac‧cli‧mate /əˈklaɪmət $ ˈækləmeɪt, əˈklaɪmət/ American English) verb [intransitive and transitive]
[Date: 1700-1800; Language: French; Origin: acclimater, from climat; ⇨ ↑climate]
to become used to a new place, situation, or type of weather, or to make someone become used to it
acclimatize to
Runners had to acclimatize to the humid tropical conditions.
acclimatize yourself (to something)
I found it hard to acclimatize myself to working at weekends.
—acclimatization /əˌklaɪmətaɪˈzeɪʃən $ -tə-/ noun [uncountable
Accolade
praise تمجيد. ستايش
[example: the highest accolade a basketball player can ever receive is becoming a member of hall of fame]
Budge up
budge up. (British English, informal) to move, so that there is room for other people synonym move over. Budge up a bit
Syn : scoot over
Accord
- of sb’s/sth’s own accord without being asked or forced to do something:
He decided to go of his own accord.
The door seemed to move of its own accord. - [uncountable] formal a situation in which two people, ideas, or statements agree with each other
be in accord with something
These results are in accord with earlier research.
in perfect/complete accord
It is important to the success of any firm that its partners should be in complete accord. - [countable] a formal agreement between countries or groups:
the Helsinki accord on human rights - with one accord formal if two or more people do something with one accord, they do it together or at the same time:
There was a silence as the women turned with one accord to stare at Doreen.
II. accord2 BrE AmE verb formal
[Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old French; Origin: acorder, from Vulgar Latin accordare, from Latin ad- ‘to’ + cor ‘heart’] - [transitive] to give someone or something special attention or a particular type of treatment:
You will not be accorded any special treatment.
accord something to something/somebody
Every school accords high priority to the quality of teaching. - accord with something to match or agree with something:
The punishments accorded with the current code of discipline
Accounts payable
money that a company owes; bills that a company has not yet paid opp: accounts receivable
* Bills are sent to the accounts payable department, where employees enter the information into a computer and print a check for payment
Accustomed
- be accustomed to (doing) something to be familiar with something and accept it as normal:
We were accustomed to working together.
become/grow/get accustomed to something
Her eyes quickly became accustomed to the dark.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say be used to instead of be accustomed to, and get used to instead of get/become accustomed to:
▪ She’s used to working with children.
▪ It’s hard at first, but you’ll get used to it. - [only before noun] formal usual:
The pans were in their accustomed places.
Acquaintance
/əˈkweɪntəns/ BrE AmE noun
1. SOMEBODY YOU KNOW [countable] someone you know, but who is not a close friend:
She was a casual acquaintance of my family in Vienna.
He heard about the job through a mutual acquaintance (=someone you and another person both know).
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say someone I know rather than an acquaintance:
▪ I got the job through someone I know.
2. RELATIONSHIP [singular, uncountable] a relationship with someone you know, but who is not a close friend:
They developed an acquaintance over the Internet.
You can’t judge her on such short acquaintance (=when you have not known her long).
My uncle did not improve on further acquaintance (=when you knew him better).
3. make sb’s acquaintance formal to meet someone for the first time:
I should be delighted to make Mrs McGough’s acquaintance.
At the hotel, I made the acquaintance of a young American actor.
4. KNOWLEDGE [uncountable] formal knowledge or experience of a particular subject
acquaintance with
The practice of a lawyer requires acquaintance with court procedures.
have a passing/nodding acquaintance with something (=have only slight knowledge or experience of something)
He has a passing acquaintance with a lot of different subjects.
5. of your acquaintance formal a person of your acquaintance is someone that you know:
The poems were written by various women of her acquaintance.
6. on first acquaintance formal when you meet someone for the first time:
Most people are nicer than you think on first acquaintance.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ friend someone who you know and like very much and enjoy spending time with: Dad, this is my friend Steve. | She’s going to Palm Springs with some friends. | I got a letter from a friend from college. | Amy’s a close friend of mine. | John was a really good friend to me when I had all those problems last year.
▪ acquaintance /əˈkweɪntəns/ someone who you know and see sometimes, but who is not one of your close friends: We borrowed the money from one of Paul’s business acquaintances.
▪ mate British English informal a friend – used especially about boys or men: He always goes to the pub with his mates on Friday night. | Terry’s an old mate of mine.
▪ buddy American English informal a friend – used especially about men or young people: He’s out playing basketball with some of his high school buddies.
▪ pal informal a friend – pal sounds rather old-fashioned: They met at school and have remained close pals.
▪ crony [usually plural] disapproving a friend – used about powerful people who will help each other even if it is slightly dishonest: He’s one of the President’s cronies.
▪ companion written someone who spends time with you, doing the same things as you – used about animals as well as people: travelling companions | His dog was his constant companion. | the perfect companion
▪ the girls informal a woman’s female friends: We’re having a girls’ night out.
▪ the lads British English informal a man’s male friends: a night out with the lads
Acrimonious
an acrimonious meeting or discussion is one in which people argue a lot and get very angry SYN bitter:
The meeting ended in an acrimonious dispute.
—acrimoniously adverb
—acrimoniousness noun [uncountable]
Active shooter
a person who is presently using a gun to shoot people in a confined and populated area
Acumen
the ability to think quickly and make good judgments
business/political/financial etc acumen
The firm’s success is largely due to Brannon’s commercial acumen.
تيز هوشي
Ad hoc
adverb formal
[Date: 1600-1700; Language: Latin; Origin: ‘for this’]
not planned, but arranged or done only when necessary خلق الساعه
ad hoc committee/group etc
decisions made on an ad hoc basis
Adamant
. determined not to change your opinion or a decision that you have made: syn: uncompromising, dig your heels in
She begged me to change my mind, but I remained adamant.
adamant that
Madonna is adamant that she will not tour this year.
—adamantly adverb:
Britain is adamantly opposed to the new directive.
Add up
- to calculate the total of several numbers:
I can add up in my head quite easily.
add something ↔ up
Specialized software adds up the statistics. - not add up
a) if a set of facts does not add up, it does not provide a reasonable explanation for a situation:
He was troubled by a feeling that things just didn’t add up.
b) if sums, numbers etc do not add up, there is a mistake in them:
These figures don’t add up. - it all adds up informal used to say that lots of small amounts gradually make a large total:
There are five of us using the phone so it all adds up.
Add up to sth
منتج به چيزي شدن
it all adds up to more misery
Adept
good at something that needs care and skill SYN skilful
adept at
Melissa quickly became adept at predicting his moods.
adept in
Silas proved adept in the art of avoiding potholes in the road.
I’m afraid she’s also an adept liar.
—adept /ˈædept/ noun [countable]:
a form of kung fu practiced by only a handful of adepts
—adeptly adverb
Adhere
formal
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: Latin; Origin: adhaerere, from ad- ‘to’ + haerere ‘to stick’]
to stick firmly to something
adhere to
The eggs of these fish adhere to plant leaves.
adhere to something phrasal verb formal
to continue to behave according to a particular rule, agreement, or belief:
We adhere to the principles of equal rights and freedom of expression for all.
I have adhered strictly to the rules.
Adherence
when someone behaves according to a particular rule, belief, principle etc
adherence to
adherence to democratic principles
strict/rigid/slavish adherence
strict adherence to Judaic law
Adherent
someone who supports a particular belief, plan, political party etc
adherent of
adherents of the Greek Orthodox Church
adherent to
The anti-globalization movement is attracting new adherents to its principles
Adj+as
means even though
tired as we were, we continued working
Administrative expenses
cost of operating a business, such as telephone bills, secretary salaries, and paper for the printers and copiers
* Every time we hire a secretary, our administrative expenses go up. Are you sure you need another assistant
Admonish
formal to tell someone severely that they have done something wrong
admonish somebody for (doing) something
The witness was admonished for failing to answer the question.
—admonishment noun [countable]
Adulterate
əˈdʌltəreɪt
to make food or drink less pure by adding another substance of lower quality to it ⇨ unadulterated
—adulteration /əˌdʌltəˈreɪʃən/ noun [uncountable
Transitory
/ˈtrænzətəri, ˈtrænzɪtəri $ -tɔːri/ BrE AmE adjective
continuing or existing for only a short time
Adulterer
someone who is married and has sex with someone who is not their wife or husband
Adverse condition
conditions that have a negative or harmful effect on something: The race was cancelled due to the adverse conditions. He has done a good job under some pretty adverse conditions
Rookie
/ˈrʊki/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1800-1900; Origin: Perhaps from recruit]
1. especially American English someone who has just started doing a job and has little experience:
rookie cops
2. American English someone who is in their first year of playing a professional sport
Steward
/ˈstjuːəd $ ˈstuːərd/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Language: Old English; Origin: stiweard ‘hall-guard’, from sti ( ⇨ ↑sty) + weard (, ↑ward1)]
1. a man whose job is to serve food and drinks to passengers on a plane or ship ⇨ flight attendant
2. someone who is in charge of a horse race, meeting, or other public event:
race stewards
3. someone who protects something or is responsible for it, especially something such as nature, public property, or money
steward of
Kissinger was now chief steward of US foreign policy.
4. a man whose job is to manage a large property, such as a farm
⇨ ↑shop steward
• • •
THESAURUS
■ people on a plane
▪ pilot someone who operates the controls of a plane: an airline pilot | He has a pilot’s licence.
▪ co-pilot a pilot who shares the control of a plane with the main pilot: The pilot became ill, and the co-pilot had to land the plane.
▪ captain the pilot who is in charge of an aircraft: This is your captain speaking. We will be arriving at Gatwick Airport in approximately 10 minutes.
▪ the flight crew all the people who work on a plane during a flight: The flight crew asked for permission to land at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.
▪ the cabin crew the people whose job is to serve food and drinks to passengers on a plane: The cabin crew will be serving drinks shortly.
▪ flight attendant someone whose job is to serve food and drink to passengers on a plane: The flight attendant told him to go back to his seat.
▪ steward/stewardess a man/woman whose job is to serve food and drinks to passengers on a plane: I asked the stewardess if I could have a blanket
Shunt
/ʃʌnt/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[Date: 1200-1300; Origin: Perhaps from shun]
1. to move someone or something to another place, especially in a way that seems unfair
shunt somebody off/around/aside etc
Smith was shunted off to one of the company’s smaller offices.
2. to move a train or railway carriage onto a different track
II. shunt2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
1. an act of moving a train or railway carriage to a different track
2. a crash, especially in a car race:
His race ended after a shunt at the first corner.
Thus far
Thus far means up until the present point in a situation or story. Thus far, the two prime ministers have achieved no concrete results
Syn: So far
Biggie
/ˈbɪɡi/ BrE AmE noun
1. [countable] informal something very large, important, or successful:
I think their new CD is going to be a biggie.
2. no biggie American English spoken said when something is not important or when you are not upset or angry about something:
‘Oh, I’m sorry.’ ‘No biggie
Rapport
ræˈpɔː $ -ɔːr/ BrE AmE noun [singular, uncountable]
[Date: 1600-1700; Language: French; Origin: rapporter ‘to carry back, report’]
friendly agreement and understanding between people ⇨ relationship
rapport with/between
He had an excellent rapport with his patients.
establish/build up/develop (a) rapport
He built up a good rapport with the children.
Stilted
ˈstɪltəd, ˈstɪltɪd/ BrE AmE adjective
a stilted style of writing or speaking is formal and unnatural:
a stilted conversation
—stiltedly adverb
See to
phrasal verb of see
attend to or deal with something.
“he used to see to all the music and the arrangements
Hem
/hem/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Language: Old English]
the edge of a piece of cloth that is turned under and stitched down, especially the lower edge of a skirt, trousers etc
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ edge the part of something that is furthest from its centre or nearest the place where it ends: He got up quickly, knocking his plate off the edge of the table. | the outer edge of the village
▪ side the part of something that is near its left or right edge: On the left side of the garden there was an old stone wall. | They parked by the side of the road.
▪ rim the edge of something circular, especially the top of a cup or glass, or the outside edge of a pair of glasses: a white cup with a gold rim | She was looking at me over the rim of her spectacles.
▪ margin the empty space at the side of a page that has writing on it: My teacher had marked my essay and made some comments in the margin. | Leave wide margins on both sides of the page.
▪ hem the edge of a piece of cloth that is turned under and stitched down, especially the lower edge of a skirt, trousers etc: If you want the dress a bit shorter, I can easily turn up the hem.
▪ kerb British English, curb American English the edge of the pavement (=raised path) at the side of a road: A big black car was parked at the kerb.
▪ outskirts the areas of a city that are furthest away from the centre: The new station was built on the outskirts of the city.
▪ perimeter the outside edge around an enclosed area of land such as a military camp or a prison: Security guards patrol the perimeter night and day.
II. hem2 BrE AmE verb (past tense and past participle hemmed, present participle hemming)
1. [transitive] to turn under the edge of a piece of material or clothing and stitch it in place
2. hem and haw American English to keep pausing before saying something, and avoid saying it directly
hem somebody/something ↔ in phrasal verb
1. to surround someone or something closely:
They were hemmed in on all sides by the soldiers and the dogs.
The market place is hemmed in by shops and banks.
2. to make someone feel that they are not free to do what they want to do:
They hem in the child with endless rules and restrictions
Holdover
ˈhəʊldˌəʊvə $ ˈhoʊldˌoʊvər/ BrE AmE noun [countable] American English
an action, feeling, or idea that has continued from the past into the present SYN hangover
holdover from
Her fear of dogs is a holdover from her childhood.
Orchestrate
/ˈɔːkəstreɪt, ˈɔːkɪstreɪt $ ˈɔːr-/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
1. written to organize an important event or a complicated plan, especially secretly:
The riots were orchestrated by anti-government forces.
a carefully orchestrated promotional campaign
2. to arrange a piece of music so that it can be played by an orchestra
—orchestration /ˌɔːkəˈstreɪʃən, ˌɔːkɪˈstreɪʃən $ ˌɔːr-/ noun [uncountable and countable]
Flash
verb
[Date: 1200-1300; Origin: Originally (of liquid) ‘to strike a surface’; from the sound]
1. SHINE [intransitive and transitive] to shine suddenly and brightly for a short time, or to make something shine in this way:
Lightning flashed overhead.
flash something into/at/towards somebody/something
Why is that guy flashing his headlights at me?
Red warning lights flashed on and off (=shone for a short time and then stopped shining).
2. PICTURES [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to be shown quickly on television, on a computer, or on a film
flash across/onto/past etc
Images of the war flashed across the screen.
3. flash through sb’s mind/head/brain if thoughts, images, memories etc flash through your mind, you suddenly think of them or remember them:
The possibility that Frank was lying flashed through my mind.
4. flash a smile/glance/look etc (at somebody) to smile or look at someone quickly and for a short time:
‘I love this city,’ he said, flashing a big smile.
5. SHOW SOMETHING QUICKLY [transitive] to show something to someone for only a short time:
He flashed his identification card.
6. NEWS/INFORMATION [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to send news or information somewhere quickly by radio, computer, or ↑satellite
flash something across/to something
Reporters at the scene flashed the news to their offices.
7. MOVE QUICKLY [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to move very quickly
flash by/past/through
A meteor flashed through the sky.
8. EYES [intransitive] literary if your eyes flash, they look very bright for a moment, especially because of a sudden emotion
flash with
Janet’s blue eyes flashed with anger.
9. SEX ORGANS [intransitive and transitive] if a man flashes, or if he flashes someone, he shows his sexual organs in public ⇨ flasher
10. sb’s life flashes before their eyes if someone’s life flashes before their eyes, they suddenly remember many events from their life because they are in great danger and might die
11. TIME PASSING QUICKLY [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] if a period of time or an event flashes by or flashes past, it seems to end very quickly
flash by/past
Our vacation seemed to just flash by.
flash something ↔ around phrasal verb
to use or show something in a way that will make people notice you and think you have a lot of money:
He’s always flashing his money around.
flash back phrasal verb
to suddenly think about or show something that happened in the past, especially in a film, book etc
flash back to
From here the movie flashes back to Billy’s first meeting with Schultz.
⇨ ↑flashback
flash forward phrasal verb
if a film, book etc flashes forward, it shows what happens in the future
flash forward to
The movie then flashes forward to their daughter’s fifth birthday.
II. flash2 BrE AmE noun
1. LIGHT [countable] a bright light that shines for a short time and then stops shining:
Two flashes mean danger.
flash of
A flash of lightning lit up the night sky.
brilliant/blinding flash
a brilliant flash of light
2. CAMERA [uncountable and countable] a special bright light used when taking photographs indoors or when there is not much light:
Did the flash go off?
3. in/like a flash (also quick as a flash) very quickly:
Just wait here. I’ll be back in a flash.
4. flash of inspiration/brilliance/insight/anger etc if someone has a flash of ↑brilliance, anger etc, they suddenly have a clever idea or a particular feeling
5. a flash in the pan a sudden success that ends quickly and is unlikely to happen again:
Beene’s new novel proves he isn’t just a flash in the pan.
6. BRIGHT COLOUR/SOMETHING SHINY [countable] if there is a flash of something brightly coloured or shiny, it appears suddenly for a short time
flash of
The bird vanished in a flash of blue.
7. COMPUTER [uncountable] trademark a system of instructions for a computer that is used especially to make pictures on a website appear to move:
Flash animation
8. LOOK [countable] British English a quick look – used humorously SYN glimpse
9. MILITARY [countable] British English a small piece of coloured cloth worn on the shoulder of a military uniform
⇨ ↑newsflash
III. flash3 BrE AmE adjective
1. flash flood/fire a flood or fire that happens very quickly or suddenly, and continues for only a short time
2. British English informal looking very new, bright, and expensive – used to show disapproval:
a big flash car
3. British English informal liking to have expensive clothes and possessions so that other people notice you – used to show disapproval:
Chris didn’t want to seem flash in front of his mates.
Red tape
official rules that seem unnecessary and prevent things from being done quickly and easily ⇨ bureaucracy:
a procedure surrounded by bureaucracy and red tape
The new rules should help cut the red tape for farmers
Spearhead
/ˈspɪəhed $ ˈspɪr-/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
to lead an attack or organized action:
the troops who spearheaded the rescue mission
II. spearhead2 BrE AmE noun [countable usually singular]
a person or group of people who lead an attack or organized action
spearhead of
The group became the spearhead of the labor union movement.
Affable
friendly and easy to talk to SYN pleasant:
an affable guy
—affably adverb
—affability /ˌæfəˈbɪləti, ˌæfəˈbɪlɪti/ noun [uncountable
Aggravate
- to make a bad situation, an illness, or an injury worse OPP improve:
Their money problems were further aggravated by a rise in interest rates.
Building the new road will only aggravate the situation. - to make someone angry or annoyed SYN irritate:
What really aggravates me is the way she won’t listen.
—aggravating adjective
—aggravatingly adverb
—aggravation /ˌæɡrəˈveɪʃən/ noun [uncountable and countable]
Aggregate
- [countable] the total after a lot of different figures or points have been added together
aggregate of
The smaller minorities got an aggregate of 1,327 votes.
In the aggregate (=as a group or in total), women outlive men by 7 or more years.
on aggregate British English (=when the points from two football games are added together)
Manchester United won 2–1 on aggregate. - [singular, uncountable] technical sand or small stones that are used in making ↑concrete
II. aggregate2 AC BrE AmE adjective [only before noun] technical
[Word Family: verb: ↑aggregate; noun: ↑aggregate; adjective: ↑aggregate]
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: Latin; Origin: past participle of aggregare ‘to add to’, from ad- ‘to’ + grex ‘group of animals’]
being the total amount of something after all the figures or points have been added together:
an increase in the aggregate production
III. ag‧gre‧gate3 AC /ˈæɡrɪɡeɪt/ BrE AmE verb formal
[Word Family: verb: ↑aggregate; noun: ↑aggregate; adjective: ↑aggregate] - [linking verb] to be a particular amount when added together:
Sheila’s earnings from all sources aggregated £100,000. - [intransitive, transitive usually passive] to put different amounts, pieces of information etc together to form a group or a total
aggregate with
A wife’s income is no longer aggregated with that of her husband.
—aggregation /ˌæɡrɪˈɡeɪʃən/ noun [uncountable
Agony aunt
a shoulder to cry on
سنگ صبور
Airsick
feeling sick because of the movement of a plane
—airsickness noun [uncountable
Airstrip
a long narrow piece of land that planes can fly from or land on syn:landstrip
Airway
- the passage in your throat that you breathe through
- an area of the sky that is regularly used by planes
Alias
/ˈeɪliəs/
used when giving someone’s real name, especially an actor’s or a criminal’s name, together with another name they use: اسم مستعار
‘Friends’ star Jennifer Aniston, alias Rachel Green
II. alias2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
a false name, usually used by a criminal:
a spy operating under the alias Barsad
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ first name (also given name especially American English formal) the name chosen for you by your parents: People usually call each other by their first name. | Please write your given name and your date of birth.
▪ Christian name old-fashioned first name: His Christian name was Joseph.
▪ last name/family name/surname the name that you share with your family or husband. Most English speakers would say last name. Surname sounds slightly formal: Can I have your last name? | Johnson is a common English family name. | At school they used to call each other by their surnames.
▪ middle name the name between your first and last names: Harry Potter’s middle name is James.
▪ full name your first name, middle name, and last name: I need your full name and address.
▪ maiden name a woman’s family name before she married and began using her husband’s name: My mother’s maiden name was Higgins.
▪ married name a woman’s family name after she gets married, if she uses her husband’s name: I don’t know what her married name is.
▪ nickname a name that people call you because of your appearance, personality etc, which is not your real name: At school he was given the nickname ‘Shorty’.
▪ stage name the name that an actor uses which is not their real name: She began acting in her childhood under the stage name Marjorie Moore.
▪ pen name (also pseudonym formal) a name that a writer uses which is not their real name: Mark Twain was his pen name. His real name was Samuel Clemens. | She wrote under the pseudonym of George Eliot.
▪ under an assumed name using a false name in order to hide your real name: He had rented the car under an assumed name.
▪ alias /ˈeɪliəs/ a false name, especially one used by a criminal: He uses a number of aliases.
▪ appellation formal a name which describes something – a very formal use: This fine city justifies its appellation ‘the Pearl of the Orient’.
▪ sobriquet formal a nickname – a very formal use: Jackson gained the sobriquet ‘Stonewall’ at the Battle of Bull Run
Alight
- burning:
The car was set alight and pushed over a hill.
REGISTER
Alight is mostly used in journalism or in literature. In everyday English, people usually say on fire:
▪ The car had been deliberately set on fire. - literary someone whose face or eyes are alight looks excited, happy, etc
alight with excitement/pleasure/laughter etc
Jed’s face was alight with excitement. - literary bright with light or colour
II. alight2 BrE AmE verb [intransitive] formal
[Language: Old English; Origin: alihtan, from lihtan ‘to alight’] - if a bird or insect alights on something, it stops flying and stands on it SYN land
- to step out of a vehicle after a journey
alight from
She alighted from the train at 74th Street.
alight on/upon something phrasal verb formal
to suddenly think of or notice something or someone:
His mind alighted on several possible answers.
Alimony
نفقه
All dolled up
بزك دزوك كردن
all dolled up and no where to go
Allegiance
loyalty to a leader, country, belief etc
allegiance to
You owe allegiance (=have a duty to give allegiance) to your king.
swear/pledge allegiance
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.
an oath of allegiance
switch/transfer allegiance (=start to support a different person, group etc)
The people here have strong political allegiances
Altercation
formal a short noisy argument:
They became involved in an altercation.
• • •
Amass
əˈmæs
if you amass money, knowledge, information etc, you gradually collect a large amount of it:
For 25 years, Darwin amassed evidence to support his theories.
He amassed a fortune after the war.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ collect to get things of the same type from different places and bring them together: She collects stamps (=as a hobby). | They have collected 650 signatures for their petition.
▪ gather to collect information from different places, or to collect crops, flowers, wood etc, especially from the ground: Computers make it easier to gather information. | The men gathered firewood.
▪ assemble formal to collect something such as information in an organized way: When all the evidence is assembled, we will write our report.
▪ build up to gradually collect more things of the same type over time: He has built up one of the country’s finest collections of art.
▪ accumulate to gradually get more and more of something such as money, possessions, or knowledge, over time. Accumulate is more formal than build up: He is driven by the desire to accumulate wealth.
▪ amass to collect a large amount of something such as money, information, or knowledge, over time: Carnegie amassed a fortune in the steel industry.
▪ run up a bill/debt/loss informal to allow a debt to increase quickly, especially by spending too much: He ran up huge gambling debts
An eager beaver
a person who is willing to work very hard
Anaerobic
- not needing oxygen in order to live OPP aerobic:
anaerobic bacteria - without oxygen, or happening without oxygen OPP aerobic:
anaerobic fermentation
Anagram
a word or phrase that is made by changing the order of the letters in another word or phrase:
‘Silent’ is an anagram of ‘listen’.
Anal
/ˈeɪnl/ BrE AmE adjective
1. connected with the ↑anus
2. (also anal retentive) showing too much concern with small details, especially in a way that annoys other people – used to show disapproval:
Don’t be so anal
Aniseed
رازيانه
Annex
/əˈneks
to take control of a country or area next to your own, especially by using force:
The Baltic republics were annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940.
—annexation /ˌænekˈseɪʃən/ noun [uncountable and countable
Anticipate
- to expect that something will happen and be ready for it:
Sales are better than anticipated.
anticipate changes/developments
The schedule isn’t final, but we don’t anticipate many changes.
anticipate problems/difficulties
We don’t anticipate any problems.
A good speaker is able to anticipate an audience’s needs and concerns.
anticipate (that)
This year, we anticipate that our expenses will be 15% greater.
It is anticipated that the research will have many different practical applications.
anticipate doing something
I didn’t anticipate having to do the cooking myself! - to think about something that is going to happen, especially something pleasant SYN look forward to:
Daniel was eagerly anticipating her arrival. - to do something before someone else:
Copernicus anticipated in part the discoveries of the 17th and 18th centuries.
—anticipatory /ænˌtɪsəˈpeɪtəri, ænˌtɪsɪˈpeɪtəri $ ænˈtɪsəpətɔːri/ adjective formal:
the anticipatory atmosphere of a big college football game
adjective
happening, performed, or felt in anticipation of something.
“an anticipatory flash of excitement”
LAW
(of a breach of contract) taking the form of an announcement or indication that a contract will not be honoured.
Anticipate
- to expect that something will happen and be ready for it:
Sales are better than anticipated.
anticipate changes/developments
The schedule isn’t final, but we don’t anticipate many changes.
anticipate problems/difficulties
We don’t anticipate any problems.
A good speaker is able to anticipate an audience’s needs and concerns.
anticipate (that)
This year, we anticipate that our expenses will be 15% greater.
It is anticipated that the research will have many different practical applications.
anticipate doing something
I didn’t anticipate having to do the cooking myself! - to think about something that is going to happen, especially something pleasant SYN look forward to:
Daniel was eagerly anticipating her arrival. - to do something before someone else:
Copernicus anticipated in part the discoveries of the 17th and 18th centuries.
—anticipatory /ænˌtɪsəˈpeɪtəri, ænˌtɪsɪˈpeɪtəri $ ænˈtɪsəpətɔːri/ adjective formal:
the anticipatory atmosphere of a big college football game
adjective
happening, performed, or felt in anticipation of something.
“an anticipatory flash of excitement”
LAW
(of a breach of contract) taking the form of an announcement or indication that a contract will not be honoured.
Apart from
except
Fesenjoon leftovers are awsome apart from Ghormesabzi leftovers
Apartheid
əˈpɑːtaɪt, -teɪt, -taɪd $ -ɑːr-/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[Date: 1900-2000; Language: Afrikaans; Origin: ‘separateness’]
the former political and social system in South Africa, in which only white people had full political rights and people of other races, especially black people, were forced to go to separate schools, live in separate areas
Aperture
- formal a small hole or space in something
the windows have small aperture and therefore it does not optimise the lighting. - the small hole at the front of a camera, which can be made larger or smaller to let more or less light in when you take a photograph
Appalling
- very unpleasant and shocking SYN terrible:
She suffered appalling injuries.
He was kept in appalling conditions in prison.
an appalling famine - very bad SYN atrocious:
The weather was absolutely appalling.
—appallingly adverb:
He behaved appallingly.
an appallingly difficult job
Appendix
- (plural appendixes) a small organ near your ↑bowel, which has little or no use:
Christine had to go into hospital to have her appendix out (=have it removed). - (plural appendices /-dəsiːz, -dɪsiːz/) a part at the end of a book containing additional information:
See Appendix 2.6.
Apple core
اون چيزي كه از سيب ميمونه وقتي ميخوريش
Appoint
- to choose someone for a position or a job:
officials appointed by the government
appoint somebody to something
He’s been appointed to the State Supreme Court.
appoint somebody to do something
A committee was appointed to consider the plans.
appoint (somebody) as something
O’Connell was appointed as chairman. - formal to arrange or decide a time or place for something to happen:
The committee appointed a day in June for celebrations.
Everyone assembled in the hall at the appointed time (=at the time that had been arranged).
—appointee /əˌpɔɪnˈtiː, ˌæpɔɪn-/ noun [countable]:
a presidential appointee
ˌwell-apˈpointed BrE AmE adjective formal
a well-appointed room, house, or hotel has attractive furniture and all the equipment that you need:
He showed me to a large, well-appointed room
ˌself-apˈpointed BrE AmE adjective
giving yourself a responsibility, job, position etc without the agreement of other people, especially those you claim to represent – used to show disapproval
The newspaper has become the self-appointed guardian of public morals
Appreciate
- [transitive not in progressive] to understand how serious or important a situation or problem is or what someone’s feelings are SYN realize
appreciate the significance/importance/value of something
He did not fully appreciate the significance of signing the contract.
appreciate that
We appreciate that caring for children is an important job.
appreciate what/how/why
It is difficult to appreciate how bad the situation had become. - [transitive] used to thank someone in a polite way or to say that you are grateful for something they have done:
Thanks ever so much for your help, I really appreciate it.
I appreciate your concern, but honestly, I’m fine.
I’d appreciate it if you let me get on with my job. - [transitive] to understand how good or useful someone or something is:
Her abilities are not fully appreciated by her employer.
I’m not an expert, but I appreciate fine works of art. - [intransitive] technical to gradually become more valuable over a period of time OPP depreciate:
Most investments are expected to appreciate at a steady rate
Apprehend
- formal if the police apprehend a criminal, they catch him or her SYN arrest:
The police have failed to apprehend the culprits. - old-fashioned to understand something:
They were slow to apprehend the danger.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ catch to stop someone who is trying to escape, especially by running after them and then holding them: He raced after her, but he couldn’t catch her. | The police caught the bank robbers after a car chase through the city.
▪ arrest if the police arrest someone, they take him or her to a police station because they think that person has done something illegal: Wayne was arrested for dangerous driving. | The police arrested him and charged him with murder.
▪ apprehend formal if the police apprehend someone they think has done something illegal, they catch him or her: The two men were later apprehended after they robbed another store. | The killers were never apprehended. | All of the kidnappers were apprehended and convicted.
▪ capture to catch an enemy or a criminal in order to keep them as a prisoner: The French king was captured by the English at the battle of Poitiers in 1356. | The gunmen were finally captured after a shoot-out with the police.
▪ take somebody prisoner to catch someone, especially in a war, in order to keep them as a prisoner: 350 soldiers were killed and another 300 taken prisoner. | Ellison was taken prisoner by the Germans during the retreat to Dunkirk.
▪ trap to make someone go to a place from which they cannot escape, especially by using your skill and intelligence: Police trapped the man inside a bar on the city’s southside.
▪ corner to force someone into a place from which they cannot escape: He was cornered outside the school by three gang members
Apprehensive
worried or nervous about something that you are going to do, or about the future
apprehensive about/of
We’d been a little apprehensive about their visit.
apprehensive that
I was apprehensive that something would go wrong.
Some had apprehensive looks on their faces.
—apprehensively adverb:
‘What’s wrong?’ I asked apprehensively
Approachable
friendly and easy to talk to OPP unapproachable:
The head teacher is very approachable.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ friendly behaving towards someone in a way that shows you like them and are ready to talk to them or help them: a friendly smile | The local people are very friendly.
▪ warm [usually before noun] friendly and caring about other people, in a way that makes people like you and feel comfortable: He was such a warm caring person and everyone loved him. | We received a very warm welcome.
▪ nice especially spoken friendly and kind: Chris is a nice guy. I’m sure you’ll get on with him. | He wasn’t very nice to the other children.
▪ amiable /ˈeɪmiəbəl/ formal friendly and easy to like: Tom was an amiable young man.
▪ welcoming friendly to someone who has just arrived somewhere: a welcoming smile | The group are very welcoming to new members.
▪ hospitable friendly and eager to make visitors comfortable: I found Japanese people to be very hospitable.
▪ genial formal behaving in a cheerful and friendly way: a genial host | She was in a genial mood.
▪ cordial formal friendly and polite but formal: The two nations have always maintained cordial relations.
▪ approachable friendly and easy to talk to – used especially about people in important positions: The head teacher is very approachable.
Apricot
- [countable] a small round fruit that is orange or yellow and has a single large seed زرد آلو
- [uncountable] the orange-yellow colour of an apricot
—apricot adjective
Apron
- a piece of clothing that covers the front part of your clothes and is tied around your waist, worn to keep your clothes clean, especially while cooking
- apron strings informal the relationship between a child and its mother, especially if the mother controls an adult son or daughter too much: don’t mistake It with sb’s clutch
You’re 25 years old, and you still haven’t cut the apron strings.
Jeff is still tied to his mother’s apron strings. - technical the hard surface in an airport on which planes are turned around, loaded, unloaded etc
- technical (also apron stage) the part of the stage in a theatre that is in front of the curtain
Arbitrary
decided or arranged without any reason or plan, often unfairly:
an arbitrary decision
the arbitrary arrests of political opponents
—arbitrariness noun [uncountable]
—arbitrarily /ˈɑːbətrərəli, ˈɑːbɪtrərəli $ ˌɑːrbəˈtrerəli/ adverb:
an arbitrarily chosen number
Arcane
secret and known or understood by only a few people:
the arcane language of the law
don’t mistake it with apron and axiom
Architrave
/ˈɑːkɪtreɪv/
noun
1.
(in classical architecture) a main beam resting across the tops of columns, specifically the lower third entablature.
“the architrave includes a Greek key design and other symbols”
2.
the moulded frame round a doorway or window.
“sash windows and decorative architraves contribute to the charm of the house”
Are we still on for tonight
are we still going ahead with the plan?
برنامه امشب سرجاشه
طبق برنامه قراره پيش بريم
are you coffeeable on friday
are available for coffee on Friday
are you for dine-in or take out?
ميخواي غذاتو تو رستوران بخوري يا ميبري؟
are you having me on?
منو سركار گذاشتي
are you in for me to pop over?
خونه اي كه من بيام بهت سر بزنم
are you traveling on business?
واسه كار سفر ميكني
are you tripping?
توهم زدي؟
as keen as mustard
very excited and enthusiastic
kids are always as keen as mustard to learn new things around them
As per usual
طبق معمول
you are late as per usual
as thick as two short planks
INFORMAL•BRITISH
very stupid.
“that school is where you are sent if you are as thick as two short planks but sporty”
Ask for the moon
to ask for too much
[example: there is no point hoping for a permanent peace in this area. it’s like asking for a moon]
Aspirant
/əˈspaɪərənt, ˈæspərənt $ əˈspaɪr-, ˈæsp-/ BrE AmE noun [countable] formal
someone who hopes to get a position of importance or honour
كانديدا
Assay
to test a substance, especially a metal, to see how pure it is or what it is made of
—assay /əˈseɪ, ˈæseɪ $ ˈæseɪ, æˈseɪ/ noun [countable
Assemble
- [intransitive and transitive] if you assemble a large number of people or things, or if they assemble, they are gathered together in one place, often for a particular purpose:
A large crowd had assembled outside the American embassy.
He looked around at the assembled company (=all the people who had come there).
She had assembled a collection of her favourite songs. - [transitive] to put all the parts of something together:
The aircraft will continue to be assembled in France.
Assembly
- [countable] a group of people who are elected to make decisions or laws for a particular country, area, or organization:
the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
the speaker of the California state assembly - [uncountable and countable] the meeting together of a group of people for a particular purpose
assembly of
an assembly of reporters
Police have imposed conditions on public assemblies.
Restrictions on freedom of assembly have gradually been relaxed.
an assembly point (=a place where people go in a particular situation) - [uncountable and countable] a regular meeting of all the teachers and students of a school
- [uncountable] the process of putting the parts of something together:
instructions for assembly
Assert
/əˈsɜːt $ -ɜːrt/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[Date: 1600-1700; Language: Latin; Origin: past participle of asserere, from ad- ‘to’ + serere ‘to join’]
1. to state firmly that something is true:
French cooking, she asserted, is the best in the world.
assert that
He asserted that nuclear power was a safe and non-polluting energy source.
2. assert your rights/independence/superiority etc to state very strongly your right to something:
Native Americans asserting their rights to ancestral land
3. assert yourself to behave in a determined way and say clearly what you think:
Women began to assert themselves politically.
4. assert itself if an idea or belief asserts itself, it begins to influence something:
National pride began to assert itself.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ claim to say that something is true, even though it has not been proved: He claims that he didn’t see anything. | She claims to be a descendant of Charles Dickens.
▪ allege to claim that someone did something wrong or illegal, although you do not give any proof: It is alleged that he murdered his wife. | Patients allege that the two firms failed to warn doctors about the dangers of taking the drugs over a long period.
▪ maintain to repeatedly say that something is true, especially when other people do not believe you: He continued to maintain his innocence, even after he was sent to prison. | My mother always maintains that I learned to talk at six months.
▪ insist to say very firmly that something is true: She insists that Tom was there, although he denies it. | Turkey insists that there is more than enough water in the two rivers for all three countries.
▪ assert formal to state that something is true – used especially in formal writing when reporting someone’s opinion: They assert that children work better on their own. | The Environment Minister asserted that one third of the country’s cities had major pollution problems.
▪ contend formal to claim that something is true, especially when other people disagree with you: Lawyers contend that his back problems were due to an existing injury, not the accident. | It is possible, as Kennedy contends, that her medical condition is caused by her work
Assertive
behaving in a confident way, so that people notice you
—assertively adverb
—assertiveness noun [uncountable]:
assertiveness training
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ confident sure that you have the ability to do something well or deal with situations successfully: She seemed confident that she would pass. | his calm and confident manner | George was very confident about his abilities as a writer. | Baldwin is confident of victory in this year’s senate race.
▪ self-confident/self-assured confident, and not shy or nervous in social situations: Jess was only 12, but she was very self-confident. | He was very self-assured and spoke without notes. | I eventually became more self-confident as a public speaker. | supremely self-confident: She was supremely self-confident, with the gift of being able to talk on any subject whenever the camera was rolling.
▪ self-possessed adjective confident, calm, and in control of your feelings even in a difficult situation
▪ assertive confident enough to say what you think and want, so that people take notice of you: The course helps women learn how to be more assertive in the workplace.
▪ sure of yourself confident that you are right, even when other people do not agree with you: He sounded so sure of himself that I didn’t bother to argue. | Jenny was younger than her sister but seemed much more sure of herself.
▪ extrovert noun [countable] someone who behaves in a confident way in social situations and likes talking and being with other people: Most actors are natural extroverts. | Jan says her twin babies are completely different: Kelly is a real extrovert while Jessie is quiet and thoughtful. | He’s a total extrovert who will talk to any stranger
Assorted
of various different types:
paintbrushes in assorted sizes
assorted vegetables
Assume
- to think that something is true, although you do not have definite proof SYN presume
assume (that)
I didn’t see your car, so I assumed you’d gone out.
it is/seems reasonable to assume (that)
It seems reasonable to assume that the book was written around 70 AD.
I think we can safely assume (=it is almost certain) that interest rates will go up again soon.
let us/let’s assume (that) (=used when thinking about a possible event or situation and its possible results)
Let us assume for a moment that we could indeed fire her. Should we?
When it got to midnight and Paul was still not back, I began to assume the worst (=think that the worst possible thing had happened). - assume control/responsibility etc formal to start to have control, responsibility etc or to start in a particular position or job:
Whoever they appoint will assume responsibility for all financial matters.
He assumed power in a bloody coup in 1990.
Jim Paton will assume the role of managing director. - assume a manner/air/expression etc formal to behave in a way that does not show how you really feel, especially in order to seem more confident, happy etc than you are SYN put on:
Andy assumed an air of indifference whenever her name was mentioned. - to start to have a particular quality or appearance SYN take on:
These relationships assume great importance in times of crisis.
The problem is beginning to assume massive proportions. - to be based on the idea that something else is correct SYN presuppose
assume (that)
The theory assumes that both labour and capital are mobile.
Coen’s economic forecast assumes a 3.5% growth rate.
⇨ ↑assuming
Astride
/əˈstraɪd/ BrE AmE adverb, preposition
- with one leg on each side of something:
a photograph of my mother sitting astride a horse - on both sides of a river, road etc:
The ancient town of Bridgwater, astride the River Parrett, is an ideal touring centre.
don’t mistake it with astray
Astringent
- an astringent liquid is able to make your skin less oily or stop a wound from bleeding
- criticizing someone very severely:
astringent remarks - having a sharp acid taste
—astringency noun [uncountable]
II. astringent2 BrE AmE noun [uncountable and countable] technical
a liquid used to make your skin less oily or to stop a wound from bleeding
At a cross roads
at a point when you have to make an important decision
At large
تحت تعقيب
ten dead and suspect at large
At one with nature
absorb oneself in the natural things in life
[example: travelled company that offered eco-tourism, provides opportunities to be at one with nature.]
Attain
- to succeed in achieving something after trying for a long time:
More women are attaining positions of power. - to reach a particular level, age, size etc:
Share prices attained a high of $3.27.
After a year she had attained her ideal weight.
—attainable adjective:
This target should be attainable.
Attenuate
əˈtenjueɪt/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
formal to make something weaker or less:
an attenuated form of the polio virus
Attrition
- the process of gradually destroying your enemy or making them weak by attacking them continuously:
a war of attrition - especially American English when people leave a company or course of study and are not replaced:
Staff reductions could be achieved through attrition and early retirements
Augment
[v] (transitive) To increase; to make larger or supplement.
Auspices
under the auspices of somebody/something formal with the help and support of a particular organization or person:
negotiations held under the auspices of the United Nations
Avail
/əˈveɪl/ BrE AmE noun
to/of no avail if something you do is to no avail or of no avail, you do not succeed in getting what you want:
We searched the whole area but all to no avail. Robbie had disappeared.
II. avail2 BrE AmE verb
[Date: 1200-1300; Origin: vail ‘to be of use’ (13-17 centuries), from Old French valoir]
avail yourself of something formal to accept an offer or use an opportunity to do something:
How many schools avail themselves of this opportunity each year?
We strongly recommend that you avail travel insurance for the entire journey
Aversion
[n] An object of dislike or repugnance.
Awry
/əˈraɪ/ BrE AmE adjective
[Date: 1300-1400; Origin: on + wry]
1. go awry if something goes awry, it does not happen in the way that was planned:
My carefully laid plans had already gone awry.
2. not in the correct position:
He rushed out, hat awry
Axiom
formal a rule or principle that is generally considered to be true
don’t mistake it with arcane
Baby of cow
calf
don’t mistake it with lamb
baby of fly
Maggot
Baby of goat
Kid
Baby of pig
Piglet
Baby of sheep
Lamb
Baby of tiger
Cub
Back to the salt mines
back to sth that you don’t want to do syn: get back in the saddle
[example: well, it’s Monday morning,back to the salt mines]
Backfire
- if a plan or action backfires, it has the opposite effect to the one you intended: syn:boomerang don’t mistake it with be hoist with/by your own petard
The company’s new policy backfired when a number of employees threatened to quit. - if a car backfires, it makes a sudden loud noise because the engine is not working correctly
backhanded compliment
از اون تعريف هايي كه نميدوني تعريف كرده يا مسخره كرده
your hair style makes your nose looks smaller
Bail
- [uncountable] money left with a court of law to make sure that a prisoner will return when their ↑trial starts:
Carpenter is free on bail while he appeals his conviction.
She was murdered by a man who was out on bail for rape.
The three men were released on bail pending an appeal.
He is not likely to be granted bail.
Carter has been refused bail and will remain in custody.
The judge ordered that Jones be held without bail.
Why can’t you ask your father to put up bail for you?
Two of the defendants jumped bail and fled to New York.
Bail was set at $30,000. - [countable usually plural] one of the two small pieces of wood laid on top of the ↑stumps in a game of ↑cricket
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ be released/freed on bail (=be allowed to stay out of prison if you pay or agree to do something) The men were questioned yesterday before being released on bail.
▪ be granted/given bail Magistrates adjourned the case until June 9 and Smith was granted bail.
▪ get bail His wife says he hopes to get bail.
▪ be refused bail Relatively few defendants are refused bail.
▪ be held without bail He was being held without bail pending another hearing.
▪ set bail (=say how much someone must pay to be allowed to stay out of prison) Judge Philip Moscone set bail at $2 million.
▪ post bail (also put up bail) (=pay an amount of money to be allowed to stay out of prison) He had to post bail of US$100,000 before he could fly home to Canada.
▪ jump bail (also skip bail British English) (=not return for your trial as you promised) He jumped bail and fled the country three days before he was to be sentenced.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + bail
▪ police bail (=when the police free someone before deciding whether to charge them with a crime) She was released on police bail.
▪ conditional/unconditional bail (=when there are conditions/no conditions attached to someone being allowed to go free) Both men were given unconditional bail and they left court without comment.
II. bail2 BrE AmE verb
[Sense 1-2, 4-6: Date: 1600-1700; Origin: bail ‘container for liquids’ (15-19 centuries), from Old French baille, from Medieval Latin bajula, from Latin bajulus ( ⇨ ↑bail1); bail out ]
[Sense 3: Origin: ⇨ ↑bail1] - (also bail out American English bale out British English) [intransitive] informal to escape from a situation that you do not want to be in any more:
After ten years in the business, McArthur is baling out. - [transitive usually passive] British English if someone is bailed, they are let out of prison to wait for their ↑trial after they have left a sum of money with the court:
Dakers was bailed to appear at Durham Crown Court.
bail out phrasal verb - bail somebody/something ↔ out (also bale somebody/something ↔ out British English) to do something to help someone out of trouble, especially financial problems:
Some local businesses have offered to bail out the museum.
Sutton bailed his team out with a goal in the last minute. - bail somebody ↔ out to leave a large sum of money with a court so that someone can be let out of prison while waiting for their ↑trial:
Clarke’s family paid £500 to bail him out. - American English to escape from a plane, using a ↑parachute SYN bale out British English
- bail something ↔ out (also bale something ↔ out British English) to remove water that has come into a boat
ballpark figure
عدد تخميني
Balustrade
a row of wooden, stone, or metal posts that stop someone falling from a bridge or ↑balcony
Banal
bəˈnɑːl, bəˈnæl/ BrE AmE
ordinary and not interesting, because of a lack of new or different ideas SYN trivial:
conversations about the most banal subjects
—banality /bəˈnæləti, bəˈnælɪti/ noun [uncountable and countable]
Band-aid
- trademark especially American English a piece of thin material that is stuck to the skin to cover cuts and other small wounds SYN plaster British English
- a Band-Aid solution to a problem is temporary and will not solve the problem – used to show disapproval:
This idea is criticized by some as a Band-Aid solution
Bandwidth
1.
ELECTRONICS
a range of frequencies within a given band, in particular that used for transmitting a signal.
2.
the energy or mental capacity required to deal with a situation.
“he lives alone, and says he doesn’t have the bandwidth to handle a steady relationship
Bang
- [countable] a sudden loud noise caused by something such as a gun or an object hitting a hard surface:
There was a loud bang outside the kitchen door. - [countable] a painful blow to the body when you hit against something or something hits you SYN bump:
a bang on the head - bangs [plural] American English hair cut straight across your forehead SYN fringe British English
- with a bang in a very successful way:
Stock markets started the year with a bang. - (get) a bigger/better etc bang for your buck informal something that gives you a good effect or a lot of value for the effort or money you spend on it:
Are taxpayers getting enough bang for their buck? - get a bang out of something American English spoken to enjoy something very much
⇨ ↑big bang theory
II. bang2 S3 BrE AmE verb
[Date: 1500-1600; Origin: Probably from a Scandinavian language] - [intransitive and transitive] to hit something hard, making a loud noise
bang on
Stop banging on the door!
bang your fist/hand on something
She banged her fist on the table.
The baby kept banging the table with his spoon. - [transitive] to put something down or against something with a lot of force, making a loud noise
bang something down
She banged the phone down.
bang something on/against something
He banged a teapot on the table. - [intransitive always + adverb/preposition, transitive] to close something violently, making a loud noise, or to be closed in this way SYN slam:
I ran out, banging the door behind me.
The window banged shut. - [transitive] to hit a part of your body, or something you are carrying, against something by accident SYN bump
bang something on something
I fell and banged my head on the pavement. - [intransitive] to make a loud noise or loud noises:
The gate keeps banging in the wind. - [transitive] not polite to have sex with someone
⇨ bang the drum for somebody/something at ↑drum1(4), ⇨ bang sb’s heads together at ↑head1(32), ⇨ be (like) banging your head against a brick wall at ↑head1(31)
bang about/around phrasal verb
to move around a place, making a lot of noise:
We could hear them banging about upstairs.
bang on phrasal verb British English
informal to talk continuously about something in a boring way SYN go on
bang on about
I wish he wouldn’t keep banging on about politics.
bang something ↔ out phrasal verb informal - to play a tune or song loudly and badly on a piano
- to write something in a hurry, especially using a ↑keyboard
bang somebody/something ↔ up phrasal verb informal - British English to put someone in prison
- American English to seriously damage something:
a banged-up old Buick
III. bang3 BrE AmE adverb - informal directly or exactly:
The train arrived bang on time.
The technology is bang up to date. - bang on British English spoken exactly correct:
‘Is that right?’ ‘Bang on!’ - bang goes something British English spoken used to show that you are unhappy because something you had hoped for will not happen:
Bang goes my brilliant plan. - spoken in a sudden violent way:
I skidded and went bang into the wall. - go bang informal to explode or burst with a loud noise
• • •
banister
a row of wooden posts with a bar along the top, that stops you from falling over the edge of stairs
Bank
- PLACE FOR MONEY
a) a business that keeps and lends money and provides other financial services
in the bank
We have very little money in the bank.
Barclays Bank
a bank loan
b) a local office of a bank:
I have to go to the bank at lunch time. ⇨ ↑clearing bank, ↑merchant bank - RIVER/LAKE land along the side of a river or lake
bank of
the banks of the River Dee
the river bank - blood/sperm/organ bank a place where human blood etc is stored until someone needs it
- CLOUDS/MIST a large mass of clouds, mist etc:
a fog bank
bank of
banks of mist - RAISED AREA a large sloping mass of earth, sand, snow etc:
She was sitting on a grassy bank.
bank of
steep banks of snow
banks of flowers - MACHINES a large number of machines, television screens etc arranged close together in a row
bank of
banks of TV monitors - GAME a supply of money used to ↑gamble, that people can win ⇨ break the bank at ↑break1(24)
- be makin’ bank American English spoken informal to earn a lot of money for the work that you do:
Check out Omar’s new car. The brother must be makin’ bank. - ROAD a slope made at a bend in a road or ↑racetrack to make it safer for cars to go around
⇨ ↑bottle bank, ↑food bank, ↑memory bank
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ go to the bank I went to the bank and took out $80.
▪ borrow from a bank You may be able to borrow some money from the bank.
▪ a bank lends something The bank lent me £10,000 to help me start the business.
■ bank + NOUN
▪ a bank account How much do you have in your bank account at the moment?
▪ your bank balance (=the actual amount that you have in your bank account) I’m just going to check my bank balance online.
▪ a bank card You can withdraw money using your bank card.
▪ bank charges Will I have to pay bank charges on this account?
▪ a bank clerk (=a junior worker in a bank) He began his career as a bank clerk.
▪ a bank loan What’s the interest rate on your bank loan?
▪ a bank note (=a piece of paper money) a $10 bank note
▪ a bank statement (=a written statement of how much you have in a bank account) I get a written bank statement once a month.
▪ a bank manager Could I make an appointment with the bank manager, please?
▪ a bank robber/robbery The bank robbers were never caught.
■ types of bank
▪ a high street bank (=one of the ordinary banks that most people use) There’s a lot of competition between the major high street banks.
▪ a commercial bank (=an ordinary bank, or one that deals with large businesses) the role of UK commercial banks in the debt crisis
▪ an investment/merchant bank (=one that buys and sells stocks and shares etc) Goldman Sachs, the US investment bank
▪ a savings bank (=a bank that accepts your savings and provides mortgages)
▪ a clearing bank (=one of the banks in Britain that uses a clearing house when dealing with other banks) large commercial customers of the clearing banks
▪ a central bank (=the main financial authority in a country) The Bundesbank is the central bank of Germany.
▪ the World Bank (=an international organization providing financial help to developing countries) The road building was funded by the World Bank.
II. bank2 BrE AmE verb - MONEY
a) [transitive] to put or keep money in a bank:
Did you bank that check?
b) [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to keep your money in a particular bank
bank with
Who do you bank with?
bank at
I’ve always banked at First Interstate. - PLANE [intransitive] if a plane banks, it slopes to one side when turning:
The plane banked, and circled back toward us. - PILE/ROWS (also bank up) [transitive] British English to arrange something into a pile or into rows:
Snow was banked up on either side of the road. - CLOUD/MIST (also bank up) [transitive] to form a mass of cloud, mist etc:
Banked clouds promised rain. - FIRE (also bank up) [transitive] to cover a fire with wood or coal to keep it going for a long time:
Josie banked up the fire to last till morning.
bank on somebody/something phrasal verb
to depend on something happening or someone doing something SYN count on
bank on (somebody) doing something
I was banking on being able to get some coffee on the train
Banter
friendly conversation in which people make a lot of jokes with, and amusing remarks about, each other
Baptize
- to perform the ceremony of baptism on someone ⇨ christen
- to accept someone as a member of a particular Christian church by a ceremony of baptism:
He was baptized a Roman Catholic. - to give a child a name in a baptism ceremony:
She was baptized Jane
[v] (archaic, slang) Of rum, brandy, or any other spirits, to dilute with water
Barberries
زرشك
Barrel
- a large curved container with a flat top and bottom, made of wood or metal, and used for storing beer, wine etc:
The wine is aged in oak barrels.
barrel of
barrels of beer - a unit of measurement for oil, equal to 159 litres
barrel of
two million barrels of oil - the part of a gun that the bullets are fired through
- have somebody over a barrel to put someone in a situation in which they are forced to accept or do what you want:
The manager has us over a barrel – either we work on a Saturday or we lose our jobs. - be a barrel of laughs [often in negatives] to be very enjoyable:
Life is not exactly a barrel of laughs at the moment.
⇨ ↑pork barrel, ⇨ scrape (the bottom of) the barrel at ↑scrape1(5), ⇨ lock, stock, and barrel at ↑lock2(3)
II. barrel2 BrE AmE verb [intransitive] American English informal
to move very fast, especially in an uncontrolled way:
A vehicle barreled out of a shopping center and crashed into the side of my car.
Bashful
shy and easily embarrassed
[example: he was too bashful to talk about sex]
Bat
- a small animal like a mouse with wings that flies around at night ⇨ ↑fruit bat
- a) a long wooden stick with a special shape that is used in some sports and games:
a baseball bat
a cricket bat
b) British English a round flat piece of wood with a handle, used to hit a ball in ↑table tennis SYN paddle American English - be at bat to be the person who is trying to hit the ball in a game of ↑baseball
- do something off your own bat British English informal to do something without being told to do it:
She went to see a solicitor off her own bat. - do something right off the bat American English informal to do something immediately:
He said yes right off the bat. - like a bat out of hell informal very fast:
I drove like a bat out of hell to the hospital. - old bat spoken an unpleasant old woman
⇨ as blind as a bat at ↑blind1(1c)
II. bat2 BrE AmE verb (past tense and past participle batted, present participle batting)
[Sense 1, 4-5: Date: 1400-1500; Origin: ⇨ ↑bat1(2)]
[Sense 2-3: Date: 1800-1900; Origin: Probably from bate ‘to beat the wings’ (13-20 centuries), from Old French batre ‘to hit’] - [intransitive and transitive] to hit the ball with a bat in ↑cricket or ↑baseball
- not bat an eye/eyelid informal to not seem to be shocked, surprised, or embarrassed: به روي خودت نياوردن
They started talking about sex, but she didn’t bat an eyelid. - bat your eyes/eyelashes if a woman bats her eyes, she opens and closes them several times quickly, in order to look attractive to men
- go to bat for somebody American English informal to help and support someone
- be batting a thousand American English informal to be very successful:
She’s been batting a thousand since she got that job.
bat something ↔ around phrasal verb informal
to discuss various ideas or suggestions
Be as right as rain
to feel healthy or well again
Be at your wits’ end
to be so worried, confused, or annoyed that you do not know what to do next
[example: I am at my wits’ end, I don’t know how to help him]
syn: flounder
be gone AWOL.
غيبش زده
he is gone AWOL (eivAl)
Be green around the gills
to look ill and pale
[example: some passengers look kind of green around the gills after the trip ]
Be home and hosed
to have successfully completed sth, as a project or activity
[example: I am pretty sure I did well on that last exam, so it looks like I am home and hosed for the semester]
Be in over your head
to be involved in difficult situation that you cannot get out of it
[example: he tried to pay his gambling debts, but he was in over his head]
Be on a collision course
to be involved in difficult situation that you cannot get out of it
[example: he tried to pay his gambling debts, but he was in over his head]
Be on a hiding to nothing
to be involved in difficult situation that you cannot get out of it
[example: he tried to pay his gambling debts, but he was in over his head]
Be on a roll
روي غلطك افتادن
Be on the line
at risk, in danger
Be out of the woods
to no longer be at danger or difficulty
[example: the project has been given funding for another year, but it isn’t out of the woods yet]
Be out to get someone
be determined to punish or harm someone, especially in retaliation.
“he thinks the media are out to get him
Be somewhere at the double
be there as soon as possible
Be wear and tear
a little worn out because of using syn: scuffed
my 2007 Honda is wear and tear
Beacon
- a light that is put somewhere to warn or guide people, ships, vehicles, or aircraft
- a radio or ↑radar signal used by aircraft or boats to help them find their position and direction
- especially literary a person, idea etc that guides or encourages you
beacon of
The education program offers a beacon of hope to these children. - a fire on top of a hill used in the past as a signal
Bead
- one of a set of small, usually round, pieces of glass, wood, plastic etc, that you can put on a string and wear as jewellery:
She wore a string of green glass beads around her neck. - a small drop of liquid such as water or blood:
Beads of sweat trickled down his face. - draw a bead on somebody/something to aim carefully before shooting a weapon
⇨ ↑worry beads
Embodied carbon
Embodied carbon refers to the greenhouse gas emissions arising from the manufacturing, transportation, installation, maintenance, and disposal of building materials. Embodied carbon is a significant percentage of global emissions and requires urgent action to address it
Entrust
/ɪnˈtrʌst/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
to make someone responsible for doing something important, or for taking care of someone
entrust something/somebody to somebody
She entrusted her son’s education to a private tutor.
be entrusted with something/somebody
I was entrusted with the task of looking after the money
Let’s play it by ear
ببينيم چي ميشه
INFORMAL
proceed instinctively according to results and circumstances rather than according to rules or a plan.
“we’ll just have to play it by ear until we can get something definite sorted out
Bear
- DEAL WITH SOMETHING to bravely accept or deal with a painful, difficult, or upsetting situation SYN stand:
She was afraid she wouldn’t be able to bear the pain.
Overcrowding makes prison life even harder to bear.
Make the water as hot as you can bear.
The humiliation was more than he could bear.
Black people continue to bear the brunt of most racial violence (=have to deal with the most difficult or damaging part).
Passengers could be insulting, and stewardesses just had to grin and bear it (=accept it without complaining).
Experts were worried the financial system would not be able to bear the strain.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say that they can’t stand something, rather than that they can’t bear it:
▪ I couldn’t stand the noise any longer. - can’t bear something spoken
a) to be so upset about something that you feel unable to accept it or let it happen SYN can’t stand:
Please don’t leave me. I couldn’t bear it.
can’t bear the thought of (doing) something
I just can’t bear the thought of having to start all over.
can’t bear to do something
I can’t bear to see her cry.
can’t bear doing something
I couldn’t bear not seeing him again.
b) to dislike something or someone very much, often so that they make you feel annoyed or impatient SYN can’t stand:
Oh, I really can’t bear him.
can’t bear somebody doing something
He can’t bear people smoking while he’s eating.
can’t bear doing something
I can’t bear being cold. - bear (something) in mind to remember a fact or piece of information that is important or could be useful in the future SYN keep (something) in mind
bear in mind (that)
Bear in mind that some children will need help. - ACCEPT/BE RESPONSIBLE FOR formal to be responsible for or accept something
bear the costs/burden
Each company will bear half the costs of development.
Fares have gone up, perhaps to more than the market will bear.
bear the responsibility/blame etc
Developed countries bear much of the responsibility for environmental problems. - SUPPORT to be under something and support it SYN hold:
My leg was painful, and I wasn’t sure it would bear my weight.
a tray bearing a bottle and several glasses
a load-bearing wall - SIGN/MARK formal to have or show a sign, mark, or particular appearance, especially when this shows that something has happened or is true SYN have:
The letter bore no signature.
a car bearing diplomatic license plates
The labels bear a yellow and black symbol.
The town still bears the scars of the bombings during the war.
The store bears the hallmarks (=it has the qualities) of a family-owned business. - bear a resemblance/relation to somebody/something to be similar to someone or something else:
The child bore a striking resemblance to his father.
The things she says bear little relation to what she actually does. - BABY formal to give birth to a baby:
She might never be able to bear children.
bear somebody a child/son/daughter
She bore him three sons. - bear fruit
a) if a plan, decision etc bears fruit, it is successful, especially after a long period of time:
Charles’s diplomacy eventually bore fruit.
b) if a tree bears fruit, it produces fruit - ABLE TO BE EXAMINED/COMPARED ETC [often in negatives] to be suitable or good enough to be examined, compared, repeated etc without failing or being wrong: ارزش… كردن را دارد
The production figures did not bear scrutiny.
We believe our pupils’ results will bear comparison with any in Scotland.
The story is well known, but it certainly bears repeating. - something doesn’t bear thinking about used to say that something is so upsetting or shocking that you prefer not to think about it:
The long-term consequences of a nuclear leak don’t bear thinking about. - bear interest if a bank account, ↑investment etc bears interest, the bank pays you a particular amount of money for keeping your money in the account
- CARRY literary to carry someone or something, especially something important:
The wedding guests arrived, bearing gifts.
The US Constitution states that the people have a right to bear arms. - bring pressure/influence to bear (on somebody/something) to use your influence or power to get what you want:
Unions can bring pressure to bear on governments. - bear witness/testimony to something formal to show that something is true or exists:
The empty workshops bear witness to the industrial past. - HAVE FEELINGS formal to have a particular feeling, especially a bad feeling
bear (somebody) a grudge (=continue to feel annoyed after a long time)
It was an accident. I don’t bear any grudges.
bear somebody no malice/ill will etc (=not feel angry)
He was just doing his job, and I bore him no malice. - bear right/left to turn towards the right or left:
When you reach the fork in the trail, bear left. - bear yourself formal to walk, stand etc in a particular way, especially when this shows your character: syn: conduct yourself
She bore herself with great dignity. - WIND/WATER literary if wind, water, or air bears something, it carries it somewhere:
The sound of music was borne along on the wind. - NAME/TITLE formal to have a particular name or title:
He bore the name ‘Magnus’.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ bear + NOUN
▪ bear the pain He knew that he couldn’t bear the pain much longer.
▪ bear the heat/cold Some people find it hard to bear the heat in the summer.
▪ bear the strain/pressure Mark couldn’t bear the pressure of the job any longer.
■ phrases
▪ can hardly bear something (=find something very difficult or upsetting to do) He was so ashamed that he could hardly bear to look at her.
▪ be unable to bear something Fiona was unable to bear the thought of selling the house.
▪ be hard to bear The situation was very hard to bear.
▪ be more than somebody can bear He sometimes felt the grief was more than he could bear.
▪ bear the brunt of something (=be in the worst position and have to deal with it) Shareholders will bear the brunt of the company’s financial troubles.
▪ grin and bear it (=accept it without complaining) It was a horrible job but she had to grin and bear it.
bear down phrasal verb - bear down on somebody/something
a) to move quickly towards a person or place in a threatening way:
a storm bearing down on the island
b) to behave in a threatening or controlling way towards a person or group:
Federal regulators have been bearing down on campaign contributors. - to use all your strength and effort to push or press down on something
bear on/upon something phrasal verb formal
to relate to and possibly influence something:
the national policies which bear on these problems
bear somebody/sth↔ out phrasal verb
if facts or information bear out a claim, story, opinion etc, they help to prove that it is true SYN support, corroborate: don’t mistake it with burst out
Evidence bears out the idea that students learn best in small groups.
bear up phrasal verb
to show courage or determination during a difficult or unpleasant time:
How is he bearing up since the accident?
bear with somebody/something phrasal verb - bear with me spoken used to ask someone politely to wait while you find out information, finish what you are doing etc:
Bear with me a minute, and I’ll check if Mr Garrard’s in. - to be patient or continue to do something difficult or unpleasant:
It’s boring, but please bear with it.
II. bear2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Language: Old English; Origin: bera] - a large strong animal with thick fur, that eats flesh, fruit, and insects:
a mother bear and her cubs ⇨ ↑grizzly bear, ↑polar bear, ↑teddy bear - American English informal something that is very difficult to do or to deal with:
The chemistry test was a bear. - be like a bear with a sore head British English informal to be rude to people because you are feeling bad-tempered
- technical someone who sells ↑shares or goods when they expect the price to fall ⇨ bull
Beat a dead horse
آب در هاون كوبيدن
Beat a hasty retreat
leave a place quickly in order to avoid an embarrassing or dangerous situation
[example: i can still beat a retreat to my hotel, and pretend that none of this ever happened ]
don’t mistake it with zoom off
Beats me
I don’t know
Beaver
a North American animal that has thick fur and a wide flat tail, and cuts down trees with its teeth
⇨ eager beaver at ↑eager(2)
- eager beaver informal someone who is too keen and works harder than they should
II. beaver2 BrE AmE verb
beaver away phrasal verb informal
to work very hard, especially at writing or calculating something
beaver away at
He’s been beavering away at his homework for hours
Beckon
ˈbekən/ BrE AmE verb
[Language: Old English; Origin: biecnan, from beacen; ⇨ ↑beacon]
1. [intransitive and transitive] to make a signal to someone with your hand, to show that you want them to come towards you or to follow you:
I could see my husband beckoning me.
beckon (to) somebody to do something
She beckoned to the waitress to bring more wine.
beckon somebody forward/over etc
He beckoned us over and introduced us to his wife.
2. [intransitive and transitive] if something such as a place or opportunity beckons, it appears so attractive that you want to have it:
A career in the film industry beckoned.
3. [intransitive] if something beckons for someone, it will probably happen to them
beckon for
Early retirement beckoned for George.
Been there done that
وقتي ميگي كه يك كاريو قبلا انجامش دادي و ديگه ضرورت نميبيني انجامش بدي
Befitting
مناسب براي شرايط كنوني
executive ayatollah: very befitting name. اسميه كه خيلي بهش مياد
Behalf
on behalf of somebody (also in behalf of somebody American English)
a) instead of someone, or as their representative:
She asked the doctor to speak to her parents on her behalf.
On behalf of everyone here, may I wish you a very happy retirement.
b) because of or for someone:
Oh, don’t go to any trouble on my behalf.
Belabour
BrE AmE British English, belabor American English /bɪˈleɪbə $ -ər/ verb [transitive]
1. belabour the point formal to keep emphasizing a fact or idea in a way that is annoying
“there is no need to belabour the point
- old-fashioned to hit someone or something hard
Bellhop
/ˈbelhɒp $ -hɑːp/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
especially American English a young man who carries bags, takes messages etc in a hotel
Belly up
if a company goes belly up : it fails. syn: to be in doldrum
Bench warrant
حكم جلب
If the accused does not show up in court, maybe he’ll get a bench warrant
Bend
curve; a gentle turn in a road to the right or left
* Our house is the first one on the right after the bend in the road
Bent out of shape
become irritated or upset
Berth
- a place where a ship can stop and be tied up
- a place for someone to sleep on a ship or on a train SYN bunk
⇨ give somebody/something a wide berth at ↑wide1(7)
II. berth2 BrE AmE verb [intransitive and transitive]
to bring a ship into a berth, or arrive at a berth
Besmirch
[v] (transitive) To tarnish something, especially someone’s reputation; to debase.
[example: don’t besmirch my audience ]
Besotted
/bɪˈsɒtəd, bɪˈsɒtɪd $ bɪˈsɑː-/ BrE AmE adjective
[Date: 1500-1600; Origin: sot ‘to cause to appear stupid’ (14-17 centuries), from sot ‘stupid person’ (11-18 centuries); ⇨ ↑sot]
be besotted (with somebody/something) to love or want someone or something so much that you cannot think or behave sensibly:
He’s completely besotted with her.
Bespoke
a bespoke product, especially computer software or a piece of clothing, has been specially made for a particular customer:
the cost of development of a bespoke system
Betide
to happen
woe betide sb
bicep and tricep
جلو بازو و پشت بازو
Bid
- an offer to pay a particular price for something, especially at an ↑auction
bid for
They put in a bid for the house.
the person who places the highest bid
We’ve made a bid of nearly £400 million for the company.
A takeover bid for the airline was launched today. - an offer to do work or provide services for a specific price
bid for
rival bids for the cleaning contract - an attempt to achieve or obtain something
bid for
a bid for power
a bid to do something
a desperate bid to free herself from a loveless marriage - a statement of how many points you hope to win in a card game
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ put in a bid A big property developer has put in a bid for the land.
▪ place a bid The gallery placed the highest bid of $2.5 million.
▪ make a bid Paramount made a bid for the film rights to the book.
▪ accept a bid The auctioneer may refuse to accept any bid below a certain price.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + bid
▪ a high/low bid There were several high bids for the painting.
▪ an opening bid (=the first bid) The opening bid was only $10.
▪ a final bid The unknown man was successful with a final bid of £9,500.
▪ a takeover bid (=an offer to buy another company) Staff are afraid that the takeover bid will threaten some of their jobs.
▪ a hostile bid (=an offer to buy another company that does not want to be bought) Airtours launched a £221m hostile bid for Owners Abroad.
II. bid2 BrE AmE verb (past tense and past participle bid, present participle bidding) - [intransitive and transitive] to offer to pay a particular price for goods, especially in an ↑auction
bid (somebody) something for something
She bid £100 for a Victorian chair.
What am I bid for lot 227? Shall we start at $500?
bid against
The two men ended up bidding against each other at the auction. - [intransitive] to offer to do work or provide services for a specific price, in competition with other offers
bid for
Three firms bid for the contract on the new buildings. - [intransitive and transitive] to say how many points you think you will win in a game of cards
III. bid3 BrE AmE verb (past tense bade /bæd, beɪd/ or bid, past participle bid or bidden /ˈbɪdn/, present participle bidding) literary - bid somebody good afternoon/good morning etc to greet someone
She bade her guests goodnight.
- [transitive] to order or tell someone what to do
bid somebody (to) do something
The queen bade us enter.
Bide
- bide your time to wait until the right moment to do something:
They are stronger than us and can afford to bide their time. - [intransitive] old use to wait or stay somewhere, often for a long time SYN abide
Big up to her
دمش گرم
Billow
/ˈbɪləʊ $ -loʊ/ BrE AmE verb [intransitive]
1. (also billow out) if something made of cloth billows, it moves in the wind:
Her long skirt billowed in the breeze.
2. if a cloud or smoke billows, it rises in a round mass
billow out of/up etc
There was smoke billowing out of the windows.
II. billow2 BrE AmE noun [countable usually plural]
[Date: 1500-1600; Origin: Probably from Old Norse bylgja]
1. a moving cloud or mass of something such as smoke or cloth
2. literary a wave, especially a very large one
Binky
Dummy
Pacifier
پستونك
Birds of a feather flock together
كبوتر با كبوتر باز با باز
Bisque
/bɪsk/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[Date: 1600-1700; Language: French]
a thick creamy soup made from ↑shellfish:
lobster bisque
رنگ كرم
bite someone’s head off
to speak to sb angrily when there is no reason to
what’s wrong with the boss today? I just try to ask him a question, and he totally bit my head off
Bittersweet
- feelings, memories, or experiences that are bittersweet are happy and sad at the same time:
bittersweet memories of childhood - a taste or smell that is bittersweet is both sweet and bitter at the same time
Bitumen
ˈbɪtʃʊmən, ˈbɪtʃʊmɪn $ bəˈtuː-/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
a dark sticky substance that is used for making the surface of roads
—bituminous /bəˈtjuːmənəs, bɪˈtjuːmənəs $ -ˈtuː-/ adjective
bituminous waterproofing ايزوگام
Blab
/blæb/ BrE AmE verb (past tense and past participle blabbed, present participle blabbing) [intransitive] informal
[Date: 1500-1600; Origin: blab ‘person who talks too much, too much talk’ (14-20 centuries), probably from the sound]
to tell someone something that should be kept secret SYN gossip
blab to
Don’t go blabbing to your friends about this
Blackball
to vote against someone, especially so that they cannot join a club or social group
Bland
blænd/ BrE AmE adjective
[Date: 1600-1700; Language: Latin; Origin: blandus]
1. without any excitement, strong opinions, or special character SYN dull:
a few bland comments
2. food that is bland has very little taste SYN tasteless:
a bland diet
—blandly adverb
—blandness noun [uncountable]
• • •
THESAURUS
■ describing the taste of something
▪ delicious having a very good taste: This cake is delicious! | a delicious meal
▪ disgusting/revolting having a very bad taste: The medicine tasted disgusting. | They had to eat revolting things, like fish eyes.
▪ sweet tasting full of sugar: The oranges were very sweet.
▪ tasty especially spoken tasting good and with plenty of flavour: She cooked us a simple but tasty meal. | That was really tasty!
▪ sour/tart having a taste that stings your tongue slightly, like lemon does – used especially when this is rather unpleasant: The apples were a little sour. | The wine has rather a tart taste, which not everyone will like.
▪ tangy having a taste that stings your tongue slightly, like lemon does, in a way that seems good: The dressing was nice and tangy.
▪ bitter having a strong taste which is not sweet and is sometimes rather unpleasant – used for example about black coffee, or chocolate without sugar: bitter chocolate | The medicine had rather a bitter taste. | Hops give beer its distinctive bitter taste.
▪ salty containing a lot of salt: Danish salami has a salty flavour.
▪ hot/spicy having a burning taste because it contains strong spices: I love hot curries. | a spicy tomato sauce
▪ piquant /ˈpiːkənt/ formal a little spicy – used especially by people who write about food. This word can sound rather ↑pretentious in everyday conversation: cooked vegetables in a piquant sauce
▪ mild not having a strong or hot taste – usually used about foods that can sometimes be spicy: a mild curry
▪ bland not having an interesting taste: I found the sauce rather bland.
Blast
- AIR/WIND a sudden strong movement of wind or air
blast of
A blast of cold air swept through the hut. - EXPLOSION an explosion, or the very strong movement of air that it causes
in the blast
Thirty-six people died in the blast.
bomb/shotgun/nuclear etc blast
A bomb blast completely destroyed the building. - LOUD NOISE a sudden very loud noise, especially one made by a whistle or horn
blast on
The station master gave a blast on his whistle and we were off.
long/short blast
a long trumpet blast - (at) full blast as powerfully or loudly as possible:
I had the gas fire going full blast.
The radio was on at full blast. - FUN a blast informal an enjoyable and exciting experience:
The concert was a blast.
We had a blast at the fair. - EMOTION a sudden strong expression of a powerful emotion
blast of
She was totally unprepared for the blast of criticism she received. - a blast from the past informal something from the past that you remember, see, or hear again, and that reminds you of that time in your life:
That’s a blast from the past. No one has called me that for years.
II. blast2 BrE AmE verb - GUN/BOMB [transitive] to damage or destroy something, or to injure or kill someone, using a gun or a bomb
blast somebody with something
She blasted her husband with a shotgun because he was having an affair.
The first shot missed and blasted a hole in the far wall.
The plane was blasted out of the sky by a terrorist bomb. - BREAK SOMETHING INTO PIECES [intransitive and transitive] to break something into pieces using explosives, especially in order to build something such as a road
blast something through something
A 1.5 km tunnel was blasted through the mountain.
blast something out of something
The road will have to be blasted out of solid rock.
blast through
Railway workers had blasted through the mountains 90 years before. - LOUD NOISE (also blast out) [intransitive and transitive] to produce a lot of loud noise, especially music:
He was woken by the radio alarm clock blasting out rock music.
blast from
Dance music blasted from the stereo. - CRITICIZE [transitive] to criticize someone or something very strongly – used especially in news reports
blast somebody for (doing) something
Union leaders blasted the government for failing to tackle the jobs crisis. - KICK/HIT A BALL [transitive] to hit or kick a ball very hard:
With six minutes remaining, he blasted the ball through the Coleraine defences for his 19th goal of the season. - AIR/WATER [intransitive and transitive] if air or water is blasted somewhere, or if it blasts somewhere, it moves there with great force:
The wind ripped through the trees and blasted a curtain of rain up the meadow.
Icy winds and driving snow blasted through the pine trees. - SPORTS [transitive] American English informal to beat another team very easily:
The Seahawks were blasted 35–14 by the Broncos.
blast off phrasal verb
if a spacecraft blasts off, it leaves the ground
⇨ ↑blast-off
III. blast3 BrE AmE (also ˌblast her/it etc) interjection
used when you are very annoyed about something:
Oh blast! I’ve forgotten my key.
Blather
/ˈblæðə $ -ər/ BrE AmE verb [intransitive]
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: Old Norse; Origin: blathra]
to talk for a long time about unimportant things
—blather noun [uncountable and countable]
در و وري بافتن
Bleak
- without anything to make you feel happy or hopeful
a bleak future/prospect
The company still hopes to find a buyer, but the future looks bleak. - cold and without any pleasant or comfortable features:
a bleak January afternoon
The landscape was bleak.
—bleakly adverb
—bleakness noun [uncountable
Bling
expensive objects such as ↑jewellery that are worn in a way that is very easy to notice
Bliss
/blɪs/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[Language: Old English]
perfect happiness or enjoyment
domestic/wedded/marital bliss
six months of wedded bliss
I didn’t have to get up till 11 – it was sheer bliss.
• • •
THESAURUS
■ great happiness
▪ joy especially written a feeling of great happiness: The sisters hugged and cried tears of joy. | It was a day of great joy for the whole town. | Most people would be jumping with joy.
▪ delight the feeling you have when you are very pleased and excited because something good has happened: They watched with delight as their new son started walking. | To her delight, she discovered the perfect wedding present.
▪ bliss a feeling of very great happiness and great pleasure – used when something has a great effect on your senses: Lying in the warm sun and listening to the sea felt like sheer bliss (=complete bliss). | Her idea of bliss is to be curled up on the sofa watching a romantic comedy with a big bowl of popcorn. | The happy couple looked a picture of domestic bliss.
▪ elation written a feeling of great happiness and excitement, especially because you have achieved something or something good has happened to you: As they reached the top, the climbers experienced a moment of elation. | Her mood suddenly changed from tears and misery to a feeling of elation.
▪ euphoria an extremely strong feeling of happiness and excitement, especially because you have achieved something, or because of the effects of a drug: The euphoria that new parents feel quickly changes to exhaustion. | The euphoria of Ireland’s amazing victory over England last Sunday has died away. | The drug produces a feeling of euphoria.
▪ ecstasy an extremely strong feeling of happiness and pleasure, especially sexual pleasure: It was a moment of sheer ecstacy (=complete ecstacy). | the ecstasy of their love-making
Blitz
- a sudden military attack, especially from the air
the Blitz (=the bombing of British cities by German aircraft in 1940 and 1941) - informal a period of great effort in order to deal with something quickly and completely
blitz on
We’ll have to have a blitz on the house before your parents arrive. - a big effort to make people notice something or buy something
a media/marketing/advertising etc blitz
The campaign was launched with a nationwide publicity blitz.
—blitz verb [transitive]:
News came that Rotterdam had been blitzed
Blob
- a very small round mass of a liquid or sticky substance
blob of
a blob of honey - something that cannot be clearly seen, especially because it is far away:
Without a telescope, the comet will look like a fuzzy blob
Blockade
- [usually singular] the surrounding of an area by soldiers or ships to stop people or supplies entering or leaving:
a naval blockade
They’ve imposed an economic blockade on the country.
an agreement to lift the blockade (=end it) - something that is used to stop vehicles or people entering or leaving a place:
Angry farmers used tractors as blockades on the streets.
II. blockade2 BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[Word Family: verb: ↑block, ↑unblock, ↑blockade; noun: ↑block, ↑blockage, ↑blockade; adjective: blocked, unblocked]
to put a place under a blockade:
The ships blockaded the port
Bloom
- [uncountable and countable] a flower or flowers:
beautiful red blooms
a mass of bloom on the apple trees - in (full) bloom with the flowers fully open
- [singular, uncountable] the healthy happy appearance that someone has, especially when they are young:
The rosy bloom of her cheeks had faded.
II. bloom2 BrE AmE verb [intransitive] - if a plant or a flower blooms, its flowers appear or open
- to become happier, healthier, or more successful in a way that is very noticeable SYN blossom:
She was blooming the last time I saw her.
Blot
- to make a wet surface become dry by pressing soft paper or cloth on it
- blot your copybook British English informal to do something that spoils the idea that people have of you
blot something ↔ out phrasal verb - to cover or hide something completely:
Thick white smoke blotted out the sun. - if you blot out an unpleasant memory, a thought etc, you deliberately try to forget it:
She said she took drugs to blot out her problems.
blot something ↔ up phrasal verb
to remove liquid from a surface by pressing soft paper or cloth onto it
II. blot2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1300-1400; Origin: Probably from a Scandinavian language] - a mark or dirty spot on something, especially made by ink:
ink blots - a building, structure etc that is ugly and spoils the appearance of a place:
The new power station is a blot on the landscape. - something that spoils the good opinion that people have of someone or something syn: stigma
blot on
The increase in juvenile crime is a blot on our time
Blow smoke
if sb blows smoke they deliberately confuse or deceive you
[example: I think they are blowing smoke about giving regular raises to their employees. I couldn’t find any evidence to support that claim]
Bludgeon
- to hit someone several times with something heavy:
He was bludgeoned to death with a hammer. - to force someone to do something by making threats or arguing with them
bludgeon into
I won’t let myself be bludgeoned into marriage. - bludgeon your way through/to/past etc somebody/something to get somewhere, or achieve something, by pushing past other people or not caring about them
II. bludgeon2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1700-1800; Origin: Perhaps from Old French bougeon, from bouge ‘stick for hitting people’]
a heavy stick with a thick end, used as a weapon
Blue in the face
If you say or shout something until you are blue in the face, you are wasting your efforts because you will get no results: You can tell her to clean her room until you are blue in the face, but she won’t do it. Useless and futile
syn: be on a hiding to nothing
bobbin/ hair tie
كش موي سر
Bobby pin
گيره هاي مشكي كوچيك براي مو
Bogus
not true or real, although someone is trying to make you think it is SYN false:
bogus insurance claims
bogus applications for asylum
Boisterous
/ˈbɔɪstərəs/ BrE AmE adjective
[Date: 1400-1500; Origin: boistous ‘rough’ (14-16 centuries), from Old French boistos]
someone, especially a child, who is boisterous makes a lot of noise and has a lot of energy:
a class of boisterous five-year-olds
Bolster
- to help someone to feel better and more positive SYN boost:
He is making a bold attempt to bolster the territory’s confidence. - to improve something SYN boost:
his efforts to bolster his career
II. bolster2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Language: Old English]
a long firm ↑pillow, usually shaped like a tube don’t mistake it with sham
Bolt
- LOCK a metal bar that you slide across a door or window to fasten it
- SCREW a screw with a flat head and no point, for fastening things together
- a bolt from/out of the blue news that is sudden and unexpected:
Was this money a bolt from the blue or did you know you were going to get it? - bolt of lightning lightning that appears as a white line in the sky:
There’s not much left of his house after it was struck by a bolt of lightning. ⇨ ↑thunderbolt - make a bolt for it British English to suddenly try to escape from somewhere:
They attacked the driver and he straightaway made a bolt for it. - WEAPON a short heavy ↑arrow that is fired from a ↑crossbow
- CLOTH a large long roll of cloth
⇨ have shot your bolt at ↑shoot1(24), ⇨ the nuts and bolts of something at ↑nut1(6)
II. bolt2 BrE AmE verb - [intransitive] to suddenly run somewhere very quickly, especially in order to escape or because you are frightened:
The horse reared up and bolted.
Kevin had bolted through the open window. - [transitive] (also bolt down) to eat very quickly SYN gobble:
He bolted down his breakfast. - [transitive] to fasten two things together using a bolt
bolt something to something
The cell contained an iron bedframe bolted to the floor.
bolt something together
The boxes were made of heavy panels of metal bolted together. - [transitive] to lock a door or window by sliding a bolt across
• • •
THESAURUS
■ animals running
▪ trot to run fairly slowly, taking short steps – used especially about horses and dogs: A little dog was trotting behind her.
▪ gallop if a horse gallops, it runs very quickly: The horse galloped off across the field.
▪ bolt to suddenly run somewhere very fast, especially in order to escape: Suddenly a fox bolted out from beneath a hedge.
III. bolt3 BrE AmE adverb
sit/stand bolt upright to sit or stand with your back very straight, often because something has frightened you:
She sat bolt upright in the back seat
Boost
- to increase or improve something and make it more successful:
The new resort area has boosted tourism.
boost sb’s confidence/morale/ego
The win boosted the team’s confidence. - (also boost up) to help someone reach a higher place by lifting or pushing them:
He boosted her up. - if a ↑rocket or motor boosts a ↑spacecraft, it makes it go up into space or go in a particular direction
- American English informal to steal something
• • •
THESAURUS
■ to make something increase
▪ increase to make something larger in number, amount, or degree: Being overweight increases the risk of having a heart attack. | We need to increase the number of police officers on the streets.
▪ put something up to increase prices, taxes etc. Put up something is less formal than increase, and is the usual verb to use in everyday English: The landlord has put the rent up again. | They’re always putting up gas prices.
▪ raise to increase something such as prices or taxes, or levels or standards: The bank has raised interest rates for the third time this year. | The school aims to raise students’ levels of achievement.
▪ double/triple to increase the amount of something so that it is twice or three times as large: The airline plans to double the number of passengers it carries by 2015. | High blood pressure triples the risk of strokes.
▪ boost to increase sales, profits, production etc, especially when they have been lower than you want them to be: Growing affluence has boosted sales. | Oil exports boosted the economy.
▪ expand to increase something so that it contains a wider range of things, or to increase the size of a business: The company plans to expand its retail operations. | Supermarkets have expanded their ranges to include non-food items.
▪ extend to increase something such as your power or influence, or the number of things you are involved in: We are hoping to extend the range of services that we offer. | The company plans to extend its dominance of the world car market.
▪ step up something to increase your efforts or activities, especially to change a situation: Security has been stepped up following the bombing. | Local people have stepped up their campaign to prevent a prison being built in their neighbourhood.
▪ heighten to increase a feeling or effect: The attack has heightened concerns about racism in schools. | Hunger can heighten the effect that alcohol has on you.
▪ maximize to increase something as much as possible: Businesses try to maximize efficiency and cut costs. | To maximize the chances of a successful pregnancy, you should make sure that you eat well.
II. boost2 BrE AmE noun - [singular] something that gives someone more confidence, or that helps something increase, improve, or become successful
boost to
a major boost to the economy
boost for
a multimillion-pound boost for the British film industry
Add a little more vanilla, to give the flavor a boost.
get/receive a boost
The community will get a boost from a new library and recreation center.
morale/ego boost
The poll provided a morale boost for the Conservatives. - give somebody a boost (up) to lift someone so that they can reach a higher place:
If I give you a boost, could you reach the window? - [uncountable] an increase in the amount of power available to a ↑rocket, piece of electrical equipment etc
Bootcamp
a military training camp for new recruits, with very harsh discipline.
a prison for young offenders, run on military lines.
a short, intensive, and rigorous course of training.
“a gruelling, late-summer boot camp for would-be football players”
born on the wrong side of the blanket
born to parents who were not married, illegitimate syn: love child
[example: all his life Edward felt that people looked down on him because he was born on the wrong side of the blanket ]
Borrow trouble
to do sth that is unnecessary and likely to cause trouble
[example: don’t get involved with politics. That’s borrowing trouble ]
Bosom
ˈbʊzəm/ BrE AmE noun
[Language: Old English; Origin: bosm]
1. [countable usually singular] written the front part of a woman’s chest:
She cradled the child to her bosom.
2. [countable usually plural] a woman’s breast
3. the bosom of the family/the Church etc the situation where you feel safe because you are with people who love and protect you
4. [singular] literary a word meaning someone’s feelings and emotions, used especially when these are bad or unpleasant:
Drury harboured bitterness in his bosom.
5. bosom friend/buddy/pal literary a very close friend
Bottle
- [countable] a container with a narrow top for keeping liquids in, usually made of plastic or glass:
an empty bottle
a wine/milk/beer etc bottle
bottle of
a bottle of champagne - [countable] (also bottleful) the amount of liquid that a bottle contains:
Between us, we drank three bottles of wine. - [countable] a container for babies to drink from, with a rubber part on top that they suck, or the milk contained in this bottle:
My first baby just wouldn’t take a bottle at all. - the bottle alcoholic drink – used when talking about the problems drinking can cause:
Peter let the bottle ruin his life.
hit the bottle (=regularly drink too much)
She was under a lot of stress, and started hitting the bottle.
be on the bottle British English (=be drinking a lot of alcohol regularly) - [uncountable] British English informal courage to do something that is dangerous or unpleasant SYN nerve:
I never thought she’d have the bottle to do it! - bring a bottle British English, bring your own bottle American English used when you invite someone to an informal party, to tell them that they should bring their own bottle of alcoholic drink
⇨ ↑hot-water bottle
II. bottle2 BrE AmE verb [transitive] - to put a liquid, especially wine or beer, into a bottle after you have made it:
The whisky is bottled here before being sent abroad. - British English to put vegetables or fruit into special glass containers in order to preserve them SYN can American English
bottle out (also bottle it) phrasal verb
British English informal to suddenly decide not to do something because you are frightened SYN cop out:
‘Did you tell him?’ ‘No, I bottled out at the last minute.’
bottle something ↔ up phrasal verb - to deliberately not allow yourself to show a strong feeling or emotion:
It is far better to cry than to bottle up your feelings. - to cause problems by delaying something:
The bill has been bottled up in Congress
Dichotomy
/daɪˈkɒtəmi $ -ˈkɑː-/ BrE AmE noun (plural dichotomies) [countable] formal
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: Greek; Origin: dichotomia, from dichotomos ‘cut in two’]
the difference between two things or ideas that are completely opposite
dichotomy between
a dichotomy between his public and private lives
Fit-out
“Fit out” refers to the process of making an interior space ready for occupation. As a common practice, when constructing commercial buildings, the spaces inside are left bare for the occupants to determine the level of refurbishment needed (or fitting out
Bougie
or bou·jee
relating to or characteristic of a person who indulges in some of the luxuries and comforts of a fancy lifestyle: He spends too much on bougie stuff he can’t afford. Also bour·gie [bur-zhee, ‐jee, boo‐] . Often Disparaging and Offensive
Bound
- LIKELY be bound to to be very likely to do or feel a particular thing:
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.
REGISTER
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. - LAW/AGREEMENT be bound (by something) to be forced to do what a law or agreement says you must do ⇨ binding
bound (by something) to do something
The Foundation is bound by the treaty to help any nation that requests aid.
You are legally bound to report the accident. - DUTYbe/feel bound to do something to feel that you ought to do something, because it is morally right or your duty to do it:
Ian felt bound to tell Joanna the truth.
Well, I’m bound to say (=I feel I ought to say), I think you’re taking a huge risk.
be duty bound/honour bound to do something
A son is duty bound to look after his mother. - TRAVELLING TOWARDSbound for London/Mexico etc (also London-bound/Mexico-bound etc) travelling towards a particular place or in a particular direction:
a plane bound for Somalia
We tried to get seats on a Rome-bound flight.
homeward-bound (=travelling towards home) commuters
northbound/southbound/eastbound/westbound
All eastbound trains have been cancelled due to faulty signals. - RELATIONSHIP be bound (together) by something if two people or groups are bound together by something, they share a particular experience or situation that causes them to have a relationship ⇨ unite:
The two nations were bound together by a common history. - be bound up in something to be very involved in something, so that you cannot think about anything else:
He was too bound up in his own problems to listen to mine. - be bound up with something to be very closely connected with a particular problem or situation:
Mark’s problems are all bound up with his mother’s death when he was ten.
The people of Transkei began to realize that their future was inseparably bound up with that of South Africa. - snow-bound/strike-bound/tradition-bound etc controlled or limited by something, so that you cannot do what you want or what other people want you to:
a fog-bound airport
people who are wheelchair-bound
a desk-bound sergeant (=having to work in an office, instead of doing a more active job) - a bound book is covered on the outside with paper, leather etc ⇨ bind
bound in
a Bible bound in leather
a leather-bound volume of Shakespeare’s plays - I’ll be bound old-fashioned used when you are very sure that what you have just said is true:
He had good reasons for doing that, I’ll be bound. - bound and determined American English very determined to do or achieve something, especially something difficult:
Klein is bound and determined to win at least five races this year.
III. bound3 BrE AmE verb
[Sense 1: Date: 1500-1600; Language: Old French; Origin: bondir, from Vulgar Latin bombitire ‘to hum’, from Latin bombus; ⇨ ↑bomb1]
[Sense 2: Date: 1500-1600; Origin: ⇨ ↑bound4(1)] - [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to run with a lot of energy, because you are happy, excited, or frightened
bound up/towards/across etc
Suddenly a huge dog came bounding towards me. - be bounded by something if a country or area of land is bounded by something such as a wall, river etc, it has the wall etc at its edge ⇨ boundary:
a yard bounded by a wooden fence
The US is bounded in the north by Canada and in the south by Mexico.
IV. bound4 BrE AmE noun
[Sense 1-2, 4-5: Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: bodne, from Medieval Latin bodina]
[Sense 3, 6: Date: 1500-1600; Language: Old French; Origin: bond, from bondir; ⇨ ↑bound3(2)] - bounds [plural]
a) the limits of what is possible or acceptable
within the bounds of something
We are here to make sure that the police operate within the bounds of the law.
be/go beyond the bounds of credibility/reason/decency etc
The humor in the movie sometimes goes beyond the bounds of good taste.
be within/beyond the bounds of possibility (=be possible/not possible)
It was not beyond the bounds of possibility that they could meet again.
b) old-fashioned the edges of a town, city etc - out of bounds if a place is out of bounds, you are not allowed to go there SYN off-limits American English
out of bounds to/for
The path by the railway line is officially out of bounds to both cyclists and walkers. - by leaps and bounds/in leaps and bounds British English if someone or something increases, develops etc by leaps and bounds, they increase etc very quickly:
Julie’s reading is improving in leaps and bounds. - know no bounds formal if someone’s honesty, kindness etc knows no bounds, they are extremely honest etc
- in bounds/out of bounds inside or outside the legal playing area in a sport such as American football or ↑basketball
- [countable] a long or high jump made with a lot of energy
Bountiful
/ˈbaʊntɪfəl/ BrE AmE adjective
1. if something is bountiful, there is more than enough of it:
bountiful harvests
2. generous:
bountiful God
Bountiful
/ˈbaʊntɪfəl/ BrE AmE adjective
1. if something is bountiful, there is more than enough of it:
bountiful harvests
2. generous:
bountiful God
Brace
- [transitive] to mentally or physically prepare yourself or someone else for something unpleasant that is going to happen
brace yourself (for something)
Nancy braced herself for the inevitable arguments.
The military needs to brace itself for further spending cuts, says McCoy.
brace yourself to do something
Cathy braced herself to see Matthew, who she expected to arrive at any minute.
be braced for something
The base was braced for an attack. - [transitive] to push part of your body against something solid in order to make yourself more steady
brace something against something
Gina braced her back against the wall and pushed as hard as she could.
brace yourself (for something)
The pilot told passengers and crew to brace themselves for a rough landing. خودتون رو محكم بگيرين - [transitive] to make something stronger by supporting it:
Wait until we’ve braced the ladder.
Workers used steel beams to brace the roof. - [intransitive and transitive] to make your body or part of your body stiff in order to prepare to do something difficult
II. brace2 BrE AmE noun
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: ‘two arms’, from Latin bracchia, from bracchium ‘arm’] - [countable] something that is used to strengthen or support something, or to make it stiff:
The miners used special braces to keep the walls from collapsing.
neck/back/knee brace (=a brace that supports the neck etc)
He was being fitted for a back brace.
She had to wear a brace after the accident. - [countable] (also braces [plural]) a system of metal wires that people, usually children, wear on their teeth to make them grow straight
- [countable usually plural] American English a metal support that someone with weak legs wears to help them walk SYN callipers British English
- braces [plural] British English two long pieces of material that stretch over someone’s shoulders and fasten to their trousers at the front and the back to stop them falling down SYN suspenders American English
- [countable] one of a pair of signs { } used to show that information written between them should be considered together ⇨ bracket
- a brace of something especially British English two things of the same type, especially two birds or animals that have been killed for food or sport:
a brace of partridge
Braid
- [uncountable] a narrow band of material formed by twisting threads together, used to decorate the edges of clothes:
a jacket trimmed with red braid - [countable] a length of hair that has been separated into three parts and then woven together SYN plait British English don’t mistake it with plaid
in braids
Suzy always wears her hair in braids.
—braided adjective
II. braid2 BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[Language: Old English; Origin: bregdan]
to weave or twist together three pieces of hair or cloth to form one length SYN plait British English
Brainchild
an idea, plan, organization etc that someone has thought of without any help from anyone else زاده ذهن
brainchild of
The festival was the brainchild of Reeves.
Braise
to cook meat or vegetables slowly in a small amount of liquid in a closed container ⇨ stew
—braised adjective
Brassy
/ˈbrɑːsi $ ˈbræsi/ BrE AmE adjective
1. a woman who is brassy is too loud, confident, or brightly dressed:
a drunken brassy nightclub singer
2. sounding hard and loud like the sound made by a ↑brass musical instrument
3. having a bright gold-yellow colour like ↑brass
Brat
به بسر شيطون و تخم سگ ميگن
Breach
- [uncountable and countable] an action that breaks a law, rule, or agreement
breach of
This was a clear breach of the 1994 Trade Agreement.
They sued the company for breach of contract.
a breach of professional duty
be in breach of something
He was clearly in breach of the law. - [countable] a serious disagreement between people, groups, or countries
breach with
Britain did not want to risk a breach with the US over sanctions.
breach between
What had caused the sudden breach between Henry and his son?
She wanted to help heal the breach between them. - breach of confidence/trust an action in which someone does something that people have trusted them not to do:
We regard the publication of this information as a serious breach of trust. - breach of security an action in which someone manages to learn secret information or manages to get into a place that is guarded:
There had been a major breach of security at the airbase. - breach of the peace British English the crime of making too much noise or fighting in a public place:
He was arrested and charged with breach of the peace. - [countable] a hole made in a wall that is intended to protect a place
breach in
a breach in the castle wall - step into the breach to help by doing someone else’s job or work when they are unable to do it SYN step in:
Thanks for stepping into the breach last week.
II. breach2 BrE AmE verb [transitive] - to break a law, rule, or agreement SYN break:
The company accused him of breaching his contract. - to break a hole in a wall that is intended to protect a place:
The storm had breached the sea wall in two places
Breadwinner
the member of a family who earns the money to support the others
Break free
escape from imprisonment.
“he broke free from house arrest”
escape from someone’s hold.
“she broke free of his grasp”
escape from the control of a person, group, or practice.
“he wants to break free from his addiction
Diction
/ˈdɪkʃən/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: dictio ‘speaking’, from dicere ‘to say’]
1. the way in which someone pronounces words
clear/perfect/good etc diction
She had perfect diction.
2. the choice and use of words and phrases to express meaning, especially in literature
Break up vs breakup
break up phrasal verb (see also ↑break)
1. if something breaks up, or if you break it up, it breaks into a lot of small pieces:
It seems that the plane just broke up in the air.
break something ↔ up
Use a fork to break up the soil.
2. break something ↔ up to separate something into several smaller parts:
There are plans to break the company up into several smaller independent companies.
You need a few trees and bushes to break up the lawn.
3. break something ↔ up to stop a fight:
Three policemen were needed to break up the fight.
4. break something ↔ up to make people leave a place where they have been meeting or protesting:
Government soldiers broke up the demonstration.
Police moved in to break up the meeting.
5. if a marriage, group of people, or relationship breaks up, the people in it separate and do not live or work together any more: متفرق كردن
He lost his job and his marriage broke up.
The couple broke up last year.
Many bands break up because of personality clashes between the musicians.
break up with
Has Sam really broken up with Lucy? ⇨ ↑breakup
6. if a meeting or party breaks up, people start to leave:
The party didn’t break up until after midnight.
The meeting broke up without any agreement.
7. British English when a school breaks up, it closes for a holiday:
School breaks up next week.
break up for
When do you break up for Easter?
8. break somebody up American English informal to make someone laugh by saying or doing something funny:
He breaks me up!
break‧up /ˈbreɪkʌp/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable and countable]
1. the act of ending a marriage or relationship:
the breakup of her marriage
2. the separation of a group, organization, or country into smaller parts
breakup of
the breakup of the Soviet Unionu
Breakdown
a detailed list; a list of each individual cost in a total
* The tour costs $1,650, but without a breakdown, it’s impossible to know how much of the money is for hotels, food, or plane tickets
breathalyzer and breathalyze
a piece of equipment used by the police to see if a driver of a car has drunk too much alcohol
breath‧a‧lyze BrE AmE (also -lyse British English) /ˈbreθəl-aɪz/ verb [transitive]
to make someone breathe into a special piece of equipment in order to see if they have drunk too much alcohol to be allowed to drive
Brevity
- the quality of expressing something in very few words ⇨ brief:
Letters published in the newspaper are edited for brevity and clarity. - the quality of continuing for only a short time ⇨ brief:
the brevity of her visit
Bring
/brɪŋ/ BrE AmE verb (past tense and past participle brought /brɔːt $ brɒːt/) [transitive]
[Language: Old English; Origin: bringan]
1.
a) to take something or someone with you to the place where you are now, or to the place you are talking about ⇨ take:
Did you bring an umbrella?
It was the first time Joey had ever brought a girl home.
They brought news of further fighting along the border.
bring somebody/something to somebody/something
Is it OK if I bring some friends to the party?
bring somebody/something with you
For some reason, Jesse had brought a tape recorder with him.
b) to get something for someone and take it to them
bring somebody something
Can you bring me another beer?
Robert asked the waiter to bring him the check.
While she was in prison, friends used to bring her books.
bring somebody/something to somebody/something
He expects me to bring everything to him.
2.
a) to make a particular situation exist, or cause a particular feeling:
efforts to bring peace to the region
The strikes are expected to bring chaos.
The senator’s speech brought an angry response from Civil Rights groups.
b) to cause someone or something to reach a particular state or condition
bring something to an end/a close/a halt/a conclusion (=make something stop)
The trial was swiftly brought to an end.
It was the war that first brought him to power (=made him have power over a country).
So far the US has been unable to bring him to justice (=make him be punished for his actions).
Bring the sauce to the boil (=heat it until it boils).
The country had been brought to its knees (=caused to be in such a bad condition that it is almost impossible to continue).
3. [always + adverb/preposition] to make something move in a particular direction
bring something up/down/round etc
Bring your arm up slowly until it’s level with your shoulder.
The storm brought the old oak tree crashing down.
4. [always + adverb/preposition] if something brings people to a place, it makes them go there:
The discovery of gold brought thousands of people to the Transvaal.
what brings you here? (=used to ask why someone is in a particular place)
What brings you here on a night like this?
5. to make something available for people to use, have, enjoy etc:
The expansion of state education brought new and wider opportunities for working class children.
bring something to somebody/something
The government is launching a new initiative to bring jobs to deprived areas.
bring somebody something
It’s a good sign – let’s hope it will bring us some luck.
6. if a period of time brings a particular event or situation, the event or situation happens during that time:
The 1930s brought unemployment and economic recession.
Who knows what the future will bring?
7. bring charges/a lawsuit/a court case/a prosecution/a claim (against somebody) to begin a court case in order to try to prove that someone has done something wrong or is legally responsible for something wrong:
Survivors of the fire later brought a billion-dollar lawsuit against the company.
The police say they are planning to bring charges against him.
8. bring a smile to sb’s lips/face to make someone smile:
Her words brought a sudden smile to his lips.
9. bring tears to sb’s eyes to make someone start to cry:
The pain brought tears to his eyes.
10. bring the total/number/score etc to something used when saying what the new total etc is:
This brings the total to 46.
11. cannot/could not bring yourself to do something to feel unable to do something because it would upset you or someone else too much:
She still can’t bring herself to talk about it.
12. spoken used when saying that something is the next thing that you want to talk about
that/this/which brings me to …
This brings me to the main point of today’s meeting.
13. if a programme is brought to you by a particular television or radio company, they broadcast it or make it
something is brought to you by somebody
This programme is brought to you by the BBC.
14. bring something to bear (on/upon something) formal to use something, for example your power, authority, or your knowledge, in a way that will have a big effect on something or someone:
The full force of the law was brought to bear on anyone who criticized the government.
15. bring home the bacon informal to earn the money that your family needs to live
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 2)
■ nouns
▪ bring peace/war The treaty brought peace to both England and France.
▪ bring chaos A bomb scare brought chaos to the town centre yesterday.
▪ bring somebody pleasure/joy/pain/grief etc The decision brought him great relief.
■ phrases
▪ bring something to an end/halt (=especially something bad) It is our resonsibility to discuss how this conflict can be brought to an end.
▪ bring something to a close (=especially a meeting) At last the meeting was brought to a close.
▪ bring something to a conclusion (=used especially in law) Juvenile cases need to be brought to a conclusion quickly.
▪ bring somebody to power (=make someone have power over a country) The revolution brought to power a communist government.
▪ bring somebody to justice (=catch and punish someone for their actions) The authorities swore that the killers would be brought to justice.
▪ bring somebody into contact with somebody/something The people of the island were suddenly brought into contact with the outside world.
▪ bring something/somebody to their knees (=make it almost impossible for somebody/something to continue) A severe drought brought the country to its knees.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ bring to take something or someone to the place where you are now, or the place where you are going: Have you brought your ticket with you? | He asked his father if he could bring a friend to stay.
▪ take to move something to another place, or help someone go to another place: I took a book with me to read on the train. | He was taken to hospital by ambulance.
▪ get (also fetch especially British English) to go to another place and come back with something or someone: I went upstairs to get my jacket. | Joseph told me to fetch the doctor, so I ran to the village.
bring something ↔ about phrasal verb
to make something happen SYN cause:
How can we bring about a change in attitudes?
A huge amount of environmental damage has been brought about by the destruction of the rain forests.
bring somebody/something ↔ along phrasal verb
to take someone or something with you when you go somewhere:
You’re welcome to bring along a friend.
I’ve brought some pictures along to show you.
bring somebody/something around/round phrasal verb
1. bring the conversation around/round to something to deliberately and gradually introduce a new subject into a conversation:
I’ll try to bring the conversation around to the subject of money.
2. to make someone become conscious again:
I slapped his face a couple of times to try to bring him round.
3. to manage to persuade someone to do something or to agree with you:
She won’t listen to me. Let’s see if Sue can bring her round.
bring somebody/something around/round to
I’m sure I can bring him around to our point of view.
4. to bring someone or something to someone’s house:
I’ll bring the books around tomorrow.
bring back phrasal verb
1. bring something ↔ back to start to use something again that was used in the past SYN reintroduce:
The city council has decided to bring back the old electric trams.
Bringing back the death penalty has done absolutely nothing to reduce crime.
2. bring something ↔ back to make you remember something:
The trip brought back a lot of happy memories.
Seeing those pictures on TV brought it all back to me.
3. bring something ↔ back to take something or someone with you when you come back from somewhere
bring something back for somebody
Don’t forget to bring something back for the kids.
bring somebody back something
If you’re going to the store, could you bring me back a six-pack?
4. bring somebody ↔ back to return someone to their previous job or position of authority SYN reinstate:
Following their latest defeat, soccer fans are urging the club to bring back the former manager.
5. bring somebody back to something if something that is said brings you back to a particular subject, it is connected with that subject, so you will start talking about it again:
This brings us back to the question of funding.
bring somebody/something ↔ down phrasal verb
1. to reduce something to a lower level:
The government hopes these measures will help to bring down inflation.
2. to fly a plane down to the ground SYN land:
The pilot managed to bring the plane down safely.
3. to make a plane, bird, or animal fall to the ground by shooting at it:
A bomber had been brought down by anti-aircraft fire.
4. to force a government or ruler to stop ruling a country:
a crisis that could bring down the government
5. to make someone fall over:
He was brought down by the goalkeeper and awarded a penalty.
bring something ↔ down on/upon somebody phrasal verb
to make something bad happen to someone, especially to yourself or to people connected with you:
His recklessness brought down disaster on the whole family.
bring something ↔ forth phrasal verb literary
to produce something or make it appear:
a tragic love affair that brought forth only pain
bring something ↔ forward phrasal verb
1. to change an arrangement so that something happens sooner
bring something ↔ forward to
The meeting’s been brought forward to Thursday.
2. bring forward legislation/plans/policies etc to officially introduce plans etc for people to discuss:
The government has brought forward new proposals to tackle the problem of increasing crime.
3. to record the result of a calculation so that it can be used in a further calculation:
The balance brought forward is £21,765.
bring somebody/something ↔ in phrasal verb
1. to introduce a new law:
Harsh anti-Trade Union laws were brought in in the early 1980s.
2. to ask someone to become involved in a discussion or situation:
I’d like to bring in Doctor Hall here and ask him his views.
bring somebody in to do something
The police were brought in to investigate the matter.
3. to earn a particular amount or produce a particular amount of profit:
The sale of the house only brought in about £45,000.
4. to attract customers to a shop or business:
We’ve got to bring in more business if we want the restaurant to survive.
5. bring in a verdict to say officially in a law court whether someone is guilty or not guilty of a crime SYN return a verdict:
The jury brought in a verdict of not guilty.
bring somebody/something into something phrasal verb
1. to cause someone or something to be in a particular situation:
Most of the land has now been brought into cultivation.
The work brought me into contact with a lot of very interesting people.
2. to make someone become involved in a discussion or situation:
The government is trying to bring teachers into the debate on education.
There is a danger that this could bring other countries into the war.
bring something ↔ off phrasal verb
to succeed in doing something difficult SYN pull off:
They managed to bring off the most daring jewellery robbery in history.
bring something ↔ on phrasal verb
1. to make something bad or unpleasant happen SYN cause:
Stress can bring on an asthma attack.
What’s brought this on? Have I upset you somehow?
2. to help someone to improve or make progress:
Teachers have to bring on the bright children and at the same time give extra help to those who need it.
3. to make plants or crops grow faster:
Keeping the young plants in a greenhouse will help bring them on.
4. bring it on informal used to say that you are prepared and willing to deal with something bad that is likely to happen
bring something on/upon somebody phrasal verb
to make something unpleasant happen to someone:
You have brought disaster on the whole village!
bring something on/upon yourself
I’ve got no sympathy for him – he’s brought this all on himself!
bring somebody onto something phrasal verb
if something brings you onto a particular subject, it is a good time for you to start talking about it:
This brings me onto the question of pay rises.
bring something ↔ out phrasal verb
1. to make something easier to see, taste, notice etc:
The spices really bring out the flavour of the meat.
Fatherhood seems to have brought out the caring side of him.
2. to produce something that will be sold to the public:
He’s bringing out a new album next month.
3. to take something out of a place:
Jenny opened the cupboard and brought out a couple of bottles.
4. bring out the best/worst in somebody to make someone behave in the best or worst way that they can:
Alcohol just brings out the worst in her.
5. bring somebody out of himself/herself to make someone feel more confident and able to talk to people:
Changing schools has really brought her out of herself.
bring somebody out in something phrasal verb
if something brings you out in spots, it makes them appear on your skin:
Any foods containing wheat bring him out in a rash.
bring somebody/something round
⇨ BRING AROUND
bring somebody through (something) phrasal verb
to help someone to successfully deal with a very difficult event or period of time:
Both my children have brought me through extremely difficult times since my husband died.
bring somebody ↔ together phrasal verb
1. to arrange for people to meet and do something together:
We brought together researchers from three different universities to work on the project.
2. to make people have a better relationship or feel closer to each other:
Any attack by a foreign power will inevitably bring the people of a country together.
bring somebody/something ↔ up phrasal verb
1. to mention a subject or start to talk about it SYN raise:
Why did you have to bring up the subject of money?
2. to look after and influence a child until he or she is grown up SYN raise:
He was brought up by his grandparents.
bring somebody up to do something
In my day, children were brought up to respect the law.
be brought up (as) a Catholic/Muslim etc
I was brought up a Catholic. ⇨ ↑upbringing
3. to make something appear on a computer screen:
Can you bring up the list of candidates again?
4. British English if you bring food up, it comes back up from your stomach and out of your mouth:
I had a sandwich for lunch and promptly brought it up again.
5. to charge someone with a particular crime and make them go to a court to be judged
bring somebody/something ↔ up before
He was brought up before a magistrate, charged with dangerous driving.
6. bring somebody up short/with a start to surprise someone and make them suddenly stop talking or doing something:
Her question brought me up short
bring sb back down to earth
for the first few weeks he thought that the marriage is awesome but the first fight brings him back to earth
Brunette
bru‧nette /bruːˈnet/ noun [countable]
[Date: 1600-1700; Language: French; Origin: brun ‘brown’]
a woman with dark brown hair ⇒ blonde
Brush
- OBJECT FOR CLEANING/PAINTING [countable] an object that you use for cleaning, painting, making your hair tidy etc, made with a lot of hairs, ↑bristles, or thin pieces of plastic, fastened to a handle ⇨ broom:
a scrubbing brush ⇨ ↑hairbrush, ↑nailbrush, ↑paintbrush, ↑toothbrush - TREES [uncountable]
a) small bushes and trees that cover an area of land
b) branches that have broken off bushes and trees - MOVEMENT [singular] a movement in which you brush something to remove dirt, make something smooth, tidy etc:
I’ll just give my hair a quick brush. - TOUCH [singular] a quick light touch, made by chance when two things or people pass each other:
the brush of her silk dress as she walked past - [countable] a time when you only just avoid an unpleasant situation or argument
brush with
His first brush with the law came when he was 16.
A brush with death can make you appreciate life more. - TAIL [countable] the tail of a ↑fox
II. brush2 S3 BrE AmE verb - CLEAN/MAKE TIDY [transitive] to clean something or make something smooth and tidy using a brush ⇨ sweep:
Don’t forget to brush your teeth. - REMOVE [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to remove something with a brush or with your hand
brush something off/from etc something
Ella brushed the crumbs off her jacket.
He brushed the tears from his eyes. - TOUCH LIGHTLY [intransitive always + adverb/preposition, transitive] to touch someone or something lightly when passing them:
Something brushed her shoulders.
brush against
I felt her hair brush against my arm.
brush past
Nell brushed past him in the doorway. - PUT SOMETHING ON SOMETHING [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to put a liquid onto something using a brush
brush something with something
Brush the pastry with milk.
brush something over/onto something
Brush a little oil over the top of the pizza.
⇨ brush something under the carpet at ↑sweep1(15)
brush somebody/something ↔ aside phrasal verb
to refuse to listen to someone, or refuse to consider something SYN dismiss:
He simply brushed all my objections aside.
brush somebody/something ↔ down phrasal verb - to clean something using a brush:
He was brushing the pony down. - brush yourself down to use your hands to remove dirt from your clothes, especially after you have fallen
brush somebody/something ↔ off phrasal verb
to refuse to listen to someone or their ideas, especially by ignoring them or saying something rude:
Corman brushed off the accusations. ⇨ ↑brush-off
brush up (on) something phrasal verb
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
Brush up on sth
improve your skill on sth
Brute
bruːt
a man who is cruel, violent, and not sensitive
II. brute2 BrE AmE adjective
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: French; Origin: brut ‘rough’, from Latin brutus ‘heavy, stupid’]
1. brute force/strength physical strength, rather than intelligence and careful thinking:
Discussion can be more effective than the use of brute force.
2. [only before noun] simple and not involving any other facts or qualities:
The brute fact is that the situation will not improve.
brute stupidity
Bubbly
- always happy, friendly, and eager to do things:
She has a very bubbly personality. - full of bubbles
II. bubbly2 BrE AmE noun [uncountable] informal
↑champagne:
a glass of bubbly
Buck
- DOLLAR informal a US, Canadian, or Australian dollar:
He owes me ten bucks.
The movie is about a group of men trying to make a buck (=earn some money) as male strippers.
big/mega bucks (=a lot of money)
Using celebrities in advertising is guaranteed to pull in big bucks.
make a fast/quick buck (=make some money quickly, often dishonestly) - the buck stops here (also the buck stops with somebody) used to say that a particular person is responsible for something:
The buck stops firmly with the boss. - pass the buck to make someone else responsible for something that you should deal with
- feel/look like a million bucks especially American English informal to feel or look very healthy, happy, and beautiful
- ANIMAL (plural buck or bucks) a male rabbit, ↑deer, and some other male animals ⇨ doe
- MAN old-fashioned a young man ⇨ (get) a bigger/better etc bang for your buck at ↑bang1(5)
II. buck2 BrE AmE verb - HORSE [intransitive] if a horse bucks, it kicks its back feet into the air, or jumps with all four feet off the ground
- MOVE SUDDENLY [intransitive] to suddenly move up and down, or backwards and forwards, in an uncontrolled way:
The plane bucked sharply. - OPPOSE [transitive] to oppose something in a direct way:
He was a rebel who bucked the system (=opposed rules or authority).
Unemployment in the area has bucked the trend by falling over the last month.
buck against
Initially, he had bucked against her restraints. - MAKE SOMEBODY HAPPIER [transitive] to make someone feel more happy, confident, or healthy:
He was bucked by the success he’d had.
She gave me a tonic which bucked me a little.
buck for something phrasal verb
to try very hard to get something, especially a good position at work:
He’s bucking for promotion.
buck up phrasal verb - to become happier, or to make someone happier:
Come on, buck up, things aren’t that bad!
buck somebody ↔ up
You need something to buck you up. - buck up! British English old-fashioned used to tell someone to hurry up: syn: pick up the pace, step on it
Buck up, John! We’ll be late. - informal to improve, or to make something improve:
It’ll be a long time before the situation starts to buck up.
buck something ↔ up
a company that is looking to buck up its networking capabilities - buck your ideas up British English informal used to tell someone to improve their behaviour or attitude
III. buck3 BrE AmE adverb American English
buck naked not wearing any clothes
Buckle
- BEND [intransitive and transitive] to become bent or curved because of heat or pressure, or to make something bend or curve in this way:
The steel pillars began to buckle.
buckle under
The rails buckled under the intense heat of the fire. - KNEES/LEGS [intransitive] if your knees or legs buckle, they become weak and bend SYN give way:
John felt his knees start to buckle. - DO SOMETHING YOU DO NOT WANT [intransitive] to do something that you do not want to do because a difficult situation forces you to do it SYN give in:
He refused to buckle.
buckle under the pressure/strain/weight
A weaker person would have buckled under the weight of criticism. - FASTEN [intransitive and transitive] to fasten a buckle, or be fastened with a buckle:
Amy buckled the belt around her waist.
buckle something on/up/together
Lou was buckling on his revolver.
buckle down phrasal verb
to start working very hard
buckle down to
You’d better buckle down to some revision now.
buckle up phrasal verb
to fasten your ↑seat belt in a car, aircraft etc
II. buckle2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: bocle ‘buckle, raised part in the center of a shield’, from buccola ‘strap for a helmet’, from bucca ‘cheek’]
a piece of metal used for fastening the two ends of a belt, for fastening a shoe, bag etc, or for decoration
Budding
- budding artist/actor/writer etc someone who is just starting to paint, act etc and will probably be successful at it
- [only before noun] beginning to develop:
a budding romance
Budge up
syn: Scoot over
برو اون ورتر منم بشينم
Bug
- informal an illness that people catch very easily from each other but is not very serious
catch/pick up/get a bug
I picked up a bug last weekend.
There’s a nasty bug going round (=that a lot of people have caught).
tummy/stomach bug (=illness affecting your stomach)
He’s off work with a stomach bug.
a 24-hour flu bug - especially American English a small insect
- a fault in the system of instructions that operates a computer:
a bug in the software ⇨ ↑debug - a small piece of electronic equipment for listening secretly to other people’s conversations
- informal a sudden strong interest in doing something
the travel/sailing etc bug
She’s got the travel bug.
I had one flying lesson and immediately caught the bug (=became very interested in flying).
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + bug
▪ a nasty/horrible bug It was a really nasty bug.
▪ a stomach bug (also a tummy bug more informal) He’s off school with a stomach bug.
▪ a flu bug We’ve all had a horrible flu bug.
▪ a 24-hour/2-day etc bug The doctor says it’s just a 24-hour bug.
■ verbs
▪ have a bug Two of us had a nasty bug on holiday.
▪ catch/get a bug Six out of ten travellers get a stomach bug abroad.
▪ pick up a bug (=catch one) He seems to pick up every bug going.
▪ a bug is going around (=a lot of people have it) A lot of staff are off because there’s a bug going round.
II. bug2 BrE AmE verb (past tense and past participle bugged, present participle bugging) [transitive] - informal to annoy someone:
It just bugs me that I have to work so many extra hours for no extra money.
The baby’s crying is really bugging him. - to put a ↑bug (=small piece of electronic equipment) somewhere secretly in order to listen to conversations:
Do you think the room is bugged?
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ listen to pay attention to what someone is saying or to a sound that you hear: I didn’t hear the answer, because I wasn’t listening when she read it out. | He listened carefully to every word I said.
▪ pay attention to listen carefully to what someone is saying: I nodded to show I was paying attention. | She was tired and wasn’t paying attention to what he was saying.
▪ eavesdrop to secretly listen to someone else’s conversation by standing near them, hiding behind a door etc: I caught him eavesdropping on our conversation. | They spoke in quiet voices which made it hard to eavesdrop.
▪ overhear to hear someone say something, especially accidentally: I overheard him say something about wanting to move house. | Excuse me! I couldn’t help overhearing that you were planning a trip to Thailand.
▪ tune in (to something) to listen to a radio programme, or to someone using a radio ↑transmitter: Over a million people tune in to the programme each week. | Tune in at the same time next week for the next episode. | The equipment could be used by criminals to tune in to police broadcasts.
▪ tap to connect a piece of electronic recording equipment to a telephone system so that you can listen to people’s telephone conversations: The police had tapped the phones of all three suspects. | The President had to resign over an illegal phone-tapping operation.
▪ bug to hide a small piece of electronic recording equipment in someone’s room, car, office etc in order to listen secretly to what is said there: Security agents bugged their offices and managed to get some evidence against them. | Wells was convinced the house was bugged and insisted on playing loud music while we talked.
built-in down draft extractor
هود تو كار كابينتي
Bullseye
/ˈbʊlzaɪ/ noun [countable]
1. the centre of a ↑target that you try to hit when shooting or in games like ↑darts SYN bull
2. British English a large hard round sweet
Bum
1 /bʌm/ BrE AmE noun [countable] informal
[Date: 1800-1900; Origin: Probably from bummer ‘bum’ (19-20 centuries), perhaps from German bummler ‘lazy person’]
1. British English the part of your body that you sit on SYN bottom
2. American English someone, especially a man, who has no home or job, and who asks people for money
3. beach/ski etc bum someone who spends all their time on the beach, ↑skiing etc without having a job
4. someone who is very lazy
5. get/put bums on seats British English informal to make a large number of people go to see a film, play, sports match etc:
She’s the kind of star who will put bums on seats.
6. give somebody the bum’s rush informal to make someone leave a place, especially a public place, quickly
II. bum2 BrE AmE verb (past tense and past participle bummed, present participle bumming) [transitive] British English informal
to ask someone for something such as money, food, or cigarettes SYN cadge:
She bummed a little cash off me.
bum around phrasal verb informal
1. (also bum about) to spend time lazily doing nothing
2. bum around something to travel around, living very cheaply, without having any plans:
He spent a year bumming around Australia.
III. bum3 BrE AmE adjective [only before noun] informal
1. bad and useless:
The orchestra was excellent. No one played a bum note.
Jim got a bum deal (=unfair treatment).
2. a bum ankle/leg etc American English an injured ↑ankle, leg etc
Bumper
- British English a bar fixed on the front and back of a car to protect it if it hits anything SYN fender American English
- bumper-to-bumper bumper-to-bumper traffic is very close together and moving slowly
II. bumper2 BrE AmE adjective [only before noun]
unusually large
bumper crop/harvest
We hope readers will enjoy this bumper issue of ‘Homes and Gardens’
Bun
- British English a small round sweet cake:
a sticky bun - a small round type of bread:
a hamburger bun - if a woman has her hair in a bun, she fastens it in a small round shape at the back of her head
- buns [plural] American English informal the two round parts of a person’s bottom SYN buttocks
- have a bun in the oven British English informal to be ↑pregnant – used humorously
Bundle
- a group of things such as papers, clothes, or sticks that are fastened or tied together
bundle of
bundles of newspapers
a small bundle containing mostly clothing - a number of things that belong or are dealt with together
bundle of
bundles of data - computer software, and sometimes other equipment or services that are included with a new computer at no extra cost
- a bundle informal a lot of money:
College evening classes cost a bundle.
A company can make a bundle by selling unwanted property. - be a bundle of nerves informal to be very nervous
- be a bundle of laughs/fun British English informal an expression meaning a person or situation that is fun or makes you laugh, often used jokingly when they are not fun at all:
Being a teenager isn’t a bundle of laughs. - not go a bundle on something/somebody British English informal to not like something or someone very much:
Jim never drank, and certainly didn’t go a bundle on gambling.
• • •
THESAURUS
■ of things
▪ bunch a group of things held or tied together, especially flowers or keys: He handed me a bunch of daffodils.
▪ bundle several papers, clothes, or sticks held or tied together in an untidy pile: Bundles of papers and files filled the shelves.
▪ cluster a group of things of the same kind that are close together in a place: a cluster of stars | Our road ended at a cluster of cottages.
II. bundle2 BrE AmE verb - [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to quickly push someone or something somewhere because you are in a hurry or you want to hide them
bundle somebody into/through etc something
They bundled Perez into the car and drove off. - [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] British English to move somewhere quickly in a group
bundle into/through etc
Six of us bundled into a taxi. - [transitive] to include computer software or other services with a new computer at no extra cost
bundle something with/into something
Microsoft can bundle Windows Vista at discounted prices with its popular desktop application programs.
bundle something together
The company offered customers a single computer solution, bundling together hardware and software.
bundle somebody ↔ off phrasal verb
to send someone somewhere quickly without asking them if they want to go
bundle somebody/something ↔ up phrasal verb - (also bundle something ↔ together) to make a bundle by tying things together:
Bundle up the newspapers and take them to the skip. - (also bundle something ↔ together) to put different things together so that they are dealt with at the same time: syn:graft
The lawsuit bundles together the claims of many individuals into one big case. - to put warm clothes on someone or yourself because it is cold SYN wrap up:
People sat bundled up in scarves, coats, and boots.
bundle somebody/something ↔ up against
spectators bundled up against the cold
burn sb’s bridges
don’t burn your bridges
پل هاي پشت سرت رو خراب نكن
Burn the midnight oil
stay up late at night to study syn: to pull an all nighter
Burnout
- [uncountable] the feeling of always being tired because you have been working too hard:
Many of the teachers are suffering from burnout. - [uncountable and countable] the time when a ↑rocket or ↑jet has finished all of its ↑fuel and stops operating
Burst
- BREAK OPEN [intransitive and transitive] if something bursts, or if you burst it, it breaks open or apart suddenly and violently so that its contents come out:
The pipes had burst and the house was under two feet of water. - be bursting with something to have a lot of something or be filled with something:
John was bursting with ideas and good humour.
The shops are bursting with food.
be bursting with pride/energy/excitement etc
Your mum’s bursting with pride for you. - MOVE SUDDENLY [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to move somewhere suddenly or quickly, especially into or out of a place
burst into/through/in etc
Jo burst into the room. - burst open to open suddenly:
The door burst open and Tom ran into the room. - be bursting to do something informal to want to do something very much:
Zach was bursting to tell them something. - be bursting
a) British English informal to need to go to the toilet very soon
b) (also be bursting at the seams) to be so full that nothing else can fit inside - burst sb’s bubble informal to make someone suddenly realize that something is not as good as they thought it was:
Steve was so happy I couldn’t bear to burst his bubble. - burst its banks if a river bursts its banks, water from it goes onto the land
⇨ full (up) to bursting at ↑full1(1), ⇨ burst the bubble at ↑bubble1(6), ⇨ the bubble bursts at ↑bubble1(5) - the bubble bursts used for saying that a very successful or happy period of time suddenly ends:
The bubble has finally burst in the mobile phone industry
burst in on/upon somebody/something phrasal verb
to interrupt someone or something by entering a room, in a way that embarrasses you or other people:
I’m sorry to burst in on you like this.
burst into something phrasal verb
1. to suddenly begin to make a sound, especially to start singing, crying, or laughing:
Claire looked as if she were about to burst into tears.
Suddenly, the group burst into laughter.
Lydia burst into song.
2. burst into flames/flame to suddenly start to burn very strongly:
Their car crashed and burst into flames.
burst onto/upon/on something phrasal verb
to suddenly appear and become very successful:
The band burst onto the music scene in 1997.
burst out phrasal verb
1. burst out laughing/crying/singing etc to suddenly start to laugh, cry etc:
Everyone burst out laughing.
2. to suddenly say something in a forceful way:
‘I don’t believe it!’ she burst out angrily.
⇨ ↑outburst(1)
II. burst2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
1. the act of something bursting or the place where it has burst:
a burst in the water pipe
2.
a) a short sudden effort or increase in activity
burst of
The van gave a sudden burst of speed.
b) a short sudden and usually loud sound
burst of
sharp bursts of machine gun fire
c) a sudden strong feeling or emotion
burst of anger/enthusiasm/temper etc
Busboy
پادوي رستوران
Busybody
someone who is too interested in other people’s private activities – used to show disapproval
Butler
the main male servant of a house
Butterface
a person who has an attractive body but unattractive face
Buy the farm
to die
with this speed you’ll buy the farm
Bye felicia
good riddance شرت كم
Cad
old-fashioned a man who cannot be trusted, especially one who treats women badly
Cadence
- the way someone’s voice rises and falls, especially when reading out loud:
the cadence of my mother’s voice - a regular repeated pattern of sounds or movements:
the Brazilian cadences of the music
Cadet
someone who is training to be an officer in the army, navy, ↑air force, or police
Cajole
to gradually persuade someone to do something by being nice to them, or making promises to them syn: wheedle
cajole somebody into doing something
We do our best to cajole rich countries into helping.
• • •
syn: wheedle
Calamity
a terrible and unexpected event that causes a lot of damage or suffering SYN disaster:
It will be a calamity for farmers if the crops fail again.
—calamitous adjective
calf and shin
اولي دو قلو پا و دومي ساق پا
Callous
not caring that other people are suffering:
We were shocked at the callous disregard for human life.
a callous attitude
the callous slaughter of seals
—callously adverb
—callousness noun [uncountable]
can you put mom on
ميشه گوشيو بدي مامان
can you repeat that? you’re breaking up
ميشه تكرار كني صدات قطع و وصل ميشه
can you tell I’m crying?
معلومه كه گريه كردم
I can tell you are sleep-deprived
Canvas
- [uncountable] strong cloth used to make bags, tents, shoes etc:
a canvas bag - [countable] a painting done with oil paints, or the piece of cloth it is painted on:
The gallery has a canvas by Paul Cézanne.
‘Four Women on a Bench’, oil on canvas, 1991 - a broader/wider/larger canvas the whole of a situation, and not just a part of it:
These questions must be considered on a broader canvas. - under canvas British English in a tent
Capitulate
- formal to accept or agree to something that you have been opposing for a long time SYN give in:
Helen finally capitulated and let her son have a car. - formal to accept defeat by your enemies in a war SYN surrender
—capitulation /kəˌpɪtʃəˈleɪʃən, kəˌpɪtʃʊˈleɪʃən/ noun [uncountable and countable]
don’t mistake it with cajole
Capricious
- likely to change your mind suddenly or behave in an unexpected way:
She was as capricious as her mother had been. - literary changing quickly and suddenly:
a capricious wind
—capriciously adverb
career-spanning concert
A “career spanning concert” typically refers to a musical performance or concert that covers a broad range of an artist’s or a band’s work over the entirety of their career. Instead of focusing solely on their most recent material or a specific album, a career spanning concert might include songs from various albums and periods in the artist’s career.
These concerts are often special events that give fans an opportunity to hear a wide variety of songs, including hits as well as lesser-known tracks, from different stages of the artist’s development. It can be a retrospective celebration of the artist’s body of work, offering a comprehensive look at their artistic evolution over the years.
Carefree
having no worries or problems:
He thought back to the carefree days of his childhood.
a carefree attitude
Carouse
kəˈraʊz/
verb
drink alcohol and enjoy oneself with others in a noisy, lively way.
“they danced and caroused until the drink ran out”
Similar:
drink and make merry
noun
a noisy, lively drinking party.
“corporate carouses”
Carousel
- especially American English a machine with wooden horses on it that turns around and around, which people can ride on for fun sun merry go round
- the moving belt that you collect your bags from at an airport
Carte blanche
permission or freedom to do whatever you want:
The new manager will be given carte blanche as long as she can increase the company’s profits.
She had carte blanche to produce a film suitable for children
اختيار تام
carve a niche for myself
to make special positions at job for myself
[example: I manage to carve a niche for myself as a specialist in dermatology ]
Casserole
- food that is cooked slowly in liquid in a covered dish in the ↑oven:
chicken casserole - a deep covered dish used for cooking food in an oven
II. casserole2 BrE AmE verb [transitive]
to cook food in a casserole
Cast
- cast light on/onto something to provide new information about something, making it easier to understand:
research findings that cast new light on the origin of our universe
The numerous biographies of Baldwin cast little light on the subject. - cast doubt(s) on something to make people feel less certain about something:
Her documentary casts serious doubt on Gilligan’s conviction. - LIGHT AND SHADE [transitive] literary to make light or a shadow appear somewhere
cast something over/on/across something
The flames cast dancing shadows on the walls.
the shade cast by low-hanging branches - cast a shadow/cloud over something literary to make people feel less happy or hopeful about something:
The allegations cast a cloud over the Mayor’s visit.
Her father’s illness cast a shadow over the wedding celebrations. - LOOK [transitive] literary to look quickly in a particular direction
cast a look/glance at somebody/something
She cast an anguished look at Guy.
cast somebody a glance/look
The young tramp cast him a wary glance.
She blushed, casting her eyes down. - cast an eye on/over something to examine or read something quickly in order to judge whether it is correct, good etc:
Mellor cast an eye over the draft for inaccuracies.
cast a critical/expert etc eye
Tonight, Tim Goodman casts a cynical eye on TV ads. - cast a vote/ballot to vote in an election:
Barely one in three will bother to cast a ballot on February 26th.
To qualify, candidates must get at least 10% of the votes cast. ⇨ ↑casting vote - cast a spell on/over somebody
a) to attract someone very strongly and to keep their attention completely:
Hong Kong casts a spell over the visitor almost as soon as the aircraft touches down.
b) to use magic words or acts to change someone or something:
She’s a witch, and she’ll cast a spell on you if she catches you. - cast your mind back literary to try to remember something that happened in the past
cast your mind back to
Cast your mind back to your first day at school.
cast your mind back over
He frowned, casting his mind back over the conversation. - cast aspersions on something/somebody formal to suggest that someone is not as truthful, honest etc as they seem:
remarks that cast aspersions on the integrity of the jury - METAL [transitive] to make an object by pouring liquid metal, plastic etc into a ↑mould (=hollow container)
cast something in/from something
a statue of a horse cast in bronze - ACTING [transitive] to choose which people will act particular parts in a play, film etc
cast somebody alongside/opposite somebody (=choose people for the two main roles)
Pfeiffer was expected to be cast alongside Douglas in ‘Basic Instinct’.
cast somebody as something
Coppola cast him as Sodapop in ‘The Outsiders’.
cast somebody in a role/a part/the lead
The producer finally cast Finsh in the male lead. - DESCRIBE [transitive] to regard or describe someone as a particular type of person
cast somebody as something
Clinton had cast himself as the candidate of new economic opportunity.
Clarke’s trying to cast me in the role of villain here. - THROW [transitive always + adverb/preposition] literary to throw something somewhere SYN toss:
Sparks leapt as he cast more wood on the fire. - FISHING [intransitive and transitive] to throw a fishing line or net into the water:
There’s a trick to casting properly. - SEND AWAY [transitive always + adverb/preposition] literary to force someone to go somewhere unpleasant
cast somebody into prison/Hell etc
Memet should, in her opinion, be cast into prison. - cast your net (far and) wide to consider or try as many things as possible in order to find what you want:
We cast our net wide to get the right person for the job. - SKIN [transitive] when a snake casts its skin, the top layer of skin falls off slowly SYN shed
- cast a shoe if a horse casts a shoe, the shoe falls off by accident
- cast a horoscope to prepare and write a ↑horoscope for someone
⇨ the die is cast at ↑die2(3), ⇨ throw in/cast your lot with somebody/something at ↑lot2(8), ⇨ cast pearls before swine at ↑pearl(4)
cast about/around for something phrasal verb
to try hard to think of the right thing to do or say:
She cast about frantically for an excuse.
Telecoms companies are casting around for ways of recouping huge losses.
cast somebody/something ↔ aside phrasal verb literary
to remove or get rid of someone or something because you no longer want or need them:
When Henry became King, he cast aside all his former friends.
cast aside your inhibitions/doubts etc
Cast aside your fears.
cast away phrasal verb [usually passive]
to be left alone on a lonely shore or island because your ship has sunk:
If you were cast away on a desert island, what would you miss most?
cast off phrasal verb - to untie the rope that fastens your boat to the shore so that you can sail away
- cast somebody/something ↔ off literary to remove or get rid of something or someone that you no longer want or need:
His family had cast him off without a penny. - to finish a piece of ↑knitting by removing the stitches from the needle to make an edge that will not come undone
cast something ↔ off
Cast off four stitches.
cast on phrasal verb
to start a piece of ↑knitting by making the first stitches on the needle
cast something ↔ on
Cast on 132 stitches.
cast somebody/something ↔ out phrasal verb
literary to force someone or something to leave a place:
God has cast out the demons from your soul.
cast something ↔ up phrasal verb literary
if the sea casts something up, it carries it onto the shore:
A body had been cast up on the rocks.
II. cast2 BrE AmE noun [countable] - ACTORS all the people who perform in a play, film etc
cast of
Films like ‘Ben Hur’ have a cast of thousands.
the entire cast of ‘Les Misérables’
an all-star cast
a strong supporting cast (=everyone except the main actors)
a member of the cast - ON ARM/LEG (also plaster cast) a hard protective case that is put over your arm, leg etc because the bone is broken:
Murray has his leg in a cast. - FOR MAKING A SHAPE a ↑mould (=hollow container) into which you pour liquid metal, plastic etc in order to make an object of a particular shape, or the object made in this way
cast of
Make a cast of the statue. - sb’s cast of mind formal the way that a person thinks and the type of opinions or mental abilities they have:
Mary was of a far less intellectual cast of mind. - FISHING the act of throwing a fishing line into the water
- COLOUR literary a small amount of a particular colour:
Sage leaves have a silvery cast. - EYE old-fashioned a problem with your eye which causes it to look sideways
- EARTH a small pile of earth that a ↑worm produces on the surface of the ground
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ adjectives
▪ a strong cast (=a lot of good actors) The play has a strong cast of new young actors.
▪ a talented cast It’s a fantastic production with an enormously talented cast.
▪ an all-star/a star-studded/a stellar cast (=a lot of very famous actors) The movie features an all-star cast.
▪ a supporting cast (=all the actors except the main ones) There’s also a fine supporting cast.
■ verbs
▪ have a cast The play had a cast of almost unknown actors.
▪ head the cast (=be the main actor) Al Pacino heads the cast of this political thriller.
■ cast + NOUN
▪ a cast member/a member of the cast Everyone remembers the cast members of ‘Friends’.
▪ the cast list (=list of members) The movie has an impressive cast list
Caste
/kɑːst $ kæst/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable and countable]
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: Portuguese; Origin: casta ‘race’, from casto ‘pure’, from Latin castus; ⇨ ↑chaste]
1. one of the fixed social classes, which cannot be changed, into which people are born in India:
the caste system
2. a group of people who have the same position in society
Catamaran
/ˌkætəməˈræn/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1600-1700; Language: Tamil; Origin: kattumaram, from kattu ‘to tie’ + maram ‘tree’]
a sailing boat with two separate ↑hulls (=the part that goes in the water)
• • •
THESAURUS
■ types of boat
▪ yacht a large boat with a sail, used for pleasure or sport
▪ sailing boat British English, sailboat American English a boat that uses one or more sails
▪ rowing boat British English, rowboat American English a small boat that you move through the water with oars
▪ dinghy a small open boat used for pleasure, or for taking people between a ship and the shore
▪ catamaran a sailing boat with two separate ↑hulls (=the part that goes in the water)
▪ trimaran a sailing boat with three separate HULLSs
▪ barge a large low boat with a flat bottom, used for carrying heavy goods on a canal or river
▪ canal boat (also narrow boat British English) a boat that you use on canals
▪ canoe a long light boat that is open at the top and pointed at both ends, which you move along using a ↑paddle. Canoes are for one to three people
▪ kayak a light boat for one or two people, that is pointed at both ends and covered on top. A kayak has round holes on top in which the people sit, and you move it along using a paddle.
▪ punt a long thin boat with a flat bottom that you move by pushing a long pole against the bottom of the river – used for pleasure
▪ houseboat a boat that is specially made so that you can live on it
▪ pleasure boat a small boat, for example a sailing boat or a rowing boat, that people use on a lake, river etc: People were out on the lake in pleasure boats
Catapult
- a large weapon used in former times to throw heavy stones, iron balls etc
- British English a small stick in the shape of a Y with a thin rubber band fastened over the two ends, used by children to throw stones SYN slingshot American English
- a piece of equipment used to send an aircraft into the air from a ship
II. catapult2 BrE AmE verb - [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to push or throw something very hard so that it moves through the air very quickly:
Sam was catapulted into the air by the force of the blast. - catapult somebody to fame/stardom etc to suddenly make someone very famous:
A remarkable series of events catapulted her into the limelight
Catch
- TAKE AND HOLD
a) [intransitive and transitive] to get hold of and stop an object such as a ball that is moving through the air ⇨ throw:
Stephen leapt up and caught the ball in one hand.
‘Pass me that pen, would you?’ ‘Here you are. Catch!’
The kids were throwing and catching a frisbee down on the beach.
b) [transitive] to suddenly take hold of someone or something with your hand:
He caught her elbow to steady her.
Miss Perry caught hold of my sleeve and pulled me back. - FIND/STOP SOMEBODY [transitive]
a) to stop someone after you have been chasing them and not let them get away:
‘You can’t catch me!’ she yelled, running away.
b) to find a criminal or enemy and stop them from escaping SYN capture:
State police have launched a massive operation to catch the murderer.
If you go back to the city, you’re bound to get caught. - SEE SOMEBODY DOING SOMETHING [transitive] to see someone doing something that they did not want you to know they were doing
catch somebody doing something
I caught him reading my private letters.
Gemma turned around and caught the stranger looking at her intently.
catch somebody in the act (of doing something) (=catch someone while they are doing something illegal)
The gang was caught in the act of unloading the cigarettes.
He was caught red-handed (=as he was doing something wrong) taking money from the cash register.
catch somebody at it
We knew he’d been cheating, but we’d never caught him at it before. - ILLNESS [transitive] to get an infectious disease:
Anton caught malaria in Mali, and nearly died.
Many young people are still ignorant about how HIV is caught.
catch something from/off somebody/something
Typhoid and cholera are often caught from contaminated water supplies.
I caught chicken pox off my friend at school.
catch your death (of cold) British English spoken (=get a very bad cold)
Don’t stand out in the rain. You’ll catch your death. - catch somebody by surprise, catch somebody off guard, catch somebody napping/unawares (also catch somebody on the hop British English) to do something or to happen when someone is not expecting it or prepared for it:
Her question caught him off guard. - catch somebody with their pants/trousers down to discover that someone is doing something that they should not be doing or has not done something that they should have done:
He’s not the first politician to be caught with his pants down, and he won’t be the last. - ANIMAL/FISH [transitive] to trap an animal or fish by using a trap, net, or hook, or by hunting it:
Did you catch any fish?
Early settlers caught rabbits and squirrels and even rats in order to survive. - catch a train/plane/bus to get on a train, plane etc in order to travel on it, or to be in time to get on a train, plane etc before it leaves:
I caught the 7.15 train to London.
There’s a train in now. If you run, you’ll just catch it.
I have to hurry – I have a bus to catch. - NOT MISS SOMEBODY/SOMETHING [transitive] to not be too late to do something, see something, talk to someone etc OPP miss:
I managed to catch her just as she was leaving.
I just caught the last few minutes of the documentary.
Tumours like these can be treated quite easily if they’re caught early enough.
catch the post British English (=post letters in time for them to be collected that day) - GET STUCK [intransitive and transitive] if your hand, finger, clothing etc catches or is caught in something, it gets stuck in it accidentally:
His overalls caught in the engine.
Her microphone was forever getting caught on her clothes. - catch sb’s attention/interest/imagination etc to make you notice something and feel interested in it:
Lucie whistled sharply to catch the other girl’s attention.
This is a story that will catch the imagination of every child. - not catch something spoken to not hear or understand what someone says:
I’m afraid I didn’t catch your name. - HEAR [transitive] to manage to hear a sound:
I caught the muffled thud of a car door slamming in the street. - catch you later spoken used to say goodbye:
‘I’ll give you a call in a couple of days.’ ‘Okay. Catch you later.’ - DO/SEE SOMETHING [transitive] especially American English spoken to go somewhere in order to do or see something:
We could catch a movie (=go to a movie).
M Records caught his act and signed him immediately. - catch a ride American English spoken to go somewhere in someone else’s car:
I caught a ride as far as Columbus. - you won’t catch me doing something (also you won’t catch me somewhere) spoken used to say that you would never do something:
I love dancing but you won’t catch me being the first on the dance floor! - catch it informal to be punished by someone such as a parent or teacher because you have done something wrong:
You’ll catch it if Dad finds out. - catch a glimpse of somebody/something to see someone or something for a very short time:
Fans waited for hours at the airport to catch a glimpse of their idol. - catch sight of somebody/something to suddenly see someone or something that you have been looking for or have been hoping to see:
I caught sight of her in the crowd. - DESCRIBE WELL [transitive] to show or describe the character or quality of something well in a picture, piece of writing etc SYN capture:
a novel that catches the mood of post-war Britain - BURN
a) catch fire if something catches fire, it starts to burn accidentally:
Two farm workers died when a barn caught fire.
b) [intransitive] if a fire catches, it starts to burn:
For some reason the charcoal wasn’t catching. - catch sb’s eye
a) to attract someone’s attention and make them look at something:
Out on the freeway, a billboard caught his eye.
b) to look at someone at the same moment that they are looking at you:
Every time she caught his eye, she would glance away embarrassed. - catch yourself doing something to suddenly realize you are doing something:
Standing there listening to the song, he caught himself smiling from ear to ear. - HIT [transitive] to hit someone in or on a particular part of their body:
The punch caught him right in the face. - be/get caught in/without etc something to be in a situation that you cannot easily get out of or in which you do not have something you need:
We got caught in a rainstorm on the way here.
Here’s a useful tip if you’re caught without a mirror. - catch your breath
a) to pause for a moment after a lot of physical effort in order to breathe normally again:
Hang on a minute – let me catch my breath!
b) to stop breathing for a moment because something has surprised, frightened, or shocked you
c) to take some time to stop and think about what you will do next after having been very busy or active:
It was an enforced absence from work, but at least it gave me a little time to catch my breath before the final push. - CONTAINER [transitive] if a container catches liquid, it is in a position where the liquid falls into it:
Place the baking sheet under the muffin pan to catch the drips. - SHINE [transitive] if the light catches something or if something catches the light, the light shines on it:
The sunlight caught her hair and turned it to gold. - catch the sun informal if you catch the sun, your skin becomes red and sometimes sore because of the effects of sunlight:
You’ve caught the sun on the back of your neck. - WIND [transitive] if something catches the wind or the wind catches something, it blows on it:
Gary swung the sail round to catch the light wind. - SPORT
a) [transitive] to end a player’s ↑innings in ↑cricket by catching the ball that is hit off their ↑bat before it touches the ground
b) [intransitive] to be the ↑catcher in a game of baseball
• • •
THESAURUS (for Meaning 2)
▪ catch to stop someone who is trying to escape, especially by running after them and then holding them: He raced after her, but he couldn’t catch her. | The police caught the bank robbers after a car chase through the city.
▪ arrest if the police arrest someone, they take him or her to a police station because they think that person has done something illegal: Wayne was arrested for dangerous driving. | The police arrested him and charged him with murder.
▪ apprehend formal if the police apprehend someone they think has done something illegal, they catch him or her: The two men were later apprehended after they robbed another store. | The killers were never apprehended. | All of the kidnappers were apprehended and convicted.
▪ capture to catch an enemy or a criminal in order to keep them as a prisoner: The French king was captured by the English at the battle of Poitiers in 1356. | The gunmen were finally captured after a shoot-out with the police.
▪ take somebody prisoner to catch someone, especially in a war, in order to keep them as a prisoner: 350 soldiers were killed and another 300 taken prisoner. | Ellison was taken prisoner by the Germans during the retreat to Dunkirk.
▪ trap to make someone go to a place from which they cannot escape, especially by using your skill and intelligence: Police trapped the man inside a bar on the city’s southside.
▪ corner to force someone into a place from which they cannot escape: He was cornered outside the school by three gang members.
catch at something phrasal verb
to try to take hold of something:
She caught at his arm, ‘Hang on. I’m coming with you.’
catch on phrasal verb - to become popular and fashionable:
The idea of glasses being a fashion item has been slow to catch on. - to begin to understand or realize something
catch on to
It was a long time before the police caught on to what he was really doing.
catch somebody out phrasal verb - 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. - if something unexpected catches you out, it puts you in a difficult situation because you were not expecting it or not fully prepared for it:
Even the best whitewater rafters get caught out by the fierce rapids here.
catch up phrasal verb - to improve and reach the same standard as other people in your class, group etc:
If you miss a lot of classes, it’s very difficult to catch up.
catch up with
At the moment our technology is more advanced, but other countries are catching up with us. - to come from behind and reach someone in front of you by going faster
catch up with
Drive faster – they’re catching up with us.
catch somebody up British English:
You go on ahead. I’ll catch you up in a minute. - to do what needs to be done because you have not been able to do it until now
catch up on
I have some work to catch up on.
I need to catch up on some sleep (=after a period without enough sleep). - to spend time finding out what has been happening while you have been away or during the time you have not seen someone
catch up on
When I got home I phoned Jo to catch up on all the gossip.
I’ll leave you two alone – I’m sure you’ve got a lot of catching up to do. - be/get caught up in something to be or get involved in something, especially something bad:
I didn’t want to get caught up in endless petty arguments.
catch up with somebody phrasal verb - to finally find someone who has been doing something illegal and punish them:
It took six years for the law to catch up with them. - if something bad from the past catches up with you, you cannot avoid dealing with it any longer:
At the end of the movie his murky past catches up with him.
II. catch2 BrE AmE noun - [countable] an act of catching a ball that has been thrown or hit:
Hey! Nice catch! - [countable usually singular] informal a hidden problem or difficulty:
This deal looks too good to be true – there must be a catch somewhere.
the catch is (that)
The catch is that you can’t enter the competition unless you’ve spent $100 in the store. - [countable] a hook or something similar for fastening a door or lid and keeping it shut
- [countable] a quantity of fish that has been caught at one time
- [uncountable] a simple game in which two or more people throw a ball to each other:
Let’s go outside and play catch. - a catch in your voice/throat a short pause that you make when you are speaking, because you feel upset or are beginning to cry:
There was a catch in Anne’s voice and she seemed close to tears. - a (good) catch someone who is a good person to have a relationship with or to marry because they are rich, attractive etc – often used humorously
Cave in
- if the top or sides of something cave in, they fall down or inwards
cave in on
The roof of the tunnel caved in on them. - to finally stop opposing something, especially because someone has persuaded or threatened you
cave in to
The chairman is expected to cave in to pressure from shareholders.
Caveat
/ˈkæviæt, ˈkeɪv-/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: ‘let him or her beware’, from cavere; ⇨ ↑caution1]
formal a warning that something may not be completely true, effective etc
caveat that
She will be offered treatment, with the caveat that it may not work.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ warning something that you say or do to tell people about danger, or to tell them not to do something: All cigarette packets carry a government health warning. | She ignored her parents’ warnings. | The army issued a warning that anyone who was out on the streets after dark was likely to be shot.
▪ caution formal an official warning or a piece of advice telling you to be careful: Caution: do not install electrical equipment near or around water sources. | The video begins with a caution that you must do some warm-up exercises first.
▪ tip-off informal a warning that someone is about to do something, especially one given to the police about a crime: Police were called to the hotel after a tip-off.
▪ alert a warning to be ready for possible danger that may happen soon: Twelve flood alerts have been issued to areas along the River Severn. | a fire alert | The ambulance services were on red alert (=they were ready to take action immediately).
▪ advisory formal an official warning or notice that gives information about a dangerous situation: The air pollution gets so bad on some days that health advisories are posted at park entrances.
▪ caveat formal a warning that something may not be completely true, effective etc. Also used when pointing out that it is important to remember something: The woman was offered treatment, but with the caveat that it had only a 30% chance of success. | One caveat is that you must take the goods back to the shop within 14 days. | There is one important caveat to this argument
centipede
هزارپا
Chagrin
ˈʃæɡrɪn $ ʃəˈɡrɪn/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[Date: 1700-1800; Language: French; Origin: chagrin ‘sad’]
annoyance and disappointment because something has not happened the way you hoped
to sb’s chagrin
Much to her chagrin, I got the job.
II. chagrin2 BrE AmE verb
be chagrined formal to feel annoyed and disappointed:
Dale was chagrined that she wasn’t impressed.
Chaise
chaise longue /ˌʃeɪz ˈlɒŋ $ -ˈlɒːŋ/ BrE AmE noun (plural chaises longues (same pronunciation)) [countable]
[Date: 1800-1900; Language: French; Origin: ‘long chair’]
1. a long chair with an arm only at one end, on which you can sit and stretch out your legs
2. American English a long chair with a back that can be upright for sitting, or can lie flat for lying down
Char
/tʃɑː $ tʃɑːr/ BrE AmE verb (past tense and past participle charred, present participle charring)
[Date: 1600-1700; Origin: charcoal]
1. [intransitive and transitive] to burn something so that its outside becomes black:
Roast the peppers until the skin begins to char and blister. ⇨ ↑charred
2. [intransitive] British English old-fashioned to work as a cleaner in a house, office, public building etc
II. char2 BrE AmE noun
1. [countable] British English old-fashioned a ↑charwoman
2. [uncountable] British English old-fashioned tea:
a cup of char
Charcoal
/ˈtʃɑːkəʊl $ ˈtʃɑːrkoʊl
1. [uncountable] a black substance made of burned wood that can be used as ↑fuel:
cooking over a charcoal fire
2. [uncountable and countable] a stick of this substance used for drawing:
a sketch drawn in charcoal
3. (also ˌcharcoal ˈgrey) [uncountable] a dark grey colour
—charcoal adjective
charcuterie board
charcuterie: ʃɑːˈkuːt(ə)ri/ cold cooked or preserved food
سيني هاي مزه اي كه با كالباس اينا هست
Chastity
/ˈtʃæstəti, ˈtʃæstɪti/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
the principle or state of not having sex with anyone, or not with anyone except your husband or wife ⇨ celibacy
cheap shot don’t mistake it with cheapskate
نامردي
cheapskate
آدم خسيس
Cheeky
rude or disrespectful, sometimes in a way that is amusing
cheeky devil/monkey etc
You did that on purpose, you cheeky little devil!
Now don’t be cheeky to your elders, young woman.
a chubby five-year-old with a cheeky grin
—cheekily adverb:
He grinned cheekily.
—cheekiness noun [uncountable
cheese puffs
پفك
cherry-picking
گلچين كردن
Chew the fact
talk for a while. syn: have a chinwag
don’t mistake it with get a word in edgewise
[example: they lost track of time as they were chewing the fact all morning ]
chicken drumsticks
ران مرغ
chicken drumsticks
ران مرغ
Chime
- [intransitive and transitive] if a bell or clock chimes, it makes a ringing sound, especially to tell you what time it is:
The clock in the hall chimed six. - [intransitive] to be the same as something else or to have the same effect
chime with
Her views on life didn’t quite chime with mine.
chime in phrasal verb
to say something in a conversation, especially to agree with what someone has just said:
‘We’ll miss you too,’ the children chimed in.
II. chime2 BrE AmE noun
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: chimbe ‘cymbal’, from Latin cymbalum; ⇨ ↑cymbal] - [countable] a ringing sound made by a bell or clock
- chimes [plural] a set of bells or other objects that produce musical sounds, used as a musical instrument or, for example, as a type of doorbell ⇨ ↑wind chimes
Chivalrous
a man who is chivalrous behaves in a polite, kind, generous, and honourable way, especially towards women
—chivalrously adverb
Chives
the long thin green leaves of a plant with purple flowers. Chives taste like onion and are used in cooking.
Chord
- a combination of several musical notes that are played at the same time and sound pleasant together
- strike/touch a chord (with somebody) to do or say something that people feel is familiar or true:
Many of the things she says will strike a chord with other young women.
He knew that what he was saying had touched a chord. - technical a straight line joining two points on a curve
HINT: ► Do not confuse with cord (=thick string), which has the same pronunciation.
Chow
tʃaʊ
1. [uncountable] old-fashioned informal food:
I ordered some chow and sat down.
2. [countable] (also ˈchow chow) a type of dog with long thick fur that first came from China
II. chow2 BrE AmE verb
chow down phrasal verb American English informal
to eat:
She had to chow down with the others in the cafeteria
Chronological
adjective
1. arranged according to when things happened or were made:
We arranged the documents in chronological order.
2. chronological age a person’s chronological age is how old they actually are, rather than how old their mind or body seems
—chronologically /-kli/ adverb:
The paintings are displayed chronologically
Chuck
informal
[Date: 1500-1600; Origin: Perhaps from Old French chuquer ‘to knock’]
1. to throw something in a careless or relaxed way
chuck something on/out of/into etc something
Tania chucked her bag down on the sofa.
I chucked a few things into a suitcase and left.
chuck somebody something
Chuck me that pen, would you?
2. to throw something away because you do not want it any more:
I think I might have chucked it by mistake.
3. (also chuck something ↔ in) to leave your job:
You haven’t chucked your job, have you?
4. British English to end a romantic relationship with someone:
Why did Judy chuck him?
5. chuck it down to rain very heavily:
It chucked it down all afternoon.
6. chuck somebody under the chin to gently touch someone under their chin in a friendly way
chuck something ↔ away phrasal verb informal
to throw something away because you do not want it any more:
I chucked all my old clothes away when we moved house.
chuck something ↔ in phrasal verb
to leave your job:
He had a job but he chucked it in.
I decided to chuck it all in and go to Australia.
chuck somebody off something phrasal verb informal
1. to make someone leave a place or stop using something:
He’ll chuck you off his land if he finds you.
2. chuck yourself off something to jump from somewhere that is very high:
She tried to chuck herself off the bridge twice last week.
chuck somebody/something ↔ out phrasal verb informal
1. to throw something away because you do not want it any more:
It was broken so I chucked it out.
2. to make someone leave a place or a job:
Their landlord chucked them out when they couldn’t pay the rent.
chuck somebody/something ↔ out of
They got chucked out of the pub for fighting.
II. chuck2 BrE AmE noun
[Date: 1700-1800; Origin: chuck ‘large awkward-shaped piece’ (17-19 centuries), probably from chock]
1. [countable] part of a machine that holds something firmly so that it does not move
2. [singular] spoken a friendly word used to address someone in some parts of Northern England
Chuck something out
دور ريختن چيزي
Chug
/tʃʌɡ/ BrE AmE verb (past tense and past participle chugged, present participle chugging)
[Date: 1800-1900; Origin: From the sound]
1. [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] if a car, train etc chugs somewhere, it moves there slowly, with the engine making a repeated low sound
chug along/up/around etc
The boat chugged out of the harbour.
2. [transitive] (also chug-a-lug) American English informal to drink all of something in a glass or bottle without stopping
3. [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to make slow but steady progress:
The economy just keeps chugging along.
—chug noun [countable usually singular]
circumcision
Circumcision = ختنه
Circumcise = ختنه کردن
circumnavigate
/ˌsɜːkəmˈnævəɡeɪt, ˌsɜːkəmˈnævɪɡeɪt $ ˌsɜːr-/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
to sail, fly, or travel completely around the Earth, an island etc
—circumnavigation /ˌsɜːkəmnævəˈɡeɪʃən, ˌsɜːkəmnævɪˈɡeɪʃən $ ˌsɜːr-/ noun [uncountable and countable]:
circumnavigation of the world
circumscribe
- [often passive] formal to limit power, rights, or abilities SYN restrict:
The President’s power is circumscribed by Congress and the Supreme Court. - technical to draw a line around something:
a circle circumscribed by a square
Circumvent
- to avoid a problem or rule that restricts you, especially in a clever or dishonest way – used to show disapproval:
The company opened an account abroad, in order to circumvent the tax laws. - to avoid something by changing the direction in which you are travelling:
We went north in order to circumvent the mountains.
—circumvention /-ˈvenʃən/ noun [uncountable
Cist
كيست
Citrus
/ˈsɪtrəs/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1800-1900; Language: Modern Latin; Origin: Latin, ‘citron tree’]
1. (also ˈcitrus tree) a type of tree that produces citrus fruits
2. (also ˈcitrus fruit) a fruit with thick skin, such as an orange or ↑lemon
—citrus adjective
Claim
- TRUTH [transitive] to state that something is true, even though it has not been proved
claim (that)
The product claims that it can make you thin without dieting.
claim to do/be something
No responsible therapist will claim to cure your insomnia.
I don’t claim to be a feminist, but I’d like to see more women in top jobs.
claim to have done something
The girls claim to have seen the fairies.
claim responsibility/credit (for something) (=say officially that you are responsible for something that has happened)
The group claimed responsibility for the bombings.
Opposition leaders will claim victory if the turnout is lower than 50%.
claim somebody/something as something
A letter appeared in ‘The Times’ claiming Fleming as the discoverer of penicillin. - MONEY [intransitive and transitive] to officially demand or receive money from an organization because you have a right to it
claim something back
He should be able to claim the price of the ticket back.
claim on British English:
You can claim on the insurance if you have an accident while on holiday.
claim benefit/an allowance/damages etc
If you’re still not satisfied, you may be able to claim compensation. - LEGAL RIGHT [transitive] to state that you have a right to take or have something that is legally yours:
The majority of those who claim asylum are genuine refugees.
Lost property can be claimed between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. - DEATH [transitive] if a war, accident etc claims lives, people die because of it – used especially in news reports:
The earthquake has so far claimed over 3,000 lives. - ATTENTION [transitive] if something claims your attention, you notice and consider it carefully:
The military conflict continues to claim our undivided attention.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ nouns
▪ claim responsibility (=say that you are responsible for something bad) Following the attack, a man phoned a newspaper claiming responsibility.
▪ claim credit (=say that you are responsible for something good) Political parties always claim credit for economic growth.
▪ claim victory (=say that you are the winner) The election results were in and the President was able to claim victory.
▪ claim descent (=say that you are related to someone important who lived a long time ago) He claimed descent from Beethoven.
■ adverbs
▪ wrongly/rightly This hotel can rightly claim that it has some of the best views on the island.
▪ falsely/rightfully (=wrongly/rightly) Some manufacturers falsely claim that their products are environmentally friendly.
▪ justifiably (=with good reasons) They can justifiably claim to be the top team in the country.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ claim to say that something is true, even though it has not been proved: He claims that he didn’t see anything. | She claims to be a descendant of Charles Dickens.
▪ allege to claim that someone did something wrong or illegal, although you do not give any proof: It is alleged that he murdered his wife. | Patients allege that the two firms failed to warn doctors about the dangers of taking the drugs over a long period.
▪ maintain to repeatedly say that something is true, especially when other people do not believe you: He continued to maintain his innocence, even after he was sent to prison. | My mother always maintains that I learned to talk at six months.
▪ insist to say very firmly that something is true: She insists that Tom was there, although he denies it. | Turkey insists that there is more than enough water in the two rivers for all three countries.
▪ assert formal to state that something is true – used especially in formal writing when reporting someone’s opinion: They assert that children work better on their own. | The Environment Minister asserted that one third of the country’s cities had major pollution problems.
▪ contend formal to claim that something is true, especially when other people disagree with you: Lawyers contend that his back problems were due to an existing injury, not the accident. | It is possible, as Kennedy contends, that her medical condition is caused by her work.
II. claim2 S2 W1 BrE AmE noun [countable] - TRUTH a statement that something is true, even though it has not been proved
claim that
Gould rejected claims that he had acted irresponsibly.
false/extravagant/dubious etc claims
firms that make false claims about their products
They made claims they couldn’t live up to.
the competing claims of scientists
dispute/deny/reject a claim
The police denied claims that the men were tortured.
Evidence to support these claims is still lacking.
claim to do/be something
his claim to be the rightful owner of the painting
I make no claim to understand the complexities of the situation. - MONEY
a) an official request for money that you think you have a right to
claim for
claims for compensation
reject/uphold/lose etc a claim
He lost his claim for unfair dismissal.
make/put in/file a claim
All claims should be made in writing.
pay/wage claim (=a request from workers for more money)
Fill in and return the claim form as soon as it arrives.
b) the sum of money you request when you make a claim:
The insurance company cannot meet (=pay) such enormous claims. - RIGHTS a right to do something or to have something, especially because it belongs to you or because you deserve it
claim to/on
Surely they have a rightful claim on their father’s land?
The Maldives pressed its claim to hold the summit.
Philip feared Edward would lay claim to the Scottish crown.
the competing claims of parents and teachers
have a claim on sb’s time/attention etc
A woman who has given a man children will always have a claim on his love. - stake your claim (for something) to say that you have a right to own or do something, especially when other people also say they have a right to it:
Tickets are on a ‘first come, first served’ basis, so stake your claim now. - sb’s/sth’s claim to fame 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. - LAND something such as a piece of land that contains valuable minerals
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ adjectives
▪ false His claims were later found to be false.
▪ unfounded/unsubstantiated (=not based on truth or evidence) These claims of discrimination are completely unfounded.
▪ extravagant claims (=clearly not true) Some manufacturers make extravagant claims for their products.
▪ competing claims the competing claims of the political parties
▪ conflicting claims (=saying that different things are true) The reports contained conflicting claims of the number of people killed.
■ verbs
▪ make a claim He made extravagant claims about the benefits of the diet.
▪ deny a claim (=say it is not true) Government officials denied claims that the country possessed chemical weapons.
▪ dispute/reject a claim (=say it is not true) The Prime Minister rejected claims of a disagreement within his party.
▪ support a claim The court found no evidence to support her claim.
▪ back up a claim (=support it) They challenged him to back up his claims with evidence.
▪ accept a claim Many scientists were reluctant to accept his claims.
▪ challenge a claim (=say that you do not believe it is true) Washington continued to challenge the claim that global warming is partly caused by carbon dioxide.
▪ investigate a claim Detectives are investigating claims that the two officials took bribes.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ claim a statement that something is true, even though it has not been proved: It is difficult to believe some of the manufacturer’s claims for its products.
▪ allegation a statement that someone has done something wrong or illegal, but that has not been proved: He has strongly denied the allegations of sexual harassment.
▪ assertion formal something that you say or write that you strongly believe: the assertion that house prices are falling
▪ contention formal a strong opinion that someone expresses: Her main contention is that doctors should do more to encourage healthy eating
Claw clip
گل سر
Clean-shaven
صورت بدون ريش
Cleanser
/ˈklenzə $ -ər/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable and countable]
[Word Family: noun: ↑cleaner, ↑cleaning, ↑cleanliness, ↑clean, ↑cleanser; verb: ↑clean, ↑cleanse; adverb: ↑clean, ↑cleanly; adjective: ↑clean ≠ ↑unclean]
1. a substance used for removing dirt or ↑make-up from your face
2. a substance containing chemicals that is used for cleaning surfaces inside a house, office etc:
cream cleanser for the bathroom
Clear the air
to remove doubt from the situation, to discuss or otherwise confront a troublesome issue
[example: they were able to clear the air by producing the document in question, so that we could all see it for ourselves]
Cleat
- a small bar with two short arms around which ropes can be tied, especially on a ship
- [usually plural] a short piece of rubber, metal etc attached to the bottom of a sports shoe SYN stud
- cleats [plural] American English a pair of sports shoes with these pieces attached to them, in order to prevent someone from slipping ⇨ spikes
Cleave
- [I, T always + adv/prep] literary to cut something into separate parts using a heavy tool, or to be able to be cut in this way:
The wooden door had been cleft in two. - [transitive] formal to divide something into two completely separate parts:
the racial problems that still cleave American society - cleave the air/darkness etc literary to move quickly through the air etc:
His fist cleft the air.
cleave to somebody/something phrasal verb - formal to continue to think that a method, belief, person etc is true or valuable, even when this seems unlikely:
John still cleaves to his romantic ideals. - literary to stick to someone or something, or seem to surround themes
Cleft
- a natural crack in something, especially the surface of rocks or the Earth
- an area on the chin or lip that goes slightly inwards
II. cleft2 BrE AmE adjective
[Date: 1300-1400; Origin: ↑cleft3]
be (caught) in a cleft stick British English to be in a very difficult situation in which any action or decision you make will cause problems
III. cleft3 BrE AmE
a past tense and past participle of ↑cleave
Clinch
- [transitive] to finally agree on something or get something after trying very hard:
a young salesman eager to clinch the deal
clinch a match/championship/victory etc
A last-minute touchdown clinched the game. - clinch it informal if an event, situation, process etc clinches it, it makes someone finally decide to do something that they were already thinking of doing:
We’d talked about moving, and the burglary clinched it for us. - [intransitive] if two people clinch, they hold each other’s arms tightly, especially when fighting
II. clinch2 BrE AmE noun [countable] - a situation in which two people hold each other’s arms tightly, especially when they are fighting
- a situation in which two people who love each other hold each other tightly SYN embrace
Clingy
- someone who is clingy is too dependent on another person, and will often hold on to them – used to show disapproval:
a shy clingy child - clingy clothing or material sticks tightly to your body and shows its shape – use this to show approval:
She wore a clingy red dress
Close quarters
cramped or crowded space; a room with little space for the people in it
* In college, I lived with three other guys in a small apartment. Those close quarters made it hard to have any privacy
Club together
when several people contribute in order to do sth descent
syn: pitch in
[example: tomorrow is Bahador’s wedding so there are four of us who club together to buy descent present and each pay 40$]
Clunky
heavy and awkward to wear or use:
clunky old shoes
از مد افتاده
Clutch
- [transitive] to hold something tightly because you do not want to lose it SYN grip, grasp:
She was clutching a bottle of champagne. - [intransitive and transitive] (also clutch at somebody/something)
a) to suddenly take hold of someone or something because you are frightened, in pain, or in danger SYN grab:
He clutched at a pillar for support.
Tom fell to the ground clutching his stomach.
b) clutch at sb’s heart if something clutches at your heart, you suddenly feel fear or nervousness - be clutching at straws especially British English to be trying everything possible to find a solution or hope in a difficult situation, even though it will probably be unsuccessful:
I knew that trying the alternative medicine was just clutching at straws
II. clutch2 BrE AmE noun
[Sense 1-2,4: Date: 1600-1700; Origin: ⇨ ↑clutch1]
[Sense 3: Date: 1700-1800; Origin: cletch ‘clutch’ (17-19 centuries), from cleck ‘to hatch’ (15-19 centuries), from Old Norse klekja]
1. [countable] the ↑pedal that you press with your foot when driving a vehicle in order to change ↑gear, or the part of the vehicle that this controls
2. sb’s clutches [plural] the power, influence, or control that someone has:
a small boy trying to escape from his mother’s clutches
in sb’s clutches
She’ll have him in her clutches soon enough.
3. clutch of something a small group of similar things:
a clutch of eggs (=the number of eggs laid by a bird at one time)
a clutch of young mothers
4. [singular] a tight hold that someone has on something SYN grip, grasp:
I shook myself free of her clutch
Co-pay
پولي كه ما ميديم و بيمه نميده واسه دارو و …
Coach
– the least expensive, least comfortable seats on a train or plane
* Timothy is very tall, so he doesn’t like sitting in coach because there isn’t enough space for his long legs
Coarse
- having a rough surface that feels slightly hard SYN rough OPP smooth:
a jacket of coarse wool - consisting of threads or parts that are thick or large OPP fine:
The coarse sand was hot and rough under her feet.
tufts of coarse grass - talking in a rude and offensive way, especially about sex SYN crude:
coarse jokes
—coarsely adverb:
coarsely ground black pepper
—coarseness noun [uncountable]
Coaster
/ˈkəʊstə $ ˈkoʊstər/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
1. a small thin object on which you put a glass, or cup, to protect a table from heat or liquids
2. a ship that sails from port to port along a coast, but does not go further out to sea
⇨ ↑roller coaster
Cobble
- to repair or make shoes
- to put ↑cobblestones on a street
cobble something ↔ together phrasal verb
to quickly produce or make something that is useful but not perfect:
The diplomats cobbled an agreement together.
She cobbled together a tent from a few pieces of string and a sheet.
II. cobble2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1600-1700; Origin: cobblestone]
a cobblestone
Coed
- using a system in which students of both sexes are educated together:
a coed college - American English a coed place, team etc is used by or includes people of both sexes SYN mixed British English
II. coed2 BrE AmE noun [countable] American English old-fashioned
a woman student at a university
Coerce
/kəʊˈɜːs $ ˈkoʊɜːrs/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: Latin; Origin: coercere, from co- ( ⇨ ↑co-) + arcere ‘to enclose’]
to force someone to do something they do not want to do by threatening them
coerce somebody into (doing) something
The rebels coerced the villagers into hiding them from the army.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ force to make someone do something they do not want to do. Used when people or situations make you do something: They were beaten and forced to confess to crimes they had not committed. | The drought forced millions of farmers to sell their cattle.
▪ make to force someone to do something by using pressure, threats, or violence. Make somebody do something is more common than force somebody to do something in everyday English: Her parents disapproved of Alex and they made her stop seeing him. | Two men with guns made the staff hand over the money.
▪ pressure (also pressurize British English) to try to force someone to do something by making them feel that they should do it: Some employers pressure their staff into working very long hours. | She felt they were trying to pressurize her into getting married.
▪ blackmail to force someone to give you money or do what you want by threatening to tell embarrassing secrets about them: She tried to blackmail him with photographs of them together at the hotel.
▪ compel [usually passive] formal to force someone to do something using official power or authority. Also used when someone has to do something because of their situation: The town was surrounded and compelled to surrender. | I felt compelled to offer them some kind of explanation. | You are compelled by law to carry an ID card.
▪ coerce /kəʊˈɜːs $ ˈkoʊɜːrs/ formal to force someone to do something by threatening them: Local people were coerced into joining the rebel army.
▪ be obliged to do something formal if someone is obliged to do something, they must do it because it is the law or the rule, or because of the situation they are in: You are not obliged to say anything which may harm your defence in court. | They were obliged to sell the land
Coercion
/kəʊˈɜːʃən $ koʊˈɜːrʒən/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
the use of threats or orders to make someone do something they do not want to do:
The defendant explained that he had been acting under coercion.
Coffee wanker
The act of ordering a Ridiculously long named coffee normally from a franchise coffe shop such as starbucks. These people are called coffee wankers
Cog in the machine
a small or insignificant member of a larger organization or system.
“copywriters have been seen as just a cog in the big advertising machine
Cognizant
formal
if someone is cognizant of something, they know about it and understand it
cognizant of
He was cognizant of the peculiarities of the case
Coherent
- if a piece of writing, set of ideas etc is coherent, it is easy to understand because it is clear and reasonable:
The three years of the course are planned as a coherent whole.
a coherent account of the incident - if someone is coherent, they are talking in a way that is clear and easy to understand:
He sounded coherent, but he was too ill to have any idea what he was saying. - if a group is coherent, its members are connected or united because they share common aims, qualities, or beliefs:
They were never a coherent group.
—coherently adverb:
She could not think coherently.
Colander
ˈkʌləndə, ˈkɒ- $ ˈkʌləndər, ˈkɑː-/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1300-1400; Origin: Probably from Old Provençal colador, from Medieval Latin colatorium, from Latin colare ‘to sieve’]
a metal or plastic bowl with a lot of small holes in the bottom and sides, used to separate liquid from food
Colate
kəˈleɪt/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[Date: 1500-1600; Origin: collation]
1. formal to gather information together, examine it carefully, and compare it with other information to find any differences
collate information/results/data/figures
A computer system is used to collate information from across Britain.
2. to arrange sheets of paper in the correct order SYN sort
—collation /kəˈleɪʃən/ noun [uncountable
collect one’s thoughts
to take time to think through an issue, to give some thought to a topic
[example: I ‘ll speak to the visitor in a moment, I’ll need some time to collect my thoughts ]
Collective bargaining
– official meetings and talks between a union and a company about the workers’ pay and benefits
* The collective bargaining session lasted all night, but they finally reached an agreement about how much money the workers should be paid for overtime
Come clean
راستشو بگو
Come down on sb
punish sb
Come off
- come off (something) to become removed from something:
The label had come off, so there was no way of knowing what was on the disk. - come off (something) British English to fall off something:
Dyson came off his bike as he rounded the last corner, but wasn’t badly hurt. - informal if something that has been planned comes off, it happens:
In the end the trip never came off. - informal to be successful:
It was a good idea, but it didn’t quite come off.
The performance on the first night came off pretty well. - come off something to stop taking a drug that you have been taking regularly:
It wasn’t until I tried to come off the pills that I realized I was addicted. - come off best/better/worst etc British English to be the most or least successful, or get the most or least advantages from a situation:
As far as pensions go, it’s still women who come off worst. - come off it! British English spoken used to tell someone that you do not believe what they are saying:
Oh come off it! You can’t seriously be saying you knew nothing about this
come rain or shine, I’ll go to your party
no matter what happen I will go to your party
Come round
1.
recover consciousness.
“I’d just come round from a drunken stupor”
2.
visit someone’s house.
“Marcus starts coming round to Will’s to watch TV and hang out
Come short
fail to reach a goal or standard
[example: we’re so close to getting the job done, but we keep coming up short]
Come the raw prawn
to try to deceive sb, especially by pretending that you have no knowledge of something
come what may
هرچه باداباد
Comeuppance
/kʌmˈʌpəns/ BrE AmE noun [singular]
[Date: 1800-1900; Origin: Perhaps from come up ‘to appear in a court of law’]
a punishment or something bad which happens to you that you really deserve:
You’ll get your comeuppance one day
Commendation
/ˌkɒmənˈdeɪʃən $ ˌkɑː-/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable and countable] formal
an official statement praising someone, especially someone who has been brave or very successful تقدير
Commensurate
matching something in size, quality, or length of time
commensurate with
Salary will be commensurate with age and experience
Commiseration
/kəˌmɪzəˈreɪʃən/ BrE AmE noun [plural, uncountable] formal
a feeling of sympathy for someone when something unpleasant has happened to them:
Congratulations to the winners, commiserations to the losers.
⇨ ↑condolence
commission
- [countable] a group of people who have been given the official job of finding out about something or controlling something:
The Government set up a commission to investigate allegations of police violence.
commission on
the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution - [uncountable and countable] an extra amount of money that is paid to a person or organization according to the value of the goods they have sold or the services they have provided:
The dealer takes a 20% commission on the sales he makes.
on commission
He sold cosmetics on commission. - [countable] a request for an artist, designer, or musician to make a piece of art or music, for which they are paid:
a commission from the Academy for a new sculpture - [countable] the position of an officer in the army, navy etc
- [uncountable] formal the commission of a crime is the act of doing it ⇨ commit
- out of commission
a) not working or not available for use:
One of the ship’s anchors was out of commission.
b) informal ill or injured, and unable to work - in commission available to be used:
The operating theatres will be back in commission next week.
II. commission2 AC BrE AmE verb
1. [transitive] to formally ask someone to write an official report, produce a work of art for you etc:
The report was commissioned by the Welsh Office.
commission somebody to do something
Macmillan commissioned her to illustrate a book by Spike Milligan.
2. be commissioned (into something) to be given an officer’s rank in the army, navy etc:
I was commissioned into the RAF
commit this to the memory
اينو به حافظت بسپار
Communal
- shared by a group of people or animals, especially a group who live together:
a communal bathroom
enclosed backyard gives the family a communal space - involving people from many different races, religions, or language groups:
the worst communal violence in two years - relating or belonging to all the people living in a particular ↑community:
crops grown on communal land
Compatriot
someone who was born in or is a citizen of the same country as someone else SYN countryman
sb’s compatriot
Schmidt defeated his compatriot Hausmann in the quarter final.
Compelling
- compelling reason/argument/case etc an argument etc that makes you feel certain that something is true or that you must do something about it: قانع كننده
Lucy had no compelling reason to go into town.
The court was presented with compelling evidence that she’d murdered her husband. - very interesting or exciting, so that you have to pay attention:
His life makes a compelling story. - compelling need/desire/urge (to do something) a strong need, desire etc to do something, making you feel that you must do it:
He felt a compelling need to tell someone about his idea.
—compellingly adverb
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ interesting keeping your attention and making you want to know more: There’s an interesting article in the newspaper today. | The lecture was really interesting.
▪ fascinating very interesting: a fascinating subject | Everything about ancient Egypt is absolutely fascinating.
▪ stimulating giving you new ideas or experiences in a way that is interesting and enjoyable: a stimulating conversation | I found him very stimulating to be with and full of ideas.
▪ intriguing interesting because of being unusual, mysterious, or unexpected, so that you want to find out more: Their research has produced some intriguing results. | These discoveries raise intriguing questions about the relationship between viral genes and the normal genes of the cell.
▪ absorbing/engrossing interesting in a way that keeps your attention completely or for a long time: Growing your own vegetables can be an absorbing hobby. | her engrossing first novel
▪ gripping/riveting/compelling used about a very interesting story, film etc that you feel you must keep reading or watching: a gripping story of love and death | He gives a riveting performance as a tough street cop. | There is something compelling about his work.
▪ enthralling /ɪnˈθrɔːlɪŋ $ -ˈθrɒːl-/ very interesting and exciting – used especially about a performance you are watching or listening to: Pakistan won an enthralling match by two wickets.
▪ spellbinding very interesting because of being so strange, unusual, or wonderful: The book is a spellbinding tale of her life in China.
▪ I couldn’t put it down spoken used when saying that a book was so interesting that you could not stop reading it: It’s a great book – I found that I couldn’t put it down
complacent
pleased with a situation, especially something you have achieved, so that you stop trying to improve or change things – used to show disapproval: don’t mistake it with personality cult
There’s a danger of becoming complacent if you win a few games.
a complacent attitude towards the problem
complacent about
We simply cannot afford to be complacent about the future of our car industry.
—complacently adverb
Comply
to do what you have to do or are asked to do ⇨ compliance, compliant
comply with
Failure to comply with the regulations will result in prosecution.
The newspaper was asked by federal agents for assistance and agreed to comply
Compose
- a) be composed of something to be formed from a number of substances, parts, or people SYN consist of:
Water is composed of hydrogen and oxygen.
The legal system is composed of people, and people make mistakes.
► Do not say that something ‘is composed by’ or ‘is composed with’ things or people. Say that it is composed of things or people.
b) [transitive not in progressive] formal to combine together to form something SYN make up:
More than 17.6 million firms compose the business sector of our economy. - [intransitive and transitive] to write a piece of music ⇨ composer, composition:
Barrington has composed the music for a new production of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. - compose a letter/poem/speech etc to write a letter, poem etc, thinking very carefully about it as you write it:
Compose a letter to your local paper stating your views on an issue of your choice. - a) compose yourself to try hard to become calm after feeling very angry, upset, or excited:
Lynn took several deep breaths to compose herself.
b) compose your face/features/thoughts to make yourself look or feel calm ⇨ composure:
When asked a question, give yourself a second to compose your thoughts. - [transitive] to arrange the parts of a painting, photograph, or scene in a way that achieves a particular result:
I like the way he composes his photographs
Compound
a group of buildings that are surrounded by a wall
* This military compound has stores, a school, and gym, and hundreds of offices and homes
Comprise
formal
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: Old French; Origin: past participle of comprendre, from Latin comprehendere; ⇨ ↑comprehend]
1. [linking verb] to consist of particular parts, groups etc:
The house comprises two bedrooms, a kitchen, and a living room.
be comprised of somebody/something
The committee is comprised of well-known mountaineers.
► Do not say that something ‘comprises of’ things or people.
2. [transitive] to form part of a larger group of people or things SYN constitute, make up:
Women comprise a high proportion of part-time workers.
تشكيل دادن
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ consist of/be made up of to be formed from two or more things or people: Lunch consisted of sandwiches and fruit. | The apartment consisted of three rooms. | The audience was largely made up of families.
▪ be composed of to consist of something – used especially when saying which natural substances something contains, or what kind of people are in a group: Every chemical element is composed of atoms. | Venus’ atmosphere is mainly composed of carbon dioxide. | The team was composed of leading scientists from around the world.
▪ comprise /kəmˈpraɪz/ formal to consist of the things mentioned. Comprise can also be used to talk about the people or things which form something: The event comprises a champagne reception, two-course lunch, and a fashion show. | Men still comprise the majority of people who have the disease.
▪ make up (also constitute formal) to be the things or people that form something: Women constitute a significant part of the workforce. | Toys make up about 10% of the company’s sales.
Compromise
/ˈkɒmprəmaɪz $ ˈkɑːm-/ BrE AmE noun
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: French; Origin: compromis, from Latin compromissum ‘joint promise’, from compromittere, from com- ( ⇨ COM-) + promittere (, ↑promise2)]
1. [uncountable and countable] an agreement that is achieved after everyone involved accepts less than what they wanted at first, or the act of making this agreement:
Compromise is an inevitable part of marriage.
To stop the argument they decided on a compromise.
compromise with
Fresh attempts at compromise with the legislature were also on the agenda.
compromise between
a compromise between government and opposition
If moderates fail to reach a compromise, the extremists will dominate the agenda.
Be prepared to make compromises.
2. [countable] a solution to a problem in which two things or situations are changed slightly so that they can exist together
compromise between
a happy compromise between the needs of family and work
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ reach a compromise After a bitter political fight, a compromise was finally reached.
▪ come to/arrive at a compromise The negotiations took place and they arrived at a compromise.
▪ accept/agree on a compromise It would be advantageous for both countries to accept a compromise.
▪ find/work out a compromise A temporary compromise was found.
▪ seek a compromise Both Democrats and Republicans are seeking a compromise on the issue.
▪ make a compromise Marriage involves being tolerant and making compromises.
▪ forge/strike a compromise formal (=make a compromise) They met again Wednesday night to try to forge a compromise.
▪ broker/negotiate a compromise formal (=find one that everyone can accept, especially with difficulty) They admitted that their efforts to negotiate a compromise had failed.
▪ lead to a compromise Negotiations between the residents and the council led to a compromise.
■ adjectives
▪ a good compromise I hope we can reach a good compromise.
▪ an acceptable/reasonable/satisfactory compromise By 1982 an acceptable compromise had been reached.
▪ a sensible compromise The strikes continued and there seemed to be no chance of a sensible compromise.
▪ an uneasy compromise (=one that people are not very happy with) The deal represented an uneasy compromise.
■ compromise + NOUN
▪ a compromise proposal The House of Representatives accepted a compromise proposal from the administration.
▪ a compromise deal Hopes are rising for a European compromise deal.
▪ a compromise solution/agreement The president was under increasing pressure to reach a compromise solution with his political opponents.
II. compromise2 BrE AmE verb
1. [intransitive] to reach an agreement in which everyone involved accepts less than what they wanted at first:
She admitted that she was unable to compromise.
compromise with
His workmates demanded that he never compromise with the bosses.
compromise on
The new regime was prepared to compromise on the oil dispute.
2. [transitive] to do something which is against your principles and which therefore seems dishonest or shameful
compromise your principles/standards/integrity etc
As soon as you compromise your principles you are lost.
compromise yourself
She had already compromised herself by accepting his invitation.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 2)
■ compromise + NOUN
▪ compromise your integrity The journalist would not compromise his integrity by revealing the source for the story.
▪ compromise your principles The government says the plans will not compromise its environmental principles.
▪ compromise your standards Universities should not have to compromise their academic standards.
▪ compromise your beliefs/convictions/ideals Anti-war activists were put in prison for refusing to compromise their beliefs.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ compromise to reach an agreement with someone in which both of you accept less than you really want: The employers will have to be ready to compromise if they want to avoid a strike. | The President might be willing to compromise on defense spending.
▪ meet somebody halfway to do part of what someone wants if they do part of what you want, in order to reach an agreement: Is the President ready to meet these senators halfway? | The asking price is £270,000. If the sellers won’t accept £250,000, maybe they would be prepared to meet us halfway and take £260,000?
▪ make concessions if one group in a disagreement makes concessions, they let their opponents have something that they are asking for, in order to reach an agreement: The company has already made significant concessions on pay and conditions. | There is a policy of making no concessions to terrorists
Con artist
[n] A person who defrauds or swindles others after first gaining their trust; a scam operator.
someone who tricks or deceives people in order to get money from them
Concede
- ADMIT SOMETHING IS TRUE [intransitive and transitive] to admit that something is true or correct, although you wish it were not true ⇨ concession:
‘That’s the only possible solution.’ ‘Yes, I suppose so,’ Charles conceded.
concede (that)
I conceded that I had made a number of errors. - ADMIT DEFEAT [intransitive and transitive] to admit that you are not going to win a game, argument, battle etc ⇨ concession:
The Georgian forces defended the capital but were finally obliged to concede.
In May 1949, Stalin conceded defeat and reopened land access to Berlin. - concede a goal/point/penalty to not be able to stop your opponent from getting a ↑goal etc during a game:
The team has conceded only 19 goals in 28 games. - GIVE SOMETHING AS A RIGHT [transitive] to give something to someone as a right or ↑privilege, often unwillingly ⇨ concession
concede something to somebody
The King finally agreed to concede further powers to Parliament.
Finally the company conceded wage increases to their workers
Conclusive
showing that something is definitely true OPP inconclusive
conclusive proof/evidence/findings etc
The investigation failed to provide any conclusive evidence.
—conclusively adverb
قطعي
Concrete slab
دال بتني
Concur
- to agree with someone or have the same opinion as them
concur with
The committee largely concurred with these views. - to happen at the same time SYN coincide
concur to do something
Everything concurred to produce the desired effect.
• • •
THESAURUS
■ to have the same opinion
▪ agree to have the same opinion as someone, or to think that a statement is correct: I totally agree with what you’ve just said. | I completely agree with Chomsky when he says that humans are born with a special ability to learn language. | Most experts agree that dieting needs to be accompanied by regular exercise.
▪ be in agreement formal if people are in agreement, they agree with each other, especially after discussing something: The brothers are in agreement over the future of their company. | The world’s scientists are in agreement that global warming is a problem that needs to be addressed.
▪ share sb’s view/be of the same opinion formal to have the same opinion as someone, especially about an important issue: A lot of people share his view that tourism will have a negative impact on the island. | Professor Dawkins is of the same opinion as Dr Jones. | They share the view that nuclear energy can play an important role in meeting global demands for energy. | All three specialists were of the same opinion about the cause of her illness.
▪ concur /kənˈkɜː $ -ˈkɜːr/ formal to agree with someone or about something – a very formal word which is used especially in official contexts: The committee concurred with this view. | She asked her colleague, and she concurred. | Was it his aggression which set him apart from his rivals? ‘Possibly,’ he concurred. | As most biblical scholars concur, the letter could not have been written by any contemporary of Jesus.
▪ see eye to eye [not in progressive] to agree with someone about something – used especially in negative sentences: We don’t always see eye to eye, but we do respect each other’s opinions.
▪ agree up to a point to partly agree with someone: I agree with you up to a point, but surely the situation is more complex than that?
Concussion
/kənˈkʌʃən/ BrE AmE noun
1. [uncountable] British English [countable] American English a small amount of damage to the brain that makes you lose consciousness or feel sick for a short time, usually caused by something hitting your head
with (a) concussion
He was rushed into hospital with concussion.
I had a concussion and a lot of scrapes and bruises.
2. [countable usually singular] a violent shaking movement, caused by the very loud sound of something such as an explosion:
The ground shuddered and heaved with the concussion of the blast.
Condescend
/ˌkɒndɪˈsend $ ˌkɑːn-/ BrE AmE verb [intransitive]
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: French; Origin: condescendre, from Late Latin condescendere, from Latin com- ( ⇨ COM-) + descendere ‘to go down’]
1. to behave as if you think you are better, more intelligent, or more important than other people – used to show disapproval
condescend to
Take care not to condescend to your readers.
2. to do something in a way that shows you think it is below your social or professional position – used to show disapproval
condescend to do something
‘Yes. I know,’ Clara said, condescending to look at Rose for the first time.
—condescension /-ˈsenʃən/ noun [uncountable]
once a year, she condescended to visit his slum-dwelling parents
او سالی یک بار با فیس و افاده سراغ والدین کوخ نشینش می‌رفت.
he looked at me condescendingly
او نگاه عاقل اندر سفیه به من کرد
Condone
/kənˈdəʊn $ -ˈdoʊn/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[Date: 1800-1900; Language: Latin; Origin: condonare ‘to forgive’, from com- ( ⇨ COM-) + donare (, ↑donation)]
to accept or forgive behaviour that most people think is morally wrong:
I cannot condone the use of violence under any circumstances
Conduct
- CARRY OUT [transitive] to carry out a particular activity or process, especially in order to get information or prove facts
conduct a survey/investigation/review etc
We are conducting a survey of consumer attitudes towards organic food.
conduct an experiment/a test
Is it really necessary to conduct experiments on animals?
conduct a campaign
They conducted a campaign of bombings and assassinations.
conduct an interview
The interview was conducted in English.
The memorial service was conducted by the Rev. David Prior.
It was the first time that I had conducted business in Brazil.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say do or carry out rather than conduct:
▪ They’re doing a survey of opinions about organic food. - MUSIC [intransitive and transitive] to stand in front of a group of musicians or singers and direct their playing or singing ⇨ conductor
conduct an orchestra/choir
The orchestra is conducted by John Williams.
Who will be conducting? - BEHAVE conduct yourself formal to behave in a particular way, especially in a situation where people judge you by the way you behave:
The players conducted themselves impeccably, both on and off the field. - ELECTRICITY/HEAT [transitive] if something conducts electricity or heat, it allows electricity or heat to travel along or through it ⇨ conductor:
Aluminium, being a metal, readily conducts heat. - SHOW SOMEBODY SOMETHING [transitive always + adverb/preposition] formal to take or lead someone somewhere
conduct somebody to something
On arrival, I was conducted to the commandant’s office.
conducted tour (of something) (=a tour of a building, city, or area with someone who tells you about that place)
a conducted tour of Berlin
don’t mistake it with self-guided tour
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ nouns
▪ conduct research He’s conducting educational research at the University of Washington.
▪ conduct a survey They conducted a survey of students’ careers one year after graduation.
▪ conduct a study/review Scientists conducted a study of the area affected by the nuclear disaster.
▪ conduct an investigation/inquiry Experts conducted an investigation into the causes of the crash.
▪ conduct an interview Here are a few guidelines on how to conduct an interview.
▪ conduct a campaign The party was criticized for the way it had conducted its election campaign.
▪ conduct a test/experiment Investigators will be conducting tests to determine how the man died.
▪ conduct a search The Spanish authorities conducted a nationwide search for the girl.
▪ conduct (a) business The company had been conducting a lot of business in Latin America.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ do to do something – used in the following phrases: do your work/homework etc: It usually takes me a couple of hours to do my homework. | do the shopping/cooking/washing etc: She’s gone to the supermarket to do the shopping. | do a test/experiment/some research: The doctor did some tests. | Fraser spent some time in Egypt doing some archaeological research. | Scientists are doing research on two types of vaccine. | do a course: Have you decided which course you want to do at university?
▪ make to do something – used in the following phrases: make a speech: The Prince made a short speech. | make a comment/suggestion/joke: Can I make a suggestion? | make a decision: The committee will meet to make their final decision. | make a mistake: I think someone has made a mistake.
▪ give to do something – used in the following phrases: give a talk/speech/lecture: They’ve asked him to give a talk. | give a performance: The band gave a brilliant performance.
▪ take to do something – used in the following phrases: take a test/exam: Kate’s taking her driving test tomorrow. | take a bath/shower: I think I’ll go and take a shower. | take a walk: Normally, he took a walk in the evenings.
▪ commit to do something that is a crime, especially a serious crime: commit a crime: The crime was committed in the early hours of the morning. | commit a robbery/murder etc: Dixon later admitted committing the robbery.
▪ carry out something to do something – used in the following phrases: carry out your work: The violence is making it difficult for firefighters to carry out their work. | carry out a task/duty: He still managed to carry out his duties. | carry out a survey/test/some research: The hospital carries out research into skin diseases. | carry out an operation: The operation was carried out at a hospital in Paris. | carry out a threat/promise: They didn’t carry out their threat to kill the hostages. | carry out sb’s orders/instructions/wishes: I’m sure I can rely on you to carry out my instructions.
▪ perform to do something. Perform is more formal than carry out, and is used in the following phrases: perform a task/duty: The job mostly involves performing administrative tasks. | perform an operation: A team of surgeons performed the operation.
▪ conduct to do something – used in the following phrases: conduct a survey/study/experiment: They conducted a survey of approximately 2,000 people living in the area. | conduct an inquiry/investigation: The police are conducting an investigation into the cause of the fire. | conduct an interview: Knowing how to conduct a successful interview is a skill. | conduct a campaign: People were unimpressed by the way in which the election campaign was conducted.
▪ go about something to do your work or the things that you usually do, especially when something serious has happened: go about your work/business: The next day she went about her business as if nothing had happened.
▪ get on with something spoken especially British English to start doing something that you should have started already or to continue doing something that you stopped doing for a short time: I need to get on with my homework.
▪ be up to something spoken to be doing something that you think is probably bad, although you do not know exactly what it is: I’m sure they’re up to something. | What’s Jake up to? He’s been upstairs in his room all day.
II. con‧duct2 W3 AC /ˈkɒndʌkt $ ˈkɑːn-/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable] formal - the way someone behaves, especially in public, in their job etc SYN behaviour:
The Senator’s conduct is being investigated by the Ethics Committee.
an inquiry into the conduct of the police
ethical/professional etc conduct
the Law Society’s Code of Professional Conduct
improper/violent/offensive etc conduct
his arrest for disorderly conduct (=noisy violent behaviour) - conduct of something the way in which an activity is organized and carried out:
complaints about the conduct of the elections
Disclosure of information would compromise the proper conduct of the investigation.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ adjectives
▪ professional conduct There are strict rules that regulate lawyers’ professional conduct.
▪ sexual conduct The politician’s sexual conduct had caused scandal.
▪ violent conduct Their goalkeeper was sent off the field for violent conduct.
▪ disorderly conduct (=behaving in a noisy or violent way in public) Her husband was arrested for drunkenness and disorderly conduct.
▪ criminal conduct In some cases of bullying, pupils may be guilty of criminal conduct.
▪ proper/improper conduct (=correct/incorrect behaviour according to the normal rules or standards) There was no evidence of improper conduct on the part of the police.
▪ personal conduct You are expected to maintain a high standard of personal conduct at work.
▪ unsportsmanlike conduct (=behaviour that is not acceptable in a fair competition) He swore at the referee, and was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct.
▪ human conduct Societies have certain rules for normal human conduct.
■ phrases
▪ a code of conduct (=a set of rules stating how you must behave) All professions have a code of conduct.
▪ rules/standards of conduct In war, there are established rules of conduct.
▪ a course of conduct (=a set of actions) The court said that when Harris had embarked on this course of conduct, he knew that it would put lives at risk.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ behaviour British English, behavior American English the way someone behaves: Chemicals added to food may be responsible for children’s bad behaviour. | Tatsuya apologized for his behaviour towards me.
▪ conduct formal the way someone behaves in public or in their job – used mainly in official or legal contexts: Bates was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct (=noisy and violent). | The committee found him guilty of unsatisfactory professional conduct.
▪ manner the way someone behaves when they are talking to or dealing with other people, which is shown in their expression, their voice etc: She had a pleasant friendly manner. | Suddenly his whole manner changed, and he started shouting. | His initial manner towards her had been rather formal.
▪ demeanour British English, demeanor American English formal the way someone looks and behaves, which shows you something about their character or feelings: She maintained a calm demeanour at all times. | Wenger’s demeanour suggested that he was not happy with the situation.
▪ antics someone’s behaviour – used when you think it is silly, funny, strange, or annoying: The drunken antics of some English football fans has brought shame on the country. | The actor is becoming known for his increasingly bizarre off-screen antics
Conduit
- technical a pipe or passage through which water, gas, a set of electric wires etc passes
- formal a connection between two things that allows people to pass ideas, news, money, weapons, drugs etc from one place to another
conduit for
Drug traffickers have used the country as a conduit for shipments to the U.S
conflict resolution
=finding a way to end a conflict) The children are learning methods of conflict resolution to use on the playground.
• • •
Congenital
/kənˈdʒenətl, kənˈdʒenɪtl/ BrE AmE adjective [usually before noun]
[Date: 1700-1800; Language: Latin; Origin: congenitus, from com- ( ⇨ COM-) + genitus (past participle of gignere; , ↑genital)]
1. a congenital medical condition or disease has affected someone since they were born:
congenital abnormalities
a congenital defect
2. a congenital quality is one that has always been part of your character and is unlikely to change:
He’s a congenital liar.
her congenital inability to make decisions
—congenitally adverb
Congested
- full of traffic:
congested airspace
London’s roads are heavily congested (=very congested). - a part of your body that is congested is very full of liquid, usually blood or ↑mucus
—congestion /-ˈdʒestʃən/ noun [uncountable]:
traffic congestion
conscience vs conscious
اولي وجدان و دومي آگاه
Consensual
/kənˈsenʃuəl/ BrE AmE adjective formal
[Word Family: verb: ↑consent; noun: ↑consent; adjective: ↑consensual]
[Date: 1700-1800; Language: Latin; Origin: consensus; ⇨ ↑consensus]
1. involving the agreement of all or most people in a group:
a consensual style of management
2. consensual sexual activity is wanted and agreed to by the people involved
Console
/kənˈsəʊl $ -ˈsoʊl/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[Date: 1600-1700; Language: French; Origin: consoler, from Latin consolari, from com- ( ⇨ COM-) + solari ‘to console’]
to make someone feel better when they are feeling sad or disappointed ⇨ consolation: دلداري دادن
No one could console her when Peter died.
console yourself with something
She consoled herself with the fact that no one else had done well in the exam either.
console yourself that
He consoled himself that he would see Kate again soon.
II. con‧sole2 /ˈkɒnsəʊl $ ˈkɑːnsoʊl/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1800-1900; Origin: console ‘bracket’ (18-20 centuries), from French, perhaps from consolateur ‘consoler, bracket in human shape’, from consoler; ⇨ ↑console1]
1. a flat board that contains the controls for a machine, piece of electrical equipment, computer etc
2. a special cupboard for a television, computer etc
Conspicuous
- very easy to notice OPP inconspicuous: syn: coherent
The notice must be displayed in a conspicuous place.
a bird with conspicuous white markings
I felt very conspicuous in my red coat. - conspicuous success, courage etc is very great and impressive:
He had represented Italy with conspicuous success.
The award is given for notable or conspicuous achievement in science. - be conspicuous by your/its absence used to say that someone or something is not somewhere where they were expected to be:
a group that were conspicuous by their absence from the awards ceremony
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ obvious something that is obvious is very easy to notice or understand – used especially when you are surprised that other people cannot notice it: There is an obvious connection between the two murders. | It was obvious that something was wrong.
▪ clear easy to notice that something is true, so that you feel sure about it and have no doubts: It was clear to me that my father was dying. | There are clear signs of an economic recovery.
▪ noticeable very easy to notice, especially because you can see, hear, smell, or feel something: Steroid drugs cause a noticeable change in someone’s behaviour. | Road noise tends to be more noticeable in certain weather conditions.
▪ conspicuous very easy to notice, because of being different from things around them: a conspicuous white spot on the bird’s wings | She tried to make herself look less conspicuous. | Don’t leave your valuables in a conspicuous place.
▪ unmistakable extremely obvious, so that you cannot possibly confuse something with something else: the unmistakable sound of gunfire | The flower’s scent is unmistakable.
▪ self-evident formal facts, ideas etc that are self-evident are obvious and true, although some people may not accept them or know about them: The facts in this case are self-evident and cannot be denied. | We hold these truths to be self-evident (=we believe that they obvious and true – from the American Declaration of Independence).
▪ blatant use this about something that someone does which is clearly bad, but which they do not seem to be ashamed of: a blatant lie | The bill is a blatant attempt to limit our right to free speech.
▪ can tell to know that something must be true because you can see signs that show this: Even though it was dark, she could tell it was him. | How can you tell if you’ve broken your arm
Consternation
/ˌkɒnstəˈneɪʃən $ ˌkɑːnstər-
a feeling of worry, shock, or fear SYN alarm:
The government’s plans have caused considerable consternation among many Americans.
A new power station is being built much to the consternation of environmental groups (=they are very worried about it).
in consternation
He looked at her in consternation
Constituent
- someone who votes in a particular area
- one of the substances or things that combine to form something
constituent of
Sodium is one of the constituents of salt.
II. constituent2 AC BrE AmE adjective [only before noun] formal
[Date: 1600-1700; Language: Latin; Origin: present participle of constituere; ⇨ ↑constitute]
being one of the parts of something:
the EU and its constituent members
Consume
]
1. to use time, energy, goods etc ⇨ consumption:
Only 27% of the paper we consume is recycled.
A smaller vehicle will consume less fuel.
2. formal to eat or drink something ⇨ consumer, consumption:
Alcohol may not be consumed on the premises.
3. literary if a feeling or idea consumes you, it affects you very strongly, so that you cannot think about anything else:
She was scared by the depression which threatened to consume her.
be consumed with something
He was consumed with guilt after the accident.
4. formal if fire consumes something, it destroys it completely
⇨ ↑time-consuming
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ eat to put food in your mouth and chew and swallow it: Experts recommend eating plenty of fruit and vegetables.
▪ have to eat a particular food: ‘What do you usually have for breakfast?’ ‘I usually just have coffee and toast.’ | We had the set meal.
▪ feed on something to eat a particular kind of food – used when talking about animals: Foxes feed on a wide range of foods including mice, birds, insects, and fruit.
▪ consume written to eat or drink something – used especially in scientific or technical contexts: Babies consume large amounts relative to their body weight.
▪ munch (on) something to eat something with big continuous movements of your mouth, especially when you are enjoying your food: He was munching on an apple. | They were sitting on a bench munching their sandwiches.
▪ nibble (on) something to eat something by biting off very small pieces: If you want a healthy snack, why not just nibble on a carrot?
▪ pick at something to eat only a small amount of your food because you are not hungry or do not like the food: Lisa was so upset that she could only pick at her food.
▪ stuff/gorge yourself to eat so much food that you cannot eat anything else: He’s always stuffing himself with cakes. | We gorged ourselves on my mother’s delicious apple tart.
▪ slurp to eat soup, ↑noodles etc with a noisy sucking sound: In England it’s considered rude to slurp your soup, but in some countries it’s seen as a sign of enjoyment
Consummate
/kənˈsʌmət, kənˈsʌmɪt, ˈkɒnsəmət $ ˈkɑːnsəmət/ BrE AmE adjective [only before noun] formal
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: Latin; Origin: past participle of consummare ‘to sum up, finish’, from com- ( ⇨ COM-) + summa ‘sum’]
1. showing a lot of skill:
a great performance from a consummate actor
He won the race with consummate ease (=very easily).
De Gaulle conducted his strategy with consummate skill.
2. used to emphasize how bad someone or something is:
his consummate lack of tact
The man’s a consummate liar.
—consummately adverb
II. con‧sum‧mate2 /ˈkɒnsəmeɪt $ ˈkɑːn-/ BrE AmE verb [transitive] formal
1. to make a marriage or relationship complete by having sex
2. to make something complete, especially an agreement
Contender
someone or something that is in competition with other people or things
contender for
a contender for the title
serious/strong/leading etc contender
Her album is a strong contender for the Album of the Year award
Contextualize
con‧tex‧tu‧al‧ize AC BrE AmE (also contextualise British English) /kənˈtekstʃuəlaɪz/ verb [transitive] formal
[Word Family: verb: ↑contextualize; noun: ↑context; adverb: ↑contextually; adjective: ↑contextual]
to consider something together with the situation, events, or information related to it, rather than alone:
The essays seek to contextualise Kristeva’s writings
Contingent
depending on something that may happen in the future SYN dependent
contingent on/upon
Further investment is contingent upon the company’s profit performance.
II. contingent2 BrE AmE noun [countable also + plural verb British English]
1. a group of people who all have something in common, such as their nationality, beliefs etc, and who are part of a larger group: don’t mistake it with fraternity
Has the Scottish contingent arrived yet?
2. a group of soldiers sent to help a larger group
contingent of
A large contingent of troops was dispatched
Contortion
- [countable] a twisted position or movement that looks surprising or strange:
I could not force my body into the contortions required by classical ballet.
facial contortions - [uncountable] when something is twisted so that it does not have its normal shape:
involuntary muscle contortion - [countable] something difficult you have to do in order to achieve something:
He went through a series of amazing contortions to get Karen a work permit
Contract
- an official agreement between two or more people, stating what each will do ⇨ contractual
contract with/between
Tyler has agreed a seven-year contract with a Hollywood studio.
contract to do something
a three-year contract to provide pay telephones at local restaurants
on a contract/under contract
The firm operates schools under contract to state education authorities.
Employees who refuse to relocate are in breach of contract (=have done something not allowed by their contracts). - subject to contract if an agreement is subject to contract, it has not yet been agreed formally by a contract
- informal an agreement to kill a person for money:
They put a contract out on him and he’s in hiding.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ have a contract The company had a contract to build a new hotel there.
▪ sign a contract He signed a contract to become vice president of the football club.
▪ enter (into) a contract You will enter a two-year training contract with your chosen employer.
▪ agree to a contract (also agree a contract British English) Keane was reported to have agreed a contract for a further three years.
▪ make a contract Did he know this when he made the contract?
▪ negotiate a contract (=agree the conditions of a contract with someone) Your lawyer will assist you in negotiating a contract.
▪ break a contract (=do something that your contract does not allow) She broke her contract and left the job after only six months.
▪ fulfil/honour a contract (=do what you have agreed to do) If you have signed a contract, you have to fulfil it.
▪ draw up a contract (=write one) The two sides drew up a contract.
▪ win/get a contract They won a contract to supply 37 passenger trains to Regional Railways.
▪ give somebody a contract He was given a new two-year contract in March.
▪ award a company a contract (=give them a contract) The state of Kentucky has awarded the firm a $10m contract.
▪ cancel/end/terminate a contract The buyer has three days in which to cancel the contract.
▪ renew sb’s contract (=give someone another contract when their old one ends) I hope they will renew my contract at the end of the year.
■ adjectives
▪ a one-year/two-year etc contract He signed a five-year contract worth $2 million.
▪ a recording/building etc contract The band was soon offered a recording contract with Columbia Records.
▪ a written contract All employees should have a written contract.
■ phrases
▪ a contract of employment (also an employment contract) Make sure you fully understand your contract of employment.
▪ the terms of a contract (=the conditions that are part of the contract) He explained the terms of the contract.
▪ breach of contract (=an action that your contract does not allow) They are suing the building company for breach of contract.
▪ be in breach of contract (=have done something that your contract does not allow)
II. con‧tract2 AC /kənˈtrækt/ BrE AmE verb
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: contractus, past participle of contrahere ‘to pull together, make a contract, make smaller’, from com- ( ⇨ COM-) + trahere ‘to pull’] - [intransitive] to become smaller or narrower OPP expand:
Metal contracts as it cools.
The economy has contracted by 2.5% since last year. - [transitive] formal to get an illness SYN catch:
Two-thirds of the adult population there have contracted AIDS. - [intransitive and transitive] to sign a contract in which you agree formally that you will do something or someone will do something for you
contract (somebody) to do something
They are contracted to work 35 hours a week.
the company that had been contracted to build the models
contract (with) somebody for something
Doctors control their budgets and contract with hospitals for services.
contract a marriage/alliance etc (=agree to marry someone, form a relationship with them etc)
Most of the marriages were contracted when the brides were very young.
III. contract3 /ˈkɒntrækt $ ˈkɑːn-/ BrE AmE
contract in phrasal verb British English - contract somebody/something ↔ in to arrange for a person or company outside your own organization to come in and do a particular job:
We contract in cleaning services. - formal to agree officially to take part in something:
The rules require all members to contract in.
contract out phrasal verb - contract something ↔ out to arrange to have a job done by a person or company outside your own organization
contract something ↔ out to
We contracted the catering out to an outside firm. - British English to agree officially not to take part in something such as a ↑pension plan
Contraction
- [countable] medical a very strong and painful movement of a muscle, especially the muscles around the ↑womb during birth
- [uncountable] the process of becoming smaller or narrower:
the contraction of metal as it cools - [countable] a shorter form of a word or words:
‘Haven’t’ is a contraction of ‘have not’.
Conundrum
- a confusing and difficult problem: گره كور
the conundrum of our purpose on Earth - a trick question asked for fun SYN riddle
I thought he was trolling me meaning
“I thought he was trolling me” means that the speaker believed someone was deliberately teasing, provoking, or joking with them, often in a playful or sarcastic way. “Trolling” typically refers to making comments or actions that are meant to elicit a reaction, often for humor or mischief, especially on the internet or in casual conversation. In this context, the speaker thought the other person wasn’t being serious and was just trying to mess with them or get a reaction.
Convenience store
a shop where you can buy food, alcohol, magazines etc, that is often open 24 hours each day
Conviction
- [countable] a very strong belief or opinion
religious/political etc convictions
a woman of strong political convictions
deep/strong conviction
The Dotens have a deep conviction that marriage is for life.
conviction that
The students possess the conviction that they can make a difference to their community. - [uncountable] the feeling of being sure about something and having no doubts
with/without conviction
He was able to say with conviction that he had changed.
‘No,’ she said, without conviction.
It was a reasonable explanation, but his voice lacked conviction.
It took her so much effort to speak that what she said carried great conviction (=showed she felt sure of what she said). - [uncountable and countable] a decision in a court of law that someone is guilty of a crime, or the process of proving that someone is guilty OPP acquittal:
They had no previous convictions.
Applicants are checked for criminal convictions.
conviction for
This was her third conviction for theft.
the trial and conviction of Jimmy Malone
⇨ have the courage of your convictions at ↑courage(2 - have the courage of your (own) convictions to continue to say or do what you think is right even when other people may not agree or approve
Convivial
/kənˈvɪviəl/ BrE AmE adjective formal
[Date: 1600-1700; Language: Late Latin; Origin: convivialis, from Latin convivium ‘grand meal’, from com- ( ⇨ COM-) + vivere ‘to live’]
friendly and pleasantly cheerful:
a convivial atmosphere
—convivially adverb
—conviviality /kənˌvɪviˈæləti, kənˌvɪviˈælɪti/ noun [uncountable]
Convoluted
- complicated and difficult to understand:
long paragraphs and convoluted sentences
The argument is rather convoluted. - formal having many twists and bends:
a tightly-coiled convoluted tube
Cooped up
having to stay for a period of time in a place that is too small:
It isn’t good for you to be cooped up in the house all day.
Cop
- informal a police officer:
the local cop
a narcotics cop
He pulled out his badge and said he was a cop. - not be much cop British English informal to not be very good:
They say he’s not much cop as a coach. - it’s a fair cop British English spoken used humorously when someone has discovered that you have done something wrong and you want to admit it
• • •
THESAURUS
■ people in the police
▪ police officer (also officer) a member of the police. In British English, police officer is used especially in more formal contexts, for example in news reports. In everyday English, British people still usually say policeman or policewoman: a senior police officer | He was sentenced to life in prison for killing a police officer. | He is the officer in charge of the case. | Officer Fayard (=in the US ‘Officer’ is used in the title of police officers)
▪ policeman a man who is a member of the police: an off-duty policeman | He’s a former policeman.
▪ policewoman a woman who is a member of the police: The girl, accompanied by a policewoman and two social workers, was seen in private by Sheriff George Crozier.
▪ PC/WPC abbreviation used in the job titles of British police offiicers. PC means ‘Police Constable’ and WPC means ‘Woman Police Constable’: PC Keith Fletcher | WPC Susan Larkin
▪ detective a police officer whose job is to discover who is responsible for crimes: Detectives are investigating the death of a baby boy. | Detective Inspector John Hartwell
▪ plain-clothes adjective a plain-clothes police officer wears ordinary clothes instead of a uniform: Two plain-clothes police officers, acting as hotel security men, kept watch on him.
▪ constable a British police officer of the lowest rank: a police constable | Constable Robin Cameron
▪ chief constable a senior police officer who is in charge of the police in a particular area in Britain: the chief constable of North Yorkshire police
▪ cop informal a police officer: You’d better call the cops.
▪ trooper a US police officer in a state police force: a New Jersey state trooper
II. cop2 BrE AmE verb (past tense and past participle copped, present participle copping) [transitive] spoken informal
[Date: 1700-1800; Origin: Perhaps from Dutch kapen ‘to steal’, from Frisian kapia ‘to take away’] - cop it British English
a) to be punished or spoken to angrily because you have done something wrong:
You’ll cop it when Mum finds out!
b) to be killed - British English to receive something, especially something that you do not want:
I copped all the blame for what happened. - cop hold of something British English used to tell someone to hold something:
Cop hold of the other end, will you? - cop an attitude American English to behave in a way that is not nice, especially by showing that you think you are better or more intelligent than other people
- cop a feel American English to touch someone in a sexual way when they do not want you to syn: grope
- cop a plea American English to agree to say you are guilty of a crime in order to receive a less severe punishment:
Dunn copped a plea to avoid going to jail. - cop a buzz American English to feel the effects of taking illegal drugs or drinking alcohol
cop off phrasal verb British English informal
to meet someone and start a sexual relationship with them
cop off with
The hero eventually cops off with the princess.
cop out phrasal verb informal syn: wimp out
to not do something that someone thinks you should do:
As far as I’m concerned, she’s copped out and joined the rat race.
Cop shop
police station
Coquette
/kəʊˈket, kɒ- $ koʊ-/ BrE AmE noun [countable] literary
[Date: 1600-1700; Language: French; Origin: feminine form of coquet; ⇨ ↑coquetry]
a woman who frequently tries to attract the attention of men without having sincere feelings for them SYN flirt
—coquettish adjective
—coquettishly adverb
Cord
- [uncountable and countable] a piece of thick string or thin rope:
The robe was held at the waist by a cord.
He pulled explosives and some tangled cord from his bag. - cords [plural] trousers made from a thick strong cotton cloth with thin raised lines on it
- [uncountable and countable] an electrical wire or wires with a protective covering, usually for connecting electrical equipment to the supply of electricity:
the phone cord
an extension cord - [countable] American English a specific quantity of wood cut for burning in a fire:
We use three cords of wood in a winter.
⇨ cut the cord at ↑cut1(40), ⇨ ↑communication cord, ↑spinal cord, ↑umbilical cord, ↑vocal cords - cut the (umbilical) cord to stop being too dependent on someone, especially your parents
communication cord
a chain that a passenger can pull to stop a train in an ↑emergency (=a sudden dangerous situation)
umbilical cord
1. a long narrow tube of flesh that joins an unborn baby to its mother
2. a strong feeling of belonging to or a strong feeling of relationship with a particular place, person, organization etc:
All modern popular music has an umbilical cord linking back to blues and R and B.
Teenage boys especially feel a need to cut the umbilical cord tying them to their mothers
II. cord2 BrE AmE adjective
cord clothes are made from ↑corduroy:
green cord trousers
Corner shop
a small shop near houses, that sells food, cigarettes, and other things needed every day
don’t mistake it with convenience stores
Cornice
/ˈkɔːnəs, ˈkɔːnɪs $ ˈkɔːr-/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: French; Origin: Italian, perhaps from Greek koronis ‘stone put on top of a wall’]
wood or ↑plaster that runs along the top edge of a wall, used for decoration:
A carved cornice runs around the high-ceilinged room
Corny
showing no new ideas or too often repeated, and therefore not funny or interesting
[example: I couldn’t watch the whole movie, it was just too corny]
Corral
/kəˈrɑːl $ kəˈræl/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: Spanish; Origin: Vulgar Latin currale ‘enclosed place for vehicles’, from Latin currus ‘wheeled vehicle’]
a fairly small enclosed area where cattle, horses etc can be kept temporarily, especially in North America
II. corral2 BrE AmE verb (past tense and past participle corralled, present participle corralling British English, corraled, corraling American English) [transitive]
1. to make animals move into a corral:
They corralled the cattle before loading them onto the truck.
2. to keep people in a particular area, especially in order to control them:
Once at the airport, we were herded to the gate and corralled into a small room.
Correlative
/kəˈrelətɪv/ BrE AmE adjective formal
two or more facts, ideas etc that are correlative are closely related or dependent on each other SYN related:
rights and their correlative responsibilities
—correlative noun [countable
Correspond
- if two things or ideas correspond, the parts or information in one relate to the parts or information in the other:
The two halves of the document did not correspond.
correspond with/to
The numbers correspond to points on the map. - to be very similar to or the same as something else
correspond to
The French ‘baccalauréate’ exam roughly corresponds to English A levels.
correspond closely/exactly/precisely to something
The description of these events corresponds closely to other accounts written at the time. - to write letters to someone and receive letters from them:
For the next three years they corresponded regularly.
correspond with
She stopped corresponding with him after the death of her mother.
Correspondent
- someone who is employed by a newspaper or a television station etc to report news from a particular area or on a particular subject ⇨ reporter
political/foreign/legal etc correspondent
the political correspondent for ‘The Times’
Our correspondent in South Africa sent this report. - someone who writes letters:
I’m not a very good correspondent, I’m afraid.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + correspondent
▪ a foreign correspondent (=reporting on other countries) He became a top BBC foreign correspondent.
▪ our Beijing/Cairo/Washington etc correspondent (=sending reports from a particular place - used by a newspaper or TV station) This report comes direct from our Tel Aviv correspondent.
▪ a political correspondent As our political correspondent wrote last week, this decision is welcome.
▪ a newspaper correspondent During the war he was employed as a newspaper correspondent.
▪ a war correspondent Being a war correspondent is a dangerous job.
▪ an education/health/sports etc correspondent Here is our sports correspondent with all the details.
▪ a special correspondent (=one with a special area of responsibility) He was a special correspondent for animals and the environment.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ journalist someone who writes for a newspaper or magazine: She worked as a journalist on the New York Times. | I’ve always wanted to be a journalist.
▪ reporter someone whose job is to find out about news stories and ask questions for a newspaper, television or radio company etc: A crowd of reporters were waiting outside the house all night. | He told reporters that he had no intention of resigning.
▪ correspondent someone who writes news articles or does reports about a particular subject, especially a serious one, for a newspaper or news organization: our economics correspondent | a war correspondent | He was the BBC’s correspondent in Moscow.
▪ columnist someone who writes articles, especially about a particular subject, that appear regularly in a newspaper or magazine: an influential financial columnist | a gossip columnist
▪ hack informal a disapproving word for a journalist, especially one whose work is of low quality: The editor sent one of his hacks to interview the murderer’s girlfriend.
▪ newsman/woman (also newspaperman/woman) a general word for someone who works for a newspaper, especially a reporter or editor: an experienced newspaperman
▪ the press newspapers and journalists in general: The press always like a good story about the royal family. | the right-wing press
▪ Fleet Street the British press. This phrase comes from the street in London, where many newspapers used to have their offices: Relations between the government and Fleet Street aren’t as cosy as they once were
Corresponding
- caused by or connected with something you have already mentioned:
The war and the corresponding fall in trade have had a devastating effect on the country. - having similar qualities or a similar size, position etc to something else SYN equivalent:
Sales are up 10% on the corresponding period last year.
—correspondingly adverb:
As his political power has shrunk, he has grown correspondingly more dependent on the army.
Corroborate
to provide information that supports or helps to prove someone else’s statement, idea etc SYN back up:
We now have new evidence to corroborate the defendant’s story.
Experiments elsewhere corroborate these results.
—corroboration /kəˌrɒbəˈreɪʃən $ -ˌrɑː-/ noun [uncountable]
—corroborative /kəˈrɒbərətɪv $ -ˈrɑːbəreɪ-/ adjective:
corroborative evidence
Cost dearly
his betrayal cost me dearly .in time, money, etc
خيانت اون هزينه زيادي برام داشت
Cost overrun
the extra money needed to finish a project that is more than what was expected
* Tobiah was angry when he heard that the project had more than $2,000 in cost overruns.
Cough drop
شربت سينه
could you please dish up for me
ميشه براي من غذا بكشي
Counterfeit
made to look exactly like something else, in order to deceive people SYN fake
counterfeit currency/money etc
counterfeit £10 notes
counterfeit goods/software etc
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ false not real, but intended to seem real and deceive people: He uses a false name.
▪ fake made to look or seem like something else, especially something worth a lot more money: fake fur | a fake Rolex watch | fake designer goods | a fake $100 bill
▪ forged a forged official document or bank note has been illegally made to look like a real one: a forged passport | a forged £50 note
▪ counterfeit /ˈkaʊntəfɪt $ -tər-/ counterfeit money or goods have been illegally made to look exactly like something else: How do you detect counterfeit currency? | counterfeit drugs
▪ imitation made to look real – used especially about guns, bombs etc or about materials: The two men used an imitation firearm to carry out the robbery. | imitation leather/silk/silver
▪ phoney/phony /ˈfəʊni $ ˈfoʊ-/ disapproving informal false – used when you think someone is deliberately trying to deceive people: She put on a phoney New York accent. | The doctors were accused of supplying phoney medical certificates. | There’s something phoney about him. | phony advertisements
▪ spurious /ˈspjʊəriəs $ ˈspjʊr-/ false and giving a wrong impression about someone or something: spurious claims | That’s a spurious argument. | The company was trying to get some spurious respectability by using our name.
II. counterfeit2 BrE AmE verb [transitive]
to copy something exactly in order to deceive people SYN fake:
They admitted counterfeiting documents.
—counterfeiter noun [countable
Course
- of course
a) used to show that what you are saying is expected or already known and so not surprising:
You can pay by cheque, assuming of course you have a valid cheque card.
Of course there are exceptions to every rule.
b) (also course informal) spoken used to say yes or to give permission politely:
‘Can I have a word with you?’ ‘Of course.’
‘Can you give me a lift?’ ‘Course, no problem.’
c) (also course informal) spoken used to emphasize that what you are saying is true or correct:
Of course he’ll come!
well/but of course
Well of course I love you. - of course not (also course not informal) spoken used to say very strongly that something is not true or correct:
He asked his father if it was true. ‘Of course not,’ Jack said.
‘You don’t mind if I call her?’ ‘No, course not.’ - EDUCATION [countable]
a) a series of lessons in a particular subject SYN class American English:
Andy’s doing a one-year journalism course.
course on/in
a course on architecture
I’m taking a course in graphic design.
b) British English a period of study in a particular subject, especially at university SYN program American English:
a degree course in photography
► Course is never followed by ‘of’. Do not say ‘a course of Business Studies’. Say ‘a course in Business Studies’. - TIME [singular] a period of time or process during which something happens
during/in/throughout/over the course of something
During the course of our conversation, it emerged that Bob had been in prison.
Over the course of the next few years, the steel industry was reorganized.
in the course of doing something
In the course of researching customer needs, we discovered how few families have adequate life insurance. - DEVELOPMENT [singular] the usual or natural way that something changes, develops, or is done
course of
forces that shape the course of evolution
Meeting Sally changed the whole course of his life.
in the normal/natural/ordinary course of events
In the normal course of events, a son would inherit from his father.
take/run its course (=develop in the usual way and reach a natural end)
Relax and let nature take its course.
It seems the boom in World Music has run its course.
Gorbachev changed the course of Soviet history. - PLANS [singular, uncountable] the general plans someone has to achieve something or the general way something is happening:
They will go to any lengths to get the White House to change course.
He will steer a middle course between pacifism and revolution.
As long as the economy stays on course, the future looks rosy. - ACTIONS [countable usually singular] an action or series of actions that you could take in order to deal with a particular situation:
I agreed that this was the only sensible course of action.
take/decide on a course
The judge took the only course of action open to him. - DIRECTION [countable usually singular, uncountable] the planned direction taken by a boat or plane to reach a place:
The plane changed course to avoid the storm.
on/off course (=going in the right or wrong direction)
The ship was blown off course.
The aircraft was almost ten miles off course.
She tightened the mainsail while holding the course (=travelling in the same direction as planned). - on course likely to achieve something because you have already had some success
on course for
If he wins today, he’s on course for the Grand Slam.
on course to do something
We’re back on course to qualify for the championship. - MEAL [countable] one of the separate parts of a meal
three-course/five-course etc meal
The ticket includes entry and a four-course meal.
first/second/main etc course
We had fish for the main course. - SPORT [countable] an area of land or water where races are held, or an area of land designed for playing golf:
a particularly difficult course
an 18-hole course ⇨ ↑assault course, ↑obstacle course(1) - MEDICAL TREATMENT [countable] especially British English an amount of medicine or medical treatment that you have regularly for a specific period of time
course of injections/drugs/treatment etc
a course of antibiotics - in (the) course of time after some or enough time has passed SYN eventually:
She’ll get used to school in the course of time. - RIVER [countable] the direction a river moves in:
The course of the water was shown by a line of trees. - WALL [countable] a layer of bricks, stone etc in a wall:
a damp-proof course
⇨ as a matter of course at ↑matter1(20), ⇨ par for the course at ↑par(3), ⇨ stay the course at ↑stay1(7), ⇨ in due course at ↑due1(4)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 3)
■ verbs
▪ take a course (also do a course British English) I decided to do a course in Italian.
▪ go on a course British English My company wanted me to go on a course in management skills.
▪ pass/fail a course If you pass the course, you get a diploma in psychology.
▪ apply for a course The following year she applied for a nursing course.
▪ enrol on a course/put your name down for a course British English (=to arrange to officially join a course) How about enrolling on a sailing course?
▪ attend a course formal (=take part in a course) You’ll have to attend a course on how to deal with customers on the phone.
▪ withdraw from a course/drop out of a course (=leave it without finishing it) She had to withdraw from the course because of illness.
▪ teach a course She is teaching an introductory course in Russian.
▪ run a course The course is run by the British Council.
▪ offer a course The course is offered on a part-time basis.
▪ change (your) course (=at university or college) Some students choose to change their course after the first year.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + course
▪ a language/art/design etc course The school runs ten-week language courses three times a year.
▪ a full-time/part-time course There are also part-time courses for mature students.
▪ an elementary/intermediate/advanced course an advanced course in art and design
▪ a one-year/two-year etc course She did a one-year teacher training course.
▪ a short course I did a short course on website design.
▪ an intensive course (=in which you learn a lot in a short time) An intensive course in Russian is provided for those who do not already know the language.
▪ a crash course informal (=in which you learn a great deal in a very short time) A husband was given a crash course in how to deliver a baby by a midwife on the phone.
▪ a training course If you are offered the job, you will attend a two-week training course.
▪ a vocational course (=that trains you to do a particular job) a vocational course in architecture
▪ a college/university course students who fail their college courses
▪ a degree course British English (also an undergraduate course) (=a first course at a university, which usually lasts three years) a three-year degree course
▪ a postgraduate course British English (=one you do after your first degree course)
▪ a correspondence course (=in which you work at home, sending work to a teacher by post)
▪ an introductory course (=for people who have never done a particular subject or activity before)
▪ an induction course (=that you do when you start a new job or position)
▪ a refresher course (=short and intended to teach you about new developments in a subject)
▪ a foundation course British English (=a general course that students do in the first year at some universities)
▪ a sandwich course British English (=that includes periods of work in industry or business)
▪ a tailor-made course (=one that is specially designed for someone) a tailor-made course to help senior staff develop their negotiation skills
■ course + NOUN
▪ a course tutor BrE: I discussed it with my course tutor.
▪ course material Teachers are provided with course material.
▪ the course syllabus (=the plan of what is taught on a course) The school has recently introduced a new course syllabus.
■ COMMON ERRORS
► Do not say ‘make a course’. Say do or take a course.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 5)
■ verbs
▪ something takes a course (=develops in a particular way) He felt that events were taking the wrong course.
▪ something takes/runs its course (=develops in the usual or natural way) There was nothing we could do except watch the illness run its course.
▪ change/alter the course of something The incident changed the course of the election.
▪ influence/shape the course of something The result of this battle influenced the whole course of the war.
▪ determine/decide the course of something Don’t let chance decide the course of your career.
■ phrases
▪ in the normal/ordinary course of something His bravery was far more than was required in the normal course of duty.
▪ the course of history/sb’s life etc Changing conditions shape the course of evolution.
• • •
THESAURUS
■ types of meal
▪ breakfast a meal that you eat in the morning
▪ brunch a meal that you eat in the late morning, instead of breakfast or lunch
▪ lunch a meal that you eat in the middle of the day
▪ tea British English a meal that you eat in the afternoon or evening
▪ dinner the main meal of the day, which most people eat in the evening
▪ supper a small meal that you eat in the evening, in British English; the main meal that you eat in the evening, in American English
▪ picnic a meal that you eat outdoors, consisting of food that you cooked or prepared earlier
▪ barbecue a meal that you cook outdoors over hot coals or wood and eat outdoors
▪ snack a small amount of food that is eaten between main meals or instead of a meal
▪ side dish food eaten with the main course, such as vegetables: I’ll have the salad as a side dish.
▪ course one of the separate parts of a meal, such as the starter or the dessert: a three-course meal
II. course2 BrE AmE verb - [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] literary if a liquid or electricity courses somewhere, it flows there quickly:
Tears coursed down his cheeks. - [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] literary if a feeling courses through you, you feel it suddenly and strongly:
His smile sent waves of excitement coursing through her. - [intransitive and transitive] to chase rabbits with dogs as a sport
Covariate
/kəʊˈvɛːrɪət/
nounSTATISTICS
an independent variable that can influence the outcome of a given statistical trial, but which is not of direct interest
Guru
/ˈɡʊruː/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1600-1700; Language: Hindi; Origin: Sanskrit]
1. informal someone who knows a lot about a particular subject, and gives advice to other people:
a management guru
a fashion guru
2. a Hindu religious teacher or leader
Bumble
/ˈbʌmbəl/ verb [intransitive]
[Date: 1500-1600; Origin: Probably from bungle]
1. (also bumble on) to speak in a confused way, so that no one can understand you:
What was Karl bumbling on about?
2. (also bumble around) to move in an unsteady way
Covenant
/ˈkʌvənənt/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: covenir ‘to agree’, from Latin convenire; ⇨ ↑convenient]
a legal agreement in which someone promises to pay a person or organization an amount of money regularly ⇨ endowment
—covenant verb [intransitive and transitive]:
He covenanted to pay £30 a month into the fund
Covet
/ˈkʌvət, ˈkʌvɪt/ BrE AmE verb [transitive] formal
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: coveitier, from coveitié ‘desire’, from Latin cupiditas; ⇨ ↑cupidity]
to have a very strong desire to have something that someone else has:
The Michelin Awards are coveted by restaurants all over the world
Crack
I. crack1 S3 /kræk/ BrE AmE verb
[Language: Old English; Origin: cracian]
1. BREAK [intransitive and transitive] to break or to make something break, either so that it gets lines on its surface, or so that it breaks into pieces:
Don’t put boiling water in the glass or it will crack.
Concrete is liable to crack in very cold weather.
He picked up a piece of rock and cracked it in half.
She fell and cracked a bone in her leg.
He cracked a couple of eggs into a pan.
2. SOUND [intransitive and transitive] to make a quick loud sound like the sound of something breaking, or to make something do this:
Thunder cracked overhead.
He cracked his whip and galloped off.
Dennis rubbed his hands together and cracked his knuckles.
3. HIT [transitive] to hit someone or something hard
crack something on something
I slipped and cracked my head on the door.
She cracked him over the head with a hammer.
4. NOT BE ABLE TO CONTINUE [intransitive] to be unable to continue doing something because there is too much pressure and you do not have the mental strength to continue
crack under
Some young executives crack under the pressure of having to meet tough sales targets every month.
He cracked under interrogation and confessed.
5. VOICE [intransitive] if your voice cracks, it starts to sound different because you are feeling strong emotions:
His voice cracked slightly as he tried to explain.
6. SOLVE/UNDERSTAND [transitive] to find the answer to a problem or manage to understand something that is difficult to understand SYN solve:
I think we’ve cracked the problem of the computer crashing all the time.
It took them nearly two months to crack the code.
This new evidence could help detectives to crack the case.
7. STOP SOMEBODY [transitive] informal to stop a person from being successful:
Political enemies have tried to crack me.
8. OPEN A SAFE [transitive] to open a ↑safe illegally in order to steal the things inside it
9. COMPUTER [transitive] to illegally copy computer software or change free software which may lack certain features of the full ↑version, so that the free software works in the same way as the full version:
You can find out how to crack any kind of software on the web.
10. crack it British English informal to manage to do something successfully:
I think we’ve cracked it!
He seems to have got it cracked.
11. crack a joke to tell a joke:
He kept cracking jokes about my appearance.
12. crack a smile to smile, usually only slightly or unwillingly:
Even Mr Motts managed to crack a smile at that joke.
13. crack open a bottle British English informal to open a bottle of alcohol for drinking:
We cracked open a few bottles.
14. get cracking informal to start doing something or going somewhere quickly:
I think we need to get cracking if we’re going to catch this train.
15. crack the whip informal to make people work very hard
16. something is not all/everything it’s cracked up to be informal used to say that something is not as good as people say it is:
I thought the film was OK, but it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.
crack down phrasal verb
to become more strict in dealing with a problem and punishing the people involved
crack down on
The government is determined to crack down on terrorism.
The police are cracking down hard on violent crime.
⇨ ↑crackdown
• • •
THESAURUS
■ to become broken
▪ break verb [intransitive] to become damaged and separate into pieces: Plastic breaks quite easily.
▪ smash verb [intransitive] to break after being hit with a lot of force: The bowl smashed as it hit the floor.
▪ shatter verb [intransitive] to break into a lot of small pieces: The glass shattered all over the pavement.
▪ crack verb [intransitive] if something cracks, a line appears on the surface, which means that it could later break into separate pieces: The ice was starting to crack.
▪ burst verb [intransitive] if a tyre, balloon, pipe etc bursts, it gets a hole and air or liquid suddenly comes out of it: She blew up the balloon until it burst.
▪ split verb [intransitive] to break in a straight line: The damp had caused the wood to split.
▪ crumble verb [intransitive] to break into a powder or a lot of small pieces: The cork just crumbled in my hand.
crack into something phrasal verb
to secretly enter someone else’s computer system, especially in order to damage the system or steal the information stored on it ⇨ hack:
A teenager was accused of cracking into the company’s network.
crack on phrasal verb British English informal
to continue working hard at something in order to finish it
crack on with
I need to crack on with my project work this weekend.
crack up phrasal verb informal
1. crack (somebody) up to laugh a lot at something, or to make someone laugh a lot:
Everyone in the class just cracked up.
She’s so funny. She cracks me up.
2. to become unable to think or behave sensibly because you have too many problems or too much work:
I was beginning to think I was cracking up!
II. crack2 BrE AmE noun
1. GAP [countable] a very narrow space between two things or two parts of something
crack between
He squeezed into a crack between two rocks.
crack in
He could see them through a crack in the door.
She opened the door a crack and peeped into the room.
2. BREAK [countable] a thin line on the surface of something when it is broken but has not actually come apart
crack in
There were several small cracks in the glass.
3. WEAKNESS [countable] a weakness or fault in an idea, system, or organization
crack in
The cracks in their relationship were starting to show.
The first cracks are beginning to appear in the economic policy.
4. SOUND [countable] a sudden loud sound like the sound of a stick being broken
loud/sharp crack
There was a sharp crack as the branch broke off.
crack of
We could hear the crack of gunfire in the distance.
a crack of thunder
5. JOKE [countable] informal a clever joke or rude remark
crack about
I didn’t like his crack about her being overweight.
He’s always making cracks about how stupid I am.
6. ATTEMPT [countable] informal an attempt to do something SYN shot
crack at
I’d like a crack at climbing that mountain.
The competition’s open to anyone – why don’t you have a crack?
7. DRUG [uncountable] an illegal drug that some people take for pleasure:
crack addicts
8. BODY [countable] informal the space between someone’s ↑buttocks
9. a crack on the head a hard hit on the head:
You’ve had a nasty crack on the head and you need to rest.
10. a crack in sb’s voice a change in someone’s voice because they are feeling very upset:
He noticed the crack in her voice as she tried to continue.
11. the crack of dawn very early in the morning
at the crack of dawn
We were up at the crack of dawn.
12. COMPUTER [countable] a piece of information or computer ↑code that lets you illegally change free software which may lack certain features of the full ↑version, so that the free software works in the same way as the full version
13. a fair crack of the whip British English informal the same chance as other people to do something:
They feel they haven’t been given a fair crack of the whip.
14. another spelling of ↑craic
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ hole an empty space in the surface of something, which sometimes goes all the way through it: A fox had dug a hole under our fence. | Rain was coming in through a hole in the roof.
▪ space an empty area between two things, into which you can put something: Are there any empty spaces on the bookshelf? | a parking space
▪ gap an empty area between two things or two parts of something, especially one that should not be there: He has a gap between his two front teeth. | I squeezed through a gap in the hedge.
▪ opening a hole that something can pass through or that you can see through, especially at the entrance of something: The train disappeared into the dark opening of the tunnel. | I looked through the narrow opening in the wall.
▪ leak a small hole where something has been damaged or broken that lets liquid or gas flow in or out: a leak in the pipe | The plumber’s coming to repair the leak.
▪ puncture especially British English a small hole in a tyre through which air escapes: My bike’s got a puncture.
▪ crack a very narrow space between two things or two parts of something: The snake slid into a crack in the rock. | She was peering through the crack in the curtains.
▪ slot a straight narrow hole that you put a particular type of object into: You have to put a coin in the slot before you dial the number. | A small disk fits into a slot in the camera.
▪ crater a round hole in the ground made by an explosion or by a large object hitting it hard: a volcanic crater | The meteor left a crater over five miles wide. | the craters on the moon
III. crack3 BrE AmE adjective [only before noun]
1. with a lot of experience and skill:
crack troops
a crack regiment
a crack sportsman
2. crack shot someone who is able to shoot a weapon very well and hit the thing they are aiming at
Crack the whip
use power or authority to make a person or group work harder or behave in a disciplined way.
“he needed someone to crack the whip without destroying morale”
Crackdown
action that is taken to deal more strictly with crime, a problem, protests etc
crackdown on/against
a military crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations
the government’s crackdown against drugs
Cramp
- [uncountable and countable] a severe pain that you get in part of your body when a muscle becomes too tight, making it difficult for you to move that part of your body:
Several players were suffering from cramp.
muscle cramps
have/get (a) cramp
One of the swimmers got cramp and had to drop out of the race. ⇨ WRITER’S CRAMP - (stomach) cramps [plural] severe pains in the stomach, especially the ones that women get when they ↑menstruate
II. cramp2 BrE AmE verb
[Date: 1500-1600; Origin: Partly from ⇨ ↑cramp1; partly from cramp ‘tool for holding things together’ (14-21 centuries), from Low German krampe ‘hook’] - [transitive] to prevent the development of someone or something SYN hinder, restrict:
Stricter anti-pollution laws may cramp economic growth. - cramp sb’s style informal to prevent someone from behaving in the way they want to:
Paul said he didn’t want Sarah to come along because she cramps his style. - [intransitive and transitive] (also cramp up) to get or cause cramp in a muscle:
He cramped in the last 200 metres of the race.
Sitting still for so long had cramped her muscles
Crank
- a handle on a piece of equipment, that you can turn in order to move something
- informal someone who has unusual ideas and behaves strangely:
Zoff was originally dismissed as a crank, but his theories later became very influential. - crank call/letter a telephone call or letter in which someone says annoying things
- American English informal someone who easily gets angry or annoyed with people
II. crank2 BrE AmE (also crank up) verb [transitive]
to make something move by turning a crank:
Try cranking the engine.
crank something ↔ out phrasal verb
to produce a lot of something very quickly:
He cranked out three novels last year.
crank something ↔ up phrasal verb informal
to make the sound of something, especially music, louder:
We cranked up the volume
Cranky
- British English informal strange ⇨ eccentric, weird:
Organic farming is no longer thought of as cranky. - informal bad-tempered:
I was feeling tired and cranky.
—crankiness noun [uncountable
crib
- [countable] American English a bed for a baby or young child, with bars on the side to stop the baby from falling out SYN cot British English
- [countable] British English a bed with high sides for a very young baby, which you can move gently from side to side SYN cradle
- [countable] a wooden frame in which you put food for animals such as cows and horses
- [countable] British English a model of the scene of Jesus’ birth, often placed in churches and homes at Christmas ⇨ Nativity
- [countable] British English informal a book or piece of paper with information or answers to questions, which students sometimes use dishonestly in examinations
- [countable] American English spoken the place where someone lives
sb’s crib
I’m not at my crib, I’m at Jed’s house. - [uncountable] the card game of cribbage
II. crib2 BrE AmE verb (past tense and past participle cribbed, present participle cribbing)
to copy school or college work dishonestly from someone else
crib something off/from somebody
He didn’t want anyone to crib the answers from him.
III. crib‧bage /ˈkrɪbɪdʒ/ BrE AmE (also crib) noun [uncountable]
[Date: 1600-1700; Origin: ⇨ ↑crib1]
a card game in which players show how many points they have by putting small pieces of wood in holes in a small
Crimson
/ˈkrɪmzən/ BrE AmE adjective
1. deep red in colour:
The leaves turn crimson in autumn.
a crimson dress
2. if you go crimson, your face becomes red because you are very angry or embarrassed
go/turn/flush/blush crimson
The boy blushed crimson.
crimson with
Her face was crimson with embarrassment.
—crimson noun [uncountable]
II. crimson2 BrE AmE verb [intransitive] literary
if your face crimsons, it becomes red because you are embarrassed SYN blush:
Rachel crimsoned and sat down.
Crisp
a very thin flat round piece of potato that is cooked in oil and eaten cold ⇨ chip SYN potato chip American English:
a packet of crisps
II. crisp2 BrE AmE adjective
[Date: 1500-1600; Origin: crisp ‘curly’ (10-20 centuries), from Latin crispus]
1. HARD something that is crisp is hard, and makes a pleasant sound when you break it or crush it:
She kicked at the crisp leaves at her feet.
He stepped carefully through the crisp deep snow.
2. FOOD food that is crisp is pleasantly hard or firm when you bite it SYN crispy OPP soggy:
a crisp green salad
a crisp juicy apple
Cook the pastry until it is crisp and golden.
The meat should be nice and crisp on the outside.
3. PAPER/CLOTH paper or cloth that is crisp is fresh, clean, and new SYN fresh:
a crisp new five-dollar bill
crisp cotton sheets
4. WEATHER weather that is crisp is cold and dry OPP humid:
The air was fresh and crisp.
a crisp clear autumn day
The weather remained crisp and dry.
5. PEOPLE if someone behaves or speaks in a crisp way, they are confident, polite, and firm, but not very friendly:
Her tone was crisp and businesslike.
6. PICTURE/SOUND a picture or sound that is crisp is clear SYN sharp:
an old recording that still sounds remarkably crisp
—crisply adverb:
‘Take a seat,’ she said crisply.
—crispness noun [uncountable]
III. crisp3 BrE AmE verb [intransitive and transitive]
to become crisp or make something become crisp by cooking or heating it:
Cook the chicken until the skin is nicely crisped
Crook
- informal a dishonest person or a criminal:
The crooks got away across the park. - a long stick with a curved end, used by people who look after sheep
- the crook of your arm the part of your arm where it bends
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ criminal someone who is involved in illegal activities or has been proved guilty of a crime. Criminal is used especially about someone who often does things that are illegal: Criminals are stealing people’s credit card details off the Internet. | He is one of the most wanted criminals in the United States.
▪ offender someone who breaks the law: The courts should impose tougher punishments on offenders. | a special prison for young offenders
▪ crook informal a dishonest person, especially one who steals money and who you cannot trust: Some politicians are crooks, but not all of them. | They’re just a bunch of crooks.
▪ felon law especially American English someone who has committed a serious crime: Convicted felons should not be allowed to profit from their crimes.
▪ the culprit the person who has done something wrong or illegal: The culprits were never found. | If I ever catch the culprit, he or she is in big trouble. | The culprits were just six years old.
▪ delinquent a young person who behaves badly and is likely to commit crimes - used especially in the phrase juvenile delinquent: He later worked with juvenile delinquents in a Florida youth services program.
▪ accomplice someone who helps a criminal to do something illegal: Police believe the murderer must have had an accomplice.
II. crook2 BrE AmE verb [transitive]
if you crook your finger or your arm, you bend it
Crop up
to appear unexpectedly/suddenly
[example: I have to to work late today, sth crop up at work]
Cross paths
to meet sb by chance syn: run into, bump into
[example: the last time I crossed path Fred, we ended up arguing about something inconsequential ]
Crotch
the part of your body between the tops of your legs, or the part of a piece of clothing that covers this don’t mistake it with groin
فاق شلوار هم معني ميده
Crumple
- [intransitive and transitive] (also crumple up) to crush something so that it becomes smaller and bent, or to be crushed in this way: مچاله كردن
Dan tore the page out, crumpled it, and threw it in the wastepaper basket. - [intransitive] if your face crumples, you suddenly look sad or disappointed, as if you might cry
- [intransitive] if your body crumples, you fall down in an uncontrolled way
crumple to
The blow hit him on the head and he crumpled to the ground.
Crust
خرده نون
Cry me river
Meaning: You can cry or complain a lot but you will not get my sympathy
Cuckoo in the nest
an unwelcome intruder in a place or situation
[example: for Peter his new father is a cuckoo in the nest ]
Cult
- [countable] an extreme religious group that is not part of an established religion
- [countable] a fashionable belief, idea, or attitude that influences people’s lives
cult of
Diet, exercise … It’s all part of this cult of self-improvement. - [singular] a group of people who are very interested in a particular thing:
O’Brien has a cult of devoted readers. - [uncountable and countable] formal a system of religious beliefs and practices
⇨ ↑personality cult
II. cult2 BrE AmE adjective [only before noun]
cult film/band/figure etc a film, music group etc that has become very popular but only among a particular group of people:
the 1980s cult movie ‘The Gods Must Be Crazy’
The actor James Dean acquired the status of a cult hero
Curl
- to form a twisted or curved shape, or to make something do this:
Mary was busy curling her hair.
curl around/round
Ivy curled round the tree. - [always + adverb/preposition] to move, forming a twisted or curved shape, or to make something do this
curl across/along etc
Morning mists curled across the river.
curl something around/round/over etc something
He curled his arm around Claudia’s waist. - if you curl your lip, or if your lip curls, you move it upwards and sideways, to show that you disapprove of someone or something:
Her lip curled in contempt.
⇨ make sb’s toes curl at ↑toe1(5), ⇨ make your hair curl at ↑hair(9)
curl up phrasal verb - 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. - if something flat curls up, its edges start to become curved and point upwards:
The letter was now yellow and beginning to curl up.
II. curl2 BrE AmE noun - [countable] a piece of hair that hangs in a curved shape:
a little boy with beautiful blonde curls - [singular, uncountable] the ability of your hair to form curls:
Use a diffuser to maximise the volume and curl of your hair.
hair that has a natural curl - [countable] something in the shape of a curve:
Decorate the cake with chocolate curls.
curl of
A curl of smoke rose from her cigarette. - [countable] an exercise in which you repeatedly bend your arms, legs, or stomach in order to make your muscles strong
- curl of sb’s lip/mouth a sideways and upwards movement of your lip or mouth, showing that you disapprove of someone or something
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ adjectives
▪ soft/loose curls (=gentle curves) long brown hair in soft curls
▪ tight curls (=curves that are very close together) Her dark hair was arranged in tight curls.
▪ natural curls You’re lucky if you have natural curls.
▪ a stray/wayward curl (=hanging in an untidy way) Emily pushed back a stray curl.
▪ golden/dark/black etc curls a little boy with a tangle of blond curls
■ verbs
▪ curls fall/tumble (=hang down) The child’s golden curls fell around her shoulders.
■ phrases
▪ a mass/mop of curls (=a lot of curls) a gorgeous Italian man with a mass of dark curls
▪ a tangle of curls (=curls that are not neatly combed) a boy with a tangle of brown curls
Curtsy
if a woman curtsies, she bends her knees with one foot in front of the other as a sign of respect for an important person ⇨ bow
—curtsy noun [countable]
Cut a deal
to make a business deal
[example: her agent cut a deal giving her 30% of the profits ]
Cut someone loose
از شر كسي خلاص شدن
don’t mistake it with” can’t shake it “
Cut that out
a rude (not polite) expression meaning “Stop that!” or “Stop doing what you’re doing!”
* Can you please cut that out? I can’t talk on the phone while you’re making so much noise
Cut-throat
a cut-throat activity or business involves people competing with each other in an unpleasant way:
Cut-throat competition is keeping prices low.
the cut-throat world of advertising
Cutback vs cut back
cutback
a reduction in something, such as the number of workers in a company or the amount of money a government or company spends:
The shortage of teachers was blamed on government cutbacks.
cutback in
cutbacks in funding for libraries
A fall in donations has forced the charity to make cutbacks.
sharp/drastic/severe cutback
sharp cutbacks in the military budget
cut back
- to reduce the amount, size, cost etc of something
cut back on
Several major hospitals are cutting back on staff at the moment.
cut something ↔ back
Education spending cannot be cut back any further.
Richer countries must do more to cut back carbon emissions. ⇨ ↑cutback - cut something ↔ back to remove the top part of a plant in order to help it to grow:
Cut back the shoots in spring to encourage bushier growth. - to eat, drink, or use less of something, especially in order to improve your health
cut back on
Try to cut back on foods containing wheat and dairy products.
Cyan
/ˈsaɪən $ ˈsaɪ-æn, -ən/ BrE AmE adjective technical
[Date: 1800-1900; Language: Greek; Origin: kyanos]
having a dark greenish-blue colour
—cyan noun [uncountable]
Dabble in sth
to do sth sporadically or as a hobby
[example: she dabbled in local politics for a while ]
Damning
proving or showing that someone has done something very bad or wrong: افشا كننده
damning evidence of her treachery
a damning report
Damsel
- damsel in distress a young woman who needs help or protection – used humorously
- a young woman who is not married, especially a pretty young woman in an old story
syn: maiden
Darn
dɑːn $ dɑːrn/ BrE AmE
used to show that you are annoyed or disappointed SYN damn:
Darn! I forgot my keys!
Darn it! I’ll have to do it all myself!
II. darn2 BrE AmE (also darned) adjective spoken informal
1. used to emphasize how bad, stupid, unfair etc someone or something is SYN damn:
The darn fool got lost on the way.
2. a darn sight better/harder etc a lot better, harder etc SYN damn:
He’d earn a darn sight more money there.
III. darn3 BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[Date: 1600-1700; Origin: Probably from French darner]
to repair a hole in a piece of clothing by stitching wool over it: رفو كردن
Her cardigan had been darned at the elbows
Dash
- [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to go or run somewhere very quickly:
Olive dashed into the room, grabbed her bag, and ran out again. - dash sb’s hopes to disappoint someone by telling them that what they want is not possible:
Hopkins’ hopes were dashed when his appeal was denied. - (I) must dash/(I) have to dash British English spoken used to tell someone that you must leave quickly:
Anyway, I must dash – I said I’d meet Daniel at eight. - [intransitive, transitive always + adverb/preposition] written to throw or push something violently against something, especially so that it breaks
dash something against/on something
The ship was dashed against the rocks.
dash against
Waves were dashing against the sea wall. - dash it (all)! British English old-fashioned used to show that you are slightly annoyed or angry about something
dash off phrasal verb - to leave somewhere very quickly:
Harry dashed off before she had a chance to thank him. - dash something ↔ off to write or draw something very quickly:
She dashed off a quick letter.
II. dash2 BrE AmE noun - SMALL AMOUNT [singular]
a) a small amount of a substance that is added to something else
dash of
Add salt, pepper and a dash of vinegar.
b) a small amount of a quality that is added to something else
dash of
Add a dash of romance to your life with a trip to Paris. - RUN QUICKLY [countable usually singular] an occasion when someone runs somewhere very quickly in order to get away from something or someone, or in order to reach them
make a dash for something
He made a dash for the door.
The prisoners made a dash for freedom.
It’s pouring with rain – we’ll have to make a dash for it.
When the alarm went there was a mad dash for the exit. - LINE [countable] a line [ – ] used in writing to separate two closely related parts of a sentence, as for example, in the sentence ‘Go home – they’re waiting for you.’
- SOUND [countable] a long sound or flash of light used for sending messages in ↑Morse code ⇨ dot
- CAR [countable] American English a ↑dashboard
- STYLE [uncountable] old-fashioned style, energy, and courage in someone such as a soldier
- cut a dash old-fashioned to look very impressive and attractive in particular clothes:
With her new image, she’ll certainly cut a dash on her holiday cruise.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 2)
■ verbs
▪ make a dash for something The rain had almost stopped so we decided to make a dash for home.
▪ make a dash for it (=run very quickly to escape or to reach a place) He turned and made a dash for it but the police officer caught him.
■ adjectives
▪ a quick dash Have I got time to make a quick dash to the shops?
▪ a sudden dash He made a sudden dash for the door.
▪ a mad/frantic dash (=very fast, usually because you are worried about something) ‘Something’s burning’, she said, making a mad dash for the kitchen.
▪ a headlong dash (=without looking where you are going) I made a headlong dash up the street but just missed the bus.
▪ a last-minute dash (=very fast, because you have very little time remaining) We only just caught our plane, after a last-minute dash to the airport.
• • •
THESAURUS
■ types of punctuation mark
▪ apostrophe the sign ‘ that is used to show that one or more letters or numbers have been left out, as in don’t, or used before ‘s’ to show that something belongs to someone or something, as in Mark’s dog
▪ brackets British English, parentheses AmE and BrE formal a pair of signs used for enclosing information that interrupts a sentence
▪ colon the sign : that is used to introduce an explanation, example, quotation etc
▪ semicolon the sign ; that is used to separate words in a list, or different parts of a sentence that can be understood separately
▪ comma the sign , that is used to separate things in a list, or between two clauses in a sentence
▪ hyphen the sign – that is used to join words or syllables
▪ dash the sign — that is used to separate two closely related parts of a sentence, especially in more informal English
▪ full stop British English, period American English the sign . that is used to mark the end of a sentence or the short form of a word
▪ exclamation mark British English, exclamation point American English the sign ! that is used after a sentence or word that expresses surprise, anger, or excitement
▪ question mark the sign ? that is used at the end of a question
▪ quotation marks (also inverted commas British English) a pair of signs ‘ and ’ that are put around words, especially to show that you are quoting what someone has said
Dead ringer
sb or sth that looks very similar to sb or sth else syn: spitting image
[example: susie was such a dead ringer for Kate Winslet that sometimes people would ask her for her autograph ]
Death-defying
a death-defying action is very dangerous:
death-defying film stunts
Debase
[v] (transitive) To lower in character, quality, or value; to degrade. syn besmirch , run sb down
[example: actors who debased themselves by participating in the show ]
Debilitate
formal
1. to make someone ill and weak:
He was debilitated by his illness.
2. to make an organization or system less effective or powerful:
The state is debilitated by inefficiency and corruption.
—debilitating adjective:
a debilitating disease
Debit
- technical a decrease in the amount of money in a bank account, for example because you have taken money out of it OPP credit ⇨ direct debit
- technical a record in financial accounts that shows money that has been spent or that is owed OPP credit
- on the debit side used to say that something is a disadvantage in a particular situation, especially after you have described the advantages:
Bikes are easy to park, but on the debit side they can be dangerous in traffic.
II. debit2 BrE AmE verb [transitive] technical - to take money out of a bank account OPP credit
debit something from something
The sum of £25 has been debited from your account. - to record in financial accounts the money that has been spent or that is owed
debit something against/to something
Purchases are debited against the client’s account
Debunk
to show that an idea or belief is false:
His claims were later debunked by fellow academics.
—debunker noun [countable]
Debunk
to show that an idea or belief is false:
His claims were later debunked by fellow academics.
—debunker noun [countable]
Debunk
to show that an idea or belief is false:
His claims were later debunked by fellow academics.
—debunker noun [countable]
Debut
the first public appearance of an entertainer, sports player etc or of something new and important don’t mistake it with premiere
sb’s debut
He made his Major League debut as shortstop.
film/acting/directorial etc debut
His Broadway debut was ‘The Scarlet Pimpernel’.
debut album/CD/single etc
Their debut album was recorded in 1991.
debut match/performance etc
He scored in his debut match for the club.
II. debut2 BrE AmE verb
1. [intransitive] to appear in public or become available for the first time:
The show will debut next Monday at 8.00 pm.
2. [transitive] to introduce a product to the public for the first time ⇨ release SYN launch:
Ralph Lauren debuted his autumn collection in Paris last week’s
Decadent
having low moral standards and being more concerned with pleasure than serious matters:
Pop music was condemned as decadent and crude.
—decadently adverb
decadence (n)
behaviour that shows that someone has low moral standards and is more concerned with pleasure than serious matters
Decal
American English a piece of paper with a pattern or picture on it that you stick on a surface SYN transfer British English
Decapitate
to cut off someone’s head ⇨ behead:
a decapitated body
—decapitation /dɪˌkæpəˈteɪʃən, dɪˌkæpɪˈteɪʃən/ noun [uncountable and countable]
Deceitful
/dɪˈsiːtfəl/ BrE AmE adjective
[Word Family: noun: ↑deceit, ↑deceiver, ↑deception; adjective: ↑deceitful, ↑deceptive; verb: ↑deceive; adverb: ↑deceptively]
someone who is deceitful tells lies in order to get what they want:
His manner was sly and deceitful.
—deceitfully adverb:
His lawyer argued that his client had not acted deceitfully.
—deceitfulness noun [uncountable]
Deceptive
- something that is deceptive seems to be one thing but is in fact very different:
Some snakes move with deceptive speed (=move faster than you think or expect).
Gwen’s students may look angelic, but appearances can be deceptive. - intended to make someone believe something that is not true:
misleading and deceptive adverts
deceptive practices
—deceptively adverb
Decipher
find the meaning of sth
it took us 3 hours to decipher the secret code
Declutter
تميز و مرتب كردن
Decry
formal to state publicly that you do not approve of something SYN condemn
Defer
to delay something until a later date SYN put back
defer something until/to something
Further discussion on the proposal will be deferred until April.
The committee deferred their decision.
—deferment noun [uncountable and countable]
—deferral noun [uncountable and countable]
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ delay to wait until a later time to do something: He decided to delay his decision until he had seen the full report.
▪ postpone to change an event to a later time or date: The meeting was postponed.
▪ put off to delay doing something. Put off is less formal than delay or postpone, and is the usual phrase to use in everyday English: I used to put off making difficult decisions. | The game has been put off till next week.
▪ hold off to delay doing something, especially while you are waiting for more information or for something else to happen: House buyers seem to be holding off until interest rates drop.
▪ defer formal to delay doing something until a later date, usually because something else needs to happen first: The decision had been deferred until after a meeting of the directors. | She decided to defer her university application for a year so that she could go travelling.
▪ procrastinate /prəˈkræstəneɪt, prəˈkræstɪneɪt/ formal to delay doing something that you ought to do: Don’t procrastinate – make a start on your assignments as soon as you get them.
defer to somebody/something phrasal verb formal
to agree to accept someone’s opinion or decision because you have respect for that person:
I will defer to your wishes
Defiance
behaviour that shows you refuse to do what someone tells you to do, especially because you do not respect them ⇨ defy
act/gesture of defiance
Running away was an act of defiance against his parents.
in defiance (of something)
Many people were drinking in the streets, in flagrant defiance of the ban.
Her fists clenched in defiance
Deflate
- [intransitive and transitive] if a tyre, ↑balloon etc deflates, or if you deflate it, it gets smaller because the gas inside it comes out OPP inflate ⇨ go down, let down
REGISTER
In everyday British English, people usually say an object goes down rather than deflates:
▪ It looks like the air bed has gone down. - [transitive] to make someone feel less important or less confident:
She was deflated when Fen made no comment on her achievement. - [transitive] to show that a statement, argument etc is wrong:
Simkin hoped to find a way to deflate his opponent’s argument. - [intransitive and transitive] technical to change economic rules or conditions in a country so that prices fall or stop rising
Deflect
- [intransitive and transitive] if someone or something deflects something that is moving, or if it deflects, it turns in a different direction:
He deflected the blow with his forearm. - [transitive] to do something to stop people paying attention to you, criticizing you etc
deflect something (away) from something
his attempts to deflect attention away from his private life
The committee is seeking to deflect criticism by blaming me. - [transitive] to take someone’s attention away from something
deflect somebody from (doing) something
Nothing can deflect me from reaching my goal
Defy
- to refuse to obey a law or rule, or refuse to do what someone in authority tells you to do ⇨ defiance:
people who openly defy the law - defy description/analysis/belief etc to be almost impossible to describe or understand:
The beauty of the scene defies description. - defy logic/the odds etc to not happen according to the principles you would expect:
a 16-week premature baby who defied the odds and survived - I defy somebody to do something spoken formal used when you ask someone to do something that you think is impossible:
I defy anyone to prove otherwise.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ disobey to not obey a person, order, rule, or law: In the army, it is a crime to disobey a superior officer. | He had disobeyed the school rules.
▪ break a law/rule to not obey a law or rule: Anyone who breaks the law must expect to be punished.
▪ defy formal to deliberately refuse to obey a rule or law, or what someone in authority tells you to do: The police arrested the youth for defying a court order.
▪ flout /flaʊt/ formal to deliberately disobey a rule or law in a very public way: Timber companies are continuing to flout environmental laws.
▪ violate formal to disobey a law, or do something that is against an agreement or principle: Both countries have accused each other of violating the treaty. | Technically he had violated the law.
▪ contravene formal to be against a law, rule, or agreement, or to do something that is against a law, rule, or agreement: The British government’s actions contravened the European Convention on Human Rights
Degrade
- [transitive] to treat someone without respect and make them lose respect for themselves:
a movie that degrades women
degrade yourself (by doing something)
How can you degrade yourself by writing such trash? - [transitive] to make a situation or the condition of something worse:
The dolphin’s habitat is being rapidly degraded. - [intransitive and transitive] technical if a substance, chemical etc degrades, or if something degrades it, it changes to a simpler form
—degradable adjective
Degrade
- [transitive] to treat someone without respect and make them lose respect for themselves:
a movie that degrades women
degrade yourself (by doing something)
How can you degrade yourself by writing such trash? - [transitive] to make a situation or the condition of something worse:
The dolphin’s habitat is being rapidly degraded. - [intransitive and transitive] technical if a substance, chemical etc degrades, or if something degrades it, it changes to a simpler form
—degradable adjective
Dejected
unhappy, disappointed, or sad:
[example: The unemployed stood at street corners, dejected]
Deli meat
deli meat
Delicatessen
/ˌdelɪkəˈtesən/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1800-1900; Language: German; Origin: French délicatesse ‘delicacy’, from Latin delicatus]
a shop that sells high quality cheeses, ↑salads, cooked meats etc
Delirious
- talking continuously in an excited or anxious way, especially because you are ill: هذيان گويي
He suffered an attack of malaria and was delirious. - extremely excited or happy
delirious with
He was delirious with joy.
—deliriously adverb
Deluge
/ˈdeljuːdʒ/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: Old French; Origin: Latin diluvium ‘flood’]
1. [usually singular] a large amount of something such as letters or questions that someone gets at the same time SYN flood
deluge of
Viewers sent a deluge of complaints about the show.
2. formal a large flood, or period when there is a lot of rain SYN flood
II. deluge2 BrE AmE verb [transitive]
1. [usually passive] to send a very large number of letters, questions etc to someone all at the same time SYN flood
be deluged with something
He was deluged with phone calls from friends and colleagues, congratulating him.
2. formal to cover something with a lot of water SYN flood
Delusion
- [uncountable and countable] a false belief about yourself or the situation you are in
under a delusion (that)
He is under the delusion that I am going to cheat him. - delusions of grandeur the belief that you are much more important or powerful than you really are syn: put on grand air
—delusive /-sɪv/ adjective
—delusional adjective
Demonetize
deprive (a coin, note, or precious metal) of its status as money.
“coins minted with the name and portrait of Emperor Caligula were demonetized after his death”
بي اعتبار كردن
Denigrate
to say things to make someone or something seem less important or good:
people who denigrate their own country
—denigration /ˌdenəˈɡreɪʃən, ˌdenɪˈɡreɪʃən/ noun [uncountable]
Denote
formal
[Word Family: verb: ↑denote; noun: ↑denotation; adjective: ↑denotative]
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: French; Origin: dénoter, from Latin notare ‘to note’]
1. to mean something ⇨ connote:
What does the word ‘curriculum’ denote that ‘course’ does not?
2. to represent or be a sign of something SYN indicate:
Crosses on the map denote villages.
—denotative adjective
—denotation /ˌdiːnəʊˈteɪʃən $ -noʊ-/ noun [countable
Denounce
- to express strong disapproval of someone or something, especially in public ⇨ denunciation: syn: remonstrate
Amnesty International denounced the failure by the authorities to take action.
denounce somebody/something as something
He denounced the election as a farce. - to give information to the police or another authority about someone’s illegal political activities
denounce somebody to somebody
She denounced him to the police
Dentures
a set of artificial teeth worn by someone who does not have their own teeth any longer SYN false teeth
Deplete
to reduce the amount of something that is present or available:
Salmon populations have been severely depleted.
—depletion /dɪˈpliːʃən/ noun [uncountable]:
the depletion of the ozone layer
Depot
- a place where goods are stored until they are needed:
the company’s distribution depot
a fuel storage depot - bus/tram etc depot British English a place where buses etc are kept and repaired
- American English a railway station or bus station, especially a small one
Depreciate
- [intransitive] to decrease in value or price OPP appreciate:
New cars depreciate in value quickly. - [transitive] technical to reduce the value of something over time, especially for tax purposes:
Company computers are depreciated at 50% per year. - [transitive] formal to make something seem unimportant:
those who depreciate the importance of art in education
Derogatory
derogatory remarks, attitudes etc are insulting and disapproving:
Their conversation contained a number of derogatory racial remarks
Descent
- [uncountable and countable] formal the process of going down OPP ascent:
Passengers must fasten their seat belts prior to descent.
descent from/to
The descent to Base Camp took about two days. - [uncountable] your family origins, especially your nationality or relationship to someone important who lived a long time ago
of Russian/Italian etc descent
young men and women of Asian descent
descent from
The emperor claimed descent from David.
by descent
They’re Irish by descent. - [countable] a path or road that goes down a slope OPP ascent
descent from/to
There is no direct descent from the summit. - [singular] a gradual change towards behaviour or a situation that is very bad
descent into alcoholism/chaos/madness etc
his descent into drug abuse - [singular] British English a sudden unwanted visit or attack:
the descent on the town by a motorcycle gang
Despondent
extremely unhappy and without hope:
Gill had been out of work for a year and was getting very despondent.
despondent about
He was becoming increasingly despondent about the way things were going.
—despondency noun [uncountable]
—despondently adverb
devastating floods driven by heavy monsoon rains
سيل هاي ويران كننده ناشي از باران هاي موسمي سنگين
Develop a rift
اختلاف يا جدايي به وجود آوردن
Deviation
- [uncountable and countable] a noticeable difference from what is expected or acceptable
deviation from
deviation from the normal procedure - [countable] technical the difference between a number or measurement in a ↑set and the average of all the numbers or measurements in that set
⇨ ↑standard deviation
Dew
/djuː $ duː/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[Language: Old English; Origin: deaw]
the small drops of water that form on outdoor surfaces during the night
Dexterous
- skilful and quick when using your hands:
dextrous use of the needle - skilful in using words or your mind:
his dexterous accounting abilities
—dexterously adverb
Diaspora
- the Diaspora the movement of the Jewish people away from ancient Palestine, to settle in other countries
- the spreading of people from a national group or culture to other areas:
the African diaspora
Diatribe
/ˈdaɪətraɪb/ BrE AmE noun [countable] formal
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: diatriba, from Greek diatribe ‘enjoyable activity, speech’, from diatribein ‘to pass time’]
a long speech or piece of writing that criticizes someone or something very severely
diatribe against
a diatribe against contemporary American civilization
Dining car
one section of a train that has tables and chairs and is a restaurant for the passengers
* The food in the dining car is very expensive, so I always bring a sandwich when I travel by train
Dinkum
fair dinkum spoken informal fair or honest – used in Australian English
Dip
- PUT SOMETHING IN LIQUID [transitive] to put something into a liquid and lift it out again
dip something in/into something
He dipped his hand in the water.
Dip the strawberries into melted chocolate. - MOVE DOWN [intransitive and transitive] to move down, or to make something move down, usually for just a short time:
We watched the sun dip below the horizon.
She dipped her head and spoke into the microphone. - BECOME LESS [intransitive] if an amount or level dips, it becomes less, usually for just a short time SYN fall:
Profits dipped slightly last year.
Temperatures dipped to –10°C last night. - ROAD/PATH [countable] if land or a road or path dips, it slopes down and then goes up again
- dip your headlights/lights British English to lower the angle of the front lights of your car when someone is driving towards you
- ANIMALS [transitive] to put animals in a chemical that kills insects on their skin
⇨ ↑skinny-dipping
• • •
THESAURUS
■ to put something into a liquid
▪ dip to put something into a liquid for a very short time and take it out again: She dipped her hand in the water to see how hot it was. | Prawns are delicious dipped in a spicy sauce.
▪ plunge to put something quickly, firmly, and deeply into a liquid: Plunge the pasta into a pan of boiling water. | I had to plunge my arm in up to the elbow to reach the keys.
▪ dunk to put something such as a piece of bread or cake into a hot drink or soup before eating it: I love biscuits dunked in coffee.
▪ immerse to put something deep into a liquid so that it is completely covered: If the plant’s leaves look dry, immerse the roots in water for a while.
dip into something phrasal verb - to read short parts of a book, magazine etc, but not the whole thing:
It’s the kind of book you can dip into now and again. - to use some of an amount of money that you have:
Medical bills forced her to dip into her savings.
Parents are being asked to dip into their pockets for new school books (=use their own money to pay for them). - to put your hand into a bag or box in order to take out one of the things inside:
On her lap was a bag of candy which she kept dipping into.
II. dip2 BrE AmE noun - SWIM [countable] informal a quick swim:
Are you coming in for a dip?
take/have a dip
Let’s take a dip in the lake. - DECREASE [countable] a slight decrease in the amount of something
dip in
an unexpected dip in profits - FOOD [uncountable and countable] a thick mixture that you can dip food into before you eat it:
sour cream and onion dip - IN A SURFACE [countable] a place where the surface of something goes down suddenly, then goes up again
dip in
a dip in the road - FOR ANIMALS [uncountable and countable] a chemical that kills insects on sheep and other animals:
sheep dip - PERSON [countable] American English spoken a stupid person
- a dip into something a quick look at information, a book, magazine etc:
People interested in history would enjoy a dip into this book.
⇨ ↑lucky dip
Discord
- [uncountable] formal disagreement or arguing between people:
marital discord
discord within NATO - [uncountable and countable] an unpleasant sound made by a group of musical notes that do not go together well ⇨ harmony
Discount
a reduction in the usual price of something
10% discount/discount of 25% etc
Members get a 15% discount.
at a discount
Employees can buy books at a discount.
discount on
The Young Persons Railcard gives you a discount on rail travel.
offer/give somebody a discount
discount price/fare
discount airfares to Europe
discount store/shop/warehouse (=a place where you can buy goods cheaply)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ get/receive a discount You get a discount if you book more than ten tickets.
▪ give (somebody) a discount Many theatres give discounts to students.
▪ offer (somebody) a discount Lenders may offer a discount on larger loans.
▪ ask for a discount I asked for a discount because the vase was slightly damaged.
▪ be entitled to a discount (=have the right to get a discount) Staff are entitled to a 20% discount.
■ adjectives
▪ a special discount Some of the hotels offer special discounts during the winter.
▪ a big/small discount If you spend over £50, you get a big discount.
▪ a substantial/good discount (=a fairly big one) Insurance companies give substantial discounts to mature drivers.
▪ a 10%/40% etc discount The magazine is offering readers a 15% discount on its subscription fees.
■ discount + NOUN
▪ a discount price You can buy books online at discount prices.
▪ a discount fare The bus company offers discount fares to pensioners.
▪ a discount scheme (=system for giving discounts to people) Many stores operate discount schemes for regular customers.
▪ a discount card The discount card entitles customers to 15% off.
▪ a discount store/shop (=selling things more cheaply than other shops) There’s a lot of competition from large discount stores.
II. dis‧count2 /dɪsˈkaʊnt $ ˈdɪskaʊnt/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
1. to regard something as unlikely to be true or important: ترديد داشتن
Experts discounted the accuracy of the polls.
General Hausken had not discounted the possibility of an aerial attack.
2. to reduce the price of something:
Games were discounted to as little as $5
Discreet vs discrete
- careful about what you say or do, so that you do not offend, upset, or embarrass people or tell secrets OPP indiscreet:
He assured her that he would be discreet.
I stood back at a discreet distance. - small and showing good taste or judgment – use this to show approval:
discreet jewelry
—discreetly adverb
di‧screte AC /dɪˈskriːt/ BrE AmE adjective
[Word Family: noun: ↑discreteness; adverb: ↑discretely; adjective: ↑discrete]
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Latin; Origin: discretus; ⇨ ↑discreet]
clearly separate:
The change happens in a series of discrete steps.
—discretely adverb
—discreteness noun [uncountable
Discretion
- the ability and right to decide exactly what should be done in a particular situation
at sb’s discretion (=according to someone’s decision)
The awards are made at the discretion of the committee.
Promotions are left to the discretion of the supervisor.
discretion over/as to
People want to have more discretion over their working hours.
use/exercise your discretion
The judge exercised his discretion rightly to admit the evidence.
discretion to do something
The committee has the absolute discretion to refuse applications. - the ability to deal with situations in a way that does not offend, upset, or embarrass people or tell any of their secrets ⇨ indiscretion:
British newspapers no longer feel they must treat the royal family with discretion. - discretion is the better part of valour used to say that it is better to be careful than to take unnecessary risks
• • •
THESAURUS
■ carefulness
▪ care if you do something with care, you are careful to avoid damage, mistakes etc: She put the needle in with great care. | Everyone should take care in the sun.
▪ caution care to avoid danger or risks, or care about trusting information that might not be true: Her evidence should be treated with caution. | There was a certain lack of caution among investors.
▪ prudence a sensible and careful attitude that makes you avoid unnecessary risks - a rather formal use: Banks should show more prudence in lending money.
▪ vigilance careful attention to what is happening, so that you will notice any danger or illegal activity: Governments from across the world have called for greater vigilance against Internet-based crime. | There is a need for constant vigilance to protect vulnerable people.
▪ regard for something careful attention and consideration shown to something, to avoid danger or risks - used especially when someone fails to do this: The court heard that the company had shown no regard for the safety of its employees. | These men are cold-blooded killers and have little regard for human life.
▪ tact care not to say anything that might offend or upset someone: He handled the matter with a great deal of tact.
▪ discretion care to deal with situations in a way that does not embarrass, upset or offend people, especially by not telling any of their secrets: Any confidential information was treated with discretion
Discretionary
not controlled by strict rules, but decided on by someone in a position of authority:
the court’s discretionary powers
discretionary award/grant/fund etc
Disdain
a complete lack of respect that you show for someone or something because you think they are not important or good enough
with disdain
She watched me with disdain.
a look of complete disdain
disdain for
his disdain for capitalism
II. disdain2 BrE AmE verb formal
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: desdeignier, from deignier; ⇨ ↑deign]
1. [transitive] to have no respect for someone or something, because you think they are not important or good enough:
Childcare was seen as women’s work, and men disdained it.
2. disdain to do something to refuse to do something because you are too proud to do it:
Butler disdained to reply
Disgruntled
annoyed or disappointed, especially because things have not happened in the way that you wanted:
a disgruntled client
disheartening
making you lose hope and determination syn: discouraging
it is disheartening to hear/see etc something
It’s disheartening to see what little progress has been made.
—dishearteningly adverb
disingenuous
formal
not sincere and slightly dishonest OPP ingenuous:
Keeping the details of the tax changes vague is disingenuous.
—disingenuously adverb
Dislodge
- to force or knock something out of its position:
Ian dislodged a few stones as he climbed up the rock. - to make someone leave a place or lose a position of power:
the revolution that failed to dislodge the British in 1919
Dispensation
- [uncountable and countable] special permission from someone in authority, especially a religious leader, to do something that is not usually allowed:
Caroline’s marriage was annulled by special dispensation from the church. - [uncountable] formal the act of providing people with something as part of an official process
dispensation of
the dispensation of justice - [countable] formal a religious or political system that has control over people’s lives at a particular time
Dispose of sth
get rid of sth
one of the main arguments against nuclear energy is that it can be incredibly difficult to safely dispose of the waste
Dissolve
- BECOME PART OF LIQUID
[intransitive and transitive] if a solid dissolves, or if you dissolve 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. - END [transitive] to formally end a parliament, business arrangement, marriage etc:
The monarch had the power to dissolve parliament. - EMOTIONdissolve into/in laughter/tears etc to start laughing or crying: syn: burst into
She dissolved into fits of laughter. - BECOME WEAKER [intransitive and transitive] 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.
Distill
- to make a liquid such as water or alcohol more pure by heating it so that it becomes a gas and then letting it cool. Drinks such as ↑whisky are made this way:
distilled water - to remove a chemical substance from a plant, for example by heating or pressing it
- to get the main ideas or facts from a much larger amount of information
distill something into something
The notes I had brought back were waiting to be distilled into a book.
—distillation /ˌdɪstəˈleɪʃən, ˌdɪstɪˈleɪʃən/ noun [uncountable and countable]
Distraught
so upset and worried that you cannot think clearly:
Relatives are tonight comforting the distraught parents
Distress
- a feeling of extreme unhappiness:
Luke’s behaviour caused his parents great distress.
in distress
The girl was crying and clearly in distress. - suffering and problems caused by a lack of money, food etc:
acute financial distress
in distress
charities that aid families in distress - formal great physical pain
- a situation when a ship, aircraft etc is in danger and needs help:
We picked up a distress signal 6 km away.
in distress
The ship is in distress.
II. distress2 BrE AmE verb [transitive]
to make someone feel very upset:
The dream had distressed her greatly.
Diurnal
/daɪˈɜːnəl $ -ˈɜːr-/ BrE AmE adjective technical
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Latin; Origin: diurnalis, from dies ‘day’]
1. happening or active in the daytime OPP nocturnal
2. happening every day
Diversify
- [intransitive and transitive] if a business, company, country etc diversifies, it increases the range of goods or services it produces
diversify (away) from
farmers forced to diversify away from their core business
diversify into
The company is planning to diversify into other mining activities.
We need to diversify the economy. - [intransitive and transitive] to change something or to make it change so that there is more variety:
User requirements have diversified over the years. - [intransitive] technical to put money into several different types of ↑investment instead of only one or two
diversify into
Spread the risk by diversifying into dollar bonds.
—diversification /daɪˌvɜːsəfəˈkeɪʃən, daɪˌvɜːsɪfəˈkeɪʃən $ dəˌvɜːr-, daɪ-/ noun [uncountable]:
diversification of the rural economy
Divisive
adjective
[Word Family: noun: ↑divide, ↑division, ↑subdivision; adjective: ↑divided ≠ ↑undivided, ↑divisible ≠ ↑indivisible, ↑divisive; verb: ↑divide, ↑subdivide]
causing a lot of disagreement between people:
The strike was a divisive issue in the community.
socially/economically/politically etc divisive
socially divisive policies
Do a double take
to look twice due to surprise or disbelief
[example: everyone did a double take at this shiny new sports car as he drove by]
Do a dry run
rehearsal or an event that is a practice for a more important event:
Both the parties are treating the local elections as a dry run
Do me a solid
يه لطفي در حقم بكن
do me a solid and stop talking
do sth on a shoestring
do it using a very small amount of money
I usually travel on a shoestring
Do time
سپري كردن دوران زندان
he’s doing time for burglary
do you happen to know his job?
احيانا شغل اونو ميدونيييييي؟
do you resonate with what this character is going through?
آيا ميتونين با كاري كه اين شخص ميكنه همزاد پنداري كنين
do10 miles/ 20 kms, etc
to achieve a particular distance, speed, etc
We did 300 kilometres on the first day.
The car can do 120 mph
Dock
I. dock1 /dɒk $ dɑːk/ BrE AmE noun
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Middle Dutch; Origin: docke]
1. [countable] a place in a port where ships are loaded, unloaded, or repaired ⇨ dry dock:
A crowd was waiting at the dock to greet them.
in dock
The ship is in dock for repairs.
2. the docks [plural] the area of a port where there are docks:
James arrived at the docks expecting to see a luxury liner.
3. [countable] American English a ↑jetty
4. the dock the part of a law court where the person who is charged with a crime stands
in the dock
Three defendants stood in the dock.
5. in the dock especially British English thought to have done something dishonest, harmful, or wrong:
These chemicals remain in the dock until we have more scientific evidence.
6. [uncountable and countable] a plant with thick green leaves that grows wild in Britain:
a dock leaf
7. [countable] a piece of equipment that connects a ↑portable media player to a computer, television etc
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ port noun [uncountable and countable] a place where ships can be loaded and unloaded: a busy port | We’ll have two days ashore while the ship is in port. | The ferry was about to leave port.
▪ harbour British English, harbor American English noun [countable] an area of water next to the land which is protected by walls so the water is calm, and is a place where ships can stay when they are not sailing: They sailed into Portsmouth Harbour | Tourist boats leave the harbour at Riva regularly. | the harbour wall
▪ dock [uncountable and countable] a place in a port where ships are loaded, unloaded, or repaired: A crowd was waiting at the dock to greet them. | The ship was in dock for repairs.
▪ pier a structure that is built over and into the water so that boats can stop next to it or people can walk along it: The yacht was moored at a pier.
▪ jetty noun [countable] a wall or platform built out into the water, used for getting on and off boats: a wooden jetty | The house has a private jetty.
▪ mooring noun [countable] the place where a ship or boat is fastened to the land or to the bottom of the sea: Tugs towed the boat away from its mooring at White Bay.
▪ marina noun [countable] a harbour where people keep boats which are used for pleasure: They are building a new 220-berth marina. | The apartments have a private marina.
II. dock2 BrE AmE verb
[Sense 1,3-4: Date: 1500-1600; Origin: ⇨ ↑dock1]
[Sense 2,5: Date: 1300-1400; Origin: Probably from Old English docca ‘muscle’]
1. SHIPS [intransitive and transitive] if a ship docks, or if the captain docks it, it sails into a dock so that it can unload
dock at/in
We docked at Rangoon the next morning.
2. dock sb’s wages/pay/salary to reduce the amount of money you pay someone as a punishment:
The company has threatened to dock the officers’ pay.
3. COMPUTERS [transitive] to connect two computers using an electrical wire
dock something to/into/with something
Users can dock a laptop to their desktop setup.
4. SPACECRAFT [intransitive + with] if two spacecraft dock, they join together in space
5. ANIMALS [transitive] to cut an animal’s tail short
Dodge a bullet
to avoid dangerous or negative situation
[example: I missed the train the other day and guess what that train on the very same day had huge accident and many died I really dodged the bullet]
Doesn’t float my boat
to not agree
[example: the idea doesn’t float my boat]
Dog in the manger
sb who insists on possessing sth they don’t want or need out of spite to prevent someone else from having it
[example: The toddler, like a dog in the manger, refused to give her older sister the notebook]
Doldrums
[plural] informal
[Date: 1700-1800; Origin: Perhaps from dold ‘stupid’ (1400-1500)]
a) if an industry, company, activity etc is in the doldrums, it is not doing well or developing
in the doldrums
The property market has been in the doldrums for months.
Recent economic doldrums have damaged the rural west.
b) if you are in the doldrums, you are feeling sad:
Fay is in the doldrums today
Don
- British English a university teacher, especially one who teaches at the universities of Oxford or Cambridge
- informal the leader of a Mafia organization
II. don2 BrE AmE verb (past tense and past participle donned, present participle donning) [transitive] literary
[Date: 1300-1400; Origin: do on ‘to put on’ (10-17 centuries)]
to put on a hat, coat etc
Don’t back out
دبه نكن
Don’t beat yourself up
syn: don’t rub it in به خودت سر كوفت نزن
don’t blaspheme
كفر نگو
Don’t flatter yourself
خودتو دست بالا نگير
don’t get carried away
جوگير نشو
don’t get me started on something
دست رو دلم نذار
don’t get me started on politics
don’t hold your breath
به دلت صابون نزن
don’t make waves
شلوغش نكن
don’t polish the notion
حرفتو قورت نده
Don’t push it
روتو زياد نكن
Don’t rub it in
به اين معني كه كسي نبايد به چيزي كه واستون ناخوشاينده يا باعث خجالتتون ميشه تاكيد و اشاره كنه
سر كوفت نزن
don’t beat yourself up
don’t sell me short
منو دست كم نگير
Doppelgänger
ˈdɒpəlɡæŋə, -ɡeŋ- $ ˈdɑːpəlɡæŋər/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1800-1900; Language: German; Origin: doppelgänger ‘double-goer’]
1. sb’s doppelganger someone who looks exactly like someone else SYN double
2. an imaginary spirit that looks exactly like a living person
Dormer
a window built into a roof, so that it sticks out from the roof ⇨ ↑skylight
dot the I’s and cross the T’s
to pay a great deal of attention to the details of sth,especially when you are trying to complete a task syn: fastidious , be stickler
[example: the negotiations are nearly finished, but we still need to dot the I’s and cross the T’s]
double down
to continue to do something in an even more determined way than before: Expect to see Fox double down on its marketing efforts to give the movie a big boost. Instead of learning from his mistakes, he’s doubling down
don’t mistake it with to do a double take
“Double down” and “double take” are two different phrases with distinct meanings:
- Double down: This means to strengthen your commitment to a decision or action, often despite challenges or opposition. It originated from gambling, where a player doubles their bet. For example, “Even after criticism, she decided to double down on her strategy.”
- Double take: This refers to looking at something a second time because it surprised or confused you the first time. It’s often used to describe a delayed reaction of surprise. For example, “He did a double take when he saw his friend in a completely different outfit.”
So, double down is about commitment, while double take is about surprise.
Double whammy
two bad things that happen together or one after the other:
the double whammy of higher prices and more taxes
قوز بالا قوز
double-breasted
double-breasted – a jacket that has two front parts, each with buttons, so that when the jacket is closed one part goes over the other part, and two columns (lines) of buttons are showing
* Since I’m big and tall, I look better in double-breasted jackets because the buttons cover my chest and stomach
Double-cross
دور زدن كسي
to cheat someone, especially after you have agreed to do something dishonest with them
—double cross noun [countable]
—double-crosser noun [countable
double-decker bus
اتوبوس دو طبقه
Douse
BrE AmE , dowse /daʊs/ verb [transitive]
[Date: 1600-1700; Origin: Probably from douse ‘to hit’ (16-18 centuries)]
1. to stop a fire from burning by pouring water on it
2. [+ with/in] to cover something in water or other liquid
Down in the mouth
dejected
[example: the bad news left her feeling really down in the mouth]
Downcast
sad and depressed
Downturn
a period or process in which business activity, production etc is reduced and conditions become worse OPP upturn:
America’s current economic downturn
downturn in
a downturn in the auto industry
Drag
- PULL SOMETHING [transitive] to pull something along the ground, often because it is too heavy to carry
drag something away/along/through etc
Inge managed to drag the table into the kitchen. - PULL SOMEBODY [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to pull someone somewhere where they do not want to go, in a way that is not gentle:
He grabbed her arm and dragged her into the room. - drag yourself to/into/out of etc something informal to move somewhere with difficulty, especially because you are ill, tired, or unhappy:
I dragged myself out of bed and into the bathroom.
Can you drag yourself away from (=stop watching) the TV for a minute? - PERSUADE SOMEBODY TO COME [transitive always + adverb/preposition] informal if you drag someone somewhere, you persuade or force them to come with you when they do not want to:
Mom dragged us to a classical music concert. - COMPUTER [transitive] to move words, pictures etc on a computer screen by pulling them along with the ↑mouse:
You can drag and drop text like this. - BE BORING [intransitive] if time or an event drags, it seems to go very slowly because nothing interesting is happening:
Friday afternoons always drag. - TOUCH THE GROUND [intransitive] if something is dragging along the ground, part of it is touching the ground as you move
drag along/in/on
Your coat’s dragging in the mud. - drag your feet/heels informal to take too much time to do something because you do not want to do it:
The authorities are dragging their feet over banning cigarette advertising. - drag a lake/river etc to look for something in a lake, river etc by pulling a heavy net along the bottom:
The police are dragging the lake for the missing girl’s body. - drag sb’s name through the mud to tell people about the bad things that someone has done, so that they will have a bad opinion of them
- drag somebody through the courts to force someone to go to a court of law, especially in order to make them have a bad experience because you are angry with them
- drag somebody kicking and screaming into something to force someone to do something that they do not want to – used humorously:
The party will have to be dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century. - look as if you’ve been dragged through a hedge backwards to look very untidy – used humorously
- INJURED LEG/FOOT [transitive] if you drag your leg, foot etc, you cannot lift it off the ground as you walk because it is injured:
a bird dragging its broken wing
drag somebody/something ↔ down phrasal verb - to make someone feel unhappy and weak:
Joe’s been ill for weeks now – it’s really dragging him down. - to make the price, level, or quality of something go down:
Declining prices for aluminium have dragged down the company’s earnings. - if someone or something bad drags you down, they make you become worse or get into a worse situation:
Don’t let them drag you down to their level.
drag somebody/something into something (also drag somebody/something ↔ in) phrasal verb - to make someone get involved in an argument, war, or other unpleasant situation that they do not want to be involved in:
I’m sorry to drag you into this mess. - to talk about something when you are having a discussion or argument, even though it is not connected with it:
Don’t drag my past into this!
drag on phrasal verb
if an event or situation drags on, it continues for too long
drag on for
an expensive court battle that could drag on for years
drag something ↔ out phrasal verb
to make an event or situation last longer than is necessary:
Neither of them wanted to drag the divorce out longer than they had to.
drag something out of somebody phrasal verb
to make someone tell you something when they had not intended to tell you or were not supposed to tell you:
Police finally dragged a confession out of him.
drag somebody/something ↔ up phrasal verb - to mention an unpleasant or embarrassing story from the past, even though it upsets someone:
Why do you have to drag that up again? - be dragged up British English if a child is dragged up, their parents do not teach them to behave properly – used humorously:
Those children have been dragged up, not brought up!
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ pull to make something or someone move in the direction that your hands are moving: He pulled her towards him and kissed her. | Sam was pulling on his socks.
▪ tug to pull something suddenly with a short quick movement, often to get someone’s attention: ‘Look,’ he said, tugging at his brother’s sleeve. | I tugged at the drawer but it wouldn’t open.
▪ drag to pull something along the ground, especially because it is heavy: If we can’t lift the piano, we’ll have to drag it.
▪ haul to pull something big and heavy using a lot of effort, especially upwards and using a rope: They hauled their boats further up the beach. | fishermen hauling in their nets
▪ heave to pull or lift something very heavy, especially with one movement: He heaved the sack of sand onto his shoulder.
▪ draw formal to pull something or someone gently in a particular direction: Lisa reached for his hand but he drew it away.
▪ pull to be attached to a vehicle or piece of machinery and make it move behind you in the direction you are going: Ten dogs were pulling a sledge over the ice. | a tractor pulling a plough
▪ tow to pull a vehicle behind – used about a vehicle, a boat, or a horse pulling something using a rope or chain: The car in front of us was towing a caravan. | Horses were used to tow the boats along the canals.
▪ draw to pull a vehicle such as a carriage – used especially about horses doing this: a carriage drawn by four horses | a horse-drawn cart
II. drag2 BrE AmE noun - a drag informal
a) something or someone that is boring:
Don’t be such a drag! Come to the party.
b) something that is annoying and continues for a long time:
It’s a real drag having to travel so far to work every day. - be a drag on somebody/something to make it hard for someone to make progress towards what they want:
Any slowdown in the economy is going to be a drag on the President’s re-election campaign. - [countable] the act of breathing in smoke from your cigarette:
Frank took a drag on his cigarette. - in drag wearing clothes worn by the opposite sex, especially to entertain people:
The whole performance is done in drag. - [uncountable] the force of air that pushes against an aircraft or a vehicle that is moving forward:
The car’s rounded edges reduce drag. - the main drag American English informal the biggest or longest street that goes through a town:
Our hotel is right on the main drag
Drama queen
nounINFORMAL
a person who habitually responds to situations in a melodramatic way.
you’re such a drama queen, it’s no big deal. don’t make mountain out of molehill.
Drape
- to put something somewhere so that it hangs or lies loosely
drape something over/around/across something
He took off his coat and draped it over a chair.
Mina lay back, her arms draped lazily over the cushions. - to cover or decorate something with a cloth
drape something over/around something
Jack emerged with a towel draped around him.
drape something with/in something
The soldiers’ coffins were draped with American flags
Draper
/ˈdreɪpə $ -ər/ BrE AmE noun [countable] British English old-fashioned
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: drapier, from drap; ⇨ ↑drape]
someone who sells cloth, curtains etc
Draw a bath
وان حمام رو آب كردن
Draw a line in the sand
make boundaries for yourself
I try to draw a line in the sand and start a diet
Drawl
over stress on vowel sound
كشدار صحبت كردن مثل تگزاسيا
Dream on
used to tell someone that they are hoping for something that will not happen: syn: it’ll be the day
You think I’m going to help you move house? Dream on!
به همين خيال باش
it’ll be the day
dressed (up) to the nines
informal wearing your best or most formal clothes
Driven
/ˈdrɪvən/ BrE AmE
the past participle of ↑drive
II. driven2 BrE AmE adjective
trying extremely hard to achieve what you want:
He claims he is not a driven workaholic.
⇨ as pure as the driven snow at ↑pure(11
- be as pure as the driven snow to be morally perfect – used humorously to say someone is not like this at all
Drone
to make a continuous low dull sound:
An airplane droned overhead.
drone on phrasal verb
to speak in a boring way, usually for a long time
drone on about
Tom was droning on about work.
II. drone2 BrE AmE noun
[Language: Old English; Origin: dran ‘male bee’]
1. [singular] a continuous low dull sound
drone of
the steady drone of traffic
2. [countable] a male ↑bee that does no work
3. [countable] someone who has a good life but does not work to earn it or give anything back to society
4. [countable] technical old-fashioned an aircraft that does not have a pilot, but is operated by radio
Drool
- [intransitive and transitive] British English to let ↑saliva (=the liquid in your mouth) come out of your mouth ⇨ slobber:
The dog was drooling at the mouth. - [intransitive] to show in a silly way that you like someone or something a lot
drool over
He was drooling over a Porsche
Drop off
بردن بچه ها به مدرسه
opp: pick up
Drop out
- to no longer do an activity or belong to a group:
The group gets smaller as members move away or drop out. - to leave a school or university before your course has finished ⇨ dropout
drop out of
Bill dropped out of college after his first year. - to refuse to take part in ordinary society because you do not agree with its principles ⇨ dropout:
In the 60s, Leary urged kids to ‘Turn on, tune in and drop out.’
Drop sb a line
to communicate with someone usually through messages
[example: drop me a line tomorrow and we can set up a time to hang out]
Drop-in
a drop-in place is a place offering a service or support where you can go without having to make arrangements first:
a drop-in advice centre
Drum
- a musical instrument made of skin stretched over a circular frame, played by hitting it with your hand or a stick:
a big bass drum
1,000 people marched, beating drums and carrying flags.
on drums
Trumpeter Red Rodney was playing with Kenny Clarke on drums (=playing the drums).
Jones played the drums in an all-girl band. - a large round container for storing liquids such as oil, chemicals etc:
a 5 gallon oil drum - something that looks like a drum, especially part of a machine:
a brake drum - bang/beat the drum for somebody/something to speak eagerly in support of someone or something:
The company is banging the drum for their new software. - the drum of something a sound like the sound a drum makes:
the drum of the rain on the window
⇨ ↑eardrum
II. drum2 BrE AmE verb (past tense and past participle drummed, present participle drumming) - [intransitive] to play a drum
- [intransitive and transitive] to make a sound similar to a drum by hitting a surface again and again:
I could hear the rain drumming against the windows.
Lisa drummed her fingers impatiently on the table. - drum something home to use repeated arguments or messages in order to make sure that people understand something: don’t mistake it with scrape home
An information booklet will be available and press advertisements will drum home the message.
drum something into somebody phrasal verb
to keep telling someone something until they cannot forget it:
‘Don’t talk to strangers’ is a message drummed into children.
drum somebody out of something phrasal verb
to force someone to leave an organization, place, or job:
He was drummed out of the army.
drum something ↔ up phrasal verb
to get support, interest, attention etc from people by making an effort:
He travelled throughout Latin America drumming up support for the confederation.
The organization is using the event to drum up business (=get more work and sales
Dry run
a practice session or test designed to identify and correct possible problems
[example: the theater group did a dry run of the play to iron out any technical problems before opening night]
Dubious
syn: I am torn مردد
Dud
- something that is useless, especially because it does not work correctly:
Several of the fireworks were duds. - duds [plural] informal clothes
—dud adjective:
a dud light bulb
Due to
- EXPECTED [not before noun] expected to happen or arrive at a particular time
due to do something
The team are due to fly to Italy next month.
His new book is due to be published next year.
due in/on/at
She’s pregnant and the baby’s due in April.
The final results of the experiment are due on December 9.
I’m due at his office at 4.30.
due for
The car is due for its annual service again.
due back
When are the library books due back? ⇨ ↑due date - OWED owed to someone either as a debt or because they have a right to it:
Any money due you will be sent by cheque through the post.
due to
Thanks are due to all those who took part. - MONEY if an amount of money is due, it must be paid at a particular time:
The next income tax payment is due on 31 January. - in due course at some time in the future when it is the right time, but not before:
Further details will be announced in due course. - PROPER [only before noun] formal proper or suitable:
He was banned for six months for driving without due care and attention.
due regard/consideration
We want the best for each individual child with due regard for the interests of the other children. - with (all) due respect spoken used when you disagree with someone or criticize them in a polite way:
Dad, with all due respect, was not a very good husband.
⇨ ↑duly, ↑due to
II. due2 BrE AmE noun
[Word Family: adverb: ↑due, ↑duly, ↑unduly; noun: ↑due, dues; adjective: ↑due, ↑undue] - your due your due is what you deserve, or something it is your right to have:
He accepted all the praise he received as his due.
Freddy, to give him his due (=to be fair to him), always tried to be honest. - dues [plural] regular payments you make to an organization of which you are a member SYN fees:
Robert failed to pay his dues last year.
III. due3 BrE AmE adverb
[Word Family: adverb: ↑due, ↑duly, ↑unduly; noun: ↑due, dues; adjective: ↑due, ↑undue]
due north/south/east/west directly to the north, south, east, or west
Duet
/djuˈet $ duˈet/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1700-1800; Language: Italian; Origin: duetto, from duo ‘group of two’]
a piece of music for two singers or players ⇨ quartet, solo, trio
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ pair two things of the same type that you use together. Also used about two people who do something together or who you often see together: a pair of shoes | a pair of socks | Winners will receive a pair of tickets for the show. | The pair were arrested six days after the killing. | They’re a funny pair! | The British pair will be playing in the final on Saturday.
▪ a couple (of something) two things of the same type, or a very small number of things: There were a couple of empty seats at the table. | Do you have any stamps? I just need a couple.
▪ couple noun [countable] two people who are married or having a sexual relationship: a married couple | The couple met at university.
▪ twins noun [plural] two children who were born on the same day to the same mother: The twins look very alike. | identical twins
▪ duo noun [countable] two people who perform together or who are often seen together: a comedy duo
▪ duet noun [countable] a piece of music written for two people to play: They played a duet by Brahms.
▪ twice two times adverb: The group meets twice a week. | She sneezed twice.
II. duet2 BrE AmE verb (past tense duetted, past participle duetting)
if one singer or musician duets with another, they sing or play together
Duffle bag
a bag made of strong cloth, with a round bottom and a string around the top
Dumbfounded
extremely surprised:
He was completely dumbfounded by the incident.
—dumbfound verb [transitive]
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ surprised having the feeling you get when something happens that you did not expect: I was surprised to see her again so soon. | I’m really surprised that he remembered my birthday. | Nobody was surprised when they split up. | a surprised expression
▪ amazed [not before noun] extremely surprised, especially by something good or by something that seems hard to believe: I’m amazed that he survived. | You’ll be amazed when you see the difference.
▪ astonished extremely surprised: He was astonished by how much she had changed. | an astonished look
▪ astounded extremely surprised or shocked. Astounded sounds a little more formal and a little stronger than astonished: She was astounded by how much it cost.
▪ staggered/flabbergasted/dumbfounded [not before noun] extremely surprised or shocked: ‘What?’ I said, utterly staggered by his answer. | She just sat there looking flabbergasted.
▪ stunned so surprised that you do not know what to do or say: I was too stunned to protest. | Everyone seemed stunned by his outburst. | They listened in stunned silence.
▪ speechless so surprised that you cannot speak: I was speechless when I heard that I’d won.
▪ taken aback [not before noun] surprised by what someone says or does, so that you are not sure how to react: I was a little taken aback by her question. | Sharpe was somewhat taken aback by the girl ‘s directness.
▪ nonplussed /nɒnˈplʌst $ nɑːn-/ formal surprised and a little confused: She was nonplussed by such an odd question.
▪ gobsmacked [not before noun] British English informal extremely surprised – a very informal use: I was absolutely gobsmacked when they told me I had passed
Dummy
- FOR CLOTHES a model that is the shape and size of a person, especially used in order to show clothes in a shop or when you are making clothes:
a shop-window dummy
a tailor’s dummy - COPY an object that is made to look like a tool, weapon, vehicle etc but which you cannot use:
During practice runs, the warheads in the missiles will be dummies. - DOLL a small model of a person, with a mouth that can be moved so that it looks as though it is talking, used for entertainment:
a ventriloquist’s dummy - SPORTS British English a move in a sport such as football in which a player pretends to pass the ball but does not, in order to deceive the other team’s players
- FOR BABIES British English a specially shaped rubber object that you put in a baby’s mouth for it to suck SYN pacifier American English
- STUPID PERSON especially American English informal someone who is stupid:
No, you dummy. The other hand. - CARD GAME cards that are placed on the table by one player for all the other players to see in a game of ↑bridge
⇨ spit the dummy at ↑spit(9)
II. dummy2 BrE AmE adjective [only before noun]
a dummy tool, weapon, vehicle etc is made to look like a real one but you cannot use it SYN replica:
a dummy rifle
Duopoly
noun
a situation in which two suppliers dominate the market for a commodity or service
Dupe
someone who is tricked, especially into becoming involved in something illegal
II. dupe2 BrE AmE verb [transitive usually passive]
to trick or deceive someone
dupe somebody into doing something
Consumers are being duped into buying faulty electronic goods.
•
Duplicity
dishonest behaviour that is intended to deceive someone
—duplicitous adjective
Duress
illegal or unfair threats
under duress
The confession was obtained under duress
Dynamic
- full of energy and new ideas, and determined to succeed:
dynamic and ambitious people - continuously moving or changing:
a dynamic and unstable process - technical relating to a force or power that causes movement
—dynamically /-kli/ adverb
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ energetic having a lot of energy: If you’re feeling energetic, we could go out for a run.
▪ full of energy/bursting with energy energetic and ready to work hard or do a lot of things: I admire her because she’s so full of energy and enthusiasm. | When she first started at the college she was bursting with energy and full of new ideas.
▪ dynamic very energetic and always wanting to do new things: What this country needs is a dynamic new leader.
▪ hyperactive having more energy than is normal or good, because you cannot keep still or quiet for very long – used especially about children: Our youngest daughter was hyperactive, and it had a damaging effect on the whole family.
▪ tireless working with a lot of energy in a determined way, especially to achieve a particular thing: She was a tireless campaigner against apartheid in South Africa.
▪ full of beans informal feeling energetic and happy and showing this in the way you behave: He’s one of those people who leap out of bed full of beans every morning.
II. dynamic2 AC BrE AmE noun - dynamics
a) [plural] the way in which things or people behave, react, and affect each other
dynamics of
the dynamics of the family
He did research on group dynamics and leadership styles.
b) [uncountable] the science relating to the movement of objects and the forces involved in movement
c) [plural] changes in how loudly music is played or sung - [singular] formal something that causes action or change
dynamic of
She regards class conflict as a central dynamic of historical change
Eclipse
- [countable] an occasion when the Sun or the Moon cannot be seen, because the Earth is passing directly between the Moon and the Sun, or because the Moon is passing directly between the Earth and the Sun:
an eclipse of the Sun
a total eclipse - [singular] a situation in which someone or something loses their power or fame, because someone or something else has become more powerful or famous:
Many people expected the growth of television to mean the eclipse of radio. - in eclipse formal less famous or powerful than you should be:
Mrs Bosanquet’s novels are now in eclipse.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ adjectives
▪ a solar eclipse (also an eclipse of the Sun) (=one in which the Sun is hidden behind the Moon) You need to wear protective glasses to view a solar eclipse.
▪ a lunar eclipse (also an eclipse of the Moon) (=one in which the Moon is hidden behind the Sun) If it’s cloudy, it may not be possible to see the lunar eclipse.
▪ a partial eclipse (=one in which the Sun or Moon is not completely hidden) A partial eclipse of the Sun will occur on August 28th.
▪ a total eclipse (=one in which the Sun or Moon is completely hidden) The best places to witness the Sun’s total eclipse are in southern Africa and South America.
II. eclipse2 BrE AmE verb [transitive] - if the Moon eclipses the Sun, the Sun cannot be seen behind the Moon, and if the Earth eclipses the Moon, the Moon cannot be seen because the Earth is between the Sun and the Moon
- [often passive] to become more important, powerful, famous etc than someone or something else, so that they are no longer noticed ⇨ overshadow:
The economy had eclipsed the environment as an election issue
Educated guess
[n] A well-informed guess or estimate based on experience or theoretical knowledge. opp: wild guess
Egg
- BIRD [countable] a round object with a hard surface, that contains a baby bird, snake, insect etc and which is produced by a female bird, snake, insect etc:
Blackbirds lay their eggs in March.
an ostrich egg
The eggs hatch (=break open to allow the baby out) in 26 days. - FOOD [uncountable and countable] an egg, especially one from a chicken, that is used for food
fried/poached/boiled etc eggs
Joe always has bacon and egg for breakfast.
Whisk the egg white (=the white part) until stiff.
Beat in two of the egg yolks (=the yellow part). ⇨ ↑scrambled egg - EGG SHAPE [countable] something the same shape as an egg:
a chocolate Easter egg ⇨ ↑Easter egg - ANIMALS/PEOPLE [countable] a cell produced by a woman or female animal that combines with ↑sperm (=male cell) to make a baby SYN ovum
- (have) egg on your face if someone, especially someone in authority, has egg on their face, they have been made to look stupid by something embarrassing:
The Pentagon’s been left with egg on its face. - put all your eggs in one basket to depend completely on one thing or one course of action in order to get success, so that you have no other plans if this fails:
When planning your investments, it’s unwise to put all your eggs in one basket. - lay an egg American English informal to fail or be unsuccessful at something that you are trying to do
- good egg old-fashioned someone who you can depend on to be honest, kind etc
⇨ kill the goose that lays the golden egg at ↑kill1(14), ⇨ ↑nest egg
II. egg2 BrE AmE verb
[Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old Norse; Origin: eggja]
egg somebody ↔ on phrasal verb
to encourage someone to do something, especially something that they do not want to do or should not do:
Bob didn’t want to jump, but his friends kept egging him on.
Egress plan
پلاني كه راه هاي خروج اضطراري رو مشخص ميكنه
Elaborate
- having a lot of small parts or details put together in a complicated way SYN intricate:
pure silks embroidered with elaborate patterns - carefully planned and organized in great detail SYN complex:
a very elaborate telecommunications network
—elaborately adverb:
an elaborately carved wooden statue
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ complicated consisting of a lot of different parts or details and therefore difficult to understand: The rules of the game seemed very complicated. | I didn’t realize programming the VCR would be so complicated. | The brain is like a very powerful, very complicated computer. | a complicated issue
▪ complex a complex process, relationship etc is difficult to understand because it has a lot of parts that are all connected in different ways: The chemical processes involved are extremely complex. | the complex relationship between government and the media
▪ elaborate having a lot of parts or details and very carefully planned, but often more complicated than is necessary: Mike had worked out an elaborate system for categorizing his collection of DVDs. | The plan to kidnap her had become even more elaborate. | Sociologists have been coming up with increasingly elaborate theories to explain unsafe sexual practices.
▪ involved very long and complicated – use this especially about something that you think should be made simpler: The system for choosing candidates is very involved, and I won’t go into it here. | Adopting a child can be a long involved process.
▪ convoluted too complicated and difficult to understand – used especially about someone’s language or arguments, or about a system: convoluted sentences | Procedures for government funding have become more convoluted. | James’s books are full of long paragraphs and convoluted sentences, which many people do not find appealing.
▪ intricate having a lot of small parts or details – used especially about something that is cleverly designed or made: Lasers are used to cut intricate designs in the metal. | The farmers use an intricate system of drainage canals. | the intricate workings of a watch | intricate patterns of coloured marble
II. e‧lab‧o‧rate2 /ɪˈlæbəreɪt/ BrE AmE verb
[intransitive and transitive] to give more details or new information about something SYN enlarge:
He said he had new evidence, but refused to elaborate any further.
elaborate on
McDonald refused to elaborate on his reasons for resigning.
—elaboration /ɪˌlæbəˈreɪʃən/ noun [uncountable and countable
Elephant in the room
موضوع جنجالي كه همه در موردش ميدونن ولي كسي به روش نمياره
I don’t want to ask a question but it is the big elephant in the room
Embark
to go onto a ship or a plane, or to put or take something onto a ship or plane OPP disembark
—embarkation /ˌembɑːˈkeɪʃən $ -bɑːr-/ noun [uncountable and countable]
embark on/upon something phrasal verb
to start something, especially something new, difficult, or exciting:
He embarked on a new career as a teacher
Embody
- to be a very good example of an idea or quality SYN represent:
She embodies everything I admire in a teacher. - formal to include something:
The latest model embodies many new improvements
Embolden
/ɪmˈbəʊldən $ -ˈboʊl-/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
formal to give someone more courage:
Emboldened by her smile, he asked her to dance
Embroider
- [intransitive and transitive] to decorate cloth by sewing a pattern, picture, or words on it with coloured threads
embroider something with something
The dress was embroidered with flowers.
embroider something on something
A colourful design was embroidered on the sleeve of the shirt.
a richly embroidered jacket - [transitive] to make a story or report of events more interesting or exciting by adding details that are not true SYN embellish
Empirical
based on scientific testing or practical experience, not on ideas OPP theoretical, hypothetical:
empirical evidence
—empirically /-kli/ adverb
Enamel
- a hard shiny substance that is put onto metal, clay etc for decoration or protection
- the hard smooth outer surface of your teeth
- a type of paint that produces a shiny surface when it is dry
—enamel adjective
II. enamel2 BrE AmE verb (past tense and past participle enamelled, present participle enamelling British English, enameled, enameling American English) [transitive]
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Anglo-French; Origin: enamailler, from Old French esmail ‘enamel’]
to cover or decorate with enamel
مينا كاري
Enclave
/ˈenkleɪv, ˈeŋ-/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1800-1900; Language: French; Origin: Old French enclaver ‘to enclose’]
a small area that is within a larger area where people of a different kind or nationality live:
the former Portuguese enclave of East Timor
End-of-trip
End-of-trip facilities are designated places that support people who: cycle, jog or walk to work rather than driving or taking public transport
Endorse
- to express formal support or approval for someone or something
endorse a proposal/an idea/a candidate etc
The Prime Minister is unlikely to endorse this view. - if a famous person endorses a product or service, they say in an advertisement that they use and like it
- to sign your name on the back of a cheque to show that it is correct
- [usually passive] British English if your ↑driving licence is endorsed for a driving offence, an official record is made on it to show that you are guilty of the offence
—endorsement noun [uncountable and countable]:
celebrity endorsements
the official endorsement of his candidacy
Endow
to give a college, hospital etc a large sum of money that provides it with an income
endow somebody/something with something phrasal verb formal
1. to make someone or something have a particular quality, or to believe that they have it:
Her resistance to the Nationalists endowed her with legendary status.
2. be endowed with something to naturally have a good feature or quality:
She was endowed with good looks.
3. to give someone something
⇨ ↑well-endowed
ˌwell-enˈdowed BrE AmE adjective informal
1. a woman who is well-endowed has large breasts – often used humorously
2. a man who is well-endowed has a large ↑penis – often used humorously
Enduring
با دوام
Ensue
/ɪnˈsjuː $ ɪnˈsuː/ BrE AmE verb [intransitive] formal
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: ensuivre, from suivre ‘to follow’]
to happen after or as a result of something SYN follow
ensue from
problems that ensue from food and medical shortages
Enticing
/ɪnˈtaɪsɪŋ/ BrE AmE adjective
something that is enticing attracts or interests you a lot SYN tempting:
It was a hot day and the water looked enticing.
—enticingly adverb
Entourage
a group of people who travel with an important person:
the president and his entourage
err on the side of caution
to be especially careful rather than taking a risk or making a mistake
[example: I like to err on the side of caution and always keep some money in my saving accounts]
Establish
- to start a company, organization, system, etc that is intended to exist or continue for a long time SYN found:
The city of Boerne was established by German settlers in the 1840s.
Our goal is to establish a new research centre in the North.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say set up or start a company or organization, rather than use establish:
▪ The company was set up in 1976. - to begin a relationship with someone or a situation that will continue
establish relations/links/contact etc (with somebody)
Hungary established diplomatic relations with Chile in 1990.
I wondered why he should bother to try and establish contact with me. - to find out facts that will prove that something is true:
The police must establish the facts of the case before proceeding.
establish that
The autopsy established that he had been murdered.
establish whether/if
I was never able to establish whether she was telling the truth. - to make people accept that you can do something, or that you have a particular quality
establish yourself (as/in)
He had three years in which to establish himself as Prime Minister.
He’d already begun to establish quite a reputation as a journalist.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ establish to start a company or organization, especially one that exists for a long time: The company was established in 1899. | He established a new research centre in Dublin. | Most of the money will be used to establish local industries and mobilize the work-force.
▪ set up to start a new company or organization. Set up is less formal than establish, and is the usual phrase to use in everyday English: Kate and her partner are setting up their own printing business. | Dad set up as a builder in 1990 and now he employs over twenty men.
▪ open to start a business that provides services to the public, such as a shop, restaurant, or hotel: He opened his first restaurant in 1995. | They just opened a new supermarket on Van Nuys Boulevard.
▪ found to start a company or an organization such as a school or a hospital, especially by providing the money for it – used about something that was started a long time ago: Who originally founded the college? | The bank was founded 60 years ago in Munich.
▪ inaugurate /ɪˈnɔːɡjəreɪt, ɪˈnɔːɡjʊreɪt $ -ˈnɒː-/ formal to start an organization with an official ceremony: Twenty years after the airport was inaugurated, it introduced its first transatlantic flights.
Et al
/ˌet ˈæl/ BrE AmE adverb
written after a list of names to mean that other people are also involved in something:
Boers et al, 2001
even so
با اين حال
Even-keeled
even-tempered; not changing moods very often; not easy to make angry; calm
* Rodrigo is so even-keeled that he didn’t even get very angry when Shawna accidentally hit his car.
every hour on the hour
at the beginning of each hour (at 12:00, 1:00, 2:00, etc.) Trains leave the station every hour on the hour.
don’t mistake it with every hour on every half hour
every so often
occasionally
Evict
ɪˈvɪkt
to tell someone legally that they must leave the house they are living in
evict somebody from something
They were unable to pay the rent, and were evicted from their home.
be/get evicted
They refused to leave and were forcibly evicted (=evicted by force).
attempts to have them evicted
—eviction /ɪˈvɪkʃən/ noun [uncountable and countable]:
The family now faces eviction from their home.
excuse my coffee breath
ببخشيد اگه دهنم بوي كافي ميده
Exemplify
formal
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: Medieval Latin; Origin: exemplificare, from Latin exemplum; ⇨ ↑example]
1. to be a very typical example of something:
The building exemplifies the style of architecture which was popular at the time.
2. to give an example of something:
Problems are exemplified in the report.
—exemplification /ɪɡˌzempləfəˈkeɪʃən, ɪɡˌzemplɪfəˈkeɪʃən/ noun [uncountable and countable
Exert
- to use your power, influence etc in order to make something happen:
They exerted considerable influence within the school.
Environmental groups are exerting pressure on the government to tighten pollution laws. - exert yourself to work very hard and use a lot of physical or mental energy:
He has exerted himself tirelessly on behalf of the charity.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ nouns
▪ exert pressure Did Democratic leaders exert pressure on their colleagues to vote for the new law?
▪ exert influence These large companies exert considerable influence over the government.
▪ exert control The state should not exert control over the media.
▪ exert power He exerts considerable power within the family.
▪ exert authority It is every parent’s responsibility to exert their authority by laying down some firm rules.
▪ exert discipline Exerting discipline is essential, especially when there are problem students in the class.
▪ exert effort We exerted every effort to get there on time.
▪ exert your will (=make something happen in the way that you want) The army exerted its will by arresting anti-government supporters
Expatriate
someone who lives in a foreign country:
British expatriates living in Spain
—expatriate adjective [only before noun]:
expatriate workers
Expend
to use or spend a lot of energy etc in order to do something
expend energy/effort/time/resources etc
People of different ages expend different amounts of energy.
Manufacturers have expended a lot of time and effort trying to improve computer security.
expend something in/on (doing) something
A great deal of time and money has been expended on creating a pleasant office atmosphere.
don’t mistake it with expendable
Expendable
not needed enough to be kept or saved:
It’s a sad moment when a man loses his job and discovers that he is expendable.
extension cord/lead
سه راهي برق
Extenuate
1.
cause (an offence) to seem less serious.
“even the fact that you once helped to save my life could not extenuate your offence”
2.
LITERARY
make (someone) thin.
“his whole frame was extenuated by hunger and fatigue
Extenuating
extenuating circumstances/factors etc formal facts or reasons which make you feel that it was reasonable for someone to break the usual rules, or make you have sympathy for someone who did something wrong or illegal. موجه
—extenuation /ɪkˌstenjuˈeɪʃən/ noun [uncountable]
Extripate
formal to completely destroy something that is unpleasant or unwanted
Exude
/ɪɡˈzjuːd $ ɪɡˈzuːd/ verb
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: exsudare, from sudare ‘to have liquid coming out through the skin’]
1. [transitive] if you exude a particular quality, it is easy to see that you have a lot of it:
She exudes self-confidence.
He exuded an air of wealth and power
2. [intransitive and transitive] formal to flow out slowly and steadily, or to make something do this:
The plant exudes a sticky liquid
Eye tooth
- somebody would give their eye teeth for something spoken used to say that someone wants something very much:
I’d give my eye teeth to be able to play the piano like that. - one of the long pointed teeth at the corner of your mouth SYN canine tooth
face the music
منتظر عواقب كارت باش
Face-saving
a face-saving action or arrangement prevents you from losing other people’s respect:
a face-saving compromise
Facetious
/fəˈsiːʃəs/ BrE AmE adjective
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: French; Origin: facétieux, from facétie ‘joke’]
saying things that are intended to be clever and funny but are really silly and annoying:
Don’t be so facetious!
facetious comments
—facetiously adverb
—facetiousness noun [uncountable
Fag
Cigarette
failure to do risk assessment will leave us in breach of the law
عدم انجام ارزيابي ريسك ناقض قانون خواهد بود
Fair market value
fair market value (FMV) is defined as “the price at which the property would change hands between a willing buyer and a willing seller, neither being under any compulsion to buy or to sell and both having reasonable knowledge of relevant facts.
Fair-haired boy
English old-fashioned informal
someone who is likely to succeed because someone in authority likes them SYN blue-eyed boy British English:
the boss’s fair-haired boy
Fair-weather friend
ˌfair-weather ˈfriend BrE AmE noun [countable]
someone who only wants to be your friend when you are successful
Fall down vs fall over vs fall off
اولي افتادن است دومي روي چيزي يا كسي افتادن است مثلا I fell over my dog سومي وقتي هست كه كه قبلش روي (on) چيزي بوده اي مثلا on bike پس ميگيم I fell off my bike
Fall into habit
start to do a habit and continue to do again and again in the future
Fallen off the radar
been forgotten
[example: the young politician was in the news every day for weeks, but now he seems to have fallen off the radar]
Fanatic
/fəˈnætɪk/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: fanaticus ‘made wild or mad by the gods’, from fanum ‘religious building’]
1. someone who has extreme political or religious ideas and is often dangerous SYN extremist:
fanatics who represent a real danger to democracy
a religious fanatic
2. someone who likes a particular thing or activity very much SYN enthusiast:
a health food fanatic
a fitness fanatic
—fanatical adjective:
a fanatical sportsman
He was fanatical about tidiness.
—fanatically /-kli/
Farce
- [singular] an event or a situation that is very badly organized or does not happen properly, in a way that is silly and unreasonable:
She admitted that the interview had been a complete farce from start to finish. - [uncountable and countable] a humorous play or film in which the characters are involved in complicated and silly situations, or the style of writing or acting that is used
Farm out
farm somebody/something ↔ out phrasal verb (see also ↑farm)
1. to send work to other people instead of doing it yourself
farm somebody/something ↔ out to
The processing will be farmed out to people in local villages.
2. to send someone to a different place where they will be looked after – used to show disapproval
farm somebody/something ↔ out to
At the age of 16 she was farmed out to family friends.
Fascia
- a ↑dashboard
- a long board above a shop with the shop’s name on it
Fastidious
very careful about small details in your appearance, work etc SYN meticulous, stickler
people who are fastidious about personal hygiene
Fat cat salary
The term “fat cat” is a slang description of executives who earn what many believe to be unreasonably high salaries and bonuses. These top executives also receive generous pensions and retirement packages consisting of extra compensation not available to other company employees
Fat chance
will u come date with me? fat chance. عمرا
syn: pigs might fly
Faux
/fəʊ $ foʊ/ BrE AmE adjective [only before noun] especially American English
[Date: 1900-2000; Language: French; Origin: Latin falsus; ⇨ ↑false]
artificial, but made to look real SYN false:
faux pearls
Faux pas
an embarrassing mistake in a social situation
Favoritism
the American spelling of ↑favouritism
II. fa‧vou‧ri‧tis‧m BrE AmE British English, favoritism American English /ˈfeɪvərətɪzəm, ˈfeɪvərɪtɪzəm/ noun [uncountable]
when you treat one person or group better than others, in an unfair way ⇨ favourite:
their favouritism towards their first son
پارتي بازي
Fawn
/fɔːn $ fɒːn/ BrE AmE noun
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: French; Origin: faon ‘young animal’, from Latin fetus; ⇨ ↑fetus]
- [countable] a young ↑deer
- [uncountable] a pale yellow-brown colour
II. fawn2 BrE AmE adjective
having a pale yellow-brown colour
III. fawn3 BrE AmE verb [intransitive]
[Language: Old English; Origin: fagnian ‘to show great happiness’, from fægen; FAIN]
to praise someone and be friendly to them in an insincere way, because you want them to like you or give you something
fawn on/over
I refused to fawn over her or flatter her.
—fawning adjective
Feature
- a part of something that you notice because it seems important, interesting, or typical:
Air bags are a standard feature in most new cars.
feature of
An important feature of Van Gogh’s paintings is their bright colours.
Striped tails are a common feature of many animals.
The hotel’s only redeeming features (=things that make it acceptable) were that it was cheap and near the city centre.
main/important/significant etc feature
The most distinctive feature of the dinosaurs was their size.
One of the distinguishing features (=features that are different from other things of the same sort) of modern banking is its dependence on computers. - a piece of writing about a subject in a newspaper or a magazine, or a special report on television or on the radio
feature on
a feature on holidaying with your dog - [usually plural] a part of someone’s face, such as their eyes, nose etc:
He had fine delicate features.
Her eyes were her best feature. - a part of the land, especially a part that you can see:
Hedges are an important feature of the landscape in Britain. - a film being shown at a cinema:
There were a couple of short cartoons before the main feature.
double feature (=when two films are shown together)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + feature
▪ a common feature Pine trees are a common feature of the Swedish landscape.
▪ a striking feature (=an unusual or interesting feature) Her long blonde hair is her most striking feature.
▪ a distinguishing feature (=one that makes something different from others of the same type) A long beak is one of the bird’s distinguishing features.
▪ a unique feature (=a feature which only one thing has) A unique feature of this guitar is its shape.
▪ an unusual feature The church’s most unusual feature is this window.
▪ a standard feature (=a normal or usual feature) Airbags are now a standard feature on most cars.
▪ a regular feature (=one that happens often or a lot) Delays and cancellations are a regular feature of air travel.
▪ a recurring feature (=one that happens again and again) Humour is a recurring feature of her novels.
▪ an important feature The final-year project is an important feature of all undergraduate courses.
▪ a significant feature (=one that has an important effect) Bad weather was a significant feature in the accident.
▪ a central feature (=an important feature) Cultural diversity is a central feature of modern British society.
▪ a key feature (=a very important or necessary feature) Private ownership is a key feature of capitalism.
▪ the main feature The main feature of the square is the Gothic cathedral.
▪ an attractive feature The house had many attractive features, notably the large garden.
▪ a design feature (=a detail of the way something has been designed) The building incorporates many interesting design features.
▪ a safety feature The car has more safety features than its rivals in the same price range.
▪ a redeeming feature (=one that makes something acceptable) The hotel’s only redeeming feature was its view of the bay
II. feature2 W3 AC BrE AmE verb - [intransitive and transitive] to include or show something as a special or important part of something, or to be included as an important part:
The exhibition features paintings by Picasso.
a cruise ship featuring extensive spa facilities
feature in
A study of language should feature in an English literature course.
be featured in something
Pupils visited some of the websites featured in the article.
feature prominently/strongly/heavily etc
Violence seems to feature heavily in all of his books.
feature somebody as something
The film featured Brando as the Godfather. - [transitive] to show a film, play etc:
The Retro Theatre is featuring films by Frank Capra this week.
Feeble
- extremely weak OPP strong:
His voice sounded feeble and far away.
She was too feeble to leave her room. - not very good or effective SYN weak:
a feeble excuse
a rather feeble committee
• • •
feeble-minded
- stupid or not sensible:
a feeble-minded policy - old use having much less than average intelligence
—feeble-mindedness noun [uncountable
Feel up to something
feel up to something. to have the strength and energy to do or deal with something. Do we have to go to the party? I really don’t feel up to it
Feign
تظاهر به چيزي كردن
Fend
fend for yourself to look after yourself without needing help from other people:
The kids had to fend for themselves while their parents were away.
fend somebody/something off phrasal verb
1. to defend yourself against someone who is attacking you SYN fight somebody ↔ off:
Tabitha threw up an arm to fend her attacker off.
2. to defend yourself from something such as difficult questions, competition, or a situation you do not want to deal with:
She uses her secretary to fend off unwanted phone calls.
The company managed to fend off the hostile takeover bid
دور كردن چيزي از خودت
Ferris wheel
a very large upright wheel with seats on it for people to ride on in an ↑amusement park SYN big wheel British English
Few and far between
تك و توك بودن
the really great things are sort of few and far between
Fiasco
a complete failure
[example: the show was a fiasco]
Fiddle
- a ↑violin
- British English a dishonest way of getting money: syn: hustle , racket
an insurance fiddle
on the fiddle
They suspected he was on the fiddle (=getting money dishonestly or illegally) all along. - be a fiddle to be difficult to do and involve complicated movements of your hands:
This blouse is a bit of a fiddle to do up.
⇨ fit as a fiddle at ↑fit2(1), ⇨ play second fiddle (to somebody) at ↑play1(22)
She’s over eighty now, but still as fit as a fiddle (=very fit).
II. fiddle2 BrE AmE verb
1. [intransitive] to keep moving and touching something, especially because you are bored or nervous:
Stop fiddling, will you!
I sat and fiddled at the computer for a while.
fiddle with
She was at her desk in the living room, fiddling with a deck of cards.
2. [transitive] British English informal to give false information about something, in order to avoid paying money or to get extra money: syn: pad out
Bert had been fiddling his income tax for years.
fiddle the books (=give false figures in a company’s financial records)
3. [intransitive] to play a ↑violin
fiddle around (also fiddle about British English) phrasal verb
to waste time doing unimportant things
fiddle around with something (also fiddle about with something British English) phrasal verb
1. to move the parts of a machine in order to try to make it work or repair it:
I’ve been fiddling around with this old car for months but I still can’t get it to work.
2. to make small unnecessary changes to something – used to show disapproval SYN mess around with:
Why did you let her fiddle about with the remote control?
The bus company is always fiddling around with the schedules.
fiddle with something phrasal verb
1. to move part of a machine in order to make it work, without knowing exactly what you should do:
After fiddling with the tuning I finally got JFM.
2. to move or touch something that does not belong to you, in an annoying way:
Don’t let him fiddle with my bag
Fill me in
tell me everything
Finicky
/ˈfɪnɪki/ BrE AmE adjective
[Date: 1500-1600; Origin: finical ‘finicky’ (16-20 centuries), probably from ⇨ ↑fine1]
1. too concerned with unimportant details and small things that you like or dislike SYN fussy:
She’s very finicky about what she eats.
2. needing to be done very carefully, while paying attention to small details SYN fiddly:
a finicky
Fire escape
metal stairs or a metal ↑ladder on the outside of a tall building, that people can use to escape if there is a fire
Fishwife
زن سليطه
Fit as a fiddle
be very healthy and strong syn: as right as rain
fixed penalty notice
In the United Kingdom, a fixed penalty notice is a notice giving an individual the opportunity to be made immune from prosecution for an alleged criminal offence in exchange for a fee. Fixed penalty notices were introduced in Britain in the 1980s to deal with minor parking offences
Fixture
- British English a sports match that has been arranged for a particular time and place:
a list of this season’s fixtures - [usually plural] a piece of equipment that is fixed inside a house or building and is sold as part of the house:
light fixtures
fixtures and fittings British English (=all the equipment that is normally included as part of a house or building when it is sold) - be a (permanent) fixture to be always present and not likely to move or go away:
Gerrard soon became a permanent fixture in the Liverpool team
Fizz
if a liquid fizzes, it produces a lot of bubbles and makes a continuous sound:
champagne fizzing out of the bottle
II. fizz2 BrE AmE noun [singular, uncountable]
[Date: 1600-1700; Origin: From the sound]
1. the bubbles of gas in some kinds of drinks, or the sound that they make
2. British English informal ↑champagne
Flabbergasted
extremely surprised or shocked:
When I heard how much money we’d made, I was flabbergasted.
Flabby
my mom has a flabby arm
Flag
- a piece of cloth with a coloured pattern or picture on it that represents a country or organization:
Children waving flags greeted the Russian leader.
the flag of Kenya
the Spanish flag
a flag is flying (=a flag is shown on a pole)
Flags were flying at half-mast because of the death of the Premier. - a coloured piece of cloth used in some sports as a signal or as a sign showing the position of something:
The flag went down, and the race began.
a free kick near the corner flag (=flag on a football pitch) - the flag an expression meaning a country or organization and its beliefs, values, and people:
loyalty to the flag - keep the flag flying to achieve success on behalf of your country in a competition:
Bristol kept the flag flying for English rugby with this win. - a ↑flagstone
⇨ fly the flag at ↑fly1(13)
II. flag2 BrE AmE verb (past tense and past participle flagged, present participle flagging)
[Date: 1500-1600; Origin: Origin unknown] - [transitive] to make a mark against some information to show that it is important:
I’ve flagged the parts I want to comment on. - [intransitive] to become tired or weak:
By the end of the meeting we had begun to flag.
flag somebody/something ↔ down phrasal verb
to make the driver of a vehicle stop by waving at them:
I flagged down a taxi
Flagship
- the most important ship in a group of ships belonging to the navy
- [usually singular] the best and most important product, building etc that a company owns or produces:
the flagship of the new Ford range
The firm has just opened a flagship store in Las Vegas.
the company’s flagship product
Flattery
the use of words that other people want to hear, even if they aren’t true; saying things to make other people feel good about themselves, so that one can get what one wants from them
* Mike always uses flattery when his wife is angry. He thinks that if he says that he likes her hair or dress, she’ll stop being mad at
Flaunt
- to show your money, success, beauty etc so that other people notice it – used to show disapproval:
The rich flaunted their wealth while the poor starved on the streets. - if you’ve got it, flaunt it spoken used humorously to tell someone not to hide their beauty, wealth, or abilities
Flea
- a very small insect without wings that jumps and bites animals and people to eat their blood:
Are you sure the dog has fleas? - send somebody off with a flea in their ear British English to talk angrily to someone, especially because they have done something you disapprove of
Flex
- to tighten your muscles or bend part of your body
- flex your muscles to show your ability to do something, especially your skill or power:
The role will allow her to flex her acting muscles.
II. flex2 BrE AmE noun [countable] British English
[Date: 1900-2000; Origin: flexible]
an electrical wire covered with plastic, used to connect electrical equipment to an electricity supply SYN cord American English ⇨
Flimsy
- flimsy cloth or clothing is light and thin:
a flimsy cotton dress - something that is flimsy is not strong or well-made, and will break easily:
a flimsy wooden building - a flimsy agreement is weak and can easily be damaged or broken:
a flimsy alliance between the two tribal groups - a flimsy argument or excuse does not seem very likely and people do not believe it OPP convincing:
The evidence against him is extremely flimsy.
a flimsy excuse
—flimsily adverb
—flimsiness noun [uncountable]
زپرتي
Fling
- THROW SOMETHING to throw something somewhere using a lot of force
fling something into something
He flung the box into the river.
People cheered and flung their hats into the air. - MOVE SOMETHING to throw or move something roughly and carelessly:
He flung his coat over the back of a chair.
She flung back the covers and got up.
He flung the books aside angrily. - PUSH SOMEBODY to push someone roughly, especially so that they fall to the ground SYN throw:
He grabbed her arm and flung her to the ground. - MOVE YOUR BODY to move yourself or part of your body quickly, using a lot of force SYN throw:
He flung himself down on the bed.
She flung her arms round Louise. - SAY SOMETHING to say something to someone in an angry way SYN throw
fling something at somebody
People were flinging all sorts of accusations at her.
His own words were flung back at him. - fling something open to open a door or window roughly, using a lot of force:
The door was flung open and Selkirk entered. - fling somebody in/into prison/jail to put someone in prison, often without having a good reason:
Opposition leaders were flung into jail. - fling yourself into something to start doing something with a lot of energy:
After the divorce he flung himself into his work to forget her. - fling yourself at somebody
a) to move suddenly towards someone in order to attack them or hold them:
He flung himself at her and snatched the bag.
The children flung themselves at him, squealing with joy.
b) informal to show in a very clear open way that you want to have a sexual relationship with someone – used to show disapproval
fling something ↔ off phrasal verb
to quickly remove a piece of clothing SYN tear off:
He flung off his coat.
fling somebody/something ↔ out phrasal verb British English informal - to make someone leave a place when they do not want to SYN throw somebody/something out
fling somebody/something ↔ out of
He was flung out of school for swearing at a teacher. - to get rid of something you no longer want or need SYN throw something out:
If it doesn’t work, just fling it out.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ throw to make something such as a ball or stone move quickly through the air using your hand: I threw the ball back to him. | Protestors began throwing stones at the police. | I just threw the letter in the bin.
▪ toss (also chuck) informal to throw something, especially in a careless way without using much effort: She tossed her coat onto the bed. | Can you chuck me the remote control?
▪ hurl to throw something with a lot of force: Someone hurled a brick through his window.
▪ fling to angrily throw something somewhere with a lot of force, or to carelessly throw something somewhere because you have very little time: He flung her keys into the river. | I flung a few things into a suitcase.
▪ heave /hiːv/ to throw something heavy using a lot of effort: They heaved the log into the river.
▪ lob to throw something high into the air over someone or something: The police lobbed tear gas canisters over the heads of the demonstrators.
II. fling2 BrE AmE noun [countable usually singular] - a short and not very serious sexual relationship:
They had a brief fling a few years ago. - a short period of time during which you enjoy yourself without worrying about anything: syn: lap up
He sees this as his final fling before he retires
Flounder
- to not know what to say or do because you feel confused or upset: دست پا زدن don’t mistake it with grope
I found myself floundering as I tried to answer her questions.
‘I’m sorry,’ she floundered helplessly. - to have a lot of problems and be likely to fail completely:
More and more firms are floundering because of the recession. - [always + adverb/preposition] to be unable to move easily because you are in deep water or mud, or cannot see very well:
They were floundering chest-deep in the freezing water.
flounder around
I could hear them floundering around in the dark.
II. flounder2 BrE AmE noun (plural flounder or flounders) [uncountable and countable]
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: Anglo-French; Origin: floundre, from a Scandinavian language]
a type of small fish that you can eat
Flout
to deliberately disobey a law, rule etc, without trying to hide what you are doing:
Some companies flout the rules and employ children as young as seven.
deliberately/openly flout something
The union had openly flouted the law
Flunk (informal)
- [intransitive and transitive] to fail a test:
Tony flunked chemistry last semester. - [transitive] to give someone low marks on a test so that they fail it SYN fail:
She hadn’t done the work so I flunked her.
flunk out phrasal verb informal especially American English
to be forced to leave a school or college because your work is not good enough
flunk out of
Ben flunked out of college
Flurry
- [singular] a time when there is suddenly a lot of activity and people are very busy
flurry of
After a quiet spell there was a sudden flurry of phone calls.
The day started with a flurry of activity. - [countable] a small amount of snow or rain that is blown by the wind
flurry of
He opens the door and a flurry of snow blows in.
Snow flurries are expected overnight.
Fly
1.work successfully: win popular acceptance
A pure human rights approach would not fly
— Charles Brydon
5. USE AIR COMPANY/SERVICE [intransitive and transitive] to use a particular ↑airline or use a particular type of ticket when you travel by plane:
We usually fly economy class.
Millions of passengers fly British Airways every year.
- MOVE SOMEWHERE QUICKLY [intransitive]
a) to move somewhere quickly and suddenly
fly down/across/out of etc
Ellen flew across the room and greeted her uncle with a kiss.
Rachel’s hand flew to her mouth.
fly open/shut
The door flew open and a child rushed out.
b) to move quickly and suddenly through the air:
There was a loud explosion, and suddenly there was glass flying everywhere.
William hit Jack on the head and sent his glasses flying.
The ball bounced off the wall and went flying into the garden next door - (I) must fly spoken used to say that you must leave quickly
- fly into a rage/temper/panic etc to suddenly get extremely angry, extremely worried etc:
Rebecca flew into a rage when she realized no-one had been listening to her. - fly off the handle informal to suddenly get very angry:
Calm down – there’s no need to fly off the handle. - let fly (something)
a) to suddenly start shouting angrily at someone SYN let loose:
The prisoner let fly with a torrent of abuse.
b) to suddenly attack someone, especially with bullets or a weapon that is thrown
let fly (something) with
The soldiers let fly with a hail of machine-gun fire. - fly in the face of something to be the opposite of what most people think is reasonable, sensible, or normal:
He likes to fly in the face of convention. - ESCAPE [transitive] formal to leave somewhere in order to escape SYN flee:
By the time the police arrived, the men had flown. - be flying high to be having a lot of success:
The architectural firm has been flying high recently. - fly the nest
a) if a young bird flies the nest, it has grown old enough to look after itself and is no longer dependent on its parents
b) if a young person flies the nest, he or she moves out of their parents’ home in order to live independently:
Now that the kids have flown the nest, I’m thinking about taking a job abroad. - PLAN [intransitive] American English a plan that will fly will be successful and useful:
News is that the plan for the new hotel isn’t going to fly. - fly a kite to tell people about an idea, plan etc in order to get their opinion:
In my latest book, I wanted to fly the kite for an unfashionable theory. ⇨ ↑kite-flying(2) - go fly a kite American English spoken used to tell someone to go away, stop saying something, or stop annoying you
- rumours/accusations etc are flying when a lot of people are talking about something, saying someone has done something wrong etc:
Rumours were flying as to how the fire started. - fly the coop American English informal to leave or escape:
All my children have flown the coop now. - fly by the seat of your pants informal to have to deal with a situation by guessing what to do, because you know very little about it SYN wing it:
Sometimes you’ll get back and find that things have changed, so you’ll be flying by the seat of your pants for a while.
fly at somebody (also fly into somebody) American English phrasal verb
to suddenly rush towards someone and try to hit them because you are very angry with them
II. fly2 BrE AmE verb (past tense and past participle flied, present participle flying, third person singular flies) [intransitive]
to hit a ball in baseball high into the air
III. fly3 BrE AmE noun (plural flies) [countable]
[Sense 1, 3-7, 9: Language: Old English; Origin: fleoge]
[Sense 2, 8, 10: Date: 1800-1900; Origin: ↑fly1]
1. INSECT a small flying insect with two wings:
There were flies buzzing all around us.
2. TROUSERS especially American English (also flies [plural] British English) the part at the front of a pair of trousers which you can open:
He quickly did up his fly.
Your flies are undone.
3. somebody wouldn’t hurt/harm a fly informal used to say that someone is very gentle and is not likely to hurt anyone
4. be dying/dropping etc like flies informal used to say that a lot of people are dying or becoming ill
5. a fly in the ointment informal the only thing that spoils something and prevents it from being successful:
The only fly in the ointment was Jacky.
6. be a fly on the wall to be able to watch what happens without other people knowing that you are there:
I wish I’d been a fly on the wall during that conversation. ⇨ ↑fly-on-the-wall
7. there are no flies on somebody British English spoken used to say that someone is not stupid and cannot be tricked
8. on the fly
a) technical while a computer program is actually running:
The code is translated on the fly.
b) while dealing with a situation, rather than before dealing with it:
So far, policy is being made on the fly.
9. FISHING a hook that is made to look like a fly and is used for catching fish
10. BASEBALL a fly ball
IV. fly4 BrE AmE adjective
[Date: 1800-1900; Origin: Probably from ↑fly1]
1. informal very fashionable and attractive:
Wear something really fly for your Friday date.
2. British English old-fashioned clever and not easily tricked:
He’s a bit of a fly character.
V. fly‧sheet /ˈflaɪʃiːt/ BrE AmE (also fly) noun [countable]
a sheet of material that is put over a tent to protect it from the rain
Fob
fob somebody ↔ off phrasal verb
1. to tell someone something that is not true in order to stop them from complaining
fob somebody ↔ off with
She fobbed him off with a promise to pay him the money next week.
2. to give someone something that is not very good instead of the thing they really want
fob somebody ↔ off with
They tried to fob me off with a cheap camera.
II. fob2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1600-1700; Origin: Perhaps from German fuppe ‘pocket’]
a small object that is fixed to a key ring as a decoration
Foible
a small weakness or strange habit that someone has, which does not harm anyone else SYN peculiarity:
We all have our little
Foil
- [uncountable] metal sheets that are as thin as paper, used for wrapping food
silver/aluminium/kitchen foil
Cover the chicken with silver foil and bake. ⇨ ↑tinfoil - [uncountable] paper that is covered with very thin sheets of metal:
chocolates in foil wrappers - be a foil to/for somebody/something to emphasize the good qualities of another person or thing, by being very different from them:
The simple stone floor is the perfect foil for the brightly coloured furnishings. - [countable] a light narrow sword used in ↑fencing
II. foil2 BrE AmE verb [transitive often passive]
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: French; Origin: fouler ‘to step on’]
to prevent something bad that someone is planning to do:
A massive arms-smuggling plan has been foiled by the CIA
Foment
foment revolution/trouble/discord etc formal to cause trouble and make people start fighting each other or opposing the government SYN stir up:
They were accused of fomenting rebellion.
—fomentation /ˌfəʊmenˈteɪʃən, -mən- $ ˌfoʊ-/ noun [uncountable
Foolproof
a foolproof method, plan, system etc is certain to be successful SYN infallible:
a foolproof way of preventing credit card fraud
مو لاي درزش نميره
For the time being
for the present; until some other arrangement is made
I think we’ll put up with it for the time being
Foregone conclusion
be a foregone conclusion if something is a foregone conclusion, its result is certain, even though it has not happened yet:
The election result was a foregone conclusion
Fork it over
رد كن بياد
Formidable
- very powerful or impressive, and often frightening:
The building is grey, formidable, not at all picturesque.
The new range of computers have formidable processing power. - difficult to deal with and needing a lot of effort or skill
formidable task/challenge
the formidable task of local government reorganization
—formidably adverb
Fornicate
a word meaning to have sex with someone who you are not married to – used to show strong disapproval
—fornication /ˌfɔːnəˈkeɪʃən, ˌfɔːnɪˈkeɪʃən $ ˌfɔːr-/ noun [uncountable
Fortuitous
fɔːˈtjuːətəs, fɔːˈtjuːɪtəs $ fɔːrˈtuː-/ BrE AmE formal
happening by chance, especially in a way that has a good result:
The meeting with Jack was fortuitous.
—fortuitously adverb
Forty wink
a nap or brief sleep
[example: I am going to grab a quick forty wink before everyone come for the party]
Foul play
- if the police think someone’s death was caused by foul play, they think that person was murdered:
The police said they had no reason to suspect foul play.
Detectives have not ruled out foul play. - an action that is dishonest, unfair, or illegal, especially one that happens during a sports game
Fractal
ˈfræktəl/ BrE AmE noun [countable] technical
[Date: 1900-2000; Language: French; Origin: Latin fractus; ⇨ ↑fraction]
a pattern, usually produced by a computer, that is made by repeating the same shape many times in smaller and smaller sizes
Fractious
بدخلق
Fragrant
having a pleasant smell:
fragrant flowers
—fragrantly adverb
Fraternity or frat
- the teaching/scientific/criminal etc fraternity all the people who work in a particular profession or share a particular interest. don’t mistake it with contingent
- [countable] a club at an American college or university that has only male members ⇨ sorority
- [uncountable] formal a feeling of friendship between members of a group:
fraternity between nations
Fraught
- fraught with problems/difficulties/danger etc full of problems etc:
Their marriage has been fraught with difficulties. - full of anxiety or worry SYN tense:
a fraught atmosphere
a fraught situation
Julie sounded rather fraught
don’t mistake it with fritter
Frenemy
[n] (humorous) Someone who pretends to be your friend, but is really your enemy.
Fritter
fritter something ↔ away phrasal verb
to waste time, money, or effort on something small or unimportant
fritter something ↔ away on
He frittered away a fortune on fast cars and gambling.
II. fritter2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: French; Origin: friture, from Latin frigere; ⇨ ↑fry1]
a thin piece of fruit, vegetable, or meat covered with a mixture of eggs and flour and cooked in hot fat
apple/corn/banana etc fritter don’t mistake it with flounder
Frivolous
- not serious or sensible, especially in a way that is not suitable for a particular occasion:
The court discourages frivolous law suits. - a frivolous person likes having fun rather than doing serious or sensible things – used to show disapproval OPP serious
—frivolously adverb
Front-end
Front end development manages everything that users visually see first in their browser or application. Front end developers are responsible for the look and feel of a site. Front end development is mostly focused on what some may coin the “client side” of development
Frontage
the part of a building or piece of land that is along a road, river etc
Full house
- an occasion at a cinema, concert hall, sports field etc when there are no empty seats:
Billy Graham is a speaker who can be sure of playing to a full house. - three cards of one kind and a pair of another kind in a game of ↑poker
Full-blown
completely developed or having all the characteristics of sth
[example: he started out cooking for his family here and there before he became a full blown chef]
[example: the small droplet of rain suddenly turned into a full-blown storm]
full-service gas station vs self-service gas station
اولي خودشون واست ميزنن دومي خودت بايد همه كارشو بكني
Furlough
- a period of time when a soldier or someone working in another country can return to their own country SYN leave:
a young soldier home on furlough - American English a period of time when workers are told not to work, especially because there is not enough money to pay them ⇨ layoff:
workers forced to take a long, unpaid furlough - American English a short period of time during which a prisoner is allowed to leave prison before returning:
Morton stabbed the man while on furlough.
—furlough verb [transitive] American English:
280,000 federal workers have been furloughed.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ vacation especially American English, holiday especially British English time you spend away from school or work: Are you taking a vacation this summer? | We met on holiday in Cyprus. | What are you doing in the school holidays?
▪ holiday a day that is set by law, when no one has to go to work or school: the Thanksgiving holiday | New Year’s Day is a national holiday. | In 2002, there was an extra public holiday to mark the Queen’s golden jubilee. | the August bank holiday (=day when all the banks and shops are closed – used in British English)
▪ break a time when you stop working or studying in order to rest, or a short vacation from school: a ten-minute coffee break | Lots of college kids come to the beaches during the spring break.
▪ leave a time when you are allowed not to work: We get four weeks’ annual leave (=paid time off work each year). | He has been taking a lot of sick leave (=time off work because you are ill) recently. | Angela is on maternity leave (= time off work when having a baby). | He was given compassionate leave (=time off work because someone close to you has died, is very ill etc) to go to his father’s funeral.
▪ sabbatical [usually singular] a period when someone, especially a teacher, stops doing their usual work in order to study or travel: She was on sabbatical for six months. | I’m thinking of taking a sabbatical.
▪ furlough a period of time when a soldier or someone working in another country can return to their own country as a holiday: While on furlough, he and his girlfriend got married.
▪ R & R (rest and relaxation) a holiday, especially one given to people in the army, navy etc after a long period of hard work or during a war: Soldiers in Vietnam were taken to Hawaii for R & R.
Fusion
- a combination of separate qualities or ideas:
Her work is a fusion of several different styles.
the best fusion cuisine in the whole of Vancouver - a physical combination of separate things ⇨ fission:
the energy that comes from the fusion of hydrogen atoms ⇨ ↑nuclear fusion - a type of music which mixes ↑jazz with other types of music, especially ↑rock
Gaggle
- a gaggle of tourists/children etc a noisy group of people:
a gaggle of teenage girls - a gaggle of geese a group of ↑geese
- اون صحبتي كه پرزيدنت ها قبل سوار شدن به هواپيما ميكنن با خبر نگار ها
Gainsay
to say that something is not true, or to disagree with someone SYN contradict:
No one dared to gainsay him
Gallivant
informal to spend time enjoying yourself and going from place to place for pleasure – used humorously in order to show disapproval SYN gad
gallivant about/around
She should be home with the children, not gallivanting around.
[example: ask your government why Iranian regime’s family can gallivant in the united states]
Garden shears
don’t mistake it with pliers قيچي باغباني
Garment bag
– a piece of fabric or plastic that zips around clothing on a hanger, to protect it from getting dirty or folded
* When Damian flew to his job interview, he carried his business clothes in a garment bag because he wanted to make sure they were in good condition when he arrived
Gazebo
آلاچيق
Geriatric
- [only before noun] relating to the medical care and treatment of old people:
a specialist in geriatric medicine - informal too old to work well:
a geriatric rock star
Get
- RECEIVE [transitive not in passive] to receive something that someone gives you or sends you:
She got loads of presents.
What did you get for Christmas?
We get a lot of junk mail.
get something from somebody
We got a letter from Pam this morning.
get something off somebody spoken informal:
I got it off my Dad.
I got a few games free when I bought my computer. - OBTAIN [transitive] to obtain something by finding it, asking for it, or paying for it:
We need to get help quickly!
It would be a good idea to get professional advice.
You may be able to get a grant from the local authority.
He cleared his throat to get our attention.
get something for somebody
I want you to get some information for me.
get somebody something
His father managed to get him a job at the local factory. - BRING [transitive] to bring someone or something back from somewhere:
Run upstairs and get a pillow.
I went back into the office to get a pen.
Shall I go and get the phone book?
get somebody/something from something
She’s just gone to get the kids from school.
get something for somebody
I’ll get a towel for you.
get somebody something
I’ll get you a chair. - BUY [transitive]
a) to buy something:
Where did you get that jacket?
get something for somebody
Joe’s going to get tickets for all of us.
get somebody something
While you’re out, could you get me some batteries?
get yourself something
He’s just got himself a new van.
get something from something
I usually get vegetables from the supermarket.
get something for $20/£100/50p etc
You can get a decent PC for about £500 now.
It’s a lovely coat, and I managed to get it cheap in the sales.
b) spoken to pay for something for someone else:
I’ll get these drinks.
c) to buy a newspaper regularly:
My parents always used to get the ‘Daily Telegraph’. - MONEY [transitive]
a) to receive money for doing work:
Hospital doctors get a minimum of £50,000 a year.
get £2,000/$4,000 etc for doing something
He gets £4 an hour for stacking shelves.
b) to receive money when you sell something
get £100/$200 etc for something
You should get a couple of hundred pounds for your old car.
Did you get a good price for it? - HAVE A FEELING/IDEA [transitive] to start to have a feeling or an idea:
She began to get an uncomfortable feeling that she was being watched.
I got a terrible shock when I saw how ill he looked.
I got the impression that everyone was fed up with us.
get pleasure from/out of something
She gets a lot of pleasure from her garden. - HAVE/EXPERIENCE [transitive] to have, do, or experience something:
You don’t get enough exercise.
I never get time to read these days.
The west of the country gets quite a lot of rain.
We might get the chance to go to America this year. - ILLNESS [transitive not in passive] to catch an illness:
I got flu last winter and was in bed for three weeks.
She was worried she might get food poisoning. - ACHIEVE [transitive] to achieve something:
I got 98% in my last maths test.
the person who gets the highest score - RECEIVE A PUNISHMENT [transitive] to receive something as a punishment:
He got ten years in prison for his part in the robbery. - ARRIVE [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to arrive somewhere:
What time will we get there?
We didn’t get home until midnight.
get to
We got to Paris that evening. - REACH A POINT [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to reach a particular point or stage of something:
I’ve got as far as chapter 5.
I couldn’t wait to get to the end of the book.
Where have you got up to in the story?
It was disappointing to lose, having got this far in the competition. - get (somebody) somewhere/anywhere/nowhere if you get somewhere, or if an action gets you somewhere, you make progress:
I think we’re getting somewhere at last.
We didn’t seem to be getting anywhere.
I’ve tried arguing, but it got me nowhere. - MOVE [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to move or go somewhere:
Get out of my house!
We managed to get past the guards.
They shouted at us to get back.
Peter got to his feet (=stood up). - MAKE SOMETHING MOVE [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to make something or someone move to a different place or position, especially with some difficulty:
I couldn’t get the disk out of the computer.
Could you help me get the wardrobe up the stairs?
We must get food and emergency aid into the area as quickly as possible. - TRAVEL [transitive] to travel somewhere on a train, bus etc:
You can get a bus to the station.
I got the 9.15 from London to Edinburgh. - BECOME [linking verb] to change to a new feeling, situation, or state SYN become:
Don’t get upset.
She soon got bored with the job.
He calmed down as he got older.
Eat your dinner before it gets cold.
This is getting silly.
get to be something informal:
It’s getting to be a problem. - MAKE SOMEBODY/SOMETHING BECOME SOMETHING [transitive] to make someone or something change to a new feeling, situation, or state:
Sometimes she gets me so angry!
Don’t get the children too excited.
He was terrified of getting her pregnant.
It took them 15 minutes to get the boat ready. - BE HURT/BROKEN ETC [linking verb, transitive] used to say that something, especially something bad, happens to someone or something
get hurt/broken/stolen etc
You might get hurt if you stand there.
Mind the camera doesn’t get broken.
My dad got killed in a car crash.
I knew I would get shouted at if I was late home.
This is a question we very often get asked.
get something caught/stuck etc
She got her foot caught in the wire. - MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN TO SOMEBODY/SOMETHING [transitive]
a) to accidentally make someone or something experience something:
You’re going to get us all killed!
Mind you don’t get yourself burned.
b) to do something, or arrange for it to be done:
I need to get the washing machine fixed.
We must get this work finished on time. - MAKE SOMETHING DO SOMETHING [transitive not in passive] to make something do a particular thing
get something to do something
I couldn’t get the engine to start.
get something doing something
We got the lawn mower working again eventually. - MAKE SOMEBODY DO SOMETHING [transitive not in passive] to persuade or force someone to do something
get somebody to do something
I’ll get Terry to check the wiring for me.
We couldn’t get him to sign the agreement.
get somebody doing something
In the end, we got the children clearing the playground. - UNDERSTAND [transitive not in passive or progressive] informal to understand something:
I don’t think she got the joke.
I don’t get it – it doesn’t make sense.
get what/how/who etc
I still don’t get how she knew about the meeting. - COOK [transitive not in passive] to prepare food or a meal:
She’s just getting lunch.
get somebody something
Shall I get you a sandwich? - RADIO/TELEVISION [transitive not in passive or progressive] to be able to receive a particular radio signal, television station etc:
Can you get satellite TV here? - ANSWER THE DOOR/TELEPHONE [transitive] informal to answer the door or telephone:
Can you get the phone? - CATCH SOMEBODY [transitive] to catch someone:
The police got him in the end. - HURT/KILL SOMEBODY [transitive] informal to attack, hurt, or kill someone:
The other gang members threatened to get him if he went to the police.
I’ll get you for this! - TRICK SOMEBODY [transitive] informal to deceive or trick someone:
I got you that time! - ON THE TELEPHONE [transitive] if you get someone on the telephone, they answer the telephone when you have made a call, and so you talk to them:
I tried phoning him at work, but I just got his secretary. - get doing something to begin doing something:
We got talking about the old days.
I think we should get going quite soon.
What are we all waiting for? Let’s get moving! - get to do something informal to have the opportunity to do something:
We got to meet all the stars after the show.
She gets to travel all over the place with her job. - get to like/know/understand somebody/something to gradually begin to like, know, or understand someone or something:
It’ll take a while for you to get to know everyone.
After a while, I got to like him. ⇨ have got at ↑have2
• • •
SPOKEN PHRASES - you get something used to say that something happens or exists:
I didn’t know you got tigers in Europe. - you’ve got me (there) used to say you do not know the answer to something
- it/what gets me used to say that something really annoys you:
It really gets me the way he leaves wet towels on the bathroom floor.
What gets me is their attitude. - get this especially American English used to draw attention to something surprising or interesting that you are about to mention:
And the whole thing only cost – get this – $12.95.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ get [not in passive] to get something by finding it, asking for it, or paying for it: I’ve been trying to get some information. | She went to the bank to get some money.
▪ obtain formal to get something: Maps and guides can be obtained from the tourist office. | The newspaper has obtained a copy of the letter.
▪ acquire formal to get something – used about knowledge, skills, or something big or expensive: The course helps older people to acquire computing skills. | He acquired the property in 1985.
▪ inherit to get someone’s money or property after they die: Jo inherited a lot of money from her mother.
▪ gain to get something useful or necessary, such as knowledge or experience: I’ve gained a lot of useful experience. | The research helped us gain an insight into how a child’s mind works.
▪ earn to get something because you deserve it: He had earned a reputation as a peacemaker. | She earned a lot of respect from her colleagues.
▪ get hold of something informal to get something that is rare or difficult to find: I’m trying to get hold of a ticket for the game.
▪ lay your hands on something informal to get something that you want very much or that you have spent a lot of time looking for: I read every book I could lay my hands on.
get about phrasal verb British English - to go or travel to different places:
She’s 80 now, and doesn’t get about much any more.
He’s got an old van which he uses for getting about. - if news or information gets about, it is told to a lot of people:
I don’t really want this to get about.
get across phrasal verb
to succeed in communicating an idea or piece of information to someone, or to be communicated successfully
get something ↔ across
It took him ages to get his point across.
We must get across the simple fact that drugs are dangerous.
The message isn’t getting across.
get across to
It is important that we get this message across to voters.
get ahead phrasal verb
to be successful and do better than other people in a job or work:
She soon found that it wasn’t easy to get ahead in the movie business.
get along phrasal verb - if two or more people get along, they have a friendly relationship:
We’ve always got along quite well.
get along with
They seem to get along with each other. - to deal with a job or situation or to make progress:
How’s Sam getting along at university?
get along without
Don’t worry, we’ll get along without you. - I must/I’d better be getting along spoken used to say that it is time for you to leave, for example because you have something else to do spoken
get around phrasal verb - get around (something) to go or travel to different places:
We had to use public transport to get around.
It’s quite easy to get around London. - if news or information gets around, it is told to a lot of people:
News of the accident soon got around.
Word got around that the department might be closed. - get around something to avoid something that is difficult or causes problems for you:
I think we should be able to get around most of these problems.
She was always very clever at getting around the rules.
get around to something phrasal verb
to do something that you have been intending to do for some time:
I meant to phone her yesterday, but I never got around to it.
get around to doing something
We finally got around to clearing out the garage.
get at somebody/something phrasal verb - CRITICIZE to keep criticizing someone in an unkind way:
Why is he always getting at me?
He felt he was being got at by the other students. - be getting at something to be trying to say something in a way that is difficult for other people to understand:
What are you getting at, Helen?
Do you see the point I’m getting at? - REACH to be able to reach something:
We had to move the washing machine out to get at the wiring behind it. - INFORMATION to discover information, especially the truth about a situation:
I was determined to get at the truth. - THREATEN informal to use threats to influence the decision of people who are involved in a court case:
Do you think some of the jury have been got at?
get away phrasal verb - LEAVE to leave a place, especially when this is not easy:
The meeting dragged on, and I didn’t get away until seven.
get away from
I like to get away from London at the weekend. - ON HOLIDAY informal to take a holiday away from the place you normally live:
Will you manage to get away this summer?
get away to
We’re hoping to get away to Scotland for a few days. - ESCAPE to escape from someone who is chasing you or trying to catch you:
The three men got away in a stolen car.
get away from
We knew it wouldn’t be easy to get away from the police.
get away with
The thieves got away with jewellery worth over £50,000. - get away! British English spoken used to say you are very surprised by something or do not believe it
- the one that got away something good that you nearly had or that nearly happened
get away from somebody/something phrasal verb - to avoid something that is difficult or unpleasant for you, or something that limits what you can do in some way:
I needed to get away from the pressures of work.
She wanted to get away from the traditional ideas of what theatre is about.
There is no getting away from this fact (=you cannot avoid or deny this fact). - to begin to talk about other things rather than the subject you are supposed to be discussing:
I think we’re getting away from the main issue. - get away from it all to have a relaxing holiday:
You need to get away from it all for a couple of weeks.
get away with something phrasal verb - to not be caught or punished when you have done something wrong:
Watch Frank – he’ll cheat if he thinks he can get away with it.
No one insults my family and gets away with it! - get away with murder informal to not be punished for doing something wrong:
Some of those children get away with murder! - to receive only a small punishment for something:
The charge was reduced to manslaughter, and she got away with three years in prison. - to do something without experiencing any problems or difficulties, even though it is not the best thing to do:
At school he had always got away with doing the bare minimum amount of work.
The colour’s not quite right, but I think you’ll get away with it.
get back phrasal verb - RETURN to return to a place:
I’ll talk to you when I get back.
get back to
He got back to the office just before lunchtime. - DO SOMETHING AGAIN to start doing something again or talking about something again
get back to
Let’s get back to the main point of the discussion.
Well, I must get back to work.
get back into
Have you ever thought about getting back into teaching? - BE IN A STATE AGAIN to change to a previous state or condition again
get back to
Life was beginning to get back to normal.
I couldn’t get back to sleep.
get back together
Do you think they’ll get back together (=start having a relationship again)? - GET SOMETHING AGAIN get something ↔ back to get something again after you have lost it or someone else has taken it:
Did you get your books back? - PUNISH SOMEBODY get somebody back informal to do something to hurt or harm someone who has hurt or harmed you
get somebody back for
I’ll get you back for this!
get back at somebody phrasal verb
to do something to hurt or harm someone who has hurt or harmed you:
He’ll probably go out with her just to get back at me.
get back to somebody phrasal verb informal
to talk to someone or telephone them later in order to answer a question or give them information:
I’ll find out the prices and get back to you.
get behind phrasal verb - if you get behind with a job, payments, rent etc, you do not do or pay as much of it as you should have by a particular time
get behind with
I don’t want to get behind with my work.
You can always catch up later if you get behind. - get behind somebody informal to support someone:
The crowd really got behind them and cheered them on.
get by phrasal verb
to have enough money to buy the things you need, but no more:
I don’t earn a huge salary, but we get by.
get by on
Sometimes they had to get by on very little.
get down phrasal verb - MAKE SOMEBODY SAD get somebody down to make someone feel unhappy and tired:
His lack of social life was beginning to get him down. - WRITE SOMETHING DOWN get something ↔ down to write something, especially something that someone is saying:
He was followed by a group of reporters trying to get down every word he said.
It’s important to get things down on paper. - EAT/DRINK get something down (somebody) to eat or drink something, or persuade someone else to eat or drink something:
I knew I’d feel better once I’d got some food down.
Get that tea down you.
He still says he’s not hungry, and I can’t get anything down him. - AFTER A MEAL British English to leave the table after a meal – used by children or when you are talking to children:
Please may I get down?
get down to something phrasal verb
to start doing something that is difficult or needs a lot of time or energy:
It’s time we got down to work.
We need to get down to some serious talking.
get down to doing something
I always find it hard to get down to revising.
get in phrasal verb - ENTER to enter a place, especially when this is difficult:
We managed to get in through a window.
The theatre was already full, and we couldn’t get in. - ARRIVE if a train, plane etc gets in at a particular time, it arrives at that time:
What time does the bus get in?
get in to
We get in to Heathrow at ten o’clock. - GET HOME to arrive home:
We didn’t get in until late.
What time do the boys get in from school? - BE ELECTED to be elected to a position of political power:
The Conservatives have promised to increase spending on health and education if they get in. - COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY to be allowed to be a student at a university, college etc:
I applied to Bristol University, but I didn’t get in. - BUY A SUPPLY get something ↔ in to buy a supply of something:
I must remember to get some food in for the weekend. - CROPS get something ↔ in to gather a crop and bring it to a sheltered place:
The whole village was involved with getting the harvest in. - ASK FOR WORKER get somebody ↔ in to ask someone to come to your home to do a job, especially to repair something:
We’ll have to get a plumber in. - GIVE SOMETHING TO SOMEBODY get something in to send something to a particular place or give it to a particular person:
Please can you get your essays in by Thursday.
It’s best to get your insurance claim in as quickly as possible. - DO SOMETHING get something ↔ in to manage to do something even though you do not have much time:
We’re hoping to get in a game of golf over the weekend.
get in on something phrasal verb informal
to become involved in something that other people are doing or planning:
Quite a few companies would like to get in on the project.
The scheme has proved very successful, and now other local authorities are keen to get in on the act (=become involved in something exciting or interesting).
get in with somebody phrasal verb informal
to become friendly with someone:
He got in with a bad crowd and started getting into trouble.
get into something - ENTER to enter a place, especially when this is difficult:
The door was locked and we couldn’t get into the house. - ARRIVE to arrive at a place:
What time do we get into New York? - BE ELECTED to be elected to a Parliament:
He first got into Parliament in 1982. - COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY to be allowed to be a student at a university, college etc:
She got into UCLA. - TEAM to be made a member of a team:
Do you think you might get into the Olympic team this year? - START DOING SOMETHING to start doing or feeling something, or being in a particular situation:
He’s started getting into trouble at school.
My parents were always terrified of getting into debt.
She got into the habit of going for long walks by herself.
He got into a terrible temper and started throwing things around. - BECOME INVOLVED to begin to be involved in doing something:
How did you first get into script writing?
She was starting to get into politics. - ENJOY informal to begin to enjoy something or be interested in it:
I first got into jazz when I was at college. - CLOTHING informal to put on a piece of clothing, especially when this is difficult because the piece of clothing is too small for you:
I don’t know how she managed to get into those trousers. - what’s got into somebody? spoken used to express surprise that someone is behaving very differently from the way they usually behave:
I don’t know what’s got into Sally recently.
get off phrasal verb - LEAVE to leave a place, or to help someone to leave a place:
We’ll try and get off straight after lunch.
get off something
Get off my land!
get somebody off
I’ll phone you as soon as I’ve got the children off to school. - FINISH WORK get off (something) to finish work and leave the place where you work at the end of the day:
I usually get off at six o’clock.
What time do you get off work? - SEND SOMETHING get something off to send a letter or package by post:
I’ll have to get this letter off by tonight.
get something off to
I’ll get the forms off to you today. - CLOTHING get something off to remove a piece of clothing:
Why don’t you get those wet clothes off? - NOT BE PUNISHED if someone gets off, they are not punished for doing something wrong, or they receive only a small punishment:
In the end he got off because there wasn’t enough evidence against him.
The police felt he had got off very lightly.
get off with
If you’re lucky, you’ll get off with a fine. - HELP SOMEBODY NOT BE PUNISHED get somebody off to help someone avoid being punished for a crime:
Her lawyers were confident that they could get her off. - SLEEP get (somebody) off to go to sleep, or to help a child go to sleep:
I went to bed but couldn’t get off to sleep.
It took us ages to get the baby off. - get off to a good/bad etc start to start in a particular way:
The day had got off to a bad start. - STOP TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING get off something to stop talking about a subject:
Can we get off the subject of death, please? - STOP TOUCHING SOMETHING get off (something/somebody) informal used to tell someone to stop touching something or someone:
Get off me!
Get off those cakes, or there’ll be trouble.
Get off (=stop touching me)! - tell somebody where to get off informal to tell someone that they are asking you for too much or are behaving in a way you will not accept:
He wanted £50, but I told him where to get off. - get off your butt/ass American English spoken not polite used to tell someone that they should stop being lazy and start doing something useful
get off on something phrasal verb informal
to become excited by something, especially sexually excited
get off with somebody phrasal verb informal
to start a sexual relationship with someone:
She spent the whole evening trying to get off with Phil.
get on phrasal verb - LIKE SOMEBODY especially British English if people get on, they like each other and have a friendly relationship with each other
get on with
I’ve always got on well with Henry.
The two boys get on well most of the time. - PROGRESS to deal with a job or situation or to make progress:
How is George getting on at school?
get on with
How are you getting on with your essay?
get on without
I don’t know how we’ll get on without Michael. - CONTINUE DOING SOMETHING to continue doing something
get on with
Be quiet and get on with your work! - BE SUCCESSFUL to be successful in your job:
You’ll have to work hard if you want to get on. - CLOTHING get something on to put a piece of clothing on:
I can’t get my boots on! - be getting on
a) if time is getting on, it is quite late:
Come on, it’s getting on and we ought to go home.
I realized that time was getting on and we would have to hurry.
b) informal if someone is getting on, they are quite old - getting on for 90/10 o’clock/2,000 etc almost a particular age, time, number etc:
Mrs McIntyre must be getting on for 90 by now.
The total cost was getting on for $100,000. - get it on American English informal to have sex
- get on with it! spoken used to tell someone to hurry:
Will you lot stop messing around and get on with it! - let somebody get on with it informal to let someone do something on their own, and not help them or tell them what to do:
She wanted to decorate her room, so I just let her get on with it.
get onto somebody/something phrasal verb - SPEAK/WRITE TO SOMEBODY informal to speak or write to someone:
I’ll get onto my lawyer about this. - LEARN ABOUT SOMEBODY informal to find out about someone who has been doing something wrong:
How did the police get onto him? - BE ELECTED to be elected as a member of a committee, a political organization etc:
She was quite keen to get onto the management committee. - TALK ABOUT SOMETHING to begin to talk about a subject after you have been discussing something else:
After a few minutes they got onto the subject of the election. - DO SOMETHING informal to start dealing with something:
Right, I’ll get onto it straight away.
get out phrasal verb - LEAVE to leave a room or building:
You ought to get out into the fresh air.
Mary screamed at me to get out.
get out of
Get out of the kitchen! - ESCAPE to escape from a place:
Some of the animals had got out.
get out of
He was determined to get out of prison. - HELP SOMEBODY ESCAPE get somebody out to help someone leave a place or escape from a place:
It’s important to get these people out as soon as possible.
get somebody out of
We knew it was going to be difficult to get him out of the country. - TAKE SOMETHING FROM A PLACE get something ↔ out to take something from the place where it is kept:
She got out her violin and started to play. - INFORMATION if information gets out, a lot of people then know it although it is meant to be secret:
We have to make absolutely certain that none of this gets out.
It’s bound to get out that he’s retiring soon. - PRODUCE SOMETHING get something ↔ out to produce a book or other product that can be sold to people:
We’re hoping to get the new catalogue out next week. - SAY SOMETHING get something ↔ out to succeed in saying something, especially when this is very difficult:
I wanted to tell him I loved him, but couldn’t get the words out.
get out of something phrasal verb - AVOID DOING SOMETHING to avoid doing something you have promised to do or are supposed to do:
See if you can get out of that meeting tomorrow.
get out of doing something
He’s trying to get out of tidying his room. - STOP DOING SOMETHING to stop doing something or being involved in something:
I wanted to get out of teaching. - MAKE SOMEBODY GIVE/TELL YOU SOMETHING get something out of somebody to force or persuade someone to tell you something or give you something:
I was determined to get the truth out of her. - ENJOY SOMETHING get something out of something to enjoy something you do or experience, or to learn something as a result:
I hope he got something out of his visit.
get something out of doing something
Children can get a lot out of being involved in community projects.
get over - ILLNESS get over something to become well again after an illness:
It’s taken me ages to get over the flu. - UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE get over something to begin to feel better after a very upsetting experience:
She never got over the death of her son. - IDEAS/INFORMATION get something ↔ over to succeed in communicating ideas or information to other people
get something ↔ over to
It’s important that we get this message over to young people. - FINISH SOMETHING get something over (also get something over with) to do and finish something difficult that you have to do:
I’ll be in touch once I’ve got my exams over.
I can’t wait to get the interview over with. - PROBLEM/DIFFICULTY get over something to successfully deal with a problem or difficulty:
I don’t know how we’re going to get over this problem.
Once we’ve got over the first few months, we should be making a reasonable profit. - can’t/couldn’t get over something spoken used to say that you are very surprised, shocked, or amused by something:
I can’t get over how well you look.
get round phrasal verb British English - if news or information gets round, it is told to a lot of people:
News like this soon gets round. - get round something to avoid something that is difficult or causes problems for you:
Most companies manage to get round the restrictions. - get round somebody to gently persuade someone to do what you want by being nice to them:
I know how to get round Chris.
get round to something phrasal verb British English
to do something that you have been intending to do for some time:
I keep meaning to put a lock on it, but I never get round to it.
get round to doing something
I haven’t got round to unpacking from my holiday yet.
get through phrasal verb - DO WORK get through something to do an amount of work:
We got through half the application forms this morning.
We’ve got a lot of work to get through. - USE SOMETHING get through something informal to use a lot of something:
You wouldn’t believe the amount of food children can get through in a week! - SPEND MONEY get through something informal to spend a lot of money:
He can get through £100 in one evening. - DIFFICULT TIME get (somebody) through something to come successfully to the end of an unpleasant experience or period of time, or to help someone do this:
I don’t know how we’re going to get through the winter.
It was their love that got me through those first difficult months. - TEST/COMPETITION get (somebody/something) through (something) to be successful in a test or competition, or to make sure that someone or something is successful:
I finally managed to get through my driving test.
I knew it was going to be difficult to get the car through its MOT test.
get (somebody/something) through (something) to
Liverpool have got through to the final of the FA Cup. - REACH A PERSON/PLACE to reach a place or person that is difficult to reach
get through to
Aid agencies have been unable to get through to the thousands of refugees stranded on the border. - BY TELEPHONE to succeed in speaking to someone on the telephone:
I tried phoning her office, but I couldn’t get through.
get through to
At last I managed to get through to one of the managers. - NEW LAW get (something) through (something) if a new law gets through parliament, or if someone gets it through, it is officially approved:
Anti-hunting legislation will never get through the House of Lords.
Once again we failed to get the Bill through Parliament.
get (something) through to somebody phrasal verb
to succeed in making someone understand something, especially when this is difficult:
I couldn’t seem to get through to her.
How can I get it through to him that this is really important?
get to somebody/something phrasal verb informal - to make someone feel annoyed or upset:
I’m under a lot of pressure at work, and sometimes it gets to me a bit.
Don’t let things get to you. - get to thinking/wondering something informal to start thinking something:
He got to thinking how disappointed his parents would be.
get together phrasal verb - if people get together, they meet in order to spend time with each other:
We must get together for a drink. - if two people get together, they start a romantic or sexual relationship
- get something ↔ together to collect things together:
I need to get some paperwork together for the meeting. - get somebody ↔ together to bring people together to make a group:
He got together a group of local businessmen to discuss the problem. - get something ↔ together to succeed in getting enough money to do or buy something:
We’re trying to get together enough money to buy a flat. - get something together informal to change your life so that it is organized and you are in control of it:
He’s just trying to get his life together at the moment.
get yourself together
I’m staying with my parents for a while, until I’ve got myself together a bit. - get it together spoken to be organized and successful in your life, job etc:
The government can’t seem to get it together on the environment.
get up phrasal verb - get (somebody) up to get out of your bed after sleeping, or to make someone get out of their bed:
We didn’t get up until lunchtime.
Get me up at seven, would you? - to stand up:
He got up and walked over to the window. - if a wind or storm gets up, it starts and gets stronger
- be got up as/in something British English informal to be dressed in particular clothes:
He arrived at the party got up as Count Dracula.
The men were all got up in suits. - get it up informal to get an ↑erection(1)
get up to something phrasal verb
to do something, especially something slightly bad:
Go upstairs and see what the kids are getting up to.
What did you get up to at the weekend
get a feel for something
accustomed to something
Get a grip
به خودت مسلط باش
get a word in edgewise
to have an opportunity to speak
[example: Brad talked so much that nobody could get a word in edgewise ]
Get into
1.
(of a feeling) affect, influence, or take control of someone.
“I don’t know what’s got into him”
2.
start discussing a subject extensively.
“I don’t want to get into it until we have more concrete information”
3.
INFORMAL
become interested in something.
“I’m really getting into jazz these days
get nicked
get arrested
Get on top something
If you are on top of or get on top of something that you are doing, you are dealing with it successfully.
Get out of town
برو بابا شوخي نكن
get out of town, you’re saying you are 60, you don’t look one second older than 40
Get over it
باهش كنار بيا
Get over with
complete an unpleasant or tedious but necessary task promptly.
“come on, let’s get it over with
Get over yourself
خودخواهي رو كنار بذار
get some shut-eye
get some sleep
Get someone’s goat
to annoy sb very much syn: get sb’s back up حرص كسي رو در آوردن
[example: that sort of attitude really gets my goat]
Get the bottom of sth
solve the mystery or solve the problem
don’t mistake it with to down sth
Get your ducks in a row
to be well prepared or well organized for sth that is going to happen
[example: the company has its ducks in a row for a move into the Asia market]
Getaway
- an escape from a place or unpleasant situation, especially after committing a crime:
The gunmen made a getaway on foot.
getaway car/vehicle/van (=a car etc used by criminals to escape after a crime) - especially American English a short holiday away from home, or a place where people go for a short holiday:
Big Bear Lake is a popular weekend getaway.
getting you to come in
If you pick up a local newspaper, many times you will see coupons from local restaurants, two-for-one or 25% off discount from your bill (or check). These are ways of getting you to come into the restaurant; it’s a kind of advertising.
Giddy
- feeling slightly sick and unable to balance, because everything seems to be moving SYN dizzy:
Greg stared down from the seventh floor and began to feel giddy. - feeling silly, happy, and excited, or showing this feeling
giddy with
Sheila felt giddy with excitement. - giddy heights a situation in which you have a lot of success:
Although she had been quite a successful model, she had never reached the giddy heights of the Paris fashion world. - old-fashioned silly and not interested in serious things:
Fiona’s very pretty but a bit giddy.
—giddily adverb
—giddiness noun [uncountable]
Gig
- a performance by a musician or a group of musicians playing modern popular music or ↑jazz, or a performance by a ↑comedian
do/play/have a gig
The band are doing a gig in Sheffield on Nov 12. - American English informal a job, especially one that does not last for a long time
- informal a gigabyte
II. gig2 BrE AmE verb (past tense and past participle gigged, present participle gigging) [intransitive]
to give a performance of modern popular music or ↑jazz
Gild
- to cover something with a thin layer of gold or with something that looks like gold:
a gilded frame - literary to make something look as if it is covered in gold:
The autumn sun gilded the lake. - gild the lily to spoil something by trying to improve it when it is already good enough
Gild the lily
to improve or decorate sth that is already perfect and therefore u spoil it
[example: should I add a scarf to this jacket or would it be gilding the lily]
Gird
ɡɜːd $ ɡɜːrd/ BrE AmE verb (past tense and past participle girded or girt /ɡɜːt $ ɡɜːrt/)
[Language: Old English; Origin: gyrdan]
1. gird (up) your loins to get ready to do something difficult – used humorously
2. [intransitive and transitive] if you gird for something, or gird yourself for something, especially something difficult, you prepare for it
gird (yourself) for something
By midsummer both police and protesters were girding for confrontation
Girder
a strong beam, made of iron or steel, that supports a floor, roof, or bridge
Girth
- the size of something or someone large when you measure around them rather than measuring their height:
the enormous girth of the tree
He was a tall man, of considerable girth (=he was fat). - a band of leather which is passed tightly around the middle of a horse to keep a ↑saddle or load firmly in position
Give a wide berth
give somebody/something a wide berth to avoid someone or something
[example: I tend to give shopping center a wide berth at weekends, they are really crowded]
give sb a buzz
to call sb
Give up the ghost
stop running
[example: on the way to funeral ceremony my car give up the ghost]
to die
Glitz glamour
زرق و برق
Gloat
to show in an annoying way that you are proud of your own success or happy about someone else’s failure
gloat over
The fans are still gloating over Scotland’s victory.
—gloat noun [singular]
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ boast to talk too proudly about your abilities, achievements, or possessions because you want other people to admire you: She’s always boasting about how good she is at languages.
▪ brag to boast in a way that annoys other people. Brag is more informal than boast: He was bragging about how many girlfriends he had had. | I don’t think they have anything to brag about. | The rebels have repeatedly bragged that their fighters have been responsible for the mounting attacks on policemen, 226 of whom were killed last year.
▪ blow your own trumpet British English, blow your own horn American English spoken to talk a lot about your achievements – used especially when you want to mention your achievements but do not want to sound as if you are boasting: I don’t want to blow my own trumpet, but it was me who came up with the idea for the project in the first place.
▪ crow to boast about something you have achieved, when other people have been less lucky or successful: Nordstrom and his supporters are still crowing about winning the lawsuit.
▪ gloat to behave in a way that shows that you are proud of your own success and happy about someone else’s failure: The Australians are still gloating over their victory over England. | The liberals are gloating and celebrating all over town. | I haven’t come to gloat! We all have to lose sometimes.
▪ be full of yourself informal to show by your words and behaviour that you are very proud of your abilities and achievements - used when you dislike someone because of this: ‘He’s so full of himself,’ Constance complained. ‘He thinks he can get away with anything.’ | After the game she was really full of herself
Globetrotter
informal someone who spends a lot of their time travelling to many different countries
—globe-trotting adjective
—globe-trotting noun [uncountable]
syn wanderlust
Gnarly
- a gnarly tree or branch is rough and twisted with hard lumps SYN gnarled
- gnarly hands or fingers are twisted, rough, and difficult to move, usually because they are old SYN gnarled
- American English spoken a word meaning very good or excellent, used by young people: syn: nifty
‘Look at the size of that wave.’ ‘Gnarly!’ - American English spoken a word meaning very bad, used by young people:
a gnarly car wreck
Go against the tide
to not follow what everyone else is doing syn: don’t jump on a bandwagon
don’t mistake it with stampede
go down a rabbit hole
To enter into a situation or begin a process or journey that is particularly strange, problematic, difficult, complex, or chaotic, especially one that becomes increasingly so as it develops or unfolds
go from rags to riches
يه دفعه از صفر پولدار شدن
Go on
- CONTINUE
a) to continue doing something or being in a situation
go on doing something
He went on working until he was 91.
go on with
One of the actors was unwell and couldn’t go on with the performance.
I can’t go on like this for much longer.
b) to continue without stopping:
The noise goes on 24 hours a day.
The screaming went on and on (=continued for a long time). ⇨ ↑ongoing - HAPPEN to happen:
I don’t know what’s going on.
What were the children doing while all this was going on?
Like all good resorts, there is plenty going on. ⇨ ↑goings-on - DO SOMETHING NEXT to do something after you have finished doing something else
go on to do something
She went on to become a successful surgeon.
go on to
Go on to the next question when you’ve finished. - CONTINUE TALKING to continue talking, especially after stopping or changing to a different subject:
Go on, I’m listening.
‘But,’ he went on, ‘we have to deal with the problems we’re facing.’
go on with
After a short pause Maria went on with her story. - go on spoken
a) used to encourage someone to do something:
Go on, have another piece of cake.
b) used when you are agreeing to do something or giving permission for something:
‘Are you sure you won’t have another drink?’ ‘Oh, go on then.’
‘Can I go outside, Dad?’ ‘Yeah, go on then.’
c) (also go on with you) British English old-fashioned used to tell someone that you do not believe them
go on! I don’t believe one word of your silly story - USE AS PROOF go on something to base an opinion or judgment on something:
Police haven’t much to go on in their hunt for the killer. - START TO WORK if a machine or piece of equipment goes on, it starts to work:
The heat goes on automatically at 6 o’clock. - TIME to pass:
As time went on, I grew fond of him. - BEHAVE British English informal the way someone goes on is the way they behave:
The way she’s going on, she’ll have a nervous breakdown. - be going on (for) 5 o’clock/60/25 etc to be nearly a particular time, age, number etc:
Nancy must be going on for 60.
She’s one of those wise teenagers who’s 16 going on 70 (=she behaves as though she is older than she is). - GO IN FRONT (also go on ahead) to go somewhere before the other people you are with:
Bill went on in the car and I followed on foot. - TALK TOO MUCH informal to talk too much:
I really like Clare but she does go on.
go on about
I got tired of him going on about all his problems.
He just went on and on about his new girlfriend. - CRITICIZE British English informal to continue to criticize someone or ask them to do something in a way that annoys them:
The way she went on, you would have thought it was all my fault.
go on at
Stop going on at me!
go on at somebody to do something
My wife’s always going on at me to dress better.
go on at somebody about something
He’s always going on at me about fixing the door. - DEVELOP British English spoken informal to develop or make progress
- to be going on with/to go on with British English informal if you have enough of something to be going on with, you have enough for now:
Have you got enough money to be going on with
Go places
to be progressing or finding success in some area of one’s life
[example: a pop star who’s definitely going places]
[example: Alice is definitely going places with that singing voice of her]
Go spare
become very angry or distraught
[example: he’d go spare if you lose money again]
Go extra mile
بيشتر از اون چيزي كه بايد تلاش كردن
[example: Sofia is a wonderful nurse. she’ll always go the extra mile for her patients ]
Go-between
someone who takes messages from one person or group to another because the two sides cannot meet or do not want to meet SYN intermediary
act/serve as a go-between
A UN representative will act as a go-between for leaders of the two countries.
go-to ( formal)
the go-to person is someone who people always ask for help with a particular problem, because of their great skill or knowledge:
He’s the go-to guy for questions about spreadsheets.
Gobsmacked
informal
very surprised or shocked
Going into administration
When a company goes into administration, they have entered a legal process (under the Insolvency Act 1986) with the aim of achieving one of the statutory objectives of an administration. This may be to rescue a viable business that is insolvent due to cashflow problems.
An appointment of an administrator (a licensed insolvency practitioner) will be made by directors, a creditor or the court to fulfil the administration process
Goings-on
activities or events that are strange or interesting, and often illegal:
She was shocked by some of the goings-on at the school
golf buggy
ماشين هاي كوچك در زمين گلف
goochy goochy goo
گوگولي مگولي
good in vs. good at
Good “in” used when the phrase is followed by verb, whereas Good ‘at’ is used when the phrase is followed by a noun. E.g. - A person is good in writing poems A person is good at poetry.
good, I’ve got that out of the way now
آخيش! اين كار هم تمام شد، ديگه نبايد نگرانش باشم
Gooey
- sticky and soft:
gooey cakes
gooey mud - showing your love for someone in a way that other people think is silly SYN soppy:
Babies make her go all gooey.
Goof
especially American English informal to make a silly mistake:
Somebody goofed and entered the wrong amount.
The restaurant totally goofed up our reservations.
goof around phrasal verb American English informal
to spend time doing silly things or not doing very much SYN mess about British English:
We spent the afternoon just goofing around on our bikes.
goof off phrasal verb American English informal
to waste time or avoid doing any work:
He’s been goofing off at school.
II. goof2 BrE AmE noun [countable] especially American English informal
[Date: 1900-2000; Origin: Probably from goff ‘stupid person’ (16-20 centuries), from French goffe ‘awkward, stupid’]
1. (also goof up) a silly mistake:
The goof could cost the city $5 million.
2. (also goofball) someone who is silly
Goofy
informal
stupid or silly:
A goofy grin spread across her face when she saw the card.
Gooseberry
- a small round green fruit that grows on a bush and has a sour taste
- be a gooseberry (also play gooseberry British English) informal to be with two people who are having a romantic relationship and who want to be alone together
got knocked up again
I got pregnant
Gouge
/ɡaʊdʒ/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
to make a deep hole or cut in the surface of something:
He took a knife and gouged a hole in the bottom of the boat.
gouge something ↔ out phrasal verb
1. to form a hole, space etc by digging into a surface and removing material, or to remove material by digging
gouge something ↔ out of
A rough road had been gouged out of the rock.
Every week 30,000 tonnes of slate are gouged out of the mountains.
2. gouge sb’s eyes out to remove someone’s eyes with a pointed weapon
II. gouge2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: French; Origin: Late Latin gulbia]
a hole or cut made in something, usually by a sharp tool or weapon
Gourmand
someone who likes to eat and drink a lot
Gown
- a long dress that a woman wears on formal occasions
wedding/evening/ball gown
a white silk wedding gown - a long loose piece of clothing worn for special ceremonies by judges, teachers, lawyers, and members of universities SYN robe
- a long loose piece of clothing worn in a hospital by someone doing or having an operation:
a hospital gown
Graft
- [countable] a piece of healthy skin or bone taken from someone’s body and put in or on another part of their body that has been damaged:
Martha had to have several skin grafts. - [countable] a piece cut from one plant and tied to or put inside a cut in another, so that it grows there
- [uncountable] especially British English informal hard work:
Our success has been due to sheer hard graft. - [uncountable] especially American English the practice of obtaining money or advantage by the dishonest use of influence or power: ta hadi syn: racket, hustle
He promised to end graft in public life.
II. graft2 BrE AmE verb - [transitive] to remove a piece of skin, bone etc from part of someone’s body and put it onto or into a part of their body that has been damaged
graft something onto/to something
The technique involves grafting a very thin slice of bone onto the damaged knee. - [transitive + on/onto] to join a part of a plant or tree onto another plant or tree
- [transitive] to add something very different to something, so that it becomes part of it syn: bundle up
graft something onto something
New elements are being grafted onto our traditional form of government.
graft something on
It is a 17th-century farmhouse with some Victorian additions grafted on. - [intransitive] especially British English informal to work hard
graft off somebody phrasal verb American English
to get money or advantages from someone by the dishonest use of influence, especially political influence
granted that you are stronger …
گيريم كه شما قوي تري
Grass
[Language: Old English; Origin: græs]
1. IN FIELDS AND GARDENS
a) [uncountable] a very common plant with thin leaves that covers the ground in fields and gardens and is often eaten by animals:
She enjoyed the feel of grass beneath her feet.
a blade of grass (=single leaf)
b) [countable] a particular kind of grass:
All grasses need light to grow well.
2. the grass an area of grass, especially an area where the grass is kept cut short:
I walked across the grass.
Keep off the grass.
3. DRUG [uncountable] informal ↑marijuana
4. CRIMINAL [countable] British English informal someone, usually a criminal, who gives information about other criminals to the police – used to show disapproval SYN informer, stoolpigeon American English ⇨ ↑supergrass
5. the grass is greener (on the other side) used to say that other places or situations seem better than yours, although they may not really be better
6. not let the grass grow under your feet to not waste time or delay starting something
7. put somebody out to grass informal to make someone leave their job because they are too old to do it effectively
⇨ ↑grass roots, ⇨ snake in the grass at ↑snake1(2)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meanings 1 & 2)
■ verbs
▪ cut the grass The grass in the back garden needs cutting.
▪ mow the grass (=cut it with a special machine) I usually mow the grass once a week.
■ adjectives
▪ green The cows moved slowly through the long green grass.
▪ tall/long I walked with the tall grass brushing my knees.
▪ short These mowers only work efficiently on short grass.
▪ coarse (=consisting of thick and large pieces) The only vegetation was a few bushes and patches of coarse grass.
▪ damp/wet His foot slipped on the wet grass and he fell.
■ grass + NOUN
▪ grass clippings/cuttings (=pieces of cut grass) You can use your grass clippings to start your own compost pile.
▪ grass stains (=marks on clothing caused by grass) It’s going to be difficult to get the grass stains out of these trousers.
▪ grass seed Now is the best time to plant grass seed.
▪ grass verge British English (=area of grass next to a road) He stopped the car on the grass verge of the deserted road.
■ phrases
▪ a blade of grass (=a single piece of grass) A few blades of grass poked out of the dry earth.
II. grass2 BrE AmE verb [intransitive]
(also grass somebody up) British English informal to tell the police about a criminal’s activities
grass on
Burton grassed on other prisoners.
grass something ↔ over phrasal verb
to cover land with grass
Grass roots
the grass roots the ordinary people in an organization, rather than the leaders
—grass roots adjective:
We are hoping for full participation at grass roots level
Grass sb up
syn: sb drop a dime on usكسي رو به پليس لو دادن
don’t mistake it with a dime a dozen
Grave
- the place in the ground where a dead body is buried ⇨ tomb:
At the head of the grave there was a small wooden cross. - the grave literary death:
He took that secret to the grave. - somebody would turn in their grave used to say that someone who is dead would strongly disapprove of something happening now:
The way Bill plays that piece would have Mozart turning in his grave.
⇨ dig your own grave at ↑dig1(8), ⇨ from (the) cradle to (the) grave at ↑cradle1(3), ⇨ have one foot in the grave at ↑foot1(24), ⇨ silent as the grave at ↑silent(3), ⇨ a watery grave at ↑watery(4)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ dig a grave In the churchyard, a man was digging a grave.
▪ mark a grave The stone marked the grave of their young daughter.
▪ bury somebody in a grave (=put someone in a grave) She was buried in a grave next to her older sister.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + grave
▪ a shallow grave (=a hole that is not very deep in the ground) They found the woman’s remains in a shallow grave in the woods.
▪ a mass grave (=one that is filled with many people, especially people killed in a war or people who died of a disease at a similar time) Plague victims were buried in a mass grave.
▪ an unmarked grave (=one that does not have anything to show where it is or who is in it) Until 1855, poor people here were buried in unmarked graves.
▪ a family grave (=one where members of a family are buried together) Walter died in 1922 and was buried in the family grave in Finchley cemetery.
▪ an open grave (=one that has not yet been covered in earth) He wept by her open grave.
■ grave + NOUN
▪ a grave site (=the place where a grave is) The President visited the grave sites of 12 youths killed in recent bombings.
II. grave2 BrE AmE adjective - grave problems, situations, or worries are very great or bad ⇨ serious:
Matthew’s life is in grave danger.
The report expressed grave concern over the technicians’ lack of training.
I have grave doubts about his ability.
The situation is becoming very grave.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually use serious rather than grave, and seriously rather than gravely:
▪ I have serious doubts about whether he’s up to the job.
▪ I’m seriously worried about her. - looking or sounding quiet and serious, especially because something important or worrying has happened SYN sombre:
Turnbull’s face was grave as he told them about the accident.
—gravely adverb:
Adam nodded gravely.
We are gravely concerned (=very concerned) about these developments.
⇨ ↑gravity
III. grave3 /ɡrɑːv/ BrE AmE adjective
a grave ↑accent is a mark put above a letter in some languages such as French to show the pronunciation, for example è ⇨ acute, circumflex
Grievance
complaints, especially about something where one works
* The hospital workers’ grievances are that they are tired of working 12 hours each day and that they don’t like the food in the cafeteria
Griff
news or reliable information.
Grim
- making you feel worried or unhappy SYN harsh:
the grim reality of rebuilding the shattered town
When he lost his job, his future looked grim.
Millions of Britons face the grim prospect (=something bad that will probably happen) of dearer home loans.
We received the grim news in silence. - looking or sounding very serious:
‘I’ll survive,’ he said with a grim smile.
The child hung on to her arm with grim determination.
The police officers were silent and grim-faced. - British English informal very bad, ugly, or unpleasant:
The weather forecast is pretty grim.
They painted a grim picture of what life used to be like there.
a grim industrial town - [not before noun] informal ill:
Juliet felt grim through the early months of her pregnancy. - hold/hang on for/like grim death British English informal to hold something very tightly because you are afraid
—grimly adverb:
Arnold smiled grimly
Grip
- FIRM HOLD [countable usually singular] the way you hold something tightly, or your ability to do this:
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.
He released his grip and stepped back. - 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
tighten/loosen/relax your grip (on something)
By 1979 South Africa was tightening its grip on Namibia.
tight/firm/strong/iron etc grip
The recession could be avoided if business keeps a firm grip on its costs. - UNDERSTANDING [singular] an understanding of something
have/get a grip on something
I’m just trying to get a grip on what’s happening.
She was losing her grip on reality. - come/get to grips with something to understand or deal with something difficult:
I’ve never really got to grips with this new technology. - lose your grip to become less confident and less able to deal with a situation:
I don’t know what’s the matter; I think I’m losing my grip. - get/take a grip on yourself to start to improve your behaviour or control your emotions when you have been very upset: buck your ideas up
Stop being hysterical and get a grip on yourself. - get a grip spoken used in order to tell someone to control their emotions:
For God’s sake get a grip! - be in the grip of something to be experiencing a very unpleasant situation that cannot be controlled or stopped:
a country in the grip of famine - STOP SOMETHING SLIPPING
a) [countable] a special part of a handle that has a rough surface so that you can hold it firmly without it slipping:
My racquet needs a new grip.
b) [singular, uncountable] the ability of something to stay on a surface without slipping:
boots which give a good grip - FOR HAIR [countable] British English a ↑hairgrip
British English a small thin piece of metal that a woman uses to hold her hair in place SYN bobby pin American English
- CAMERAMAN [countable] technical someone whose job is to move the cameras around while a television show or film is being made
- BAG [countable] old-fashioned a bag or case used for travelling
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ adjectives
▪ a firm/tight grip The streets were crowded and she kept a tight grip on her bag.
▪ a strong grip Maggie took the boy’s arm in a strong grip.
▪ a good grip (=a grip with which you can keep hold of something) The rocks were wet and slippery and it was difficult to get a good grip.
▪ an iron/vice-like grip (=a very strong grip) Victor took hold of her wrist in an iron grip.
■ verbs
▪ have a grip You need to have a good grip on your tennis racket.
▪ get a grip (=hold something that is hard to hold firmly) I got a good grip on the rope and pulled myself up.
▪ take a grip Mitch took a firm grip on her arm.
▪ tighten your grip/your grip tightens (=hold something more tightly) She tightened her grip on her son’s hand.
▪ loosen/relax your grip (=hold something less tightly) Lee loosened his grip on the dog’s collar.
▪ release your grip (=let go of something) The guard released his grip on the prisoner and pushed him into the cell.
▪ lose your grip (=accidentally let go of something) He shoved Higgins out of the way without losing his grip on the gun.
II. grip2 BrE AmE verb (past tense and past participle gripped, present participle gripping)
[Language: Old English; Origin: grippan] - HOLD TIGHTLY [transitive] to hold something very tightly:
I gripped the rail and tried not to look down.
grip something tightly/firmly
The woman moved closer to Beth, gripping her arm tightly. - HAVE A STRONG EFFECT [transitive] to have a strong effect on someone or something:
a country gripped by economic problems
Panic suddenly gripped me when it was my turn to speak. - INTEREST SOMEBODY [transitive] to hold someone’s attention and interest:
a story that really grips you - NOT SLIP [intransitive and transitive] if something grips a surface, it stays on it without slipping:
Radial tires grip the road well
Grope
- [intransitive] to try to find something that you cannot see by feeling with your hands
grope for
Ginny groped for her glasses on the bedside table.
grope around
We groped around in the darkness. - [intransitive and transitive] to go somewhere by feeling the way with your hands because you cannot see
grope your way along/across etc
I was groping my way blindly through the trees.
Ally groped steadily towards the door. - grope for something to try hard to find the right words to say or the right solution to a problem but without any real idea of how to do this:
She hesitated, seeming to grope for words. - [transitive] informal to move your hands over someone’s body to get sexual pleasure, especially when they do not want you to do this syn: cop a feel
• • •
II. grope2 BrE AmE noun [countable usually singular]
informal touching someone’s body to get sexual pleasure, especially when they do not want you to do this
Gross
- TOTAL [only before noun]
a) a gross sum of money is the total amount before any tax or costs have been taken away ⇨ net:
a gross profit of $5 million
gross income/salary/pay etc
a family with gross earnings of just £75 per week
b) a gross weight is the total weight of something, including its wrapping - VERY BAD [only before noun] clearly wrong and unacceptable
gross negligence/misconduct etc
soldiers accused of gross violations of human rights
The company described reports of environmental disaster as gross exaggeration.
gross indecency (=the crime of doing something that is sexually offensive) - NASTY spoken very unpleasant to look at or think about SYN disgusting:
Ooh, gross! I hate spinach! - FAT informal extremely fat and unattractive
—grossly adverb [+ adjective/adverb]:
Lambert was grossly overweight.
Medical records were found to be grossly inadequate.
—grossness noun [uncountable]
II. gross2 BrE AmE adverb
earn £20,000/$30,000 etc gross to earn £20,000 etc before tax has been taken away ⇨ net:
a junior executive earning $50,000 gross
III. gross3 BrE AmE verb [transitive]
to gain an amount as a total profit, or earn it as a total amount, before tax has been taken away ⇨ net:
The movie has already grossed over $10 million.
gross somebody ↔ out phrasal verb
American English spoken to make someone wish they had not seen or been told about something because it is so unpleasant SYN disgust:
His dirty fingernails really gross me out.
—grossed out adjective
IV. gross4 BrE AmE noun (plural gross) [countable]
a quantity of 144 things
gross of
two gross of candles
Grouchy
in a bad mood; irritable; easy to get angry
* Whenever Gabriella has had a bad day and feels grouchy, she likes to go home to watch an old movie until she feels better
Ground
- EARTH [uncountable]
a) the surface of the earth
the ground
The leaves were slowly fluttering to the ground.
He lay on the ground and stared up at the sky.
The ground was frozen solid.
above/below/under ground
At night, badgers feed above ground.
These youngsters work 70 metres below ground level.
A raised platform stood two metres off the ground.
The air raids were followed by military action on the ground (=on land).
ground troops (=soldiers who fight on land)
b) the soil on and under the surface of the earth:
Dig the ground over in the autumn.
Plant the seeds 2 cm deep in the ground.
The ground was dry, far too dry for growing corn. - AREA OF LAND
a) [uncountable] an area of land without buildings, fences, woods etc:
The landscape is a mixture of open ground and woodland.
They were standing on the waste ground (=land in a town that is not being used) behind the car park.
b) [countable] (also grounds [plural]) an area of land or sea that is used for a particular purpose:
fishing grounds
parade/hunting/burial etc ground
These fields served as a hunting ground for the local people.
The rivers are used as dumping grounds for industrial waste.
He is buried in sacred ground. ⇨ ↑playground(1)
c) grounds [plural] the land or gardens surrounding a large building:
We decided to take a stroll in the hotel grounds. - REASON grounds [plural] a good reason for doing, believing, or saying something
grounds for (doing) something
Mental cruelty can be grounds for divorce.
There are strong grounds for believing his statement.
have grounds to do something
Did the police have reasonable grounds to arrest him?
on moral/legal/medical etc grounds
The proposal was rejected on environmental grounds.
on (the) grounds of something
Flying was ruled out on grounds of cost.
‘You’re under arrest.’ ‘On what grounds?’
on the grounds that
We oppose the bill, on the grounds that it discriminates against women. - SUBJECT [uncountable] a subject or area of knowledge:
At meetings, we just keep going over the same ground (=talking about the same things).
His latest movie looks set to break new ground (=introduce new and exciting ideas).
familiar/home ground (=a subject etc that you know something about)
In his latest book, McManus returns to more familiar ground. - OPINION [uncountable] a general opinion or set of attitudes:
Often parents and teenagers find they have little common ground (=they do not share the same attitudes etc).
the middle/centre ground (=opinions that are not extreme that most people would agree with)
Both parties are battling to occupy the centre ground.
Careful, Laura. You could be treading on dangerous ground (=expressing opinions etc that might offend someone).
Each side was unwilling to give ground (=change their opinion). - SPORT [countable] British English the place where a particular sport is played ⇨ stadium:
a new football ground
It’s their first defeat at their home ground (=the ground that belongs to a particular team) all season. - hold/stand your ground
a) to stay where you are when someone threatens you, in order to show them that you are not afraid:
The men threatened him, but he stood his ground and they fled.
b) to refuse to change your mind about something, even though people are opposing you:
Jason vowed to stand his ground, even if it meant losing his job. - get off the ground to start to be successful:
Her show never really got off the ground in the UK. - gain ground
a) to become more successful:
It was feared that the extreme right would gain ground in the election.
b) if an idea, belief etc gains ground, more people start to accept it:
His theories gradually gained ground among academics.
c) to get closer to someone or something that you are competing with - lose ground to become less successful compared with someone or something you are competing with:
The Indian team seem determined to regain the ground they lost in the last game. - breeding/fertile/proving ground a situation in which something develops quickly or successfully:
The region, with its widespread poverty, provided fertile ground for revolutionary activists.
prepare/lay the ground (=to provide the situation or conditions in which something can develop successfully)
breeding/fertile/proving ground for
My task was to prepare the ground for the recruitment of support workers. - burn/raze something to the ground to destroy a city, building etc completely by fire, bombs etc:
The city of Tortona was burnt to the ground. - work/drive/run yourself into the ground to work so hard that you become very tired or ill:
Kay’s working herself into the ground trying to meet her deadlines. - on the ground in the place or situation where something important is happening, rather than somewhere else – used especially in news reports:
While the politicians talk of peace, the situation on the ground remains tense. - stamping ground British English, stomping ground American English informal someone’s stamping ground is an area where they are known or have a lot of influence:
I guess he’ll try to reach his old stomping ground to drum up support. - ELECTRICAL [singular] American English a wire that connects a piece of electrical equipment to the ground for safety SYN earth British English
- grounds [plural] small pieces of solid material that sink to the bottom of a liquid:
coffee grounds - go to ground British English to make it hard for people to find you:
The man has gone to ground since his photograph was published in a national newspaper. - run somebody/something to ground British English to succeed in finding someone or something after a long search
- BACKGROUND [countable] technical the colour used as the background for a design
⇨ cut the ground from under sb’s feet at ↑cut1(37) - cut the ground from under sb’s feet to make someone or their ideas seem less impressive by having better ideas yourself or doing something before they do,
⇨ have/keep both feet on the ground at ↑foot1(18), - have/keep both feet on the ground to think in a sensible and practical way and not have ideas or aims that will be impossible to achieve:
It was a great result, but we have to keep our feet firmly on the ground
⇨ suit somebody down to the ground at ↑suit2(1),
The climate there will suit you down to the ground (=suit you very well).
⇨ be thin on the ground at ↑thin1(12), - be thin on the ground if a particular type of person or thing is thin on the ground, there are very few available:
Taxis seem to be thin on the ground
⇨ hit the ground running at ↑hit1(24)
- hit the ground running to start doing something successfully without any delay:
Law graduates are expected to hit the ground running• • •
THESAURUS
▪ the ground the surface of the earth, or the soil on its surface: He collapsed and fell to the ground. | The ground was wet and muddy.
▪ the ocean/forest/cave etc floor the ground at the bottom of the ocean, a forest, a cave etc: Many wonderful creatures live on the ocean floor.
▪ land used when talking about an area of ground that is owned by someone, or is used for an activity. Also used when talking about the part of the earth’s surface that is not covered with water: His family owns a lot of land. | agricultural land | She got off the ferry, happy to be back on dry land.
▪ terrain a type of land – used when talking about how easy an area of land is to cross, and whether it is rocky, flat etc: The Land Rover is built to go over rough terrain. | The terrain gets flatter when you go further south.
▪ earth/soil the substance that plants grow in: The vegetables were still covered in black soil.
▪ mud wet earth: Your shoes are covered in mud.
II. ground2 BrE AmE verb
[Word Family: noun: ↑ground, ↑underground, ↑grounding, GROUNDS; adjective: goundless, ↑underground ≠ ↑overground, ↑grounded; verb: ↑ground; adverb: ↑underground] - AIRCRAFT [transitive usually passive] to stop an aircraft or pilot from flying:
All planes are grounded until the fog clears. - BOAT [intransitive and transitive] if you ground a boat or if it grounds, it hits the bottom of the sea so that it cannot move:
Both boats grounded on a mud bank. - be grounded in/on something to be based on something:
Lewis’ ideas were grounded in his Christian faith. - CHILD [transitive] informal to stop a child going out with their friends as a punishment for behaving badly:
I got home at 2 am and Dad grounded me on the spot. - ELECTRICITY [transitive] American English to make a piece of electrical equipment safe by connecting it to the ground with a wire SYN earth British English
⇨ ↑well-grounded - well-grounded in something fully trained in an activity or skill:
The soldiers were well-grounded in survival skills. - ↑well-founded:
My fears were well-grounded.
ground somebody in something phrasal verb
to teach someone the basic things they should know in order to be able to do something:
Most seven-year-olds are grounded in the basics of reading and writing.
III. ground3 BrE AmE adjective [only before noun]
ground coffee or nuts have been broken up into powder or very small pieces, using a special machine ⇨ grind
IV. ground4 BrE AmE
the past tense and past participle of ↑grind1
Grouse
- [uncountable and countable] (plural grouse) a small bird that is hunted and shot for food and sport, or the flesh of this bird: قرقاول
the grouse shooting season
roast grouse - [countable] informal a complaint:
His main grouse is that he isn’t paid enough.
II. grouse2 BrE AmE verb [intransitive]
[Date: 1800-1900; Origin: Perhaps from Old French grouchier; ⇨ ↑grouch1]
informal to complain about something SYN moan
grouse about
I haven’t really got much to grouse about
Grout line
بند كاشي
Grow apart
to get distance from someone don’t mistake with stay clear of me
[example: when my best friend move to another country we tried to stay close but we slowly grew apart]
Gullet
the tube at the back of your mouth through which food goes down your throat
Gullible
too ready to believe what other people tell you, so that you are easily tricked:
Plastic replicas of the Greek pottery are sold to gullible tourists.
—gullibility /ˌɡʌləˈbɪləti, ˌɡʌlɪˈbɪləti/ noun [uncountable
زود باور
Gut
- gut reaction/feeling/instinct informal a reaction or feeling that you are sure is right, although you cannot give a reason for it:
He had a gut feeling that Sarah was lying. - COURAGE guts [plural] informal the courage and determination you need to do something difficult or unpleasant:
It takes guts to start a new business on your own.
have the guts (to do something)
No one had the guts to tell Paul what a mistake he was making. - INSIDE YOUR BODY
a) guts [plural] all the organs in someone’s body, especially when they have come out of their body:
There were blood and guts all over the place.
b) [countable] the tube through which food passes from your stomach SYN intestine:
It can take 72 hours for food to pass through the gut. - STOMACH [countable] informal someone’s stomach, especially when it is large SYN belly:
He felt as if someone had just kicked him in the gut.
Phil has a huge beer gut (=unattractive fat stomach caused by drinking too much beer). - STRING [uncountable] a type of strong string made from the ↑intestine of an animal, and used for musical instruments such as ↑violins ⇨ ↑catgut
- MACHINE/EQUIPMENT guts [plural] informal the parts inside a machine or piece of equipment
- MOST IMPORTANT PARTS guts [plural] informal the most important or basic parts of something
guts of
the guts of the problem - work/sweat your guts out (also slog your guts out British English) informal to work very hard
- at gut level if you know something at gut level, you feel sure about it, though you could not give a reason for it:
She knew at gut level that he was guilty. - I’ll have sb’s guts for garters British English informal used to say that you would like to punish someone severely for something they have done
⇨ ↑blood-and-guts, ⇨ bust a gut at ↑bust1(3), ⇨ hate sb’s guts at ↑hate1(2), ⇨ spill your guts at ↑spill1(4)
II. gut2 BrE AmE verb (past tense and past participle gutted, present participle gutting) [transitive] - [usually passive] to completely destroy the inside of a building, especially by fire:
The building was completely gutted by fire. - to remove the organs from inside a fish or animal in order to prepare it for cooking
- to change something by removing some of the most important or central parts
Gynecologist
متخصص زنان
Halcyon
ˈhælsiən/ BrE AmE adjective
[Date: 1500-1600; Origin: halcyon ‘bird believed to bring good weather at sea’ (14-19 centuries), from Latin, from Greek alkyon ‘kingfisher’]
halcyon days literary a time in the past when you were very happy syn: heyday
“the halcyon days of the mid 1980s, when profits were soaring
Hammock
a large piece of cloth that is hung between two trees or posts so that you can sleep in
Hands down
indisputable
it’s hands down the best day I have
don’t mistake it with “win hands down”
Hang about
- spoken to move slowly or take too long doing something:
Come on, we haven’t got time to hang about! - hang about (something) to spend time somewhere without any real purpose:
There were always groups of boys hanging about in the square.
He normally hung about the house all day. - hang about! spoken
a) used to ask someone to wait or stop what they are doing
b) used when you have just noticed or thought of something that is interesting or wrong:
Hang about – that can’t be right
happy belated birthday
تولدت با تاخير مبارك
happy birthday for Wednesday
پيشاپيش تولد چهارشنبت مبارك
happy for, about, with
happy for
اگر می خواهید بگویید که برای فرد خاصی خوش حال هستید، باید از ساختار happy for استفاده کنید. این خوش حالی ممکن است به هر دلیلی باشد. شاید فرد موفقیت جدیدی کسب کرده یا هر رخداد خوب دیگری باعث شده که شما هم برای او خوش حال باشید.
بعد از این ساختار فقط از اسم افراد و ضمایر مفعولی استفاده می شود. پس می توان گفت شکل صحیح آن به صورت زیر است:
Happy for someone
به مثال های زیر دقت کنید:
You got into grad school? Oh God, I’m really happy for you.
(دانشگاه قبول شدی؟ وای خدا واقعا برات خوش حالم.)
I’m happy for him. It’s nice to see him settled with a woman who’s in love with him.
(واقعا براش خوش حالم. خوبه که ببینی با زنی که عاشقشه سروسامون گرفته.)
She was quite happy for us when I told her we were going to buy a better house.
(وقتی بهش گفتم که قراره خونه بهتری بخریم خیلی برامون خوش حال شد.)
کاربرد معنایی happy about
از این ساختار برای اشاره به مفاهیم یا رخدادهایی استفاده می کنیم که فرد به خاطر آن ها خوش حال است. شکل کامل این ساختار می شود happy about something . بنابراین نمی توان بعد از آن ضمایر مفعولی یا اسم هایی که به افراد اشاره دارند، استفاده کرد.
I’m happy about you getting a better job.
(به خاطر اینکه شغل بهتری گرفتی خوش حالم.)
I’m happy about getting into grad school.
(به خاطر قبول شدن در دانشگاه خوش حالم.)
کاربرد happy with
در انتها نیز بهتر است که نگاهی به حرف اضافه with در کنار happy داشته باشیم. نکته اینجاست که بعد از این حرف اضافه اشاره به افراد و مفاهیم و رخدادها جایز است. یعنی برخلاف about و for که فقط یکی از موارد را مجاز می کنند.
نکته اصلی که باید در نظر داشت آن است که about و for به نوعی از خوش حالی اشاره می کنند که در اثر وقوع حادثه جدیدی به وجود آمده است. این در حالی است که with به خوش حالی و رضایتی می پردازد که فرد نسبت به چیزهایی که از قبل در زندگی خود دارد حس می کند.
I’m happy with my husband.
(در کنار همسرم خوش حالم.)
I’m happy with my life.
(از زندگی ام راضی ام.)
در هر دو مثال فرد اعلام رضایت از وضعیت کنونی زندگی خود می کند. پس حواستان جمع باشد که از هر حرف اضافه به چه شکل و در کجا استفاده می کنید.
happy hump day
hump day : Wednesday
hump: كوهان شتر
Harbinger
a sign that something is going to happen soon
harbinger of
These birds are considered to be harbingers of doom
Hard pass
نه به هيچ عنوان (informal)
Hardback
a book that has a strong stiff cover
in hardback
His first novel sold over 40,000 copies in hardback.
—hardback adjective:
a hardback edition of ‘The Joy of Cooking’
⇨ ↑paperback
has gone somewhere vs. has been somewhere
she’s gone to melbourne —- she’s there now
she’s been to melbourne —- now she has returned
Hash things out
to talk about sth in details in order to reach an agreement
hasn’t decorated terribly well
خيلي خوب دكور نشده
hasta la vista
خدافظ
Haughty
behaving in a proud unfriendly way ⇨ stuck up:
a haughty laugh
—haughtily adverb
—haughtiness noun [uncountable
Haul
- to pull something heavy with a continuous steady movement
haul something off/onto/out of etc something
She hauled her backpack onto her back.
the steam locomotive which hauled the train
I hauled the door shut behind me. - haul yourself up/out of etc something
a) to move somewhere with a lot of effort, especially because you are injured or tired:
Patrick hauled himself painfully up the stairs.
b) to succeed in achieving a higher position in society, in a competition etc:
He is confident that the club can haul themselves further up the league. - haul somebody over the coals British English to criticize someone severely because they have done something wrong SYN rake somebody over the coals American English
- haul off and hit/punch/kick somebody American English informal to try to hit someone very hard
- haul ass American English spoken not polite to hurry
haul somebody off phrasal verb
to force someone to go somewhere that they do not want to go, especially to prison:
Police handcuffed him and hauled him off to jail.
haul somebody up phrasal verb informal
to officially bring someone to a court of law to be judged
haul somebody up before/in front of
Campbell was hauled up in front of the magistrate.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ pull to make something or someone move in the direction that your hands are moving: He pulled her towards him and kissed her. | Sam was pulling on his socks.
▪ tug to pull something suddenly with a short quick movement, often to get someone’s attention: ‘Look,’ he said, tugging at his brother’s sleeve. | I tugged at the drawer but it wouldn’t open.
▪ drag to pull something along the ground, especially because it is heavy: If we can’t lift the piano, we’ll have to drag it.
▪ haul to pull something big and heavy using a lot of effort, especially upwards and using a rope: They hauled their boats further up the beach. | fishermen hauling in their nets
▪ heave to pull or lift something very heavy, especially with one movement: He heaved the sack of sand onto his shoulder.
▪ draw formal to pull something or someone gently in a particular direction: Lisa reached for his hand but he drew it away.
▪ pull to be attached to a vehicle or piece of machinery and make it move behind you in the direction you are going: Ten dogs were pulling a sledge over the ice. | a tractor pulling a plough
▪ tow to pull a vehicle behind – used about a vehicle, a boat, or a horse pulling something using a rope or chain: The car in front of us was towing a caravan. | Horses were used to tow the boats along the canals.
▪ draw to pull a vehicle such as a carriage – used especially about horses doing this: a carriage drawn by four horses | a horse-drawn cart
II. haul2 BrE AmE noun [countable] - a large amount of illegal or stolen goods:
The gang escaped with a haul worth hundreds of pounds.
haul of
A haul of stolen cars has been seized by police officers. - long/slow haul something that takes a lot of time and effort:
At last we’ve won our freedom but it’s been a long bitter haul. - for the long haul until something that will take a long time is done or achieved:
I’m in this for the long haul (=going to stay involved until the end). - over the long haul over a long period of time:
Over the long haul, these small increases add up. - the amount of fish caught when fishing with a net
⇨ ↑long-haul, ↑short-haul
Have a chinwag
have a chat
syn: chew the fact
Have a drag
يه پُك بزن
have ants in your pants
to be unable to sit still because you are nervous or full of energy
Have bearing on
to affect or influence a decision usually use in a negative statement
[example: personal feelings had no bearing on our decision ]
have head for heights
if you have head for heights you’re able to be in a high place without being afraid or uncomfortable
Have heart-to-heart
a serious and sincere conversation between two people about their feelings
* Eva needs to have a heart-to-heart with her husband and let him know why she doesn’t like him to work late every evening.
Have knack for music
استعداد چيزي رو داشتن
have you been keeping busy?
yes I have been busy with work
از موقعه اي كه همو نديديم مشغول بودي؟
have you ever seen a celebrity in the flesh
تا حالا سلبريتي از نزديك ديدي
have you not bounced back yet?
no I haven’t, I don’t know where I’ve picked up this cold from, I don’t seem be able to shake it off
هنوز خوب نشدي؟
نه نميدونم از كجا گرفتمش، فك نكنم بتونم از شرش خلاص بشم
have/take a gander at sth
. have/take a gander at something spoken to look at something
Haven
a place where people or animals can live peacefully or go to in order to be safe ⇨ sanctuary
haven for
The riverbanks are a haven for wildlife.
St Ives, a haven for artists and hippies
a haven of peace/tranquillity/calm
In the middle of the city, this garden is a haven of tranquillity.
⇨ ↑safe haven, ↑tax haven
Hawkish
adj. supporting the use of military force in order to deal with political problems opp: pacifist
—hawkishness noun [uncountable
Haze light
چراغ احتياط چشمك زن
he had it coming
حقش بود
he is a pushover
تو سري خوره
he is a pushover
تو سري خوره
he is crossed with me
باهم قهره
he was doing my head in
داشت ميرفت رو مخم
he went MIA before the wedding
يكدفه قبل عروسي غيبش زد
head off
- to leave to go to another place:
I’m heading off now. - head something ↔ off to prevent something from happening, especially something bad:
The President intervened to head off the conflict. - head somebody ↔ off to stop someone going somewhere by moving in front of them:
Soldiers headed them off at the border.
head start
- an advantage that helps you to be successful
give somebody/get/have a head start
▪ Give your children a head start by sending them to nursery school. - a start in a race in which you begin earlier or further ahead than someone else
headship
- the position of being in charge of an organization
- British English the job of being in charge of a school
headstrong
very determined to do what you want, even when other people advise you not to do
headway
make headway
a) to make progress towards achieving something – used especially when this is difficult
make headway towards/in/with etc
Foreign firms have made little headway in the US market.
b) to move forwards – used especially when this is slow or difficult:
Stormy weather stopped the ship from making headway
heckler
someone who makes loud, rude noises to interrupt a performance or speech
* It was difficult to hear the speech because there were loud hecklers sitting in the back of the theater. The manager finally asked them to leave
hectic
- very busy or full of activity:
I’ve had a pretty hectic day.
a hectic social life - written if your face is a hectic colour, it is very pink:
the hectic flush on her cheeks
hedge
- a row of small bushes or trees growing close together, usually dividing one field or garden from another
- something that protects you against possible problems, especially financial loss
hedge against
Buying a house will be a hedge against inflation
II. hedge2 BrE AmE verb (past tense and past participle hedged, present participle hedging) [intransitive and transitive]
1. to avoid giving a direct answer to a question:
You’re hedging again – have you got the money or haven’t you?
‘That depends on my partner,’ she hedged.
2. hedge your bets to reduce your chances of failure or loss by trying several different possibilities instead of one:
It’s a good idea to hedge your bets by applying to more than one college.
hedge against something phrasal verb
to try to protect yourself against possible problems, especially financial loss:
Smart managers will hedge against price increases.
hedge in phrasal verb be hedged in
1. to be surrounded or enclosed by something:
The building was hedged in by trees.
2. if you feel hedged in by something, you feel that your freedom is restricted by it
heed
to pay attention to someone’s advice or warning:
If she had only heeded my warnings, none of this would have happened.
II. heed2 BrE AmE noun
pay heed to something/take heed of something formal to pay attention to something, especially something someone says, and seriously consider it:
The government was taking little heed of these threats.
Tom paid no heed to her warning
held over
delayed or arranged for a later date
[example: all the services of this page will be held over until the the regime is turned over]
helicopter parents
پدر مادر هايي كه همش بچه هاشون رو تحت نظر دارن، به مدرسشون ميرن كه مشكلاتشونو حل كنن و مثل هليكوپتر بالا سرشونن
her emotions cloud her judgment
her emotions weaken her judgment
hereby
as a result of this statement – used in official situations:
▪ I hereby agree to the conditions of this contract
hiccup
- [usually plural] a sudden repeated stopping of the breath, usually caused by eating or drinking too fast
get/have hiccups British English get/have the hiccups American English:
Don’t drink so fast – you’ll get hiccups. - a small problem or delay
hiccup in
a hiccup in the negotiations
II. hiccup2 BrE AmE verb (past tense and past participle hiccupped, present participle hiccupping) [intransitive]
to have hiccups
hickey
American English a red mark on someone’s skin caused by someone else sucking it as a sexual act SYN love bite British English
high beam
چراغ نور بالاي ماشين
high-maintenance
در مورد آدم ها يعني كسي كه قر و فرش زياده
his girlfriend is pretty high-maintenance
highbrow
- a highbrow book, film etc is very serious and may be difficult to understand
- someone who is highbrow is interested in serious or complicated ideas and subjects SYN intellectual
—highbrow noun [countable]
⇨ ↑lowbrow, ↑middlebrow
hindsight
ˈhaɪndsaɪt
the ability to understand a situation only after it has happened ⇨ foresight syn: in retrospect
with/in hindsight
With hindsight, I should have seen the warning signs.
the benefit/wisdom of hindsight
With the benefit of hindsight, it’s easy to criticize
his bark is worse than his bite
هارتو پورتش زياده
hit
- TOUCH SOMEBODY/SOMETHING HARD [transitive] to touch someone or something quickly and hard with your hand, a stick etc:
He raised the hammer and hit the bell.
hit somebody/something with something
The robbers hit him over the head with a baseball bat. - CRASH INTO SOMETHING [transitive] to move into something or someone quickly and with force:
The tanks exploded as the plane hit the ground.
He was hit by a car. - HURT YOURSELF [transitive] to move a part of your body quickly against something accidentally, causing pain SYN bang:
The ceiling’s low, so be careful you don’t hit your head.
hit something on/against something
She slipped and hit her head on the sidewalk. - SPORT [transitive]
a) if you hit a ball or other object, you make it move forward quickly by hitting it with a ↑bat, stick etc SYN strike:
Hit the ball as hard as you can.
b) to get points by hitting a ball in a game such as ↑baseball or ↑cricket:
Last year, Griffey hit 49 home runs. - PRESS [transitive] informal to press a part in a machine, car, etc to make it work:
Maria hit the brakes just in time. - ATTACK [transitive] to attack something or wound someone with a bomb, bullet etc:
Our ship was badly hit and sank within minutes.
A second shot hit her in the back.
The bomb failed to hit its target. - AFFECT BADLY [intransitive and transitive] if something bad hits a place or a person, it suddenly happens and affects people badly:
The village has been hit by a devastating drought.
Hurricane Louis is expected to hit at the weekend.
be badly/severely/hard hit
The company has been hard hit by the drop in consumer confidence.
The south of the country is the worst hit by the recession. - HAVE PROBLEMS [transitive] to experience trouble, problems etc
hit a snag/problems/a bad patch etc
My father hit a bad patch, he had to sell the house. - REACH A LEVEL/NUMBER [transitive] to reach a particular level or number:
Sales have hit the 1 million mark.
hit a peak/an all-time high etc
Earnings hit a peak in the early 1980s.
hit rock-bottom/an all-time low etc
Oil prices have hit rock-bottom. - REALIZE [transitive] if a fact hits you, you suddenly realize its importance and feel surprised or shocked:
It’s impossible to pinpoint a moment when it hit me that I was ‘a success’.
He was gone before they knew what had hit them (=realized what had happened). - SMELL/SIGHT ETC [transitive] if a smell or sight hits you, you suddenly smell or see it:
The smell of stale smoke hit him as he entered. - ARRIVE [transitive] informal to arrive at a place:
They hit the main road two kilometres further on.
hit town American English:
I’ll look for work as soon as I hit town. - hit the road/trail informal to begin a journey
- hit the shops/streets if a product hits the shops, it becomes available to buy:
I managed to get a copy of the book before it hit the shops. - hit the headlines to be reported widely on television, in newspapers etc:
The couple hit the headlines last year when their relationship broke down. - hit the bottle informal to start drinking too much alcohol regularly:
After his marriage failed, he hit the bottle big time. - hit the dirt/the deck informal to fall to the ground in order to avoid something dangerous:
My first instinct was to hit the dirt. - hit a (brick) wall informal to suddenly not be able to make any progress:
I felt I’d hit a wall with my playing. - hit the buffers/skids informal if a plan, project etc hits the buffers, it fails:
Croft’s comeback hit the skids yesterday when she lost in the quarter-finals. - hit somebody when they are down informal to upset or harm someone when they are already defeated
- hit somebody where it hurts informal to do something that you know will upset someone in the most damaging way:
Hit your husband where it hurts – in his wallet! - hit it off (with somebody) informal if two people hit it off, they like each other as soon as they meet:
I knew you’d hit it off with Mike. - hit the big time (also hit it big American English) informal to suddenly become very famous, successful, and rich:
The 25-year-old painter hopes to hit it big in New York. - hit the ground running to start doing something successfully without any delay:
Law graduates are expected to hit the ground running. - hit the jackpot
a) to win a lot of money
b) to have a big success:
Owens hit the jackpot in his first professional game with the Cowboys. - hit the nail on the head informal used to say that what someone has said is exactly right:
You’ve hit the nail on the head there, David. - hit home
a) if a remark, criticism etc about you hits home, you realize that it is true:
Graham didn’t reply, but she could see her words had hit home.
b) if a blow or kick hits home, it hits the thing it is aimed at - hit the spot informal to have exactly the good effect that you wanted, especially when you are hungry or thirsty
- hit the roof/ceiling informal to be very angry:
Ranieri returned, saw the mess, and hit the roof. - hit the sack (also hit the hay American English) informal to go to bed
⇨ the shit hits the fan at ↑shit2(17), ⇨ hit/strike paydirt at ↑paydirt
• • •
THESAURUS
■ to hit someone
▪ hit to hit someone quickly and hard with your hand, a stick etc: He hit him hard in the stomach. | I don’t like to see people hitting a dog.
▪ beat to hit someone deliberately many times, especially very hard: The girl had been beaten to death. | He was beating the donkey with a stick.
▪ strike written to hit someone with your hand or a weapon. Strike is more formal than hit and is mainly used in written English: Her husband struck her twice across the face. | Police say that the man had been struck on the head.
▪ punch to hit someone hard with your closed hand, especially in a fight: I punched him on the nose. | She was screaming and punching him with her fists.
▪ thump /θʌmp/ informal to punch someone very hard: Sometimes I just want to thump him.
▪ beat somebody up to hurt someone badly in a violent attack, by hitting them many times: If I tell the police, they’ll beat me up. | He had been beaten up and tortured with lighted cigarettes.
▪ slap to hit someone with your open hand, especially because you are angry with them: They had a big row and she ended up slapping him.
▪ spank (also smack especially British English) to hit someone, especially a child, with your open hand in order to punish them: Should a parent ever smack a child? | I don’t agree with smacking. | In those days, children were spanked if they behaved badly.
■ to hit something
▪ hit: Jack hit the ball and it flew over the fence
▪ knock to hit a door or window with your closed hand in order to attract the attention of the people inside: Someone was knocking on the door. | I knocked loudly but no one came.
▪ strike written to hit a surface. Strike is more formal than hit and is mainly used in written English: The ball struck the side of the goal.
▪ whack /wæk/ informal to hit something very hard: Edmonds whacked the ball into the air.
▪ bash to hit something hard, especially in a way that causes damage: The police had to bash the door down to get in.
▪ tap to gently hit something with your fingers, often in order to attract someone’s attention: I tapped him on the shoulder. | I heard someone tapping on the window.
▪ rap to knock quickly or hit something several times: He rapped the table with his pen to bring the meeting to order. | Two police officers rapped on the door at 7 o’clock in the morning.
▪ bang to suddenly hit something hard, in a way that makes a loud noise: Her father banged his fist down on the table angrily. | The door suddenly banged shut.
▪ pound written to hit something many times with a lot of force: I could hear the sea pounding on the rocks. | She pounded on the door and shouted wildly.
▪ hammer written to hit something quickly many times making a loud continuous noise: The rain was hammering on the roof. | A crowd of people were outside hammering on the door angrily.
■ to hit something accidentally
▪ hit: I’ve got a bad bruise where I hit my leg against the table. | The car hit a tree.
▪ bump to hit a part of your body against something, especially because you do not see or notice it: Careful you don’t bump your head – the ceiling’s very low.
▪ bang/bash to hit something hard, so that you hurt yourself or damage something: He banged into the car in front. | I bashed my knee climbing over a gate. | She fell and bashed her chin on the ground.
▪ stub to hit your toe against something and hurt it: I stubbed my toe on the piano leg.
hit back phrasal verb
to attack or criticize a person or group that has attacked or criticized you SYN retaliate
hit back at
The actress hit back at claims that she had threatened a member of staff.
hit back with
United were a goal down, but hit back with an equalizer.
hit back by doing something
He hit back by calling his critics ‘lazy’.
hit on somebody/something phrasal verb - (also hit upon something) to have an idea or discover something suddenly or unexpectedly SYN come up with:
Then we hit on the idea of asking viewers to donate money over the Net. - American English informal to talk to someone in a way that shows you are sexually attracted to them:
Dave has hit on most of the women in the department.
hit out phrasal verb
to try to hit someone:
When he felt someone grab him, he hit out wildly.
hit out at somebody/something phrasal verb
(also hit out against somebody/something) to express strong disapproval of someone or something SYN attack:
The bishop hit out at the government’s policy on the homeless.
hit somebody up for something phrasal verb American English spoken
to ask someone for money:
Did he hit you up for cash again?
hit somebody with something phrasal verb informal - to tell someone something interesting, exciting, or shocking:
The next morning, Steve hit me with the truth. - American English to punish or try to harm someone by doing something that will cause problems for them:
The next day, we found they’d hit us with a lawsuit.
II. hit2 S3 W3 BrE AmE noun [countable] - SUCCESSFUL something such as a film, play, song etc that is very popular and successful
a hit single/show/record etc
the hit musical ‘Phantom of the Opera’
a big/smash/number 1 etc hit
the Beatles’ greatest hits
Which band had a hit with ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’?
be a hit with somebody (=be liked by them)
It’s hoped the new museum will be a big hit with families. - HIT SOMETHING an occasion when something that is aimed at something else touches it, reaches it, or damages it:
Our ship took a direct hit and sank. - COMPUTER
a) an occasion when someone visits a website:
The site had 2,000 hits in the first week.
b) a result of a computer search, especially on the Internet:
thousands of irrelevant hits - take a hit to be badly affected in some way:
The region’s economy will take a hit if the airbase is closed. - informal a feeling of pleasure obtained from taking an illegal drug
- informal a murder that has been arranged to happen
⇨ ↑hit man
• • •
THESAURUS
■ something that is popular
▪ bestseller a book that a lot of people buy: His prize-winning book ‘A Year in Provence’ became an international bestseller.
▪ blockbuster a film that a lot of people watch, especially an exciting film: a Hollywood blockbuster | a blockbuster movie
▪ hit something such as a song, show, or film which is very popular and successful: The band played all their old hits. | The film was a box-office hit (=a lot of people went to see it at the cinema). | She stars in ABC’s hit show ‘Desperate Housewives’.
▪ sell-out a concert, sports event etc which so many people want to see that all the tickets are sold: The concert was a sell-out. | the band’s sell-out tour of the US
▪ cult movie/band/figure etc a film, band, person etc that has become very popular and fashionable with a particular group of people: a cult TV programme
▪ craze something that suddenly becomes popular, so that a lot of people do it, buy it etc: the latest dance craze that has been sweeping the US | the craze for ultra expensive designer jeans
▪ fad informal something that is very popular for a short time – used about something that you disapprove of, which you do not think will last for very long: Most diets are just fads. | I think it’s a passing fad.
hit on
- (also hit upon something) to have an idea or discover something suddenly or unexpectedly SYN come up with:
Then we hit on the idea of asking viewers to donate money over the Net. - American English informal to talk to someone in a way that shows you are sexually attracted to them:
Dave has hit on most of the women in the department.
hive
/haɪv/ BrE AmE noun
[Sense 1-2: Language: Old English; Origin: hyf]
[Sense 3: Origin: Origin unknown]
1. [countable] (also beehive) a small box where ↑bees are kept, or the bees that live in this box
2. a hive of industry/activity etc British English a place that is full of people who are very busy:
This marketplace was once a hive of activity.
3. hives [uncountable] a skin disease in which a person’s skin becomes red and sore
II. hive2 BrE AmE verb
hive something ↔ off phrasal verb British English
to sell one part of a business:
the trend for television companies to hive off their advertising departments
hoist
- to raise, lift, or pull something up, especially using ropes:
The crew hurried to hoist the flag. - be hoist with/by your own petard formal to be harmed or embarrassed by the plans you had made to hurt other people – often used humorously don’t mistake it with backfire
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ lift (up) to move something or someone upwards to a higher position, especially something heavy, either by using your hands or a machine: You shouldn’t lift anything heavy if you have a bad back. | She lifted the lid from a huge pot and took a sniff. | They lifted me onto a stretcher and took me to the ambulance. | He lifted the girl up onto his knee. | They used a crane to lift the carriages back onto the rails. | The massive bull lifted him bodily into the air and shook him repeatedly.
▪ raise to lift something to a higher position for a short time before lowering it again. Raise is more formal than lift: The bridge can be raised to allow ships to pass under it. | ‘Cheers, everyone!’ said Larry, raising his glass.
▪ pick up to lift something up from the ground, from a table etc, especially something small or light: She picked up her bag and left the room. | Tom picked the papers up off the floor. | Why don’t you just pick up the phone and call him? | Maurin picked up the gun and put it in his pocket. | The lioness picked her cub up by its neck. | There are papers all over the floor – could you pick them up and put them away? | The little girl’s mother laughed and bent down to pick her up. | The vacuum cleaner won’t pick this stuff up.
▪ scoop up to lift someone or something quickly from the ground, from a table etc, using your hand or arm: She bent down and scooped up the little dog.
▪ hoist to lift up something which is heavy and difficult to carry: Joe picked up the sack and hoisted it onto the truck. | The crowd hoisted him onto their shoulders and carried him triumphantly down the main street.
▪ elevate technical to lift something to a higher position and keep it there: The doctor advised me to rest and elevate my ankle.
▪ put your hand up to lift your arm into the air, for example because you want to speak in a class or when voting: Put your hand up if you know the answer.
II. hoist2 BrE AmE noun - [countable] a piece of equipment used for lifting heavy objects with ropes ⇨ crane:
a boat hoist - [usually singular] a movement that lifts something up: don’t mistake it with boost
Give me a hoist onto your shoulders
hoist
- to raise, lift, or pull something up, especially using ropes:
The crew hurried to hoist the flag. - be hoist with/by your own petard formal to be harmed or embarrassed by the plans you had made to hurt other people – often used humorously don’t mistake it with backfire
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ lift (up) to move something or someone upwards to a higher position, especially something heavy, either by using your hands or a machine: You shouldn’t lift anything heavy if you have a bad back. | She lifted the lid from a huge pot and took a sniff. | They lifted me onto a stretcher and took me to the ambulance. | He lifted the girl up onto his knee. | They used a crane to lift the carriages back onto the rails. | The massive bull lifted him bodily into the air and shook him repeatedly.
▪ raise to lift something to a higher position for a short time before lowering it again. Raise is more formal than lift: The bridge can be raised to allow ships to pass under it. | ‘Cheers, everyone!’ said Larry, raising his glass.
▪ pick up to lift something up from the ground, from a table etc, especially something small or light: She picked up her bag and left the room. | Tom picked the papers up off the floor. | Why don’t you just pick up the phone and call him? | Maurin picked up the gun and put it in his pocket. | The lioness picked her cub up by its neck. | There are papers all over the floor – could you pick them up and put them away? | The little girl’s mother laughed and bent down to pick her up. | The vacuum cleaner won’t pick this stuff up.
▪ scoop up to lift someone or something quickly from the ground, from a table etc, using your hand or arm: She bent down and scooped up the little dog.
▪ hoist to lift up something which is heavy and difficult to carry: Joe picked up the sack and hoisted it onto the truck. | The crowd hoisted him onto their shoulders and carried him triumphantly down the main street.
▪ elevate technical to lift something to a higher position and keep it there: The doctor advised me to rest and elevate my ankle.
▪ put your hand up to lift your arm into the air, for example because you want to speak in a class or when voting: Put your hand up if you know the answer.
II. hoist2 BrE AmE noun - [countable] a piece of equipment used for lifting heavy objects with ropes ⇨ crane:
a boat hoist - [usually singular] a movement that lifts something up: don’t mistake it with boost
Give me a hoist onto your shoulders
hold that thought
hold that thought
hold your horses
slow down when going too fast or wait a moment or be patient before acting
holy moly
جل الخالق
home
- PLACE WHERE YOU LIVE [uncountable and countable] the house, apartment, or place where you live:
They have a beautiful home in California.
Good luck in your new home!
at home
Last night we stayed at home and watched TV.
away from home
He was spending more and more time away from home.
work from/at home (=do your work at home instead of at a company office)
A family of birds made their home (=started living) under the roof. - FAMILY [uncountable and countable] the place where a child lived with his or her family:
Jack left home when he was 16.
Were you still living at home (=with your parents)?
Carrie moved out of the family home a year ago. - WHERE YOU CAME FROM/BELONG [uncountable and countable] the place where you came from or where you usually live, especially when this is the place where you feel happy and comfortable:
She was born in Italy, but she’s made Charleston her home.
back home
The folks back home don’t really understand what life is like here. - YOUR COUNTRY [uncountable] the country where you live, as opposed to foreign countries
at home
auto sales at home and abroad
back home
He’s been travelling, but he’s kept up with what’s going on back home. - be/feel at home
a) to feel comfortable in a place or with a person
be/feel at home in/with
I’m already feeling at home in the new apartment.
After a while we began to feel at home with each other.
b) to feel happy or confident about doing or using something
be/feel at home with/in
Practise using the video until you feel quite at home with it. - PROPERTY [countable] a house, apartment etc considered as property which you can buy or sell:
Attractive modern homes for sale. - FOR TAKING CARE OF SOMEBODY [countable] a place where people who are very old or sick, or children who have no family, are looked after:
an old people’s home
I could never put Dad into a home. ⇨ CHILDREN’S HOME, ↑nursing home, ↑rest home - make yourself at home spoken used to tell someone who is visiting you that they should relax:
Sit down and make yourself at home. - make somebody feel at home to make someone feel relaxed by being friendly towards them:
We like to make our customers feel at home. - the home of something
a) the place where something was first discovered, made, or developed:
America is the home of baseball.
b) the place where a plant or animal grows or lives:
India is the home of elephants and tigers. - SPORTS TEAM at home if a sports team plays at home, they play at their own sports field OPP away
at home to
Birmingham Bullets are at home to Kingston. - home from home British English, home away from home American English a place that you think is as pleasant and comfortable as your own house
- home sweet home used to say how nice it is to be in your own home
- dogs’/cats’ home British English a place where animals with no owners are looked after
- find a home for something British English to find a place where something can be kept:
Can you find a home for the piano? - what’s that when it’s at home? British English spoken used humorously to ask what a long or unusual word means
- GAMES [uncountable] a place in some games or sports which a player must try to reach in order to win a point
⇨ ↑home plate, ↑home run
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meanings 1 & 2)
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + home
▪ a secure/stable home (=a caring family without a lot of changes) He had grown up in a stable home.
▪ a happy home (=a happy family) We had a happy home.
▪ a broken home (=a family in which the parents have separated) Many of the youngsters came from broken homes.
▪ the family home (=where a family lives) The house was once the family home of the O’Dare family.
▪ the marital home (=where a husband and wife live) He left the marital home to move in with his lover.
▪ sb’s childhood/boyhood etc home (=where you lived as a child) I had not been back to my childhood home for ten years.
▪ a permanent/temporary home Flood victims were offered temporary homes.
■ verbs
▪ live at home (=live with your parents) More people in their twenties are still living at home because housing is so expensive.
▪ leave home (=stop living with your parents at home) Lisa had left home at age 16.
▪ work from/at home (=do your work at home instead of at an office) I work at home three days a week.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ home the house, apartment, or place where you live: More and more people are working from home. | It was past midnight by the time I got home.
▪ house a building that someone lives in, especially a building intended for one person, couple, or family: Shall we meet at your house? | Have you seen Dave’s new house – it’s huge!
▪ place spoken informal the house, apartment, or room where someone lives: We went to Sara’s place after the movie. | He’s just bought a fantastic place right by the sea.
▪ residence formal the house or apartment where someone lives, especially a large or official one: The Prime Minister’s official residence is 10 Downing Street. | His wife transferred her main residence to Spain.
▪ holiday home British English, vacation home American English a house that someone owns by the sea, in the mountains etc, where they go for their holidays: They bought a luxury holiday home in Spain.
II. home2 S1 W1 BrE AmE adverb
[Word Family: adjective: ↑homeless, ↑homely, ↑homeward; noun: ↑home, ↑homelessness; adverb: ↑home, HOMEWARDS; verb: ↑home] - to or at the place where you live:
Is Sue home from work yet?
bring/take somebody/something home
They brought the baby home from the hospital on Friday.
We stayed home last night.
I’m going home now. See you tomorrow.
come/get/reach etc home (=arrive at your home)
It was midnight by the time we got home.
What time are you coming home?
► Do not use a preposition such as ‘at’ or ‘to’ before home when it is an adverb: Then we went home (NOT went at home). | He returned home (NOT returned to home). - take home £120 per week/$600 a month etc to earn a certain amount of money after tax has been taken off:
The average worker takes home around $300 a week. - hit/drive/hammer etc something home
a) to make sure that someone understands what you mean by saying it in an extremely direct and determined way:
We really need to drive this message home.
b) to hit or push something firmly into the correct position - bring something home to somebody/come home to somebody to make you realize how serious, difficult, or dangerous something is:
The episode has brought home to me the pointlessness of this war. - hit/strike home if a remark, situation, or experience hits home, it makes you realize how serious, difficult, or dangerous something is:
She could see that her remark had hit home. - be home and dry British English informal to have succeeded in doing something
- be home free American English informal to have succeeded in doing the most difficult part of something:
If I last five years with no symptoms, I’ll be home free.
⇨ close to home at ↑close2(19)
III. home3 BrE AmE adjective [only before noun] - relating to or belonging to your home or family
home address/number (=the address or telephone number of your house)
These children need a proper home life. - done at home or intended for use in a home:
good old-fashioned home cooking
a home computer - played or playing at a team’s own sports field, rather than an opponent’s field
home team/game/crowd/club etc
The home team took the lead after 25 minutes. - relating to a particular country, as opposed to foreign countries SYN domestic:
The meat was destined for the home market.
IV. home4 BrE AmE verb
[Word Family: adjective: ↑homeless, ↑homely, ↑homeward; noun: ↑home, ↑homelessness; adverb: ↑home, HOMEWARDS; verb: ↑home]
home in on something phrasal verb - to aim exactly at an object or place and move directly to it:
The bat can home in on insects using a kind of ‘radar’. - to direct your efforts or attention towards a particular fault or problem:
He homed in on the one weak link in the argument
home
- PLACE WHERE YOU LIVE [uncountable and countable] the house, apartment, or place where you live:
They have a beautiful home in California.
Good luck in your new home!
at home
Last night we stayed at home and watched TV.
away from home
He was spending more and more time away from home.
work from/at home (=do your work at home instead of at a company office)
A family of birds made their home (=started living) under the roof. - FAMILY [uncountable and countable] the place where a child lived with his or her family:
Jack left home when he was 16.
Were you still living at home (=with your parents)?
Carrie moved out of the family home a year ago. - WHERE YOU CAME FROM/BELONG [uncountable and countable] the place where you came from or where you usually live, especially when this is the place where you feel happy and comfortable:
She was born in Italy, but she’s made Charleston her home.
back home
The folks back home don’t really understand what life is like here. - YOUR COUNTRY [uncountable] the country where you live, as opposed to foreign countries
at home
auto sales at home and abroad
back home
He’s been travelling, but he’s kept up with what’s going on back home. - be/feel at home
a) to feel comfortable in a place or with a person
be/feel at home in/with
I’m already feeling at home in the new apartment.
After a while we began to feel at home with each other.
b) to feel happy or confident about doing or using something
be/feel at home with/in
Practise using the video until you feel quite at home with it. - PROPERTY [countable] a house, apartment etc considered as property which you can buy or sell:
Attractive modern homes for sale. - FOR TAKING CARE OF SOMEBODY [countable] a place where people who are very old or sick, or children who have no family, are looked after:
an old people’s home
I could never put Dad into a home. ⇨ CHILDREN’S HOME, ↑nursing home, ↑rest home - make yourself at home spoken used to tell someone who is visiting you that they should relax:
Sit down and make yourself at home. - make somebody feel at home to make someone feel relaxed by being friendly towards them:
We like to make our customers feel at home. - the home of something
a) the place where something was first discovered, made, or developed:
America is the home of baseball.
b) the place where a plant or animal grows or lives:
India is the home of elephants and tigers. - SPORTS TEAM at home if a sports team plays at home, they play at their own sports field OPP away
at home to
Birmingham Bullets are at home to Kingston. - home from home British English, home away from home American English a place that you think is as pleasant and comfortable as your own house
- home sweet home used to say how nice it is to be in your own home
- dogs’/cats’ home British English a place where animals with no owners are looked after
- find a home for something British English to find a place where something can be kept:
Can you find a home for the piano? - what’s that when it’s at home? British English spoken used humorously to ask what a long or unusual word means
- GAMES [uncountable] a place in some games or sports which a player must try to reach in order to win a point
⇨ ↑home plate, ↑home run
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meanings 1 & 2)
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + home
▪ a secure/stable home (=a caring family without a lot of changes) He had grown up in a stable home.
▪ a happy home (=a happy family) We had a happy home.
▪ a broken home (=a family in which the parents have separated) Many of the youngsters came from broken homes.
▪ the family home (=where a family lives) The house was once the family home of the O’Dare family.
▪ the marital home (=where a husband and wife live) He left the marital home to move in with his lover.
▪ sb’s childhood/boyhood etc home (=where you lived as a child) I had not been back to my childhood home for ten years.
▪ a permanent/temporary home Flood victims were offered temporary homes.
■ verbs
▪ live at home (=live with your parents) More people in their twenties are still living at home because housing is so expensive.
▪ leave home (=stop living with your parents at home) Lisa had left home at age 16.
▪ work from/at home (=do your work at home instead of at an office) I work at home three days a week.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ home the house, apartment, or place where you live: More and more people are working from home. | It was past midnight by the time I got home.
▪ house a building that someone lives in, especially a building intended for one person, couple, or family: Shall we meet at your house? | Have you seen Dave’s new house – it’s huge!
▪ place spoken informal the house, apartment, or room where someone lives: We went to Sara’s place after the movie. | He’s just bought a fantastic place right by the sea.
▪ residence formal the house or apartment where someone lives, especially a large or official one: The Prime Minister’s official residence is 10 Downing Street. | His wife transferred her main residence to Spain.
▪ holiday home British English, vacation home American English a house that someone owns by the sea, in the mountains etc, where they go for their holidays: They bought a luxury holiday home in Spain.
II. home2 S1 W1 BrE AmE adverb
[Word Family: adjective: ↑homeless, ↑homely, ↑homeward; noun: ↑home, ↑homelessness; adverb: ↑home, HOMEWARDS; verb: ↑home] - to or at the place where you live:
Is Sue home from work yet?
bring/take somebody/something home
They brought the baby home from the hospital on Friday.
We stayed home last night.
I’m going home now. See you tomorrow.
come/get/reach etc home (=arrive at your home)
It was midnight by the time we got home.
What time are you coming home?
► Do not use a preposition such as ‘at’ or ‘to’ before home when it is an adverb: Then we went home (NOT went at home). | He returned home (NOT returned to home). - take home £120 per week/$600 a month etc to earn a certain amount of money after tax has been taken off:
The average worker takes home around $300 a week. - hit/drive/hammer etc something home
a) to make sure that someone understands what you mean by saying it in an extremely direct and determined way:
We really need to drive this message home.
b) to hit or push something firmly into the correct position - bring something home to somebody/come home to somebody to make you realize how serious, difficult, or dangerous something is:
The episode has brought home to me the pointlessness of this war. - hit/strike home if a remark, situation, or experience hits home, it makes you realize how serious, difficult, or dangerous something is:
She could see that her remark had hit home. - be home and dry British English informal to have succeeded in doing something
- be home free American English informal to have succeeded in doing the most difficult part of something:
If I last five years with no symptoms, I’ll be home free.
⇨ close to home at ↑close2(19)
III. home3 BrE AmE adjective [only before noun] - relating to or belonging to your home or family
home address/number (=the address or telephone number of your house)
These children need a proper home life. - done at home or intended for use in a home:
good old-fashioned home cooking
a home computer - played or playing at a team’s own sports field, rather than an opponent’s field
home team/game/crowd/club etc
The home team took the lead after 25 minutes. - relating to a particular country, as opposed to foreign countries SYN domestic:
The meat was destined for the home market.
IV. home4 BrE AmE verb
[Word Family: adjective: ↑homeless, ↑homely, ↑homeward; noun: ↑home, ↑homelessness; adverb: ↑home, HOMEWARDS; verb: ↑home]
home in on something phrasal verb - to aim exactly at an object or place and move directly to it:
The bat can home in on insects using a kind of ‘radar’. - to direct your efforts or attention towards a particular fault or problem:
He homed in on the one weak link in the argument
homonym
/ˈhɒmənɪm, ˈhəʊ- $ ˈhɑː-, ˈhoʊ-/ BrE AmE noun [countable] technical
[Date: 1600-1700; Language: Latin; Origin: homonymum, from Greek, from homos ( ⇨ ↑homo-) + onyma ‘name’]
a word that is spelled the same and sounds the same as another, but is different in meaning or origin. For example, the noun ‘bear’ and the verb ‘bear’ are homonyms. ⇨ homograph, homophone
honk the horn
بوق بزن
hoodie season
Autumn or fall trash, trash, trash, trash your trash trash tomorrow
hoon
[n] (Australia, New Zealand, slang, derogatory) A worthless person; a hooligan or lout. [From 1930s.]
[n] (Australia, slang, dated) A pimp. [From 1950s.]
[n] (Australia, New Zealand, slang) A person who drives excessively quickly, loudly or irresponsibly; a street drag racer often driving heavily customized cars. [From 1980s.]
hoover
to clean a floor, ↑carpet etc using a ↑vacuum cleaner (=a machine that sucks up dirt) SYN vacuum
hop
- JUMP [intransitive] to move by jumping on one foot:
a little girl hopping and skipping - [intransitive] if a bird, an insect, or a small animal hops, it moves by making quick short jumps
- [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] informal to move somewhere quickly or suddenly:
Hop in – I’ll drive you home.
Patrick hopped out of bed and quickly got dressed. - hop a plane/bus/train etc American English informal to get on a plane, bus, train etc, especially after suddenly deciding to do so:
So we hopped a bus to Phoenix that night. - hop it! British English old-fashioned used to rudely tell someone to go away
- hopping mad informal very angry SYN furious
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ jump verb [intransitive and transitive] to push yourself up into the air, over something etc, using your legs: The cat jumped up onto the table. | He jumped over the stream. | His horse jumped the fence successfully.
▪ skip verb [intransitive] to move forwards with little jumps between your steps, especially because you are feeling happy: The little girl was skipping down the street.
▪ hop verb [intransitive] to jump or move around on one leg: He was hopping around because he’d injured his foot.
▪ leap verb [intransitive and transitive] especially written to suddenly jump up high or a long way: The deer leapt over the fence. | Tina leapt onto the boat as it was moving away. | Fish were leaping out of the water.
▪ bounce verb [intransitive] to jump up and down several times, especially on something that has springs in it: Children love bouncing on beds.
▪ dive verb [intransitive] to jump into water with your head and arms first: Zoë dived into the swimming pool.
▪ vault /vɔːlt $ vɒːlt/ verb [intransitive and transitive] especially written to jump over something in one movement, using your hands or a pole to help you: He vaulted the ticket barrier and ran for the exit. | Ben tried to vault over the bar.
II. hop2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Sense 1-2, 4-5: Date: 1500-1600; Origin: ⇨ ↑hop1]
[Sense 3: Date: 1400-1500; Language: Middle Dutch; Origin: hoppe] - catch somebody on the hop to do something when someone is not expecting it and is not ready
- JUMP a short jump
- PLANT
a) hops [plural] parts of dried flowers used for making beer, which give the beer a bitter taste
b) the tall plant on which these flowers grow - FLIGHT a single short journey by plane:
It’s just a short hop from Cleveland to Detroit. - DANCE old-fashioned a social event at which people dance ⇨
horses for courses
هر كسي را بهر كاري ساختن
hostile
/ˈhɒstaɪl $ ˈhɑːstl, ˈhɑːstaɪl/ BrE AmE adjective
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: French; Origin: Latin hostilis, from hostis ‘stranger, enemy’]
1. angry and deliberately unfriendly towards someone, and ready to argue with them:
Southampton fans gave their former coach a hostile reception.
Carr wouldn’t meet Feng’s stare, which was openly hostile.
his hostile attitude
hostile to/towards
The boy feels hostile towards his father.
2. opposing a plan or idea very strongly
hostile to/towards
Senator Lydon was hostile to our proposals.
3. belonging to an enemy:
hostile territory
4. used to describe conditions that are difficult to live in, or that make it difficult to achieve something
hostile environment/climate/terrain etc
a guide to surviving in even the most hostile terrain
Sales increased last year despite the hostile economic environment.
5. hostile takeover/bid a situation in which a company tries to buy another company that does not want to be bought
• • •
THESAURUS
■ person/voice/behaviour
▪ unfriendly/not friendly behaving towards someone in a way that shows you are not interested in them or are not ready to talk to them or help them: The hotel staff were unfriendly and unhelpful. | an unfriendly tone of voice | They didn’t seem very friendly to strangers. | She gave him an unfriendly glance.
▪ hostile very unfriendly, and ready to argue or fight: He was openly hostile towards me when I arrived. | A hostile crowd gathered oustide the US embassy.
▪ cold behaving towards other people as if you do not like them or care about them: He gave her a cold stare. | a cold voice
▪ frosty unfriendly, especially because you are angry with someone: When she spoke, her tone was frosty. | He got a frosty reception from his wife when he finally returned home (=she was not very friendly towards him).
▪ aloof [not before noun] not wanting to talk to other people or spend time with them, especially because you think you are better than them: Some politicians are criticized for being too aloof.
▪ antagonistic unfriendly and always trying to start arguments with someone: Why are Kate and John so antagonistic towards each other?
▪ antisocial not interested in meeting other people or forming friendly relationships with them: Sorry if I’m being antisocial, but I need to get my work done. | He was an antisocial loner with no friends
hound
- a dog that is fast and has a good sense of smell, used for hunting
- informal a dog
II. hound2 BrE AmE verb [transitive] - to keep following someone and asking them questions in an annoying or threatening way ⇨ harass:
After the court case, Lee was hounded relentlessly by the press. - hound somebody out (of/from something) to make things so unpleasant for someone that they are forced to leave a place, job etc SYN drive out:
The family were hounded out of their home by 18 months of abuse
house-proud
adjectiveBRITISH
attentive to, or preoccupied with, the care and appearance of one’s home.
“I used to tease her about being so house-proud”
house-warming
a party that you give to celebrate moving into a new house:
Are you coming to Jo’s house-warming on Friday?
a house-warming party
housebound
not able to leave your house, especially because you are ill or old
خانه نشين
housewife vs housekeeper
house‧wife /ˈhaʊswaɪf/ BrE AmE noun (plural housewives /-waɪvz/) [countable]
a married woman who works at home doing the cooking, cleaning etc, but does not have a job outside the house SYN homemaker ⇨ house husband
house‧keep‧er /ˈhaʊsˌkiːpə $ -ər/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
someone who is employed to manage the cleaning, cooking etc in a house or hotel
► Do not confuse with housewife (=a woman who looks after her house rather than going out to work).
hull
- the main part of a ship that goes in the water
wooden-hulled/steel-hulled etc (=having a wood, steel etc hull) - the outer covering of seeds, rice, grain etc ⇨ husk
II. hull2 BrE AmE verb [transitive]
to take off the outer part of vegetables, rice, grain etc
humpty dumpty
كوتوله موتوله
hunker
hunker down phrasal verb American English
1. to bend your knees so that you are sitting on your heels very close to the ground SYN squat
2. to make yourself comfortable in a safe place, especially for a long time
3. informal to prepare yourself for a difficult situation
hustle
don’t mistake it with hostile
1. [transitive] to make someone move quickly, especially by pushing them roughly syn: shove
hustle somebody into/out of/through etc something
I was hustled out of the building by a couple of security men.
hustle somebody away
He was hustled away by police officers.
2. [intransitive] American English to do something with a lot of energy and determination:
Cindy’s not a great player, but she really hustles.
3. [intransitive] American English to hurry in doing something or going somewhere:
We need to hustle if we’re going to make this flight.
4. [intransitive and transitive] American English to sell or obtain things in an illegal or dishonest way: syn: racket, graft
thieves hustling stolen goods on the street
5. [intransitive] American English informal to work as a ↑prostitute, or to be in charge of prostitutes
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ rush to move very quickly, especially because you need to be somewhere soon: He was rushing out of his office in order to go to a meeting. | There’s no need to rush - we have plenty of time.
▪ hurry to do something or go somewhere more quickly than usual, especially because there is not much time: People hurried into stores to escape the rain. | You ll have to hurry or we ‘ll be late for breakfast | I hurried through the rest of my workout and showered as quickly as I could.
▪ race to go somewhere as fast as you can: She raced downstairs to tell her mother. | He raced back to his car and called for help.
▪ tear to run very quickly and without really looking where you are going, because you are in a hurry: I saw two boys tearing across the field towards the tree. | He tore down the stairs and out of the house. | They tore out of the building.
▪ dash to run somewhere very fast, especially only a short distance: Bob dashed across the road to his friend’s house. | Her heart was pumping furiously as she dashed through the kitchen to the front door. | I dashed outside to try to rescue the unfortunate creature.
▪ hustle American English informal to hurry when you are doing something or going somewhere: You better hustle or you’re going to miss the school bus.
▪ hasten literary to hurry somewhere, especially because you need to do something: Suddenly frightened, she hastened back to where her friends were standing. | She took a deep breath and then hastened after him.
II. hustle2 BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
1. busy and noisy activity:
the hustle and bustle of the market place
2. American English ways of getting money that involve cheating or deceiving people
3. American English when someone does something quickly, with a lot of effort and eagerness:
The team has a lot of talent but no hustle
hustle and juggle
تقلا كردن
[example: I’m trying to hustle and juggle to make everything works]
hyperbole
exaggeration
[example: it wasn’t hyperbole to call it the worst storm in twenty years]
icicle
a long thin pointed piece of ice hanging from a roof or other surface
if a relationship turns sour
شكر آب شدن
if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it
INFORMAL
if something is reasonably successful or effective, there is no need to change or replace it
if it left to my own devices….
اگه به من باشه….
Students were left to their own devices (=left alone and allowed to do whatever they wanted) for long periods.
if something has a ring to it
it sounds nice and appealing, or satisfying to your ear
we eventually decided to name our dog, Simon. it had a nice ring to it.
if sth goes down a storm
it becomes very popular
[example: our last video went down a storm]
don’t mistake it with do sth up a storm
if the buckled shoe fits
فحش رو بندازي زمين صاحبش بر ميداره
if you drink alcohol don’t get behind the wheel
موقعي كه ماشين ميخوري پشت ماشين نشين
if you want to graduate this year you have to put your back into it
بذاري پشتش
ignorance flatly contradicts progress
جهالت كاملا با پيشرفت تناقض دارد
illicit vs. elicit
il‧li‧cit /ɪˈlɪsət, ɪˈlɪsɪt/ BrE AmE adjective
not allowed by laws or rules, or strongly disapproved of by society ⇨ illegal:
illicit drugs
the illicit trade in stolen cattle
—illicitly adverb
e‧li‧cit /ɪˈlɪsət, ɪˈlɪsɪt/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[Date: 1600-1700; Language: Latin; Origin: elicitus, past participle of elicere ‘to draw out’]
to succeed in getting information or a reaction from someone, especially when this is difficult:
When her knock elicited no response, she opened the door and peeped in.
elicit something from somebody
The test uses pictures to elicit words from the child.
—elicitation /ɪˌlɪsəˈteɪʃən, ɪˌlɪsɪˈteɪʃən/ noun [uncountable
imbue
imbue somebody/something with something phrasal verb formal. تلقين كردن, الهام كردن
to make someone or something have a quality, idea, or emotion very strongly:
His philosophical writings are imbued with religious belief
immaculate conception
Imˌmaculate Conˈception, the BrE AmE
the Roman Catholic belief that Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, was born without ↑original sin (=the state of disobedience to God with which all human beings are born)
impede
to make it difficult for someone or something to move forward or make progress: syn: queer at sb’s pitch
Storms at sea impeded our progress
imperative
- extremely important and needing to be done or dealt with immediately:
It is imperative that politicians should be good communicators.
it is imperative (for somebody) to do something
It is imperative to meet face to face with the client. - technical an imperative verb is one that expresses an order, such as ‘stand up’
—imperatively adverb
II. imperative2 BrE AmE noun [countable] - something that must be done urgently:
A broad and balanced education is an imperative for raising standards. - formal an idea or belief that has a strong influence on people, making them behave in a particular way:
Sharing food is the most important moral imperative in Semai society. - technical the form of a verb that expresses an order. For example, in the order ‘Come here’, ‘come’ is in the imperative
impersonal
بي عاطفه، سرد
- not showing any feelings of sympathy, friendliness etc:
Business letters do not have to be impersonal and formal.
Sometimes she seems a very impersonal, even unkind, mother. - 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 - technical in grammar, an impersonal sentence or verb is one where the subject is represented by ‘it’ or ‘there’, as in the sentence ‘It rained all day’
—impersonally adverb
don’t mistake it with personable
impersonate
- to pretend to be someone else by copying their appearance, voice, and behaviour, especially in order to deceive people:
Do you know it is a very serious offence to impersonate a police officer? - to copy someone’s voice and behaviour, especially in order to make people laugh:
In the film, he amusingly impersonates a woman.
—impersonation /ɪmˌpɜːsəˈneɪʃən $ -ɜːr-/ noun [uncountable and countable]:
He’s renowned for his Elvis impersonation.
• • •
THESAURUS
■ to pretend to be someone or something
▪ impersonate to copy the way that a famous person speaks and behaves, in order to entertain people, or to pretend to have an official job, in order to trick people: He’s brilliant at impersonating the President. | It’s illegal to impersonate a police officer.
▪ pose as somebody to pretend to be someone else, especially someone in an official position, so that it is easier for you to do something bad or illegal: He posed as a doctor to gain access to the hospital. | There have been cases of thieves posing as telephone engineers.
▪ masquerade as somebody/something disapproving to pretend to be someone or something else – used especially when saying that someone or something is not who they claim to be: Their advertisements are always full of people in white coats masquerading as scientists. | It’s not real news – it’s government propaganda masquerading as news.
implicit
- suggested or understood without being stated directly OPP explicit
implicit criticism/threat/assumption
Her words contained an implicit threat.
His statement is being seen as implicit criticism of the work of research laboratories. - formal forming a central part of something, but without being openly stated
implicit in
Confidentiality is implicit in your relationship with a counselor. - complete and containing no doubts
implicit faith/trust/belief
They had implicit faith in his powers.
—implicitly adverb:
They believed implicitly in their own superiority
imposing
large, impressive, and appearing important:
an imposing building
He’s a tall, quietly spoken, but imposing figure
ba imposition eshtebah nashe
imposition
1- the introduction of sth such as law, rule l, punishment or etc
2- formal. sth that sb asks you or expects you to do for them, which is not convenient for you
[example: I know it is an imposition, but could I use your bathroom?]
impostor
someone who pretends to be someone else in order to trick people:
The nurse was soon discovered to be an impostor.
impound
/ɪmˈpaʊnd/ BrE AmE verb [transitive] law
[Date: 1400-1500; Origin: ⇨ ↑pound1(2)]
if the police or law courts impound something you have or own, they keep it until it has been decided that you can have it back SYN confiscate:
He sued the police after they impounded his car
impulsive
someone who is impulsive does things without considering the possible dangers or problems first ⇨ rash:
Rosa was impulsive and sometimes regretted things she’d done.
In a burst of impulsive generosity, I offered to pay.
—impulsively adverb:
‘Oh, Anne, I do love you!’ he said impulsively.
—impulsiveness noun [uncountable
in a fragmented age
in a social context, “in a fragmented age” might refer to a time when people feel disconnected from one another, perhaps due to the influence of technology, changes in community structures, or political polarization. In a cultural context, it might describe a period when artistic or intellectual movements lack a cohesive direction, leading to a diverse array of styles and ideas without a dominant unifying theme
Taylor is commanding attention and d whipping up demands at a level thought unachievable in a fragmented age.
in answer of how are you doing?
if I was any better, I’d be twins
in dribs and drabs
in small portions, bit by bit
[example: the whole story is being revealed in dribs and drabs]
in earnest
with sincere intentions
[example: if two sides can’t sit down and negotiate in earnest, they are never going to come to an agreement ]
in spite of myself
I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
this is called Santa Claus
it means he laughed without meaning to.
in the dock
subjected to intense scrutiny or examination
[example: john found himself in the dock after his wife caught him having an affair with another woman]
in thing
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English be the in-thinginformal to be very fashionable at the moment → in-thing.
her kitchen is ver much the in thing.
inaction
the fact that someone is not doing anything:
Several newspapers have criticized the president for inaction
[example: you have to contemplate the price you pay for inaction]
incessant
continuing without stopping SYN constant:
The child’s incessant talking started to irritate her.
incessant rain
—incessantly adverb:
They quarreled incessantly
incident
- an event, especially one that is unusual, important, or violent:
Am I at risk because of some incident in my sexual past?
Roads were sealed off because of a major incident.
without incident
The plane landed without incident.
REGISTER
Incident is used mainly in journalism or in formal contexts. In everyday English, people usually say something happened rather than talking about an incident:
▪ Am I at risk because of something that happened in my past? - a serious disagreement between two countries:
You could have caused a major diplomatic incident
incidental music
music played during a play, film etc that helps produce a particular feeling
incidental(3)
[adj]
1. happening or existing in connection with something else that is more important:
Increased motivation is more than an incidental benefit of reward schemes.
incidental to
companies that carry out investment business that is incidental to their main activity
2. [not before noun] naturally happening as a result of something
incidental to
Drinking too much is almost incidental to bartending.
II. incidental noun [countable usually plural]
something that you have to do, buy etc which you had not planned to:
Carry extra cash for taxis, tips, and other incidentals
inconsequential
not important SYN insignificant:
inconsequential but amusing chatter
—inconsequentially adverb
incorporate
to include something as part of a group, system, plan etc
incorporate something into/in something
We’ve incorporated many environmentally friendly features into the design of the building.
Our original proposals were not incorporated in the new legislation.
—incorporation /ɪnˌkɔːpəˈreɪʃən $ -ɔːr-/ noun [uncountable]:
the incorporation of the college into the university
گنجاندن
incur
- if you incur a cost, debt, or a fine, you have to pay money because of something you have done
incur expenses/costs/losses/debts etc
If the council loses the appeal, it will incur all the legal costs.
the heavy losses incurred by airlines since September 11th - if you incur something unpleasant, it happens to you because of something you have done
incur sb’s displeasure/wrath/disapproval etc
She wondered what she’d done to incur his displeasure this time.
indemnity
- [uncountable] protection against loss or damage, especially in the form of a promise to pay for any losses or damage:
insurance providing indemnity against future liabilities - [countable] a payment for the loss of money, goods etc ⇨ compensation
indict
to officially charge someone with a criminal offence
indict somebody for something
He was indicted for vehicular homicide in 1987
indigenous
indigenous people or things have always been in the place where they are, rather than being brought there from somewhere else SYN native
indigenous to
Blueberries are indigenous to America.
the many indigenous cultures which existed in Siberia
indomitable
formal: having great determination or courage:
an indomitable old lady
indomitable spirit/will/courage etc
Alice was a woman of indomitable spirit
induce
- formal to persuade someone to do something, especially something that does not seem wise
induce somebody to do something
Nothing would induce me to vote for him again. - medical to make a woman give birth to her baby, by giving her a special drug:
She had to be induced because the baby was four weeks late.
The doctor decided to induce labour. - formal to cause a particular physical condition:
Patients with eating disorders may use drugs to induce vomiting.
drug-induced/stress-induced etc
a drug-induced coma
induct
- to officially give someone a job or position of authority, especially at a special ceremony
induct somebody to/into something
18 new junior ministers were inducted into the government. - American English to officially introduce someone into a group or organization, especially the army
- to officially introduce someone into an important place of honour at a special ceremony
induct somebody into something
Barry was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1987
indulge
- [intransitive and transitive] to let yourself do or have something that you enjoy, especially something that is considered bad for you
indulge in
Most of us were too busy to indulge in heavy lunchtime drinking.
Eva had never been one to indulge in self-pity.
indulge yourself
Even if you’re dieting, you can indulge yourself (=eat what you want) once in a while.
Ray has enough money to indulge his taste for expensive wines. - [transitive] to let someone have or do whatever they want, even if it is bad for them:
His mother spoiled him, indulging his every whim. - [intransitive] to take part in an activity, especially an illegal one
indulge in
Women do not indulge in crime to the same extent as men.
inextricable
formal
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: inextricabilis, from extricare; ⇨ ↑extricate]
two or more things that are inextricable are closely related and affect each other:
the inextricable connection between language and culture
جدا نشدني
infallible
- always right and never making mistakes OPP fallible:
No expert is infallible.
an infallible memory - something that is infallible always works or has the intended effect ⇨ fail-safe:
He had an infallible cure for a hangover.
—infallibly adverb
—infallibility /ɪnˌfæləˈbɪləti, ɪnˌfælɪˈbɪləti/ noun [uncountable]
infidelity
when someone has sex with a person who is not their wife, husband, or partner:
marital infidelity
infiltrate
- [intransitive always + adverb/preposition, transitive] to secretly join an organization or enter a place in order to find out information about it or harm it:
Police attempts to infiltrate neo-Nazi groups were largely unsuccessful.
infiltrate into
Rebel forces have been infiltrating into the country. - [transitive] to secretly put people into an organization or place in order to find out information or to harm it
infiltrate somebody into something
They repeatedly tried to infiltrate assassins into the palace. - [transitive] to become a part of something – used especially to show disapproval:
Commercialism has been infiltrating universities for the past decade.
—infiltrator noun [countable]
—infiltration /ˌɪnfɪlˈtreɪʃən/ noun [uncountable]
رخنه كردن ، نفوذ كردن
infinitesimal
extremely small SYN minuscule:
infinitesimal changes in temperature
—infinitesimally adverb:
infinitesimally small
inflect
[intransitive] technical if a word inflects, its form changes according to its meaning or use
inflict
- [transitive] to make someone suffer something unpleasant
inflict something on/upon somebody
The strikes inflicted serious damage on the economy.
Detectives warned that the men could inflict serious injury. - inflict yourself/somebody on somebody to visit or be with someone when they do not want you – used humorously:
Was it really fair to her friends to inflict her nephew on them?
—infliction /ɪnˈflɪkʃən/ noun [uncountable]:
the deliberate infliction of pain
influx
the arrival of large numbers of people or large amounts of money, goods etc, especially suddenly
influx of
a sudden influx of cash
massive/great/huge etc influx
a large influx of tourists in the summer
infomercial
information+commercial
a commercial program
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.
—infringement noun [uncountable and countable]:
the infringement of human rights
infringe on/upon something phrasal verb
to limit someone’s freedom in some way:
Some students argued that the rule infringed on their right to free speech.
inhibit
- to prevent something from growing or developing well:
An unhappy family life may inhibit children’s learning. - to make someone feel embarrassed or nervous so that they cannot do or say what they want to
inhibit somebody from doing something
Recording the meeting may inhibit people from expressing their real views
inhibited
too embarrassed or nervous to do or say what you want SYN shy
inhibited about
Many people are inhibited about discussing sexual matters
inject
- to put liquid, especially a drug, into someone’s body by using a special needle
inject something into somebody/something
The drug is injected directly into the base of the spine.
inject somebody with something
I have to inject myself with insulin. - to improve something by adding excitement, interest etc to it
inject something into something
Traditional handbag makers are injecting more fun into their designs.
A market building can inject new life into an area. - to provide more money, equipment etc for something
inject something into something
They need to inject more money into sports facilities.
inoculate
to protect someone against a disease by putting a weak form of the disease into their body using a needle ⇨ immunize, vaccinate
inoculate somebody against something
All the children had been inoculated against hepatitis.
—inoculation /ɪˌnɒkjəˈleɪʃən, ɪˌnɒkjʊˈleɪʃən $ -ˌnɑːk-/ noun [uncountable and countable
insinuate
- to say something which seems to mean something unpleasant without saying it openly, especially suggesting that someone is being dishonest SYN imply
insinuate that
Are you insinuating that the money was stolen?
What are you trying to insinuate? - formal to gradually gain someone’s love, trust etc by pretending to be friendly and sincere:
He managed to insinuate his way into her affections.
insinuate yourself into something
He insinuated himself into Mehmet’s confidence. - formal to move yourself or a part of your body into a place:
a large cat insinuated itself through the gap
insolvent
not having enough money to pay what you owe SYN bankrupt:
The company was later declared insolvent (=officially said to be insolvent).
—insolvency noun [uncountable and countable]
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ bankrupt without any money and unable to pay your debts – used about a person or business that has to officially admit this and stop trading permanently: Many small businesses will go bankrupt unless interest rates fall. | He was declared bankrupt in the High Court yesterday.
▪ be in financial difficulties to have difficulty paying your bills and debts, often so that you are in danger of becoming bankrupt - used about people and businesses: The firm has been in financial difficulties for some time. | He was in financial difficulties and knew that he would have to sell his home.
▪ go bust/go under informal to become bankrupt and have to stop operating – used about a business: The supermarket isn’t there any more – it went bust ages ago. | During the last recession, dozens of businesses were going under every day.
▪ insolvent formal bankrupt - used about people and businesses: The bank was declared insolvent. | Directors of insolvent companies often ignore demands for payment. | Individuals becoming insolvent also jumped 9% to 9,470 in the third quarter.
instantiate
verb: represent as or by an instance.
“a study of two groups who seemed to instantiate productive aspects of this
instead of sorry for my mistake
thanks for bringing that to my attention
instigate
- to make a process start, especially one relating to law or politics:
Charles instigated a programme of reforms. - to persuade someone to do something bad or violent:
He accused union leaders of instigating the disturbances.
—instigator noun [countable
don’t mistake it with instantiate
insto
The meaning developed from “stand behind” to “pursue, be imminent” to “press, urge”.[1] نيت
the instos aren’t doing this out of the goodness of their heart
instruct
- to officially tell someone what to do ⇨ order
instruct somebody to do something
His secretary was instructed to cancel all his engagements.
instruct (somebody) that
The judge immediately instructed that Beattie be released.
Eva went straight to the hotel, as instructed (=as she had been told).
instruct somebody what to do
He had instructed the slaves what to say when questioned. - formal to teach someone something, or show them how to do something
instruct somebody in something
Greater effort is needed to instruct children in road safety.
instruct somebody how to do something
Employees are instructed how to make a complaint. - [usually passive] British English formal to officially tell someone about something
instruct somebody that
I was instructed that £20,000 had been paid into my account. - British English law to employ a lawyer to represent you in court
insurmountable
formal
an insurmountable difficulty or problem is too large or difficult to deal with:
The language difference proved an insurmountable barrier
insurrection
an attempt by a large group of people within a country to take control using force and violence SYN rebellion
insurrection against
an armed insurrection against the party in power
—insurrectionist noun [countable]
intercept
to obstruct sb or sth
جلوي چيزي رو گرفتن
intermittent
stopping and starting often and for short periods SYN sporadic:
The weather forecast is for sun, with intermittent showers
