Oxford word skills Advanced Flashcards
figurative
a figurative word or phrase is used in a different way from its usual meaning, to give you a particular idea or picture in your mind
He’s my son, in the figurative sense of the word.
literal
the literal meaning of a word or expression is its basic or original meaning → figurative
literally
according to the most basic or original meaning of a word or expression
The name of the cheese is Dolcelatte, literally meaning ‘sweet milk’.
unlikely
not likely to happen
Donna might be able to come tomorrow, but it’s very unlikely.
very unlikely
highly unlikely
unlikely to do something
The weather is unlikely to improve over the next few days.
collocations of unlikely
highly/most/very unlikely
It’s highly unlikely that he’ll survive.
extremely unlikely
The government is extremely unlikely to change its policy.
rather/pretty/quite/fairly unlikely
I may have thrown it away by mistake, but that’s pretty unlikely.
increasingly unlikely (=more and more unlikely as time passes)
It looks increasingly unlikely that the Bank of England will cut interest rates.
interchangeable
these two words are almost interchangeable
sense = collocation
in a sense/in one sense/in some senses etc (=in one way, in some ways etc)
What he says is right, in a sense.
The hotel was in no sense (=not at all) comfortable.
explanatory
giving information about something or describing how something works, in order to make it easier to understand
There are explanatory notes at the end of each chapter.
self-explanatory
clear and easy to understand without needing any more explanation
• It should be self-explanatory and easy to understand.
virtually
almost SYN practically
Virtually all the children come to school by bus.
He was virtually unknown before running for office.
synonymous
something that is synonymous with something else is considered to be very closely connected with it
synonymous with
Nixon’s name has become synonymous with political scandal.
ambiguity/ˌæmbɪˈɡjuːəti/
the state of being unclear, confusing, or not certain, or things that produce this effect
ambiguity
There was an element of ambiguity in the president’s reply.
opaque
opaque glass or liquid is difficult to see through and often thick
!= transparent
a shower with an opaque glass door
irony
a situation that is unusual or amusing because something strange happens, or the opposite of what is expected happens or is true
طنز ، طعنه، مسخره
Life is full of little ironies.
tragic/cruel/bitter etc irony
sarcasm, dramatic irony
a hint of of irony, a trace of irony
humorous
funny and enjoyable
The film has some mildly humorous moments.
mildly
slightly
The drug is only mildly addictive.
in a gentle way without being angry
to put it mildly
Losing two members of staff was unfortunate, to put it mildly.
sarcasm
sarcastic
a way of speaking or writing that involves saying the opposite of what you really mean in order to make an unkind joke or to show that you are annoyed
‘Good of you to arrive on time, ’ George said, with heavy sarcasm (=very clear sarcasm).
طعنه
literary/ˈlɪtərəri $ ˈlɪtəreri/
relating to literature
ادبی
disapproving
expressing an unfavorable opinion.
he shot a disapproving glance at her
unfavorable
expressing or showing a lack of approval or support.
single mothers are often the target of unfavorable press attention
wicked
evil or morally wrong.
the wicked stepmother in ‘Hansel and Gretel’
behaving badly in a way that is amusing
Tara hasn’t lost her wicked sense of humour.
pejorative
a word or expression that is pejorative is used to show disapproval or to insult someone
تحقیر آمیز،
For hard-line Republicans, the word ‘liberal’ had become a pejorative term.
permissive
not strict, and allowing behaviour that many other people would disapprove of
parents who are too permissive
easygoing,
derogatory
showing a critical or disrespectful attitude.
she tells me I’m fat and is always making derogatory remarks
موهن، مضر، خفت آور، ناخوشایند
mock
1 [intransitive, transitive] formal to laugh at someone or something and try to make them look stupid by saying unkind things about them or by copying them SYN make fun of
Opposition MPs mocked the government’s decision.
laugh at somebody/something
poke fun at somebody/something
redicule
deliberately
1 done in a way that is intended or planned
start having doubts about a decision
have second thought
as i crawled along the motorway, i was having second thoughts
My first thought was that a bomb had gone off.
be unable to decide what to do about
i’d been in two minds about going in the first place
be busy and unable to do other things
be tied up
i wasnt tied up, so i said yes.
dawn on somebody
if a fact dawns on you, you realize it for the first time
The ghastly truth dawned on me.
It dawned on me that Jo had been right all along.
ulterior / /ʌlˈtɪəriə $ -ˈtɪriər/
ulterior motive/purpose etc
he may have had an ulterior motive.
be the thing that somebody is least likely to be thinking about
be the last thing on sb’s mind
Keep
remain fresh
we must eat the grapes.they wont keep
be enough for somebody until a later time
keep somebody going
i will have a sandwich. that will keep me going until lunch time.
say or write something in a particular way
it is hard to put your feelings into words
i think he put it very well in this essay
allow sb to take care of sth
leave sth to/with sb
i will leave that to you
leave it to me. i will do that
cause sb to reach a particular condition or place
it was the war that brought him to power
what brings you here? I’ve got a meeting
be sold or produced with a particular feature
come with
come in
i am sure the radio comes with batteries
the chairs come in four different colors
be enough or be acceptable in a particular situation
do(for sb /sth)
will these shoes do for the wedding?
I peeled six potatoes?will that do?
think or calculate sth to be a particular time or number
make sth sth
if we can find another ten chairs, that will make it 90 altogether
a person walking past a place by chance
passer-by
clothes that you wear, especially to parties, that make you look like a famous person, a character from a story etc
fancy dress
an invitation to a fancy-dress party
a traditional poem or song for children in Britain and many other countries, but usage of the term only dates from the late 18th/early 19th century.
nursery rhymes
The term Mother Goose rhymes is interchangeable with .[1]
a machine which you put money into, and which gives you more money back if three of the same pictures appear on a screen
fruit machine
SYN slot machine
formal your most closely related family
next of kin
We’ll have to notify the next of kin of his death.
family
kin
area has a lot of buildings and not many open spaces
built-up
He was fined for speeding in a built-up area.
so frightened that you cannot think clearly or behave sensibly
panic-stricken
1 very tired because you have been working hard SYN exhausted
worn out
You must be absolutely worn out.
2 too old or damaged to be used
a pair of old worn-out walking boots
products that are …… will remain in good condition for a long time even when they are used a lot
hard-wearing
SYN long-wearing American English
• It is hard-wearing, crease-resistant, easy to wash and quick drying.
not easily offended by other people’s criticism or insults
thick-skinned
OPP thin-skinned
a thick-skinned insurance salesman
if someone’s behaviour or the appearance of something is ……, you do not like it or you think it is unattractive
off-putting
Some women found the competitive style of the discussions off-putting.
unpleasant, disconcerting, or repellent.
unable to talk in a relaxed way because you feel nervous or embarrassed
tongue-tied
When adults spoke to her, she became tongue-tied and shy.
seeming to continue for a very long time SYN endless
never-ending
bigot
someone who is bigoted
racist bigots
متعصب
to wrongly think that one person or thing is someone or something else
mistake somebody/something for somebody/something
A woman mistook him for a well-known actor, and asked him for his autograph.
The doctor mistook the symptoms for blood poisoning.
1 [intransitive, not in progressive] to do something very well, or much better than most people
excel at/in
Rick has always excelled at foreign languages.
to finish the last part of a plan, business deal etc
finalize/ˈfaɪnəl-aɪz/
Jo flew out to Thailand to finalize the details of the deal.
a group of supporters
1 [usually singular] a group of people who support or admire someone
The band has a big following in Europe.
the houses or conditions that people live in
housing
health problems caused by bad housing
a scheme to provide affordable housing for local people
1 DO WORK [transitive] to do the things that are necessary to complete a job
I handled most of the paperwork.
The case is being handled by a top lawyer.
The finance department handles all the accounts.
making people have strong feelings SYN emotional
Child abuse is an emotive subject.
showing or saying that you are sorry that something has happened, especially because you feel guilty or embarrassed about it
apologetic/əˌpɒləˈdʒetɪk◂
The manager was very apologetic about everything.
She gave me an apologetic smile.
an ………. action is so bad or cruel that you cannot forgive the person who did it
unforgivable
the unforgivable sin of informing on your friends
Patrick had deceived her, and that was unforgivable.
inexcusable
1 formal used to say that although something is true of one thing, it is not true of another
The old system was fairly complicated whereas the new system is really very simple.
Whereas the city spent over $1 billion on its museums and stadium, it failed to look after its schools.
1 [singular] the number of people who vote in an election
turn out
the low turn-out of 54 percent in the March elections
the number of people who go to a party, meeting, or other organized event
I was disappointed by the turn-out for our home match.
1 to give someone a very unpleasant shock, so that they feel very upset and frightened
shake somebody/something ↔ up phrasal verb
She was badly shaken up by the accident.
2 to make changes to an organization in order to make it more effective SYN overhaul
the government’s plans to shake up the educational system
2 to change a system or method in order to improve it
overhaul
All the community’s decision-making institutions need to be overhauled.
happening after a particular action or event, especially as a result of it SYN following
en‧su‧ing /ɪnˈsjuːɪŋ $ -ˈsuː-/
In the ensuing fighting, two students were killed.
The situation deteriorated over the ensuing weeks.
a line of traffic that is moving very slowly or not moving at all
tailback
a five-mile tailback on the M25
1 British English a vehicle that has been so badly damaged that it can never be used again
write-off
The car was a complete write-off.
if there is an …….. of fighting or disease in an area, it suddenly starts to happen
outbreaks of fighting
the outbreak of World War II
make it start burning
two boys set fire to the school
the fire started
the fire broke out in the kitchen
suddenly began burning strongly
the plane burst into flames
go up in flames
if something …………., it becomes less strong, active, or violent
die down
the fire soon died down
dont worry, the gossip will soon die down
when the excitement died down
relating to sound and the way people hear things
acoustic əˈkuːstɪk
an acoustic guitar or other musical instrument does not have its sound made louder electronically
the scientific study of the structure of human or animal bodies
a‧nat‧o‧my /əˈnætəmi/
Knowledge of human anatomy is essential to figure drawing.
the scientific study of the movement of objects that are thrown or fired through the air, such as bullets shot from a gun
bəˈlɪstɪks/
ballistics
Ballistics is followed by a singular verb:
Ballistics is used to understand where and how a gun was fired.
the scientific study of plants
Related topics: Plants
bot‧a‧ny /ˈbɒtəni $ ˈbɑː-/ noun [uncountable]
the scientific study of plants
the activity of making maps
cartography/kɑːˈtɒɡrəfi $ kɑːrˈtɑː-/
نقشه کشی
the scientific study of weather conditions
me‧te‧o‧rol‧o‧gy /ˌmiːtiəˈrɒlədʒi $ -ˈrɑː-/
The storms have baffled meteorologists in the United States.
the practice or profession of examining the eyes for visual defects and prescribing corrective lenses.
optometry/äpˈtämitrē
the scientific study of drugs and medicines
pharmacology//ˌfɑːməˈkɒlədʒi $ ˌfɑːrməˈkɑː-/
insight collocation
The article gives us a real insight into the causes of the present economic crisis
centrifuge
ˈsentrəfjuːdʒ
a machine that spins a container around very quickly so that the heavier liquids and any solids are forced to the outer edge or bottom
using the most modern and recently developed methods, materials, or knowledge
state-of-the-art technology
His new laptop is state-of-the-art.
advanced, modern
to be slowly destroyed by a natural chemical process, or to make something do this
Her body was already starting to decay.
Most archaeological finds are broken, damaged, or decayed.
decaying organic matter
In everyday English, people usually say rot rather than decay when talking about food:
There was a smell of rotting vegetables.
very unpleasant and offensive SYN repellent
re‧pug‧nant /rɪˈpʌɡnənt
I find his political ideas totally repugnant.
very unpleasant →
repellent/rɪˈpelənt
She found him physically repellent.
including everything
inclusive <> exclusive
all-inclusive/fully inclusive
The fully inclusive fare for the trip is £22.
inclusive of
The rent is £120 a week, inclusive of heating.
similar to something else in size, number, quality etc, so that you can make a comparison → compare, comparison
comparable
A car of comparable size would cost far more abroad.
comparable figures for the same period of time last year
comparable with/to
Pluto is comparable in size to the Moon.
respected
having a good reputation.
reputable ˈrepjətəbəl
respected for being honest or for doing good work SYN reliable OPP disreputable
reputable firm/company
If you have a burglar alarm fitted, make sure it is done by a reputable company.
► see thesaurus at honest
considered to be dishonest, bad, illegal etc
dis‧rep‧u‧ta‧ble /dɪsˈrepjətəbəl/
full of interesting or important events
e‧vent‧ful /ɪˈventfəl/
She’s led an eventful life.
an eventful day
When Marilyn Monroe died the press was anxious to uncover every aspect of her eventful career.
that can not be explained
in‧ex‧plic‧a‧ble/ ɪnˈeksplɪkəbəl, inexplicably incomprehensible, strange inexplicable behaviour For some inexplicable reason, he felt depressed.
to live or stay in a place
He occupies the house without paying any rent.
if something occupies you or your time, you are busy doing it
Football occupies most of my leisure time.
keep you occupied.
1 to admit, especially to the police, that you have done something wrong or illegal → confession
confess to (doing) something
Edwards confessed to being a spy for the KGB.
make a confession
commit
1 CRIME [transitive] to do something wrong or illegal
Women commit fewer crimes than men.
commit murder/rape/arson etc
Brady committed a series of brutal murders.
make a commitment
if a married person …….., they have sex with someone who is not their husband or wife
commit adultery
1 [intransitive always + adverb/preposition, not in progressive] formal to come from a particular place or start in a particular situation
How did the plan originate?
what is the origin of this disease
to make something easier or less complicated
an attempt to simplify the tax system The law needs to be simplified. a simplified version of the game simplification These figures are a simplification. The real situation is much more complicated than this.
weak and unable to protect yourself from attack or harm
defenceless
a defenceless old lady
• If she had allowed him in, she would have been defenceless.
VERY SERIOUS severe problems, injuries, illnesses etc are very bad or very serious
severe
severity /səˈverəti/ noun [countable, uncountable]
We didn’t realize the severity of her illness.
something that is …….. continues for a long time and is not interesting
tedious/ˈtiːdiəs The work was tiring and tedious, boring tediously a tediously long film Doing all those calculations without a computer would be extremely tedious.
to make someone feel very excited and happy
exhilarate/ɪɡˈzɪləreɪt/
making you feel happy, excited, and full of energy
exhilarating/ /ɪɡˈzɪləreɪtɪŋ/
an exhilarating experience
an exhilarating walk
• Learning to surf is exhausting but exhilarating.
2 someone who likes a particular thing or activity very much SYN enthusiast
fanatic
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
a health food fanatic
a fitness fanatic
none at all, or not at all
not the least/not in the least/not the least bit
His voice was alert, not the least bit sleepy.
I tried to convince them, but they weren’t the least interested.
I’m not in the least afraid of you anymore.
a sport such as American football, rugby etc in which players have physical contact with each other
contact sport
• Wrestling was the competitive contact sport to boxing at the Y.. It was no match.
contact sports
boxing, judo, rugby, wrestling, taekwando/taɪˈkwɒndəʊ/
water sports
diving, jet-skiing, kayaking /ˈkaɪæk/, kitesurfing, rowing, sailing, scuba-diving, snorkelling,
swimming, water polo, waterskiing, windsurfing
Extreme sports
abseiling, bungee jumping,
gliding, hang-gliding, rock climbing, sky diving,
snowboarding, snowmobiling, white-water rafting
to go down a cliff or a rock by sliding down a rope and pushing against the rock with your feet SYN rappel
abseil
Team sports
baseball, basketball, cricket,
football, field hockey, ice hockey, lacrosse,
rowing, sailing, volleyball, water polo
Individual sports
abseiling, archery, athletics,
badminton, boxing, bungee jumping, chess
archery
the sport or skill of shooting with a bow and arrows, especially at a target.
(in some sports) an official who watches a game or match closely to enforce the rules and arbitrate on matters arising from the play.
umpire/ˈəmˌpī(ə)r
arbitrate/ˈärbiˌtrāt
(of an independent person or body) reach an authoritative judgment or settlement.
the board has the power to arbitrate in disputes
arbitrate between
A committee will arbitrate between management and unions.
words related to food, agriculture
pesticide, herbicide,
food shortage, chemical, artificial methods, fertiliser, naturally produced food, preservative, stay fresh, more food may be wasted,
strengthen (a place) with defensive works so as to protect it against attack.
fortify/ˈfôrtəˌfī
the whole town was heavily fortified
very heavy rain
torrential/təˈrenʃəl, tɒ- $ tɔː-/
torrential rain
• As El Ni o ebbs away, drought follows the torrential rain.
• Bob Weber’s house south of Larimore has had water to the top of the basement since last week’s torrential rains.
a very strong wind.
gale
a fierce gale (=a very strong wind)
The tree was blown down during a fierce gale in 1987.
a howling gale (=one that makes a lot of noise)
The ship was drifting towards the shore in a howling gale.
a severe/strong gale
Severe gales disrupted road and rail travel throughout Britain.
…………………
gale-force
a gale-force wind is strong enough to be dangerous or cause damage
a lot of difficulty
considerable difficulty
great difficulty
have difficulties
By the age of eight, Robbie was having difficulties at school.
experience/encounter difficulties formal (=have difficulties)
Graduates often experience considerable difficulties in getting their first job.
a lot of damage
extensive damage
widespread damage
a very noticeable accent
he speaks with strong accent
<> slight accent
باعث خوشبختی بسیار است ملاقات با شما آقای رییس جمهور
it was a great honour to meet the president
a big effort
real effort
special/concerted effort
biggest worry
main concern, principle concern, growing concern,
my main concern is the effect of drugs
a short statement giving the main points of sth
could you give us a brief summary
a very typical example of sth
it was a classic example of his stupidity
perfect example
a lot of disapproval from others
I had to face strong criticism over this issue
fierce criticism, widespread criticism
a state of complete confusion
utter chaos, total chaos,
the place was in utter chaos when i arrived
course
take a course (also do a course British English)
I decided to do a course in Italian.
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?
thoroughly
completely ˈθʌrəli-/
She sat feeling thoroughly miserable.
thoroughly cooked meat
The room had been thoroughly cleaned.
the signs in or on a building, or in a public place
sign‧age /ˈsaɪnɪdʒ/ noun [uncountable] formal
The signage at the hospital is being made clearer.
meet the requirement
fulfill the requirements
to do something to show that you remember and respect someone important or an important event in the past
a parade to commemorate the town’s bicentenary
• When a famous citizen died, he was commemorated by a statue or a plaque.
predicate//ˈpredɪkət/
technical the part of a sentence that makes a statement about the subject, such as ‘swim’ in ‘Fish swim’ and ‘is an artist’ in ‘She is an artist’
a sound, word, or short sentence that you say suddenly and loudly because you are surprised, angry, or excited
exclamation/ˌekskləˈmeɪʃən
horrified exclamations of disgust
1 always thinking of the things you can do to make people happy or comfortable
thoughtful OPP thoughtless
Paul is very thoughtful.
it is thoughtful of somebody to do something
It was really thoughtful of you to remember my birthday.
thoughtful silence
having a pleasant smell
fragrant/ˈfreɪɡrənt
• The forest was cool and fragrant, and the walk through it calmed my spirits.
a hot fragrant spice made from the rhizome of a plant. It is chopped or powdered for cooking, preserved in syrup, or candied.
ginger/ˈjinjər
زنجبیل
……….. are small brown spots on someone’s skin, especially on their face, which the sun can cause to increase in number and become darker →
freck‧le /ˈfrekəl/
• I looked over to the corner where a pretty girl with long brown hair and freckles was sitting.
کک و مک
mole
1 extremely beautiful or attractive
gor‧geous /ˈɡɔːdʒəs $ ˈɡɔːr-/
‘What do you think of my new flatmate?’ ‘He’s absolutely gorgeous!’
lovely, beautiful
• And to top it all off, he was gorgeous.
she has a gorgeous figure and shows it off at every opportunity
spoken in addition to other bad things that have happened to you
to top it all
To top it all I lost my job.
a man’s fat stomach
paunch / pɒːntʃ
paunchy
• You’re getting a paunch, did you know that?
my uncle’s got a paunch, which really sticks out
1 if something ………., you notice it because part of it comes out further than the rest of a surface
stick out
The children were so thin their ribs stuck out.
be nearly a particular age, number, time
be getting on for sth
he is getting on for 80.
1 someone who is frail is weak and thin because they are old or ill
frail frail elderly people she looks a bit frail something that is frail is easily damaged or broken SYN fragile the country’s frail economy
the thing that makes you able to understand or achieve sth.
the key to
the key to dressing for your body shape is to enhance your best features
the secret of
1 careful about what you say or do, so that you do not offend, upset, or embarrass people or tell secrets OPP indiscreet
discreet/dɪˈskriːt/ <>indiscreet
He assured her that he would be discreet.
He assured her that he would be discreet.
I stood back at a discreet distance.
discreetly
an idea or opinion that is wrong, especially about yourself
illusion
/ɪˈluːʒən/
They suffer from the illusion that they cannot solve their problems.
It is an illusion that the Arctic is dark in winter.
an idea or opinion that is wrong, especially about yourself
illusion
/ɪˈluːʒən/
They suffer from the illusion that they cannot solve their problems.
It is an illusion that the Arctic is dark in winter.
give/create an illusion
this will create the illusion of being slimmer
clothes, pictures etc that are ….. make someone look as attractive as they can or make something as good as possible, even if it is not really very good
flattering
That colour is very flattering.
for women, high heels are flattering because they exaggerate the length of the legs
to make people stop being concerned about something such as a social problem
divert/distract/draw attention from something
All this talk of war is just an attempt to draw attention away from the serious economic problems that face our country
used to say that something is much better, worse etc than anything else
by far/far and away
Watching sport was by far the most popular activity on Saturday afternoons.
Spring is far and away the best time to visit the islands.
to have the opportunity to give your opinion about something
have your say
You’ll get a chance to have your say.
have your say in/on
Parents can have their say in the decision-making process.
likely to become successful or popular
up-and-coming
up-and-coming young artists
• an award for the best up-and-coming comic actress
eggshell
1 [countable, uncountable] the hard outside part of a bird’s egg
be extremely cautious about one’s words or actions.
be extremely cautious about one’s words or actions.
“his air of tetchy perfectionism encouraged those around him to walk on eggshells”
1 someone who illegally catches or shoots animals, birds, or fish, especially on private land without permission► see thesaurus at thief
poacher/ˈpoʊtʃər/
if you do something…… you do it without showing that you are surprised or shocked
She handled all of their questions without missing a beat.
a machine that cuts documents into small pieces so that no one can read them
shredder//ˈʃredə $ -ər/
1 someone who thinks they are better than people from a lower social class – used to show disapproval
snob
Stop being such a snob.
I don’t want to sound like a snob, but I thought she was vulgar.
vulgar
1 remarks, jokes etc that are vulgar deal with sex in a very rude and offensive way
2 not behaving politely in social situations SYN uncouth
vulgar behaviour
thread a needle
Eleanor threaded the needle.
you dont try
you make zero effort with him
To carry out a trick, deception, or practical joke (against someone).
pull a prank (on someone)
It turns out that the supposed alien visitors that people had been seeing were just a bunch of teenagers pulling a prank on the town
1 [intransitive, transitive] to remove mud or sand from the bottom of a river, harbour etc, or to search for something by doing this
dredge
They dredged for oysters.
→ dredge something ↔ up
لای روبی کردن
1 to stop yourself from doing something you want to do
repress
Brenda repressed the urge to shout at him.
I repressed a smile.
2 if someone represses upsetting feelings, memories etc, they do not allow themselves to express or think about them
He had long ago repressed the painful memories of his childhood.
misunderstand someone, especially by falsely ascribing malice to them.
“now, don’t get me wrong, my fellow players are a great bunch of people”
C2 If something ……………. else, it makes the other thing possible:
pave the way
Scientists hope that data from the probe will pave the way for a more detailed exploration of Mars.
a strong wish or need SYN desire
urge2
He could no longer resist the urge to go and see Amanda.
Suddenly she had an overwhelming urge to be with her son.
رابطه بین تو و علی چطوری
how is it going with you and dylan
o carry out a trick, deception, or practical joke (against someone). It
Inf. to succeed in an act of deception. She was pulling a fast one when she said she had a headache and went home.
pull a prank on
spring on
To tell, present, or disclose something to someone that they were not expecting. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between “spring” and “on.” I’m springing a trip to Barcelona on my wife for her birthday. The boss sprang several huge changes to the project on me at the last minute.
To be completely impossible or incredibly unlikely; to have no chance whatsoever. Usually followed by “of.
not have a (snowball’s) chance in hell (redirected from not have a chance in hell)
That party doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of winning an election in this part of the state
if you …. something, or if it …., it shakes and makes a quick series of short sounds
rattle The window rattled in the wind. if a vehicle rattles somewhere, it travels there while making a rattling sound rattle along/past/over etc The cart rattled along the stony road.
1 [intransitive] to make a series of long low sounds, especially a long distance away from you
rumble
We could hear thunder rumbling in the distance.
غریدن
1 [intransitive, transitive] if leaves, papers, clothes etc …., or if you …. them, they make a noise as they rub against each other
rus‧tle1 /ˈrʌsəl/
She moved nearer, her long silk skirt rustling around her.
He rustled the papers on his desk.
خش خش،
a sound made by something striking or falling into liquid.
splash
we hit the water with a mighty splash
1 [intransitive] if a machine ……., it makes a short high sound SYN bleep
Why does the computer keep beeping?
bleep
Leave your message after the beep.
someone beeped his horn
1 DOOR ETC [intransitive, transitive] if a door, gate etc …….., or if someone ……… it, it shuts with a loud noise SYN bang
We heard a car door slam.
He slammed the door shut.
bang , close , slam shut
1 [intransitive] to make a sucking sound by walking or moving in something soft and wet
My hair was dripping and my shoes squelched as I walked.
We squelched across the field.
if something such as a door, wooden floor, old bed, or stair ………, it makes a long high noise when someone opens it, walks on it, sits on it etc
The floorboards creaked as she walked across the room.
a long plank making up part of a wooden floor in a building.
floorboard
an ……..verb can be either transitive or intransitive, with the same word used as the object of the transitive form and as the subject of the intransitive form, such as ‘cooked’ in the sentences ‘He cooked the potatoes’ and ‘The potatoes cooked quickly’.
er‧ga‧tive /ˈɜːɡətɪv $ ˈɜːr-/
he is not really as angry or agressive as he sounds
my boss’s bark is worse than his bite
crying loudly with pain
make a long loud cry
he was howling in pain
the audience howled with laughter
make a deep angry sound - dog
1 [intransitive] if an animal growls, it makes a long deep angry sound → bark, snarl
growl at
The dog growled at me.
snarl
make a continuous low sound - bee
after the meeting, my head was buzzing for hours
i was thinking about it continuously
i was buzzing about all day= moving from one place to another
1 [intransitive] to make a deep, very loud noise → growl
lion
roar
We heard a lion roar.
The engines roared.
make a short high but but not loud sound
mice
i won the cup, she squeaked down the phone
1 [countable] a large shiny black bird with a loud cry
2 [singular] the loud sound a cock makes
crow
make a long ‘oo’ sound
owls
she hooted at me
1 something that is ……..has not been planned or organized, but happens by itself, or because you suddenly feel you want to do it
spon‧ta‧ne‧ous /spɒnˈteɪniəs $ spɑːn-
The crowd gave a spontaneous cheer.
My spontaneous reaction was to run away.
spontaneity/ˌspäntəˈnēitē
the condition of being spontaneous; spontaneous behavior or action.
enjoying life and not worrying about things SYN easy-going
a happy-go-lucky person
I am a haapy go lucky perosn
practical and direct in a sensible honest way
down-to-earth
Fran’s a friendly, down-to-earth person.
واقع بین
informal someone, especially a child, who talks too much
chatterbox
chatty
be prepared to try something
give something a go
have something a go
give something a try
i will give anything a go
within sensible limits
within reason
You can go anywhere you want, within reason.
• Within reason, the city does what it can to prevent traffic accidents.
1 the quality of being honest and strong about what you believe to be right
personal/professional/political etc integrity
a man of great moral integrity
1 to have a particular opinion about or understanding of something or someone
make something of somebody/something
what did you make of the two candidates for the job?
1 ALL SOMEBODY’S QUALITIES [countable usually singular] the particular combination of qualities that makes someone a particular type of person → characteristic
i think he is a real character
He has a cheerful but quiet character.
Children grow up with a mixture of character traits (=character qualities) from both sides of their family.
his temper and other character flaws (=bad qualities)
able to think quickly, intelligent
quickly-witted
1 good at judging what people or situations are really like
shrewd /ʃruːd/
Malcolm is a shrewd businessman.
زیرک، ناقلاو موزی
able to understand situations or behaviour very well and very quickly, especially so that you can get an advantage for yourself SYN clever
as‧tute /əˈstjuːt $ əˈstuːt/
1 so determined to get what you want that you do not care if you have to hurt other people in order to do it
ruthless
a ruthless dictator
They have shown a ruthless disregard for basic human rights.
1 to start to like someone or something
take to
Sandra took to it straight away.
Charles was an odd character whom Kelly had never really taken to.
to meet, find, or discover someone or something by chance
come across
I came across an old diary in her desk.
I’ve never come across anyone quite like her before.
We’ve come across a few problems that need resolving.
The team of researchers had encountered similar problems before.
1 [uncountable] an attitude that shows you have too high an opinion of your own abilities or importance SYN conceitedness
con‧ceit /kənˈsiːt/
The conceit of the woman!
خودبینی، خودرایی
careful to do everything that it is your job or duty to do
con‧sci‧en‧tious /ˌkɒnʃiˈenʃəs◂ $ ˌkɑːn-/
A conscientious teacher may feel inclined to take work home.
a conscientious and hard-working student
a natural ability to attract and interest other people and make them admire you
cha‧ris‧ma /kəˈrɪzmə
He lacks charisma.
behaving in a confident way, so that people notice you► confident
assertive
• an assertive, ambitious woman
British English spoken to annoy someone very much
get (right) up somebody’s nose
I wish he wouldn’t keep interrupting. It really gets up my nose.
on the surface
Superficially; considering only the obvious details or outward appearance (of someone or something). On the surface, he seems like a really successful businessman, with his life all put together
1 unfriendly and deliberately not talking to other people
a‧loof /əˈluːf/
They worked hard, but tended to stay aloof from the local inhabitants.
stand-offish
rather unfriendly and formal SYN aloof
She was cold and stand-offish.
shy and not wanting to make people notice you or talk about you
diffident
He was diffident about his own success.
likely to make someone believe something that is not true
misleading These figures are highly misleading. mislead The article was misleading, and the newspaper has apologized. de‧cep‧tive /dɪˈseptɪv/
moral goodness of character and behaviour OPP vice
virtue
تقوی ، عفت، پاکدامنی
Women have often been used as symbols of virtue.
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.
not having much experience of how complicated life is, so that you trust people too much and believe that good things will always happen → innocent
na‧ive /naɪˈiːv/
a naive young girl
Jim can be so naive sometimes.
1 unwilling to believe that people have good, honest, or sincere reasons for doing something
a cynical view of human nature
بدبین
tending to disagree with what other people tell you SYN doubtful
scep‧ti‧cal British English, skeptical American English /ˈskeptɪkəl/
I’m extremely sceptical about what I read in the press.
sceptical about/of
I’m extremely sceptical about what I read in the press.
Environmental groups are sceptical of the government’s claims.
surrounded
eyesore
The factory is an eyesore.
• They claim the air-bubble dome will be an eyesore.
his neighbor thought it was a real eyesore
to feel offended because of something someone says or does
take offence (at something) I think he took offence at my lack of enthusiasm.
: to not do the thing specified
do no such thing
“I’ll do no such thing
1 an official decision made in a court of law, especially about whether someone is guilty of a crime or how a death happened
verdictˈvɜːdɪkt $
The verdict was ‘not guilty’.
3 someone’s opinion about something
The audience’s final verdict was encouraging.
the jury returned a verdict of ‘not guilty.’
حکم، قضاوت، رای، نظر
1 an official decision made in a court of law, especially about whether someone is guilty of a crime or how a death happened
verdictˈvɜːdɪkt $
The verdict was ‘not guilty’.
3 someone’s opinion about something
The audience’s final verdict was encouraging.
the jury returned a verdict of ‘not guilty.’
حکم، قضاوت، رای، نظر
reach an agreement synoyms
reach a conclusion, compromise, verdict
prospect
the possibility or likelihood of some future event occurring.
there was no prospect of a reconciliation
دورنما، چشم انداز، پیش بینی، منظره
به این نتیجه رسیدند که
با این چشم انداز روبه رو شدند که
face the prospect
they face the prospect of having to settle their dispute in court
providing many useful facts or ideas
in‧for‧ma‧tive /ɪnˈfɔːmətɪv $ -ɔːr-/
an informative and entertaining book
• Jim found the library staff friendly and informative.
to form an opinion about something before you have all the facts
jump to conclusions
There may be a simple explanation. Let’s not jump to conclusions.
• Don’t assume the worst or jump to conclusions.
2 [transitive] to believe that something someone does or something that happens has a particular meaning
interpret
interpret something as something
His refusal to work late was interpreted as a lack of commitment to the company.
to not understand the correct meaning of something that someone says or does, or of facts that you are considering SYN misread, misconstrue
mis‧in‧ter‧pret /ˌmɪsɪnˈtɜːprɪt $
Some parts of the report could be misinterpreted.
possibly, but not certainly
That is not necessarily true.
Expensive restaurants aren’t necessarily the best.
Having this disease does not necessarily mean that you will die young.
1 to pay attention to what is happening around you, so that you will notice a particular person or thing if you see them → lookout
look out for somebody/something phrasal verb
Look out for your Aunt while you’re at the station.
He’s looking out for a nice apartment downtown.
1 LIQUID FROM SKIN [intransitive, transitive] to have drops of salty liquid coming out through your skin because you are hot, ill, frightened, or doing exercise SYN perspire
sweat /swet/
I was sweating a lot despite the air conditioning.
sweat like a pig/sweat buckets informal (=sweat a lot)
liquid that appears on your skin when you are hot or nervous SYN sweat, → antiperspirant
perspirationˌpɜːspəˈreɪʃən $ ˌpɜːr-/
He wiped the beads of perspiration (=drops) from his brow.
to remember a fact or piece of information that is important or could be useful in the future
bear (something) in mind
keep (something) in mind
Bear in mind that some children will need help.
make generalization
make general statements about sth that may be based on a few examples, generalize
the effect or influence that an event, situation etc has on someone or something
impact on/upon
We need to assess the impact on climate change.
if something or someone …. t in something else, they are involved in it
نقش داشتن
Health education will play a part in preparing us for old age.
someone whose behaviour, attitudes etc people try to copy because they admire them
role model
I want to be a positive role model for my sister.
a strong feeling that you must do the same things as other people of your age if you want them to like you
peer pressure
Teenagers often start smoking because of peer pressure.
something that encourages you to work harder, start a new activity etc → motivation
in‧cen‧tive /ɪnˈsentɪv/
As an added incentive, there’s a bottle of champagne for the best team.
انگیزه، مشوق
1 something that makes someone less likely to do something, by making them realize it will be difficult or have bad results
deterrent/dɪˈterənt
The small fines for this type of crime do not act as much of a deterrent.
a family that no longer lives together because the parents have divorced
broken home
The majority of offenders do not come from broken homes.
not having the things that are necessary for a comfortable or happy life
deprived
Deprived children tend to do less well at school.
causing harm or damage SYN harmful, damaging
detrimental ˌdetrəˈmentl Smoking is detrimental to your health. the detrimental effect of pollution on the environment detrimentally
not pleasant or attractive
unappealing/ˌʌnəˈpiːlɪŋ◂/
an unappealing shade of grey
say officially what rules are
lay down rules
behave in a way that others may copy
set an example
set a good/bad example
تسلیم شدن
give in
1 extremely attractive or beautiful
stunning
You look absolutely stunning in that dress.
a stunning view
2 very surprising or shocking SYN staggering
stunning news
extremely great or surprising SYN amazing
staggering
The cost was a staggering $10 million.
The financial impact on the town was staggering.
(of a child, animal, or plant) grow or develop well or vigorously.
a thriving company, business etc is very successful SYN flourishing
a thriving tourist industry
a business or industry that is flourishing is very successful and is making a profit
flour‧ish‧ing /ˈflʌrɪʃɪŋˈflɜːr-/
1 full of activity or energy in a way that is exciting and attractive SYN lively
vibrant
Hong Kong is a vibrant, fascinating city.
She was sixteen, young and vibrant.
سنگ فرش
cobble
a stroll through pragues cobbled streets is wonderfully exciting
1 when you repair something such as an old building or a piece of furniture, so that it looks the same as when it was first built or made
restoration/ˌrestəˈreɪʃən
a fund for the restoration of historic buildings
Major restoration work will begin in May.
1 [intransitive] to relax and stop feeling anxious
un‧wind /ʌnˈwaɪnd/
a beautiful country hotel that is the perfect place to unwind
3 to enjoy a place by watching it or becoming involved in it
Go to a sidewalk café, order coffee, and soak up the atmosphere.
1 to keep something or continue to have something
re‧tain /rɪˈteɪn/
You have the right to retain possession of the goods.
The state wants to retain control of food imports.
1 a long and difficult journey, made especially on foot as an adventure SYN hike
trek
a lonely trek through the forest
1 to avoid something that is difficult or unpleasant for you, or something that limits what you can do in some way
get away from somebody/something
I needed to get away from the pressures of work.
1 an ……………. place is beautiful because it has not changed for a long time and does not have a lot of new buildings
unspoiled
unspoiled countryside
2 BE A SIGN OF SOMETHING [transitive] to show or be a sign of a particular situation or feeling
reflect
The drop in consumer spending reflects concern about the economy.
THINK ABOUT SOMETHING [intransitive, transitive] to think carefully about something, or to say something that you have been thinking about
reflect on
He had time to reflect on his successes and failures.
reflect that
Moe reflected that he had never seen Sherry so happy.
collocatons for favor
do me a favour
can i ask for a favour
i am going as a favour
he owns me a favour
1 SUGGEST [transitive] formal to suggest something as a plan or course of action →
proposal
The changes were first proposed last year.
propose (that)
In his speech he proposed that the UN should set up an emergency centre for the environment.
propose doing something
The report also proposes expanding the airport.
propose something to somebody
He proposed a compromise to me.
1 an ………… look or expression shows that you want to ask about something
inquiring/ɪnˈkwaɪərɪŋ
She raised an inquiring eyebrow towards Murray.
1 ………. information, details etc are exact, clear, and correct SYN exact
precise/prɪˈsaɪs
precise sales figures
It was difficult to get precise information.
pre‧ci‧sion1 /prɪˈsɪʒən/
with precision
The work was carried out with military precision
2 to hold something tightly in your hand or between your teeth
a cigar clenched between his teeth
• She clenched her fists, on the verge of tears.
be on the verge of something
be on the verge of something
Jess seemed on the verge of tears.
1 to suggest that something is true, without saying this directly
→ infer, implication
The high level of radiation in the rocks implies that they are volcanic in origin.
1 determined not to change your mind, even when people think you are being unreasonable
stub‧born /ˈstʌbən
Why are you so stubborn?
I’ve got a very stubborn streak (=a tendency to be stubborn).
impudent,
fiddle
an act of defrauding, cheating, or falsifying.
a major mortgage fiddle
fiddle with something
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.
1 determined not to change your ideas, behaviour, opinions etc, even when other people think you are being unreasonable SYN stubborn
obstinate/ˈɒbstənət
He was the most obstinate man I’ve ever met.
Don’t be so obstinate!
1 someone who is good at fighting with a sword
swords‧man /ˈsɔːdzmən
2 informal a man who has sex very often and with a lot of different women
1 informal to annoy someone
bug
It just bugs me that I have to work so many extra hours for no extra money.
a period of time during which people are clapping:
The singer got a big round of applause.
1to decide that something is not possible or suitable
1to decide that something is not possible or suitable
Management has not ruled out further redundancies.
someone who makes a lot of money for a company, for example by attracting rich clients
rainmaker
His law firm almost lost its key rainmaker to another firm.
1 to cause someone to feel extremely embarrassed or ashamed
mortify/ˈmɔːtɪfaɪ
tingle
1 if a part of your body tingles, you feel a slight stinging feeling, especially on your skin
My body tingled all over and I had a terrible headache.
making you feel very excited or frightened, in an enjoyable way
ستون فقرات
The festival opened with Nic Roeg’s latest spine-tingling film.
giving all your attention to something exciting
گوشه صندلی
on the edge of your seat
The film’s ending had me on the edge of my seat.
4 STAGE [countable] the scenery, furniture etc used on a stage in a play or in the place where a film or television show is being made
this film was just with a minimal set
informal to frighten someone very much
frighten/scare/terrify somebody out of their wits
I was terrified out of my wits at the very idea.
1 [countable] a film or television programme that is based on a book or play
adaptation/ˌædæpˈteɪʃən
the BBC adaptation of the best-selling book
television/film/stage etc adaptation
He’s working on a screen adaptation of his latest novel.
extremely exciting because you do not know what is going to happen next
ناخن
nail biting adaptation
a) to turn a part of your body around or change your position by turning
twist
He twisted his head slightly, and looked up at her.
She twisted round, so that she could see the dog better.
(of an event, a person, or a piece of information) causing great public interest and excitement.
شور انگیز
The show was a sensational success.
a sensational 6–0 victory
1 a …….. decision, vote, agreement etc is one in which all the people involved agree
یک دل، یک صدا
It was decided by a unanimous vote that the school should close.
2 agreeing completely about something
unanimous in (doing) something
The banks were unanimous in welcoming the news.
enthusiastic and public praise.
His work was acclaimed by art critics.
extremely bad SYN awful
a‧tro‧cious /əˈtrəʊʃəs $ əˈtroʊ-/
Her singing was atrocious.
• At the hub of the crisis, hospital conditions in Samara and Saratov were atrocious.
1 extremely serious or terrible
dire /daɪə
warnings of dire consequences that often don’t come true
The country is in dire need of food aid.
1 someone who is ……… is easily affected by emotions such as love, sympathy, sadness etc, often in a way that seems silly to other people
احساساتی
sen‧ti‧ment‧al /ˌsentəˈmentl
She said a sentimental goodbye.
sentimental about
People can be very sentimental about animals.
something that is tedious continues for a long time and is not interesting SYN boring
The work was tiring and tedious.
a tediously long film
2 not interested in or not showing any understanding of important or serious matters – used to show disapproval
If he’s only interested in your looks, that shows how shallow he is.
deep
to choose an unsuitable actor to play a particular character in a play or film →
She was hopelessly miscast in her last film.
utter
complete – used especially to emphasize that something is very bad, or that a feeling is very strong
That’s utter nonsense!
to provide something such as food, entertainment, or transport for a group of people
lay something on
They laid on a buffet for his farewell party.
A bus has been laid on to take you home.
1 [countable] something that you give or do in order to help something be successful
contribution to/towards
Einstein was awarded the Nobel Prize for his contribution to Quantum Theory.
make contribution
leave everything clean and tidy
clear something ↔ up
Adam, clear up this mess before your father sees it.
1 intended to be used once or for a short time and then thrown away
disposable\dɪˈspəʊzəbəl
disposable nappies
knives, forks, and spoons that you use for eating and serving
cutlery/ˈkʌtləri
silverware
to go to a party that you have not been invited to
gate‧crash /ˈɡeɪtkræʃ
1 if a noise ………….. you, it is so loud that you cannot hear anything else
Deafen
Deafen is often used in the passive.
• We were deafened by the explosion.
• Lampard was briefly stunned and deafened so that he couldn’t hear himself.
2 (also drown out) [transitive] if a loud noise drowns out another sound, it prevents it from being heard
drown out
A train blew its whistle and drowned his voice.
The noise of the battle was drowned out by his aircraft’s engine.
1 to become more exciting, or to make an event become more exciting
liven up
The party really livened up when Mattie arrived.
to be so excited, angry, interested etc that you are no longer really in control of what you do or say, or you forget everything else
be/get carried away
It’s easy to get carried away when you can do so much with the graphics software.
l to like or want something, or want to do something SYN feel like
fancy
Fancy a quick drink, Emma?
fancy doing something
Sorry, but I don’t fancy going out tonight.
loner
someone who prefers to be alone or who has no friends
Ken’s always been a bit of a loner.
1 if people ……….. , 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
a friendly informal meeting or party
get-together
• Hanging in the corner is a portrait of Leiser whimsically scribbled by Picasso during a get-together in 1961.
2 if someone is ……….. in a place, other people are glad that they are there
I didn’t feel welcome in the club.
We try to make the new students feel welcome.
be welcome to something
If you want to take the job you’re welcome to it!
forming a small group and not let others joining in
cliquey
a small group of people who think they are special and do not want other people to join them – used to show disapproval
clique /kliːk/
the cliques formed by high school students
a ruling clique of officials
1 to move in a quiet, careful way, especially to avoid attracting attention
creep1
creep into/over/around etc
Johann would creep into the gallery to listen to the singers.
He crept back up the stairs, trying to avoid the ones that creaked.
to walk somewhere in a slow relaxed way
stroll
We were strolling along, laughing and joking.
1 to walk slowly and with difficulty because one leg is hurt or injured
limp
Moreno limped off the field with a foot injury.
لنگیدن، شلیدن
to walk or move unsteadily, almost falling over SYN stumble
stagger/ˈstæɡə r تلو تلو خوردن لنگیدن He managed to stagger home. She staggered back a step. The old man staggered drunkenly to his feet.
to quickly follow someone or something in order to catch them
chase
run after, drive after,
to go or run somewhere very quickly
dash
Olive dashed into the room, grabbed her bag, and ran out again.
hurry, run
if a horse gallops, it moves very fast with all its feet leaving the ground together
gallop
A neighbour’s horse came galloping down the road, riderless.
a galloping horse
to correct or make small changes to something that is written or spoken
a‧mend /əˈmend/
The law was amended to include women.
The defendant later amended his evidence.
amendment//əˈmendmənt/
completely understand and begin to use new ideas, information etc
assimilate/əˈsɪməleɪt
It will take time to assimilate all these facts.
absorb
1 to change back to a situation that existed in the past SYN go back to
The city reverted to its former name of St Petersburg.
After a few weeks, everything reverted to normal.
go back to
if land or a building reverts to its former owner, it becomes their property again
to change something, such as a decision, judgment, or process so that it is the opposite of what it was before
reverse a decision/verdict/policy etc
The decision was reversed on appeal.
if someone in authority imposes a rule, punishment, tax etc, they force people to accept it
impose
imposition
The court can impose a fine.
impose something on something/somebody
The government imposed a ban on the sale of ivory.
impose on/upon
We could ask to stay the night, but I don’t want to impose on them.
1 to continue doing an activity or trying to achieve something over a long period of time → pursuit
She plans to pursue a career in politics.
pursue a goal/aim/objective etc
to make something happen SYN cause
bring something ↔ about
How can we bring about a change in attitudes?
A huge amount of environmental damage has been brought about by the destruction of the rainforests.
to make it easier for a process or activity to happen
facilitate /fəˈsɪlɪteɪt/
Computers can be used to facilitate language learning.
facilitator faciliatation
continuing, or continuing to develop
ongoing
their ongoing search for a new director
ongoing negotiations
consultation/ˌkɒnsəlˈteɪʃən
a discussion in which people who are affected by or involved in something can give their opinions
The decision was reached after consultation with parents and teachers.
step collocation
take a step
The authority will take steps to reunite the child and his family.
ADJECTIVES
an important/major/big step
The move is seen as a major step forward for UK firms.
the first step
The first step in resolving conflict is to understand what the other person wants.
the next step
He met in Washington with his campaign advisers to plan his next step.
a small step
This is a small step in the right direction.
a positive step (=an action that will have a good effect)
This is a positive step which gives cause for some optimism.
an unusual/unprecedented step (=something that is not usually done/has never been done before)
Police last night took the unusual step of releasing photographs of him.
a drastic step
The government is
a student in the first year of high school or university
freshman//ˈfreʃmən
a student in the first year of high school or university
shelter or protection from someone or something
ref‧uge /ˈrefjuːdʒ
take/seek refuge (in something)
During the frequent air-raids, people took refuge in their cellars.
to gradually become familiar with a new situation SYN adapt
adjust/əˈdʒʌst
They’ll soon settle in – kids are very good at adjusting.
adjust to
It took a few seconds for her eyes to adjust to the darkness.
curricular
relating to the curriculum of a school
مربوط به برنامه تحصیلی
takes precedence
Do we want a society where appearance takes precedence over skill or virtue?
initiative
ɪˈnɪʃətɪv
the ability to make decisions and take action without waiting for someone to tell you what to do
take the initiative and talk to the professor about the problems you have
take charge (of something)
to accept responsibility for something and have control over it
She took charge of the project and made sure it was finished on time.
Accept Criticism
take Criticism
To have one’s confidence, courage,
but we take heart in the fact that so many young people are now engaged and excited about politics.
to think carefully about the things that have happened in a situation in order to decide what to do next
take stock (of something) While in hospital, Jeremy took stock of his life.
allow people to believe that one did something that deserves praise or special attention. I
take credit
I did all the work, and she took the credit.
to be at one`s age
i think life was a lot easier what i was your age
used to say that something is true in spite of what you have just said
having said that
The diet can make you slim without exercise. Having said that, however, exercise is important too.
used for talking about a time in the past, usually when you are remembering nice things about that time:
back in the day
Back in the day, we had an apartment with a swimming pool.
a) used when you are adding a statement that says almost the opposite of what you have just said
but then (again) John might be ready to help us, but then again, he might not.
You can use …………..
to introduce a contrasting
idea. It means, “despite
what was just said’
even so
even then
some women worked, but even so, their options were limited
You can study and study,
but even then, you’re not
guaranteed a job.
very rarely or almost never
Karen had seldom seen him so angry.
Seldom sounds rather literary. In everyday English, people usually say rarely or not very often:
I don’t go there very often.
an opinion that everyone in a group agrees with or accepts SYN agreement
consensus/kənˈsensəs
a lack of consensus about the aims of the project
conservation
ˌkɒnsəˈveɪʃən
the protection of natural things such as animals, plants, forests etc, to prevent them from being spoiled or destroyed
preservation
wildlife conservation
a local conservation group
preservation/ˌprezəˈveɪʃən
when something is kept in its original state or in good condition
Eliot campaigned for the preservation of London’s churches.
preservation of
the act of making sure that a situation continues without changing
the preservation of peace in the region
to protect something and prevent it from changing or being damaged
conserve
/kənˈsɜːv
We must conserve our woodlands for future generations.
relating to the environment
eco
echo-home
a home that is designed to harm the environment as little as possible and use as little energy as possible
echo-disaster
the practice of burying waste under the ground, or the waste buried in this way
landfill
a place where waste is buried under the ground
Recycling programs across the US typically cost far more than landfilling.
better/harder/worse etc still
even better, harder etc than something else
Dan found biology difficult, and physics harder still.
involves making new discoveries, using new methods etc
groundbreaking/ˈɡraʊndˌbreɪkɪŋ
groundbreaking research
• MacKinnon’s groundbreaking legal work changed the way sexual harassment was viewed.
causing a lot of disagreement, because many people have strong opinions about the subject being discussed
controversial/ˌkɒntrəˈvɜːʃəl
the controversial issue of welfare reform
the distance between the place where food is produced and the place where it is eaten, which is a way of measuring its harmful effect on the environment
food miles
Reducing food miles would reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
to get rid of something, especially something that is difficult to get rid of
an incinerator built to dispose of toxic waste
able to continue without causing damage to the environment
The government should do more to promote sustainable agriculture.
sustainability
environmentally sustainable development
2 able to continue for a long time
The party is promising low inflation and sustainable economic growth.
if someone , they are disloyal to you, especially by telling someone in authority about something wrong that you have done
rat somebody ↔ out
You can’t rat out your teammates.
It means that I have many other things that are more important/serious/troubling to worry about. We use this expression to say that something is really not that much of a problem
hat’s the least of my worries!” If you can understand this story then I feel you will understand that phrase.
weak and not able to do things easily because of old age
doddery
Some of the patients are a bit doddery.
1 needing a lot of effort or strength
strenuous/ˈstrenjuəs
a strenuous climb
The doctor advised Ken to avoid strenuous exercise.
1 WORRY [countable, uncountable] worry that is caused by having to deal with a problem or work too hard over a long period of time → stress
strain
I couldn’t look after him anymore; the strain was too much for me.
Did you find the job a strain?
4 INJURY [countable, uncountable] an injury to a muscle or part of your body that is caused by using it too much
Long hours working at a computer can cause eye strain.
The goalkeeper is still out of action with a knee strain.
1 unclear in shape, or making it difficult to see shapes
blurred
a blurred photo
2 difficult to remember or understand clearly
blurred memories
1 to look angrily at someone for a long time → stare
glare glare at She glared at him accusingly. glare into/across/round etc He glared round the room as if expecting a challenge.
to look at someone or something for a long time, giving it all your attention, often without realizing you are doing so SYN stare
Nell was still gazing out of the window.
Patrick sat gazing into space (=looking straight in front, not at any particular person or thing).
gazeing at breathtaking view
to be just able to see or hear something
make out
He could just make out a dark shape moving towards him.
make out who/what etc
I couldn’t make out what he was saying.
make something ↔ out to understand something, especially the reason why something has happened
make out what/how/why etc
I couldn’t make out what I had done to annoy her.
As far as I can make out, he has never been married.
1 go about something
to start to do something
I want to learn German but I don’t know the best way to go about it.
go about doing something
The leaflet tells you how to go about making a will.
2 go about something to do something in the way that you usually do
The villagers were going about their business as usual.
She went about her preparations in a quiet businesslike way.
to try to find out the truth about a problem, crime etc in order to solve it
investigate
Police are looking into the disappearance of two children.
