phone Flashcards
fawning
praising someone too much and giving them a lot of attention that is not sincere in order to get a positive reaction:
a fawning young man
jargon
C1 special words and phrases that are used by particular groups of people, especially in their work:
military/legal/computer jargon
pare something (down) to the bone
to reduce something to a level at which only what is absolutely necessary is left
pare
to cut away the outer layer from something, especially a fruit or a vegetable:
He was busy paring apples in the kitchen.
Pare off any bits of the carrots that don’t look very nice.
to reduce something, especially by a large amount:
The three-hour play has been pared (down/back) to two hours.
unencumbered
without something making it difficult for you to do something:
People can decide how to care for their children, unencumbered by interference from the state.
On the other hand, this approach may complicate grantor access to financing against the unencumbered portion of the described assets.
upfront
speaking or behaving in a way that makes intentions and beliefs clear:
She’s very upfront about why she wants the job - she’d earn a lot more money.
ahold
get ahold of something
to get something:
Drugs are too easy to get ahold of.
get ahold of someone
to find or communicate with someone:
I’d like to get ahold of Debbie and talk to her about this
o get power or control over someone or something:
Once the drugs get ahold of you, it just changes you completely.
to calm yourself or succeed in controlling your actions or emotions
mend
B1 to repair something that is broken or damaged:
Could you mend this hole in my shirt?
UK I’ve left my watch at the jeweller’s to be mended.
unravel
If a piece of knitted or woven cloth, a knot, or a mass of thread unravels, it separates into a single thread, and if you unravel it, you separate it into a single thread:
You’d better mend that hole before the whole sweater starts to unravel.
I had to unravel one of the sleeves because I realized I’d knitted it too small.
If a process or achievement that was slow and complicated unravels or is unravelled, it is destroyed:
As talks between the leaders broke down, several months of careful diplomacy were unravelled.
unrivaled
having no equal; better than any other of the same type:
The museum boasts an unrivaled collection of French porcelain.
hop
to jump on one foot or to move about in this way:
I tried to hop on my good foot while holding onto Jim.
stagnate
to stay the same and not grow or develop:
The electronics industry is showing signs of stagnating after 15 years of growth.
My music career had stagnated.
2) (of a liquid or air) to not move or flow, often resulting in it becoming dirty:
For now, the strong currents mean water is relatively clean but when the levels subside the water will stagnate.
Valleys where air tends to stagnate often have high levels of pollutants.
hinge
a piece of metal that fastens the edge of a door, window, lid, etc. to something else and allows it to open or close:
We had to take the front door off its hinges to get our new sofa into the house.
infraction
an occasion when someone breaks a rule or law:
Any attempt to influence the judges will be seen as an infraction of the rules.
a minor infraction
turmoil
a state of confusion, uncertainty, or disorder:
The whole region is in turmoil.
The country is in a state of political turmoil.
The Stock Exchange is in turmoil following a huge wave of selling.
jeopardize
to put smth in danger
to put something such as a plan or system in danger of being harmed or damaged:
She knew that by failing her finals she could jeopardize her whole future.
The rate increase may jeopardize economic recovery.
prom
Vibusknoy
a formal party held for older students at the end of the school year, at which there is dancing:
Who are you taking to the Senior Prom?
ornery
likely to get angry and argue with people:
He had been in an ornery mood all day, arguing with everyone who got in his way.
abscond
to go away suddenly and secretly in order to escape from somewhere:
She absconded from boarding school and hitchhiked to the city.
Two prisoners absconded last night.
to travel by getting free rides in someone else’s vehicle:
I would never hitchhike on my own.
They hitchhiked to Paris.
hitchhike
emaciated
very thin and weak, usually because of illness or extreme hunger:
There were pictures of emaciated children on the cover of the magazine.
clammy
sticky and slightly wet in an unpleasant way:
My hands felt all clammy.
It was a hot, clammy day.
scrawny
unpleasantly thin, often with bones showing:
He came home after three months at college looking terribly scrawny.
errant
behaving wrongly in some way, especially by leaving home:
an errant husband
errant children
vapid
showing no intelligence or imagination:
a vapid reality TV show
He’s attractive, but vapid.
gulf
a very large area of sea surrounded on three sides by a coast:
the Gulf of Mexico
2) an important difference between the ideas, opinions, or situations of two groups of people:
There is a widening gulf between the rich and the poor in our society.
It is hoped that the peace plan will bridge the gulf (= reduce the very large difference) between the government and the rebels.
cords
Shnur, kabel, arqon
rope or string made of twisted threads:
Where’s the cord that ties back the curtains?
2) a piece of wire covered in plastic, used to connect electrical equipment to a power supply:
an extension cord
crude
simple and not skilfully done or made:
a crude device/weapon
rude and offensive:
a crude remark/comment
crate
a box made of wood, plastic, or metal, especially one divided into parts to hold bottles:
a milk crate
a crate of empty bottles
a packing crate
cynical
believing that people are only interested in themselves and are not sincere:
She has a pretty cynical view of men.
I’ve always been deeply cynical about politicians.
2) not showing fairness or respect to an opposing player:
Most of my injuries have come from bad cynical tackles.
delegate
C1 a person chosen or elected by a group to speak, vote, etc. for them, especially at a meeting:
Delegates have voted in favour of the motion.
Each union elects several delegates to the annual conference.
2) C2 [ I or T ] to give a particular job, duty, right, etc. to someone else so that they do it for you:
As a boss you have to delegate (responsibilities to your staff).
Authority to make financial decisions has been delegated to a special committee.
slumber
sleep:
I fell into a gentle slumber.
I didn’t want to rouse you from your slumbers.
Sharp cuts in interest rates have failed to bring the economy out of its slumber.
2) 1. Literally, to trip on someone or something with one’s foot.
I wasn’t watching where I was going and stumbled upon the root of a tree.
I entered the living room and nearly stumbled upon someone who was asleep on the floor.
2. To find, discover, or happen upon someone or something casually or by chance.
I stumbled upon this fantastic little café the other day.
The police officer stumbled upon a couple of thieves trying to break into the building.
trip on (someone or something)
- Literally, to bump into someone or something with one’s foot and stumble or fall as a result.
He tripped on the step running up the stairs and fell face first on the hallway.
resonate
to produce, increase, or fill with sound, by vibrating (= shaking) objects that are near:
His voice resonated in the empty church.
The noise of the bell resonated through the building.
to be filled with a particular quality:
The building resonates with historic significance.
to continue to have a powerful effect or value:
The significance of those great stories resonates down the centuries.
If an experience or memory resonates, it makes you feel an emotional connection:
Her experiences resonate powerfully with me, living, as I do, in a similar family situation.
What exactly is it about that music that resonates with you?
If you resonate with something, it feels true or has meaning for you:
She spoke about both doubting herself and believing in herself, and I definitely resonate with that.
The thing that I resonated with as a kid was that you always had special protection from your parents.
allure
the quality of being attractive, interesting, or exciting:
the allure of working in television
sexual allure
allude
formal
to mention someone or something without talking about him, her, or it directly:
She mentioned some trouble that she’d had at home and I guessed she was alluding to her son.
obsolescence
the quality of being obsolete:
Mobile phone technology is developing so quickly that many customers are concerned about obsolescence
Much of our existing military hardware is obsolescent.
fragmented
consisting of several separate parts:
In this increasingly fragmented society, a sense of community is a thing of the past.
The Democratic Party has only held onto power because the Republican Party is so fragmented.
lever
If you lever someone or something to a place, you move them there with great physical effort:
He levered himself out of his chair with the usual difficulty and opened his arms wide.
Jim fought to pull himself up, levering his arms down.
2) to change a situation in order to suit yourself, often using unfair methods:
The company gobbles up rivals or levers them out of the market.
They accused the companies of using political pressure to lever out competition.
impend
If an event impends, usually an event that is unpleasant or unwanted, it is going to happen soon:
A crisis of huge proportions impends in the area.
loom
C2 to appear as a large, often frightening or unclear shape or object:
Dark storm clouds loomed on the horizon
If an unwanted or unpleasant event looms, it seems likely to happen soon and causes worry:
Her final exams are looming.
Here, too, the threat of unemployment has been looming on the horizon.
on the horizon
idiom
Add to word list
C1 likely to happen or exist soon:
There is no new drug on the horizon that will make this disease easier to treat.
backdrop
the view behind something:
The mountains form a dramatic backdrop to the little village.
[ S ] the general situation in which particular events happen:
Their love affair began against a backdrop of war.
ablaze
burning very strongly:
The house was ablaze, and the flames and smoke could be seen for miles around.
casing
a covering that protects something
casing string
a container or cover that goes around something to hold it together or protect it:
A metal casing enclosed the three-inch thick cable.
hew
to cut a large piece out of rock, stone, or another hard material in a rough way:
The monument was hewn out of the side of a mountain.
The monument was hewn out of stone.
2) to obey or behave according to (rules, principles, or expectations):
He never states his own opinion but hews to the party line
wright
a person who makes or builds things, especially out of wood:
He was among the first to witness the damage which the teams of wrights and carpenters now laboured to repair.
slit
to make a long, straight, narrow cut in something:
He slit open the envelope with a knife.
She killed herself by slitting her wrists.
He was found the next day with his throat slit.
She was wearing one of those skirts that’s slit up the front.
upfront
speaking or behaving in a way that makes intentions and beliefs clear:
She’s very upfront about why she wants the job - she’d earn a lot more money.
paid or obtained in advance:
The roofer wants 20% of the money upfront.
in the beginning:
Every consumer should know upfront what it is going to cost them.
mishap
C2 bad luck, or an unlucky event or accident:
The parade was very well organized and passed without mishap.
A series of mishaps led to the nuclear power plant blowing up.
shroud
shroud noun [C] (CLOTH)
Add to word list
a cloth or long, loose piece of clothing that is used to wrap a dead body before it is buried
