Phrases, word choice Flashcards
to peg sth as a region of high concern due to its residents’ growing habit.
peg - verb [ T ]
US /peɡ/
peg verb [T] (FIX AMOUNT)
to fix the amount or value of something in relation to something else:
There’s talk of trying to peg the value of the peso to the dollar.
peg verb [T] (DISCOVER)
infml
to recognize or discover what something is; identify:
They had you pegged as a sucker the minute you walked in.
to be beleaguered by
Africa is already beleaguered by infectious diseases…
to be brought on by
continent’s residents face growing health threats from preventable illnesses brought on by lifestyle changes
In an effort to
In an effort to stave off these maladies
turn one’s sight on
advocates have turned their sights on tobacco use
a joint initiative backed by
a joint initiative backed by the ACS…
take a firm stance on
A few countries have take a firm stance on public smoking.
economically strong companies
economically strong tobacco companies
shape up to be
UK /ʃeɪp/ US /ʃeɪp/
[ usually continuous ] to develop: How are your plans shaping up? Things seem to be shaping up nicely. Carl is shaping up very well in his new job.
to improve your behaviour or performance:
I’ve been told that if I don’t shape up, I’ll lose my job.
Those companies are shaping up to be a substantial opponent.
go so far as to do sth
to be willing to do something that is extreme:
It’s good, but I wouldn’t go so far as to say that it’s great.
to be tied to sth
1. tie sb to sth/sb [ often passive ] to force someone to stay in a place: I felt tied to the job while I had a mortgage to pay. Her job ties her to the east coast.
- verb (RELATE)
to relate to or connect to:
Is the allergy tied to dairy products, for example?
Can you tie his behaviour up with anything that’s happened recently?
The Republicans are trying to tie the funding up with this bill. - verb (FINISH EQUAL)
to finish at the same time or score the same number of points, etc. in a competition as someone or something else:
Jane and I tied (for first place) in the spelling test.
We tied with a team from the south in the championships.
—–
noun [ C ]
UK /taɪ/ US /taɪ/ - cà vạt
- tie noun [C] (CONNECTION) ties C2 [ plural ]
the friendly feelings that people have for other people, or special connections with places:
Family ties are weaker if you move a long way away.
I no longer feel any ties with my home town.
He urged governments worldwide to break diplomatic ties with the new regime.
- tie noun [C] (EQUAL FINISH)
a situation in which two or more people finish at the same time or score the same number of points:
It’s a tie for first place.
They have changed the scoring system because there have been too many ties.
formidable financial resistance
Limiting the product’s range can be met with formidable financial resistance.
stem the … tide
Why has Africa become the new international target for stemming the tobacco tide?
battleground (n)
noun [ C ]
US /ˈbæt̬·əlˌɡrɑʊnd/
a place where an argument or competition is happening:
Pennsylvania and Ohio are key battlegrounds in this year’s election.
A battleground is also a battlefield.
noun [ C ] Tieng anh thuong mai
a product or place that companies compete with each other to develop, sell, or control because they consider it to be very important:
China is a key battleground for the big mobile phone companies.
golden opportunity
That makes it a battleground, but that also makes it a golden opportunity for prevention.
target their advertising to
target their advertising to women and even children
lag behind
verb
UK /læɡ/ US [ I or T ]
to not make as much progress as other people or things:
- lag behind sb/sth Business leaders in the UK still lag behind their European counterparts in foreign language skills.
- lag well/far behind As usual we lag far behind the rest of the world in this matter.
to move or make progress more slowly than usual, or to change later than something else changes:
- Business had improved considerably after lagging last year.
- There has been an upturn in business travel, but hotel prices are still lagging.
to bank on
What the tobacco industry is banking on is the reservoir of non-smokers…
to prove difficult
verb UK /pruːv/ US /pruːv/ prove verb (SHOW)
to show a particular result after a period of time:
- The operation proved a complete success.
- The dispute over the song rights proved impossible to resolve.
[ L (+ to be) ] The new treatment has proved to be a disaster.
As propagating health messages to citizens - and healthcare workers - about tobacco’s hazards has proved difficult, so has gathering data about its use.
take advantage of the marvels of sth
Then you, too, could take advantage of the marvels of quantum mechanics,…
to spoil the fantasy
Also, physicists have long spoiled the fantasy by saying that quantum applies only to microscopic things.
flip side
noun [ S ]
UK /ˈflɪp ˌsaɪd/ US /ˈflɪp ˌsaɪd/
the opposite, less good, or less popular side of something:
- We’re now starting to see the flip side of the government’s economic policy.
- More homelessness is the flip side of getting people off welfare.
make do with sth
to use what is available although it is not enough or what you wanted:
Can you make do with $5 for now and I’ll give you the rest tomorrow?
We didn’t have cupboards so we made do with boxes.
Several other recent papers make do with ordinary space; instead of relying on higher geometry,…
This opens the door to…
to allow something new to start:
The ceasefire has opened the door to talks between the two sides.
This opens the door to the possibility that…
grow food and raise livestock
6.7 billion people use land equal in size to South America to grow food and raise livestock - an astounding agricultural footprint.
render it unusable
UK /ˈren.dər/ US /ˈren.dɚ/
render verb [T] (CAUSE)
to cause someone or something to be in a particular state:
[ + adj ] His rudeness rendered me speechless.
New technology has rendered my old computer obsolete.
Agriculture also uses 70 percent of the world’s available fresh water for irrigation, rendering it unusable for drinking as a result of contamination with fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and silt.
densely populated regions
If current trends continue, safe drinking will be impossible to come by in certain densely populated regions.
If the solution were to be implemented
short-term remedy
Even if this solution were to be implemented, it is a short-term remedy at best
at best
even if the best possible result happens:
If he drops the course now, at best he’ll get an incomplete, and he could fail.
what is more
used to add something surprising or interesting to what you have just said:
The decorations were absolutely beautiful and what’s more, the children had made them themselves.
What is more, if we continue wholesale deforestation just to generate new farmland,…
accelerate at a more catastrophic rate
What is more, if we continue wholesale deforestation just to generate new farmland, global warming will accelerate at an even more catastrophic rate.
As if all that were not enough to worry about
As if all that were not enough to worry about, food borne illnesses account for a significant number of deaths worldwide.
to name just a few
used after mentioning a small number of people or things as examples of a larger group
We saw designs by Karl Lagerfeld, Yves Saint Laurent, and Sonia Rykiel, to name but a few.
life-threatening infections/ disease
life-threatening parasitic infections
under rigorously controlled conditions
One strategic shift would do away with almost every ill just note: grow crops indoor, under rigorously controlled conditions.
become the norm
noun [ C usually plural ]
UK /nɔːm/ US /nɔːrm/
an accepted standard or a way of behaving or doing things that most people agree with:
Europe’s varied cultural, political and ethical norms
accepted social norms
*the norm
a situation or type of behaviour that is expected and considered to be typical:
One child per family is fast becoming the norm in some countries.
“Locally grown” would become the norm.
set up the processes of our own extinction
Growing our food on lands that are used to be intact forests and prairies is killing our planet, setting up the processes of our own extinction.
conquer the odds
*against the odds/against all odds
used to say that someone has achieved something or succeeded despite this being very unlikely:
Against all odds, she won the case.
Humans have risen to conquer impossible odds before.
capture the imagination
It’s a story that captures the imagination
philosophical theories
It is believed that Plato created the story of Atlantic to convey some of his philosophical theories.
a theme that runs through his work
He was dealing with a number of issues, themes that run through his work.
ethical issues
living decaying lives
All of these plots satisfy Plato’s desires to express his perspectives about the way human should deal with important ethical issues and the consequences of living decaying lives.
take (something) into one’s (own) hands
take (something) into one’s (own) hands
to take control of something : seek to do something that is the responsibility of others
The judge had no sympathy for people who insisted on taking the law into their own hands.
After months of waiting for something to happen, he decided to take matters into his own hands.
Stand idle
idle - adjective
UK /ˈaɪ.dəl/ US /ˈaɪ.dəl/
idle adjective (NOT WORKING)
not working or being used:
Half these factories now stand idle.
It’s crazy to have £7,000 sitting idle in the bank.
An idle moment or period of time is one in which there is no work or activity:
If you have an idle moment, call me.
without work:
Almost half of the workforce are now idle.
(NO PURPOSE) [ before noun ] without any particular purpose: idle chatter/gossip/speculation an idle glance This is no idle threat. idle adjective (LAZY)
C2 UK
lazy and not willing to work:
He’s a very able student, he’s just bone idle (= very lazy).
to be conscripted back into active service
Farm fields that stood idle for years under EU schemes to prevent overproduction, such as the one across the road from the RSPB, have been conscripted back into active service.
on the brink
brink
noun [ S ]
UK /brɪŋk/ US /brɪŋk/
C2
the point where a new or different situation is about to begin:
Extreme stress had driven him to the brink of a nervous breakdown.
Scientists are on the brink of (= extremely close to) a major new discovery.
the brink of collapse/bankruptcy/disaster Debt crisis led many companies to the brink of bankruptcy.
They seem to be teetering on the brink of a major crisis.
provide the soundtrack to millions of countryside walk
profuse strains of unpremeditated art
And the skylark, whose twittering has provides the soundtrack to millions of countryside walks and inspired Percy Shelly to praise its “ profuse strains of unpremeditated art”, is struggling…
intensive farming methods
monoculture fields
monoculture (n)
the practice of growing only one crop or keeping only one type of animal on an area of farm land:
Extensive irrigation for corn monoculture depletes water resources.
a culture that is the same in many different places:
Globalization has imposed a dull monoculture, which swamps national traditions and eccentricities.
Conservationists blame on intensive farming methods, with insecticide and herbicide sprayed on to monoculture fields…
a dash of colour
The unmistakable yellohammer, which likes to sing while perched as a dash of colour on hedges and bushes…
perch - verb
UK /pɜːtʃ/ US /pɝːtʃ/
perch in, on, etc. sth
to sit on or near the edge of something:
We perched on bar stools and had a beer.
A blackbird was perching on the gate.
to be in a high position or in a position near the edge of something, or to put something in this position:
The village is perched on top of a high hill.
noun
a seat or other place high up, often giving a good view of something below:
We watched the parade from our perch on the scaffolding.
- perch còn là tên một loại cá
a startling 80% drop
And a startling 80% drop across England in 40 years
it is a fair bet that
be a fair bet
UK
to be something that is likely to happen:
It’s a fair bet (that) the government will increase taxes in the coming term.
If birds are struggling, it is a fair bet that other wildlife is too.
to be indicative of
indicative - adjective
UK /ɪnˈdɪk.ə.tɪv/ US /ɪnˈdɪk.ə.t̬ɪv/
being or relating to a sign that something exists, is true, or is likely to happen:
Resumption of the talks is indicative of an improving relationship between the countries.
“Birds are indicative of other things”
noun [ S ] LANGUAGE specialized
the mood (= form) of the verb used in ordinary statements and questions : In the sentence "We walked home" the verb "walked" is in the indicative.
to be sprinkled with
sprinkle
verb [ T ]
UK /ˈsprɪŋ.kəl/ US /ˈsprɪŋ.kəl/
to drop a few pieces or drops of something over a surface:
Sprinkle a few herbs on the pizza./Sprinkle the pizza with a few herbs.
figurative The speech was liberally sprinkled with (= contained many) jokes about the incident.
sprinkle noun (LIGHT FALL) [ C usually singular ] a very light fall of rain or snow We might get a sprinkle today. Someone who says that it is sprinkling means it is raining lightly.
conclusive evidence
The fact is that there is no conclusive evidence of any life beyond Earth.
Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence, as various pundits have widely noted.
much less
much less
and certainly not:
Tony can barely boil an egg, much less cook dinner.
be shot through with sth
be shot through with sth
to show or contain a particular emotion or quality in a noticeable way all the way through:
Her novel is shot through with a haunting lyricism.
The report was shot through with inaccuracies.
Our ideas about extra-terrestrial life are what Sagan called “plausibility arguments”, usually shot through with unknowns, hunches, and random ought-to-bes.
envelop nebula of uncertainties
envelop - verb [ T ]
UK /ɪnˈvel.əp/ US /ɪnˈvel.əp/
to cover or surround something completely:
The graveyard looked ghostly, enveloped in mist.
Despite the enveloping nebula of uncertainties, extra-terrestrial life has become an increasingly exciting are of scientific inquiry.
it seems as though
It seems as though the name has been changed to protect the ignorant.
in the midst of
noun [ U ] formal
UK /mɪdst/ /mɪtst/ US /mɪdst/ /mɪtst/
the middle of a group of people or things:
She caught sight of Johnny in their midst (= among them), laughing and talking.
in the midst of sth = in the middle of an event, situation, or activity:
I’m sorry but I’m too busy - I’m in the midst of writing a report.
The country is in the midst of an economic crisis.
—-
midst
preposition - literary
among:
The summit of the mountain appeared midst the clouds.
scrutiny (n)
scrutiny - noun [ U ]
UK /ˈskruː.tɪ.ni/ US /ˈskruː.t̬ən.i/
the careful and detailed examination of something in order to get information about it:
The government’s record will be subjected to/come under (close) scrutiny in the weeks before the election.
- be subjected to/come under scrutiny The figures are likely to come under close scrutiny.
quest (n)
quest - noun [ C ] literary
UK /kwest/ US /kwest/
a long search for something that is difficult to find, or an attempt to achieve something difficult:
Nothing will stop them in their quest for truth.
She went to India on a spiritual quest.
[ + to infinitive ] She does aerobics four times a week in her quest to achieve the perfect body.
tune in the right channel
tune in (something)
— phrasal verb with tune verb [ T ]
UK /tʃuːn/
to turn on a radio or television:
Millions of viewers tuned in to learn the election results.
The optimists figure it’s only a matter of time before we tune in the right channel.
make a breakthrough
(noun)
breakthrough in sth The development of digital imagery was a breakthrough in computer technology.
achieve/make a breakthrough At last a breakthrough in negotiations has been achieved.
a major/real/significant breakthrough
(adj)
The article described the impact of their breakthrough discovery of the structure of DNA.
The grant funds innovative projects that may lead to breakthrough improvements in health care.
fair (adj)
fair
adjective
UK /feər/
If something is fair, it is reasonable and is what you expect or deserve:
I thought it was a fair price that she was offering.
I’m willing to do my fair (= equal) share of the work.
All the workers want is a fair wage for the work that they do.
- it’s fair to say = it is true to say:
I think it’s fair to say (that) you’ve done less of the work than I have. - fair enough
something you say to show that you understand why someone has done or said something:
“I’m just annoyed with him because he’s behaved so badly.” “Fair enough.” - fair and square: in an honest way and without any doubt:
We won the match fair and square.
roughly speaking
roughly speaking: used for giving information that is general
Generally speaking there was no resistance to the idea.
Politically speaking, do you think that these moves have been effective?
remain forever in the realm of the unknown
realm - noun [ C ]
UK /relm/ US /relm/
realm noun [C] (AREA)
an area of interest or activity:
Her interests are in the realm of practical politics.
the economic/political realm
the realm of art/literature/music
If the universe contains an abundance of life, that life is not likely to remain forever in the realm of the unknown.
to be unmatched by
unmatched - adjective formal
UK /ʌnˈmætʃt/ US /ʌnˈmætʃt/
having no equal; better than any other of the same type:
For years they have enjoyed a standard of living unmatched by any other country in Europe.
With just a little effort the butterflies will reward you with the spectacle of a variety of living colour that is unmatched by any other wildlife.
rule of thumb
rule of thumb
a practical and approximate way of doing or measuring something:
A good rule of thumb is that a portion of rice is two handfuls.
As a rule of thumb, the ice on the lake should be at least two inches thick to support one person.
common approach
That is now a common approach to grading essays on standardized tests.
gear sth to/ towards sb/sth
gear sth to/towards sb/sth
— phrasal verb with gear verb
UK /ɡɪər/ US /ɡɪr/
to design or organize something so that it is suitable for a particular purpose, situation, or group of people:
Most public places are simply not geared to the needs of people with disabilities.
The workshops are geared towards helping people to become more employable.
These advertisements are geared towards a younger audience.
get past sb
get past sb
to not be noticed or realized by someone:
He’s very clever and shrewd. Nothing gets past him.
As they were in charge of sending and receiving most of the hospital’s letters, there was very little that got past them.
get past sth
get past sth — phrasal verb
to be able to stop something from affecting you, upsetting you, or influencing you:
Nobody likes to be rejected, but I got past it.
If you can get past the old-fashioned photos, this is a great cookbook.
stopgap (n)
stopgap - noun [ C ]
UK /ˈstɒp.ɡæp/ US /ˈstɑːp.ɡæp/
something intended for temporary use until something better or more suitable can be found:
Hostels are used as a stopgap until the families can find permanent accommodation.
We might have to employ someone temporarily as a stopgap measure until we can hire someone permanently.
Housing the homeless in shelters has to be seen as a stopgap measure.
attribute sth to sb/sth
attribute something to someone/something
— phrasal verb
US/əˈtrɪb·jət, -ˌjut/
to say or think that something is the result or work of something or someone else:
He attributed the project’s success to a sophisticated computer program.
Most experts have attributed the etching to Dürer.
