Test 19

Question 1

fray (v)

The cuffs of his shirts were fraying.

As the debate went on, tempers began to fray.

Answer 1

• if cloth … or sth…, the threads in it start to come apart
• if sb’s nerves or temper … or sth … them, the person starts to get annoyed

Question 2

fray at/around the edges/seams

Supporter for the leader was fraying at the edges.

Answer 2

start to come apart or to fail

Question 3

aver=assert,declare (v)

She averred that she had never seen the man before.

Answer 3

state clearly and strongly that sth is true

Question 4

reinstate (v)

Tennis has now been reinstated as an Olympic sport.

(n): reinstatement

Answer 4

return sth to its previous position or status

Question 5

woe betide sb|woe to sb

Woe betide anyone who gets in her way!

Answer 5

a phrase that is used to warn sb that there will be trouble for them if they do sth or do not do sth

Question 6

bungle (v)

a bungled robbery/raid/attempt

(n): bungle/bungler|(adj): bungling

Answer 6

do sth badly or without skill, fail at sth

Question 7

forfend (v)

Heaven forfend that students are encouraged to think.

Answer 7

prevent sth or keep sth away (= ward off)

Question 8

satirise (v)

The cartoon satirises middle-aged, middle-class liberals.

Answer 8

use satire to show that faults in a person, an organisation, a system, etc.

Question 9

parse (v)

Answer 9

divide a sentence into parts and describe the grammar of each word or part

Question 10

capitulate=give in to sb/sth, yield (v)

The town capitulated after a three-week siege.

Answer 10

agree to do sth that you have been refusing to do for a long time.

Question 11

ameliorate = improve, better (v)

(N): amelioration

The side-effects of the treatment can be ameliorated to some extent.

Answer 11

make better sth that was bad or not good enough.

Question 12

abnegate=renounce (v)

Answer 12

relinquish

Question 13

redress the balance

For years poorer children have had to put up with a lower quality education, and now is the time to redress the balance.

Answer 13

make a situation equal or fair again

Question 14

batten down the hatches

A natural tendency in times of recession is to batten down the hatches and think about our own needs.

Answer 14

prepare yourself for a period of difficulty or trouble

Question 15

batten on sb

Answer 15

live well by using other people’s money, etc.

Question 16

pedant/ˈpednt/ (n)

(adj): pendantic | (n): pedantry

A pedant will always insist that you ask for ‘fewer’ items rather than ‘less’.

Answer 16

a person who is too concerned with small details or rules especially when learning or teaching

Question 17

disburden (n)

Answer 17

remove the burden off sb’s minds

Question 18

entrench (v)

(n): entrechment

This idea had firmly entrenched itself in his consciousness.

Answer 18

establish sth ver strongly so that it is very difficult to change

Question 19

eschew /ɪsˈtʃuː/ (v)

He had eschewed politics in favour of a life practising law.

Answer 19

deliberately avoid or keep away from sth

Question 20

contravene=infringe (v)

(n): contravention=infringement
in contravention of sth

The company was found guilty of contravening safety regulations.

Answer 20

do sth that is not allowed by a law or rule

Question 21

enrage=infuriate (v)

Answer 21

make sb very angry

Question 22

enrapture=enchant (v)

Answer 22

give sb great pleasure or joy