TEST 21-30 Flashcards
disparity
a difference, esp. one connected with unfair treatment
vie for sth
compete for sth
malleable
easily influenced, changed, trained or controlled
in raptures
an expression of extreme pleasure and happiness or excitement
snap up
to buy or obtain sth quickly because it’s cheap or you want it very much
term of endearment
used to address or describe a person, animal or inanimate object for which the speaker feels love or affection
stammer
to speak with difficulty, repeating sounds or words and often stopping, before saying things correctly
wear your heart on your sleeve
to make your feelings and emotions obvious rather than hiding them
on the same page
to understand and agree with what is being done or suggested
clam up
to suddenly stop talking or explaining sth
in a pinch
sth that you can do if it is really necessary, but it will be difficult, not perfect, or not what you would really like
I would give my right arm for sth/ to do sth
like or need it very much
glean
to obtain information, knowledge, etc. sometimes with difficulty and often from various different places
kernel of sth
a very small part of sth
deep-pocketed
having large amount of money to spend
hotbed
a place where a lot of particular activity, esp. sth bad or violent is happening
capstone
sb’s greatest achievement or the greatest part of sth
rarefield
containing less oxygen than usual
arm-twisting
behavior in which you try to make sb do sth by threats or by persuading them
bode ill for sth
to be a bad sign for sth
within spitting/touching/striking distance
very close to sth
cock-and-bull story
a story that is unlikely to be true, often used as an excuse
take sb to the cleaners
to steal all of sb/s money, etc. or getting it using a trick
placid
not easily excited or annoyed
take on sth (n)
a particular opinion or idea that sb has about sth
efflorescence
the production of a lot of sth, the most developed stage of sth
capricious
changing suddenly and quickly
on spec
taking a chance, without being sure that you will get what you want
saddle with
to give sb/yourself an unpleasant responsibility, task, debt, etc.
abrogate
to fail to carry out a responsibility or duty, to avoid sth that you should do
mendacious
not telling the truth
defuse
to stop a possibly dangerous or difficult situation from developing, esp. making people less angry or nervous
missile
sth used to throw at people to attack them
insensate
not aware of what you are doing or what is happening around you
quizzical
(expression) showing that you are slightly surprised
embattled
involved in war, surrounded by the enemy
loophole
a mistake in the way a law, contract, etc. has been written that enables people to legally avoid sth that the law, contract, etc. has intended them to do
cringe-worthy
cringe-making
make you feel embarrassed or uncomfortable
be saved by the bell
sth that you say when a difficult situation ends suddenly before you have to do or say sth you do not want to
old maid
a woman who has never married and is now no longer young
speak with a forked tounge
to tell lies or say one thing and mean sth else
hit/knock sb for six
to affect sb very deeply, to upset or overwhelm sb
clatter
the sound of hard objects hitting against each other
convert
to be able to be changed from one form, purpose, or system to another
tend sb/sth
to care for sb/sth
precursor (of/to sth)
a person or thing that comes before sb/sth similar and that leads to or influences its development
last-ditch
used to describe a final attempt to achieve sth, when there is not much hope of succeeding
promulgate
to spread an idea, belief, etc. among many people or to announce
shirk
to avoid doing sth you should do, esp. because you’re too lazy
hard line
a strict policy or attitude
bristle with
to contain a large number of sth
busybody
a person who is too interested in what other people doing
embed
to fix sth in a subtance or solid subject
beseech
to ask sb for sth in an anxious wa7 because you want it very much
befit
to be suitable and good enough for sb/sth
be up the creek (without a paddle)
to be in a very difficult situation
till the cows come home
for a very long time, or for ever
a drop in the bucket
an amount of sth that is too small or unimportant to make any real difference to a situation
be afflicted with sth
be affected in an unpleasant or harmful way
forlon
unlikely to succeed, come true, etc
insulate sb/sth from/against sth
to protect sb/sth from unpleasant experience, influences
press on
to continue traveling or doing sth
plead
to state that you are guilty or not guilty of a crime
bail out
to escape from a situation that you no longer want to be involved in
break
when the waves break, they fall and are dissolved into foam, usually near land
transient
continuing for only a short time
drive/send sb round the bend
to make sb very bored or very angry
hoodwink
to deceive or trick sb
jumble sale
a sale of a mixed collection of things that people no longer want, esp. in order to make money for an organization
below-the-radar
ignored or not noticed much by people in general
upshot
the final result of a situation
linchpin
a person or thing that is the most important part of an organization, a plan, etc., because everything else depends on it
bilateral
involving two groups of people or two countries
luxuriate in sth
to get great pleasure from sth
barrel of fun
a person or thing that is very enjoyable
kick against
to refuse to accept sth and react strongly against it
dog eat dog
a situation in business, politics, etc. where there is a lot of competition and people are willing to harm each other in order to succeed
atrophy
the condition of being weak
avariece
greed
tinker with sth
to make small changes to sth in order to repair or improve it, esp. in a way that may not be helpful
trifle with sb/sth
to treat sb/sth without real respect
dial up
to increase the amount of sth
prostrate
so shocked, upset, etc. that you cannot do anything
chafe at/under sth
to feel annoyed and impatient about sth, esp. because it limits what you can do
valiant
very brave or determined
work your fingers to the bone
to work very hard
flog a dead horse
waste energy on a lost cause or a situation that cannot be changed
make lemonade out of lemons
make a bad situation better
hit play dirt
to suddenly be in a successful situation
in the offing
likely to appear or happen soon
nestled
nest
to put or hold sb/sth in a comfortable position in a warm or soft place
accursed
annoying or making you feel angry
mimicry
the action of copying the skill of being able to copy the voice, movements, etc. of others
feverishly
in a way that shows strong feelings of excitement or worry, often with a lot of activity or quick movements
latch onto
to attach oneself to sth
on the fly
do sth quickly
outrun
to develop faster or further than sth
take issue with
to disagree strongly
woefully
to a serious degree
gape at sb/sth
to stare at sb/sth with your mouth open because you are shocked or surprised
gregarious
sociable
meticulous
paying attention to details
as stubborn as a mule
very stubborn
a real blast from the past
sth or sb that a person has not seen for a long time, which evokes nostalgic feelings
sadfishing
exaggerating emotional problems to generate empathy
hit the road
to leave a place or begin a journey
take in
to go and see sth of interest
come up in the world
to have more money or a better social position than you had before
enquiry
an official process to discover the facts about sth bad that had happened
undimmed
still bright or shinning
unbeatable
unable to be defeated or improved because of excellent quality
overtake
to go past sth by being a greater amount or degree
embedded
(emotion, opinion, etc.) a very strong part of sb/sth
repeal
cause a law to no longer have any legal force
not get a word in edgeways
to not be able to say anything because sb else is talking all the time
go up in smoke
to be wasted
face the music
to accept criticism or punishment for sth you have done
drop a bombshell
sb give sb else a sudden piece of bad or unexpected news
blow sth out of proportions
to treat a particular event or problem far to seriously
plummet
to fall very quickly and suddenly
move with the times
to change and become more modern, because attitudes or fashions are changing
swell
to become larger and rounder than usual, to (cause to) increase in size or amount
get back on one’s feet
to be healthy again after a period of illness
get the knack of sth
to learn how to do sth competently or well after a certain period of practice
out of step with sb/sth
not having the same ideas or beliefs as other people, or not being aware of other people’s beliefs
bolt down
to eat sth quickly
horse around
fool around
vicious
violent and cruel
pertinent
appropriate to a particular situation
genesis
the beginning or origin of sth
overruns
the act of taking more time or money than was intended
signatory
a person, country, or an organization that has signed an official agreement
come to a standstill
(work, traffic, negotiations, etc.) to slow down and finally stop, to stop completely
if/when it comes to the crunch
if/when a situation becomes extremely serious and a decision must be made
disturb
to move or change sth from its usual position, agreement, condition, or shape
pull your socks up
to make an effort to improve your work or behavior because it is not good enough
a clean bill of health
a decision by a doctor that sb is healthy
take sth with a pinch of salt
to not completely believe sth that you are told, because you think it is unlikely to be true
the cream of sth
the best of a particular group of people
jump the gun
to do sth too soon, esp. without thinking carefully about it
smarten sb/sth up
to (cause to) become more clean, tidy and stylish
work off
(an unpleasant feeling) to get rid of it doing sth energetic
partition
the division of one country into two or more countries
forthright
direct and honest in manner and speech
short-lived
lasting for only a short time
anglicise
to make sb/sth English in character
entanglement
the act of becoming caught or twisted in sth, the state of being caught or twisted in sth
biting
used to describe weather that is extremely cold, esp. when it causes you physical pain
any old how
carelessly
sit in judgement on/over sb/sth
to make a judgement on sb/sth esp. when you have no right to do so
get a grip on yourself
to make an effort to control your emotions and behave more calmly
go through hell and high water
experience a lot of difficulties
more heaven and earth
to do everything you can to achieve sth
the end of the line/road
the point at which it is no longer possible to continue with a process or activity
go off the rails
to start behaving in a way that is not generally acceptable, esp. dishonestly or illegally
have a good laugh about sth
to find sth amusing and realize that it is funny, esp. when the situation was at first upsetting
have one’s way
to do, get etc. what one wants
have a lot going for sth
have certain advantages that will make the end result successful
no sth to speak of
not enough of sth to make it worth talking about
make time
to make certain you have some time when you are not busy in order to do sth you think you should do
drag
go slowly
whip sth up
to encourage or cause people to have strong feelings about sth
sugary
seeming too full of emotion in a way that is not sincere
surrealistic
very strange, more like a dream than reality
unequivocally
in an unambiguous manner
pour/throw cold water on sth
to criticize sb’s opinions or ideas and stop people believing then or being excited about them
a bone of contention
sth that two or more people argue about strongly over a period of time
in line with sth
according to or following sth such as a rule, or principle
call sb’s attention to sb/sth
to make sb notice and think about a person or thing
in limbo
in a situation in which you are not certain what to do next, cannot take actions, etc., esp. because you are waiting for sb else to make a decision
workhorse
a person who does a lot of work, esp. a type that is necessary but not interesting
in a flash
immediately
fork out
to pay an amount of money, esp. unwillingly
give place to
to be replaced by sth or sb else
scrape through sth
to succeed in sth with a lot of difficulty
shady
dishonest or illegal
disburse
to pay out money, usually from an amount that has been collected for a particular purpose
condition
to train or influence a person or animal mentally so that they do or expect a particular thing without thinking about it
interactive
capable of acting on or influencing each other
dehumanizing
depriving of human qualities
wordsmith
a person who shows skill at using words
scaremongers
a person who spreads stories deliberately to make people frightened or nervous
