Unit 12.3 Flashcards
reservation
a doubt or feeling of not being able to agree with or accept something completely:
Workers and employees shared deep reservations about the wisdom of the government’s plans for the industry.
He accepted my advice without reservation.
cusp
the dividing line between two very different things:
on the cusp of adulthood
significance
importance:
The discovery of the new drug is of great significance for/to people suffering from heart problems.
repercussion
the effect that an action, event, or decision has on something, especially a bad effect:
Any decrease in tourism could have serious repercussions for the local economy.
President Kennedy’s assassination had far-reaching repercussions.
concern yourself
to become involved with something, or worried about something:
There’s no need for you to concern yourself with what happened.
Don’t concern yourself. She’ll be home soon.
to whom it may concern
something you write at the start of a formal letter or notice when you do not know exactly who it should be sent to
be of concern
to be important:
The results of the election are of concern to us all.
concern
to cause worry to someone:
The state of my father’s health concerns us greatly.
It concerns me that he hasn’t been in contact.
infamous
famous for something considered bad:
The list included the infamous George Drake, a double murderer.
He’s infamous for his bigoted sense of humour.
spot
to see or notice someone or something, usually because you are looking hard:
I’ve just spotted Mark - he’s over there, near the entrance.
If you spot any mistakes in the article just mark them with a pencil.
vivid
Vivid descriptions, memories, etc. produce very clear, powerful, and detailed images in the mind:
He gave a very vivid and often shocking account/description of his time in prison.
He’s one of those people with a very vivid imagination - every time he hears a noise he’s convinced it’s someone breaking in.
statutory
decided or controlled by law:
statutory obligations
outstanding
clearly very much better than what is usual:
an outstanding performance/writer/novel/year
It’s an area of outstanding natural beauty.
come out
If something comes out, it becomes known publicly after it has been kept secret:
After her death, it came out that she’d lied about her age.
When the truth came out, there was public outrage.
caught up in sth
so involved in an activity that you do not notice other things:
I was so caught up in my school work, that I didn’t realize what was happening with my sister.
to be involved in an activity that you did not intend to be involved in:
He got caught up in the demonstrations and got arrested.
commitment
willingness to give your time and energy to a job, activity, or something that you believe in:
I’d like to thank the staff for having shown such commitment.
They don’t want to promote me because they think I lack commitment.
spring up
to start to exist suddenly:
Thousands of new businesses have sprung up in the past couple of years.
cautious
Someone who is cautious avoids risks:
He’s a cautious driver.
manner
a type:
Very little is known about the new candidate - what manner of man is he?
unforeseen
not expected:
Due to unforeseen circumstances the cost of the improvements has risen by 20 percent.
Unless there are any unforeseen problems the whole project should be finished by the spring.
prudent
careful and avoiding risks:
It’s always prudent to read a contract carefully before signing it.
discreet
careful not to cause embarrassment or attract too much attention, especially by keeping something secret:
The family made discreet enquiries about his background.
They are very good assistants, very discreet - they wouldn’t go talking to the press.
set the wheels in motion
to do something that will cause a series of actions to start:
I thought a phone call to the right person might set the wheels in motion.
set the scene
o make something possible or likely to happen:
His resignation set the scene for a company crisis.
not set the world on fire
to not be very exciting or successful:
He has a nice enough voice but he’s not going to set the world on fire.
set your heart on sth/doing sth
to want to get or achieve something very much:
She’s set her heart on having a pony.
set in stone
to be very difficult or impossible to change:
The schedule isn’t set in stone, but we’d like to stick to it pretty closely.
pull the strings
to be in control of an organization, often secretly:
I want to know who’s pulling the strings around here.
precedent
an action, situation, or decision that has already happened and can be used as a reason why a similar action or decision should be performed or made:
There are several precedents for promoting people who don’t have formal qualifications.
Some politicians fear that agreeing to the concession would set a dangerous precedent.
set someone straight
to tell someone the true facts about a situation that the person had not understood:
I had to set him straight about what really happened.
The article about the trial really set the record straight.
set your teeth on edge
to annoy you very much:
The kids screaming in the next room really set my teeth on edge.
set your sights on sth
to decide to achieve something:
Jenny has set her sights on winning the competition.
pull your weight
to work as hard as other people in a group:
The others had complained that Sarah wasn’t pulling her weight.
pull your socks up
to make an effort to improve your work or behaviour because it is not good enough:
He’s going to have to pull his socks up if he wants to stay in the team.
pull a fast one
to successfully deceive someone:
You paid too much - I think he pulled a fast one on you.
run rings round sb
If someone runs rings round you, they are very much better, faster, or more successful at something than you are:
Our girls’ hockey team have run rings round all their opponents this year.
run the risk of doing sth
to do something although something bad might happen because of it:
If you tell him the truth, you run the risk of hurting his feelings.
run a tight ship
to control a business or other organization firmly and effectively:
Ruth runs a tight ship and has no time for shirkers.
set out your stall
(UK!!!!) to make all the necessary plans or arrangements that you need to achieve something, and show that you are determined to achieve it
He has set out his stall to retain his place in Europe’s Ryder Cup team.
run counter to
If one thing runs counter to another, or if one thing is counter to another, the first thing is the opposite of the second thing or conflicts with it:
Much of the plan runs counter to European agriculture and environmental policy.
The finding ran counter to all expectations.
We do not tolerate any behaviour that is counter to our core value of integrity
