unit 2 headway upper intermediate Flashcards
seven-year voyage
/ˈvɔɪ-ɪdʒ/ ●●○ noun [countable]
1 a long journey in a ship or spacecraft
The voyage from England to India used to take six months.
the Titanic’s maiden voyage (=first journey)
I don’t want to make the voyage single-handed.
These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise.
a peasant family
/ˈpezənt/ noun [countable]
1 a poor farmer who owns or rents a small amount of land, either in past times or in poor countries
Most villagers are peasant farmers.
2 old-fashioned informal an insulting word for someone who does not behave politely in social situations or is not well educated
herbalist
ˈhɜːbəlɪst $ ˈɜːr-, ˈhɜːr-/ noun [countable]
someone who grows, sells, or uses herbs, especially to treat illness
chief botanist
highest in rank
/ˈbɒtənɪst $ ˈbɑː-/ noun [countable]
someone whose job is to make scientific studies of wild plants
set out from somewhere
to start a journey, especially a long journey
for
Kate set out for the house on the other side of the bay.
set out on a journey/drive/voyage etc
The band are setting out on a European tour in March.
2 to start doing something or making plans to do something in order to achieve a particular result
set out to do something
salesmen who deliberately set out to defraud customers
set out with the idea/purpose/intention etc of doing something
They set out with the aim of becoming the number one team in the league.
3 set something ↔ out to explain ideas, facts, or opinions in a clearly organized way, in writing or in a speech
He set out the reasons for his decision in his report.
4 set something ↔ out to put a group of things down and arrange them
The market traders began setting out their displays.
5 set out on something to start doing something, especially something new, difficult, or important
My nephew is just setting out on a career in journalism.
remote parts of the world
watch out for
used to tell someone to be careful
You’ll become an alcoholic if you don’t watch out.
prompt
a word or words said to an actor in a play, to help them remember what to say
2 a sign on a computer screen which shows that the computer has finished one operation and is ready to begin the next
modest office
ˈmɒdɪst $ ˈmɑː-/ ●●○ adjective
1 NOT PROUD someone who is modest does not want to talk about their abilities or achievements OPP immodest, boastful
modest about
He was always modest about his role in the Everest expedition.
You’re too modest! You’ve been a huge help to us.
2 NOT BIG not very great, big, or expensive
a modest increase in costs
She had saved a modest amount of money.
The new service proved a modest success.
a modest house with a small garden
his modest ambitions
3 SHY shy about showing your body or attracting sexual interest, because you are easily embarrassed OPP immodest
She was a modest girl, always keeping covered, even in summer.
4 CLOTHES old-fashioned modest clothing covers the body in a way that does not attract sexual interest
a modest knee-length dress
expat
ˌeksˈpæt
ex‧pat‧ri‧ate /eksˈpætriət, -trieɪt $ -ˈpeɪ-/ noun [countable]
someone who lives in a foreign country
British expatriates living in Spain
lethal
ˈliːθəl/ ●●○ adjective
1 causing death, or able to cause death → fatal
a lethal dose of heroin
a lethal weapon
death by lethal injection
a lethal cocktail of drink and pills
lethal to
These chemicals are lethal to fish.
2 informal likely to be powerful or dangerous – often used humorously
They were all drinking lethal amounts of tequila!
Higher taxes and higher inflation were a lethal combination.
throw-away society
used to show disapproval when talking about modern societies in which products are not made to last a long time
vast pacific ocean
/vɑːst $ væst/ ●●○ W2 adjective
1 extremely large SYN huge
vast amounts/numbers/quantities/sums etc (of something)
The government will have to borrow vast amounts of money.
The refugees come across the border in vast numbers.
vast areas/expanses/tracts etc (of something)
vast areas of rainforest
In the past five years, there has been a vast improvement in graduation rates.
► see thesaurus at big
2 → the vast majority (of something)
—vastness noun [uncountable]
spectacular landscapes
/spekˈtækjələ $ -ər/ ●●○ adjective
1 very impressive
a mountainous area with spectacular scenery
a spectacular success
2 very sudden, unexpected, or extreme
The news caused a spectacular fall in the stock market.
turquoise sea
a valuable greenish-blue stone or a jewel that is made from this
turquoise earrings
2 [uncountable] a greenish-blue colour
The room was painted in turquoise.
—turquoise adjective
a clear turquoise sea
to be staggered
/ˈstæɡəd $ -ərd/ adjective [not before noun]
extremely surprised SYN amazed
I was absolutely staggered when I saw the bill.
staggered at/by
She was staggered by the directness of his question.
washed up
British English to wash plates, dishes, knives etc → washing-up
2 American English to wash your hands
Go wash up before dinner.
3 wash something ↔ up if waves wash something up, they carry it to the shore
wash something ↔ up on
His body was washed up on the beach the next morning.
washed-up
of a person or an organization is washed-up, they will never be successful again
a washed-up movie star
pristine
extremely fresh or clean
a pristine white shirt
► see thesaurus at clean
2 something that is pristine is in the same condition as when it was first made
The car has been restored to pristine condition.
3 not spoiled or damaged in any way
pristine African rainforest
mouldings
molding American English /ˈməʊldɪŋ $ ˈmoʊl-/ noun
1 [countable, uncountable] a thin decorative line of plaster, wood etc around the edge of a wall, a piece of furniture, a picture frame etc
2 [countable] an object produced from a mould
conservationist
/ˌkɒnsəˈveɪʃənɪst $ ˌkɑːnsər-/ noun [countable]
someone who works to protect animals, plants etc or to protect old buildings
waves dumped another mountain of rubbish
1 PUT SOMETHING SOMEWHERE [always + adverb/preposition] to put something somewhere in a careless untidy way
Merrill dumped her suitcase down in the hall.
dump something on something
They dump tons of salt on icy road surfaces to make driving safer.
dump something in/into something
He found a can of beef stew and dumped it in a saucepan to heat.
► see thesaurus at put
2 GET RID OF SOMETHING
a) to get rid of something that you do not want
Ellie dumped all the photos of her ex-husband.
He dumped her body into the sea.
b) to get rid of waste material by taking it from people’s houses and burying it under the soil
Britain dumps more of its waste than any other European country.
3 END RELATIONSHIP informal to end a relationship with someone
Vicky dumped Neil yesterday.
4 SELL GOODS to get rid of goods by selling them in a foreign country at a much lower price
dump in/on
a campaign to stop cheap European beef being dumped in West Africa
drop to your knee
fit to drop
British English informal extremely tired SYN exhausted
It was getting late and most of us were fit to drop.
nurdles
small plastic pellets
ˈpelɪt/ noun [countable]
1 a small ball of a substance
food pellets for rabbits
raw material
/rɔː $ rɒː/ ●●● W3 adjective
1 FOOD not cooked
raw meat
grated raw carrots
Cabbage can be eaten raw.
2 SUBSTANCES raw substances are in a natural state and not treated or prepared for use → refined
raw silk
In its raw state, cocoa is very bitter.
Raw sewage had been dumped in the river.
The cost of our raw materials has risen significantly.
3 INFORMATION raw information is collected but not organized, examined, or developed
software to convert raw data into usable information
His time here provided the raw material for his novel.
Warhol used everyday items as the raw ingredients of his art.
4 EMOTIONS raw feelings are strong and natural, but not fully controlled
raw passion
Linda didn’t want to see Roy while her emotions were still raw.
It took raw courage to admit she was wrong.
infinite number of
/ˈɪnfənət/ ●●○ AWL adjective
1 very great in amount or degree
a woman of infinite patience
an infinite number/variety of something
There was an infinite variety of drinks to choose from.
2 without limits in space or time OPP finite
The universe is infinite.
→ in somebody’s (infinite) wisdom, → non-finite
/ˈfaɪnaɪt/ ●○○ AWL adjective
1 having an end or a limit OPP infinite
the Earth’s finite resources
dumped out of factories in their trillions
/dʌmp/ ●●● S3 verb [transitive]
1 PUT SOMETHING SOMEWHERE [always + adverb/preposition] to put something somewhere in a careless untidy way
Merrill dumped her suitcase down in the hall.
dump something on something
They dump tons of salt on icy road surfaces to make driving safer.
dump something in/into something
He found a can of beef stew and dumped it in a saucepan to heat.
► see thesaurus at put
2 GET RID OF SOMETHING
a) to get rid of something that you do not want
Ellie dumped all the photos of her ex-husband.
He dumped her body into the sea.
b) to get rid of waste material by taking it from people’s houses and burying it under the soil
Britain dumps more of its waste than any other European country.
3 END RELATIONSHIP informal to end a relationship with someone
Vicky dumped Neil yesterday.
4 SELL GOODS to get rid of goods by selling them in a foreign country at a much lower price
dump in/on
a campaign to stop cheap European beef being dumped in West Africa
dig in the sand
1 dig something ↔ in (also dig something into something) to mix something into soil by digging
Dig some fertilizer into the soil first.
2 (also dig (something) into something) to push a hard or pointed object into something, especially someone’s body, or to press into something
She dug her fingernails into his arm.
dig something ↔ in
He dug his spurs in and urged his horse on.
I could feel one of the hooks digging in.
3 if a group of people, especially soldiers, dig in, they make a protected place for themselves or prepare for a difficult situation
The troops dug in along the defensive line.
We just have to dig in and hope we can turn things around.
4 (also dig into something) informal to start eating food that is in front of you
Go on – dig in!
He was already digging into his pie and chips.
biodegrade
/ˌbaɪəʊdɪˈɡreɪdəbəl◂ $ ˌbaɪoʊ-/ adjective
materials, chemicals etc that are biodegradable are changed naturally by bacteria into substances that do not harm the environment OPP non biodegradable, non-biodegradable
This carton is made of biodegradable plastic.
break down into smaller pieces
if a car or machine breaks down, it stops working
The car broke down just north of Paris.
The printing machines are always breaking down.
→ breakdown
2 to fail or stop working in a successful way
Negotiations broke down after only two days.
I left London when my marriage broke down.
→ breakdown
3 break something ↔ down if you break down a door, you hit it so hard that it breaks and falls to the ground
Police had to break down the door to get into the flat.
4 break something ↔ down to change or remove something that prevents people from working together and having a successful relationship with each other
Getting young people together will help to break down the barriers between them.
It takes a long time to break down prejudices.
5 if a substance breaks down, or something breaks it down, it changes as a result of a chemical process
break something ↔ down
Food is broken down in the stomach.
Bacteria are added to help break down the sewage.
6 to be unable to stop yourself crying, especially in public
He broke down and cried.
She broke down in tears when she heard the news.
7 break something ↔ down to separate something into smaller parts so that it is easier to do or understand
He showed us the whole dance, then broke it down so that we could learn it more easily.
The question can be broken down into two parts.
grains of sand
a very small amount of something
The story wouldn’t have fooled anyone with a grain of sense.
There is a grain of truth in all folklore and legend.
a single very small piece of a substance such as sand or salt
grain of
a grain of sand
There were crumbs and grains of sugar on the table.
the natural lines you can see in a substance such as wood, which are the result of its structure
along the grain (=in the same direction as the grain)
Cut along the grain of the wood.
across the grain (=at 90 degrees to the grain)
plastic flecks
/flek/ noun [countable]
1 a small mark or spot SYN speck
fleck of
a black beard with flecks of gray
2 a small piece of something SYN speck
fleck of
flecks of sawdust
fleck of
* Kathy’s eyes have flecks of gray in them.
pounding of sea
/ˈpaʊndɪŋ/ noun
1 [singular, uncountable] the action or the sound of something hitting a surface very hard many times
pounding of
the pounding of the waves on the rocks below
2 [singular, uncountable] the action or sound of your heart beating
dug through
/dɪɡ/ ●●● S2 verb (past tense and past participle dug /dʌɡ/, present participle digging)
1 [intransitive, transitive] to move earth, snow etc, or to make a hole in the ground, using a spade or your hands
dig a hole/trench/grave etc
They dig a small hole in the sand to bury their eggs.
dig down
Dig down about 6 inches.
dig for
birds digging for worms
2 [transitive] to remove something, especially vegetables, from the ground using a spade
freshly dug carrots
3 [intransitive, transitive always + adverb/preposition] to put your hand into something, especially in order to search for something
a chill went down my spin
soiling our own nest
verb [transitive]
1 formal to make something dirty, especially with waste from your body
2 → not soil your hands
—soiled adjective
soiled diapers
not soil your hands
to not do something because you consider it too unpleasant or dishonest
Keep your money – I wouldn’t soil my hands with it.
cover in litter
LAYER if something covers a surface, it forms a layer over it
Grey mould covered the walls.
Much of the country is covered by snow.
cover something with/in something
The bulletin board was covered with messages.
The eruption of the volcano covered states as far away as Montana in a fine layer of ash.
be shrouded in mist/darkness/smoke etc
literary to be covered and hidden in mist, smoke etc
The mountains were shrouded in mist.
is just a fraction of
/ˈfrækʃən/ ●●○ noun [countable]
1 a very small amount of something
fraction of
I got these shoes at a fraction of the original price.
She paused for a fraction of a second.
2 a part of a whole number in mathematics, such as ½ or ¾
clogging our oceans
klɒɡ $ klɑːɡ/ (also clog up) verb (clogged, clogging) [intransitive, transitive]
to block something or become blocked
tourists whose cars clog the roads each summer
clog with
Over many years, the pipes had got clogged up with grease.
—clogged adjective
clogged highways
sloshing around
/slɒʃ $ slɑːʃ/ verb
1 [intransitive, transitive always + adverb/preposition] if a liquid sloshes somewhere, or if you slosh it, it moves or is moved about in an uncontrolled way SYN slop
slosh around/about
Water was sloshing about in the bottom of the boat.
He put the glass down hard and beer sloshed over the edge.
2 [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to put a liquid in a container or on a surface in a careless way SYN slop
Jo sloshed more wine into her glass.
Slosh a bit of paint on.
3 [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to walk through water or mud in a noisy way SYN splash
People were sloshing around in the mud.
swamped by
verb [transitive]
1 to suddenly give someone a lot of work, problems etc to deal with SYN inundate
be swamped by/with something
We’ve been swamped with phone calls since the advert appeared.
2 to go somewhere or surround something in large numbers, especially in a short period of time
be swamped by/with something
In the summer the village is swamped by visitors.
Grammar
Swamp is usually passive in meanings 1 and 2.
patch
/pætʃ/ ●●○ noun [countable]
1 PART OF AN AREA a small area of something that is different from the area around it
patch of
We finally found a patch of grass to sit down on.
Belinda watched a patch of sunlight move slowly across the wall.
Look out for icy patches on the road.
a cat with a white patch on its chest
He combs his hair over his bald patch.
2 OVER A HOLE a small piece of material that is sewn on something to cover a hole in it
a jacket with leather patches at the elbows
3 FOR GROWING SOMETHING a small area of ground for growing fruit or vegetables
a strawberry patch
4 COMPUTER a small computer program that is added to software to solve problems
5 EYE a piece of material that you wear over your eye to protect it when it has been hurt
He had a black patch over one eye.
6 DECORATION American English a small piece of cloth with words or pictures on it that you can sew onto clothes SYN badge British English
7 → a bad/difficult/sticky/rough patch
8 → somebody’s patch
9 → not be a patch on somebody/something
accumulation
/əˈkjuːmjəleɪt/ ●○○ AWL verb
1 [transitive] to gradually get more and more money, possessions, knowledge etc over a period of time
It is unjust that a privileged few should continue to accumulate wealth.
► see thesaurus at collect
2 [intransitive] to gradually increase in numbers or amount until there is a large quantity in one place
Fat tends to accumulate around the hips and thighs.
—accumulation /əˌkjuːmjəˈleɪʃən/ noun [countable, uncountable]
the accumulation of data
Register
In everyday English, people usually say build up rather than accumulate:
These chemicals tend to build up in the soil.
plastic debris floating in the pacific
/ˈdebriː, ˈdeɪ- $ dəˈbriː, deɪ-/ ●○○ noun [uncountable]
1 the pieces of something that are left after it has been destroyed in an accident, explosion etc
She was hit by flying debris from the blast.
2 technical pieces of waste material, paper etc
plant/garden/industrial etc debris
Clean the ventilation ducts to remove dust and insect debris.
