Unit 4 Flashcards
nonchalant
calm, cool
petrified
terrified
morass
swamp
to endear
cause to be loved or liked
to veer
change direction suddenly
rim
edge of something
e.g.: The rim of the cup was chipped and broken.
incredulous
not wanting or not able to believe something
doubtful
to devour
to eat something eagerly and in large amounts so that nothing is left
e.g.: The young cubs hungrily devoured the deer.
to relish
to like or enjoy something
e.g.: I always relish a challenge.
prong
sharp points on an object, especially a fork
effeminacy
effeminate
an effeminate man behaves or looks similar to a woman
to proliferate
to increase a lot and suddenly in number
e.g.: Small businesses have proliferated in the last ten years.
sensuous
aesthetic
luscious
having a pleasant sweet taste or containing a lot of juice, delicious
exquisite
beautiful, elegant
to have sth on your plate
to have something, usually a large amount of important work, to deal with
e.g. : She’s got a lot on her plate - especially with two new projects starting this week.
to put all your eggs in one basket
to depend for your success on a single person or plan of action
e.g.:I’m applying for several jobs because I don’t really want to put all my eggs in one basket.
to sugar the pill (UK)
to sweeten the pill (US)
to make something bad seem less unpleasant
e.g.:Plans to improve public services are a way of sugaring the pill of increased taxation.
to have a bigger fish to fry
to have something more important to do
to take sth with a pinch of salt (UK)
to take sth with a grain of salt (US)
to not completely believe something that you are told, because you think it is unlikely to be true
e.g.: You have to take everything she says with a pinch of salt, because she tends to exaggerate.
to spill the beans
to tell people secret information
e.g.: So who spilled the beans about her affair with David?
to get/have egg on your face
If you have egg on your face, you look stupid because of something that you have done
e.g.:This latest scandal has left the government with egg on its face.
to eat humble pie
to admit that you were wrong
marsh
ground near a lake, a river, or the sea that often floods and is always wet
to flee
to run away
feud (fjuːd)
prolonged argument, dispute
to undertake
to commit oneself to sth, promise to do a particular thing
to tackle
to try to deal with something or someone
e.g.:There are many ways of tackling this problem.
shrewd
clever, far-sighted
fruition
fulfilment, realisation
to deem
to consider or judge something in a particular way:
e.g.: The area has now been deemed safe.
to come down to sth
if a situation or decision comes down to something, that is the thing that influences it most
e.g.: It all comes down to money in the end.
to set sth (off) against sth
to use one thing, especially the cost of something, in order to reduce or remove the effect of another
e.g.: Costs of new equipment or machinery, such as a computer, can also be set against tax.
to live up to
to fulfil (expectations), to be as good as something
e.g.: David’s cooking was brilliant - we’ll never live up to that.
to get sth over with
to do or finish an unpleasant but necessary piece of work or duty
