Unit 4.2 & 4.3 Flashcards
to spear sth
to catch something on the end of a pointed tool or object:
He speared a meatball with his fork.
winkle sth/sb out
to get or find something or someone with difficulty:
I managed to winkle the truth out of him eventually. (UK!!!!)
spoon-fed
to give someone so much help or information that that person does not need to try himself or herself:
By giving out printed sheets of facts and theories, the teachers spoon-fed us with what we needed for the exam.
on a knife edge
in a difficult or worrying situation of which the result is very uncertain:
At the moment the election seems balanced on a knife edge.
silver-plated
(of metal) with a thin covering of silver:
On the desk was a solitary photograph in a silver-plated frame.
introduce
to speak or write before the beginning of a performance, programme or book and give information about it; to tell an audience about the person who is going to speak, sing, etc. :
The director will introduce the film personally at its premiere.
silly
showing little thought or judgment:
Don’t do that, you silly boy!
not important, serious, or practical:
She gets upset over such silly things.
carve
to make something by cutting into especially wood or stone, or to cut into the surface of stone, wood, etc.:
This totem pole is carved from/out of a single tree trunk.
fastidious
giving too much attention to small details and wanting everything to be correct and perfect:
He is very fastidious about how a suitcase should be packed.
craven
extremely cowardly (= not brave): a craven act of terrorism
strive
to try very hard to do something or to make something happen, especially for a long time or against difficulties:
In her writing she strove for a balance between innovation and familiar prose forms.
sugar-coated, foil-wrapped
(ya know them)
foolproof
(of a plan or machine) so simple and easy to understand that it is unable to go wrong or be used wrongly:
I don’t believe there’s any such thing as a foolproof system for making money.
in place
If something is in place, it is in its usual or correct position:
The chairs are all in place.
vogue
a fashion or general liking, especially one that is temporary:
In the 1920s, short hair for women became the vogue.
ripe for
developed to a suitable condition for something to happen:
The company is ripe for takeover.
sweeten the pill
to make something bad seem less unpleasant:
Plans to improve public services are a way of sweetening the pill of increased taxation.
put all your eggs in one basket
to depend for your success on a single person or plan of action:
I’m applying for several jobs because I don’t really want to put all my eggs in one basket.
have egg on your face
If you have egg on your face, you look stupid because of something that you have done:
This latest scandal has left the government with egg on its face.
have bigger fish to fry
to have something more important to do
eat crow
After boasting that his company could outperform the industry’s best, he’s been forced to eat crow
spill the beans
to tell people secret information:
So who spilled the beans about her affair with David?
have sth on your plate
to have something, usually a large amount of important work, to deal with:
She’s got a lot on her plate - especially with two new projects starting this week.
The aid agencies have (more than) enough on their plate without having unnecessary visitors to take care of.
sell like hot cakes
to be bought quickly and in large numbers:
With-profits bonds have sold like hot cakes to older people looking for a low-risk, high return for their money.
