Units 1 & 2 (Deprecated) Flashcards
fill (something) up
uk |fɪl| us |fɪl|
verb
1. to become full, or to make something become full
* “The seats in the hall were filling up fast.”
* “[fill (something) up with something] He filled up the tank with petrol.”
fill someone up
uk |fɪl| us |fɪl|
verb
1. If food fills you up, it makes you feel as if you have eaten enough
* “That sandwich really filled me up.”
to be on the safe side
idiom
1. to avoid risk
* “Maybe it won’t rain, but to be on the safe side, take your umbrella.”
despise
uk |dɪˈspaɪz| us |dɪˈspaɪz|
verb
1. to feel a strong dislike for someone or something because you think that that person or thing is bad or has no value
* “The two groups despise each other.”
* “[despise someone/yourself for something] She despised him for the way he treated her sister.”
* “He despised himself for being such a coward.”
resemble
uk |rɪˈzem.bəl| us |rɪˈzem.bəl|
verb
1. to look like or be like someone or something
* “You resemble your mother very closely.”
* “After the earthquake, the city resembled a battlefield.”
possess
uk |pəˈzes| us |pəˈzes|
verb
1. to have or own something, or to have a particular quality
* “I don’t possess a single DVD (= I don’t have even one DVD).”
* “In the past the root of this plant was thought to possess magical powers.”
2. (of a wish or an idea) to take control over a person’s mind, making that person behave in a very strange way
* ”[+ to infinitive] Whatever possessed him to wear that appalling jacket!”
assess
uk |əˈses| us |əˈses|
verb
1. to judge or decide the amount, value, quality, or importance of something
* “The insurers will need to assess the flood damage.”
* “They assessed the cost of the flood damage at £2,500.”
* “Exams are not the only means of assessing a student’s ability.”
* “It’s too early to assess the long-term consequences of the two countries’ union.”
* ”[+ question word] We need to assess whether the project is worth doing.”
assume
uk |əˈsjuːm| us |əˈsuːm|
verb
1. to accept something to be true without question or proof
* “We mustn’t assume the suspects’ guilt.”
* ”[+ (that)] I assumed (that) you knew each other because you went to the same school.”
* “Let’s assume that they’re coming and make plans on that basis.”
* ”[+ to infinitive] We can’t assume the suspects to be guilty simply because they’ve decided to remain silent.”
2. to pretend to have a different name or be someone you are not, or to express a feeling falsely
* “Moving to a different town, he assumed a false name.”
* “He assumed a look of indifference but I knew how he felt.”
* “[assume an identity] During the investigation, two detectives assumed the identities of antiques dealers.”
3. to take or begin to have responsibility or control, sometimes without the right to do so, or to begin to have a characteristic
* “She is likely to assume the position of team captain next season.”
* “I didn’t want to assume the risk of trying to fix the car myself.”
* “The new president assumes office at midnight tonight.”
* “The issue has assumed considerable political proportions (= has become a big political problem).”
* “[assume control] The terrorists assumed control of the plane and forced it to land in the desert.”
* “If you leave your belongings here, we cannot assume responsibility for what happens to them.”
baffle
uk |ˈbæf.əl| us |ˈbæf.əl|
verb
1. to cause someone to be completely unable to understand or explain something
* “She was completely baffled by his strange behaviour.”
biased
uk |ˈbaɪ.əst| us |ˈbaɪ.əst|
adjective
1. showing an unreasonable like or dislike for someone or something based on personal opinions
* “The newspapers gave a very biased report of the meeting.”
* “I think she’s beautiful but then I’m biased since she’s my daughter.”
concentrate
uk |ˈkɒn.sən.treɪt| us |ˈkɑːn.sən.treɪt|
verb
1. to direct your attention or your efforts towards a particular activity, subject, or problem [I/T]
* “Come on, concentrate! We don’t have all day to do this.”
* “I can’t concentrate on my work with all that noise.”
* “I find running concentrates the mind (= helps me to think).”
* “I’m going to concentrate on my writing for a while.”
* “The company is concentrating (its resources) on developing new products.”
2. to bring or come together in a large number or amount in one particular area [T usually passive/I, usually + adv/prep]
* “Most of the country’s population is concentrated in the north.”
* “In the dry season, the animals tend to concentrate in the areas where there is water.”
3. to make a liquid or substance stronger and reduce its size by removing water from it [T]
consider
uk |kənˈsɪd.ər| us |kənˈsɪd.ɚ|
verb
1. to spend time thinking about a possibility or making a decision [I/T]
* “Don’t make any decisions before you’ve considered the situation.”
* ”[+ question word] Have you considered what you’ll do if you don’t get the job?”
* ”[+ -ing verb] We’re considering selling the house.”
* “[be considered for] She’s being considered for the job.”
* “I’d like some time to consider before I make a decision.”
2. to give attention to a particular subject or fact when judging something else [T]
* “You’ve got to consider the time element when planning the whole project.”
* ”[+ question word] If you consider how long he’s been learning the piano, he’s not very good.”
3. to care about or respect other people or their feelings and wishes [T]
* “Did you consider your mother and how she’s going to feel about you leaving?”
* “She never considers anyone but herself - she’s totally selfish!”
4. to believe someone or something to be, or think of him, her, or it as something [T often + obj + (to be) + noun/adj]
* “He is currently considered (to be) the best British athlete.”
* “We don’t consider her to be right for the job.”
* “[passive + obj + to infinitive] It is considered bad manners in some cultures to speak with your mouth full of food.”
* “[consider yourself lucky that] I consider myself lucky that I only hurt my arm in the accident.”
* “Do you consider him a friend of yours?”
* ”[+ (that)] She considers (that) she has done enough to help already.”
contemplate
uk |ˈkɒn.təm.pleɪt| us |ˈkɑːn.t̬əm.pleɪt|
verb
1. to spend time considering a possible future action, or to consider one particular thing for a long time in a serious and quiet way
* ”[+ -ing verb] I’m contemplating going abroad for a year.”
* “They were contemplating a move to California.”
* “It’s too awful/horrific/dangerous to contemplate.”
cynical
uk |ˈsɪn.ɪ.kəl| us |ˈsɪn.ɪ.kəl|
adjective
1. believing that people are only interested in themselves and are not sincere
* “[cynical view] She has a pretty cynical view of men.”
* “[cynical about] I’ve always been deeply cynical about politicians.”
2. used to say that someone’s feelings or emotions are used to your own advantage
* “She works in that most cynical of industries - advertising.”
* “He praises my cooking but it’s just a cynical ploy to get me to make him dinner.”
3. not showing fairness or respect to an opposing player [sports UK specialized]
* “Most of my injuries have come from bad cynical tackles.”
* “Cynical fouls by defenders with no intention of playing the ball were the reason referees were asked to get tough in the first place.”
deduce
uk |dɪˈdʒuːs| us |dɪˈduːs|
verb
1. to reach an answer or a decision by thinking carefully about the known facts
* “[deduce something from something] We cannot deduce very much from these figures.”
* ”[+ that] The police have deduced that he must have left his apartment yesterday evening.”
deliberate
uk |dɪˈlɪb.ə.reɪt| us |dɪˈlɪb.ə.reɪt|
verb
1. to think or talk seriously and carefully about something
* “[deliberate on] The jury took five days to deliberate on the case.”
* “The committee has deliberated the question at great length.”
* ”[+ question word] He’s deliberating whether or not to accept the new job that he’s been offered.”
dilemma
uk |daɪˈlem.ə| |dɪˈlem.ə| us |daɪˈlem.ə| |dɪˈlem.ə|
noun
1. a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two different things you could do
* “[face a dilemma] She faces the dilemma of disobeying her father or losing the man she loves.”
* “[in a dilemma] She’s in a dilemma because she feels she would lose out if she tried to transfer her pension fund elsewhere.”
* “[dilemma over] The president is clearly in a dilemma over how to tackle the crisis.”
* “[dilemma about] There’s a real dilemma about how to respond.”
* “Secrets often present a moral dilemma for adolescents.”
* “True ethical dilemmas are complex and have no easy answers.”
discriminate
uk |dɪˈskrɪm.ɪ.neɪt| us |dɪˈskrɪm.ə.neɪt|
verb
1. to treat a person or particular group of people differently, especially in a worse way from the way in which you treat other people, because of their race, gender, sexuality, etc. [I]
* “[be discriminated against] She felt she had been discriminated against because of her age.”
* “[discriminate in favour of] In order to increase the number of female representatives, the selection committee decided to discriminate in favour of women for three years.”
2. to be able to see the difference between two things or people [I + adv/prep formal]
* “[discriminate between] Police dogs can discriminate between the different smells.”
dubious
uk |ˈdʒuː.bi.əs| us |ˈduː.bi.əs|
adjective
1. thought not to be completely true or not able to be trusted
* “These claims are dubious and not scientifically proven.”
* “He has been associated with some dubious characters.”
* “Ruth Ellis has the dubious (= bad) distinction of being the last woman to be hanged in Britain.”
2. feeling doubt or not feeling certain
* “[dubious about] I’m dubious about his promises to change his ways.”
estimate
uk |ˈes.tɪ.meɪt| us |ˈes.tə.meɪt|
verb
1. to guess or calculate the cost, size, value, etc. of something
* “Government sources estimate a long-term 50 percent increase in rail fares.”
* “They estimate (that) the journey will take at least two weeks.”
* ”[+ question word] It was difficult to estimate how many trees had been destroyed.”
estimate
uk |ˈes.tɪ.mət| us |ˈes.tə.mət|
noun
1. a guess of what the size, value, amount, cost, etc. of something might be
* “[estimate of] The number of people who applied for the course was 120 compared with an initial estimate of between 50 and 100.”
* “We’ll accept the lowest of three estimates for the building work.”
* “Conservative (= low) estimates put his salary at about $4 million a year.”
* “You’ll need to make a rough (= not exact) estimate of how much all this is going to cost.”
faith
uk |feɪθ| us |feɪθ|
noun
1. great trust or confidence in something or someone [U]
* “[have faith in] She has no faith in modern medicine.”
* “[great faith in] You’ll cope - I have great faith in you.”
* “[lose faith in] After the trial, his family said they had lost all faith in the judicial system.”
* “[restore someone’s faith in] Politicians must start keeping their promises if they want to restore the people’s faith in government.”
* “Things will change, I just have to have faith.”
2. a particular religion [C]
* “the Muslim/Christian/Jewish/Buddhist faith”
* “They were persecuted for their faith.”
* “[practise your faith] He was forced to practise his faith in secret.”
* “[multi-faith society] The government must recognize that we now live in a multi-faith society.”
* “[the true faith] They were brought up in the true faith (= the religion which the speaker believes is the only true one).”
3. strong belief in God or a particular religion [U]
* “Even in the bad times she never lost her faith.”
* “[faith in someone/something] Her faith in God was shattered when her baby died.”
* “It’s my faith that keeps me going.”
gather
uk |ˈɡæð.ər| us |ˈɡæð.ɚ|
verb
1. to collect several things, often from different places or people [T]
* “I went to several libraries to gather information about the plans.”
* “We gathered blueberries from the bushes.”
* “[gather up] She gathered up the newspapers that were scattered around the floor.”
* “[gather something together] We gathered our things together and left quickly.”
2. to put your arms around someone and hold or carry them in a careful or loving way [T + adv/prep]
* “[gather someone in something] He gathered her in his arms and kissed her.”
* “She gathered the children up and hurried into the house.”
genius
uk |ˈdʒiː.ni.əs| us |ˈdʒiː.ni.əs|
noun
1. very great and rare natural ability or skill, especially in a particular area such as science or art, or a person who has this
* “(an) artistic/creative/musical genius”
* “Einstein was a (mathematical) genius.”
* “From the age of three, she showed signs of genius.”
* “[stroke of genius] It was such a brilliant idea - a real stroke of genius.”
grasp
uk |ɡrɑːsp| us |ɡræsp|
verb
1. to quickly take something in your hand(s) and hold it firmly
* “Rosie suddenly grasped my hand.”
2. If you grasp an opportunity, you take it eagerly
* “We must grasp every opportunity to strengthen economic ties with other countries.”
3. to understand something, especially something difficult
* “I think I managed to grasp the main points of the lecture.”
* “The government has acknowledged that homelessness is a problem but it has failed to grasp the scale of the problem.”
guesswork
uk |ˈɡes.wɜːk| us |ˈɡes.wɝːk|
noun
1. the process of making a guess when you do not know all the facts
* “[pure guesswork] The projected sales figures are pure guesswork on our part.”
hunch
uk |hʌntʃ| us |hʌntʃ|
noun
1. an idea that is based on feeling and for which there is no proof
* ”[+ that] I had a hunch that you’d be here.”
* “[act on/follow a hunch] Sometimes you have to be prepared to act on/follow a hunch.”
ideology
uk |ˌaɪ.diˈɒl.ə.dʒi| us |ˌaɪ.diˈɑː.lə.dʒi|
noun
1. a set of beliefs or principles, especially one on which a political system, party, or organization is based
* “socialist/capitalist ideology”
* “The people are caught between two opposing ideologies.”
ingenious
uk |ɪnˈdʒiː.ni.əs| us |ɪnˈdʒiː.ni.əs|
adjective
1. (of a person) very intelligent and skilful, or (of a thing) skilfully made or planned and involving new ideas and methods
* “an ingenious idea/method/solution”
* “Johnny is so ingenious - he can make the most remarkable sculptures from the most ordinary materials.”
inspiration
uk |ˌɪn.spɪˈreɪ.ʃən| us |ˌɪn.spəˈreɪ.ʃən|
noun
1. someone or something that gives you ideas for doing something [C/U]
* “[inspiration for] The golden autumn light provided the inspiration for the painting.”
* “[divine inspiration] He went to church, perhaps seeking divine inspiration.”
2. a sudden good idea [C]
* “[have an inspiration] He had an inspiration - why not apply for some government money?”
3. someone that people admire and want to be like [S]
* “[an inspiration to] She has been an inspiration to us all.”
4. the act of breathing in, or a single breath in [U/C medical, biology specialized]
* “Bronchi normally expand and lengthen during inspiration and shorten during expiration.”
* “The seal can be heard snorting and gurgling with each inspiration.”
intuition
uk |ˌɪn.tʃuːˈɪʃ.ən| us |ˌɪn.tuːˈɪʃ.ən|
noun
1. (knowledge from) an ability to understand or know something immediately based on your feelings rather than facts
* “Often there’s no clear evidence one way or the other and you just have to base your judgment on intuition.”
* ”[+ (that)] I can’t explain how I knew - I just had an intuition that you’d been involved in an accident.”
justify
uk |ˈdʒʌs.tɪ.faɪ| us |ˈdʒʌs.tə.faɪ|
verb
1. to give or to be a good reason for
* ”[+ -ing verb] I can’t really justify taking another day off work.”
* “Are you sure that these measures are justified?”
naive
uk |naɪˈiːv| us |naɪˈiːv|
adjective
1. too willing to believe that someone is telling the truth, that people’s intentions in general are good, or that life is simple and fair. People are often naive because they are young and/or have not had much experience of life
* “She was very naive to believe that he’d stay with her.”
* “They make the naive assumption that because it’s popular it must be good.”
* “It was a little naive of you to think that they would listen to your suggestions.”
notion
uk |ˈnəʊ.ʃən| us |ˈnoʊ.ʃən|
noun
1. a belief or idea
* ”[+ that] The show’s director rejects the notion that seeing violence on television has a harmful effect on children.”
* “I have only a vague notion of what she does for a living.”
optimistic
uk |ˌɒp.tɪˈmɪs.tɪk| us |ˌɑːp.təˈmɪs.t̬ɪk|
adjective
1. hoping or believing that good things will happen in the future
* “[optimistic about] She is optimistic about her chances of winning a gold medal.”
paradox
uk |ˈpær.ə.dɒks| us |ˈper.ə.dɑːks|
noun
1. a situation or statement that seems impossible or is difficult to understand because it contains two opposite facts or characteristics
* ”[+ that] It’s a curious paradox that drinking a lot of water can often make you feel thirsty.”
pessimistic
uk |ˌpes.ɪˈmɪs.tɪk| us |ˌpes.əˈmɪs.t̬ɪk|
adjective
1. thinking that bad things are more likely to happen or emphasizing the bad part of a situation
* “The tone of the meeting was very pessimistic.”
* “[pessimistic about] The doctors are pessimistic (= not hopeful) about his chances of recovery.”
plausible
uk |ˈplɔː.zə.bəl| us |ˈplɑː.zə.bəl|
adjective
1. seeming likely to be true, or able to be believed
* “a plausible explanation/excuse”
2. A plausible person appears to be honest and telling the truth, even if they are not [disapproving]
* “a plausible salesman”
ponder
uk |ˈpɒn.dər| us |ˈpɑːn.dɚ|
verb
1. to think carefully about something, especially for a noticeable length of time
* “She sat back for a minute to ponder her next move in the game.”
prejudiced
uk |ˈpredʒ.ə.dɪst| us |ˈpredʒ.ə.dɪst|
adjective
1. showing an unreasonable dislike for something or someone
* “The campaign is designed to make people less prejudiced about AIDS.”
* “The media has been accused of presenting a prejudiced view of people with disabilities.”
* “Some companies are prejudiced against taking on employees who are over the age of 40.”
presume
uk |prɪˈzjuːm| us |prɪˈzuːm|
verb
1. to believe something to be true because it is very likely, although you are not certain [T]
* ”[+ (that)] I presume (that) they’re not coming, since they haven’t replied to the invitation.”
* ”[+ speech] You are Dr Smith, I presume?”
* "”Are we walking to the hotel?” “I presume not/so.””
* ”[+ obj + adj] The boat’s captain is missing, presumed dead (= it is believed that he is dead).”
* “In British law, you are presumed innocent until you are proved guilty.”
* ”[+ obj + to infinitive] The universe is presumed to contain many other planets with some form of life.”
2. to do something although you know that you do not have a right to do it [I]
* ”[+ to infinitive] I wouldn’t presume to tell you how to do your job, but shouldn’t this piece go there?”
* “I don’t wish to presume (= make a suggestion although I have no right to), but don’t you think you should apologize to her?”
* “He presumes on her good nature (= takes unfair advantage of it).”
query
uk |ˈkwɪə.ri| us |ˈkwɪr.i|
noun
1. a question, often expressing doubt about something or looking for an answer from an authority
* “If you have any queries about your treatment, the doctor will answer them.”
query
uk |ˈkwɪə.ri| us |ˈkwɪr.i|
verb
1. to ask questions, especially in order to check if something is true or correct
* “A few students have queried their marks.”
* ”[+ question word] She queried whether three months was long enough.”
* ”[+ speech] “Any chance of a cup of tea?” he queried hopefully.”
reckon
uk |ˈrek.ən| us |ˈrek.ən|
verb
1. to think or believe [I informal]
* “I reckon it’s going to rain.”
* ”[+ (that)] How much do you reckon (that) it’s going to cost?”
* "”Can you fix my car today?” “I reckon not/so (= probably not/probably).””
2. to consider or have the opinion that something is as stated [T]
* “[US] I don’t reckon much to (US of) their chances of winning (= I do not think they will win).”
* “She was widely reckoned (to be) the best actress of her generation.”
3. to calculate an amount [T mainly UK]
* “Angela quickly reckoned the amount on her fingers.”
* “The inflation rate is now reckoned to be 10 percent.”
reflect
uk |rɪˈflekt| us |rɪˈflekt|
verb
1. If a surface reflects light, heat, sound, or an image, it sends the light, etc. back and does not absorb it [I/T]
* “He saw himself reflected in the water/mirror/shop window.”
* “The light reflected off the surface of the water.”
2. to show, express, or be a sign of something [T]
* “The statistics reflect a change in people’s spending habits.”
3. to think carefully, especially about possibilities and opinions [I formal]
* “The manager demanded time to reflect (on what to do).”
* ”[+ that] She reflected that this was probably the last time she would see him.”
sceptical
uk |ˈskep.tɪ.kəl| us |ˈskep.tɪ.kəl|
adjective
1. doubting that something is true or useful
* “Many experts remain sceptical about/of his claims.”
speculate
uk |ˈspek.jə.leɪt| us |ˈspek.jə.leɪt|
verb
1. to guess possible answers to a question when you do not have enough information to be certain
* “I don’t know why she did it - I’m just speculating.”
* “A spokesperson declined to speculate on the cause of the train crash.”
* “Journalists are speculating about whether interest rates will be cut.”
* ”[+ that] The newspapers have speculated that they will get married next year.”
2. to buy and sell in the hope that the value of what you buy will increase and that it can then be sold at a higher price in order to make a profit
* “He made his money speculating on the London gold and silver markets.”
* “The company has been speculating in property for years.”
suppose
uk |səˈpəʊz| us |səˈpoʊz|
verb
1. to think that something is likely to be true [T]
* ”[+ (that)] Dan didn’t answer his phone, so I suppose (that) he’s busy.”
* “He found it a lot more difficult to get a job than he supposed it would be.”
* ”[+ (that)] Do you suppose (that) Gillian will marry him?”
* “It is widely supposed (that) the CEO will be forced to resign.”
* ”[+ to infinitive] We all supposed him to be German, but in fact he was Swiss.”
* “Her new book is supposed to be (= generally people think it is) very good.”
2. used to show that you think something is true, although you wish that it were not [+ (that)]
* “I suppose (that) all the tickets will be sold by now.”
3. used when you are annoyed [+ (that)]
* “I suppose (that) you’re going to be late again.”
* “I suppose (that) you think that’s funny. Well, I certainly don’t.”
4. used to show unwillingness to agree
* "”Can I go out tonight?” “Oh, I suppose so.””
* ”[+ (that)] I don’t agree with it, but I suppose (that) it’s for the best.”
5. used in making polite requests [+ (that)]
* “I don’t suppose (that) you could lend me £5 till tomorrow?”
6. to expect and need [T formal]
* “Investment of this kind supposes (= would not be possible without) an increase in the company’s profits this year.”
academic
uk |ˌæk.əˈdem.ɪk| us |ˌæk.əˈdem.ɪk|
adjective
1. relating to schools, colleges, and universities, or connected with studying and thinking, not with practical skills
* “academic subjects/qualifications/books”
* “an academic institution”
* “academic standards”
2. used to describe someone who is clever and enjoys studying
* “I was never a particularly academic child.”
3. based on ideas and theories and not related to practical effects in real life
* “a purely academic argument/question”
academic
uk |ˌæk.əˈdem.ɪk| us |ˌæk.əˈdem.ɪk|
noun
1. someone who teaches at a college, or who studies as part of their job
conscientious
uk |ˌkɒn.ʃiˈen.ʃəs| us |ˌkɑːn.ʃiˈen.ʃəs|
adjective
1. putting a lot of effort into your work
* “a conscientious student”
cram
uk |kræm| us |kræm|
verb
1. to force a lot of people or things into a small space [T usually + adv/prep informal]
* “[be crammed into] Eight children were crammed into the back of the car.”
* “[be crammed against] The room was packed and we were crammed against the door.”
2. to do many things in a short period of time [T usually + adv/prep informal]
* “[cram something into something] I had to cram three countries into a week’s business trip.”
3. to try to learn a lot very quickly before an exam [I]
* “[cram for] She’s cramming for her history exam.”
curriculum
uk |kəˈrɪk.jə.ləm| us |kəˈrɪk.jə.ləm|
noun
1. the subjects studied in a school, college, etc. and what each subject includes
* “the school curriculum”
distance learning
uk |ˈdɪs.təns ˌlɜː.nɪŋ| us |ˈdɪs.təns ˌlɝː.nɪŋ|
noun
1. a way of studying in which you do not attend a school, college, or university, but study from where you live, usually being taught and given work to do over the internet
* “They offer advanced degrees or professional certification through distance learning.”
graduate
uk |ˈɡrædʒ.u.ət| us |ˈɡrædʒ.u.ət|
noun
1. a person who has a first degree from a university or college [UK]
* “a Cambridge graduate”
* “Chris is a physics graduate.”
graduate
uk |ˈɡrædʒ.u.eɪt| us |ˈɡrædʒ.u.eɪt|
verb
1. to complete a first university degree successfully [I UK]
* “[graduate from] Lorna graduated from Freiburg University.”
* “[graduate with honours in] Tom has just graduated with first-class honours in psychology.”
2. to complete school, college, or university successfully [I/T US]
* “[graduate from] After he graduated from high school, he joined the Army.”
3. to move forward or improve [I]
* “[graduate from something to something] She graduated from being a secretary to running her own department.”
ignorant
uk |ˈɪɡ.nər.ənt| us |ˈɪɡ.nɚ.ənt|
adjective
1. not having enough knowledge, understanding, or information about something
* “[ignorant about] Many teenagers are surprisingly ignorant about current politics.”
* “[blissfully ignorant of] We remained blissfully ignorant of the troubles that lay ahead.”
inattentive
uk |ˌɪn.əˈten.tɪv| us |ˌɪn.əˈten.t̬ɪv|
adjective
1. not giving attention to someone or something
* “[inattentive to] He was wholly inattentive to the needs of his children.”
intellectual
uk |ˌɪn.təlˈek.tʃu.əl| us |ˌɪn.t̬əlˈek.tʃu.əl|
adjective
1. relating to your ability to think and understand things, especially complicated ideas
* “[intellectual stimulation] Looking after a baby at home all day is nice but it doesn’t provide much intellectual stimulation.”
* “I like detective stories and romances - nothing too intellectual.”
2. very educated and interested in studying and other activities that involve careful thinking and mental effort
* “He’s very intellectual for a pop star.”
* “She was more intellectual than her husband, and much better read.”
intellectual
uk |ˌɪn.təlˈek.tʃu.əl| us |ˌɪn.t̬əlˈek.tʃu.əl|
noun
1. a very educated person who is interested in complicated ideas and enjoys studying and careful thinking
* “She was too much of an intellectual to find popular movies interesting.”
intelligent
uk |ɪnˈtel.ɪ.dʒənt| us |ɪnˈtel.ə.dʒənt|
adjective
1. showing intelligence, or able to learn and understand things easily
* “He is a highly intelligent person who can think outside the box.”
* “She would like a partner with whom she can have an intelligent conversation.”
* “Helen had a few intelligent things to say on the subject.”
intensive
uk |ɪnˈten.sɪv| us |ɪnˈten.sɪv|
adjective
1. involving a lot of effort or activity in a short period of time
* “two weeks of intensive training”
* “an intensive course in English”
* “Intensive bombing had reduced the city to rubble.”
knowledgeable
uk |ˈnɒl.ɪ.dʒə.bəl| us |ˈnɑː.lɪ.dʒə.bəl|
adjective
1. knowing a lot
* “He’s very knowledgeable about German literature.”
lecture
uk |ˈlek.tʃər| us |ˈlek.tʃɚ|
noun
1. a formal talk on a serious subject given to a group of people, especially students
* “We went to a lecture on Italian art.”
* “Who’s giving the lecture this afternoon?”
lecture
uk |ˈlek.tʃər| us |ˈlek.tʃɚ|
verb
1. to give a formal talk to a group of people, often at a college or university [I]
* “For ten years she lectured in law.”
* “She travelled widely in North America, lecturing on women’s rights.”
2. to talk angrily or seriously to someone in order to criticize their behaviour [T]
* “His parents used to lecture him on his table manners.”
mock
uk |mɒk| us |mɑːk|
verb
1. to laugh at someone, often by copying them in a funny but unkind way [formal]
* “They were mocking him because he kept falling off his bike.”
* “She made fun of him by mocking his limp.”
2. to make something appear stupid or not effective
* “The wind mocked their attempts to reach the shore by pushing the boat further and further out to sea.”
mock
uk |mɒk| us |mɑːk|
adjective
1. not real but appearing or pretending to be exactly like something
* “mock cream”
* “mock leather”
* “mock surprise”
mock
uk |mɒk| us |mɑːk|
noun
1. an exam taken at school for practice before a real exam
* “You will have your mocks during the first two weeks of March.”
plagiarize
uk |ˈpleɪ.dʒər.aɪz| us |ˈpleɪ.dʒə.raɪz|
verb
1. to use another person’s ideas or work and pretend that it is your own
* “The book contains numerous plagiarized passages.”
* “If you compare the two books side by side, it is clear that the author of the second has plagiarized (from the first).”
self-study
uk |ˌselfˈstʌd.i| us |ˌselfˈstʌd.i|
noun
1. a way of learning about a subject that involves studying alone at home, rather than in a classroom with a teacher
* “The diploma is awarded following a course of self-study ending in a three-hour exam.”
* “self-study materials/workbooks/programs”
seminar
uk |ˈsem.ɪ.nɑːr| us |ˈsem.ə.nɑːr|
noun
1. an occasion when a teacher or expert and a group of people meet to study and discuss something
* “I attended practically every lecture and seminar when I was a student.”
* “I’m giving a seminar on the latest developments in genetic engineering next week.”
* “a seminar room”
special needs
uk |ˌspeʃ.əl ˈniːdz| us |ˌspeʃ.əl ˈniːdz|
noun
1. the particular things needed by or provided to help people who have an illness or condition that makes it difficult for them to do the things that other people do
* “carers for children with special needs”
* “a special needs teacher”
2. the people included in this group, for example within the educational system
* “a special needs child”
tuition
uk |tʃuːˈɪʃ.ən| us |tuːˈɪʃ.ən|
noun
1. teaching, especially when given to a small group or one person, such as in a college or university [mainly UK]
* “All students receive tuition in logic and metaphysics.”
2. the money paid for this type of teaching [mainly US (UK usually tuition fees)]
* “Few can afford the tuition of $12,000 a semester.”
tutorial
uk |tʃuːˈtɔː.ri.əl| us |tuːˈtɔːr.i.əl|
noun
1. a period of study with a tutor involving one student or a small group
brush up (on) something
uk |brʌʃ| us |brʌʃ|
verb
1. to improve your knowledge of something already learned but partly forgotten
* “I thought I’d brush up (on) my French before going to Paris.”
come up with something
uk |kʌm| us |kʌm|
verb
1. to suggest or think of an idea or plan
* “She’s come up with some amazing scheme to double her income.”
2. to manage to find or produce something that is needed, usually money
* “They gave him 30 days to come up with the money he owed.”
* “Where am I supposed to come up with a thousand dollars?”
* “Investigators have come up with what may be crucial evidence.”
face up to something
uk |feɪs| us |feɪs|
verb
1. to accept that a difficult situation exists
* “She’s going to have to face up to the fact that he’s not going to marry her.”
figure something/someone out
uk |ˈfɪɡ.ər| us |ˈfɪɡ.jɚ|
verb
1. to finally understand something or someone, or find the solution to a problem after a lot of thought
* ”[+ question word] I can’t figure out why he did it.”
* “I find him really odd - I can’t figure him out at all.”
* “Can you figure out the answer to question 5?”
hit on/upon something
uk |hɪt| us |hɪt|
verb
1. to think of an idea when you didn’t expect or intend to, especially one that solves a problem
* “When we first hit on the idea, everyone told us it would never work.”
make something/someone out
uk |meɪk| us |meɪk|
verb
1. to see, hear, or understand something or someone with difficulty
* “The numbers are too small - I can’t make them out at all.”
* “I can’t make out your writing.”
* “She’s a strange person - I can’t make her out at all.”
* ”[+ question word] Nobody can make out why you should have been attacked.”
make something out
uk |meɪk| us |meɪk|
verb
1. to write all the necessary information on an official document
* “[make something out to someone/something] Which niece should I make the card out to?”
* “[make something out for something] Make the cheque out for £20.”
make out something
uk |meɪk| us |meɪk|
verb
1. to say, usually falsely, that something is true
* ”[+ to infinitive] He made himself out to be a millionaire.”
* ”[+ to be] The British weather is not always as bad as it is made out to be.”
* ”[+ (that)] He made out (that) he had been living in Paris all year.”
make out
uk |meɪk| us |meɪk|
verb
1. to deal with a situation, usually in a successful way
* “[make out in] How is Frances making out in her new job?”
* “The business made out better than expected and profits were slightly up.”
2. to kiss and hold a person in a sexual way (UK snog)
* “Everyone at the party was making out or having sex.”
* “[make out with] She had never even made out with a boy, let alone had sex with one.”
mull something over
uk |mʌl| us |mʌl|
verb
1. to think carefully about something for a long time
* “I need a few days to mull things over before I decide if I’m taking the job.”
piece something together
uk |piːs| us |piːs|
verb
1. to create something by joining the separate parts of it together or by joining different things together
* “The ancient skull has been pieced together from fragments.”
* “Kevin has done a great job of piecing together a tremendous team.”
* “The police are collecting clues in order to piece together the details of the day she died.”
puzzle something out
uk |ˈpʌz.əl| us |ˈpʌz.əl|
verb
1. to discover or understand something by thinking hard about it
* ”[+ question word] I still can’t puzzle out how I managed to spend so much money last month.”
read up (on/about) something
uk |riːd| us |riːd|
verb
1. to spend time reading in order to find out information about something
* “It’s a good idea to read up on a company before going for an interview.”
swot up (something)
uk |swɒt| us |swɑːt|
verb
1. to learn as much as you can about a subject, especially before an exam
* “She’s at home, swotting up on her maths.”
take someone in
uk |teɪk| us |teɪk|
verb
1. to take care of someone and provide a place in your home for them
* “Several families took in foreign students.”
2. to cause someone to believe something that is not true, or to trick or deceive someone [often passive]
* “I can’t believe she was taken in by him.”
3. If the police take you in, they take you to the police station [UK (US bring in)]
* “Detectives on the murder inquiry have taken in a new suspect for questioning.”
think something over
uk |θɪŋk| us |θɪŋk|
verb
1. to consider an idea or plan carefully before making a decision
* “I’ll think it over and give you an answer next week.”
think something over/through
us |θɪŋk|
verb
1. to consider something carefully
* “They’ve made me a good offer, but I’ll have to think it over.”
* “We can’t make a decision until we’ve thought through the different possibilities.”
think something up
uk |θɪŋk| us |θɪŋk|
verb
1. to produce a new idea or plan
* “I don’t want to go tonight but I can’t think up a good excuse.”
have your wits about you
idiom
1. to think and react quickly when something dangerous or difficult happens unexpectedly
* “She managed to keep her wits about her and escaped unharmed.”
in the dark
idiom
1. not informed about things that might be useful to know
* “Our boss tends to keep us in the dark most of the time.”
* ““Do you know anything?” “No, I’m completely in the dark, like everyone else.””
not have a leg to stand on
idiom
1. to be in a situation in which you cannot prove something
* “If you have no witnesses, you don’t have a leg to stand on.”
put two and two together
idiom
1. to guess the truth about a situation from what you have seen or heard
* "”How did you know they were having an affair?” “I’d seen them out together a couple of times, so I just put two and two together.””
