Use of English Flashcards
in vain
without success
-Try in vain to do something
unanimous
if a decision or an opinion is unanimous, it is agreed or shared by everyone in a group
springy
-returning quickly to the original shape after being pushed, pulled, stretched, etc.
-full of energy and confidence
give your word
to promise
beyond belief
too bad, good, difficult, etc. to be imagined
be a big fish in a small pond
an important person of an organization
put something/someone on the map
to make a thing, person, or place famous
put on an act
pretend
make a getaway
to escape after committing a crime
as an alternative to something
instead of something
at someone’s disposal
available to be used by someone
be meant to do something
-if you are meant to do something, you should do it, especially because someone has told you to or because you are responsible for it
-to be intended to do something
chauffeur-driven car
a car driven by a chauffeur-someone whose job is to drive a car for a rich or important person
beyond one’s reach
-not close enough to be touched or picked up by someone
-not within someone’s power to do or achieve
take (someone or something) by surprise
to happen to (someone or something) unexpectedly : to surprise (someone or something)
the onset of something
the beginning of something, especially something bad
at/from the outset
at or from the beginning of an event or process
have a head for
to be good at something
give somebody a free hand/rein
to let someone do whatever they want or need to do in a particular situation
take pot luck
to choose something without knowing very much about it, and hope that it will be what you want
be child’s play
to be very easy
look down one’s nose at
coi thường ai
turn over a new leaf
to start behaving in a better way
nonetheless
despite this fact, however
militant
a person who uses, or is willing to use, force or strong pressure to achieve their aims, especially to achieve social or political change
clamp down on
to take strict action in order to prevent something, especially crime
balk
-(balk at sth): to be unwilling to do something or become involved in something because it is difficult, dangerous, etc.
-(balk somebody of something): to prevent somebody from getting something or doing something
I’ll/we’ll cross that bridge when I/we come/get to it
an expression that means you will not worry about a possible future problem but will deal with it if it happens (đến đâu tính đến đó)
roundly
(used to describe a negative action) strongly or by a large number of people
smutty
(of stories, pictures and comments) dealing with sex in a way that some people find offensive
manhood
the qualities that a man is supposed to have, for example courage, strength and sexual power
a multitude of
a large number of people or things
cast aspersions on
to criticize or make damaging remarks or judgments about someone or something
vilification
the act of saying or writing unpleasant things about somebody/something so that other people will have a low opinion of them
bargain for/on something
to expect something to happen and be prepared for it
contemplate on
consider carefully about something
the chance/experience etc of a lifetime
the best opportunity, experience etc that you will ever have
the mass of something
the majority of something
on the off-chance of doing something
because of the possibility of something happening, although it is unlikely
Ex: I didn’t think you’d be at home but I just called by on the off chance.
mischance
bad luck
Ex: If by some mischance our attempt fails, we’ll try again next year.
perchance
perhaps, by chance; possibly
Ex: Do you know her, perchance?
with regard to
about; concerning
recession
a difficult time for the economy of a country, when there is less trade and industrial activity than usual and more people are unemployed