Verbs

Question 1

Familiarize yourself with something

Answer 1

to learn about something

He prepared for the interview by familiarizing himself with the company’s work.

Question 2

Toss

Answer 2

to throw something carelessly

She tossed the keys into her bag and went out.

Question 3

Cling

Answer 3

to stick onto or hold something or someone tightly, or to refuse to stop holding it, him, or her

We got so wet that our clothes clung to us.

They clung together in terror as the screams grew louder.

One little girl was clinging onto a cuddly toy.

She clung to the handrail as she walked down the slippery steps.

Question 4

Advocate

Answer 4

to publicly support or suggest an idea, development, or way of doing something

[ + -ing verb ] She advocates taking a more long-term view.

We will continue to advocate for a regional, cooperative approach to the construction project.

Question 5

Induce

Answer 5

to persuade someone to do something

induce someone to do something They induced her to take the job by promising editorial freedom.

nothing could induce
Nothing could induce me (= I definitely cannot be persuaded) to climb a mountain/ride a bike.

Question 6

Compel

Answer 6

to force someone to do something

[ + to infinitive ] As a schoolboy he was compelled to wear shorts even in winter.

formal The new circumstances compelled a change in policy.

Question 7

Pop (go)

Answer 7

informal to go to a particular place

I’ve just got to pop into the bank to get some money.

Paula popped out for a minute.

Would you pop upstairs and see if Grandad is okay?

Why don’t you pop in/over and see us this afternoon?

Question 8

Pop (sound)

Answer 8

to (cause something to) make a short explosive sound, often by breaking something

The kids were popping all the birthday balloons.

The music played and champagne corks popped.

Question 9

Pop (move)

Answer 9

to move quickly and suddenly, especially from a closed space

When you open the box, a clown pops out.

Question 10

Pop (put)

Answer 10

to put or take something quickly

If you pop the pizza in the oven now, it’ll be ready in 15 minutes.

He popped his head into the room/around the door and said “Lunchtime!”

Pop your shoes on and let’s go.

Question 11

Opt

Answer 11

to make a choice, especially of one thing or possibility instead of others
Synonym: choose

Mike opted for early retirement.

[ + to infinitive ] Most people opt to have the operation.

Question 12

Coerce

Collocation:
Coerce into doing something

Answer 12

formal to persuade someone forcefully to do something that they are unwilling to do

be coerced into The court heard that the six defendants had been coerced into making a confession.

Question 13

Endure (experience)

Answer 13

to suffer something difficult, unpleasant, or painful

We had to endure a nine-hour delay at the airport.

She’s already had to endure three painful operations on her leg.

Question 14

Endure (continue)

Answer 14

formal to continue to exist for a long time

The political system established in 1400 endured until about 1650.

Question 15

Encompass

Answer 15

formal to include different types of things
Synonyms: cover, embrace

The festival is to encompass everything from music, theatre, and ballet to literature, cinema, and the visual arts.

Question 16

Rub

Collocations:
Rub at
Rub sth. into sth.
Rub sth. in
Rub sth. clean
Rub itself against sth.
Rub against sth.
Rub off

Answer 16

to press or be pressed against something with a circular or up-and-down repeated movement

She yawned and** rubbed** her eyes sleepily.

He rubbed (at) the stain on his trousers and made it worse.

We rubbed some polish into the surface of the wood.

She gently rubbed the ointment in.

First rub the baking tray well with butter.

[ + obj + adj ] Alice rubbed the blackboard clean for the teacher.

Your cat keeps on rubbing itself (up) against my leg.

She was rubbing her hands (together) at the thought of winning.

The branches rubbed against each other in the wind.

My new shoes are rubbing (against/on my toe) and now I’ve got blisters.

These marks will never rub off (= be cleaned off).

Alice rubbed the sums off (= cleaned them off) the blackboard for the teacher.

Question 17

Occupy (FILL) (2 meanings)

Answer 17

to fill, exist in, or use a place or period of time

The rest of the time was occupied with writing a report.

The house hasn’t been occupied (= lived in) by anyone for a few months.

to keep someone busy or interested

On long journeys I occupy myself with solving maths puzzles

Question 18

Occupy (TAKE CONTROL)

Answer 18

(of an army or group of people) to move into and take control and/or possession of a place

Troops quickly occupied the city.

Protesting students occupied the university office for two weeks.

Question 19

float (NOT SINK)

Collocations:
Float in sth.
Float on sth.

Answer 19

to stay on the surface of a liquid and not sink

float in You can float very easily in the Dead Sea because it’s so salty.
float on Lily pads float on the surface of the pond.

Question 20

float (MOVE)

Collocations:
float down
Float along
Float out to
Float something on something

Float around/about

Answer 20

to (cause to) move easily through, or along the surface of a liquid, or to (cause to) move easily through air

float down We spent a lazy afternoon floating down the river.
float along It feeds by simply floating along the water and scooping up fish.
float out to He tossed the bottle into the waves and watched it float out to sea.
float something on something The children enjoy floating their boats on the pond in the park.

to move or act without purpose

float around/about Since he lost his job, he’s just floated around/about doing nothing.

Question 21

float (SUGGEST)

Collocation:
Float the idea

Answer 21

to suggest a plan or an idea to be considered

float an idea Laura has floated the idea that we should think about expanding into Europe next year.

Question 22

distort (CHANGE SHAPE)

Answer 22

to change the shape of something so that it looks strange or unnatural

synonym: deform

The map distorted Greenland to appear four times its actual size.
a distorting mirror

Question 23

distort (CHANGE MEANING)

Answer 23

to change something so that it is false or wrong, or no longer means what it was intended to mean

She accused her opponent of distorting the truth.
The survey methods can distort reality.

Question 24

bind (TIE/FASTEN)

Collocations:
bind with sth.
bind together
be bound hand and foot

Answer 24

to tie something or someone tightly or to fasten something

They bound the packages with brightly coloured ribbon.
Bind together the two broken ends.
The prisoner was bound hand and foot.

Question 25

bind (UNITE)

Collocation:
bind together

Answer 25

to unite people or to make them feel that they share something

The things that bind them together are greater than their differences.
Whatever our faith, our common humanity should bind us all.

Question 26

neigh

Answer 26

nyerít

The horse tossed its main and neighed

Question 27

hooked

Answer 27

enjoying something so much that you are unable to stop having it, watching it, doing it, etc.

I was well and truly hooked on travel.

Question 28

spark verb

Collocation:
spark off

Answer 28

to cause the start of something, especially an argument or fighting

The recent interest-rate rises have sparked new problems for small businesses.
The visit of the G20 leaders sparked off mass demonstrations.

Question 29

outnumber

Answer 29

to be greater in number than someone or something

In our office the women outnumber the men three to one.

Question 30

wield

Answer 30

to hold a weapon or tool and look as if you are going to use it

She was confronted by a man wielding a knife.

Question 31

wield influence, power etc.

Answer 31

to have a lot of influence or power over other people

He still wields enormous influence in politics.