VO Book 2-1 Flashcards
smurfing noun
/ˈsmɜːfɪŋ/
2) the activity of laundering money by conducting a large number of small transactions through banks and bureaux de change
ex) The growth of the cigarette-resale racket, known to police as “smurfing,” appears tied to a growing government appetite for cash.
zip verb
BrE /zɪp/ ; NAmE /zɪp/
3) [intransitive, transitive] zip (something) + adv./prep. (informal) to move very quickly or to make something move very quickly in the direction mentioned
ex) The busy interstate highway that zips through Richmond, Virginia, and up to the crowded cities of the north-east has long been a conduit for handguns bought wholesale in Virginia and sold to drug-dealers in New York.
A sports car zipped past us.
conduit noun
BrE /ˈkɒndjuɪt/ ; NAmE /ˈkɑːnduɪt/
1) (specialist) a pipe, channel or tube which liquid, gas or electrical wire can pass through
2) (formal) a person, an organization or a country that is used to pass things or information to other people or places
ex) The busy interstate highway that zips through Richmond, Virginia, and up to the crowded cities of the north-east has long been a conduit for handguns bought wholesale in Virginia and sold to drug-dealers in New York.
The organization had acted as a conduit for money from the arms industry.
handgun noun
BrE /ˈhændɡʌn/ ; NAmE /ˈhændɡʌn/
- shotgun noun
BrE /ˈʃɒtɡʌn/ ; NAmE /ˈʃɑːtɡʌn/
** rifle noun
BrE /ˈraɪfl/ ; NAmE /ˈraɪfl/
a small gun that you can hold and fire with one hand 권총
synonym pistol/revolver (회전식 연발 권총)
ex) The busy interstate highway that zips through Richmond, Virginia, and up to the crowded cities of the north-east has long been a conduit for handguns bought wholesale in Virginia and sold to drug-dealers in New York.
A man carrying a handgun ordered bank employees to fill a large plastic bag with cash.
- a long gun that fires a lot of small metal bullets (called shot ) and is used especially for shooting birds or animals 산탄총, 엽총
** a gun with a long barrel which you hold to your shoulder to fire 소총 (ex: M16, K2)
ex) a hunting rifle
an assault rifle
wholesale adverb
BrE /ˈhəʊlseɪl/ ; NAmE /ˈhoʊlseɪl/
- in bulk
1) in large quantities, especially so they can be sold again to make a profit
ex) We buy the building materials wholesale.
2) in very large numbers
ex) The busy interstate highway that zips through Richmond, Virginia, and up to the crowded cities of the north-east has long been a conduit for handguns bought wholesale in Virginia and sold to drug-dealers in New York.
These young people die wholesale from heroin overdoses.
- bought or sold in large quantities
ex) Because Virginia’s tobacco tax is the second-lowest in America, gangsters buy cigarettes there in bulk and sell them at enormous profit in New York and other high-tax states.
large companies that buy and sell in bulk
at a profit
so that you make a profit
ex) Because Virginia’s tobacco tax is the second-lowest in America, gangsters buy cigarettes there in bulk and sell them at enormous profit in New York and other high-tax states.
They were buying securities and reselling them at a profit.
pocket verb
BrE /ˈpɒkɪt/ ; NAmE /ˈpɑːkɪt/
2) pocket something to take or keep something, especially an amount of money, that does not belong to you
ex) At a minimum, they pocket a big chunk of the difference between what Virginia adds in tax - 30 cents a packet - and the higher rates imposed elsewhere.
He regularly charges passengers more than the normal fare and pockets the difference.
3) pocket something to earn or win an amount of money
ex) Last year, she pocketed over $1 million in advertising contracts.
She pocketed £500 for coming second.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
BrE ; NAmE
(abbreviation ATF)
the division of the US Department of Justice that is responsible for laws relating to alcohol, tobacco, guns and explosives. The Bureau was established in 1972 as part of the Department of the Treasury and was moved to the Department of Justice in 2003 주류·담배·화기 및 폭발물 단속국
ex) The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives estimates that sales of illegal cigarettes cost government - local, state and federal - nearly $10 billion a year.
siphon verb
(also syphon)
BrE /ˈsaɪfn/ ; NAmE /ˈsaɪfn/
2) siphon something (+ adv./prep.) (informal) to remove money from one place and move it to another, especially dishonestly or illegally
synonym divert
ex) Now I-95 is siphoning northwards another form of contraband: black-market cigarettes.
She has been accused of siphoning off thousands of pounds from the company into her own bank account.
contraband noun
BrE /ˈkɒntrəbænd/ ; NAmE /ˈkɑːntrəbænd/ [uncountable]
goods that are illegally taken into or out of a country
ex) Now I-95 is siphoning northwards another form of contraband: black-market cigarettes.
contraband goods
to smuggle contraband
racket noun
BrE /ˈrækɪt/ ; NAmE /ˈrækɪt/
2) [countable] (informal) a dishonest or illegal way of getting money
ex) The growth of the cigarette-resale racket, known to police as “smurfing,” appears tied to a growing government appetite for cash.
a protection/extortion/drugs, etc. racket
spur verb
BrE /spɜː(r)/ ; NAmE /spɜːr/
1) to encourage somebody to do something or to encourage them to try harder to achieve something
ex) This spurs the smugglers on.
Her difficult childhood spurred her on to succeed.
My trainer spurred me to keep up a pace of four miles an hour.
I was spurred into action by the letter.
The band has been spurred on by the success of their last single.
seizure noun
BrE /ˈsiːʒə(r)/ ; NAmE /ˈsiːʒər/
- confiscation noun
BrE /ˌkɒnfɪˈskeɪʃn/ ; NAmE /ˌkɑːnfɪˈskeɪʃn/ [uncountable, countable]
** commandeer verb
BrE /ˌkɒmənˈdɪə(r)/ ; NAmE /ˌkɑːmənˈdɪr/
*** conscript verb
BrE /kənˈskrɪpt/ ; NAmE /kənˈskrɪpt/ (especially British English) (usually North American English draft)
1) [uncountable, countable] seizure (of something) the use of legal authority to take something from somebody; an amount of something that is taken in this way
ex) In New Jersey, where a packet of cigarettes carries a tax of $2.70, about 40% of all cigarettes are smuggled in from other states, according to the New Jersey Treasury Department. Maryland, Virginia’s neighbour to the north, reported a fourfold increase in seizures of illegal cigarettes between 2010 and 2012, though one official described the haul as the tip of the iceberg.
The court ordered the seizure of his assets.
the largest ever seizure of cocaine at a British port
- the act of officially taking something away from somebody, especially as a punishment
ex) If found guilty of this crime they face heavy fines, confiscation of goods and even imprisonment.
** commandeer something to take control of a building, a vehicle, etc. for military purposes during a war, or by force for your own use
synonym requisition
ex) A group of young men had commandeered a truck, and were driving around the town in it.
The soldiers had commandeered the farm and the villa five months ago.
*** [usually passive] conscript somebody (into something) to make somebody join the armed forces
synonym call up
ex) He was conscripted into the army in 1939.
to be conscripted for military service
-fold suffix
(in adjectives and adverbs) multiplied by; having the number of parts mentioned
ex) Maryland, Virginia’s neighbour to the north, reported a fourfold increase in seizures of illegal cigarettes between 2010 and 2012, though one official described the haul as the tip of the iceberg.
to increase tenfold
haul noun
BrE /hɔːl/ ; NAmE /hɔːl/
1) a large amount of something that has been stolen or that is illegal
ex) Maryland, Virginia’s neighbour to the north, reported a fourfold increase in seizures of illegal cigarettes between 2010 and 2012, though one official described the haul as the tip of the iceberg.
a haul of weapons
a drugs haul
the tip of the iceberg
only a small part of a much larger problem
ex) Maryland, Virginia’s neighbour to the north, reported a fourfold increase in seizures of illegal cigarettes between 2010 and 2012, though one official described the haul as the tip of the iceberg.
This figure represents only the tip of the iceberg, since as many as 90% of cases go unreported.
intent noun
BrE /ɪnˈtent/ ; NAmE /ɪnˈtent/
1) [SINGULAR/UNCOUNTABLE] intent (to do something) (formal or law) what you intend to do
synonym intention
ex) The government has declared its intent to put the railways into private ownership.
a letter/statement of intent
His intent is clearly not to placate his critics.
2) [UNCOUNTABLE] LEGAL the intention to commit a crime or an offence
ex) Virginia, a big tobacco state since colonial times, has recently declared it illegal to buy and possess, with intent to sell elsewhere, more than 5,000 cigarettes.
She denies possessing the drug with intent to supply.
He was charged with wounding with intent.
He’s been charged with possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.
nifty adjective
BrE /ˈnɪfti/ ; NAmE /ˈnɪfti/ (informal)
- niftily adverb
1) skilful and accurate
ex) There’s some nifty guitar work on his latest CD.
2) practical; working well
synonym handy
ex) a nifty little gadget for slicing cucumbers
* ex) Smugglers can niftily get 600 cartons (that is, ten packs of 20 cigarettes) into a car, and 12,000 into a large van.
gunrunning noun
BrE /ˈɡʌnrʌnɪŋ/ ; NAmE /ˈɡʌnrʌnɪŋ/ [uncountable]
the activity of bringing guns into a country secretly and illegally
ex) When gunrunning was at its peak, I-95 was known as the “iron highway.” Now it is the new Tobacco Road.
practice noun
BrE /ˈpræktɪs/ ; NAmE /ˈpræktɪs/
- practise verb
(especially US English practice)
BrE /ˈpræktɪs/ ; NAmE /ˈpræktɪs/
** teaching hospital noun
5) [uncountable, countable] the work or the business of some professional people such as doctors, dentists and lawyers; the place where they work
ex) I recently learned that a doctor friend has seriously considered quitting her job at her medical school to go into private practice.
the practice of medicine
Students should have prior experience of veterinary practice.
My solicitor is no longer in practice.
a successful medical/dental/law practice
- 3) [intransitive, transitive] to work as a doctor, lawyer, etc.
ex) She practices medicine.
There are over 50 000 solicitors practising in England and Wales.
She practised as a barrister for many years.
He was banned from practising medicine.
** a hospital where medical students are taught. Many of Britain’s largest and best-known hospitals are teaching hospitals. As well as having medical students, they also have some of the best doctors and equipment in the country. Teaching hospitals in the US are often part of medical schools or associated with them. 의과 대학 부속 병원, 수련 병원
recount1 verb
BrE /rɪˈkaʊnt/ ; NAmE /rɪˈkaʊnt/ (formal)
to tell somebody about something, especially something that you have experienced
ex) She recounted how, much more than her male colleagues, she would get assigned to work during major holidays, cover for others’ absences and sit on administrative committees that took time away from the research required to advance her career.
She was asked to recount the details of the conversation to the court.
They recounted what had happened during those years.
‘It was before the war,’ he recounted.
sit on
1) to be a member of (a committee, etc)
ex) She recounted how, much more than her male colleagues, she would get assigned to work during major holidays, cover for others’ absences and sit on administrative committees that took time away from the research required to advance her career.
discrepancy noun
BrE /dɪsˈkrepənsi/ ; NAmE /dɪsˈkrepənsi/ (pl. discrepancies)[countable, uncountable]
- disparity noun
BrE /dɪˈspærəti/ ; NAmE /dɪˈspærəti/ uncountable, countable(formal)
a difference between two or more things that should be the same
ex) When she spoke to her chairman about the discrepancies, he listened - but never responded to her repeated requests for a raise or more support.
wide discrepancies in prices quoted for the work
What are the reasons for the discrepancy between girls’ and boys’ performance in school?
- a difference, especially one connected with unfair treatment
ex) More than half of the women professors surveyed reported being discriminated against or sexually harassed, even as most of thier male colleagues believed that such disparities in their institutions did not exist.
the wide disparity between rich and poor
growing regional disparities in economic prosperity
relay verb
BrE /ˈriːleɪ/ ; NAmE /ˈriːleɪ/ ; BrE /rɪˈleɪ/ ; NAmE /rɪˈleɪ/
1) relay something (to somebody) to receive and send on information, news, etc. to somebody
ex) When she described her situation to some male colleagues, they listened attentively, then began relaying their own frustration with how little support they got from superiors.
He relayed the message to his boss.
Instructions were relayed to him by phone.