Words - 1 Flashcards
advantageous
helpful and likely to make you successful
- He was now in a more advantageous position
amenity
something that makes a place comfortable or easy to live in
- The hotel is in the city centre, close to shops and local amenities.
anticipate
to expect that something will happen and be ready for it
- sales are better than anticipated
breathtaking
very impressive, exciting, or surprising
- The view from my bedroom window was absolutely breathtaking
collar
the part of a shirt, coat etc that fits around your neck, and is usually folded over
- He grabbed me by the collar
concrete
to cover something such as a path, wall etc with concrete
a substance used for building that is made by mixing sand, small stones, cement, and water.
- a concrete floor
continent
a large mass of land surrounded by sea
- the continents of Asia and Africa
controversial
causing a lot of disagreement, because many people have strong opinions about the subject being discussed
- the controversial issue of welfare reform
crew
all the people who work on a ship or plane
- the plane crashed, killing two of the crew and four passengers
extraordinary
very unusual or surprising
- It took an extraordinary amount of work.
fluctuate
if a price or amount fluctuates, it keeps changing and becoming higher and lower
- Insect populations fluctuate wildly from year to year.
hilarious
extremely funny
- a hilarious story
informative
providing many useful facts or ideas
- an informative and entertaining book
orchestra
a large group of musicians playing many different kinds of instruments and led by a conductor
outweigh
to be more important or valuable than something else
- The benefits of the scheme outweigh the disadvantages
playwright
playwright
someone who writes plays
refute
to prove that a statement or idea is not correct
dreamlike
unread, strange
open-air
outside, in an open space
tea-picking
a process of collecting tea leaves
disturbing
worrying or upsetting
- a disturbing increase in the crime rate
decline
to decrease in quantity or importance
- Spending on information technology has declined
lifelike
a lifelike picture, model etc looks exactly like a real person or thing
- a very lifelike statue
metaphor
a way of describing something by referring to it as something different and suggesting that it has similar qualities to that thing
- She uses some wonderful images and metaphors in her writing
refute
to prove that a statement or idea is not correct
sketch
to draw a sketch of something
striking
unusual or interesting enough to be easily noticed
high-budget
expensive, requiring a lot of investment
send in
to send something (letter, application, etc.) to be delivered
set out
to start, to begin
sing along to
to sing a song with someone who is already singing
though-provoking
inspiring, interesting, challenging
theatergoer
our analysis shows that the average theatergoer is more likely to purchase our products.
shouting
You’re still shouting
as an aside
as an aside, I’m very sensitive to loud noises
sensitive
as an aside, I’m very sensitive to loud noises
shriek
seriously, that was like a shriek or a bellow
bellow
seriously, that was like a shriek or a bellow
ranting
This crazy man there was ranting about politics and muttering to himself
muttering
This crazy man there was ranting about politics and muttering to himself
allegedly
allegedly, I was making progress
unquestionably
you’re unquestionably one of the best actors on the show, Shen.
break out
to start suddenly; a sudden start of an illness or a disease
fall out
(of hair) to become loose and separate from one’s head
pass out
to faint
alleged
an alleged crime, fact etc is one that someone says has happened or is true, although it has not been proved
aside
kept to be used later
I’ve been setting aside a few pounds each week
cough
to suddenly push air out of your throat with a short sound, often repeatedly
- Matthew coughed and cleared his throat
- He’s got a bad cough
foolish
a foolish action, remark etc is stupid and shows that someone is not thinking sensibly
- I’ve never heard anything so foolish in all my life
gunshot
the action of shooting a gun, or the sound that this makes
- She says she heard a gunshot at about midnight
itch
an uncomfortable feeling on your skin that makes you want to rub it with your nails
- Scratch my back - I have an itch
- My feet were itching terribly
mutter
to speak in a low voice, especially because you are annoyed about something, or you do not want people to hear you
- Elsie muttered something I couldn’t catch and walked off.
obviously
used to mean that a fact can easily be noticed or understood
- We’re obviously going to need more help
rant
to talk or complain in a loud excited and rather confused way because you feed strongly about something
- Why don’t you stop ranting and raving for minute and listen
rash
if you are rash, you do things too quickly, without thinking carefully about whether they are sensible or not
- Please Jessie, don’t do anything crash
a lot of red spots on someone’s skin, caused by an illness
- She had a nasty rash on her arm.
shriek
to make very high loud sound, especially because you are afraid, angry, excited, or in pain
- They were dragged from their homes, shrieking and wepping.
sneeze
the act or sound of sneezing
- There was a loud sneeze from someone in the back of the audience
thigh
the top part of your leg, between your knee and your hip
trauma
an unpleasant and upsetting experience that affects you for a long time
- traumas such as death or divorce
unquestionable
vomit
to bring food or drink up from your stomach out through your mouth because you are ill
- He had swallowed so much sea water he wanted to vomit.
boycott
to refuse to buy something, use something, or take part in something as a way of protesting
- We boycott all products tested on animals
cocoa
a brown powder made from cocoa beans, used to make chocolate and to give a chocolate taste to foods
courageous
brave
- He was among, and courageous enough to admit it.
powder
a dry substance in the form of very small grains
- curry powder
- She was powdering her face
protest
Something that you do to show publicly that you think that something is wrong and unfair, for example taking part in big public meetings, refusing to work, or refusing to buy a company’s products
- Five thousand employees came out on strike in protest at the poor working conditions.
rally
a large public meeting, especially one that is held outdoors to support a political idea, protest etc
- About 1,000 people attended the rally in Hyde Park
settlement
an official agreement or decision that ends an argument, a court case, or a fight, or the action of making an agreement
- Union leaders and company bosses will meet tomorrow in an attempt to reach a settlement.
straightaway
at once
- We need to start work straightaway
strike
to hit or fall against the surface of something
- She fell heavily, striking her head against the side of the boat
a period of time when a group of workers deliberately stop working because of a disagreement about pay, working conditions etc
- The government has promised that the army will be called in to help if there is a firemen’s strike
unrest
a political situation in which people protest or behave violently
- There is growing unrest throughout the country
vital
extremely important and necessary for something to succeed or exist
- The work she does I absolutely vital.
let go
to fire someone from a job
turn down
to refuse; to say no to something
racism
ra
racism is unfair treament that results when one group in a society thinks it is better than another group
immigration reform
immigration reform is all about changing the laws that relate to people coming into a country
inequality
inequality is an issue that is about the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer
poverty
poverty is the condition of being very, very poor
adequate sanitation
which includes heath issues like access to clean water, is a problem for millions of people in the developing world.
cut to the chase
to get to the main point
without delay
to focus on what’s important
fast-track
to speed up a process or action
glass ceiling
actions that stop some people (especially women) from advancing or becoming successful
middle class
a social group that is between the working class and the upper class in society
narrow down
to limit, to reduce
adequate
enough in quantity or of a good enough quality for a particular purpose
- Farmers have been slow to make adequate provision for their retirement
ascendancy
a position of power, influence, or control
- moral ascendancy
congressman
a man who is member of a congress, especially the US House of Representatives
counterpart
someone or something that has the same job or purpose as someone or something else in a different place
county
an area of a state or country that has its own government to deal with local matters
- Fairfax County, Virginia
custody
the right to take care of a child, given to one of their parents when they have divorced
- The mother is usually awarded custody (=legally allowed to have custody).
discriminate
to treat a person or group differently from another in an unfair way
disregard
to ignore something or treat it as unimportant
- He ordered the jury to disregard the witness’s last statement
fellow
a man
- Paul’s an easy-going sort of fellow
gourmet
producing or relating to very good food and drink
- a gourmet cook
poverty
the situation or experience of being poor
- Millions of elderly people live in poverty
prosecute
to charge someone with a crime and try to show that they are guilty of it in a court of law
- Shoplifters will be prosecuted
- I don’t want to be prosecuted for a crime here
reform
a change or changes made to a system or organization in order to improve it
- Reforms were made to revive the economy
sanitation
the protection of public health by removing and treating waste, dirty water, etc
- Overcrowding and poor sanitation are common problems in prisons
