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Upper Intermediate English > Words and expressions > Flashcards

Words and expressions Flashcards

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Proverbs and Idioms flashcards
1
Q

Disperse

A

Spread or scatter

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2
Q

Decree

A

Formal or official order

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3
Q

Let the cat out of the bag

A

To share secret information

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4
Q

Pedal

A

Power a bicycle with the feet

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5
Q

Peddle

A

To sell

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6
Q

Bore

A

To pierce with a twisting motion

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7
Q

Boar

A

Male pig

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8
Q

Farenheit, Farhenheit or Fahrenheit?

A

Fahrenheit

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9
Q

Toupe or Toupee?

A

Toupee

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10
Q

Placate

A

To calm or make someone less angry.

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11
Q

Let their hair down.

A

To be informal or relaxed.

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12
Q

Up-and-coming.

A

Likely to become successful or famous someday.

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13
Q

Glass ceiling.

A

Institutional barrier that keeps women from obtaining high-level positions.

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14
Q

Axe to grind.

A

Having a self-serving reason for doing something.

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15
Q

Dog-eat-dog.

A

Fighting cruelly for one’s own success.

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16
Q

Drudgery

A

Hard, monotonous, routine work.

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17
Q

“My friend and me climbed” or “My friend and I climbed”

A

My friend and I climbed the more that 350 steps of New York’s State of Liberty.

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18
Q

“Greg is traveling to the south of Spain” or “Greg is traveling to the South of Spain”

A

Greg is traveling to the south of Spain this summer.

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19
Q

Fall from grace

A

Losing honor or respect

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20
Q

Diamond in the rough

A

Having potential but needing refinement.

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21
Q

Thrifty

A

Not wasteful with money or resources.

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22
Q

Brouhaha

A

Loud, excited noise.

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23
Q

Skewed

A

Changed or slanted.

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24
Q

Irksome

A

Irritating or annoying.

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25
Q

Nebulous

A

Lacking definite form or limits

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26
Q

Nimble

A

Agile: Quick and light in movement.

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27
Q

Bellow

A

Yell: To yell or roar loudly.

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28
Q

Fearful

A

Showing of feeling fear

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29
Q

Fearsome

A

Scary

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30
Q

Inmediately or immediately?

A

Immediately

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31
Q

Bolster

A

Support: Strengthen

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32
Q

Selfless

A

Generous: Unselfish, putting others before oneself.

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33
Q

Grimace

A

Scowl: To contort the face to express pain or contempt.

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34
Q

Grin

A

To smile broadly.

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35
Q

Tried-and-true

A

Tested and valid

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36
Q

Trite-and-true

A

Lacking originality

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37
Q

Kick it to the curb

A

To dismiss something.

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38
Q

Toil

A

To labor strenuously.

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39
Q

Toll

A

A ruinous price.

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40
Q

Piqued my interest

A

Something incited curiosity

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41
Q

Load down

A

To burden something with weight.

42
Q

Lowdown

A

Inside information.

43
Q

Slander

A

False, accusatory language.

44
Q

Blunder

A

Careless error or mistake

45
Q

Placid

A

Calm and steady

46
Q

Fluster

A

To put into a state of agitated confusion.

47
Q

Admonish

A

To warn or reprimand firmly.

48
Q

Appraise

A

To evaluate or estimate in a comprehensive way.

49
Q

Eulogy

A

Speech praising a person who has died.

50
Q

Uproarious

A

Hilariosly funny.

51
Q

Reimburse

A

To compensate or pay back.

52
Q

Conundrum

A

Difficult problem.

53
Q

Cemetery or cementery?

A

Cemetery

54
Q

Keep it under wraps

A

Keep it a secret

55
Q

My lips are sealed

A

I won’t tell anyone our secret

56
Q

Don’t spill the beans

A

Don’t tell anyone

57
Q

Don’t let the cat out of the bag

A

Don’t let anyone know the secret

58
Q

Rend

A

To tear something into two or more pieces

59
Q

Cumber

A

To hold back

60
Q

Capriole

A

Playful leap

61
Q

Cup runneth over

A

Having more than enough

62
Q

Much ado about nothing

A

Fussing over something of little importance

63
Q

Barbed wire

A

Fencing with spikes: “Barbed wire was an economical fencing option for livestock in America’s Great Plains”

64
Q

Dog days

A

The long hot months of the year: “The Hamptons are a nice retreat for New York’s urbanites during the dog days of summer.”

65
Q

Tailor made

A

To be specifically created for a particular purpose or person.

66
Q

Abide

A

To accept or obey something

67
Q

Farcical

A

Ridiculous and nonsensical

68
Q

Revere

A

To feel deep respect for something

69
Q

Taper

A

To narrow or reduce thickness toward one end

70
Q

Toothsome

A

Tasty and delicious

71
Q

Valiant

A

Brave, determined and courageous

72
Q

Winsome

A

Attractive or appealing

73
Q

Vacuous

A

Showing little thought or intelligence

74
Q

Taut

A

Pulled or stretched tightly

75
Q

Clinquant

A

Glittering with silver and gold

76
Q

Singe

A

To sear or slightly burn

77
Q

Flummox

A

To confuse, perplex or bewilder

78
Q

Raconteur

A

Gifted storyteller

79
Q

Cadge

A

To beg

80
Q

Barrage

A

Noun
1
a concentrated artillery bombardment over a wide area.

Verb
1
bombard (someone) with something.
his doctor was barraged with unsolicited advice
Examples of barrage

“She was not prepared for his barrage of questions”

81
Q

Hinge

A

Bisagra

1: to swing on or as if on a hinge
These thoughtful amenities include … an outdoor patio TV that hinges outward toward the pool …
— Paul Takahashi
… we pulled within feet of a 12-foot crocodile, his huge jaw hinging open in warning to reveal a toothy grin.
— Andrea Bartz
2: to be contingent on a single consideration or point —used with on or upon
the prosecution’s case hinges on the DNA evidence

82
Q

Ditzy

A

Eccentrically silly, giddy, or inane

83
Q

Giddy

A

Dizzy
Whirling rapidly
Lighthearthedly silly: Frivolous
Joyfully elated: Euphoric

84
Q

Inane

A

Empty, insubstantial

Lacking significance, meaning, or point; silly

85
Q

Put down

A

Criticize

86
Q

We can’t put off making this decision

A

We can’t put off this decision any longer

87
Q

How can you PUT UP with that noise?

A

How can you tolerate that noise?

88
Q

You PREPARE presentations

A

You don’t MAKE presentations

89
Q

Countenance

A

: LOOK, EXPRESSION
… a countenance which expressed both good humor and intelligence …
— Sir Walter Scott
b: mental composure
… startled, and also somewhat out of countenance.
— Arnold Bennett
c: calm expression
He managed to keep his countenance through the ordeal.
2: FACE, VISAGE
especially: the face as an indication of mood, emotion, or character
The photograph showed his somber countenance.
3: bearing or expression that offers approval or sanction: moral support
… her countenance of their unsafe amusements …
— Jane Austen

90
Q

Well-to-do

A

having more than adequate financial resources: PROSPEROUS

a well-to-do family

91
Q

Uncouth

A

a: awkward and uncultivated in appearance, manner, or behavior: RUDE
b: lacking in polish and grace: RUGGED
uncouth verse
c: strange or clumsy in shape or appearance: OUTLANDISH

92
Q

Folly

A

1: lack of good sense or normal prudence and foresight
his folly in thinking he could not be caught
2a: criminally or tragically foolish actions or conduct
especially: lewd behavior
3: a foolish act or idea
The prank was a youthful folly.
4: an excessively costly or unprofitable undertaking
Paying so much for that land was folly, since it was all rocks and scrub trees.
5: an often extravagant picturesque building erected to suit a fanciful taste

93
Q

Unhallowed

A

1: not blessed: UNCONSECRATED, UNHOLY
unhallowed ground
2a: unsanctioned by or showing lack of reverence for religion: IMPIOUS, PROFANE
b: contrary to accepted standards: IMMORAL

94
Q

Prowl

A

intransitive verb
to move about or wander stealthily in or as if in search of prey
transitive verb
to roam over in a predatory manner

95
Q

Taut

A 
a: having no give or slack: tightly drawn
a taut rope
b: HIGH-STRUNG, TENSE
taut nerves
2a: kept in proper order or condition
a taut ship
b(1): not loose or flabby
taut skin
(2): marked by economy of structure and detail
a taut story
96
Q

Earmarked

A

1: a mark of identification on the ear of an animal
2: a distinguishing mark
all the earmarks of poverty
3: a provision in Congressional legislation that allocates a specified amount of money for a specific project, program, or organization

97
Q

Alas

A

—used to express unhappiness, pity, or concern

Life, alas, is too short.

98
Q

Rife

A

1: prevalent especially to an increasing degree
suspicion and cruelty were rife
— W. E. B. Du Bois
2: ABUNDANT, COMMON
3: copiously supplied: ABOUNDING —usually used with “with”
rife with rumors

99
Q

Chummy

A

Familiar, quite friendly

100
Q

Stingy

A 
not generous or liberal: sparing or scant in using, giving, or spending
stingy with the salt
stingy employee benefits
2: meanly scanty or small
stingy portions of meat

Upper Intermediate English (13 decks)

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