Wordskills unit 27

Question 1

Force or try to persuade sb to do sth; that person is then under pressure

Answer 1

Put pressure on sb (to do sth)

Question 2

(Of secret information) become know to the public.

Answer 2

Leak out

Question 3

Used for saying that a remark is not official or intended to be made public.

Answer 3

Off the record/ OPP on the record

Question 4

Make sth seem much worse or more dangerous than it really is

Answer 4

Blow sth (up) out of (all) proportion

Question 5

A name known to everyone; a famous person

Answer 5

A household name

Question 6

Try to cause arguments or problems

Answer 6

Stir sth up

Question 7

Make people feel less certain about sth

Answer 7

Cast doubt(s) on sth

Question 8

If a difficult situation …, people stop talking about it and soon forget about it

Answer 8

Blow over

Question 9

Disappear

Answer 9

Go away

Question 10

Get rid of sth that is wrong or dangerous, often with force

Answer 10

Stamp sth out

Question 11

As soon as possible

Answer 11

The sooner the better

Question 12

Suffer the worst part of sth unpleasant

Answer 12

Bear the brunt of sth

Question 13

If sth …, you don’t believe it, even though you cannot explain why

Answer 13

Not ring true

Question 14

Try in a determined way to achieve sth. (If you will…), you are so determined to achieve sth that you would act in an extreme way if necessary. )

Answer 14

Go to great lengths (to do sth) / go to any lengths (to do sth)

Question 15

Used to say who or what is preventing sth from happening

Answer 15

If it weren’t/ wasn’t for sb/ sth

Question 16

Try to keep sth a secret, especially sth you have done wrong

Answer 16

Sweep sth under the carpet

Question 17

(Of sth that was previously secret) become known.

Answer 17

Come out in/into the open/ SYN come to light

Question 18

Upset sb by doing or saying more than you should.

Answer 18

Overstep the mark/ SYN go too far

Question 19

State your opinions in public, especially in order to protest against or defend sth.

Answer 19

Speak out (against sth)

Question 20

Feel both positive and negative about sth/sb

Answer 20

Have mixed feelings about sth/sb

Question 21

People often remember the bad things they hear about someone, even if they are later shown to be false

Answer 21

Mud sticks

Question 22

If something bad is said about something, it usually has some truth in it

Answer 22

There’s no smoke without fire