Words 9

fowl

Any bird raised or hunted for food; the meat of that bird

grate

When something g_____s, it rubs against something else making a harsh, unpleasant sound. His chair g_____ as he got to his feet The gun barrel g_____ against the floor.

domestic flight

a flight that begins and ends in the same country d... f.... are often more expensive than international ones.

heath

an area of land that is not used for growing crops, where grass and other small plants grow, but where there are few trees or bushes The background, which represents the main street of that suburb not far from the h....., was painted on the spot.

charred

burned and black: c_____ meat The c_____ body of a man was found by police in a burned-out car last night.

smart aleck

someone who tries to appear smart or who answers questions in a funny way that annoys other people That kid's a real s____-_____.

come up against a brick wall

something is blocking me from doing what I want to do I was tired, I'd been working really hard for a long time and I felt that I'd .... ... .... . ..... ....

ethnic cleansing

the organized, often violent attempt by a particular cultural or racial group to completely remove from a country or area all members of a different group

out of sorts

to be slightly ill or slightly unhappy: I've been feeling tired and headachy and generally o___ o_ s____.

give as good as get

to be strong and confident enough to treat people in the same way that they treat you, especially in an argument or a fight: There's a lot of teasing and fighting among the crew, and you have to be able to ____ ___ ____ ___ you ____.

grind teeth

to be very angry or frustrated about something, but feel that you cannot say or do anything about it Lucy appeared to think this over for a moment and then walked away, g_____ her _____ in frustration. The witcher g____ his _____ - the cut, which should have sundered the beast in two, had been nothing but a scratch.

croak

to die the dog finally c_____ in 1987

blare

to make an unpleasantly loud noise: The loudspeakers b....ed across the square. The radio was b....ing (out) martial music.

get foot in the door

to make the first step toward a goal by gaining entry into an organization, a career, etc. He took a job as a secretary to g__ his f_____ __ ____ d____.

take to heels

to quickly run away: When they saw the soldiers coming, they t___ to t___ h___.

compromise

to risk having a harmful effect on something: We would never c________ the safety of our passengers.

lore

traditional knowledge and stories about a subject: According to local l____, the water has healing properties.

despondent

unhappy and with no hope or enthusiasm: He became/grew increasingly d______ when she failed to return his phone calls. She started to feel d______ about ever finding a job.

there's nothing to it

used to say something is very easy: Learning the game is easy - ____ ______ __ ___.

you can say that again

used to show that you completely agree with what someone has said

dishevelled

(of people or their appearance) very untidy: d...... hair/clothes/appearance He ran in looking d........ Her trailing white dress contrasted with the glossy blackness of her d...... hair

rampant

(of something bad) getting worse quickly and in an uncontrolled way: r________ inflation means that our wage increases soon become worth nothing. Disease is r______ in the overcrowded city. There are also traces of a r______ temperament

noxious

Something, especially a gas or other substance, that is n_____ is poisonous or very harmful: They died from inhaling n_____ fumes. harmful and unpleasant: a n_____ smell/influence

setback

something that happens that delays or prevents a process from developing: Sally had been recovering well from her operation, but yesterday she experienced/suffered a s_____. There has been a slight/temporary s_____ in our plans.

clump

a group, especially of trees or flowers: The material in each tube was broken down by careful stirring with a sharp seeker, until no large c.....s remained. - the white of the sheepskin jacket and matt-blue of the dress stood out clearly against a yellowing c.... of sedge

geyser

a hole in the ground from which hot water and steam come out ... on the white dress through which the broken tip emerged in a g____ of blood: hideous, almost obscene

syringe

a hollow, cylinder-shaped piece of equipment used for sucking liquid out of something or pushing liquid into something, especially one with a needle that can be put under the skin and used to inject drugs, remove small amounts of blood, etc.

family-run hotel

a hotel owned by a family in which family members work.

void

a large hole or empty space: She stood at the edge of the chasm and stared into the v____. Before Einstein, space was regarded as a formless v____.

gash

a long, deep cut, especially in the skin

jester

a person who habitually plays the fool. It is noticeable that still there are extraordinarily few women in this much j____ organisation who reach the highest ranks.

proprietor

a person who owns a particular type of business, especially a hotel, a shop, or a company that makes newspapers: a hotel/newspaper p....

oats

a plant that is a type of grass, or its grain used in baking and cooking or to feed animals: If we pass by ignoring such incidents we won't ever earn enough for your o..., will we

trinket

a small decorative object, or a piece of jewellery that is cheap or of low quality: She always returns from vacation with a few souvenirs, mostly just cheap t______s.

write-off

a vehicle or other object that is too badly damaged to be repaired. "the passengers were unharmed, but my car was a total w...-o..."

cojones

a word for testicle s: Someone kicked him in the c______.

sorty

come out from a defensive position to make an attack. "we'll soon know if they s_____" After thousands of s_____s, our brave helicopter crews...

audacity

courage or confidence of a kind that other people find shocking or rude: It took a lot of a______ to stand up and criticize the chairman. He had the a______ to blame me for his mistake!

on the button

exactly right. "the programme is right o_ t___ b____ every time"

out of this world

extremely good: What a restaurant - the food was ___ __ ____ _____!

scorching hot

extremely hot " though in the middle of the day it's just too s.... h... to do anything but lie on the beach

sheer

extremely steep; almost vertical: a s.... mountain side a s.... drop of 100 metres

hideous

extremely ugly or bad: They've just built some h_____ new apartment blocks on the seafront. She wears the most h_____ colour combinations you could ever imagine.

funky

having a bad smell or appearance: The sour cream smells kind of f.....

unbroken sunshine

only sunshine, no clouds in the sky "Have had u.... s.... ever since we arrived

foreplay

the sexual activity such as kissing and touching that people do before they have sex he enjoyed flirting and f_____

surefooted

unlikely to stumble or slip. "tough, s________ hill ponies" confident and competent. "the challenges of the 1990s demand a responsible and s__________ government"

pay a compliment

"I was trying to p... her . c.... but she misunderstood"

smooth flight

"The weather en route is fine, and we anticipate a s...... f...... to Stockholm today" The opposite is bumpy flight

grandiloquent

A g..... style or way of using language is complicated in order to attract admiration and attention, especially in order to make someone or something seem important: Her speech was full of g.... language, but it contained no new ideas.

tomcat

A male cat that has not been neutered.

hide-a-bed

A sofa that can be converted into a bed You have to sleep on the h___-_-b___ with Fuller

all-time

An all-time high, low, best, etc. is the highest, lowest, best, etc. level that has ever been: After three years of drought, the water in the lake had reached an a___-t___- low.

ripple

to (cause to) move in small waves: The breeze r_____ the water. His muscles r_____ under his skin.

bring to light

to cause something to be known: Her research has ____ __ ____ new information about Jefferson's early life.

go bald

to lose your hair

lose out

to not have an advantage that other people have: The new tax means that the vast majority of working people will l___ ____.

botch

to spoil something by doing it badly: We b_______ed (up) our first attempt at wallpapering the bathroom.

take up

to start doing something regularly as a habit, job, or interest I t___ __ smoking when I was at school. Chris has t___ __ jogging. take up a post/position: The new surgeon will t___ __ her post in May.

wake up to (the fact)

to start to understand that a situation or problem exists: Governments are finally _____ing ___ ___ ____ ____ that the environment should be cleaned up.

sooty

covered in soot (= a black powder produced when coal, wood, etc. is burned): There were a lot of flames and a lot of thick, black, _____ smoke. _____ particles that lodge in the lungs are harmful.

ravings

crazy statements that have no meaning: The things he said are simply the r_____ of a disturbed mind.

en route

during the course of a journey; on the way. "he stopped in Turkey e.. r.... to Geneva"

redact

edit (text) for publication. "a confidential memo which has been r______ from 25 pages to just one paragraph"

horrendous

extremely unpleasant or bad: Conditions in the refugee camps were horrendous. The firm made h_____ (= very big) losses last year. But you can't challenge the fact that there have been h_____ mutations among girls born just after the eclipse.'

invaluable

extremely useful: The new job will provide you with i______ experience. Such data will prove i______ to/for researchers.

notorious

famous for something bad: one of Mexico's most n..... criminals The company is n..... for paying its bills late.

tender

gentle, loving, or kind: What you need is some t____ loving care.

inlaid

having a decorative pattern put into a surface, or forming a pattern like this: The top of the wooden chest was i_____ with ivory. On the door, which was adorned with a rosace i____ with pale wood, hung a huge knocker in the shape of a flat bulging-eyed fish-head holding a brass ring in its toothed jaws.

cruciform

having the shape of a cross He no longer had his old sword in its lizard-skin sheath on his back; its place was filled with a shining, beautiful weapon with a с_____ and slender, well weighted hilt, ending in a spherical pommel made of white metal

compelled

having to do something, because you are forced to or feel it is necessary: [ + to infinitive ] He felt c________ to report the incident.

shed a great deal of light on

help people understand a situation The recent release of fifty-year-old documents has ___ _ ___ ___ __ ___ on the political crisises of the 1950s

beneficial

helpful, useful, or good: The improvement in sales figures had a b_____ effect/influence on the company as a whole. A stay in the country will be b_____ to his health.

chalice

in Christian ceremonies, a large, decorative gold or silver cup from which wine is drunk The monster poured the contents of an enormous ______ down his throat, after which he sank his fingers in the terrine, tearing half of it from the bowl in one go

emphatically

in a forceful way: Johnson has e______ denied the allegations against him. "The violence must stop, and it will stop," he said e______.

in dire straits

in a very bad situation that is difficult to fix: These kids are __ ___ ___, and the schools are doing nothing to help them!

eternally

in a way that lasts forever or for a very long time: the e_____ changing seasons e_____ weary/sad/cheerful I'd be e_____ grateful if you could arrange it.

profusely

in large amounts: She apologized/thanked us p_____. He was bleeding/sweating p_____. The merchant beamed and thanked me so p_____ that he slobbered all over himself

fealty

loyalty, especially to a king or queen: an oath of f_____

earthenware

made of quite rough clay, often shaped with the hands: A large e_______ demijohn in a wicker basket appeared next to the two empty carafes

crude

made using very simple methods or materials a c____ home-made bomb

chiefly

mainly: The island c____ attracts upmarket tourists. 'He's renovated it, I see,' remarked Geralt. 'With spells, or did he have you working at it?' 'Spells, c____.'

nauseous

making you feel as if you might vomit: the n______ smell of rotting flesh The bride's mother was wearing a n______ (= extremely unattractive) combination of green and yellow.

elk (uk)

moose (us)

rushing

moving quickly: I stretched out and listened to the sound of the r______ stream.

snot

a c______ or worthless person. Well, I became a man, stupid little s___ that I was, and while I was achieving manhood the priestess spat into my face and screamed something.'

vicious circle

a continuing unpleasant situation, created when one problem causes another problem that then makes the first problem worse: Many people get caught/trapped in a ______ ______ of dieting and weight gain.

muzzle

a covering put over an animal's nose and mouth in order to prevent it from biting: She asked him to put a ______ on his dog after it scared her children. Aggressive breeds must wear ______s when they are taken off their owners' properties.

wuss

a coward disapproving (= person who is not brave): Damian, you're such a w______!

cutlass

a curved sword with a single sharp edge, especially as used in the past by pirates On a wide belt next to a short c..... in a wooden sheath the man wore a leather purse

vortex

a dangerous or bad situation in which you become more and more involved and from which you cannot escape: I was sucked into a v.... of despair.

cadaver

a dead human body

ravine

a deep narrow valley with steep sides Then one of his men brought news that the new car had gone off the road into a r.... and was a write-off.

nicety

a detail or small difference that is only obvious after careful thought: They spent a lot of time arguing about legal n____. We don't bother with all the social n____ here. 'Listen, young lady,' he said severely, not wasting time with banal n_____, 'I know from this witcher of Rivia here what brings you to Blaviken

stun gun

a device that produces a small electric shock in order to stop an animal or human from moving temporarily, without harming them permanently

the other side of the coin

a different way of considering a situation, making it seem either better or worse than it did originally: I like having a white car, but ___ ____ ____ __ ____ _____ is that it soon gets dirty.

terrine

a dish made of small pieces of cooked meat, fish, or vegetables pressed into a rectangular shape

reservation

a doubt or feeling of not being able to agree with or accept something completely: Workers and employees shared deep r.....s about the wisdom of the government's plans for the industry. He accepted my advice without r.....

din

a loud, unpleasant confused noise that lasts for a long time: I had to shout to make myself heard above the d__. The children were making a terrible d___. 'Exert your memory, friend,' Caldemeyn said to the innkeeper, leaning across the counter in order to be heard over the d____

keister

a person's buttocks. "I've had it up to my k_____ with all these leaks"

yahoo

a rude, loud, unpleasant person, especially one who has little education

hearth-rug

a rug in front of a fireplace

fishhook

a sharp barbed hook for catching fish I was making ornaments out of f______s

glade

a small area of grass without trees in a forest Next day they found his body in the g.....

conviction

a strong opinion or belief: a deep/strong/lifelong c_____ [ + that ] It's my personal c_____ that all rapists should be locked away for life.

tendon

a strong piece of tissue in the body connecting a muscle to a bone Muscles, t....s — she only just missed your carotid artery!

calling

a strong wish to do a job, usually one that is socially valuable: I'm glad she's going into medicine. It's a very worthy c_____. The magician raised his head. 'And how many of them have you slaughtered for money, in keeping with your witcher's c_____?

scaffolding

a structure of metal poles and wooden boards put against a building for workers to stand on when they want to reach the higher parts of the building: s...... has been erected around the tower and repair work will start next week.

rag

a torn piece of old cloth: I keep these r...s for cleaning the car.

moss

a very small, green or yellow plant that grows especially in wet earth or on rocks, walls, and tree trunks: The rocks near the river were covered with m___.

wench

a young woman You see, Geralt, I was always shy with girls, always made a laughing stock of myself, even with w______ from the cowshed with dung up to their knees

fallible

able or likely to make mistakes: We place our trust in doctors, but they are f_____ like everyone else.

resillient

able to be happy, successful, etc. again after something difficult or bad has happened: She's a r______ girl - she won't be unhappy for long. Optimists argue that the economy may prove more r______.

discernible

able to be seen or understood: The influence of Rodin is d_______ in the younger artist. There is no d_______ reason why this should be the case.

agile

able to move your body quickly and easily: Monkeys are very a.... climbers. You need to have a.... fingers to do this kind of work.

allegedly

adverb used when something is said to be true but has not been proved: It's a collection of recipes which _______ can be prepared in 30 minutes. Two oil companies _______ spent $6 million trying to free two surviving grey whales trapped in the Arctic ice.

at beck and call

always willing and able to do whatever someone asks: Go and get it yourself! I'm not __ your _____ ____ ____, you know.

massacre

an act of killing a lot of people: He ordered the m_______ of 2,000 women and children.

stamp

an act of putting the foot down on the ground hard, or the noise made in doing so: With a s_____ of her foot she stormed out. Three quick steps, and the third, like a hundred such steps before, finished on the left leg with a strong, firm s____.

lark

an activity done for enjoyment or amusement: He started hang-gliding years ago as a l____.

ram

an adult male sheep that can breed

levy

an amount of money, such as a tax, that you have to pay to a government or organization: They imposed a five percent l____ on alcohol.

cemetery

an area of ground in which dead bodies are buried The proposals include the realignment of the c..... with the geometry of the church, and the creation of a new public space outside the convent.

and a partridge in a pear tree

and a partridge in a pear tree A phrase used humorously at the end of a list, as in the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas."

superficial

appearing to be real or important when this is not true or correct: There are s______ similarities between the two cars, but really they're very different in terms of performance.

classified

Classified information is officially stated to be secret: These documents contain c______ material.

nippy

cold: It's a bit n____ outside.

preliminary

coming before a more important action or event, especially introducing or preparing for it: p...... results show that the vaccine is effective, but this has to be confirmed by further medical trials. We've decided to change the design based on our p..... findings.

come to light

If facts ___ __ ____, they become known publicly: Fresh evidence has recently ___ __ _____ that suggests that he didn't in fact commit the murder.

trickle

If liquid t....s somewhere, it flows slowly and without force in a thin line: Blood t....ed out of the corner of his mouth. Oil was t....ing from a tiny hole in the tank. People t..... into the concert hall

go back to square one

If you are b____ _____ _____ ____, you have to start working on a plan from the beginning because your previous attempt failed completely: If this doesn't work we're b___ ___ ______ ____

all-out

complete and with as much effort as possible: We made an a___-o__ effort to get the project finished on time.

be better off

If you say that someone would be b____ ____ doing something, you are advising them to do it or expressing the opinion that it would benefit them to do it. If you've got bags, you are b_____ ___ taking a taxi. Their stance seems to be that a baby or child __ b____ ___ in its country of birth.

take a dislike to

If you t____ _ _______ __ someone or something, you decide that you do not like them. I t____ _ violent ______ __ him. He may suddenly t____ _ ______ __ foods that he's previously enjoyed

cog

one of the tooth-like parts around the edge of a wheel in a machine that fits between those of a similar wheel, causing both wheels to move He appears to believe that architects are still masters of their art, when increasingly they are c___s in a global machine for building in which beauty

facet

one part of a subject, situation, etc. that has many parts: She has so many f____s to her personality.

patchy

only existing or happening in some parts: The varnish is a little p.... on this table. The morning will start with some p..... rain/cloud/fog at first.

contrary

opposite: c______ to all our expectations, he found a well-paid job and a nice girlfriend.

humble

ordinary; not special or very important: At that time she was just a h_____ mechanic. Welcome to our h_____ abode (= our home).

birds of a feather

people who are similar in character: He'll like Tony - they're b___ o__ a___ f____ There's more than one of them here and everyone knows they stick together.' 'b___ o__ a___ f____.' The half-breed smiled maliciously

sturdy

physically strong and solid or thick, and therefore unlikely to break or be hurt: s..... walking boots He came to a s..... gate, with iron fittings and rusty hinges, furnished with a great brass knocker

commend

praise formally or officially. "he was c_____ by the judge for his courageous actions" Those people in the room are to be c______ed

omnipresent

present or having an effect everywhere at the same time: The singer became an o_____ icon of style and beauty.

kick the can down the street

put off confronting a difficult issue or making an important decision, typically on a continuing basis. "I appreciate that he doesn't want to raise taxes, but sooner or later you have to stop k...ing t... c... d... t.. s...."

secluded

quiet, private, and not near people, roads, or buildings: a s_______ beach a s_______ house in the forest

forensic

related to scientific methods of solving crimes, involving examining the objects or substances that are involved in the crime: f_____ evidence/medicine/science f_____ examination revealed a large quantity of poison in the dead man's stomach.

martial

relating to soldiers, war, or life in the armed forces A court m..... stripped him of his military rank.

dainty

small, delicate, and often moving in a careful way: She was a small, d_____ child, unlike her sister who was large and had big feet. The chicken salad was served in d_____ pastry shells.

gravel

small, rounded stones, often mixed with sand: a g.... path

wee

small; little: You were just a w___ lad the last time I saw you. Would you care for a w___ bit more to eat?

pungent

smelling or tasting very strong and sharp: the _______ whiff of a goat I sat down to a cup of wonderfully _______ Turkish coffee

glossy

smooth and shiny: She has wonderfully g..... hair. a dog with a g..... coat Her trailing white dress contrasted with the g..... blackness of her dishevelled hair

dung

solid waste from animals, especially cattle and horses You see, Geralt, I was always shy with girls, always made a laughing stock of myself, even with wenches from the cowshed with d____ up to their knees

crap

solid waste, or an occasion when an animal or person produces solid waste: I stepped in a pile of c____. to have (US take) a c____

extrapolate

to guess or think about what might happen using information that is already known: You can't really e________ a trend from such a small sample.

undulating

to have a continuous up and down shape or movement, like waves on the sea: The road u_______ for five miles before a steep climb. the u_______ countryside

have a row

to have an argument My parents often h.... r....s, but my dad does most of the shouting.

go grey

to have hair that is turning grey

help out

to help someone, especially by doing a particular job or by giving them money My family has always h____ me _____ h____ ____ with: He always h____ _____ _____ the housework.

sock

to hit someone with your fist (= closed hand): He s_____ the policeman on the jaw/in the eye.

lash

to hit with a lot of force: The prisoners were regularly l....ed with electric cable. The sound of the rain l...ing against the windows was deafening. Rain was l....ing down on the pool cover outside.

wield

to hold a weapon or tool and look as if you are going to use it: She was confronted by a man w_____ a knife. They stood there: Nivellen, on wide-spread legs, was w_____ the pole in both hands, one end firmly secured under his arm

bootleg

to illegally make, copy, or sell something: The movie's screenplay has been widely b....ged. If we catch you ......ging, we will inform the police.

pick up

to increase or improve The wind always p...s u. in the evening.

slight

to insult someone by ignoring them or treating them as if they are not important: I felt _____ed when my boss thanked everyone but me for their hard work.

scrunch

to make the noise produced by hard things being pressed together, or to press hard things together so that they make a noise: The pebbles s.....ed beneath our feet. We s......ed snow under our feet.

neglect

to not give enough care or attention to people or things that are your responsibility: to n.... your appearance/the house He n....s that poor dog - he never takes him for walks or gives him any attention.

groom

to prepare someone for a special job or activity: She was being g_____ed for leadership. [ + to infinitive ] My boss is g_____ing me to take over his job next year.

think up

to produce a new idea or plan: I don't want to go tonight but I can't t____ u__ a good excuse. Do you know what she t_____ u__?

host

someone who has guests: We thanked our _____s for a very enjoyable evening. The local language school is advertising for _____ families (= families people stay with when they are visiting another country).

wager

to risk money by guessing the result of something: More than $2 billion was w_____ed legally on sports in Nevada in the last 12 months. He is so confident of victory he has w_____ed on himself. [ + two objects, + , that ] I'll w_____ you £5 that they'll get there first.

put in a good word for

to say positive things about someone: I really need a job and I was hoping you might ___ __ _ _____ _____ ____ me with your boss.

take apart

to separate an object into pieces My watch stopped, so I t___ it _____.

demacrate

to show the limits of something: Parking spaces are d______ed by white lines. Responsibilities within the department are clearly d______ed.

sleep in

to sleep until later in the morning than you usually do: I usually s.... i.. on Saturdays. 'It's late,' said Nenneke, opening the shutters. 'You've s.... i... Off with you, Iola.'

trample

to step heavily on something or someone, causing damage or injury: Somebody t______ all over my flowerbeds! Eight people were t______ to death (= killed) when the stadium collapsed and the crowd rushed out onto the football pitch.

rake

to use a rake to make earth level or to collect leaves: In the autumn I r.... (up) the dead leaves. r.... (over) the soil before planting the seeds.

kink

something that is wrong: Pete still needs to iron out a few k___ in his game. The service is still relatively new, and the k____- - payments that are posted late, sites that are slow and hard to use - haven't been worked out yet.

stumbling block

something that prevents action or agreement: Lack of willingness to compromise on both sides is the main/major _________ ______ to reaching a settlement.

objective

something that you plan to do or achieve: Her main/prime o_____ now is simply to stay in power. Can the sales team achieve/meet its financial o_____s?

a fact of life

something unpleasant that cannot be avoided: Driving to work on overcrowded highways is _ ____ __ ____ for millions of commuters.

tainted

spoiled; damaged in quality, taste, or value: ________ seafood ______ election results

twine

strong string made of two or more pieces of string twisted together: a ball of tw.... garden tw.... As soon as he had arrived in Ellander, Nenneke had removed the painfully thick stitches of shoemaker's t.... with which they had stitched him in Wyzim, opened the wound and dressed it again

at the receiving end of / on the receiving end of

suffering from something unpleasant when you have done nothing to deserve it: She was __ ____ _______ ___ __ a lawsuit.

thanks a million

thank you very much: "I've done what you asked." "_____ _ ______!"

nape

the back of the neck: She kissed the n____ of his neck.

essence

the basic or most important idea or quality of something: The e______ of his argument was that education should continue throughout life. Yet change is the very e______ of life.

lateral incisor

the second tooth from the midline used for cutting

belligerence

the wish to fight or argue: I can't stand his b_______. She said, with a trace of b_______, "I'm afraid you'll be wasting your time with me".

taut

tight or completely stretched: a taut rope He kept his eyes on the road ahead, his face t___ with concentration. a t___ coiled spring ready to unleash some unknown fury.

clutch at straw

to be willing to try anything to improve a difficult or unsatisfactory situation, even if it has little chance of success: She offered to take a pay cut to keep her job, but she was just ______ __ _____.

conceive

to become pregnant, or to cause a baby to begin to form: Do you know exactly when you c_____ed? The baby was c_____ in March, so will be born in December.

divert

to cause something or someone to change direction: Traffic will be d_____ through the side streets while the main road is resurfaced. Our flight had to be d_____ to Newark because of the storm.

put back (until)

to change the time or date of an event so that it happens later than originally planned We've p___ the trip ____ _____ June now. We had to p___ the meeting _____ a week.

glean

to collect information in small amounts and often with difficulty: From what I was able to ______, the news isn't good. They're leaving on Tuesday - I managed to ______ that much (from them).

make up

to combine together to form something larger Women m___ __ 40 per cent of the workforce. This book is m___ __ of twelve separate short stories.

overthrow

to defeat or remove someone from power, using force: He said that Allende's government in Chile was o_____ by the army and the CIA in 1973.

frown upon

to disapprove of something: Smoking is f....ed u... in many societies.

clash

to fight or argue: Students с_____ with police after demonstrations at five universities. The government and the opposition parties have с_____ over the cuts in defence spending.

put in

to fix something such as equipment in the place where it will be used and make it ready to use We're having a burglar alarm p___ ___. They're coming to p___ the new kitchen __ next week.

win trust

to gain trust In politics you w____ ____ by making others less trusted.

pamper

to give someone special treatment, making that person as comfortable as possible and giving them whatever they want: She p_____ her dog with the finest steak and salmon. Why not p_____ yourself after a hard day with a hot bath scented with oils?

entitle

to give someone the right to do or have something: Being unemployed e.....s you to free medical treatment. [ + to infinitive ] The employer is e....ed to ask for references.

thick cloud

unable to look the blue sky, there are so many clouds. Wind speeds reach an average of 40km/hmph 0 while even in summer the t... c.... cover prevents much sunlight from penetrating.

transfixed

unable to move or stop looking at something because you are so interested, surprised, or frightened: Rabbits t__________ in the glare of car headlights are common victims on the roads. He sat t__________ all through the film.

like nobody's business

very well or quickly or in very large amounts He was scribbling away l___ n_____ b_____. It stank l___ n_____ b_____.

outdoorsy

(of a person) enjoying spending time outdoors, especially doing activities like walking and cycling: I consider myself an o_______ type and couldn't contemplate the idea of not living an active life.

neutered

(of an animal) having had part of its sexual organs removed, so that it cannot produce young animals: Every pit bull must be registered and n______. Most of the sheep are n______ males.

lewd

(of behaviour, speech, dress, etc.) sexual in an obvious and rude way: Ignore him - he's being ..... a .... suggestion

slosh

(of liquid in a container) move irregularly with a splashing sound. "water in the boat s______ about under our feet"

clad

(of people) dressed, or (of things) covered: A strange figure appeared in the doorway, c... in white. an ivy-c... wall an armour-c... vehicle

powdery

(of snow) loose and dry and having not yet started to melt : The snow was fresh and p..... Conditions were perfect, lovely p.... snow and clear blue skies.

insight into

(the ability to have) a clear, deep, and sometimes sudden understanding of a complicated problem or situation: It was an interesting book, full of fascinating i______s i_____ human relationships.

forthright

(too) honest or direct in behaviour: His f...... manner can be mistaken for rudeness. I admire her f...... way of dealing with people.

waddle

(usually of a person or animal with short legs and a fat body) to walk with short steps, moving the body from one side to the other: The ducks w_____ down to the river. Caldemeyn w_____ on the spot and looked at Geralt.

dour

(usually of a person's appearance or manner) unfriendly, unhappy, and very serious: The normally d___ Mr James was photographed smiling and joking with friends.

pay last respects

At a funeral people p... their l... r...... to the person who has died.

compelling

If a reason, argument, etc. is c______, it makes you believe it or accept it because it is so strong: c______ evidence It's a fairly c______ argument for going.

die down

If a sound or activity d___s d____, it becomes quieter or less obvious: It was several minutes before the applause d...ed d.... A storm is expected tonight, but the wind and rain should d... d.... by morning.

petite

If a woman or girl is p_____, she is small and thin in an attractive way: She was dark and p____, as all his wives had been.

get soaked/soaked through

If someone or something g... s..... or s....ed t....., water or some other liquid makes them extremely wet. I have to check my tent-it g... s.... last night in the storm. My goodness, you're s.... t..... Where's your car? We got soaked to the skin.

treacherous

If the ground or sea is t....., it is extremely dangerous, especially because of bad weather conditions: Snow and ice have left many roads t....., and drivers are warned to use caution.

impound

If the police i.... something that belongs to you, they take it away because you have broken the law: The police i....ed cars and other personal property belonging to the drug dealers. The vehicle was i....ed by customs.

snag

If you s____ something, it becomes caught on a sharp object and tears: Be careful not to s______ your coat on the barbed wire.

dryly

If you say something _____, you say it in a serious way but you are trying to be funny. Thanks for the warning, Tachi said ______.

pit boss

an employee in a casino in charge of gaming tables.

adversary

an enemy: He saw her as his main a_____ within the company.

straight shooter

an honest and forthright person. "Candace is a plain talker and a s.... s....."

get-together

an informal meeting or social occasion, often arranged for a particular purpose: a family g___-t_____

eclipse

an occasion when the sun disappears from view, either completely or partly, while the moon is moving between it and the earth, or when the moon becomes darker while the shadow of the earth moves over it: a solar/lunar eclipse On Wednesday there will be a total/partial e____ of the sun.

moor

an open area of hills covered with rough grass, especially in Britain: the Yorkshire m____s

ingrate

an ungrateful person (I was stunned when I didn't even receive a "thank you" from the _________.)

creep

an unpleasant person, especially a man: He was such a c_____ - he was always staring at me in the canteen. [ as form of address ] Leave me alone, c_____!

astray

away from the correct path or correct way of doing something: The letter must have gone a_____ in the post. I was led a_____ by an out-of-date map. Her parents worried that she might be led a_____ (= encouraged to behave badly) by her unsuitable friends.

stand in good stead

be of great use Getting some work experience now will s____ you ___ g____ s____ (for) when you apply for a permanent job.

go red

become red in the face, often when you're angry or embarrassed

discreet

careful not to cause embarrassment or attract too much attention, especially by keeping something secret: The family made d_____ enquiries about his background. They are very good assistants, very d______ - they wouldn't go talking to the press. I was quite d______ for a little while

in the bag

certain to be won, achieved, or obtained: When the score got to 8 to 2 we knew the game was __ ___ ____.

liaison

communication between people or groups who work with each other: He blamed the lack of l..... between the various government departments. The police have appointed a l..... officer to work with the local community.

bugged

conceal a miniature microphone in (a room or device) in order to listen to or record someone's conversations secretly. We can presume that worksite is b_____

assorted

consisting of various types mixed together: a case of a_____ wines

pull down

demolish a building. "the house was p____ed d____ and the site redeveloped"

commendable

deserving praise: c______ efforts/behaviour/bravery His c________ aim is to encourage architects, and society more generally, to pay more attention

venerable

deserving respect because of age, high position, or religious or historical importance: She has worked at such v______ institutions as Boston's Museum

kick the bucket

die. "when the old girl finally k_____ ____ b_____ there was no mention of yours truly in the will" His children were greedily waiting for him to k___ ___ b_____

gruby

dirty: He was wearing some old shorts and a g_____ T-shirt. Don't wipe your g_____ hands on my clean towel!

unrest

disagreements or fighting between different groups of people: It is feared that the civil u_____ we are now witnessing in this country could lead to full-scale civil war.

from time immemorial / since time immemorial

for a very long time: Her family had farmed that land s.. t... i..... The cult of Melitele was one of the oldest and, in its day, one of the most widespread cults f... t... i....

fanciful

highly ornamental or imaginative in design. In the centre of the fountain, on a f..... plinth, a white stone dolphin arched, turning its chipped tail upwards.

improbably

in a way that does not seem likely to happen or be true: To top it off, he wore a black, trailing robe with i______ wide sleeves, and wielded a long staff capped with a crystal knob.

succinctly

in a way that expresses what needs to be said clearly and without unnecessary words: I thought she expressed her feelings most c.... at the meeting. Start with a subject line that c...... sums up your request.

excrutiatingly

in a way that is extreme and difficult to bear: Progress has been e______ slow. The vampire exhaled e_______ and suddenly pressed herself hard against the stake.

caustically

in a way that is hurtful, critical, or intentionally unkind: The longer the project dragged on, the more c______ his father condemned it. "Oh, this mess just gets better and better," he commented c______. 'I don't think a day like that will come soon,' said the wizard c______

substantively

in a way that is important, serious, or related to real facts: Her claims were factually and s_______ correct. The final version will look s_______ different to what was first suggested.

nimbly

in a way that is quick and exact either in movement or thoughts: She hopped n.... over the fence. The industry must be prepared to think very n.....

mercifully

in a way that makes you grateful because it stops something unpleasant: His suffering was m________ brief. The tombs are among the finest in the country, and m________ free of tourists.

defiantly

in a way that proudly refuses to obey authority: A group of prisoners stood on the roof, d_______ waving banners. They d_______ refused to identify themselves in court.

lest

in order to prevent any possibility that something will happen: They were afraid to complain about the noise l___ they annoyed the neighbours. for fear that: Gramps is too frightened to move, l___ he disturb the infant.

dowry

in some societies, an amount of money or property that a woman's parents give to the man she marries stayed with me for a year, then returned to her family with a huge d____

smother

kill (someone) by covering their nose and mouth so that they suffocate. "I dreamt a stranger was trying to kill me by s______ing me with a pillow"

detachment

lack of interest or involvement Abandoning scientific d_______, he took the daring step of forming relationships with the animals to have an air of d_____

sinister

making you feel that something bad or evil might happen: The ruined house had a s..... appearance. A s....-looking man sat in the corner of the room.

unbridled

not controlled or limited: u______ ambition/enthusiasm/lust Their outright insane tendency to cruelty, aggression, sudden bursts of anger and an u______ temperament, were noted

safe and sound

not hurt or damaged: Three days later, the hikers were found s... a... s.....

petty

not important and not worth giving attention to: Prisoners complain that they are subjected to too many _____ rules and restrictions.

Awry

not in the intended way: Anything that goes a____ (= goes wrong) in the office is blamed on Pete. The strike has sent the plans for investment seriously a____.

mirthless

not showing real enjoyment or happiness: a m_______ laugh/smile

incline

noun a slope: The witcher retreated, carefully rode down the i..... and returned to the main path.

put forward

o change the time of a clock or watch to a later time The pilot reminded us to p___ our watches ______ by two hours. (put back opposite) to change the time or date of an event so that it happens earlier than originally planned The meeting has been p___ ______ to Monday.

make for

o move towards a place He picked up his umbrella and m___ ___ the door.

stroll

o walk in a slow relaxed way, especially for pleasure: We could s.... along the beach after dinner. An elderly couple s...ed hand in hand in the park.

brazen

obvious, without any attempt to be hidden: b____ cheating He told me a b____ lie.

radiant

obviously very happy, or very beautiful: He gave a r______ smile when he heard her news.

thereof

of or about the thing just mentioned: Please refer to the Regulations and in particular Articles 99 and 100 t____.

nocturnal

of the night, or relating to the night: He spends the n______ hours in his observatory. n______ light

off with you

off with you An instruction for someone to depart immediately All right, that's all I have to say—o... w... y.... Go play outside of something. o... w.... y..!

obsence

offensive, rude, or shocking, usually because of being too obviously related to sex or showing sex: In the raid, police found several boxes of o_____ DVDs. He was jailed for making o_____ phone calls The seamen's song, judging by the growing intensity of o______ words, was reaching its grand finale

haunch

one of the back legs of an animal with four legs that is used for meat: a h.... of venison He didn't see the second corpse but its location was betrayed by three wolves sitting calmly on their h....es watching the witcher

phallic

representing, shaped like, or relating to the penis: ...three keys and a talisman with a p.... symbol.

severity

seriousness: Even the doctors were shocked by the s_____ of his injuries. I don't think you quite understand the s_____ of our financial problems.

podgy

slightly fat: In front of the alderman, small, p_____ and red with rage, stood a villager holding a struggling goose by the neck

ponderous

slow and awkward because of being very heavy or large: He had a slow and p______ manner.

tinder

small pieces of something dry that burns easily, used for lighting fires: We used some dry grass as t.... to light the campfire. The grass is t....-dry (= so dry that it will burn easily), so there's a risk of fire.

nuisance

something or someone that annoys you or causes trouble for you: I've forgotten my umbrella - what a n_____! [ + -ing verb ] It's such a n_____ having to rewrite those letters. I hate to be a n_____, but could you help me? Local residents claimed that the noise was causing a public n_____.

incentive

something that encourages a person to do something: Tax i______ have been very effective in encouraging people to save and invest more of their income. There is little i______ for people to leave their cars at home when public transport remains so expensive. Bonus payments provide an i______ to work harder.

travesty

something that fails to represent the values and qualities that it is intended to represent, in a way that is shocking or offensive: Their production of "Sweeney Todd" was the worst I've ever seen - it was a t_______. Langdale described the court ruling as a t_______ of justice.

menace

something that is likely to cause harm: Drunk drivers are a m_____ to everyone. Dogs running loose are a public m_____. piercing song which flowed through the veins in a wave of nauseous, overpowering m_____.

sham

something that is not what it seems to be and is intended to deceive people, or someone who pretends to be something they are not: It turned out that he wasn't a real doctor at all - he was just a s_____. They claimed that the election had been fair, but really it was a s_____.

jargon

special words and phrases that are used by particular groups of people, especially in their work: military/legal/computer j____ They were supposed to have been possessed by demons, cursed, contaminated by the Black Sun, because that's what, in your pompous j_____, you called the most ordinary eclipse in the world.'

pious

strongly believing in religion, and living in a way that shows this belief: Proportions are negotiated, boundaries blurred. I'm not a p______ hermit, I haven't done only good in my life.

endorsement

the act of saying that you approve of or support something or someone: The campaign hasn't received any political _______. He hoped to secure quick _______. of the plan from the president.

globetrotting

the act of travelling to a lot of different countries: The prime minister's g..... has led to accusations that he is ignoring domestic problems. Arnold has certainly done his fair share of g......

warfare

the activity of fighting a war, often including the weapons and methods that are used: guerrilla/naval/nuclear/trench w_____

hearth

the area around a fireplace or the area of floor in front of it: A bright fire was burning in the h________.

demise

the death of a person: Much has been written about the circumstances surrounding her d______.

head count

the exact number of people in a place, or the act of counting them: A quick h____ c____ revealed an audience of 56 people.

accountability

the fact of being responsible for what you do and able to give a satisfactory reason for it, or the degree to which this happens: There were furious demands for greater police a_________. a_________ is important these days, and managers aren't always willing to adopt risky strategies.

vanity

the fact that you are too interested in your appearance or achievements: He wants the job purely for reasons of v_____ and ambition.

summit

the highest point of a mountain: On this day in 1784, Dr Michel Paccard and Jacques Balmat reached the s..... of Mont Blanc. He noticed the red tiles of the tower's conical roof from the s.... of a hill as he cut across a bend in the faint trail

supremacy

the leading or controlling position: The company has begun to challenge the s_____ of the current leading manufacturers in the textiles industry. The allies have established air s_____ (= military control of the sky).

headquarters

the main offices of an organization such as the army, the police, or a business company: The company's h_____ is/are in Amsterdam.

last resort

the only choice that remains after all others have been tried: As a l____ r_____, we could ask your mother to help.

abode

the place where someone lives: formal The defendant is of no fixed a______ (= has no permanent home). humorous Welcome to my humble a______!

unruliness

the quality of being difficult to control: He is a peaceful person who dislikes u_______ and disorder, and prefers calm. It was not the u_______ of the pupils that drove her to quit.

burnout

the state of having no energy or enthusiasm because of working too hard, or someone who shows the effects of this state: [ U ] We have found there is much more b_____ and sickness among those who don't get help. [ C ] The drummer walked in looking like a rock and roll b_____.

siege

the surrounding of a place by an armed force in order to defeat those defending it: The s____ of Mafeking lasted for eight months. The soldiers laid s____ to (= started a siege of) the city. The castle was under s____ for months. figurative That whole weekend at Cannes, Brigitte Bardot was under s____ by photographers.

the acid test

the true test of the value of something: It looks good, but will people buy it? That's ___ ____ ____.

gullet

the tube that food travels down in the body from the mouth to the stomach All the shutters clattered against the wall once more and deep in the dolphin's stone g.... something rumbled.

the gamut of

the whole range of things that can be included in something: In her stories she expresses t___ whole g_____ __ emotions, from happiness to sorrow.

tilt

to (cause to) move into a sloping position: He t....ed his chair backwards and put his feet up on his desk. Anna looked up at him with her head t....ed to one side. The front seats of the car t....

twine

to (cause to) wrap round an object several times: The vine t.....s around/up the pole. t.... the different coloured threads together.

soak up

to absorb or enjoy something that exists around you: I just want to lie on the beach and s... u.. the sun. She s....s u.. everything that's said in class.

take up on

to accept an offer or invitation that someone has made I've decided to t____ you ___ __ that job offer.

face the music

to accept responsibility for something you have done: If she lied to me, then she'll just have to ____ ___ ______.

put up with

to accept unpleasant behaviour or an unpleasant situation, although you do not like it: He's so rude, I don't know how you p___ ___ _____ him. How has Jan p___ ___ _____ him for so long? I will not p___ ___ _____ your bad behaviour any longer!

adorn

to add something decorative to a person or thing: The bride's hair was a_____ with white flowers.

take back

to admit that something you said to or about someone was wrong I didn't mean what I said - I t___ it ____.

slobber

to allow saliva or food to run out of the mouth The merchant beamed and thanked me so profusely that he s_____ all over himself

leave to own devices

to allow someone to make their own decisions about what to do: He seemed to be a responsible person, so I ___ him ___ his ___ ______.

pose

to ask a question, especially in a formal situation such as a meeting: Can we go back to the question that Helena p____d earlier?

haggle

to attempt to decide on a price or conditions that are acceptable to the person selling the goods and the person buying them, usually by arguing: It's traditional that you h______ over/about the price of things in the market.

give a whirl

to attempt to do something, often for the first time: I've never danced salsa before but I'll ____ it _ _____.

to be on the safe side

to avoid risk: Maybe it won't rain, but __ ___ __ ___ _____ ____, take your umbrella.

(be) put out

to be annoyed, often because of something that someone has done or said to you: He seemed a bit p___ ____ at not having been invited.

taken up with

to be busy doing, discussing, or thinking about something The whole meeting was t____ ___ ______ arguing about the budget. She was completely t____ ___ ______ her own worries.

use caution/exercise caution

to be careful u... c.... when approaching the railroad crossing. Investors are urged to e.... c.... to avoid the less reputable companies.

be brought to account / be called to account

to be forced to explain something you did wrong, and usually to be punished: We must ensure that the people responsible for the violence ___ _____ ___ ____. The Ministers responsible should __ ____ __ ____ for their incompetence

hard act to follow

to be so good that it is not likely that anyone or anything that comes after will be as good: His presidency was very successful - it'll be a ___ ___ ___ _____.

on a heater

to become very hot in some form of gambling, profit, or accomplishment. To be at the top of your game. I was down to my last 20 dollars in the slot machine and then I went .. .. ...... I was ... . ..... last night at the craps table, I made a lot of money!

take to

to begin to like someone or something I t___ __ John immediately. to start doing something as a habit Recently he's t_____ __ wearing a cap.

law unto

to behave in a way that is independent and does not follow the usual rules for a situation: Charlie, of course, never fills in the record forms but then he's a _____ _____ himself.

give the benefit of the doubt

to believe something good about someone, rather than something bad, when you have the possibility of doing either: I didn't know whether his story was true or not, but I decided to ___ him _____ _____ __ ___ ____.

sunder

to break something apart: The last few bubbles rose from the s____ ship. The witcher ground his teeth - the cut, which should have s______ the beast in two, had been nothing but a scratch.

put up

to build something such as a wall, fence, or house Grants were available to help with the cost of p_____ ___ new school buildings. John was in the garden p_____ a fence ___.

torch

to burn a building or other large thing, intentionally and usually illegally: They smashed a side door to get in and then t....ed the warehouse when they had taken what they wanted.

lug

to carry or pull something with effort or difficulty because it is heavy: I'm exhausted after l....ing these suitcases all the way across the city. I don't want to l... these shopping bags around with me all day.

rework

to change a speech or a piece of writing in order to improve it or make it more suitable for a particular purpose: She r______ her speech for a younger audience.

modulate

to change the style, loudness, etc. of something such as your voice in order to achieve an effect or express an emotion: His gentle introductory tone m_______ into a coach's pre-game pep talk

flake

to come off a surface in small, thin pieces: Patches of skin are starting to _____ off.

rally

to come together for common action or effort: The disunited party r....ied in time for the election campaign. r.... a few girls, buy a cart and organize a travelling house of illrepute?

vie

to compete with other people to achieve or get something: The two groups of scientists are v____ to get funding for their research projects. You and your compatriot Zavist v____ with each other to call me a charlatan, a thoughtless murdering machine and a scavenger

tie (up) in knots

to confuse someone and make them unable to explain something clearly: The Director of Studies ___ me ___ ___ _____ by asking tricky questions. As well as having a stammer, I'd feel constantly worried that the press could ___ me ____ _____.

persevere

to continue making an effort to do or achieve something, even when this is difficult or takes a long time: If you _______ long enough and work hard enough, you'll eventually succeed. I did not _______ with learning to play the violin. We will _______ in this struggle for peace, no matter how long it takes.

festoon

to decorate a room or other place for a special occasion by hanging coloured paper, lights, or flowers around it, especially in curves: The hall was f.....ed with Christmas lights and holly.

put off

to delay doing something, especially because you do not want to do it I was trying to p___ ____ the moment when I would have to leave. You can't p___ the decision ____ any longer. He was glad to have an excuse to p___ ____ telling her the news.

gouge

to dig or cut into something in a rough or violent way: He drove into some railings and g______ a hole in the back of his car. A symbol was g______ into the surface of the wood. She managed to torture a canary and two puppies during that time, and also g_____- out a servant's eye with the handle of a comb.

dispute

to disagree with something that someone says: Few would dispute his status as the finest artist of the period. The circumstances of her death have been hotly d_____ed [ + (that) ] I don't d_____ (that) his movies are entertaining, but they don't have much depth.

get to the bottom of

to discover the truth about a situation: I'm not sure what is causing the problem, but I'm determined to ___ __ ___ ____ ___ it.

go (round) in circles

to do a lot or seem very busy without achieving anything: We just keep _____ing _____ __ ______, talking without deciding anything.

pull out all the stops

to do everything you can to make something successful: They ____ed ____ ____ ____ ______ for their daughter's wedding.

run a risk

to do something that might be dangerous: You're r....ing . big r.... if oil prices drop sharply.

slurp

to drink a liquid noisily as a result of sucking air into the mouth at the same time as the liquid: Try not to s..... I wish you wouldn't s.... your soup like that. He s...ed down his coffee.

wrap around little finger

to easily persuade someone to do what you want that person to do: She could w____ her father a_____ her l_____ f_____. 'I was young at the time,' Nivellen continued, 'a real milksop, so the lads in the crew w____ me a____ their l_____ f_____ in a flash.

partake

to eat or drink: Would you care to p______ of a little wine with us?

scrutinize

to examine something very carefully in order to discover information: He s.....ed the men's faces carefully/closely, trying to work out who was lying.

incur

to experience something, usually something unpleasant, as a result of actions you have taken: to incur debts/fines/bills The play has i____ the wrath/anger of both audiences and critics. Please detail any costs/expenses i_____ by you in attending the interview.

put across

to explain an idea, belief etc in a way that is easy to understand Television can be a useful way of p____ _____ health messages.

couch

to express something in a particular way: I don't understand this form - it's all c_______ in legal terminology.

flunk

to fail an exam or course of study: I f_____ed my Biology exam.

draw a blank

to fail to get an answer or a result: to fail to remember something: He asked me for my phone number and I ___ _ ____ - I just couldn't remember it.

affix

to fasten or stick one thing to another: She a_____ a stamp to the envelope. 'It was a______ by Audoen, your merciful lord

ground

to forbid (= refuse to allow) a child or young person from going out as a punishment: My parents g____ me for a week.

displace

to force something out of its usual or original position: The blow d______ the woman's eardrum and left her partially deaf.

amass

to get a large amount of something, especially money or information, by collecting it over a long period: She has a______ a huge fortune from her novels. Some of his colleagues envy the enormous wealth that he has a______.

dig into a hole

to get yourself into a difficult situation: The party has really __ itself ____ _ _____ with its economic policies.

remark

to give a spoken statement of an opinion or thought: [ + (that) ] Dr Johnson once r_____ (that) "When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life." [ + that ] He r_____ that she was looking thin.

overtake

to go past something by being a greater amount or degree: Our US sales have now o_____ our sales in Europe. We'd planned to hold a meeting tomorrow, but events have o_____ us (= things have changed)

come to terms with

to gradually accept a sad situation, often the death of someone you love: I think he's still c_____ing ___ ______ _____ the death of his wife.

morph

to gradually change, or change someone or something, from one thing to another: When someone brings up politics at a party, a casual conversation can quickly m____ into an ugly argument. He grew up watching his elder brother Joe m___ from a difficult child to a drug addict. As the crooked claws scraped against the stone casing the monstrous, slobbering snout was already blurring, m_____, disappearing, although the pale little lips which were taking its place couldn't quite hide the murderous fangs.

swat

to hit something, especially an insect, with a flat object or your hand: I s______ted the fly with a rolled-up newspaper. He tried to s______ the ball too hard, and missed it entirely.

versed

to know a lot about a particular subject or be experienced in a particular skill: I'm not sufficiently v____ in XML to understand what you're saying. Caldemeyn, obviously well-v______ with the workings of its mechanics, approached, cleared his throat and recited:

show out

to lead someone to the door by which they leave a place Ask someone in the office to s____ you ____.

take off

to leave a place suddenly As soon as she saw George arrive, she just t___ ____.

care for

to like something or someone: I don't c____ f__ seafood.

look askance

to look at or think about someone or something with doubt, disapproval, or no trust: They l_____ ______ ___ our scruffy clothes.

waver

to lose strength, determination, or purpose, especially temporarily: I'm afraid my concentration began to w________ as lunch approached. He has never w________ in his support for the leader.

go blind/deaf

to lose the ability to see/hear

dilute

to make a liquid weaker by mixing in something else: d.... the juice (with water) before you drink it.

put on

to make a machine or piece of equipment start working, especially by pressing a switch Can you p___ the light __, please? Shall I p___ the kettle __ for a cup of tea? I had forgotten to p___ the handbrake ___, so the car rolled back down the hill.

forswear

to make a serious decision to stop doing something: to f..... all violence

get to grips with/come to grips with

to make an effort to understand and deal with a problem or situation: The president has failed to ___ __ ____ ____ the two most important social issues of our time. I can't seem to ____ ___ ____ ____ this problem.

breach

to make an opening in a wall or fence, especially in order to attack someone or something behind it: Their defences were easily b______.

clatter

to make continuous loud noises by hitting hard objects against each other, or to cause objects to do this: Don't c____ the dishes - you'll wake the baby up. He was c____ away at his keyboard. Behind Geralt's back, Nivellen was c_______ under the scaffolding, roaring

tinker

to make small changes to something, especially in an attempt to repair or improve it: He spends every weekend t....ing (around) with his car. I wish the government would stop t....ing with the health service.

con

to make someone believe something false, usually so that that person will give you their money or possessions: She felt she had been c____ into buying the car. Thieves c____ him out of his life savings. He managed to c____ £20 out of them (= get that amount from them by deceiving them).

take out of

to make someone very tired: Running around after 25 preschoolers t____ it ___ ___ me by the end of the week.

loiter

to move slowly around or stand in a public place without an obvious reason: A gang of youths were l_____ outside the cinema.

twiddle

to move something repeatedly between your fingers, especially without any purpose: She was ______ing (with) a pencil/her hair. ______ a dial/knob on a radio in the city and you may hear voices speaking Spanish, Chinese, Portuguese, or Russian.

it's neither here nor there

to not be important: It's essential that she has this medication, and the cost __ ______ _____ ____ _____.

not budge an inch/not give an inch

to not change your opinion: She's definite that she wants to do it, and she'll ___ ____ __ ____, however hard you try to persuade her.

pay tribute

to praise someone or something: The minister p... t.... to the men who had fought the blaze.

throttle

to press someone's throat very tightly so that they cannot breathe: Sometimes he annoys me so much that I could t______ him. How come nobody t______ her? And you, too, while they were at it

yank

to pull something forcefully with a quick movement: He tripped over the cord and y_____ the plug out. She y_____ open the cupboard door and everything fell out.

haul

to pull something heavy slowly and with difficulty: They h...ed the boat out of the water. She ...ed herself up into the tree.

put on

to put a video, CD etc in a piece of equipment so that you can watch it or listen to it I'm going to p___ my new CD ___. Shall we p___ some music ___?

(have) over a barrel

to put someone in a very difficult situation in which the person has no choice about what they do: She knows I need the work so she's got me ___ _ ____ in terms of what she pays me.

retch

to react in a way as if you are vomiting: The sight of blood makes him r....

pertain

to relate to or have a connection with something: regulations p_____ing to high-tech industries Seaweed's properties, as they p_____ to skin care, are still in dispute.

dispel

to remove fears, doubts, and false ideas, usually by proving them wrong or unnecessary: I'd like to start the speech by d_____ling a few rumours that have been spreading recently.

take back

to return something you have bought to a shop: Is it too small? t____ it _____ and get a refund.

stipulate

to say exactly how something must be or must be done: She agreed to buy the car, but s______ racing tyres and a turbo-powered engine. [ + that ] The law but s______ that new cars must have seat belts for the driver and every passenger. [ + question word ] We have signed a contract which but s______ when the project must be completed.

put foot in it

to say something by accident that embarrasses or upsets someone: I really ... my .... .. .. - I asked her if Jane was her mother, but she said Jane is her sister.

contend

to say that something is true or is a fact: The lawyer c______ed (that) her client had never been near the scene of the crime.

delve

to search, especially as if by digging, in order to find a thing or information: She d....ed into her pocket to find some change.

plunder

to steal goods violently from a place, especially during a war: After the president fled the country, the palace was p_____ by soldiers. Tragically, the graves were p_____ and the contents scattered.

thwart

to stop something from happening or someone from doing something: Our holiday plans were t_____ed by the airline pilots' strike

left holding the baby

to suddenly have to deal with a difficult situation because others have decided that they do not want the responsibility: The other investors pulled out of the project and we were ___ _____ __ ____.

besiege

to surround a place, especially with an army, to prevent people or supplies getting in or out: The town had been b______ for two months but still resisted the aggressors.

take aside

to take someone away from someone else they are with so that you can speak to them in a place where other people cannot watch or listen I was immediately t_____ _____ by the manager.

fleece

to take someone's money dishonestly, by charging too much money or by cheating them: That restaurant really f_____ us!

carry the can

to take the blame or responsibility for something that is wrong or has not succeeded: As usual, I was left to ______ ____ ____.

gird

to tie something around your body or part of your body: The knights g_____ themselves for battle (= put on their swords and fighting clothes). 'Who's this then?' asked a half-naked athlete, sweaty, g______ crosswise with belts, and wearing spiked pads on his forearms. 'D'you know him, Nohorn?'

maltreat

to treat someone cruelly or violently: He had been badly n_____ as a child. whosoever dares m______ her will incur our wrath

spread too thin

to try to do too many things at the same time, so that you cannot give enough time or attention to any of them: I realized I'd been _____ing myself ___ ____ so I resigned as secretary of the golf club.

pick up the pieces

to try to return to a satisfactory situation: The fire was a blow, but we were determined to ___ ___ ____ _____ and get the business back on its feet.

assimilate

to understand and remember new information and make it part of your basic knowledge so that you can use it as your own: It's hard to a_______ so much information.

use up

to use all of a supply of something I've u___ __ all my holiday entitlement, and it's only August.

exert

to use something such as authority, power, influence, etc. in order to make something happen: If you were to e____ your influence they might change their decision. Some managers e____ considerable pressure on their staff to work extra hours without being paid. 'e_____ your memory, friend,' Caldemeyn said to the innkeeper,

go to the polls

to vote: The country will __ __ ____ ____ on 13 September.

covet

to want to have something very much, especially something that belongs to someone else: She always c....ed power but never quite achieved it. The Booker Prize is the most c....ed British literary award.

pull weight

to work as hard as other people in a group: The others had complained that Sarah wasn't _____ing her ______.

toil

to work hard: Farm workers have been t______ in the 100-degree heat over the past week. After t______ away at work all week, it's good to relax. Are you still t_____ away, killing the last representatives of dying species for money?

weatherbeaten

toughened, tanned, or bronzed by the weather a weather-beaten face. 2 : worn or damaged by exposure to weather. 'I've seen him somewhere before,' said a stocky, w______ man with a plait, measuring Geralt with an evil look in his narrowed eyes.

vile

unpleasant, immoral, and unacceptable: This v_____ policy of ethnic cleansing must be stopped.

scrawny

unpleasantly thin, often with bones showing: He came home after three months at college looking terribly s_______.

alas

used to express grief, pity, or concern. "a_____, my funds have some limitations"

inasmuch as

used to introduce a phrase that explains why or how much something described in another part of the sentence is true: i______ __ you are their commanding officer, you are responsible for the behaviour of these men.

be that as it may

used to mean that you accept that a piece of information is true but it does not change your opinion of the subject you are discussing: Building a new children's home will cost a lot of money but, __ ____ ___ __ ____, there is an urgent need for the facility.

the more, the merrier

used to say an occasion will be more enjoyable if a lot of people are there: "Do you mind if I bring a couple of friends to your party?" "Not at all - ___ ____ ____ _______!"

look like rain

used to say that one thinks it is going to rain soon I was going to play golf, but it l....ed l... r.... Take an umbrella with you. It l....s l... r....

you name it

used to say there are many things to choose from: Gin, vodka, whisky, beer - ___ _____ __, I've got it. I've tried every diet going - ___ _____ ___, I've tried it.

shoot

used to tell someone that they should speak: "Dad, I need to talk to you." "s____."

no such luck

used when you are disappointed that something that you hoped for did not happen : I was rather hoping it would rain today and I wouldn't have to go for a walk, but __ ____ ____.

verbose

using or containing more words than are necessary: a verbose explanation/report/speech/style He was a notoriously v.... after-dinner speaker.

tyrannical

using, showing, or relating to the unfair and cruel use of power over other people in a country, group, etc.: a t_______ leader/regime/political system In the end she left home just to escape the t_______ rule of her mother.

barf up

v. Slang To eject some contents of the stomach by vomiting: He b_____ u__ his dinner because the food was spoiled. She was so sick she was even b_____ soup u_.

lousy

very bad: a l____ book I feel l_____ - I'm going home. I had a l_____ weekend.

freezing cold

very cold (informal) it's not f.... c.... during in October and we still get lots of sunny spells.

luxurious

very comfortable and expensive: They have a very l..... house. We spent a l...... weekend at a country hotel.

umpteen

very many; a lot (of): We've been there u..... times and she still can't remember the way.

high-strung

very nervous and easily upset: a h__________ young woman a h________ racehorse

conspicuous

very noticeable or attracting attention, often in a way that is not wanted: In China, her blonde hair was _________. He tried not to look __________ and moved slowly along the back of the room.

nondescript

very ordinary, or having no interesting or exciting features or qualities: Their offices are in a ________ building on the edge of town.

impoverished

very poor: an I_________ young actor made weaker or worse in quality: He warned that the breakdown of the family unit would lead to an i_______ society.

dire

very serious or extreme: These people are in ___ need of help. He gave a ___ warning that an earthquake was imminent. This decision will have ___ consequences for local people.

obnoxious

very unpleasant or rude: Some of his colleagues say that he's loud and o....... When she's in a bad mood she's o...... to everyone.

prominent

very well known and important: a p_____ Democrat a p______ member of the Saudi royal family

weaponry

weapons in general: nuclear/conventional w______ All hi-tech w______ demands frequent servicing to ensure accuracy.

virgin

where no one has trodden: I trudged on through the v.... snow, along the broad ridge to the summit.

sedge

осока a plant like grass that grows on wet ground, often next to rivers: This wetland s.... forms low-growing attractive clumps of fine-leaved vegetation.

fall into place

When events or details that you did not understand before fall into place, they become easy to understand: Once I discovered that the woman was his sister, everything ___ _____ ____.

a break in the clouds

When it stops raining for a moment Every half hour we look out of the tent hoping for . b..... i.. t.. c....

clog up

When something c____ ___ a place, or when it c___ __, it becomes blocked so that little or nothing can pass through. 22,000 tourists were c____ ___ the pavements. The result is that the lungs c____ ___ with a thick mucus.

set in

When something unpleasant s... i.., it begins and seems likely to continue in a serious way: This rain looks as if it has s.. i. for the rest of the day. If you get bitten by a dog, you have to make sure the wound is cleaned well, or an infection could s.. i.. Despair seems to have s.. i. among the team.

imp

a child that behaves badly, but in a way that is funny rather than serious: Come here, you little i__!

morningstar

a club with a heavy spiked head, sometimes attached to the handle by a chain. Grandpa didn't take part in robbery any more because, ever since he was hit on the head with a m______, he had a terrible stutter

lawsuit

a disagreement between people or organizations that is brought to a court of law for a decision: The ______ is aimed at protecting this species of salamander.

toddy

a drink made of spirits (= strong alcoholic drink) mixed with hot water and sugar, sometimes with different flavours added:

shortfall

a failure to come up to expectation or need budget s_____ Do not take the comments at face value: think back to the interviews that generated them and make a list of where you think the s_____ in your performance lies

slander

a false spoken statement about someone that damages their reputation, or the making of such a statement: The doctor is suing his partner for s______. She regarded his comment as a s______ on her good reputation.

shortcoming

a fault or a failure to reach a particular standard: Whatever his s_______s as a husband, he was a good father to his children. Like any political system, it has its s_______s.

remorse

a feeling of sadness and being sorry for something you have done: He felt no r_______ for the murders he had committed. After the argument, she was filled with r_______.

fleet of

a group of ships, or all of the ships in a country's navy: a f___ __ 20 sailing ships The entire Spanish f____ was defeated within 6 hours. a number of buses, aircraft, etc. under the control of one person or organization: He owns a f_____ of taxis.

school

a large number of fish or other sea creatures swimming in a group: a s____ of dolphins/whales

burdock

a large plant of the daisy family. Its flowers develop into burrs (= seed containers that stick to clothes and to animals' fur because they are covered in little hooks). Pulling the mare by the bridle he walked slowly along the wall, wading through b....... up to the waist

refectory

a large room in a monastery, college, school, etc. where meals are eaten You can get dressed. Breakfast's waiting for you in the r...... Hurry up or you'll have to make it yourself.

cesspool

a large underground hole or container that is used for collecting and storing solid waste, urine, and dirty water You can have them throw it in the c_____ if there's no reward for it.'

blaze

a large, strong fire: Firefighters took two hours to control the b.....

demijohn

a large, wide, rounded container with a narrow neck, usually made of glass and usually holding 20-60 litres of liquid: The shop resembles a science lab, stacked high with colourful potions in bulbous glass d_______. A large earthenware d______ in a wicker basket appeared next to the two empty carafes

skewer

a long pin for holding meat in position while it is being roasted He s______ed the onion with a toothpick.

aisle

a long, narrow space between rows of seats in an aircraft, cinema, or church: Would you like an a.... seat or would you prefer to be by the window?

groove

a long, narrow, hollow space cut into a surface: The window slides along a deep metal g_____ to open and close.

man purse

a man's bag. Guys who want to lug around their iPads are finding themselves quietly reaching for a so-called m... p...

raging fever

a medical condition in which the temperature of your body is very high and you feel ill

gully

a narrow valley or channel with steep sides, made by a fast-flowing stream But the sides of the g.... were gentle, the riverbed dry and clear of blackthorns and rotting tree trunks

gait

a particular way of walking: He walked with a slow stiff g..... The medallion, hanging on a silver chain, bobbed up and down in rhythm to the horse's g..., sparkling in the sun's rays like mercury

bachelor party

a party for a man who is going to get married, to which only his male friends are invited

hot streak

a period of repeated successes The team's record has improved; it has recently been on a ... ......

chairman

a person in charge of a meeting or organization For some reason, the c..... took a shine to me, and hired me - but we never talked about voice again

rapist

a person who forces someone to have sex with them: The police have caught the r_____.

dignitary

a person who has an important position in a society: Several foreign d________ attended the ceremony.

soothsayer

a person who is believed to have the ability to know and tell what will happen in the future 'Iola isn't a medium or a mentally ill s.....

milksop

a person who is indecisive and lacks courage. "you could have respect for a man who fought for you, but none for this m____, who backed away" 'I was young at the time,' Nivellen continued, 'a real m____, so the lads in the crew wound me around their little fingers in a flash.

outsider

a person who is not involved with a particular group of people or organization or who does not live in a particular place: o______s have a glamorized idea of what it is like to work in Hollywood.

boor

a person who is rude and does not consider other people's feelings Take it away, you b____! Are you deaf

recluse

a person who lives alone and avoids going outside or talking to other people: He is a millionaire r_____ who refuses to give interviews.

toady

a person who praises and is artificially pleasant to people in authority, usually in order to get some advantage from them: Everywhere he goes he is surrounded by an entourage of t_____ies. Shostakovich was often seen as a political t_____ to Stalin.

heel

a person who treats other people badly and unfairly: I felt like a real h____ when I saw how I'd upset her.

hack

a person who willingly works or acts mostly for money or other rewards without worrying about independence, beliefs, or reputation: a political/party h____

simpleton

a person without the usual ability to use reason and understand You can think that the gods, including my Melitele, are merely a personification of this power invented for s....s so they can understand it better, accept its existence

scoundrel

a person, especially a man, who treats other people very badly and has no moral principles: He was, she said, a heartless s_____ who had stripped her of everything she owned.

mugshot

a photograph taken by the police of a person who has been charged with a crime: A poster with m....s of wanted men was on the wall.

tunic

a piece of clothing that fits loosely over a person's body, reaches to the waist or knees, and often has no sleeves: a soldier's t.... Geralt unlaced his t... a little and pulled out a medallion engraved with a wolf with bared jaws.

spring

a place where water naturally flows out from the ground: bubbling/hot s_____ About midday, while Roach was drinking at a s_____, the mare neighed piercingly and backed away, baring her yellow teeth and chewing her bit

hooker

a prostitute (= a person who has sex for money)

commission

a request to do a special piece of work: She's just got a c_______ to paint Sir Ellis Pike's wife. Do you do/take c_______ ?

hidden agenda

a secret reason for doing something: [ + to infinitive ] The prime minister denied that the new visa requirements were part of a ______ _____ to reduce immigration.

warren

a series of connecting underground passages and holes in which rabbits live Rabbits are a favourite prey, and some of the best areas to see wildcats are at rabbit w_____s close to the forest and moorland edge

truce

a short interruption in a war or argument, or an agreement to stop fighting or arguing for a period of time: After years of rivalry the two companies have agreed (US agreed to) a t..... We've got to spend the weekend together, so we might as well call (= have) a t.....

excerpt

a short part taken from a speech, book, film, etc.: An e____ from her new thriller will appear in this weekend's magazine.

hacking cough

a short, dry, frequent cough.

klutz

a silly and clumsy person (= one who moves awkwardly and often has accidents) Don't expect Mark to catch the ball - he's a k.....

dope

a silly person: You shouldn't have told him, you d____!

mayhem

a situation in which there is little or no order or control: With 20 kids running around and only two adults to supervise, it was complete m____. It's m_____ here because we've the market tomorrow. How are things with you, tell me

can of worms

a situation that causes a lot of problems for you when you start to deal with it: Corruption is a serious problem, but nobody has yet been willing to open up that ___ ____ ______.

mink

a small animal with valuable fur that is used to make expensive coats, or the fur from this animal: a m... coat

keg

a small barrel usually used for storing beer or other alcoholic drinks Get a k... of beer so my throat doesn't dry up and we can start today

copse

a small group of trees It is very much their wood—it is more of a c..... than a wood, but it is how they see it that matters.

alcove

a small space in a room, formed by one part of a wall being further back than the parts on each side: We've put some bookshelves in the a_____. Well,' the alderman nodded. 'Where are they now? I don't see them here.' 'In the lesser a_____. They paid in gold.'

blowout

a sports competition in which one side wins by a very large amount: If the game is a b______, fans start to leave before it's over.

dove

a stocky bird with a small head, short legs, and a cooing voice, feeding on seeds or fruit. d______ are generally smaller and more delicate than pigeons, but many kinds have been given both names.

dimwit

a stupid person: I've completely forgotten what I came in here for - I'm such a d_____! Look where you're going, d_____!

hard frost

a sudden drop in temperature that often kills plants There was a h.... f.... last night and the ground is still hard.

poplar

a tall tree with branches that form a thin pointed shape: a tall row of p....s

phlegm

a thick substance in your nose and throat that is produced when you have a cold Don't you know how to knock, p____-wad?

wisp

a thin, delicate piece of hair, grass, etc.: A few w____ of hay still clung to her skirt. soft w____ of baby hair

outbuilding

a usually small building near to and on the same piece of land as a larger building: The barn and other o.... were sold together with the main house.

scum

a very bad or immoral person or group of people: People who organize dog fights are s____ in my opinion! His boss treats him like s____ (= very badly). racist s____

midget

a very small person

rivulet

a very small stream or flow of liquid: the shoulders and back of the woollen doublet were covered with thick black r....s of dried blood

heads-up

a warning that something is going to happen, usually so that you can prepare for it: This note is just to give you a h______ that Vicky will be arriving next week.

caveat

a warning to consider something before taking any more action, or a statement that limits a more general statement: He agreed to the interview, with the c_____ that he could approve the final article.

legible

_______ writing or print can be read easily: Her handwriting is barely l......

tabby

(a cat) having dark-coloured marks on grey or brown fur The coat pattern is superficially similar to a domestic t____ cat but it is all stripes and no spots

lame

(especially of an excuse or argument) weak and unsatisfactory: Saying she'd lost her homework was a pretty l____ excuse, if you ask me

corny

(especially of jokes, films, stories, etc.) showing no new ideas or too often repeated, and therefore not funny or interesting: c______ jokes I couldn't watch the whole movie - it was just too c______.

perch

(of a bird) to rest on a branch or other object, or of a person or thing to sit or be on the edge or top of something: [ T ] A baseball cap, turned backwards, was p______ on his head.

whelp

(of a female dog) to produce puppies

riposte

1.a quick, clever reply to an insult or criticism 2.make a quick, clever reply to an insult or criticism. 3.a quick return thrust in fencing. "'You've got a strange sense of honour,' Grant r______"

just so

: in a particular wayThey feel they have to dress just so to be popular. 2: arranged in a very neat and tidy wayEverything in her house has to be j____ s__ or she gets upset.

cold

If a case (= a crime or series of events) that is being investigated is c..., it has not been solved and is no longer expected to be solved: The police spared no effort to keep the case from going c.... At the time of his confession, the trail was turning c...., and investigators had given up on ever catching the killer.

unfounded

If a claim or piece of news is unfounded, it is not based on fact: Our fears about the weather proved totally u________.

trot

If a horse or similar animal with four legs trots, it runs at its slowest speed, using short steps in which a front leg and the back leg on the opposite side move together: She was t....ting along on her pony. The dog t....ted down the path to greet me.

reverberate

If a loud, deep sound r_______, it continues to be heard around an area, so that the area seems to shake: The narrow street r_______ with/to the sound of the workmen's drills. The hiss which r______ through his bones could only have come from the pale, ghastly, smiling lips, although the witcher didn't see them move.

tempers flared

People became angry with each other t..... f...ed and a fight broke out.

carotid artery

The major artery that supplies blood to the head and brain. Muscles, tendons — she only just missed your c.... a...!

jumble up

To disorganize, mix together, or confuse someone or something. I think you must have j______ __ the message because he and I agreed to meet on Thursday, not Friday. Be sure to j_____ the entries __ before you pull one out of the box.

deteriorate

To grow worse; degenerate: The weather d.....ed overnight

wave a magic wand

To provide the perfect solution to a given problem or difficulty, as if by magic. If I could _____ _ _____ ______, I would just make it so the pipe had been installed properly in the first place.

pour with rain

To rain very heavily, especially for a long period of time. We were so looking forward to stretching out on the beach in the sunshine, but it p....ed w... r... the whole time we were there. It was p....ing w... r... as we drove up to the cemetery for the funeral.

riddle me that/riddle me this

Used to humorously or sarcastically emphasize a question that undercuts another person's self-assuredness. One uses "this" when the phrase comes before the question and "that" when it comes after. .You act like you have it all figured out, but ..... ... .....: How are we supposed to get that much cash in less then a day? Besides, if you quit your job, how are you going to pay for all these plans, huh? Riddle me that!

if nothing else

You can say indicate that what you are mentioning is, in your opinion, the only good thing in a particular situation. I__ n______ e____, you'll really enjoy meeting them.

bickering

arguments about things that are not important: I'm tired of their constant b______. The group finally elected a leader after several days of b______.

second to none

as good as or better than all others: The conditions that these prisoners are kept in are _____ __ _____.

tardily

at a slow pace 2: LATE And a couple of the nearer settlements were burnt because Father decided the levies were being paid t____

in the first place

at the beginning; to begin with. "I should have told you i_ ____ ____ ______"

for the time being

at this time: The union voted not to strike f___ t__ t____ b____ 'Keep calm, Fifteen,' said Nohorn. 'He said no, that means no. f___ t__ t____ b____

proxy

authority given to a person to act for someone else, such as by voting for them in an election, or the person who this authority is given to: My brother's voting for me by p_____ in the club elections. Can I nominate someone as a p____ to sign for me?

crosswise

crossing something, especially at an angle of 90°

tie up a few loose ends

deal with the last few things that need to be done before something is completed I've got to ___ __ _ ____ ___ ___ before I go on holiday

outfox

defeat (someone) by being more clever or cunning than them. "Holmes o_____-ex criminals from the comfort of his armchair"

beat it

go away!

splendour

great beauty that attracts admiration and attention: They bought a decaying 16th-century manor house and restored it to its original s_______.

finesse

great skill or style: It was a disappointing performance that lacked f______.

timely

happening at the best possible moment: a t_____ reminder The change in the exchange rate provided a t_____ boost to the company's falling profits.

chirpy

happy and active: She seemed quite c____ this morning. She was small, bright and c____, a real goldcrest

drudgery

hard boring work: the d________ of housework

makes all the difference

has a very good effect on a situation or a thing It may not matter to you, but it ..... all the difference in the world to me

unwavering

never moving or looking away from something: She met his u______ stare.

in the least

not at all : not in any way or respect It did not interest me i.. t... l.....

by no means/by any means

not at all: It is b_ n_ m____ certain that we'll finish the project by June. This isn't the last we'll hear of it b_ a__ m____.

intact

not damaged or destroyed: It's difficult to emerge from such a scandal with your reputation i_______. A year later, her undefeated record is still i_______

can take it or leave it

said about something that you like, but that you do not love or need strongly: My sister's absolutely crazy about chocolate whereas I ___ ____ ___ ___ _____ ___.

it's a small world

said to show your surprise that people or events in different places are connected: You know my old science teacher! Well, ___ ____ _____ w_____, isn't it?

don't make me laugh

said to someone to show that you cannot take their suggestion seriously: You'll pay? ____ ____ ___ _____!

safe journey

said to someone who is about to make a journey "s... j......, David"

easier said than done

said when something seems like a good idea but would be difficult to do: "Why don't you just ask Simon to pay?" "That's _____ _____ _____ ____."

roger

used in radio communications to mean that a message has been received and understood: "You are clear to land." "....., I'm coming in to land now."

macabre

used to describe something that is very strange and unpleasant because it is connected with death or violence: Even the police were horrified at the m_____ nature of the killings. She has a pretty m_____ sense of humour. The bruxa howled piercingly, modulating her voice into a m____ tune, glared at the witcher with eyes full of hatred, and screamed again.

biting

used to describe weather that is extremely cold, especially when it causes you physical pain: a b.... wind b.... cold

blustery

with strong winds: a b.... day b.... weather The morning remained dull and windy with b.... showers

gusty

with sudden, strong winds: The forecast was for g... winds and rain. Sunday brought g... winds which caused one or two problems for some of the flyers.

uninterupted

without any pauses or interruptions : Most people do not get eight hours of u_______ sleep every night. Through all this time, his business continued u_______.

spiteful

you feel angry towards them: That was a s_____ thing to say! But I'll hear you out.' 'Without interrupting with s_____ comments?'