set3

prospect

1 [countable, uncountable] the possibility that something will happen prospect of doing something I see no prospect of things improving here. There is every prospect (=a strong possibility) of the weather remaining dry this week. prospect for There are good prospects for growth in the retail sector. prospect that There's a real prospect that England will not qualify for the World Cup. ► see thesaurus at future 2 [singular] a particular event which will probably or definitely happen in the future - used especially when you want to talk about how you feel about it prospect of The prospect of marriage terrified Alice. Greeks face the prospect of new general elections next month. He relishes the prospect of a fight. daunting/exciting etc prospect be excited/alarmed/concerned etc at the prospect (of something) She wasn't exactly overjoyed at the prospect of looking after her niece. 3 → prospects 4 [countable] a person, job, plan etc that has a good chance of success in the future 5 → in prospect 6 [countable usually singular] formal a view of a wide area of land, especially from a high place COLLOCATIONS - Meaning 2: a particular event which will probably or definitely happen in the future - used especially when you want to talk about how you feel about it ADJECTIVES daunting (=frightening in a way that makes you not feel confident) It is a pretty daunting prospect, being on stage for forty minutes. terrifying Driving through London in a strange car was a terrifying prospect. gloomy/grim/bleak Many Britons face the grim prospect of having their home repossessed. exciting We were to be her guardians. This was an exciting prospect. attractive A journey of that length was not an attractive prospect. VERBS face the prospect (of something) Now they face the prospect of unemployment. relish the prospect (of something) (=enjoy the thought of it very much) She would have to speak to him. She didn't relish the prospect. dread the prospect (of something) (=feel very worried about it) I dread the prospect of staying here while you're away. PHRASES be excited/thrilled/delighted etc at the prospect (of something) I was excited at the prospect of going to Washington. be alarmed/appalled/upset etc at the prospect (of something) She was secretly appalled at the prospect of being looked after by her aunt. Examples from the Corpus prospect • Prospects for a peace settlement in the region are not very hopeful at the moment. • I hope I never have to have a brain operation - it must be an appalling prospect. • How would you view your career prospects? • In distant prospect I look forward to them greatly, as a break from the monotonous, lonely routine of writing. • There is every prospect of an economic recovery next year. • a fine prospect of the valley below • Wilder is considered a good prospect for the next election. • Job prospects for college graduates this spring don't look good. • He had no job and no prospect of getting one. • You can't marry a man with no job and no prospects! • Ironically, the message of all this activity is that the market is intensely worried about Saatchi's prospects. • He now had some buildings to show prospects. • But that possibility is faint, and the prospects of another large employer ever using the site are even more remote. • I had read a great deal about Professor Chomsky and I felt very excited at the prospect of meeting him. • Even a few years earlier, the prospect of radical change in the Roman Catholic Church was virtually unimaginable. • We are facing the prospect of a very hard winter. • These problems alone would not make the prospects for the straight forward treatment of deictic sentences within truth-conditional semantics look very hopeful. • The prospect of putting weapons in space is frightening to many people. • The prospects for peace are improving. real prospect • Without action by government, donors and trade partners, collapse is a real prospect. • With hopes of unity in the Western Cape there is a real prospect of international rugby once again this season. • After the text recapture Black has no real prospects of attack along the f-file while his central pawn structure becomes curiously inflexible. • What then are the real prospects for multimedia having a serious impact on school education? be excited/alarmed/concerned etc at the prospect (of something) • Personally, I was excited at the prospect of participating in a real blood-and-guts battle against a prohibitive odds-on favorite. • I was excited at the prospect of living in Seoul again and writing about my native place full-time. pro‧spect2 /prəˈspekt $ ˈprɑːspekt/ verb [intransitive] 1 to examine an area of land or water, in order to find gold, silver, oil etc → prospector prospect for The company is prospecting for gold in Alaska. 2 to look for something, especially business opportunities prospect for salesmen prospecting for new customers → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus prospect • Okioc has been forced to defend its prospecting by calling in experts to look at the seal deaths. • John St.Clair spent hours prospecting for gold, and was rewarded with some bright literary nuggets. • It felt challenging and risky, like prospecting for gold. • Increased tin and gold metal prices from 1980 onwards encouraged prospecting for these commodities. • They need your help about everything from prospecting to how to get along with their administrative assistant. From Longman Business Dictionary pros‧pect1 /ˈprɒspektˈprɑː-/ noun 1[countable, uncountable] a possibility that something which you hope for will happen soon prospect of There is little real prospect of significant economic growth. 2prospects [plural] chances of future success prospects for firms offering the best prospects for increasing productivity, profitability, and expansion In Singapore, investors remain optimistic about prospects for the economy. 3[singular] something that is possible or is likely to happen in the future prospect of The prospect of still higher unemployment as growth slows is causing great concern. 4[countable] a person, job, plan etc that has a good chance of success in the future Radio is an exciting prospect: the forthcoming deregulation of the industry and an expected boom in advertising revenues is finally making the City take notice. 5[countable] someone who is not a customer yet, but may become one in the future Mercedes-Benz has kept its reputation by reminding prospects that its vehicles are 'engineered like no other car in the world.' pro‧spect2 /prəˈspektˈprɑːspekt/ verb [intransitive] to examine an area of land or water, in order to find gold, silver, oil etc prospect for Anglo-United was prospecting for gold in the area in the early eighties. —prospector noun [countable] The government has given gold prospectors access to more than a million acres of forest land. → See Verb table Origin prospect1 (1400-1500) Latin prospectus, from the past participle of prospicere "to look forward" umut olasılık ihtimal beklenti

mitt

1 a type of glove that does not have separate parts for each finger SYN mitten ski mitts an oven mitt (=a thick glove used to protect your hand when you hold hot pans) 2 Image of mitta type of leather glove used to catch a ball in baseball 3 informal especially British English someone's hand Robert's put his sticky mitts all over it.

someone going at smt hammer and tongs

If you say that someone was going at something hammer and tongs, you mean that they were doing it with great enthusiasm or energy. He loved gardening. He went at it hammer and tongs as soon as he got back from work. They yell, shout and argue. For six hours a night they go at it, hammer and tongs.

litany

ayin

unseasonable

happening or done out of season mevsimsiz

crow

karga

cape

pelerin

bewilder

to confuse

wander

wan‧der1 /ˈwɒndə $ ˈwɑːndər/ ●●○ S3 verb 1 WITHOUT DIRECTION [intransitive, transitive] to walk slowly across or around an area, usually without a clear direction or purpose wander in/through/around etc I'll wander around the mall for half an hour. She wandered aimlessly about the house. Ana wandered off to get a drink. He was found wandering the streets of New York. ► see thesaurus at walk 2 MOVE AWAY [intransitive] (also wander off) to walk away from where you are supposed to stay Don't let any of the kids wander off. 3 MIND/THOUGHTS [intransitive] if your mind, thoughts etc wander, you no longer pay attention to something, especially because you are bored or worried Mrs Snell's mind wandered and the voices went on and on. 4 CONVERSATION [intransitive] to start to talk about something not related to the main subject that you were talking about before wander from/off Pauline started to wander from the point. 5 → somebody's mind is wandering 6 EYES [intransitive] if your eyes or your gaze wander, you look around slowly at different things or at all parts of something His gaze wandered round the room. 7 ROAD/RIVER [intransitive] if a road or a river wanders somewhere, it does not go straight but in curves SYN meander wander through/across/along The Missouri River wanders across several states. 8 HANDS [intransitive] if a man's hands wander, he touches the body of a woman he is with, especially where she does not want him to Be careful, he's got wandering hands. → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus wander • We wandered along the river bank, looking for a place to cross. • He wandered an area of refrigerated warehouses with old dual-gauge tracks intersecting on the cobbled streets. • For an hour and a half we wandered around the old city, totally lost. • I'd wander down the high street, frittering away on whatever took my fancy. • But the gates were open, and she wandered in, seeking shade. • She wandered into the kitchen, pleased with her work, relieved too that Luke didn't seem to be about. • She may have wandered off and become lost. • We wandered on, leaving the mules to catch up. • After dinner Carol left the hotel to wander the crowded streets. • Then she wanders the deserted basement halls. • With their parents at work, the kids are left to wander the streets. • She leaves the coach and wanders through fields for many miles until between trees she sees a deep black pool of water. wandering the streets • After her own parents died and she was left destitute, Elizabeth had found her wandering the streets. • I don't want you wandering the streets. • Often they ended up wandering the streets. wander from/off • The general himself wandered off as often as possible to hunt various indigenous fowl for the table. • He was for ever wandering off campus and into the streets of the Upper West Side. • The few that did live near the quarry tended to wander off hurriedly in the opposite direction whenever they saw a nome. • They then have a moment of near romance before wandering off into a different story. • Having been driven with the children into Mondano he had wandered off on his own unexplained concerns. • On the way home, the car had had a tendency to wander from one lane to another on the road. • I wander from room to room, filled with secret delight. • Professor Cartmel often wandered from the subject. • So methods have been developed to dissuade you from wandering off to somebody else's cash register. wander through/across/along • She leaves the coach and wanders through fields for many miles until between trees she sees a deep black pool of water. • He ought to go back to school, but he couldn't really wander along in the middle of lessons. • Sometimes I am in the log cabin, looking at it; other times I am wandering through it. • The sand turned silver-grey, and the Sandrat wandered across it. • It seemed Blunset was still wandering through the corridors and Endill looked forward to their next meeting. • Sun-bleached surfers rub elbows at the bar, and stray toddlers wander through the dining rooms. • A wooden fence wanders along the edge of the farm. • When she left in the evening, I wandered through the great empty building. • Only poor artisans, likewise, carried all their gear on their backs and wandered through towns and countryside looking for work. wandering hands • The hands, wandering hands, so often reprimanded, restrained, searched her body now. Related topics: Leisure wander2 noun [singular] British English a short relaxed walk SYN stroll take/go for/have a wander I had a bit of a wander round the shops. Origin wander Old English wandrian

eiderdown

(n) the down of the eider duck, used as stuffing for quilts and pillows kuştüyü yorgan

howl

1 [intransitive] if a dog, wolf, or other animal howls, it makes a long loud sound → bark The dogs howled all night. 2 [intransitive] to make a long loud cry because you are unhappy, angry, or in pain, or because you are amused or excited Upstairs, one of the twins began to howl (=cry). howl in/with Somewhere, someone was howling in pain. He makes audiences howl with laughter. 3 [intransitive, transitive] to shout or demand something angrily howl for Republicans have been howling for military intervention. 4 [intransitive] if the wind howls, it makes a loud high sound as it blows wind howling in the trees

heave

1 PULL/LIFT [intransitive, transitive] to pull or lift something very heavy with one great effort heave somebody/something out of/into/onto etc something Alan heaved his suitcase onto his bed. Mary heaved herself out of bed. heave on/at British English We had to heave on the rope holding the anchor to get it on board. ► see thesaurus at pull 2 THROW [transitive] to throw something heavy using a lot of effort John heaved the metal bar over the fence. ► see thesaurus at throw 3 → heave a sigh 4 MOVE UP AND DOWN [intransitive] to move up and down with very strong movements Michael's shoulders heaved with silent laughter. The sea heaved up and down beneath the boat. 5 VOMIT [intransitive] informal to vomit 6 → heave in sight/into view → heaving → heave to → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus heave • Everyone pull together now. Are you ready? Heave! • I think I'm gonna heave. • She looked out of the now sparkling window and heaved a deep sigh. • I heave an armchair into the kitchen, lay out some light reading, and prepare a flask of coffee. • She turned her back again, her shoulders heaving, her eyes blind with tears. • He watched Joe heave his bulk out of the chair. • Joe heaved it over the fence into the alley. • Rod bent down and heaved the sack onto his shoulder. • Finally they heaved the trussed piglet into a waiting truck. • They pulled and heaved under the prodding and loud yelling of the teamster who tried to coordinate them. • Suddenly the ground heaved under their feet. • My chest was heaving with the effort. heave on/at • I grab the front of his loose blouson and I heave at it. • I heave on the baseball bat, and wrench the chain from the big guy's hand. • She heaved at the garage door, which flew up, rattling. • But the Heat did have a final heave at the hoop. heave2 noun 1 [countable] a strong pulling, pushing, or lifting movement He gave the door a good heave. 2 [uncountable] literary a strong rising or falling movement Examples from the Corpus heave • With a heave of both arms and chest Rima pushed the cassowary through the window. • With a heave the car surged forward, Firebug rolling back into the seat. • But the Heat did have a final heave at the hoop. • With one giant heave, they loaded the sack onto the trailer. • Other matters referred to in the draft schedule include fitness for purpose, which includes liability for subsidence or heave. • My mind fell back with the heave of the train. • Had the ripple and upward heave of the cabin floor increased? Origin heave1 Old English hebban

plunge

1 [intransitive, transitive always + adverb/preposition] to move, fall, or be thrown suddenly forwards or downwards plunge off/into etc Her car swerved and plunged off the cliff. Both the climbers had plunged to their deaths. 2 [intransitive] if a price, rate etc plunges, it suddenly decreases by a large amount The unemployment rate plunged sharply. plunge to Oil prices have plunged to a new low. In the recession, the company's profits plunged 60%. 3 [intransitive] literary if a ship plunges, it moves violently up and down because of big waves► see thesaurus at decrease → plunge in → plunge (somebody/something) into something → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus plunge • Fastenal plunged 4 to 38 on Nasdaq. • Many Conservatives still recalled the disarray into which the Macmillan administration had plunged after its striking election victory in 1959. • Plunging both hands deep into the sack she rummaged among the parcels. • The President's popularity has plunged dramatically in recent weeks. • In addition to investor skittishness over the impeachment threat, the technology sector plunged for the third consecutive day. • She plunged herself into her writing. • Thomas plunged his arm deep into the creature's mouth and then forced his fist upwards through the larynx. • I plunged in fully-clothed and pulled her to the river bank. • The two women sat down in a corner and plunged into an animated conversation. • These are rocket-shaped projectiles loaded with vitrified waste, and dumped from ships to plunge into soft sediments on the ocean floor. • Colin plunged into the icy water. • The aeroplane's engines failed and it plunged into the ocean. • Three men left the truck and plunged into the woods. • Their car swerved to avoid a truck, and plunged off the cliff. • As the sun shrank the ledge, he waited to plunge to his death into a crevasse. • A skydiver plunged to his death yesterday when his parachute failed to open. • Witnesses recalled a clap of wood and the sight of Bailey plunging toward the ground, then his dangling body spinning hard. • Concern that White House and congressional negotiators were unable to reach an agreement to balance the budget helped send stocks plunging yesterday. plunge off/into etc • There's still another shoe to drop on whether they can survive the maelstrom of pressures that they've just plunged into. • Women are eager to plunge into adventure and the unknown. • People smart enough to plunge into bond funds last year are probably feeling pretty good. • Just as the teacher was getting into her stride, the whole school was plunged into darkness. • Two years later, Marianne remarried and Matthew plunged into depression. • I felt as though I were plunging into something new and quite abnormal. • The only course was to plunge into the close-set thickets where riders could not follow. and run for the Severn. • It was also among the first to plunge into the Internet fray. plunge2 noun 1 → take the plunge 2 [countable] a sudden large decrease in the price, value etc of something plunge in a dramatic plunge in house prices 3 [countable usually singular] a sudden movement down or forwards The plane began a headlong plunge towards the Earth. 4 [countable usually singular] when someone suddenly becomes involved in something new plunge into his sudden plunge into marriage 5 [countable usually singular] a jump or dive into water, or a quick swim plunge in/into a quick plunge in the lake Examples from the Corpus plunge • There has been a 10% plunge in stock prices. • What if he were to be punished for his vengeance by a plunge into the nerve-glove? • a plunge in the lake • She continued to eke out a living based on the fading memories of her famous plunge. • The worst postwar bear market struck in 1973-1974, a Dow Jones plunge of 45 percent. • Instead, Greenspan welcomed the stock plunge, saying it had chilled an overheated market. • Myers was severely injured in the plunge from the top of the hotel. • She looked towards the Archdeacon and recognised the signs of some one about to take the plunge. • Inspired by the Sixties, we asked a few brave souls to take the plunge and dress up like latter-day Twiggys. plunge in/into • Try a bracing dash up to the pool, followed by a plunge into the deep end. • Burt plunged into the river fully clothed to save the boy. • Anxious to pursue this issue to its roots, Coleridge plunges into six chapters of philosophical enquiry. • It was an omen, but Margo and Duke plunged in. • Then he plunged in, and when he saw he was correct, punched the air with a raised left hand. • Two years later, Marianne remarried and Matthew plunged into depression. • Yet they plunged into battle ready to sustain frightful casualties. • Neither President Clinton nor Bob Dole cares to plunge into that particular contentious thicket these days. • He is a man whose emotions are close to the surface, and who plunges into profound troughs. From Longman Business Dictionary plunge1 /plʌndʒ/ verb [intransitive, transitive] journalism to suddenly and quickly go down in value or amountSYNPLUMMET Stock prices plunged again yesterday. The company's shares plunged 33% in a single day. → plunge into → See Verb table plunge2 noun journalism 1[countable usually singular] a sudden large fall in a price, value, or rateSYNPLUMMET plunge in The plunge in oil prices led to losses of about $50 million. 2take the plunge to finally decide to take a risk, especially after delaying it for a long time Advertisers are studying the new technology with interest, but most have yet to take the plunge. Origin plunge1 (1300-1400) Old French plongier, from Vulgar Latin plumbicare, from Latin plumbum "lead"

rattle

1 [intransitive, transitive] if you rattle something, or if it rattles, it shakes and makes a quick series of short sounds Dan banged on her door and rattled the handle. The window rattled in the wind. Bottles rattled as he stacked the beer crates. 2 [intransitive] if a vehicle rattles somewhere, it travels there while making a rattling sound rattle along/past/over etc The cart rattled along the stony road. An old blue van rattled into view. 3 [transitive] informal to make someone lose confidence or become nervous His mocking smile rattled her more than his anger. It was hard not to get rattled when the work piled up. His confidence was rattled by the accident. 4 → rattle somebody's cage → rattle around → rattle something ↔ off → rattle on → rattle through something → rattle up something → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus rattle • I woke up to the sound of cups and plates rattling, and knew that Dad was already up. • Sometimes, the bolts work loose and start rattling around. • Steve Merritt in an apparent bid to rattle Clinton. • The man from corporates rattled everyone. • Nothing rattles him. • Keys rattled in his pocket as he walked. • I did find the window open, and locked it myself because of the way it was rattling in the wind. • The windows were rattling in the wind. • The church door was rattling insanely and nothing could be seen through the windows, so fierce was the rain. • There's something rattling inside the washing machine. • Gear changes at 4 a. m. nearly rattled my window. • A battered old Chevrolet rattled past. • Then come the usual suspects, categories that we can rattle through quickly before announcing the big ones. • Once they had done this, they used breathing and rhythmic rattling to induce trance states. • Monday's earthquake rattled windows and woke residents. rattle along/past/over etc • Rain reduced it to 37 overs a side and the home team were soon rattling along. • The train rattled along and we both hung on to the straps looking at each other. • The car rattled along, crossing the myriad narrow gauge loco tracks that ran between the factories lining the route. • The train's wheels were churning, the engine rattling over points and spouting clouds of steam. • Tony went as fast as he could, and I was concentrating on staying on board as we rattled over the bumpy paths. • Now she was rattling along the empty streets, the horse's hooves sounding sharp and crisp in the silence. • They rattled along the main street of what looked like a typical East Anglian village. • Michael Lynagh is still rattling along towards the four-figure mark but not at the same rate. get rattled • If you hit him a couple times, he gets rattled. • He's a good player because he doesn't get rattled easily. • A dispatcher for a small fleet of trucks, he found it hard not to get rattled when the calls piled up. Related topics: Colours & sounds, Toys rattle2 noun 1 [countable, uncountable] a short repeated sound, made when something shakes They listened anxiously to every rattle and creak in the house. rattle of the rattle of chains the faint rattle of distant gunfire → death rattle► see thesaurus at sound 2 Image of rattle[countable] a baby's toy that makes a noise when it is shaken 3 [countable] British English an object that people shake to make a loud noise and show excitement or encouragement, for example at ceremonies or sports games Examples from the Corpus rattle • There was a rattle and a creak from behind me. • Death rattle is what it was. • Foaming liquid sprayed above the dancers' heads and fell to the floor with the dry rattle of earth sprinkled on wood. • Sioux medicine men collected tiny, glistening pebbles from anthills and used them in medicine rattles. • Ponyets heard the staccato rattle of the receiver quite plainly. • Think about the rattle of the electric trains on their way to Southfields and Putney. • I heard the rattle of a key in the door, and knew David was home. • Just then we heard the rattle of a key in the lock. rattle of • the rattle of chains Origin rattle1 (1300-1400) Probably from Middle Low German ratelen

dribble

1 [intransitive, transitive] to let liquid come out of your mouth onto your face Watch out, the baby is dribbling on your shirt! He was dribbling tea onto his tie. 2 [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] if a liquid dribbles somewhere, it flows in a thin irregular stream Blood from the wound dribbled down the side of his face. 3 [intransitive, transitive] to move the ball along with you by short kicks, bounces, or hits in a game of football, basketball etc He was trying to dribble the ball past his opponents. 4 [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] if something such as money or news dribbles somewhere, it comes or goes in small irregular amounts Money is finally dribbling back into the country now. 5 [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to pour something out slowly in an irregular way Dribble a few drops of olive oil over the pizza.

roar

1 [intransitive] to make a deep, very loud noise → growl We heard a lion roar. The engines roared. 2 [intransitive, transitive] to shout something in a deep powerful voice 'Get out of my house!' he roared. The crowd roared in delight. ► see thesaurus at shout 3 [intransitive] to laugh loudly and continuously By this time, Michael was roaring with laughter. 4 [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] if a vehicle roars somewhere, it moves very quickly and noisily The car roared off down the road. → roar back → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus roar • "You idiot!" he roared. • Traffic roared along the highway. • The Ferrari roared and shot off down the road. • Audience response is shattering - like a massive, roaring animal kükreme, gürleme

shed (n)

1 a small building, often made of wood, used especially for storing things a tool shed a cattle shed 2 a large industrial building where work is done, large vehicles are kept, machinery is stored etc Examples from the Corpus shed • They might have been garages and they might have been sheds. • Constable Quince hid in the potting shed and lit a Woodbine. • Since then he and the other customers have had to gather in a renovated shed.

gale

1 a very strong wind a severe gale it's blowing a gale British English (=it's very windy) ► see thesaurus at wind 2 → a gale/gales of laughter COLLOCATIONS ADJECTIVES a fierce gale (=a very strong wind) The tree was blown down during a fierce gale in 1987. a howling gale (=one that makes a lot of noise) The ship was drifting towards the shore in a howling gale. a severe/strong gale Severe gales disrupted road and rail travel throughout Britain. GALE + NOUN gale force (=a measurement showing that a wind is extremely strong) The winds had increased to gale force. VERBS a gale blows It was a grey winter's day with an Atlantic gale blowing. it's blowing a gale British English (=the wind is blowing very strongly) It was blowing a gale last night. Examples from the Corpus gale • However, the weather may not be so good, and rain and gales are frequent. • Up there to starboard, the Bering Sea whipped by arctic gales into choppy swells. • Ridge, hip and gable tiles are commonly displaced by gales, causing accumulation of debris in gutters, valleys and junctions. • Heavy rain driven by gales predicted for last night was forecast to continue for much of today. • A howling gale and torrential rain lashed the windows. • Rain, fog and mist are the acceptable accoutrements of northern gales. • The fence was blown down in the gale last night. • The ship sank in the gale. • The autumn and winter gales had already begun. Origin gale (1500-1600) Perhaps from Norwegian galen "bad"

fiddle

1 a violin 2 British English a dishonest way of getting money an insurance fiddle on the fiddle They suspected he was on the fiddle (=getting money dishonestly or illegally) all along. 3 → be a fiddle → fit as a fiddle2(1), → play second fiddle (to somebody) Examples from the Corpus fiddle • Managers don't really get paid much here, but most of them are working a few fiddles. • One boy had brought his fiddle and played a tune. • So a bit of fiddle, but nothing really egregious. • The firm realised some sort of fiddle was going on, but they had no idea how much they were losing. • Within three weeks I was again as fit as Carl's fiddle. • Even the lyrics tend to play second fiddle and are generally added after the main melody has been composed. • She might also have simply got tired of playing second fiddle to the Prince's pastimes. • The locals were not satisfied playing second fiddle to Los Angeles. • Herron rounded out the band with some fiddle and steel guitar. • Majella took up the fiddle, I got an accordion and Mary got a banjo. on the fiddle • Ila Steven played reels on the fiddle and Jean Bechar sang Burns songs. Related topics: Crime fiddle2 verb 1 [intransitive] to keep moving and touching something, especially because you are bored or nervous Stop fiddling, will you! I sat and fiddled at the computer for a while. fiddle with She was at her desk in the living room, fiddling with a deck of cards. 2 [transitive] British English informal to give false information about something, in order to avoid paying money or to get extra money Bert had been fiddling his income tax for years. fiddle the books (=give false figures in a company's financial records) 3 [intransitive] to play a violin → fiddle around → fiddle around with something → fiddle with something → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus fiddle • I fiddle at my computer for a while, trying to figure out what to say. • In the hushed surroundings of a smart restaurant, Boon fiddles enigmatically with a fob watch on a neck chain. • We had fiddled in Maastricht while Sarajevo began to burn. • My boss thinks I've been fiddling my travel expenses. • The company secretary has been fiddling the books for years. • She was sitting at her desk in the living room, fiddling with a pencil and drinking from a bottle of beer. • His wife fiddled with her spoons, putting the dessert spoon into the curve of the soup spoon. • Gary was fiddling with his wedding band when his illumination came. • The mechanics fiddled with my ship. • Obligingly, I did, and he fiddled with the lock. fiddle with • Martina was fiddling nervously with her pen. • She fiddled nervously with her watch strap. • Stop fiddling with the remote control! • Stop fiddling with your toys and pay attention. fiddle the books • The man he sacked for fiddling the books of his business.

waterlogged

1 a waterlogged area of land is flooded with water and cannot be used waterlogged ground/soil Heavy rain meant the pitch was waterlogged. ► see thesaurus at wet 2 a waterlogged boat is full of water and may sink —waterlogging noun [uncountable] The race was cancelled due to waterlogging. Examples from the Corpus waterlogged • The game was cancelled because the field was waterlogged. • The pits have become lakes and the land around them is damp or waterlogged. • You can plant the seeds anytime, as long as the soil is not frozen or waterlogged. • Above this the soil has become waterlogged.

miserable

1 extremely unhappy, for example because you feel lonely, cold, or badly treated I've been so miserable since Pat left me. I spent the weekend feeling miserable. Jan looks really miserable. Why do you make yourself miserable by taking on too much work? as miserable as sin British English (=very miserable) ► see thesaurus at sad 2 especially British English always bad-tempered, dissatisfied, or complaining He's a miserable old devil. 3 [usually before noun] making you feel very unhappy, uncomfortable etc They endured hours of backbreaking work in miserable conditions. Mosquito bites can make life miserable. 4 miserable weather is cold and dull, with no sun shining It was a miserable grey day. two weeks of miserable weather 5 [only before noun] very small in amount, or very bad in quality I can hardly afford the rent on my miserable income. The team gave a miserable performance.

might

1 great strength and power two individuals who took on the might of the English legal system He swung the axe again with all his might. 2 → might is right Examples from the Corpus might • The Foundation is the source of power and might. • The full might of the army could not defeat them. • Think of the might of a forest fire or the burning heat of the sun. • The might of water overwhelmed dark earth, over the summits of the highest mountains. with all ... might • He struck again with all his might. • You bring the log down with all your might. • He barked viciously; lunging with all his might as the car slowed down and seemed about to stop. • She prayed with all her might but there was no response. • Leaning forward into the harness and pushing with all my might, I could not move. • The strongest were put at the oars and they rowed with all their might down the river to the sea. • A fierce gale, huge waves, and a drenching rain bear down upon the frail whaling ship with all their might. • Something else hit me and now, convinced that death was calling, I wailed with all my might.

equivocal

1 if you are equivocal, you are deliberately unclear in the way that you give information or your opinion SYN ambiguous His answer was equivocal. She was rather equivocal about her work. 2 information that is equivocal is difficult to understand or explain because it contains different parts which suggest that different things are true The results of the police enquiry were equivocal. belirsiz şüpheli iki anlamlı

lob

1 informal to throw something somewhere, especially over a wall, fence etc The kids were lobbing pine cones into the neighbor's yard. ► see thesaurus at throw 2 to kick or hit a ball in a slow high curve, especially in a game of tennis or football Nadal lobbed the ball high over Murray's head. —lob noun [countable] → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus lob • Someone lobbed a book at me, and it hit me in the face. • You can lob a firebomb through the window. • Local kids keep lobbing empty beer cans over our fence. • Armies that ran out of rocks for their catapults would sometimes lob live lepers into besieged towns to scare the inhabitants. • Seles admits she can't lob or serve very well to save her life. • We could lob the ball in to Katrina and Lisa. • The first goal he scored in the famous Burnley game was really something special, he lobs the goalie from miles out. • O'Connell seized on a bad back-pass to lob the winner. Origin lob (1500-1600) Probably from lob "loosely hanging object" ((16-19 centuries)), from Low German

plump

1 slightly fat in a fairly pleasant way - used especially about women or children, often to avoid saying the word 'fat' The nurse was a cheerful plump woman. The baby's nice and plump. ► see thesaurus at fat 2 round and full in a way that looks attractive plump soft pillows plump juicy tomatoes —plumpness noun [uncountable] Examples from the Corpus plump • The comforters on the beds were abnormally plump. • Paula had silver bracelets on her plump arms. • Frieda's mother was a plump, cheerful woman, quick with a laugh. • The doctor's wife had a plump face and a small mouth. • Stevie is a plump healthy-looking child. • plump juicy strawberries • The good cut made his shoulders look their proper width and reduced his generally plump look. • The four plump man-apes were still there, and now they were doing extraordinary things. • The stuffed dates looked like plump roaches. • He's a little on the plump side, but nevertheless quite handsome. • Isabel bounced once against the plump straw mattress, then made a frantic bid for freedom. • You're too short and too plump - though your skin's not that bad. • She must have been in her sixties, plump, with a crown of dyed brown curls. • a plump woman in her fifties • Miss Withington was a small, plump young woman between Agnes and Prudence in age. plump2 verb 1 (also plump up) [transitive] to gently hit cushions or pillows in order to make them rounder and softer 2 → plump (yourself) down 3 [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to put something down suddenly and carelessly SYN plonk Plump the bags down anywhere you like. 4 (also plump up) [intransitive, transitive] if dried fruit plumps up, or if you plump it up, it becomes fatter and softer when in liquid Soak the apricots and raisins until the fruit plumps up. → plump for something/somebody → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus plump • Add oysters and saute until they just begin to plump, about 1 minute. • Do you plump for a bottle with an attractive label or simply stick to a wine that is familiar? • It could be the question, whether to plump for a great evolutionary jump or stay put in the icy brine. • We could just plump for Aristotle's report, as the earliest and therefore most reliable. • He'd have liked to plump for the Algarve but, he said wistfully, you do go over the £1,000. • You can plump the bags down anywhere you like. • Boil the dried fruit until it plumps up in the cooking liquid.

cling to something (also cling on to something) phrasal verb

1 to continue to believe or do something, even though it may not be true or useful any longer cling to the hope/belief/idea etc (that) He clung to the hope that she would be cured. 2 to stay in a position of power or stay ahead, when this is difficult, or to try to do this an attempt to cling to power → cling→ See Verb table Examples from the Corpus cling to the hope/belief/idea etc (that) • At some level they still cling to the idea that tender loving care is the only factor in raising kids. • For the moment I cling to the idea that there are a relatively small number of cell-to-cell signals. • Reagan clung to the belief that he was not paying ransom but merely rewarding an intermediary for services rendered. • She had clung to the hope even for that length of time, but it had never happened. • They could, with one part of their mind, cling to the idea of teacher autonomy. • Ursula was clinging to the belief that Samantha would soon be released. • Will the West cling to the idea of universal worth while selfishly consuming Arab oil wealth and closing its borders to Arabs?

fend somebody/something off phrasal verb

1 to defend yourself against someone who is attacking you SYN fight somebody ↔ off Tabitha threw up an arm to fend her attacker off. 2 to defend yourself from something such as difficult questions, competition, or a situation you do not want to deal with She uses her secretary to fend off unwanted phone calls. The company managed to fend off the hostile takeover bid. → fend→ See Verb table Examples from the Corpus fend off • Nick was usually so keen to see her she had to fend him off. • Other people who get psoriasis only on knees and elbows may need to fend people off. • She threw up an arm, fending him off. • Despite her wooden leg, she was able to fend him off easily. • He could fend them off, the appalling moments. • Newman had kept the conversation general, fending Evelyn off when she tried to bring it on a more personal basis. • He tried to fend the animal off with his elbow while inserting the key in the office door. • The lion mauls the warrior, who is desperately trying to fend him off with his knees and shield.

sag

1 to hang down or bend in the middle, especially because of the weight of something SYN droop The branch sagged under the weight of the apples. The skin around my eyes is starting to sag. a sagging roof 2 to become weaker or less valuable OPP flourish attempts to revive the sagging economy —sag noun [countable, uncountable] a sag in the mattress → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus sag • Once, when morale was sagging, a visibly pregnant IsabelIa rode up to cheer the troops. • Edberg seemed to sag after losing the second set. • Stock prices sagged again today. • He sagged back against the wall, and held out his hand. • Benjy sat on his sagging back steps with six-year-old Louis Klubock, who lived next door. • There was a wide, cobbled enclosure, flanked on all sides by sagging black buildings. • Your face will be more likely to have a dull complexion, with podgy, sagging cheeks and double chin. • She turned and saw that the table sagged in the middle. • The shelves sagged under the weight of hundreds of records and CDs. • His whole body seemed to sag with relief.

precede

1 to happen or exist before something or someone, or to come before something else in a series → preceding a type of cloud that precedes rain Lunch will be preceded by a short speech from the chairman. 2 to go somewhere before someone else The guard preceded them down the corridor. → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus precede • The first chapter was preceded by a brief biography of the author. • The fire was preceded by a loud explosion. • On vehicle license plates in the UK, the numbers are preceded by a single letter. • Involvement of other mucosal sites preceded, coincided with, or followed the manifestations of the gastric lymphoma. • It was miraculous that so tender and fragile a creature had emerged from the violence of the preceding day. • The preceding discussion suggests that the operation of Keynesian fiscal policy should pose few problems. • Pay attention to the medical cautions that precede each tape. • Even preceding events had proven how mistaken they were. • There had been intensive campaigning by the proponents of each city over the preceding months. • Intention movements are activities that tend to precede some other activity, which is presumably why they often evolve into signals. • In other words, music precedes the idea. • A planning session at 11:30 will precede the noon lunch discussion. • In English, the subject precedes the verb. Origin precede (1300-1400) French précéder, from Latin praecedere "to go in front"

smack

1 to hit someone, especially a child, with your open hand in order to punish them → slap the debate about whether parents should smack their children ► see thesaurus at hit 2 [always + adverb/preposition] to hit something hard against something else so that it makes a short loud noise He smacked the money down on the table and walked out. 3 → smack your lips 4 British English informal to hit someone hard with your closed hand SYN punch → smack of something → smack somebody up → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus smack • Three years ago, you smacked a girl around and people maybe said she asked for it. • He decided to smack her for this. • He stepped out, and the cold from a recent snow flurry smacked him hard in the face. • The cop beside him smacked him on the arm. • He threw a curveball down, and the batter smacked it dead on. • Father spun round, took three steps towards me and smacked me on the ear. • But surely this smacks of charity; well-meaning but in many cases misguided. • It smacks of yellow journalism... • The first task is to smack the ball up the ramp and enter the rollercoaster ride. Related topics: Drug culture, Water smack2 noun 1 [countable] a) a hit with your open hand, especially to punish a child → slap You're going to get a smack in a minute! b) British English informal a hard hit with your closed hand SYN punch smack in the mouth/face/gob Talk like that and I'll give you a smack in the mouth. 2 [countable usually singular] a short loud noise caused when something hits something else The book landed with a smack. 3 [uncountable] informal heroin 4 → give somebody a smack on the lips/cheek 5 [countable] a small fishing boat Examples from the Corpus smack • She gave Danny's hand a smack. • If the horse jumps the first fence stickily, a smack on landing will sharpen him up. • Then she raised one foot and brought it down with a smack on the water, splashing him, and laughed. • All you see in the papers now is smack, like. • The little girl gets pulled again, falls with a loud smack. • The occasional smack meted out in a happy, secure home is not going to scar a child's psyche. • So far, she'd just flushed the smack down the loo and shoved the syringes in the bin. • Authoritarians do not apologize for the smack of firm government. smack in the mouth/face/gob • Once again, she hadn't seen it coming; another smack in the face from an unexpected source. • Steve looked as if he'd been smacked in the face with a writ. • Once Williams was smacked in the face by a throw in an international game, breaking her nose. smack3 adverb informal 1 exactly or directly in the middle of something, in front of something etc smack in the middle/in front of something etc There was a hole smack in the middle of the floor. smack bang British English, smack dab American English It's smack dab in the middle of an earthquake zone. 2 if something goes smack into something, it hits it with a lot of force The car ran smack into the side of the bus. Examples from the Corpus smack • It came to rest smack against the mountain two miles west of Morrisonville. • Some were smack in the middle of neighborhoods. • I was smack in the middle of this interesting war. • I ran smack into it on Thursday. • I drove smack into the side of the garage. Origin smack1 (1400-1500) Perhaps from Middle Dutch smacken "to hit". smack of (1300-1400) From smack "taste" ((11-21 centuries)), from Old English smæc smack2 1. (1500-1600) → SMACK12. (1900-2000) Perhaps from Yiddish shmek "sniff, slight smell, small mount of snuff"3. (1600-1700) Dutch smak

bleak

1 without anything to make you feel happy or hopeful a bleak future/prospect The company still hopes to find a buyer, but the future looks bleak. 2 cold and without any pleasant or comfortable features a bleak January afternoon The landscape was bleak. —bleakly adverb —bleakness noun [uncountable] Examples from the Corpus bleak • For savers, the picture probably will get bleaker. • His prospects of finding another job are bleak. • The wild landscape was bleak and bare. • This is the wildest, bleakest and least densely populated area of Ulthuan. • The Chicago settings are authentically bleak and the plotting subtle and incisive. • The snow-covered coast looked bleak and uninviting. • Prospects of success looked bleak as the opposition scored the first two goals. • Many people were facing a financially bleak Christmas. • It looks pretty bleak for avocado growers here. • The future looked bleak for the Democratic party. • Things began to look pretty bleak, from the standpoint of building a career. • The chief executive said that the company was looking at a bleak future. • Only an occasional ferry boat makes a last, bleak journey across the river to Birkenhead and the Wirral. • Maybe in the bleak light of dawn Kathy arranged a pile of twigs on the beach. • He gazed around the empty, bleak little room in despair. • It could have shared the owner's adventures and vicissitudes, occupied his leisure hours, cheered his bleaker moments. • the bleakest year of the Depression a bleak future/prospect • But as she lapped up the five-star treatment on the champagne Concorde flight, angry pensioners were facing a bleak future. • His marriage has broken up, he rarely sees his teenage daughter and he faces a bleak future. • Now the hard working couple say they face a miserable Christmas and a bleak future. • They say the airlift has brought new hope to people who would otherwise have faced a bleak future. Origin bleak (1300-1400) Old Norse bleikr "pale, white"

quail (V)

literary to be afraid and show it by shaking a little bit or moving back slightly SYN shrink quail at She quailed visibly at the sight of the prison walls. → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus quail • For the first time I quailed... • I felt like Frankenstein, quailing before the monster I had created. • It would seem that even senior officers were quailing, but go they did. • Though he quailed inwardly, he managed not to flinch. • Even now there were times when Valerie quailed, when she felt crushed. Origin quail1 (1300-1400) Old French quaille, from Medieval Latin quaccula quail2 (1400-1500) quail "to curdle" ((15-19 centuries)), from Latin coagulare; → COAGULATE

loom

loom1 /luːm/ ●○○ verb [intransitive] 1 [always + adverb/preposition] to appear as a large unclear shape, especially in a threatening way loom up/out/ahead etc Suddenly a mountain loomed up in front of them. 2 if a problem or difficulty looms, it is likely to happen very soon An economic crisis is looming on the horizon. 3 → loom large → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus loom • The two countries believe that a crisis is looming. • And the spectre of money laundering looms. • Directly behind him was a huge billboard with her picture looming big and brassy back at her. • As the day of my interview loomed, I became increasingly nervous. • The mountain loomed in front of us. • We turned around, and after a few miles, an old building loomed into view. • The human factor also looms large in Bamford's presentation of the agency's strengths and weaknesses. • With the prospect of bankruptcy looming, life is getting tough for small businesses. • Mont Blanc, sixty miles distant, loomed massively present. • Congressional elections loom next year; after that, maneuvering will start for the next presidential election. • In consequence, untold numbers of sailors died when their destinations suddenly loomed out of the sea and took them by surprise. • A snow-covered hedge loomed up ahead of him and he made for the shelter of it. loom up/out/ahead etc • Fathers also feel great emotional changes as their priorities change and added financial require-ments loom ahead. • The point is simply to flag problems that loom ahead. • The House of Parliament loomed up and his heart began to thump. • The apartment loomed up around him as a kind of blur. • I feel it looming up behind me, breathing lightly on the nape of my neck. • The goodwill died with the fire and black shapes loomed up out of the dark. • As you descend, a mushroom-shaped structure looms up out of the murk. looming on the horizon • Sadly, when I was there war was not the only dark cloud looming on the horizon. • The two disputes he mentioned pale in comparison with others looming on the horizon. • Another kind of hazard was already looming on the horizon for the weaker peasant elements. Related topics: Crafts loom2 noun [countable] a frame or machine on which thread is woven into cloth Examples from the Corpus loom • Kalchu finished weaving the last whitish length of woollen cloth to make a jacket and put his loom away. • Its many alterations and additions reflect in stone and brick, the looms and busts at the woollen industry. • The young man at the far end of the loom glanced at Maggie, and for an instant their eyes locked. • They may have had a function in aiding the picking out of broken threads on the loom. Origin loom1 (1500-1600) Origin unknown loom2 Old English geloma "tool"

peer

peer1 /pɪə $ pɪr/ ●●○ noun [countable] 1 [usually plural] formal your peers are the people who are the same age as you, or who have the same type of job, social class etc American children did less well in math than their peers in Japan. Staff members are trained by their peers. → peer group, peer pressure 2 a member of the British nobility → House of Lords, peerage → life peer Examples from the Corpus peer • The Government is to reintroduce a bill curbing the right to jury trial, which has twice been thrown out by peers. • Few of his peers scoffed, but even fewer followed his example of actually taking it on the course. • The respect of his peers in the research community is very important to him. • It gives evidence of the approval of peers and keeps one in contact with the traditions of the past. • How was I spending my time on peer relationships? • At about three years old, children begin to take an interest in their peers. • Everyone wants to be successful in the eyes of their peers. • Six were Etonians, three were peers, and another three were knights or baronets. • So we put together a list of students who were peer mentors. • Relationships with peers, not superiors, seemed the developmental relationships that mattered. • The jury system gives you the basic right to be judged by your peers. Related topics: Government peer2 ●●○ verb [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to look very carefully at something, especially because you are having difficulty seeing it He was peering through the wet windscreen at the cars ahead. Philippa peered into the darkness. ► see thesaurus at look → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus peer • Two heads swivelled to peer at her, and she recognized the reporters from the pub. • She adjusted her glasses and peered at the man. • I slowed, turning to peer at the site with an eerie feeling of detachment. • Lok peered at the stick and the lump of bone and the small eyes in the bone things over the face. • Mattie grunted abstractedly, totally engrossed in peering at the various plastic containers and bowls in the refrigerator. • Watch any game in a crucial situation and you will see the catcher peering into his dugout before calling each pitch. • Roger peered into the dark corridor to see what was making the noise. • Having stopped the car, feeling pleasantly lost, he peered through the half-dark. • Yanto crouched down and peered under the wagon. From Longman Business Dictionary peer /pɪəpɪr/ noun [countable usually plural] 1a company or product that is similar to the one you are talking about He believes the company is undervalued relative to its peers. 2someone who is the same age or has the same job, social position etc as the person you are talking about Staff members are trained by their peers. Origin peer1 (1200-1300) Old French per, from Latin par "equal"; → PAR peer2 (1500-1600) Perhaps from appear

gore

[uncountable] literary thick dark blood that has flowed from a wound → gory He likes movies with plenty of blood and gore (=violence). Examples from the Corpus gore • A gore or gusset is, in fact, another name for a scoot. • He was dimly tempted to say, though, that he knew a thing or two about gore. • There is more than one way to skin a theatrical cat, and McDonagh's chosen weapons are laughter and gore. • To obtain the cupped or hemispherical shape with fairly smooth lines, the number of gores should be increased with the diameter. • Then you can limit the gore by just cutting off the laces to save her. 2. small usually triangular piece of land 2a: a tapering or triangular piece (as of cloth in a skirt) b: an elastic gusset for providing a snug fit in a shoe

dilapidate

a dilapidated building, vehicle etc is old and in very bad condition → derelict —dilapidation /dəˌlæpəˈdeɪʃən/ noun [uncountable] Examples from the Corpus dilapidated • Some of the old homes in Newville are well kept, but others are dilapidated. • When she turned left around the corner of the house, a dilapidated building came into view. • Maidstone rented a tiny apartment at the top of a very dilapidated building in the Vomero.

ajar

a door that is ajar is slightly open Examples from the Corpus ajar • To his right was a large walk-in cupboard, its door slightly ajar. • I went back to the door and opened it, leaving it ajar. • She had left her bedroom door ajar and could hear her parents talking downstairs. • Sometimes the door was ajar and I would see her sitting absolutely still, staring into space, not reading at all. • The door was ajar and Patrick could see movement inside the room. • I noticed that the door to it was ajar and realized what had happened. • The door was ajar, letting out the warmth and scent of heaven. Origin ajar (1600-1700) on char, from on + char "turn, piece of work" ((11-17 centuries)) (from Old English cierr)

momenteous

a momentous event, change, or decision is very important because it will have a great influence on the future a momentous decision Momentous events are taking place in the US. His colleagues all recognized that this was a momentous occasion. one of the most momentous days in British sport ► see thesaurus at important Examples from the Corpus momentous • At the time, our department was going through some momentous changes. • In the physical sciences alone, there were momentous changes. • At this point William made a momentous decision -- he resigned from his job and joined the army. • The revolution taking place in eastern Europe must be counted as one of the most momentous events of this century. • At first the momentous events unfolding in Rome seemed barely relevant. • Such a thing would have momentous implications. • Henceforth she must carry on from where she had started that momentous morning in Goddy's office. • Able leaders inspire groups engaged in less momentous projects as well. • a momentous shift in policy • Something momentous was bound to happen soon. • Indeed, 1989 was a momentous year. momentous decision • So he made what turned out to be a momentous decision. • Within a decade, she was making momentous decisions about the Pentagon Papers and Watergate. • This was to be a momentous decision although he did not know it at the time. • We stand on the brink of two momentous decisions at Maastricht. • Yet Major did not choose to discuss the momentous decision he was about to take with his wife. • It was as if she had made her decision, her momentous decision to marry, sleepwalking. • At the age of two, a male makes a momentous decision-whether to become adult or to stay young.

milquetoast

a person who is timid or submissive. a soppy, milquetoast composer çekingen, sümsük, korkak

clearing

a small area in a forest where there are no trees

pewter

a tin and lead mixture kalaylı

cyclone

a very strong wind that moves very fast in a circle → hurricane, typhoon► see thesaurus at storm, wind Examples from the Corpus cyclone • May 1991: international economic assistance for cyclone disaster. • Since then we have had cyclones, wars, floods, so many things to add and subtract. • So the fares were collected, the ship was going come hurricane, cyclone, what-have-you. • The north and south winds met where the house stood, and made it the exact centre of the cyclone. • Griffin output fell because of maintenance and downtime associated with cyclone Gertie. Origin cyclone (1800-1900) Greek kykloma "wheel", from kykloun "to go around", from kyklos; → CYCLE

allege

al‧lege /əˈledʒ/ ●●○ verb [transitive] formal to say that something is true or that someone has done something wrong, although it has not been proved it is alleged (that) It was alleged that the policeman had accepted bribes. allege that The prosecution alleged that the man had been responsible for an act of terrorism. be alleged to be/do something The water is alleged to be polluted with mercury. ► see thesaurus at accuse → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus allege • Jachowicz had published numerous articles alleging abuses by the secret police. • In each case the violation alleged by those attacking minimum wage regulation for women is deprivation of freedom of contract. • In a statement to the press, Massey alleged that her husband had planned to kill her. • It is alleged that London-Brussels is the most expensive journey per mile in the world. • It has been alleged that senior officials were involved in a $20 million drugs deal. • Stockholders filed suit against First National Entertainment in 1993, alleging that the company had misled them by issuing inflated revenue projections. • Scarborough magistrates were told that the case involved a large-scale mortgage fraud alleged to have occurred between January 1985 and February 1988. • Taylor is alleged to have used public money to buy expensive presents for her friends. • The Sons filed the lawsuit about three weeks later, seeking $ 1,000 for each alleged violation by the state. allege that • It was alleged that during the incident, at which more police arrived, a black woman was assaulted. • She claims damages alleging that her reputation has been damaged... • As such, it is alleged that it is appropriate to be dealt with on the basis of qualified majority voting. • It was alleged that police officers over- reacted or committed breaches of discipline and even criminal offences. • The lawsuit would likely allege that Symington got the loan because he deliberately misled the pension funds about his financial condition. • Reformists allege that the killings were part of a campaign by state-sponsored death squads to silence dissent. • Suits by consumers alleged that the product is defective and fraudulently marketed. Origin allege (1300-1400) Old French alleguer, from Latin allegare "to give reasons", from ad- "to" + legare ( → LEGATE) ileri sürmek iddia etm

assert

as‧sert /əˈsɜːt $ -ɜːrt/ ●○○ verb [transitive] 1 to state firmly that something is true French cooking, she asserted, is the best in the world. assert that He asserted that nuclear power was a safe and non-polluting energy source. 2 → assert your rights/independence/superiority etc 3 → assert yourself 4 → assert itself → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus assert • "It's a fairness issue, " she asserted. • He is entitled to assert his supposed right on reasonably equal terms. • After 1947, Nehru began to assert his supremacy and sack party chiefs who opposed him. • An established order of seeing, of understanding, of ruling, is simply exploded - the Modernist spirit asserts itself. • The Church asserts that human beings are incarnated spirits: souls in bodies. • There exists today widespread propaganda which asserts that socialism is dead. • Professor Sykes has asserted that the skeleton, which was said to be man's first ancestor, is in fact a fake. soylemek ileri sürmek iddia etmek

against

a‧gainst /əˈɡenst, əˈɡeɪnst $ əˈɡenst/ ●●● S1 W1 preposition 1 a) used to say that someone opposes or disagrees with something Every council member voted against the proposal. those who are campaigning against the new road He advised me against travelling. Mr Howard has declared that he is against all forms of racism. the fight against terrorism b) used to say that an action is not wanted or approved of by someone They got married against her parents' wishes (=although they knew her parents did not want them to). She has been kept in the house against her will (=she does not want to stay in the house). The use of certain drugs is against the law (=illegal). It's against my principles to borrow money (=I do not believe it is right). c) used to say that something is not allowed by a law or rule There ought to be a law against it. 2 used to say who someone is competing with or trying to defeat in a game, battle etc Gambotti was injured in last Saturday's game against the Lions. We'll be competing against the best companies in Europe. 3 used to say who is harmed, threatened, or given a disadvantage violence against elderly people crimes against humanity discrimination against women There had been death threats against prison staff. Your lack of experience could count against you. The regulations tend to work against smaller companies. 4 used to say that something touches, hits, or rubs a surface the sound of the rain drumming against my window The car skidded and we could hear the crunch of metal against metal. 5 next to and touching an upright surface, especially for support There was a ladder propped up against the wall. The younger policeman was leaning against the bureau with his arms folded. 6 in the opposite direction to the movement or flow of something OPP with sailing against the wind She dived down and swam out strongly against the current. 7 seen with something else behind or as a background He could see a line of figures silhouetted against the sky. It is important to know what colours look good against your skin. 8 used to show that you are considering particular events in relation to other events that are happening at the same time The reforms were introduced against a background of social unrest. 9 used to say what you are comparing something with The pound has fallen 10% against the dollar. She checked the contents of the box against the list. The cost of the proposed research needs to be balanced against its benefits. 10 used to say who or what you are trying to protect someone or something from insurance against accident and sickness a cream to protect against sunburn a vaccine which is effective against pneumonia 11 used to say who is said or shown to have done something wrong He has always emphatically denied the allegations against him. The evidence against you is overwhelming. 12 → be/come up against somebody/something 13 → have something against somebody/something Examples from the Corpus against • Only 3% of blacks were registered voters against 97% of the white residents. • I'm against all forms of hunting. • Everyone was against closing the factory. • I have trouble knowing what colors look good against each other. • I hate it when the cat rubs its head against my legs. • It's against my principles to borrow money. • Eating good food is good insurance against sickness. • The planning regulations tend to work against smaller companies. • He was injured in the game against the Cowboys. • It's so difficult swimming against the current. • The younger policeman was leaning against the desk. • There were 10 votes for and 15 against the motion. • We had to sail against the wind. • The rain drummed against the window. • This spray can be used against weevil and other crop pests. against ... principles • I do not think that we should be against such moral principles. • It was against the Bush principles. • Now all she had to do was fool Felipe de Santis and go against all her principles. • To review all rules against the principles agreed and evaluate how they can be simplified. • It went against normal principles of materials suspended in liquid spreading randomly and as uniformly as possible. • He is adamant that any open manifestation of religious or cultural identity at school goes against the principles of secular state education. • C Measured against these principles, some aspects of the Pennsylvania informed-consent scheme are unconstitutional. • Other customers, strangers, sometimes offered to buy her drinks, but it was against her principles to accept them. Origin against (1300-1400) againes "against" ((11-16 centuries)), from again

chaperone

chap‧e‧rone1, chaperon /ˈʃæpərəʊn $ -roʊn/ noun [countable] 1 an older woman in the past who went out with a young unmarried woman on social occasions and was responsible for her behaviour 2 American English someone, usually a parent or teacher, who is responsible for young people on social occasions Three parents went on the school ski trip as chaperones. Examples from the Corpus chaperone • Her duties as a chaperone had become less evident now that she was accustomed to Paul and had been spoken to kindly. • Surely you don't want a chaperone? • Anna Zborowska posed for two nude paintings, presumably painted in her rooms at the Sunny Hotel with Lunia acting as chaperone. • Aunt Millie went with her as chaperone, and kept her secret. • Thus, while Meh'Lindi padded in pursuit with her mute chaperones, Jaq was also tracking the Harlequin man. • At different times Polanco, Garza, Santana and Marmalejo were assigned to these buses as drivers or chaperones. • Margarett snaps Miss Sheldon, chaperone of the Florentine School, and two schoolmates lounging on deck chairs. • The volunteers may go with chaperones anywhere they want within a 25-mile radius of the center. chaperone2, chaperon verb [transitive] to go somewhere with someone as a chaperone → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus chaperone • Unfortunately I was working with All Saints so my mum did the chaperoning bit, taking her to Pinewood and back. • For a moment Peng Yu-wei hesitated, his duty to chaperone the children conflicting with the explicit command of the young master. • They gave mice infusions of a blood-clotting factor and antibodies engineered to chaperone the factor to molecular targets in tumor vessels. belletmen?

cling

cling /klɪŋ/ ●●○ verb (past tense and past participle clung /klʌŋ/) [intransitive] 1 [always + adverb/preposition] to hold someone or something tightly, especially because you do not feel safe cling to/on/at etc He wailed and clung to his mother. Passengers clung desperately on to the lifeboats. 2 [always + adverb/preposition] to stick to someone or something, or seem to surround them cling to/around etc His wet shirt clung to his body. The smell of cigarette smoke clung to her clothes. 3 to stay close to someone all the time because you are too dependent on them or do not feel safe - used to show disapproval Some children tend to cling on their first day at school. → cling on → cling to something → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus cling • She was lying on her side and Hugh was on his side also, clinging to her back, as though for protection. • She flung out her arms to steady herself, clinging to him. • Denial, too, seemed to be an effort to cling to hope. • His pink shirt clinging to the curve of his belly. • A customary error committed by aquarists is to cling to the opinion that the Aponogeton species do not require a rich soil. • Why cling to the rebel cross? cling to/on/at etc • Astrochele is commonly found clinging to gorgonians, corals, etc. • And these possibilities made her cling to her actual existence with pleasure. • I clung to her hand, offering her a mooring line in that churning sea of grief. • I clung to him as if I expected to be pulled away from him. • He clings to his uniform like a second skin. • She further offended doctors by clinging to patently wrong ideas. • His pink shirt clinging to the curve of his belly. • Its founders were clinging to the wreckage, not setting out on a brave new voyage. cling to/around etc • No heart, no soul, nothing to cling to. • A wild urge to cling to him like this for the rest of her life? • Marge clung to Janey and stared at the blank door in horror. • Lucy's sobs stilled a little and she clung to Jay. • Michael held out his arms to her and she shrank away from him, clinging to Roy. • An endless drizzle clung to the air like fog. • We have in prospect eight months of solitude, clinging to the edge of the world's coldest, remotest continent. • They clung to the surface of things. Origin cling Old English clingan

clutch

clutch1 /klʌtʃ/ ●●○ verb 1 [transitive] to hold something tightly because you do not want to lose it SYN grip, grasp She was clutching a bottle of champagne. ► see thesaurus at hold 2 [intransitive, transitive] (also clutch at somebody/something) a) to suddenly take hold of someone or something because you are frightened, in pain, or in danger SYN grab He clutched at a pillar for support. Tom fell to the ground clutching his stomach. b) clutch at somebody's heart if something clutches at your heart, you suddenly feel fear or nervousness 3 → be clutching at straws → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus clutch • Joanne clutched her mother's hand. • There was a loud report somewhere outside the house and Lee clutched her pillow. • We only clutch our rifles more firmly and brace ourselves to receive the shock... • A patient found him screaming and clutching the bottle. • She stumbled to her feet, clutching the eiderdown around her, and opened her mouth to call to them. • That way, you can see if you clutch the lectern or keep your hands too stiffly at your side. • I had seen them in Kano clutching their swords as they slept in shop doorways where they were employed as night-watchmen. • Yet they come out of there clutching this little key he give them. • Fong stood in the doorway, his invitation clutched tightly in his hand.

unequivocal

completely clear and without any possibility of doubt His answer was an unequivocal 'No'. —unequivocally /-kli/ adverb Examples from the Corpus unequivocal • Both Sir John and the Harwell Lab had the highest reputations, and so the confident media were unequivocal. • First, evidence of the loosening of family bonds is unequivocal. • Nevertheless, unequivocal evidence for deeper subduction of sediment has proved elusive, and other explanations are possible. • The answer to our request was an unequivocal "no". • The pieces of evidence fell into place with the unequivocal precision of a well-made jigsaw puzzle. • The European Parliament has given the plan its unequivocal support. • On them, Kylie was quick to respond and unequivocal with her replies. • This time his father was unequivocal: "You're getting no more money from me, and that's final.'' Exercises Pictures of the day What are these? Image of labrador Image of alsatian Click on the pictures to check. Explore topics Occupations Labour relations, unions Temperature Odours See all topics Word of the day unwilling not wanting to do something and refusing to do it

consanguinity

con‧san‧guin‧i‧ty /ˌkɒnsæŋˈɡwɪnəti $ ˌkɑːn-/ noun [uncountable] formal when people are members of the same family Examples from the Corpus consanguinity • They, too, have been deaf to the voice of justice and consanguinity. • The belief in, if not the fact of, consanguinity has its uses. • Pentecostalism and jazz are undeniably siblings, with all the consanguinity and rivalry such a blood link always brings with it. Origin consanguinity (1300-1400) Old French consanguinité, from Latin, from com- ( → COM-) + sanguis "blood" akrabalık, soydaşlık

consonant

con‧so‧nant1 /ˈkɒnsənənt $ ˈkɑːn-/ ●●○ noun [countable] 1 a speech sound made by partly or completely stopping the flow of air through your mouth → vowel 2 a letter that represents a consonant sound. The letters 'a', 'e', 'i', 'o', 'u', and sometimes 'y' represent vowels, and all the other letters are consonants. Examples from the Corpus consonant • If the language has long and short vowels and consonants, this will affect the rhythm of the language. • It is also good articulation and crisp, clear consonants. • Some phonologists maintain that a syllabic consonant is really a case of a vowel and a consonant that have become combined. • I couldn't get my tongue around the consonants. • The outline should include phonemic contrastive charts of the consonants and vowels. • The consonants are grouped together phonetically, depending on the kind of sound they make. • The second group causes most of the difficulties in spelling with consonants. Related topics: Music consonant2 adjective 1 → be consonant with something 2 technical relating to a combination of musical notes that sounds pleasant OPP dissonant —consonance noun [uncountable] Examples from the Corpus consonant • However, these interests can not conflict too directly, but must appear to be consonant. • Dissonance is most powerful in a generally consonant context - hence the need to be extremely cautious in its use. • And resolution has a musical overtone that I like as well: the progression of a dissonant chord to a consonant one. • Others, then, will have to judge whether my views expressed here are consonant with that tradition. • On the face of it, this approach is consonant with the requirements of the Act. • Their sensory perception as well as their motor responses - their behaviour - are thus totally consonant with their bodily form and function. Origin consonant2 (1300-1400) Old French Latin, present participle of consonare "to sound together, agree", from com- ( → COM-) + sonare "to sound"

decency

de‧cen‧cy /ˈdiːsənsi/ noun 1 [uncountable] polite, honest, and moral behaviour and attitudes that show respect for other people a judgment reflecting the decency and good sense of the American people common/human/public decency (=standards of behaviour that are expected of everyone) The film was banned on the grounds of public decency. Is there no sense of decency left in this country? If they're going to charge people a fee, they ought to at least have the decency to tell them in advance. 2 → decencies Examples from the Corpus decency • Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and decency. • It is at any rate possible that in her a certain ethical rightness and decency coexisted with aesthetic stiffness and suspicion. • If he had had any decency he would have talked to Mr Malik about what was going to happen. • He borrowed money from me and didn't even have the common decency to pay me back. • They had been covered with a square of spotted muslin, for decency she supposed. • Honesty, decency, good will have no place in this business of selling or murdering an image. • As gratified as I was by this display of loyalty and human decency, the picture was bleak. • On the radio sports-talk shows, where the laws of decency seemingly failed to apply. • Is there no sense of decency left in this country? • Trepolov had some sense of decency and didn't go attacking the ball like some damned dervish. • I think you should have the decency to tell him you are already married. • You can rely on their decency and good sense. common/human/public decency • As gratified as I was by this display of loyalty and human decency, the picture was bleak. • Until then, police practice involved turning a blind eye to minor breaches of public decency rather than embarking on lengthy prosecutions. • Both were a generous extension of human decency.

scruffy

dirty and untidy a scruffy old pair of jeans scruffy shops —scruffily adverb a scruffily dressed man —scruffiness noun [uncountable] Examples from the Corpus scruffy • It looks best worn casual and scruffy, but everyone seems intent on continually dressing it up. • I still don't feel it's necessary to wear scruffy clothes to be an actor. • A scruffy cyclist who used the Dixons credit cards was never found. • While Mr Clarke revels in his scruffy image, Mr Portillo is a dapper dresser. • My parents think I look scruffy in these jeans, but I like them. • She's wearing that scruffy old sweater again. • Old silver heels have been abandoned under a work table in favor of scruffy penny loafers. • a scruffy sweatshirt Origin scruffy (1800-1900) scruff "messy person" ((19-21 centuries)), from scurf; → SCURVY

lid

elated topics: Daily life, Human lid /lɪd/ ●●● S3 noun 1 Image of lidCOVER [countable] a cover for the open part of a pot, box, or other container dustbin/saucepan etc lid the name on the coffin lid lid of He carefully lifted the lid of the box.

embroider

em‧broi‧der /ɪmˈbrɔɪdə $ -ər/ verb 1 [intransitive, transitive] to decorate cloth by sewing a pattern, picture, or words on it with coloured threads embroider something with something The dress was embroidered with flowers. embroider something on something A colourful design was embroidered on the sleeve of the shirt. a richly embroidered jacket 2 [transitive] to make a story or report of events more interesting or exciting by adding details that are not true SYN embellish → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus embroider • He embroidered his stories and kept us entertained for hours. • They taught me darning, knitting, embroidering, mending, solitaire, palm-reading, whatever they knew. • I do not think there is any question of them having embroidered on these events in any way. • I used a grey yarn to embroider the body and antennae. • Amy embroidered the history of the family as well. • The cushion was embroidered with a pattern of golden keys. • I would have bought you a new slip, of satin, trimmed with lace, or embroidered with roses. Origin embroider (1300-1400) Anglo-French enbrouder, from Old French brouder "to embroider" süslemek şişirmek abartmak

fend

fend /fend/ verb → fend for yourself → fend somebody/something off → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus fend • When your skin was young, it could fend for itself. • The raven was determined to fend off any potential threat and maintain its fiefdom of Edge Wood. • The new system was credited for fending off damage from major floods in 1996. • Nothing that we see in the park can quite fend off mythology. • That is why he manoeuvred frantically, and brilliantly, to fend off the challenge to his party leadership last month. Origin fend (1200-1300) defend

pronouncement

formal an official public statement pronouncement on the pope's last pronouncement on birth control Examples from the Corpus pronouncement • Some professor who has no training at all looks at a manuscript for a few days and makes pronouncements? • For these prophetic pronouncements, exactly the same process of checking and testing is appropriate. • Market watchers meticulously noted his occasional technology pronouncements. • By law, Pope is allowed seven days from the pronouncement of the verdict and sentence to appeal. • After presenting me with a bag of tomatoes, she glanced at my mangled leg and made the pronouncement. • These pronouncements became, in time, self-fulfilling prophesies. • These pronouncements were not necessarily written down and so they might be carried off into oblivion by the winds of time. pronouncement on • the Pope's latest pronouncement on birth control byan resmi bildiri

in lieu of

formal instead of extra time off in lieu of payment → lieu Examples from the Corpus in lieu (of something) • A plate of hardboiled eggs sat in the center; in lieu of flowers. • Isiah Chestnut, has been discharged in lieu of a court-martial. • In some cases, a telephone interview will be held in lieu of a personal visit. • He is being held in lieu of $ 1 million bail. • She was being held in lieu of $40,000 bail. • James was held in lieu of $ 100,000 bail. • If you didn't have your fortnightly visit you were allowed a letter in lieu or sometimes a phone call. • When I go on trips, I consider sending her menus in lieu of postcards. • In some instances an interview with a nutritionist will be desirable in addition to or in lieu of laboratory studies.

be consonant with something

formal to match or exist well with something else This policy is scarcely consonant with the government's declared aims. → consonant Examples from the Corpus be consonant with something • Here there is no contradiction, because the bass is consonant with all the upper notes. • Others, then, will have to judge whether my views expressed here are consonant with that tradition. • On the face of it, this approach is consonant with the requirements of the Act. • The way the storyteller handles Moses' power-sharing in that chapter is consonant with the rest. • Certainly they were consonant with the views expressed by a great many Bostonians during the days after the State Report came out. • The views of the black leadership are consonant with those of black Americans.

whereupon

formal used when something happens immediately after something else, or as a result of something happening She refused to hand over her money, whereupon there was a fight. Examples from the Corpus whereupon • The rioters headed downtown, whereupon they attacked city hall.

cyclone fence

he definition of a cyclone fence is a heavy-duty, high chain-link fence. An example of a cyclone fence is the type of metal fence around a jail that is very tall and topped with barbed wire.

keepsake

keep‧sake /ˈkiːpseɪk/ noun [countable] a small object that you keep to remind you of someone SYN memento Examples from the Corpus keepsake • Mrs Noble gave Helen, as a keepsake, Edward's last letter to her father. • Just a keepsake to remember us by. • Inaugural Committee organizers, who mailed the invitations in December, said they were meant as keepsakes. • After all, almost everyone who completes the race gets a free, three-day keepsake. • Or else it might be that Hilbert had left Adam some small memento or keepsake ... Adam was lying late in bed. • It was rare for corpses to be committed to the grave wearing day-clothes, items of personal jewellery or any other keepsake. • District councillor Richard Groves presented a photographic keepsake to commercial manager Mel Hunt. • Some of the pictures certainly qualify as priceless keepsakes. Origin keepsake (1700-1800) Because you "keep" it for the "sake" of (that is, to be reminded of) the person who gave it to you

sleeveless

kolsuz

mildewy

küflü

knickers

kısa pantolon, kadın paçalı donu

heave

heave1 /hiːv/ ●○○ verb 1 PULL/LIFT [intransitive, transitive] to pull or lift something very heavy with one great effort heave somebody/something out of/into/onto etc something Alan heaved his suitcase onto his bed. Mary heaved herself out of bed. heave on/at British English We had to heave on the rope holding the anchor to get it on board. ► see thesaurus at pull 2 THROW [transitive] to throw something heavy using a lot of effort John heaved the metal bar over the fence. ► see thesaurus at throw 3 → heave a sigh 4 MOVE UP AND DOWN [intransitive] to move up and down with very strong movements Michael's shoulders heaved with silent laughter. The sea heaved up and down beneath the boat. 5 VOMIT [intransitive] informal to vomit 6 → heave in sight/into view → heaving → heave to → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus heave • Everyone pull together now. Are you ready? Heave! • I think I'm gonna heave. • She looked out of the now sparkling window and heaved a deep sigh. • I heave an armchair into the kitchen, lay out some light reading, and prepare a flask of coffee. • She turned her back again, her shoulders heaving, her eyes blind with tears. • He watched Joe heave his bulk out of the chair. • Joe heaved it over the fence into the alley. • Rod bent down and heaved the sack onto his shoulder. • Finally they heaved the trussed piglet into a waiting truck. • They pulled and heaved under the prodding and loud yelling of the teamster who tried to coordinate them. • Suddenly the ground heaved under their feet. • My chest was heaving with the effort.

invariably

if something invariably happens or is invariably true, it always happens or is true It invariably rains when I go there. The security guards were invariably ex-servicemen.

hurtle

if something, especially something big or heavy, hurtles somewhere, it moves or falls very fast All of a sudden, a car came hurtling round the corner. → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus hurtle • They drove through the brightly lit city streets of Tsimshatsui, and it was like hurtling back to earth through the atmosphere. • Within seconds of hurtling down the runway the great plane was airborne. • This gave me a great sense of freedom - and, just occasionally, I did hurtle down the street at night! • It accelerated like one of those old twentieth century water-speed record breakers and hurtled over the water! • A few moments later the ferry hurtles past. • Still calling to Williams for a more precise location, Adams hurtled through Pine Ridge village at high speed.

have something up your sleeve

informal to have a secret plan or idea that you are going to use later Don't worry. He still has a few tricks up his sleeve.

inexorable

in‧ex‧o‧ra‧ble /ɪnˈeksərəbəl/ adjective formal an inexorable process cannot be stopped SYN unstoppable the inexorable decline of Britain's manufacturing industry the seemingly inexorable rise in crime —inexorably adverb —inexorability /ɪnˌeksərəˈbɪləti/ noun [uncountable] Examples from the Corpus inexorable • His jealousy sets him on an inexorable course towards murder. • the inexorable decline in Britain's manufacturing industry • the inexorable progress of rain forest destruction Origin inexorable (1500-1600) Latin inexorabilis, from exorare "to persuade"

jumble

jum‧ble1 /ˈdʒʌmbəl/ noun 1 [singular] a lot of different things mixed together in an untidy way, without any order jumble of a jumble of old toys Inside, she was a jumble of emotions. 2 [uncountable] British English things to be sold at a jumble sale SYN rummage American English Examples from the Corpus jumble • Day to day, a jumble of hopes and fears pour upon us. • Elsewhere, there are puppets, a jumble of toys, a vast doll collection and excellent temporary exhibitions. • The town, a jumble of Jekyll-and-Hyde contradictions, did not impress him. • Any good clean jumble or bric-a-brac will be appreciated. • Here, their interplay is again easy and amusing, but the movie around them is a cliched jumble. • It's worried that the resulting jumble of colours and designs would create an eyesore. jumble of • The business district is a crowded jumble of shops and restaurants. jumble2 (also jumble up) verb [transitive] to mix things together in an untidy way, without any order The photographs were all jumbled up. Ben's words became jumbled. Grammar Jumble is usually passive. ► see thesaurus at mix → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus jumble • The thoughts jumbling and whirling in her head, she came to the conclusion that the details didn't really matter. • Jewelry, belts and scarves were jumbled in the bottom drawer. • Shop houses and ancestral halls were jumbled side by side with whitewashed cottages and churches. • The difficulty arises when facts and opinions are jumbled together in the same article or programme. • They jumble together shampoos, toys, chocolate, clothes, electronic goods and hair slides. Origin jumble2 (1500-1600) Perhaps copying the action

barn

lated topics: Agriculture, Buildings, Household barn /bɑːn $ bɑːrn/ noun [countable] 1 Image of barna large farm building for storing crops, or for keeping animals in 2 informal a large plain building a huge barn of a house Examples from the Corpus barn • He's got a big loft empty in one of his barns. • Also houses, barns and trucks. • Chuck Moxon and his partner took the suspect barn. • I chased him with the pitchfork and he ran in the barn

noteworthy

note‧wor‧thy /ˈnəʊtˌwɜːði $ ˈnoʊtˌwɜːr-/ adjective important or interesting enough to deserve your attention a noteworthy achievement ► see thesaurus at important Examples from the Corpus noteworthy • Differences in mortuary remains between Sumer and the Indus Valley civilization are noteworthy. • Which brings us to one noteworthy distinction between religions that flourish and those that fail. • What is noteworthy is that these standards have been almost universally embraced by leaders in math education across the United States.

ubiquitous

present or existing everywhere seeming to be everywhere - sometimes used humorously Coffee shops are ubiquitous these days. a French film, starring the ubiquitous Gérard Depardieu ► see thesaurus at common —ubiquitously adverb —ubiquity noun [uncountable] Examples from the Corpus ubiquitous • Energy-and water-saving technologies are ubiquitous. • We hazard a guess that they're lurking in a shoebox or, worse still, the ubiquitous carrier bag! • At the shopping center, the ubiquitous closed-circuit camera may soon be smart enough to seek him out personally. • The most ubiquitous evidence was the piles of fly-tipped rubbish whenever we stopped to look for birds or flowers. • Envy, the thesis runs, is universal and ubiquitous in human beings.

prop

prop1 /prɒp $ prɑːp/ verb (propped, propping) [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to support something by leaning it against something, or by putting something else under, next to, or behind it prop something against/on something He propped his bike against a tree. Can we prop the window open with something? → prop something ↔ up → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus prop • An old guitar lay propped against a wall. • As soon as the infant Arthur was old enough to be propped against the proscenium arch, he was included in the turn. • Nurse Bells had propped him upright and he looked alert and interested. • He propped his bicycle against the fence and ran inside. • Anushkia Smyslov had bandaged Alex Bannen's head, and the physicist was propped in a sitting position against a workstation. • She remembered him propped up by the nurses, waving his little hands about. • The President was propped up in bed.

rectify

rec‧ti‧fy /ˈrektɪfaɪ/ ●○○ verb (rectified, rectifying, rectifies) [transitive] formal to correct something that is wrong SYN put right I did my best to rectify the situation, but the damage was already done. —rectification /ˌrektɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/ noun [countable, uncountable] → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus rectify • Variances may often reveal weaknesses in control systems which should be rectified. • This must be rectified because a higher phosphorus level will interfere with calcium absorption in the horse's gut creating further problems. • A number of steps have been taken to rectify the error. • Regional unemployment and regional recession are an economic loss to the whole nation and they will not rectify themselves on their own. • Mercifully, circumstances now allow me to rectify this faux pas. • Attempts have been made to rectify this problem with the industrial sector. • Any defects found have to be rectified without delay. From Longman Business Dictionary rec‧ti‧fy /ˈrektɪfaɪ/ verb (past tense and past participle rectified) [transitive] formal to correct something that is wrong We apologise for the delay and are doing everything we can to rectify the situation. → See Verb table Origin rectify (1300-1400) French rectifier, from Medieval Latin rectificare, from Latin rectus "right, straight"

scold

scold /skəʊld $ skoʊld/ verb [transitive] to angrily criticize someone, especially a child, about something they have done SYN tell off Do not scold the puppy, but simply and firmly say 'no'. scold somebody for (doing) something Her father scolded her for upsetting her mother. —scolding noun [countable, uncountable] I got a scolding from my teacher. Register In everyday English, people usually say tell someone off rather than scold someone: She told us off for making a mess. → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus scold • Her voice was stern, just short of scolding. • I dreaded the thought of going home and being scolded by my father. • Our parents were strict and we were frequently scolded for our bad behaviour. • He hated everything that was happening at first, scolded her, as if it were her fault. • Don't scold him for doing badly at school, he's doing his best. • He scolds me for leaving the flat. • I scolded myself for repeatedly thinking of them. • But the first lady of this portrait can also be a scold, stand-offish and sanctimonious. • The adverts scold us and cajole us and wheedle us and fawn us to keep up with the Joneses. scold somebody for (doing) something • She scolded another student for being a tattletale. • If he were to speak, I know it would be to scold me for crying like I am. • It would have to be the chapel, Isabel decided, scolding herself for her cowardly hesitation. • She remembered that Aycliffe had brought up the matter of clothes, that Benedict himself had scolded her for her nip-cheese ways. • He scolds me for leaving the flat. • I scolded myself for repeatedly thinking of them. • The committee scolded obesity researchers for the short-sightedness of many of their studies. • When the cook returns Stubb scolds him for the way the meat is cooked. Origin scold (1200-1300) Probably from a Scandinavian language

scurry

scur‧ry /ˈskʌri $ ˈskɜːri/ verb (scurried, scurrying, scurries) [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to move quickly with short steps, especially because you are in a hurry People were scurrying off to work. —scurry noun [singular] → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus scurry • At the Bibelot book shop, I scurry about from aisle to aisle. • His aides scurried about, murmuring to each other in Russian. • The witches were ushered to the area in front of the thrones, and then Millie scurried away. • Knots of people scurried in the snowy rain. • They hear a scurrying in the tree above their heads. • He was imagining them as they scurried to and fro like rats, like rabbits, when farmers burnt the stubble off their fields. • It is recognition of this reality that has set the nations of the world scurrying to respond. Origin scurry (1800-1900) hurry-scurry ((18-20 centuries)), from hurry

shy (v)

shy2 verb (shied, shying, shies) [intransitive] if a horse shies, it makes a sudden movement away from something because it is frightened The horse shied, throwing Darrel from his saddle. → shy away from something → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus shy • There are some horses who are really just avoiding working by shying at everything. • Being asked to go on a committee may be something we tend to shy away from at first. • Agencies without a clear-cut wartime role will shy away from conflicts. • This does not mean that we shall shy away from tackling difficult subjects that may cause offence. • Yet science has consistently shied away from the task. • These memories are still quite fresh, and Clevelanders do not shy away from them.

sleeve

sleeve From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English Related topics: Clothes & fashion sleeve /sliːv/ ●●○ noun [countable] 1 the part of a piece of clothing that covers all or part of your arm a dress with long sleeves long-sleeved/short-sleeved etc a short-sleeved shirt 2 → have something up your sleeve 3 a stiff paper cover that a record is stored in SYN jacket Examples from the Corpus sleeve • Very suitable - high neck and nice long sleeves. • She lowered the sleeves, down, down, until they reached her wrists. • On completion, the top of the sleeve was not 44 centimetres. • But it is an astutely packaged and worthwhile collection none the less, with translations from the Zulu on the sleeve. • He had a grey walrus moustache and was wearing a collarless shirt with the sleeves rolled up. • Thick, dark hair curled around his face and his rolled-up sleeves revealed strong, well-muscled arms. Origin sleeve Old English sliefe

pinafore

sleeveless, apron-like garment

damp

slightly wet, often in a way that is unpleasant, nemli

swap

swap1 (also swop British English) /swɒp $ swɑːp/ ●●○ S3 verb (swapped, swapping) 1 [intransitive, transitive] to give something to someone and get something in return SYN exchange Do you want to swap umbrellas? swap something for something He swapped his watch for a box of cigars. swap something with somebody The girls chatted and swapped clothes with each other. 2 [transitive] to tell information to someone and be given information in return SYN exchange We need to get together to swap ideas and information. They sat in a corner and swapped gossip. 3 (also swap over) [intransitive, transitive] to do the thing that someone else has been doing, and let them do the thing that you have been doing SYN change They decided to swap roles for the day. You start on the windows and I'll do the walls, then we can swap over after an hour or so. swap something with somebody She ended up swapping jobs with her secretary. 4 [transitive] to stop using or get rid of one thing and put or get another thing in its place The driver announced that we would have to swap buses. swap something for something She had swapped her long skirts for jeans and T-shirts. He swapped his London home for a cottage in Scotland. 5 [transitive] (also swap something around) to move one thing and put another in its place Someone had gone into the nursery and swapped all the babies around. swap something with something Why don't we swap the TV with the bookcase? 6 → swap places → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus swap • Jacky had the book I wanted, but wasn't willing to swap. • Then the cards were swapped around and everyone started again. • The reduction in scrolling and window swapping has made the whole computer feel better and more relaxing to use. • I'm trying to sell my bike, or swap it for a slightly bigger one. • Taylor offered to swap jobs with me. • There's no point swapping one 24-hour a day, seven days a week job for another. • You have to collect old papers and find the special places where they swap them in return for new toilet paper. swap something with somebody • I swapped hats with Mandy. swap2 (also swop British English) noun [countable] informal 1 [usually singular] a situation in which you give something to someone and get another thing in return SYN exchange a fair swap We can do a swap if you like. 2 a situation in which people each do the job that the other usually does Examples from the Corpus swap • If you are unable to sell your house, it is sometimes possible to arrange a swap. • Only child Adele wrote after reading about a local teenager who died waiting for a swap op. • The cost of a swap may also be varied. • a swap of arms for hostages • There are also likely to be provisions against losses on swap deals with local councils, which may be over £50million. do ... swap • If you can't work a particular shift, you can always do a swap with a colleague. From Longman Business Dictionary swap1 /swɒpswɑːp/ (also swop British English) verb (swapped, swapping) [transitive] to exchange one investment for another swap something for something Investors have doubled their money afterswapping thebonds for a package of cash and shares. Employees were allowed to swap old, effectively worthlessstock for new options. → See Verb table swap2 (also swop British English) noun [countable] an exchange of one investment for another The tax-free stock swap was valued at almost $880 million. The Accounting Standards Board has launched a project to valuedebt-for-equity swaps more accurately. → currency swap → debt swap → interest rate swap Origin swap1 (1500-1600) swap "to hit" ((14-19 centuries)), from the sound; from the practice of striking the hands together when agreeing a business deal

tenement

ten‧e‧ment /ˈtenəmənt/ noun [countable] a large building divided into apartments, especially in the poorer areas of a city tenement building/house/block Examples from the Corpus tenement • She lived in a red-brick tenement in Chelsea, an old walk-up building with gloomy stairwells and peeling paint on the walls. • One result was a considerable amount of low-cost tenement building by philanthropic associations in the cities from the early 1880s. • In her tenement there lived a rich man. • The home was not for most a country house or a cottage, but a town villa or tenement. • The houses in the suburbs have wonderful amenities, unlike the overcrowded tenements of places like Hoboken. • Old powdery tenements fell to the ground. • These tenements are barely fit to live among, never mind to starve in, for want of the extra rent. • I still officially resided in four tiny rooms on the first floor of a West Village tenement. tenement building/house/block • Although different, I wanted to capture something of the sensation of being high up in a tenement block overlooking London. • One result was a considerable amount of low-cost tenement building by philanthropic associations in the cities from the early 1880s. • Flashback to 30 March 1968: two kids playing in a deserted tenement block discover a corpse. • On the left is the first tenement block to be built in Prague in 1813-47 and designed by J. Hausknecht. • It was on the top floor of one of those grim tenement blocks. • She lived in a big old tenement block. • He found himself walking slowly through narrow and murky slum streets flanked by tall tenement houses. • An urchin showed her which tenement house was his. From Longman Business Dictionary ten‧e‧ment /ˈtenəmənt/ noun 1[uncountable] REAL PROPERTY (=land and buildings) belonging to one owner 2[countable] a house 3[countable] a large building divided into apartments, especially in a poor area of a city He was owner and manager of a tenement in the Bronx. Origin tenement (1300-1400) Old French "tenure", from Medieval Latin tenementum, from Latin tenere; → TENOR

shy away from smt

to avoid doing or dealing with something because you are not confident enough or you are worried or nervous about it They criticized the leadership, but shied away from a direct challenge. → shy→ See Verb table Examples from the Corpus shy away from • Checks around the state in recent months have confirmed that many prominent Democrats are shying away from a run against Quackenbush. • The wise politician tries to deliver what really grabs voters and shies away from complicated, long-range concepts that alarm and confuse. • Agencies without a clear-cut wartime role will shy away from conflicts. • Politicians shy away from hints that they may be complacent. • Kritzer, however, said most of the mainstream media are shying away from it. • Yet science has consistently shied away from the task. • These memories are still quite fresh, and Clevelanders do not shy away from them.

be perched on/above etc something

to be in a position on top of something or on the edge of something a house perched on a cliff above the town → perch Examples from the Corpus be perched on/above etc something • By the end of the show, the contestants are perched on piles of pillows of varying heights. • He was perched on top of a huge cage, looking at the visitors. • He went straight into the bedroom, to the wall where the painted Asiatic doll was perched on the sideboard. • It was perched on a small promontory to the east of the town, overlooking the bay. • Rows of large silent birds are perched on the mountain ledges - vultures. • Steph and Joe are perched on their seats, leaning forward, alternately yelling plays and screaming at the officials. • The old medieval part is perched on a hilltop, the modern quarters, below. • Their house was perched on the brink of a canyon.

fade out

to disappear slowly or become quieter, or to make a picture or sound do this fade something ↔ out He slid a control to fade out the music.

fend for yourself

to look after yourself without needing help from other people The kids had to fend for themselves while their parents were away. → fend Examples from the Corpus fend for yourself • We were left to fend for ourselves. • Young Basque men emigrated because no patrimony could by custom be divided, leaving younger sons to fend for themselves. • The mother died before the cubs were old enough to fend for themselves. • Small amounts of food must be left for the birds until they learn to fend for themselves. • The captain radioed for assistance, but the convoy sped away, leaving the Vanzetti to fend for herself. • Children are left to fend for themselves and often get in trouble in the process. • Thereafter they fend for themselves and she is quickly into preparation for her next litter. • Dad always wanted me to be able to fend for myself from a very early age. • The children were left to fend for themselves on the streets. • Young birds are left to fend for themselves soon after they hatch. • So Snow White must fend for herself when she is abandoned by the hunter in the forest. • Now it must fend for itself, without parental care.

uncork

to open a bottle by removing its cork

howle down

to prevent someone or something from being heard by shouting loudly and angrily SYN shout down

perch (yourself) on something

to sit on top of something or on the edge of something Bobby had perched himself on a tall wooden stool. ► see thesaurus at sit → perch Examples from the Corpus perch (yourself) on something • Thrush-sized, it perched on a bank. • Manningham perched on a black leather stool by a well-stocked bar with a large mirror behind it. • Her doorman was perched on a folding chair, his attention largely given over to a supermarket tabloid. • It was perched on a small promontory to the east of the town, overlooking the bay. • He had perched himself on a tall wooden stool. • Léonie perched on the cold wet edge of the white bath and leaned forwards. • He went straight into the bedroom, to the wall where the painted Asiatic doll was perched on the sideboard. • He was perched on top of a huge cage, looking at the visitors. • Waterlogged, he perched on top of the cabin and soon gurgled his song

swelter

to suffer from or to be overcome by great heatbunalmak terlemek sıcak basmak

tug

tug1 /tʌɡ/ ●●○ verb (tugged, tugging) 1 [intransitive, transitive] to pull with one or more short, quick pulls The woman gently tugged his arm. tug at/on something Joe was tugging at her sleeve. ► see thesaurus at pull 2 [transitive always + adverb/preposition] British English to pull a piece of clothing quickly onto your body tug something on Alice was tugging on a sweater. 3 → tug at somebody's heart/heartstrings → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus tug • But he had worked one hand loose and he made a leap as Jack tugged. • You have to tug a little to break the seal, and then the door opens. • Then, just when it seemed to have settled, it made a sharp sideways movement, tugging against the halter. • She tugged at her skirt and adjusted her waistband. • "Come on, " Alice said, tugging at his hand. • We tugged at the door but it still wouldn't open. • The little girl was tugging her mother's sleeve, trying to get her attention. • As if reading his mind Maggie tugged him across in front of her so that he could comfort his wife. • She tugged it off the body. • As they tugged it straight the wind bellied it out, taut as a sail. • Marine biologists used to study life in the ocean deeps by tugging nets behind boats and examining what they dragged up. Related topics: Water tug2 noun [countable] 1 (also tug boat) a small strong boat used for pulling or guiding ships into a port, up a river etc 2 [usually singular] a sudden strong pull She removed the bandage with a sharp tug. 3 [usually singular] a strong and sudden feeling tug of Kate felt a tug of jealousy. Examples from the Corpus tug • I felt a tug when the skids hit treetops. • Tony gave Simon's T-shirt a tug, and they both left the room. • A tug at his trouser leg awakened him from his reverie. • A tug hooting from the river. • At Blisworth on the Grand Union Canal tugs were used from 1870 to 1936. • If you were in the crowd, you couldn't fail to feel an emotional tug. • I seized the door handle and gave it a good tug. • The ropes still held, but one good tug would part them like silk. • The crew abandoned the tug, forcing the Coast Guard to send a swimmer out in high seas to rescue them. • After so much delay, it never took more than one or two tugs.

crane

turna gibi uzanmak

standout

used about a person or thing in a group that is much better than all the rest the standout track on the album —standout noun [singular] He was the standout in last Saturday's game. Examples from the Corpus standout • But analysts were skeptical of the shifting calendar explanation, especially with the standout performance of some industry giants. • The standout title track features Cassandra Wilson plus soprano commentary by Greg Osby.

wander off

uzaklaşmak

creep

verb (past tense and past participle crept /krept/) [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] 1 to move in a quiet, careful way, especially to avoid attracting attention creep into/over/around etc Johann would creep into the gallery to listen to the singers. He crept back up the stairs, trying to avoid the ones that creaked. ► see thesaurus at walk 2 if something such as an insect, small animal, or car creeps, it moves slowly and quietly → crawl creep down/along/away etc a caterpillar creeping down my arm 3 to gradually enter something and change it creep in/into/over etc Funny how religion is creeping into the environmental debate. 4 if a plant creeps, it grows or climbs up or along a particular place creep up/over/around etc ivy creeping up the walls of the building 5 if mist, clouds etc creep, they gradually fill or cover a place creep into/over etc Fog was creeping into the valley.

vice

vice /vaɪs/ noun 1 [uncountable] criminal activities that involve sex or drugs the fight against vice on the streets The police have smashed a vice ring (=a group of criminals involved in vice) in Chicago. 2 [countable] a bad habit Smoking is my only vice. 3 [countable, uncountable] a bad or immoral quality in a person, or bad or immoral behaviour OPP virtue Jealousy is a vice. to reward virtue and punish vice 4 → vise → vice-like Examples from the Corpus vice • However, drug-taking is a vice, not a crime. • The question remains in both legends equally, nevertheless, as to where virtue ends and vice begins in such pious adventures. • Smoking is one of his few vices. • In spite of his variety of vices, he refuses to let anything age him. • Clive thought she might be a rare type of pervert who gets off on vociferously condemning all the vices she actually practises. vice- /vaɪs/ prefix → vice-president/chairman etc Origin vice (1200-1300) Old French Latin vitium "fault, vice"

wash over

wash over somebody phrasal verb 1 if a feeling washes over you, you suddenly feel it very strongly A feeling of relief washed over her. 2 if you let something wash over you, you do not pay close attention to it She was content to let the conversation wash over her. → wash→ See Verb table Examples from the Corpus wash over • Love washed over him with the force of a tidal wave. • A sense of pre-memory washed over him. • She heard the indrawn breath hiss sharply through his teeth, and felt the wave of emotion that washed over him. • Waves of relief washed over him. • My heart races with excitement, pure joy washes over me. • Pa began taking our family wash over to Hambledown every Saturday evening in pillowcases. • Even the tracks that wash over you the first time around act as aural traps on second and third listens. • Even while the banal dialogue washes over you, the kicks and jumps remain spectacular.

apron

önlük