set5

a faint hope/possibility/chance etc

a very small or slight hope etc a faint hope that they might be alive → faint Examples from the Corpus a faint hope/possibility/chance etc • I thought about letting it ring, but there was a faint hope that it might be Sally. • There remained a faint possibility that Newley would try to identify the person who collected the money. • If it can startle the predator in some way, there is a faint chance that the enemy may panic and flee. • That uncertainty urges us to look beyond the present, with a faint hope to control our future.

be going begging

British English spoken if something is going begging, it is available for anyone who wants it There's a beer going begging, if anyone's interested.

no‧lo con‧ten‧de‧re

a plea (=statement) in which the person accused of a crime says that they will not make a defenceThe majority of those convicted had entered pleas of nolo contendere.

a snatch of conversation/music/song etc

a short part of a conversation, song etc that you hear I could hear snatches of the conversation from across the room.

gamey

tastes like wild meat

intersperse

to scatter here and there serpmek serpiştirmek

epistolary

(adj.) relating to or contained in letters (Some people call me "Auntie's boy," because my aunt and I have such a close epistolary relationship that we write each other every day.)

condor

(n) a large black and white bird that lives in South America and eats dead animals

contend

(v.) to fight, struggle; to compete; to argue 1 [intransitive] to compete against someone in order to gain something contend for Three armed groups are contending for power. Inevitably, fights break out between the members of contending groups. 2 [transitive] to argue or state that something is true SYN insist contend (that) Some astronomers contend that the universe may be younger than previously thought. → contend with something → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus contend • But they have to do more than contend. • These ten programs contend for a limited number of real and symbolic resources. • The government contended that most of the refugees were fleeing poverty, not persecution. • Proponents for moving Lindbergh to Miramar contend that the 24,000-acre Naval base contains a much better safety zone. • They contend that the commissioner is required by law to enforce the anti-redlining regulation, regardless of personal preference. • First Bank officials, however, contend they will find other means to bolster earnings and maintain their projections. • I know the charms of my rival are too powerful for me to contend with. contend for • Ten teams are contending for the title. contend (that) • Both men knew the claim was false, the historian contends. • Critics contend it motivates doctors to ration care. • His defence counsel contended that a suspended sentence would enable Chemouil to pay compensation to the victim. • They would not even contend that Dole maintained the lead he has enjoyed in the Granite State for months. • BCohen contends that the 7-foot former basketball star slammed him against a store window and on to the ground. • Five months later, the Maharashtra government suspended work, contending the project was too expensive. • As well as grappling with the weakness of output, policymakers are contending with another emerging markets crisis. Origin contend (1400-1500) Old French contendre, from Latin contendere, from com- ( → COM-) + tendere "to stretch"

beg

1 ASK [intransitive, transitive] to ask for something in an anxious or urgent way, because you want it very much She begged and pleaded with them until they finally agreed. She fought back the sudden urge to run to him and beg his forgiveness. beg to do something The children begged to come with us. beg somebody to do something I begged Helen to stay, but she wouldn't listen. beg (somebody) for something She ran to the nearest house and begged for help. We could hear the prisoners begging for mercy. I beg of you formal (=please) Listen, I beg of you. beg leave to do something formal (=ask permission to do something) ► see thesaurus at ask 2 MONEY/FOOD [intransitive, transitive] to ask people to give you food, money etc, usually because you are very poor beg (something) from somebody a ragged child begging from passing shoppers beg for The old man went from door to door begging for food. a begging letter (=a letter asking for money) 3 ANIMAL [intransitive] if a dog begs, it sits up with its front legs off the ground 4 → I beg your pardon 5 → I beg to differ 6 → beg the question 7 → be going begging 8 → beg, borrow, or steal → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus beg • All right, all right, I'll come! Just stop begging. • Things got so bad that at one point she thought she'd have to go out and beg. • Benji, stop begging. • He begged for a letter by return. • He might as well have gotten down on his hands and knees and begged for it. • The prisoner was in so much pain all he could do was scream and beg for mercy. • Just a few years ago, Tanya was homeless and begging for money in front of the supermarket. • Sad looking men of all ages beg from tourists at the corner of the square. • It's the same old story - one night he beats her up, and the next day he begs her for forgiveness. • We all begged him not to drive in the storm, but he wouldn't listen to us.

stick

1 ATTACH [intransitive, transitive] to attach something to something else using a substance, or to become attached to a surface stick something on/to/in etc something Someone had stuck posters all over the walls. stick to/together I could feel my shirt sticking to my back. The oil keeps the pasta from sticking together. This stamp won't stick properly. 2 PUSH IN [intransitive, transitive always + adverb/preposition] if a pointed object sticks into something, or if you stick it there, it is pushed into it stick (something) in/into/through something pins stuck in a notice board The boy stuck his finger up his nose. 3 PUT [transitive always + adverb/preposition] informal to put something somewhere quickly and without much care SYN bung Just stick it in the microwave for a few minutes. The cards had been stuck through the letterbox. ► see thesaurus at put 4 MOVE PART OF BODY [transitive always + adverb/preposition] if you stick a part of your body somewhere, you put it in a position where other people can see it SYN put Clara stuck her head around the door to see who was there. The baby stuck his legs in the air. Don't stick your tongue out. It's rude! 5 DIFFICULT TO MOVE [intransitive] if something sticks, it becomes fixed in one position and is difficult to move This door keeps sticking. The wheels stuck fast (=stuck completely) in the mud. 6 → stick in somebody's mind 7 → make something stick 8 NAME [intransitive] if a name that someone has invented sticks, people continue using it One newspaper dubbed him 'Eddie the Eagle', and the name stuck. 9 → somebody can stick something 10 STAY IN BAD SITUATION [transitive] British English spoken to continue to accept a situation or person, even though you do not like them SYN stand I can't stick mum's new boyfriend. can't stick doing something Gerry can't stick working for Featherstone's any longer. I don't know how you stick it. She pressed down the flap of the envelope, but it didn't stick. • This cupboard door keeps sticking. • Clark called him "Mule, " because he looked like a pack mule, and the name stuck. • I'm sticking. • Put some butter on the pan so the cookies don't stick. • The doctor had to stick a tube down my throat in order to examine my stomach. • It took hours to stick all these photos in my album. • They announced that they wanted to talk to everyone, and they asked everyone to stick around for a while. • And marriage developed everywhere to encourage men to stick around their children. • She stuck her chewing gum on the bottom of the chair. • I guess Waldo must have been the codename for CorelDRAW 2 during development and it got stuck in the code.

vulture

1 Image of vulturea large bird that eats dead animals 2 someone who uses other people's problems and suffering for their own advantage - used to show disapproval He hadn't been dead five minutes before those vultures from the media were after his widow. Examples from the Corpus vulture • Mack Stroupe is circling like a vulture, even as we speak. • Strangely, the sun also shone, though it turned a dusty red, blotted out by the dark wings of vultures. • As the vultures vie for space, the ravens cling to the edges. • The decline of the vulture is due to the success of livestock farming and loss of habitat. Origin vulture (1300-1400) Latin vultur

belt (v)

1 HIT [transitive] informal to hit someone or something hard Dan belted the ball towards the goal. 2 GO QUICKLY [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] British English spoken to go somewhere very fast SYN charge belt down/along etc We were belting down the motorway at 95 miles per hour. 3 FASTEN [transitive] to fasten something with a belt Maria belted her raincoat firmly. a dress belted loosely at the waist → belt something ↔ out → belt up → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus belt • It is happy pottering through Sloane Square or belting around Silverstone. • Maggie just turned around and belted him. belt down/along etc • Picture the belt down across his chest with the sun glinting on the bullets that filled most of the loops. • Rain was belting down, drumming like bullets through the gutters. Origin belt1 Old English

mug

1 Image of muga tall cup used for drinking tea, coffee etc a coffee mug 2 a large glass with a handle, used especially for drinking beer a beer mug 3 → mug/mugful of something 4 British English spoken informal someone who is stupid and easy to deceive Only a mug would pay that much for a meal. 5 → be a mug's game 6 spoken informal a face Something scared him. Probably your ugly mug! Examples from the Corpus mug • She rummaged around and found a teapot and a mug. • Don't be a mug! That picture's not worth as much as that! • If you need a drink, dip a mug over the side - the water is disease-free. • I made Joanna respectable by putting up my anchor lantern, made myself a mug of cocoa, and turned in. • a mug of cocoa • She had half drained her mug when she said, ` Ah, that's better! • He's asked me to work over the weekend again - he must think I'm some kind of mug. • There were good things at school too, cooked dinners every day and milk if you took your own mug. • In another bag she had a kettle and six mugs. • Constable Jamieson came in with a steaming mug of tea and put it on the desk in front of him. • Claudia dived into her pocket, dropped the sleeping pills into the mug, stirred swiftly and rapidly switched the mugs round.

incredibly

1 [+adj/adverb] informal extremely Nicotine is incredibly addictive. 2 [sentence adverb] in a way that is hard to believe The knife had pierced his heart, but incredibly he was still alive. Examples from the Corpus incredibly • Raising money for the homeless has been incredibly difficult. • And how incredibly generous this man was; he seeded friendships that still write the history of the West. • The braggart turns every question into an answer that makes himself or herself look incredibly good. • In spite of her enormous popularity and the huge attraction she held for men throughout her life she remained incredibly insecure. • My friend thought that Hedges was an incredibly nice guy. • The waterways are incredibly peaceful with a wealth of wildlife and some incredibly beautiful scenery. • Incredibly, six men ran the 100-meter final in less than 10 seconds. • Her business became incredibly successful-by any measure except one. • Feeling drugged and quite incredibly wanton, she moved her fingers to his jaw. • He was so obviously intelligent; so charmingly articulate; so incredibly well read.

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.

frontier

1 [countable] especially British English the border of a country frontier between/with Lille is close to the frontier between France and Belgium. on/at the frontier Troops established a road block on the frontier. frontier town/area/post etc (=a town etc on a frontier) ► see thesaurus at border 2 → the frontier 3 → the frontiers of knowledge/physics etc Examples from the Corpus frontier • He was questioned by soldiers at a frontier post. • The dethronement of learning is one of the most exciting intellectual frontiers we are now crossing. • The study of the brain is often described as the next intellectual frontier. • They settled in Ronco, a picturesque village near the Italian frontier. • It marked a return to the general store of frontier days. • Many of the cars crossing the frontier were stopped and searched. • The geographical position of the frontier fluctuated with the fortunes of war. • Every diplomatic effort was made to get him and his army to retire back over the frontier, but without success. • Powell, like the mountain men, was compulsively drawn to the frontier. • All of this transcended the frontiers of control and undermined the employers' ability to manage. frontier between/with • There were indeed frontiers between the classes, but these were constantly shifting. • They take us across the frontiers between the material and the mystical. • Other writers undermine conventional notion of reality by blurring the frontiers between the real and the imaginary. • Meanwhile the frontier between liberalism and socialism remained open, both ideologically and organizationally. • The guards on the frontiers between art history and art criticism shoot neither intruders nor escapers. • How far is it from Belfast to the nearest and furthest points on the frontier with Eire? • Will the ever faster spread of cultural influence remove the frontiers between civilizations that were once so firm in world history? Origin frontier (1300-1400) French frontière, from front; → FRONT1

lean

1 [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to move or bend your body in a particular direction lean forward/back/over etc They were leaning forward, facing each other. Lean back and enjoy the ride. She leant towards him and listened. 2 [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to support yourself in a sloping position against a wall or other surface lean against/on He was leaning on the bridge, watching the boats go by. 3 [intransitive, transitive always + adverb/preposition] to put something in a sloping position where it is supported, or to be in that position lean (something) against/on something A huge mirror was leaning against the wall. He leant his bicycle against the fence. 4 [intransitive] to slope or bend from an upright position trees leaning in the wind → lean on somebody → lean towards something → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus lean • I leant across to her and asked whether I should pay the Rao directly and if so how much. • First the old man dead on the beach, leaning against the railing. • Joe was leaning against the school wall, smoking a cigarette. • He opened the gate, walked up the drive, and stopped, staring at the bicycle leaning against the wall. • I leaned back on the pillows and closed my eyes.

smash (v)

1 [intransitive, transitive] to break into pieces violently or noisily, or to make something do this by dropping, throwing, or hitting it Vandals had smashed all the windows. Firemen had to smash the lock to get in. Several cups fell to the floor and smashed to pieces. ► see thesaurus at break 2 [intransitive, transitive always + adverb/preposition] to hit an object or surface violently, or to make something do this A stolen car smashed into the bus. He smashed his fist down on the table. 3 → smash a record 4 [transitive] to destroy something such as a political system or criminal organization Police say they have smashed a major crime ring. 5 [transitive] to hit a high ball with a strong downward action, in tennis or similar games → smash something ↔ down → smash something ↔ in → smash something ↔ up → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus smash • Firefighters smashed a bedroom window and rescued a two-year-old girl. • Police authorities say they have smashed a sophisticated insurance fraud ring. • The burglars entered the house by smashing a window. • The stock market rose so quickly it smashed all previous records. • Her camera was smashed by soldiers when she tried to take photographs. • She drove three kicks into his shins and smashed her handbag into the side of his head. • The vase fell and smashed into a million tiny pieces. • They used to smash it down, and it inevitably wound up spilling all over the car. • The violence apparently escalated as white and black youths turned over a bus and began smashing shop windows. • And they drank a toast and smashed the Dixie cups underfoot and turned out the light and went to lunch. • It smashed through the gates, tearing them off their hinges as though they were made of plastic. • No force of nature, nothing paradoxical or demonic, he had no drive for smashing through the masks of appearances. • The boat hit the rocks and was smashed to pieces by the waves. • The bottle rolled off the table and smashed to pieces on the floor. • I heard something smash. What broke?

contradict

1 [intransitive, transitive] to disagree with something, especially by saying that the opposite is true Deborah opened her mouth to contradict, but closed it again. Dad just can't bear to be contradicted. The article flatly contradicts their claims. 2 [transitive] if one statement, story etc contradicts another, the facts in it are different so that both statements cannot be true The witness statements contradict each other and the facts remain unclear. 3 → contradict yourself → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus contradict • Implied terms can thus supplement express rules, or introduce new rules, but can not directly contradict an existing rule. • The two newspaper reports totally contradict each other. • Recent experiments seem to contradict earlier results. • What he must do is to formulate an assertion which contradicts our own, and give us his instruction for testing it. • Also, much of the advice found in one book directly contradicts that found in another. • This would contradict the open-ended accessibility that is the hallmark of unit trusts. • Something was wrong; what I read contradicted the sight of these travelers. • It would hearten the many feminists who crowded the church that night without contradicting the teachings of the magisterium. • Smith gave an account that contradicted the woman's tearful testimony last week. • To create a more original effect well-known phrases and sayings can be contrasted with others which contradict them. • There is no evidence or testimony contradicting those statements. flatly contradicts • This information flatly contradicts North's statements. • Since the trauma of 1929, few people contest this need, although it flatly contradicts the tradition of economic liberalism. contradict each other • After all, the two clauses appear to contradict each other. • Villagers' stories contradict each other. Origin contradict (1500-1600) Latin past participle of contradicere, from contra- ( → CONTRA-) + dicere "to say"

rear (v)

1 [transitive] to look after a person or animal until they are fully grown SYN raise It's a good place to rear young children. The birds have been successfully reared in captivity. 2 [intransitive] (also rear up) if an animal rears, it rises up to stand on its back legs → buck The horse reared and threw me off. 3 [intransitive] (also rear up) if something rears up, it appears in front of you and often seems to be leaning over you in a threatening way A large rock, almost 200 feet high, reared up in front of them. 4 → be reared on something 5 → rear its ugly head → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus rear • cattle rearing • She's reared a large family. • They all reared and exploded inside her - touch, smell, taste. • Reports about the costs of rearing children are more than we can take in. • Women who dropped out temporarily to rear children found themselves professionally penalized for the rest of their lives. • Riven hung on to his mount's bridle grimly whilst it bucked and reared in a desperate effort to get away. • Hamsters reared in the laboratory can be made to have female-biased litters by keeping them hungry during adolescence or pregnancy. • Reclamation in 1987 stopped generating power during critical salmon spawning and rearing months. • The Worm turned and reared up at them, and there was something in its sightless head that they knew showed satisfaction. • If the quail have been reared with siblings, both sexes prefer to mate with first cousins. Origin rear1 (1500-1600) Probably from rear- (in words such as rearguard) rear2 Old English ræran

delight (n)

1 [uncountable] a feeling of great pleasure and satisfaction with/in delight The kids were screaming with delight. to somebody's delight/to the delight of somebody To the delight of his proud parents, he has made a full recovery. squeal/gasp/cry etc of delight She gave a little gasp of delight. ► see thesaurus at pleasure 2 [countable] something that makes you feel very happy or satisfied the delights of something a chance to sample the delights of nearby Vienna it is a delight to do something It was a delight to see him so fit and healthy. 3 → take delight in (doing) something COLLOCATIONS ADJECTIVES great delight It gave her great delight to tease him about his various girlfriends. sheer/pure delight (=very great) She opened the present and laughed with sheer delight. obvious/evident (=easy to see) Spencer was staring at the girl with obvious delight. VERBS take/find delight in something (=enjoy something a lot) He took delight in entertaining guests in his apartment. squeal/scream with delight Lucy suddenly saw the sea and screamed with delight. laugh with delight 'That's a brilliant idea'! she said, laughing with delight. greet something with delight His suggestion was greeted with delight. PHRASES a squeal/gasp/cry etc of delight The child gave a squeal of delight. a source of delight (=something that gives great pleasure) It's a beautiful park and a source of delight to most visitors. much to somebody's delight (also to somebody's great delight) (=used to say that something gave someone a lot of pleasure) The princess stopped to talk to people, much to the delight of the crowd. Examples from the Corpus delight • He is also a great friend of the Festival, and it will be a delight to have him with us again. • Like most other volumes in the Compass Guide series, the book is a delight to look at and read. • Horton takes great delight in learning. • All the build up of delight shrivelled and stripped Jay to lonely self-scourging. • Imagine our delight when we saw your article in the New Yorker. • Is it not a form of self desecration not to cultivate this primeval delight in flowers? • With stylish roman numerals, gold-plated case and soft leather strap, these elegant watches are a pure delight to wear.

shaker

1 a container with holes in the lid, used to shake salt, sugar etc onto food a salt shaker 2 (also cocktail shaker) a container in which drinks are mixed 3 → Shaker 4 a small container for shaking dice → movers and shakers Examples from the Corpus shaker • Through it all, Tatum maintained his posture of mover and shaker, champion of democracy, doer of good deeds. • The music is lively with drums and dried bean shakers. • The chief shaker was Father Vic. • Clocks, salt and pepper shakers and tea pots will delight as they are put in daily service. • The nest is agitated by the shaker for a predetermined time interval, usually 15-20 minutes. Shaker a member of a US religious group who lived together and had a simple way of life. Shaker furniture is made in the plain, simple, and attractive style that Shakers used to make things a Shaker chair → shaker Shaker adjective relating to a style of wooden furniture of the kind made by the Shakers, which is known for being simple and well-made, and has become fashionable an attractive set of Shaker chairs

onslaught

1 a large violent attack by an army onslaught on/against In December they launched a full-scale onslaught on the capital. 2 strong criticism of someone onslaught on/against his public onslaught on the Conservatives under the onslaught of something He praised his wife for her dignity under the onslaught of the tabloid press. 3 → the onslaught of something Examples from the Corpus onslaught • The purge soon spread to an onslaught against oppositionists within the party itself. • And would its spiritual aura survive the debasing onslaught of materialism? • The city was in ruins after a prolonged onslaught by enemy warplanes. • a massive propaganda onslaught • However, this great satirical onslaught on the Royal Family came to an abrupt end. • The extent of that secret onslaught needs to be put on the record. • So startled was he by this sudden onslaught, Ryker momentarily froze, rooted to the spot. • Hearing the onslaught of criticism, the state Department of Education is showing some signs of flexibility. • The legal question is how far the trust can be respected in the face of the onslaught of creditors. • It certainly wasn't the band's strongest single to date and yet, in the commercial world, their weakest onslaught. onslaught on/against • The purge soon spread to an onslaught against oppositionists within the party itself. • In 471 Euric launched his first onslaught against Clermont. • Not just one hand now but two were enforcing his onslaught on her senses. • A renewed onslaught against the mutuals seems likely, which could bring windfalls for millions of borrowers, savers and policyholders. • In 508 Theuderic continued his father's onslaught on the Gothic south, in tandem with the Burgundians. • However, this great satirical onslaught on the Royal Family came to an abrupt end. • Are we to assume then, that the similar onslaught on Peter Mandelson was purely for homophobic reasons? • The other is the onslaught on the mind by mass junk entertainment. under the onslaught of something • The system of sharing broke under the onslaught of Western individualism. • A couple of bullets split the heavy oaken door, before it shook under the onslaught of the enemy ram. Origin onslaught (1600-1700) Dutch aanslag "act of striking"; influenced by slaught "slaughter" ((13-17 centuries))

sore

1 a part of your body that is sore is painful, because of infection or because you have used a muscle too much I had a sore throat and aching limbs. sore from My arms are sore from all the lifting. ► see thesaurus at painful 2 → sore point/spot/subject (with somebody) 3 [not before noun] especially American English informal upset, angry, and annoyed, especially because you have not been treated fairly Mac's still sore because I didn't invite him. sore at Don't be sore at me - I just forgot to tell you. 4 [only before noun] British English used to emphasize how serious, difficult etc something is Inner city schools are in sore need of extra funds. 5 → sore loser 6 → stick/stand out like a sore thumb → be like a bear with a sore head, → a sight for sore eyes Examples from the Corpus sore • They would do this for hours until my neck grew sore. • The corners of the mouth may be cracked and sore and the tongue unusually red. • You have laboured up an unending hill with heavy feet which are swollen, sore and tired. • He was like Doctor Cooper poking a sore appendix. • And they were sore as a boil, and righteously so. • His eyes looked red and sore, as if he had been rubbing them. • She was sore because she wasn't asked to the wedding. • The sore, bruised, aching feeling makes him restless; always having to change position. • We knew the sore facts we had both escaped. • Martin was unable to score at all in the game, complaining of a sore knee. • The matter was not carefully investigated because Thebes was in sore straits at the time. • She missed more than ten performances that year due to a persistent sore throat and cough. • My legs are still sore today. Reklam: Akbank Güncel Kredi Notuna Göre Onaylı Limitini Öğren! Maksimum limit, anında onay bilgisi. Reklam - Akbank Ek bilgi sore throat • He was 15 and had gone to the doctor with a sore throat. • Performances had to be canceled when she had a sore throat. • You may also have a dry irritating cough, a sore throat and a runny, itchy nose. • If you have a sore throat, are you blocking communication? • This remedy may come up after a Belladonna sore throat has gone down on the chest. • He swallowed, checking for a sore throat, his ears. • Severe sore throats persisting more than a day or two in a young child without signs of improvement. • If you've got a cold or sore throat, they can advise which over-the-counter medicines to take. Related topics: Illness & disability sore2 noun [countable] a painful, often red, place on your body caused by a wound or infection They were starving and covered with sores. → cold sore, bedsore, → running sore

jig

1 a type of quick dance, or a piece of music for this dance 2 a piece of equipment for holding a tool, a piece of wood etc in position Examples from the Corpus jig • Sometimes one of them would leap to his feet and dance a jig before falling over. • For this I use a fairly simple jig and accurate setting of the saw. • But I know if I ever get married, the jig is up. • Also, you can use this jig if you are taking your posts down and placing them on sawhorses. • If you build your jig slightly larger than your posts it will slide up and down more easily. jig2 verb (jigged, jigging) [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to dance or move up and down with quick short movements → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus jig • Long black leather chairs invited you to lay back, headphones on, and just jig about to music of your choice. • You keep a straight course, let him jig around you. • No-one cared that she jacked in to the lock on the tutor's door, feeling around mentally to jig it open. • Under the table his feet jig on their soles. Origin jig2 (1500-1600) Probably from French giguer "to dance", from Old French gigue "violin"

elegant

1 beautiful, attractive, or graceful a tall, elegant young woman You can dine in elegant surroundings. 2 an idea or a plan that is elegant is very intelligent yet simple an elegant solution to the problem —elegantly adverb —elegance noun [uncountable] the style and elegance of the designs Examples from the Corpus elegant • She has to be funny, touching and innately elegant. • My first impression of the hull above my head was how elegant and how travel-worn it looked. • The house was elegant and well kept. • All the dancers looked so elegant as they moved slowly round the room. • She was wearing an elegant black suit. • Jody manages to look elegant, even in a simple pantsuit. • The elegant figure of Mr Reed appeared in the doorway. • Tilney arrives with his sister, a more reserved and elegant girl than Isabella. • elegant handwriting • We first met him at an elegant hotel in the uptown district of Manhattan. • He was a tall, elegant man, silver-haired and beautifully dressed. • Her good looks and confident, elegant manner made her the centre of attention. • The plain black dress set off her elegant neck. • She was wearing her favourite yellow linen dress and pretty cream high-heeled shoes with Jim's pearls gleaming against her elegant neck. • Vienna is a city of grand public buildings and elegant private ones. • Furnished to a very high standard, large elegant Restaurant with extensive menus. • Ludens also noticed her small feet, clad in expensive discreetly elegant shoes. • an elegant solution • She had captured his father by promising an elegant uncluttered lifestyle very different from the neglected unhappy home he had come from. • An elegant young woman sat at the next table, sipping a cocktail. elegant surroundings • The Consort Select menu and elegant surroundings. • The management prides itself on offering comfortable accommodation in elegant surroundings, and puts an emphasis on providing excellent service. • That's the unanimous verdict of shoppers who are impressed by the elegant surroundings, high quality shops and first rate service. Origin elegant (1400-1500) French Latin elegans "specially chosen as being of good quality", from eligere; → ELECT1

faint

1 difficult to see, hear, smell etc She gave a faint smile. a very faint noise the faint light of dawn ► see thesaurus at quiet 2 → a faint hope/possibility/chance etc 3 → not have the faintest idea 4 feeling weak and as if you are about to become unconscious because you are very ill, tired, or hungry The heat made him feel quite faint. faint with I was faint with hunger. —faintly adverb Everyone looked faintly surprised. The sun shone faintly through the clouds. —faintness noun [uncountable] → damn somebody/something with faint praise4(6) Examples from the Corpus faint • The men went away, and we could hear their voices get fainter and fainter. • For a moment she looked quite faint, but with a great effort she stood her ground. • Before she got there, however, there was a faint cracking from the surrounding darkness. • Then Freitag made a faint gesture to his partner, who put away his pen and notebook. • Immediately four faint, narrow lines appeared, bracketing a tiny and undistinguished star. • We heard a faint noise coming from the room. • I could just make out the faint outline of the cliffs. • On the wall you could see the faint outline of where a picture had once hung. • M56 is not at all prominent, but shows up as a faint patch of light. • There were a few faint pencil lines on the page. • He could not resist a faint smile creeping over his face. • There was silence for a moment as they held each other's eyes, broken only by the faint sound of dance music from down below. • Jean opened the window, and heard the faint sound of the bells drifting across the Old Town. • A second set of shadows appeared; at first long and faint, they shortened and sharpened rapidly. • Far down the inverted telescope he saw the faint white figure of May Welland-in New York.

content (adj)

1 happy and satisfied Andy was a good husband, and Nicky was clearly very content. content with We'll be content with a respectable result in tomorrow's match. ► see thesaurus at satisfied 2 → content (for somebody) to do something 3 → not content with something Examples from the Corpus content • All he needs is a good book to read and he is quite content. • The baby sat on its mother's lap, perfectly content. • Unlike many others, Church was not content to depict the Falls from one or two vantage points. • We were perfectly content to go on walking until it got dark. • Melville is content to let his story flow and ebb. • They were quite content to let it fall down. • He rarely talked about his own work, and was content to listen to the experiences of others. • At the moment my mother seems content to take things slowly. • Carla seems pretty much content with her life. • He was a strong, vital man, successful and content with his life. • He had got under her skin, and after half an hour she went home alone, not content with second-best. content with • I am content with my job, my home, and my family.

prominent

1 important a prominent Russian scientist play a prominent part/role (in something) Mandela played a prominent role in the early years of the ANC. The World Cup will have a prominent place on the agenda. 2 something that is in a prominent place is easily seen prominent place/position The statue was in a prominent position outside the railway station. 3 something that is prominent is large and sticks out a prominent nose —prominently adverb Her photo was prominently displayed on his desk. Examples from the Corpus prominent • His face was tanned, the cheekbones high and prominent. • The conference was attended by both government officials and prominent academics. • Her nose was quite prominent, and she had small, even teeth. • It is marked by the three prominent black stripes. • Her short wavy black hair was combed neatly back from a rather narrow sloping forehead with prominent brow ridges. • a prominent business leader • Rheme position, on the other hand, is prominent on an overall discourse level. • The housing needs of the elderly, in particular, must be a prominent policy issue in years to come. • Yet there were other new ideas that jostled together in his brain for some more prominent recognition. • Their contentions are supported by several prominent researchers. • a heart-shaped face, slightly prominent teeth and small eyes • Martelli and Bettino Craxi, ex-leader of the Socialists are among its most prominent victims. prominent place • The Phillips curve gets a prominent place, but so do its limitations. • This matter ought to occupy a prominent place in the Election Manifesto. • The issue of censorship took a prominent place in the seminar discussions. • Housing occupies a prominent place in these debates. • Don't enter the firing ranges when the red flags are flying - usually from prominent places such as hilltops. • In our wishful thinking about the 1960s, no figures occupy a more prominent place than the Kennedys. • The popular daily press in the Edwardian years began to give quite a prominent place to sport. prominent place/position • The cars were painted khaki with the red cross in a prominent position. • The Phillips curve gets a prominent place, but so do its limitations. • This year I bedded out a few of these house plants in a prominent position in the garden. • Further, public response to works in prominent positions is rarely commented on. • Wexford found the lead, obligingly left by Sheila in a prominent position on top of the refrigerator. • In our wishful thinking about the 1960s, no figures occupy a more prominent place than the Kennedys. • The popular daily press in the Edwardian years began to give quite a prominent place to sport. Origin prominent (1400-1500) Latin present participle of prominere "to stick out"

smoothly

1 in a steady way, without stopping and starting again Traffic flowed smoothly. 2 if a planned event, piece of work etc goes smoothly, there are no problems to spoil it It'll take about three hours if everything goes smoothly. Donna keeps the office running smoothly. 3 if you say something smoothly, you say it in a calm and confident way 'All taken care of, ' he said smoothly. 4 in a way that produces a smooth surface The jacket fit smoothly over her hips. Examples from the Corpus smoothly • Practice the scales until you can play them smoothly. • So faster wage rises were needed if the system was to function smoothly. • This elicited squeals, laughter and elaborate pay-back schemes, all tolerated only as long as the work continued smoothly. • While past cease-fires and attempts at disarmament have failed, the current peace process has gone relatively smoothly. • With one-way streets, cars will move more smoothly and rapidly through the neighborhood. • Though the court view is rendered well and rotates smoothly, there is one minor flaw. • While most of the day went smoothly, there were moments of tension among some of the officers. • The train ran on smoothly towards Chancery Lane. running smoothly • But it's just to keep things running smoothly. • Tiny, energetic, imaginative, she drove advertising sales to ever-new heights and kept the business departments running smoothly. • Today Riboli, his wife Maddalena and their children keep the winery running smoothly. • Once the engine is running smoothly, a backfire can be dramatic. • My job as duty officer involves keeping Teesside Airport running smoothly at all times. • Like every other business, it needs good management to keep it running smoothly, especially during times of change. • Yes, things were running smoothly once more. • Backup power at bridge Backup power systems kept the Golden Gate Bridge toll plaza running smoothly with no delays on the bridge.

stern

1 serious and strict, and showing strong disapproval of someone's behaviour sterner penalties for drug offences stern look/voice/expression etc 'Wait!' I shouted in my sternest voice. stern warning/rebuke His actions have earned him stern rebukes from human rights organizations. ► see thesaurus at strict 2 → be made of sterner stuff —sternly adverb —sternness noun [uncountable] Examples from the Corpus stern • Sundram insisted the act was a reasonable response to the stern anti-drug law approved under then Gov. • Sheila walked into the museum, under the stern gaze of the curator. • a stern judge • A stern judgment indeed, but an accurate one none the less. • And she had also forgotten the stern lecture she had given herself earlier, she thought despairingly. • Her grandfather was a stern man who rarely smiled. • But Thursday morning beaming managers were replaced by stern security guards who refused to even let workers into the building. • This time, however, the opposition was made of sterner stuff. • But he reminded reporters of the stern warnings issued Sunday by Gen. • The uniforms were different but the faces were the same: narrow and stern with a hint of cruelty in the eyes.

lean on somebody phrasal verb

1 to depend on someone for support and encouragement, especially at a difficult time The couple lean on each other for support. 2 informal to try to influence someone, especially by threatening them He won't pay unless you lean on him.

whoop

1 to shout loudly and happily Hundreds of people ran past them, whooping joyously. 2 → whoop it up —whoop noun [countable] whoops of victory → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus whoop • The bikes closed in, whooping. • Young Donald McCulloch whooped and two of the McLaggan girls whooped with him. • The fat girl whooped, covered her hand with her mouth, and shrugged. • A fire truck or an ambulance whoops somewhere beyond the window, adding cruelly to my unease. • The two of them whooped, thumped their glasses on the table and rumbled their feet underneath. Origin whoop (1300-1400) Old French houpper, from the sound.

faint (v)

1 to suddenly become unconscious for a short time SYN pass out Several fans fainted in the blazing heat. 2 → I nearly/almost fainted → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus faint • Just went around in my wrapper all the livelong day, my mama would faint. • I need to go outside. I feel as if I'm going to faint. • It was hot and crowded, and several people fainted. • Flatch replied, determined not to faint. • I must have fainted, and when I came to I didn't know where I was. • He wondered whether he might not faint away. • My grandmother continued to have fainting fits and hysterical fits. • Almost fainting from lack of air, she could only answer in choked gasps. • One of the soldiers guarding the palace fainted in the heat. • Hyperventilation and Anxiety Symptoms Symptoms of a panic attack initiated by adrenalin can never cause us to faint or be sick. • Hi, Robyn, Don't faint with shock, but I felt like writing you a letter!

snatch (v)

1 to take something away from someone with a quick, often violent, movement SYN grab The thief snatched her purse and ran. snatch something away/back from somebody Keith snatches toys away from the other children. 2 to take someone away from a person or place, especially by force Vargas was snatched from his home by two armed men. 3 to quickly get something, especially sleep or rest, because you do not have very much time SYN grab I managed to snatch an hour's sleep on the train. → snatch at something → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus snatch • He snatches a loaf from the baker's counter and is promptly run into gaol. • When no one was looking, he snatched a tray of watches and ran out of the shop. • A young boy pushed her over and snatched her purse as she fell. • Before I could say a word, he'd snatched the keys from the table and run out of the room. snatch something away/back from somebody • Startled, the man snatches his arm away from me.

snatch (n)

1 → a snatch of conversation/music/song etc Reklam: Akbank Güncel Kredi Notuna Göre Onaylı Limitini Öğren! Maksimum limit, anında onay bilgisi. Reklam - Akbank Ek bilgi 2 → in snatches 3 when someone quickly takes or steals something reports of a bag snatch 4 taboo informal a very offensive word for a woman's sex organ. Do not use this word. Examples from the Corpus snatch • Among snatches of conversation, both of us remember his referring to the underground as being rather like hell. • Many species will, in complete darkness, utter a few snatches of song if disturbed at their roosts. • As it is, most parents take only brief peeks into classrooms and hear snatches of information about curriculum. • We started to climb, accompanied by intermittent snatches of bird song: wood warbler, garden warbler and willow warbler. • You know, sitting in a train or walking down the street, little snatches of things. • I turn the volume low, to stop picking up snatches of conversation from next door. • She remembered it in vivid violent snatches punctuated by haze or darkness. Origin snatch1 (1100-1200) Perhaps from Middle Dutch snacken; → SNACK2

content (n)

1 → contents 2 [singular] the amount of a substance that is contained in something, especially food or drink fat/protein/alcohol etc content the fat content of cheese water with a low salt content 3 [singular, uncountable] the ideas, facts, or opinions that are contained in a speech, piece of writing, film, programme etc The content of the media course includes scripting, editing, and camera work. 4 [singular, uncountable] the information contained in a website, considered separately from the software that makes the website work The graphics are brilliant. It's just a shame the content is so poor. Examples from the Corpus content • In addition to the statutory requirements, the form and content of an audit report is governed by requirements laid down in auditing standards. • Many of the essays are political in content. • He could not provide a copy of the report but outlined its contents. • Entrance requirement: First or Second Class Honours in mathematics, or another science with substantial mathematical content. • A full centralisation of structure and a more flowing and energetic style - often with greater pictorial content - is in evidence. • In other words, information received must have the same content and organization as information sent. • The software, designed for children, has good graphics and animation that doesn't overwhelm the content. • People pay as much attention to your voice as to the content of your speech. • The content may be too trivial or too deep for the group, causing embarrassment to the teacher. • The content of milk fat is not less than 8. 5 percent; of Sugar, about 44 percent. • The content of this document will be similar to the information listed in table 4.2. • Chestnuts have a high water content. Reklam: Akbank Maksimum limit, anında onay! Güncel kredi notuna göre onaylı limitini öğren. Reklam - Akbank Ek bilgi fat/protein/alcohol etc content • But a breath test revealed an alcohol content of 88 milligrammes - more than twice the limit, the court in Pontefract heard. • The high sugar and alcohol content means that a pudding can become dangerously hot in a microwave. • Flavoured varieties are acceptable, but check the nutritional panel for fat content and avoid ones with added cream. • Guinness, which sells 22 variants of its stout around the globe, varies hugely in alcohol content. • Optimum fat content imparts good body and flavor to ice cream. • It could be the fat content of the diet. • Conscientious about nutrition, Wait said he added fruit to his recipe to increase moisture and decrease the fat content. • Gina Smouse notes that by using low-fat evaporated milk and egg substitute, the fat content of the pudding will be lower.

misadventure

1 → death by misadventure 2 [countable, uncountable] literary bad luck or an accident Examples from the Corpus misadventure • At the end of a four-hour hearing, the inquest jury returned a verdict of death by misadventure. • The political fallout from his misadventure has been compared in the London press to that experienced by Sen. • Your little misadventure saved my life, Walt. • He survived a series of misadventures, including the loss of his boat and a stint in jail. • A titillating evening of non-stop misadventure awaits. • They saved themselves from a terrible misadventure by testing their dream-before they tried to live it. • My third misadventure of the trip happened while we were in Wellington. • The Coroner recorded a verdict that his death was misadventure. Origin misadventure (1200-1300) Old French mesaventure, from mesavenir "to happen badly"

table (v)

1table a proposal/question/demand etc British English to suggest something for other people to consider Two separate proposals were tabled. 2table a bill/measure/proposal etc American English to leave something to be dealt with in the future He tabled the bills to break up the state monopolies in insurance and telecommunications. → See Verb table Origin table1 (1100-1200) Old French Latin tabula "board, list"

table a bill/measure/proposal etc

American English to leave a bill etc to be discussed or dealt with in the future → table Examples from the Corpus table a bill/measure/proposal etc • For example, by the drinks table Bill Muggeridge seemed to be trying to make up to Mrs Crumwallis. • At that time, Dole voted to table a measure that would have negated the Supreme Court ruling. • Baldwin tabled proposals which involved payments of £34 million a year.

make sense

a) to have a clear meaning and be easy to understand Read this and tell me if it makes sense. b) to be a sensible thing to do it makes sense (for somebody) to do something It makes sense to save money while you can. Would it make sense for the city authorities to further restrict parking? c) if something makes sense, there seems to be a good reason or explanation for it Why did she do a thing like that? It doesn't seem to make sense. → sense Examples from the Corpus make sense • Strange to tell, even in an era of government downsizing it can make sense to build new federal office space. • As the people with formal authority, they were accountable for making sense of and integrating the varied agendas of their constituencies. • Stern made the deal because it made good business sense. • Read this and tell me if it makes sense. • On the whole, it made sense. • It makes sense to keep such information on file for quick reference. • It made sense for Sam to live nearer the college. • So it might make sense to pay off part of her mortgage. • It may not make sense to rebuild the houses damaged by the floods. • Everyone acknowledged that the recommendations made sense. • It doesn't make sense to drive if you can walk. • It just doesn't make sense to keep all these people on the payroll. • There are parts of the plan that simply don't make sense. • Both writing and speech require context to make sense of what might formally be ambiguous. • His arguments seem to make sense. • It would make sense for the parents to be involved in this discussion. • How do you make sense out of the many conflicting issues and statements about the political world that confront you each day?

beg the question

a) to make you want to ask a question that has not yet been answered beg the question of This proposal begs the question of who is going to pay for the new building. b) to treat an idea as though it were true or had been proved, when this may not be the case → beg Examples from the Corpus beg the question • To say that seems to me really to beg the question. • To say that sexuality exists in the brain simply begs the question. • All this begs the question about the reliability of Mr Dole's gut. • Such measures, of course, beg the question in many ways. • It is begging the question just to ask it. • Plenty of helices are not so stick-like, and of course the argument begs the question of how, rather than why. • It begs the question of what pictures will be sacrificed in order to track Sanders. • Which rather begs the question-shouldn't there be a governing body that regulates such questionable decisions?

I beg your pardon

a) used to ask someone to repeat what they have just said 'The meeting's on Wednesday.' 'I beg your pardon?' 'I said the meeting's on Wednesday.' b) used to say sorry when you have made a mistake, or said something wrong or embarrassing Oh, I beg your pardon. I thought you said 15 pence, not 50. c) used to show that you strongly disagree with something that someone has said, or think it is unacceptable 'Chicago's an awful place.' 'I beg your pardon, that's where I'm from!'

overhead

above your head or in the sky Bullets whizzed overhead. A plane flew overhead. —overhead adjective overhead wires Examples from the Corpus overhead • A flock of birds passed overhead. • Helicopter gunships hovered overhead. • Suddenly, they heard the rumble of thunder overhead. • The thatched pyramid roofs reached almost to the ground and rose to points twenty feet overhead. • A star signaled overhead and he saw it. • The top floor directly overhead had been abandoned for years. • From the two cross-beams overhead, hung chains, adjustable in length, to which the ropes would be attached. • They can even be frightened by wild birds flying overhead, which they mistakenly think are predators. Related topics: Business basics, Communications o‧ver‧head2 /ˈəʊvəhed $ ˈoʊvər-/ noun 1 [uncountable] American English, overheads British English [plural] money spent regularly on rent, insurance, electricity, and other things that are needed to keep a business operating Their offices are in London so the overheads are very high.

the frontier

an area where people have never lived before, that not much is known about, especially in the western US before the 20th century a novel about a family's struggle on the American frontier space, the final frontier → frontier Examples from the Corpus the frontier • Alaska is known as the last frontier. • Wilder's novel is about a family's struggle on the American frontier.

lineage

ancestry, soy

bleachers

açık trbün long wooden benches arranged in rows, where you sit to watch sport Examples from the Corpus bleachers • Margarett did not mind Sandy pushing the furniture into rows or constructing bleachers from boards and pails. • They sang songs and danced in the temporary bleachers. • Across the bleachers, the Oregon band puts down its instruments and starts dancing in the aisles. • We spent an hour each day in the cockpit and three or four hours in the bleachers watching our classmates. • As we did, I looked out in the bleachers, which were totally empty. • Karen sits in the bleachers watching the team go through the familiar drills. • The first man the left-hander faced, pinch-hitter Eric Davis, homered into the bleachers in left. • After practice I watch him walk painfully over to the bleachers, wrap up his knee and hobble out. Origin bleachers (1800-1900) bleach; because they are usually unprotected from the sun

illiterate

cahil, okumamış, bilgisiz 1 someone who is illiterate has not learned to read or write 2 badly written, in an uneducated way It was an illiterate letter, full of mistakes. 3 → economically/politically/scientifically etc illiterate —illiteracy noun [uncountable] Examples from the Corpus illiterate • According to the 1981 census, 46.5 percent of the population over the age of seventeen was illiterate. • But that did not mean that they were illiterate. • In fact, although Constanze was not such an accomplished singer as her two elder sisters, she was by no means musically illiterate. • The overwhelming majority of peasant communications were oral in nature in a society that was still largely illiterate. • These are the truly illiterate among us. • an illiterate composition • His father was an illiterate farm worker. • If 70% of the population is illiterate, how do people know who they are voting for? • Because a great many of the women are illiterate, music and drama are the best way of making an impact. • An illiterate young man, nineteen years of age, sits beside me in a restaurant and quietly surveys the menu.

shrewd

clever, kurnaz zeki uyanık açık göz 1 good at judging what people or situations are really like Malcolm is a shrewd businessman. She was shrewd enough to guess who was responsible. Capra looked at her with shrewd eyes. 2 well judged and likely to be right a shrewd decision Bridget has a shrewd idea of what will sell. —shrewdly adverb 'Something tells me you've already decided, ' he said shrewdly. —shrewdness noun [uncountable] Examples from the Corpus shrewd • Kyle is a shrewd, aggressive manager. • We assumed that so long as we moved along shrewd and cautious and quiet we would be safe. • As a manager, Watson is both shrewd and tough. • Dark-haired, he had shrewd beady eyes, was clean-shaven and showed the beginnings of a jowl. • Are you a shrewd businessman, quick to see an opportunity or a bargain? • Was he, perhaps, an actor, a ghost, a shrewd fiction? • Thanks to some shrewd investments, they've got plenty of money left. • He made a large personal fortune, partly from fees, partly from shrewd investments. • Sachs was a shrewd judge of character, and chose his staff well. • There was a good living to be had for a shrewd man in an institution. • Pre-match preparation and shrewd organisation have created consistency. • They had once been shrewd traders of horseflesh. Origin shrewd (1200-1300) shrew in the old meaning "very bad man"

prosecute

dava açmak, kovuşturma yapmak

stanza

dörtlük elated topics: Literature stan‧za /ˈstænzə/ noun [countable] a group of lines in a repeated pattern forming part of a poem SYN verse Examples from the Corpus stanza • If a stanza from Sappho, for instance, were to fall on your foot, it might hurt. • This is an excellent contrast between stanzas. • Adding insult to injury, a double cross awaits our luckless hero in the final stanza. • Athough the text is sometimes represented in stanzas, it does not appear as verse in all the manuscripts. • In stanza three it appears once again. • Each kid would sing a two-line stanza, making it up as he went. • The sun is a very good symbol and can be used to show the contrast in the tone between the stanzas. Origin stanza (1500-1600) Italian "place to stay, room, stanza", from Vulgar Latin stantia; → STANCE

appreciable

enough to be perceived, considerable large enough to be noticed or considered important SYN significant There's no appreciable change in the patient's condition. —appreciably adverb The two plans are not appreciably different. Examples from the Corpus appreciable • Therefore, youngsters may swallow appreciable amounts of toothpaste. • Military leaders have seen no appreciable change in the situation. • Likewise no appreciable changes in waist-hip ratio occur with small fluctuations in weight. • Recent studies with ambulatory pressure monitoring systems indicate that an appreciable number of non-peristaltic contractions are commonly found in apparently normal subjects. • Notice that the distance of each curve from the axis is appreciable only in a quite small region. • An appreciable proportion of these cases was associated with high morbidity and mortality. • Furthermore, there was no appreciable research under way that promised better medical treatment in the future. • You do not want to run the appreciable risk of making a bad mistake before your new career has really started.

despicable

extremely bad, immoral, or cruel It's despicable the way he treats those kids. a despicable act of terrorism a despicable crime —despicably adverb Examples from the Corpus despicable • The first is purely despicable and the second is simply contemptible. • Police say the man escaped across fields after what they said was a despicable attack. • To pretend would be despicable - or would it? • How could anyone believe such a low, despicable thing of her? • It's despicable to make me admit it. • She is using the most despicable word she can think of. despicable crime • Courtney must be stopped from carrying out more despicable crimes. Origin despicable (1500-1600) Late Latin despicabilis, from Latin despicari "to look down on" adi, küçümsenen

be devoid of something

formal to be completely lacking in something His face was devoid of any warmth or humour. → devoid Examples from the Corpus be devoid of something • They were like set pieces in their ongoing battle that these days was devoid of any real malice. • The machine itself is devoid of fancy trimmings, apart from the big, fat power-on button. • I admire and envy it because I am devoid of it. • It was devoid of paint and dragged on its hinges. • She had always known she was devoid of passion: she worked at her garden and talked to her friends. • In fact, her bulging disc reminded her regularly that her life was devoid of passions. • The food was completely devoid of taste. • For one thing it is devoid of the relentless lilt and terminological tedium of the professional programme writer. • She walked round the pond to the sunny side where the water's surface was devoid of weed.

genre

formal a particular type of art, writing, music etc, which has certain features that all examples of this type share genre of a new genre of film-making a literary genre Examples from the Corpus genre • Science fiction as a genre is relatively new. • Younger audiences are becoming increasingly interested in bands of this musical grab-bag genre, and not only as a retro fad. • The resulting book falls somewhere between the teen diary / confessional genre and the academic feminist treatise. • Italian filmmakers made their own versions of the classic Hollywood genres - the western, the gangster film, the musical. • This movie is much better than others of the horror genre. • The comedia lacrimosa is a minor genre. • The more highly constrained and ritualised the genre, the more likely we are to be able to identify norms. • The genre is wider and more experimental and now has the element of pastiche. • In the eighteenth century the first modern novelists recognized that these genres could be used to tell a story. Origin genre (1800-1900) French Old French gendre; → GENDER

justification

gerekçe mazeret, haklı neden 1 a good and acceptable reason for doing something justification for (doing) something There is no justification for holding her in jail. Hoggart felt, with some justification, that his colleagues had let him down. ► see thesaurus at reason 2 → in justification (of somebody/something) Examples from the Corpus justification • She had her residence permit taken away, without any justification • There is no justification for holding her in jail. • There's no justification for cruelty. • What justification can there be for paying women lower wages? with some justification • Physicists and biologists often agree, and with some justification, since their sciences do not, indeed, have the answers. • Maybe with some justification at times.

retrieve

geri almak kurtarmak telafi etm 1 formal to find something and bring it back → recover She bent down to retrieve her earring. retrieve something from something It took four days to retrieve all the bodies from the crash. 2 technical to get back information that has been stored in the memory of a computer The new version of the software automatically retrieves digital information. 3 → retrieve a situation —retrievable adjective → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus retrieve • If you want to retrieve a file from the computer press FIND and then enter the name of the file you want. • Zhong quickly retrieved a fist-sized chunk and rushed it to a frozen-food warehouse for safekeeping. • With a peculiar shiver of fear, he stooped to retrieve his spear. • When you learn how to search out and retrieve information you are in possession of a golden key to doing successful public relations. • I had left my bag at the railroad station and went back to retrieve it. • Can we retrieve our culture from the product pushers? • She'd agreed to meet Matthew half way, and retrieve the children. • She bent down and retrieved the map from under the car seat. • With some newsreaders, you might need to retrieve the message body and decode in two stages. • Right now we're concentrating on retrieving the spacecraft.

thankful

grateful, pleased, satisfied, gratified, contended grateful and glad about something that has happened, especially because without it the situation would be much worse thankful for I'll be thankful for a good night's sleep after the week I've had. thankful (that) She was thankful that Chantal was there. thankful to do something I was thankful to make any sort of progress at all. —thankfulness noun [uncountable] → be thankful for small mercies/favours Examples from the Corpus thankful • Tobie, who regarded the Patriarch with undiluted horror, felt thankful. • Take what they give you, and be thankful. • They had been conquered by Menelik but among them the Abyssinian imprint was as yet barely discernible, for which I was thankful. • I am always thankful for their enthusiasm and commitment. • I get up every day thankful that I have a job and kids and a nice house. • All were thankful that it was no worse. • She was thankful that Louise had insisted she travel first class. • Later on she had good reason to be thankful that she was. • Giles walked slowly and quietly, thankful to be rescued. thankful to do something • I walked to the shore, thankful to be alive, unable to understand how. • Giles walked slowly and quietly, thankful to be rescued. • And we were thankful to be there for Edward. • He could honestly say that on waking this morning he was thankful to feel he was a free man. • I was never so thankful to see a friendly face. • She was thankful to see both main water and electric light. • He looked extremely annoyed and she was thankful to see Marguerite hurry out to obey. • But perhaps we should be thankful to the Duchess. • She did not mean thankful to the skill and dedication of certain trained individuals. Origin thankful Old English thancful, from thanc; → THANKS2

sporadic

happening fairly often, but not regularly SYN intermittent There has been sporadic violence downtown. —sporadically /-kli/ adverb The fighting continued sporadically for several days. Examples from the Corpus sporadic • Secondly, familial cases have sometimes shown a lower age at onset than sporadic cases, which is consistent with aetiological heterogeneity. • Since then he has been on sporadic drinking binges. • There was rioting and sporadic fighting in the city as rival gangs clashed. • Sporadic gunfire continued through the night. • I kept hearing aircraft passing low overhead and sporadic gunfire from automatic weapons. • The random background meteors that do not belong to discrete meteor showers are called sporadic meteors. • Different patterns of clinical involvement with genetic transmission or sporadic occurrence are recognised. • sporadic outbreaks of disease • The next day the government declared a curfew from 9 p.m to 4 a.m., as sporadic rioting and shooting continued. • Our advertising campaigns have been too sporadic to have had a lot of success. • Major cities hit by sporadic uprisings and riots. Origin sporadic (1600-1700) Medieval Latin sporadicus, from Greek, from sporaden "scattered in different places"

stick/stand out like a sore thumb

informal if someone or something sticks out like a sore thumb, they are very noticeable because they are different from everyone or everything else You stick out like a sore thumb in that uniform. → sore Examples from the Corpus stick/stand out like a sore thumb • You can't come to the restaurant dressed in jeans. You'd stick out like a sore thumb. • For these reasons feminist values stand out like a sore thumb. • Having a whole batch together should make an odd one stick out like a sore thumb. • Having said that, in some of the bits of Shoreditch I passed through I stuck out like a sore thumb. • I mean, it sticks out like a sore thumb. • There's no cover, and - as happened to me - any stranger sticks out like a sore thumb. • We stand out like sore thumbs. • You stick out like a sore thumb in that ghastly uniform, Charles.

commonplace

happening or existing in many places, and therefore not special or unusual Car thefts are commonplace in this part of town. ► see thesaurus at common Examples from the Corpus commonplace • Judicial review of administrative decisions by central or local government and certain other bodies is now commonplace. • Of course, stories of ex-smokers drifting back to the fold are commonplace. • It used to be rare to see young people sleeping on the streets of London -- these days it's become increasingly commonplace. • Organ transplants are now commonplace. • Divorce was commonplace among the Gentiles. • He expects widespread usage of computer technology to be commonplace before that time. • Superstores such as Wal-Mart are now commonplace in America's small towns. • Nudism on beaches has long been commonplace in Europe. • Expensive foreign cars are commonplace in this Chicago suburb. • As segregation and violence became commonplace, the national government expressed no willingness to enforce a new racial order. • It's unspeakably commonplace to follow one's instincts. commonplace2 noun [countable usually singular] 1 something that happens or exists in many places, so that it is not unusual Women's groups have become a commonplace. 2 something that has been said so often that it is no longer interesting or original 3 → the commonplace Examples from the Corpus commonplace • However, the fact that such quasi-duties are a commonplace does not, of itself, advance the cause of animals. • One-parent families are now a commonplace in our society. • Many of his utterances were, however, sermon commonplaces, to which parallels can be found in other contemporary preaching.

contented

happy and satisfied because your life is good OPP discontented I felt warm, cosy, and contented. They lapsed into a contented silence. ► see thesaurus at happy —contentedly adverb He smiled contentedly. Examples from the Corpus contented • He seems to be getting more contented as he gets older. • This contented canine's living it up. • It crouched there, as snug as a contented cat, catching the sunshine full on its face. • a purring, contented cat • All are contented, happy, fit and well. • From a starving stray it was transformed into a contented house cat. • They sat in silence, eating, drinking, two amiable and contented men. • I'm pretty contented now. • Here, in highly compelling fashion, the social convenience of the contented replaces the clearly visible reality. • With a contented sigh, he lost himself in a colourful reverie of big business deals and boardroom power games. • William realised that he should feel contented with his lot, but he was not. • We spent ten contented years together.

rear its ugly head

if a problem or difficult situation rears its ugly head, it appears and is impossible to ignore The problem of drug-taking in sport has reared its ugly head again. → rear Examples from the Corpus rear its ugly head • At Hubbard Woods Elementary an even more graphic example of the troubled world our children face reared its ugly head. • Clubs lost their authority and control of players when money reared its ugly head. • The spectre of restraint of trade rears its ugly head. • Hence the double bind attached to being appropriately feminine rears its ugly head again. • In addition, politics has reared its ugly head, all institutional efforts not withstanding. • One which is likely to rear its ugly head continually during this piece. • It rears its ugly head every time a similar shooting occurs at another school. • Unfortunately the same could not be said of the bad weather ruling which reared its ugly head too often.

be interspersed with smt

if something is interspersed with a particular kind of thing, it has a lot of them in it sunny periods interspersed with showers

deposition

ifade, tanıklık, lated topics: Geology, Law dep‧o‧si‧tion /ˌdepəˈzɪʃən, ˌdiː-/ noun 1 [uncountable] technical the natural process of depositing a substance on rocks or soil the deposition of marine sediments 2 [countable] law a statement written or recorded for a court of law, by someone who has promised to tell the truth 3 [countable, uncountable] the act of removing someone from a position of power Examples from the Corpus deposition • Attention has also focused on acid deposition effects on a wide range of crops. • Erosion and deposition begin and end at different times at sites hundreds of kilometers apart. • Poor-quality eggshells indicate insufficient deposition of calcium and this deficiency was shown to have arisen because of increased soil acidification. • In the criminal trial, the prosecution did not have the luxury of depositions. • Even the pretrial depositions could prove embarrassing and politically damaging if, as is likely, they were released to the public. • Symington's deposition was taken as part of a lawsuit between the City of Tucson and the Metropolitan Water District. • Such dynamism means perpetual change and the two processes of bank erosion and sediment deposition are unceasing. • But the most surprising fact about this is that all these events took place during the deposition of a single graptolite zone.

counterpart

karşılık, emsal, akran ,meslektaş someone or something that has the same job or purpose as someone or something else in a different place somebody's counterpart Belgian officials are discussing this with their French counterparts. Examples from the Corpus counterpart • In turn, their active counterparts work with renewed energy and pray for them. • Bars in Madrid offer more, and better, food than their American counterparts. • Wilzcek agreed that the newer, West Coast institutions probably put more emphasis on science than their more traditional East Coast counterparts. • In this respect orthodox medicine may have placed itself at some disadvantage to its complementary counterparts. • In general, the provincial circuit is a far tougher cookie than its metropolitan counterpart. • Eighteenth-century urban dwellers lived in much worse conditions than their modern counterparts. • For the most part, black sportsmen accept that they have advantages, in an unspecified way, over their white counterparts. From Longman Business Dictionary coun‧ter‧part /ˈkaʊntəpɑːt-tərpɑːrt/ noun [countable] someone or something that has the same job or purpose as someone or something in a different place American chief executives are paid far more than their counterparts in the UK.

grouse

keklik 1 Image of grouse[countable, uncountable] (plural grouse) a small bird that is hunted and shot for food and sport, or the flesh of this bird the grouse shooting season roast grouse 2 [countable] informal a complaint His main grouse is that he isn't paid enough. Examples from the Corpus grouse • Meanwhile, a grouse landed in an apple tree beside me, then flew down to the ground and walked away. • It is the same for sage grouse. • This recipe works well with any of the small birds-quail, squab, grouse. • Throughout the day the grouse drums in the woods, and the woodcock performs its exuberant ritual at dawn and dusk. • As we walked, grouse rose from the heather, calling out in alarm, . grouse2 verb [intransitive] informal to complain about something SYN moan grouse about I haven't really got much to grouse about. → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus grouse • "Everything tastes the same, " George groused. • So Brick, who had at first dismay, now had no room to grouse. • He nagged at Fritz, he groused about the dull food, he broke some plates against the wall. • There was some grousing about the way the game had gone but, for the most part, we were pretty good. • They do not have too much to grouse about, though: the family's income is about 1,600 yuan a month. • Stuyvesant, grousing, harassed the exiles and hampered their efforts to buy homes and cemetery plots. Origin grouse1 (1500-1600) Perhaps from Latin gruta, name of a type of bird hunted for food grouse2 (1800-1900) Perhaps from Old French grouchier; → GROUCH1

spruce

ladin, alaçam a tree that grows in northern countries and has short leaves shaped like needles Examples from the Corpus spruce • A further factor complicating the story is the trend towards monoculture of timber trees such as spruce. • Even that blend is offset by the nearly black green of the higher, distant spruces. • They'd passed beyond the deciduous woods, and the trees on either side were conifers - larch, spruce and pine. • There were shapes of spruces rising to constrict a sky full of great cold stars. • A lot of what exists in these woods can not be seen from my red spruce. • The red spruce and Fraser fir began to recolonize the cut-over areas. spruce2 verb → spruce up → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus spruce • He needed his wife's presence to spruce him up and to take both him and the cottage in hand. • She'd come creeping back again, complaining about Dad's crumpled collars and his scuffed shoes, sprucing him up. • Interiors are sprucing up in green, as well. • It also makes specialty parts and accessories, which can be used to spruce up the performance and appearance of existing automobiles. • Towns along the route are sprucing up their downtowns. • Leaning over the parapet to watch the young bloods in the river sprucing up their horses for the fair. • Clean, well-maintained, the downtown spruced up with trees and brick sidewalks and crosswalks. spruce3 adjective British English neat and clean Mr Bailey was looking very spruce in a white linen suit. —sprucely adverb Examples from the Corpus spruce • The spruce branch fell to the floor and the ivy wound itself around her neck like some pagan wreath. • When the evening comes the female spruce budworm moth rises up on warm air currents. • Groves of old-growth lodge-pole pine and aging spruce fir exploded into flame like toothpicks be-fore a blowtorch. • The remote Sylvan Lake Lodge overlooks a striking man-made lake and spruce forest. • The fuselage was of welded steel tube, faired to an oval section, with spruce formers, and fabric covered. • He skirted the spruce plantation and supposed that at some point he should tell Sara about it. • It was surrounded by spruce trees and bougainvillaea, with a high bank leading up to the front door. • These and other shrubs were interspersed with small, scraggly larch and black spruce trees. Origin spruce1 (1600-1700) spruce fir "spruce", from Spruce "Prussia", former European country, now part of Germany ((14-17 centuries)) spruce2 [(1500-1600) From → SPRUCE3 spruce3 (1500-1600) Perhaps from Spruce leather "leather brought from Prussia" ((15-18 centuries)); → SPRUCE1

reel

makara, bobin 1 to be confused or shocked by a situation Norman's brain was reeling, but he did his best to appear calm. reel from The party is still reeling from its recent election defeat. 2 (also reel back) to step backwards suddenly and almost fall over, especially after being hit or getting a shock Diane reeled back in amazement. The force of the punch sent him reeling against the wall. 3 [always + adverb/preposition] to walk in an unsteady way and almost fall over, as if you are drunk Andy reeled away from the bar and knocked over his stool. 4 to seem to go around and around The room reeled before my eyes and I fainted. → reel somebody/something ↔ in → reel something ↔ off → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus reel • A punch in his stomach sent him reeling. • The drunk reeled across the road, talking loudly to nobody. • Bowring reeled, choked, flailed his hands, tried to grab at reality, wherever it was. • When we left, Volkov was reeling from a mixture of liquor and exhaustion, but he remained in high good humor. • Sofia reeled her in for the kind quick embrace she had received in the hundreds from the older woman. • Sam reeled in a 7 pound fish. • She reeled off my 752 failings, whereas I was tongue-tied. • Birbeck reeled out into the daylight, bemused and shocked. • Cameron's brain reeled slightly under the weight of all these alternatives. • Tyrion reeled to his feet, determined to sell his life dearly.

struggle

mücadele, uğraş, boğuşma 1 to try extremely hard to achieve something, even though it is very difficult struggle to do something She's struggling to bring up a family alone. struggle with The airline is struggling with high costs. struggle for Millions of people are struggling for survival. struggle against Firms are struggling against a prolonged recession. ► see thesaurus at try 2 a) to fight someone who is attacking you or holding you, especially so that you can escape struggle with James was hit in the mouth as he struggled with the burglars. struggle to do something She struggled to free herself. b) if two people struggle, they fight each other for something, especially something one of them is holding struggle for They struggled for possession of the gun. 3 to move somewhere with great difficulty struggle up/out of/into etc Walkers were struggling up the dusty track. 4 to be likely to fail, even though you are trying very hard The team has been struggling all season. a struggling artist/writer/business → struggle on → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus struggle • I struggled and shouted as he dragged me out into the corridor. • She tried to struggle but he put his hand over her mouth. • The victim had obviously struggled furiously against her attacker. • Johnny is struggling in school. • In a small way, private schemes also exist in Maryland and Ohio, though these too have been struggling of late. • The couple had struggled to convince the public of their sincerity. • Vince struggled to free himself from the policeman's grip. • Sethe slid to the floor and struggled to get back into her dress. • Ally Mauchlen, substituted on Saturday with a groin strain, is also struggling to make it. • When you are first struggling to make your business a success, you are particularly vulnerable. • Underresourced hospitals struggle to provide medicines and care. • It seems that he struggled with the robber and got quite seriously hurt.

perverse

sapık terse aksi inatçı behaving in an unreasonable way, especially by deliberately doing the opposite of what people want you to do → bizarre He gets perverse satisfaction from embarrassing people. —perversely adverb Perversely, she was irritated by his kindness. Examples from the Corpus perverse • Accordingly, the initial reaction of the equity markets was utterly perverse. • His characters seem at first sight useless or even perverse. • The whole idea is too perverse. • These perverse effects are compounded by the heavy political price that has to be paid: the abandonment of monetary sovereignty. • Louise could be perverse, often for reasons unclear to him. • Sadistic people derive perverse pleasure from the suffering of others and may seek out situations in which they can inflict this. • a perverse policy • People in Minneapolis take a perverse pride in how cold their winters are. • But he didn't know that, and a perverse sense of devilry urged her to lead him on. • In a perverse way, the same is now true of modern capitalism. Origin perverse (1300-1400) Latin past participle of pervertere; → PERVERT1

disconcert

sinirlendirmek, karıştırmak to make someone feel slightly confused, embarrassed, or worried —disconcerted adjective a disconcerted look → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus disconcert • She was not as disconcerted as she had expected to be. • Sometimes, she thought she disconcerted Hawk with her love, but he kept apace with her. • Nothing was known to disconcert him, certainly not the death of a man he had disliked. • This new benignity and tolerance a little disconcerted him. Origin disconcert (1600-1700) Old French desconcerter, from concerter "to bring into agreement"

sore loser

someone who gets angry or upset when they lose a game or competition Nobody likes a sore loser.

sore point/spot/subject (with somebody)

something that is likely to make someone upset or angry when you talk about it Just don't mention it - it's always been a sore point with him. → sore Examples from the Corpus sore point/spot/subject (with somebody) • And now she had pierced her again in this sore spot. • Graduate entry with resultant opportunities for promotion was then - as now - an especially sore point. • The potential restriction of physician income is a major sore point. • Tom gently washed Willie's body again and smoothed witch-hazel on to the sore spots. • Finally, there are plans to provide custodians a sore point to enable the churches to open for two hours a day. • It is still a sore point with both grandparents that neither Alice nor Henry have been baptized. • This is a sore spot with me.

I beg to differ

spoken formal used to say that you disagree with someone → differ Examples from the Corpus I beg to differ • Selling some of course. I beg to differ. • Well having discussed this matter with many typical users of word processors, I beg to differ.

nominate

syn:appoint, assign, choose, propose, offer recommend suggest 1 to officially suggest someone or something for an important position, duty, or prize nominate somebody/something for something Ferraro was the first woman to be nominated for the job of vice president. nominate somebody/something as something She has been nominated as Best Actress for her part in the film 'Forever Together'. nominate somebody to do something I nominate John to represent us at the meeting. ► see thesaurus at suggest 2 to give someone a particular job nominate somebody as something Next year Mr Jenks will retire and Mr Broadbent will be nominated as his replacement. nominate somebody to something She was nominated to the legislative council. → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus nominate • Then another six are chosen whom anybody can nominate. • It was then that the Democrats met in Baltimore to nominate Andrew Jackson for a second term. • Although he had been nominated as a conservative by Protestant Unionists within the constituency, he had quickly become an O'Neill supporter. • I was nominated as chairman. • It was expected that he would nominate Bramwell as his successor. • The advisers would be overseen by an investment board nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. • By now it was clear that Bush was going to be nominated for President. • Jane Campion was one of the people nominated for the 'Best Director' award. • They nominated her as the British spokesperson at the International Arms Conference. • The President has power to nominate people to certain key offices, including judge of the Supreme Court. • The series has never won an Emmy, though it has been nominated repeatedly. • We need a treasurer. Does anyone want to nominate somebody? • Perrier invited consumers to nominate the restaurant they believed deserved the title of Best Restaurant of the Year in late 1990. • Mills is expected to be formally nominated to the board next month. • Whoever is nominated today will go forward to the leadership elections. • The only black nominated was director Diane Houston for a live-action short film.

stringent

sıkı zorlu bağlayıcı 1 a stringent law, rule, standard etc is very strict and must be obeyed stringent anti-noise regulations 2 stringent economic conditions exist when there is a severe lack of money and strict controls on the supply of money —stringently adverb —stringency noun [uncountable] Examples from the Corpus stringent • stringent air safety regulations • stringent anti-noise regulations • Prices are now falling slightly after stringent budget-deficit cuts. • The wording of the code includes some fairly stringent conditions. • There are now stringent controls on pollution from all power stations. • Now, for the first time, fixed though often not very stringent criteria for appointment began to play a significant role. • Urine is processed separately through a more stringent filtration process than the waste water. • This was not the relaxed professionalism of the man of letters, but the stringent new professionalism of the academy. • Along with automated verification, there were stringent penalties for lying. • Parents must comply with the stringent rules for vehicular access, which are explained in a Headmaster's letter. • It also is important to note that admissions criteria differ from program to program, with some more stringent than others. From Longman Business Dictionary strin‧gent /ˈstrɪndʒənt/ adjective 1stringent rule/control/test a rule, control etc that is very strict and must be obeyed Stringent air quality standards will be imposed on oil companies. 2stringent economic conditions exist when there is a severe lack of money and there are strict controls on the supply of money Brazil was suffering some labor unrest in response to stringent economic policies. Origin stringent (1600-1700) Latin present participle of stringere "to tie tightly, press together"

candid

telling the truth, even when the truth may be unpleasant or embarrassing SYN frank candid about She was quite candid about the difficulties the government is having. candid with He was remarkably candid with me. It struck me as an unusually candid confession for a politician. ► see thesaurus at honest —candidly adverb → candour Examples from the Corpus candid • Ford was brutally candid about the many shortcomings on the team. • The management team has been very candid about the problems the company is now facing. • It is best to be candid also about who one has consulted. • At night the lessons are very practical; people are candid and share failures. • Myrdal's book is a candid biography of her famous parents. • She led a candid discussion about race relations in the city. • This was an unusual situation, an opportunity to be candid for once. • Surere was returning his gaze out of candid, friendly eyes; convinced eyes. • In candid interviews, representatives said a settlement hinges on these issues: Staffing levels. • In the space of several months, Nizan was progressively captivated by the refreshingly candid, lively and astute personality of Rirette. • Well, in fact, Watson, I was less than candid with our visitor. Origin candid (1600-1700) French candide, from Latin candidus "bright, white", from candere "to shine"

the onslaught of smt

the effect of something that is unpleasant and could cause damage plants that will survive the onslaught of winter → onslaught Examples from the Corpus the onslaught of something • The system of sharing broke under the onslaught of Western individualism. • For centuries it has been a buttress against the onslaught of Chaos from the wastes to the north. • This mechanism, the novelist wrote, filters brain waves, protects the body from the onslaught of fear. • Hearing the onslaught of criticism, the state Department of Education is showing some signs of flexibility. • A couple of bullets split the heavy oaken door, before it shook under the onslaught of the enemy ram.

inability

the fact of being unable to do something inability to do something Alcoholism can result in an inability to cope. the government's inability to enforce the ceasefire Examples from the Corpus inability • It revealed an inability to compromise which remained unaltered after the fall of the Government in August. • Many have blamed what they termed an inability to win on an inability to hit more than one shape of shot. • Gary's inability to use his legs means he's had to modify the gliders so he can fly them. • It was just a strange feeling and of course the inability to contact anyone in the Shill's room. • More wounding than the question is the inability to give a coherent answer. • Everything points to a victory for the conservatives, except their inability to make the most of their advantages. • A big reason why retailers file for bankruptcy is their inability to get credit. • In general, the courts have not required hearings when the charges against teachers have related to their inability to perform.

the frontiers of knowledge/physics etc

the limits of what is known about something push back the frontiers (=discover new things) → frontier Examples from the Corpus the frontiers of knowledge/physics etc • Use concepts across the frontiers of knowledge.

bring up the rear

to be at the back of the group (last) to be at the back of a line of people or in a race Carole was left to bring up the rear. → rear Examples from the Corpus bring up the rear • Four men-at-arms rode alongside, and bringing up the rear was another monk herding a flock of sheep and goats. • One by one they climbed in, Delaney first, Nell in the middle, with Andrevitch bringing up the rear. • Chivvying the staff of the Villa Russe into the tea room with refreshments, Auguste brought up the rear. • They fall in beside him and start up the hill to the induction center, the cop bringing up the rear. • The funeral hearse was followed by cars full of friends, and a company of Life Guards brought up the rear.

outnumber

to be more in number than another group Flats outnumber houses in this area. His troops were hopelessly outnumbered. outnumber somebody/something by something In nursing, women still outnumber men by four to one. vastly/greatly/heavily outnumber Men in prison vastly outnumber women. → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus outnumber • A unit of Goblins fears any unit of Elves which it does not outnumber by at least two to one. • Chimpanzees are such an unsuccessful species that they are considerably outnumbered by neuroscientists. • a city where bicycles greatly outnumber cars • But those in need of organs or tissue far outnumber donors, according to Karahalios. • In instances where programs dealt with religion, positive portrayals outnumbered negatives one by 4-to-3, the group said. • In 1980, Democrats outnumbered Republicans in the state, 3. 1 million to 1. 4 million. • Today, tax-raisers outnumber tax-cutters by nearly seven to one. • In these mountains the animal population outnumbers the human by three to one. • Women teachers outnumber their male colleagues by two to one. • So does Sedimentary Petrology, whose pages outnumber those of its older competitor by three to one. • Their numbers will outnumber us, as do insects. vastly/greatly/heavily outnumber • The Cavaliers occupied Burghley House, but they were heavily outnumbered, and Cromwell forced them to surrender after a bitter siege. • They were greatly outnumbered and there was definitely something unnatural about the striding men. • Because school people vastly outnumber business-people in most school-to-work partnerships, the tendency is for educators to take over. • The change of policy hit women especially hard since they had greatly outnumbered men as recipients of out-door relief. • The indifferent continue to greatly outnumber the inspired when it comes to decentralized management in that important segment of the management population. • Yet in the long run, diet failures vastly outnumber the successes. • For starters, those ignoring it greatly outnumber those embracing it.

delight (v)

to give someone great satisfaction and enjoyment Her fabulous recipes will delight anyone who loves chocolate. delight somebody with something He is delighting audiences with his wit and humour. → delight in something → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus delight • Their decision to end cooperation will delight Belgrade. • But nothing delights him more than his futures markets, which are something of a hangover from his trading days. • This movie classic will delight the whole family. Origin delight2 (1200-1300) Old French delit, from Latin delectare "to please greatly", from delicere "to attract"

intersperse something with something

to put something in between pieces of speech or writing, parts of a film etc

belt out

to sing a song or play an instrument loudly She was belting out old Broadway favourites. → belt→ See Verb table Examples from the Corpus belt out • Mark was carrying his jacket, and Clare regretted that she had not taken off her stockings and belt before coming out. • Almost all of the moving objects seen are slow-moving belt asteroids, out between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. • When the conveyor belt stops, out come the text books. • She turns back toward him, to unlatch the seat belt and run out of the car. • The machinery gave more than the usual trouble; shafting and belting wore out prematurely.

lean towards something phrasal verb

to tend to support, or begin to support, a particular set of opinions, beliefs etc Canada, the UK and Japan leant towards the US view. → lean→ See Verb table Examples from the Corpus lean towards • The tendency in the Council is therefore always to lean towards a choice of legal base requiring unanimous voting. • Mr Bush was also said to be leaning towards choosing deputies for both the Defence department and the State department. • Mr Bush was also said to be leaning towards choosing deputies for both the Defence Department and the State Department. • It is leaning towards Gore, but still vulnerable to a Bush offensive. • I lean towards her to see if I have heard right. • She did not move; her intent gaze made her look as if she were leaning towards him softly. • Her ears are so stretched by ornaments that they flap as she leans towards me. • As she sits down, Honey leans towards Spike and whispers.

corny

too silly and repeated too often to be funny or interesting corny jokes I know it sounds corny, but I dream about her every night. Examples from the Corpus corny • Hart is an amiable and enthusiastic guide, if a little corny at times. • And for once the finale - everyone coming together to sing Dylan's Chimes of Freedom - seemed not corny but exactly right. • It may sound corny, but I enjoy helping people. • It may sound corny, but the simple fact is, it works. • As if in a corny fiction, it is in the gents that we first identify each other and introduce ourselves. • a corny Hollywood romance • He says a lot of corny retro jive that used to go over big in the 1970s. • For instance, she notes that sunsets may now look corny too much like photographs of sunsets. Origin corny (1900-2000) corny "typical of the country" ((1900-2000)), from corn

wisp

tutam 1 a wisp of hair, grass, hay etc is a thin piece of it that is separate from the rest wisp of A wisp of hair had escaped from under her hat. 2 a wisp of smoke, cloud, mist etc is a small thin line of it that rises upwards wisp of Wisps of smoke rose into the air. → will o' the wisp —wispy adjective Examples from the Corpus wisp • Next comes a snap of a wisp of hair. • If there was any wisp of consciousness remaining, it was beyond the reach of instruments, and of memory. • Her body lay open before him, her only covering a few wisps of silk. • One wisp of smoke will not yearn for another. • Corbett steeled himself but Agatha only moved the wisps of blonde hair from her forehead. • Tiny wisps of ash floated up. • At dawn he'd woken up briefly, plagued by the vanishing wisps of a vague and irritating dream. • Smoke rose out of the crooked chimneys that poked through their roofs, white wisps trailing north with the wind. Origin wisp (1300-1400) Perhaps from whisk

discord

uyumsuzluk, fikir ayrılığı 1 [uncountable] formal disagreement or arguing between people marital discord discord within NATO 2 [countable, uncountable] an unpleasant sound made by a group of musical notes that do not go together well → harmony Examples from the Corpus discord • There has always been discord over NATO's role in world conflict. • The board prohibited the petition because it was controversial and would cause teachers to take opposing political positions, thereby creating discord. • Even the deliberate discords were music to her ears. • His parents evidently did not suffer from drunkenness, gluttony, or excesses of marital discord. • Clearly, their ties to the place remained, and no discord or rivalry over it seeps into family correspondence. • One has to be struck by the amount of discord in public discussion of family issues. • Money is the single biggest cause of discord in marriage. • The verdict has increased racial discord in the country. • Also it promotes that holistic sense of the whole of life's experience being brought into harmony, including the discords. Origin discord (1200-1300) Old French discorde, from Latin discors "heart apart, disagreement"

embark

verb (used without object) to board a ship, aircraft, or other vehicle, as for a journey. to start an enterprise, business, etc. verb (used with object) to put or receive on board a ship, aircraft, or other vehicle. to involve (someone) in an enterprise. to venture or invest (something) in an enterprise.

plead

yalvarmak 1 [intransitive, transitive] to ask for something that you want very much, in a sincere and emotional way SYN beg 'Don't go!' Robert pleaded. plead for Civil rights groups pleaded for government help. plead with somebody (to do something) Moira pleaded with him to stay. ► see thesaurus at ask 2 (past tense and past participle pleaded also pled /pled/ especially American English) [intransitive, transitive] law to state in a court of law whether or not you are guilty of a crime plead guilty/not guilty/innocent Henderson pled guilty to burglary. 3 → plead ignorance/illness/insanity etc 4 [transitive] written to give reasons why you think something is true or why something should be done plead that Managers pleaded that there was not enough time to make the changes. Residents successfully pleaded their case at a council meeting. → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus plead • "You've got to help me, " Magruder pleaded. • The wife of one of the hostages appeared on TV last night to plead for her husband's life. • He was ousted, tried, pleaded good intentions, and was acquitted. • He plead guilty and was fined $ 240. • The study excluded cases in which defendants pleaded guilty or no contest, and it did not involve new interviews with defendants. • "Please forgive me, " she pleaded "I'll never do it again." • She had pleaded, more than truthfully, a headache, and had settled to read. • He's going to plead my health and my state. • "How do you plead?" "Not guilty, your honor." • Their speeches had a pitiful, pleading quality about them, exacerbating the problem. • Parker pleaded with his supporters in the crowd to remain calm. • Now it is pleading with the banks to reschedule £250m of borrowings to keep the company afloat.

critter

yaratık mahluk a creature, especially an animal Examples from the Corpus critter • This is unfortunate because wasps are nasty little critters whose sole aim in life is to ruin picnics and barbecues. • John feels happy for the little critter. • Frogs and toads are tough little critters. • Despite its speed, Teraflops is more of a mainstream critter. • Now the pampered critters are off to the slaughterhouse. • In other words, humans are sometimes spookier than the critters. • I sometimes come down here to feed those critters on my way home. • It is these tiny critters that help keep Maine green, by keeping people out. • The young critters were trotted out to put on a show for the kids. Origin critter (1800-1900) creature

disarming

yatıştıran, kendini sevdiren, zararsız hale gelen making you feel less angry or disapproving towards someone, and more friendly a disarming sense of humor —disarmingly adverb Examples from the Corpus disarming • It wouldn't have worked without his disarming honesty. • But Rank was a disarming opponent. • a disarming smile

wince

çekinme ürkme 1 to suddenly change the expression on your face as a reaction to something painful or upsetting Sandra winced as the dentist started to drill. 2 to suddenly feel very uncomfortable or embarrassed because of something that happens, something you remember etc SYN cringe wince at the memory/thought/idea I still wince at the thought of that terrible evening. —wince noun [singular] → See Verb table Examples from the Corpus wince • Halting in front of the mirror in the front room, the mirror that he had forced her to stare into, she winced. • We drank and winced and waited for the lesson to begin. • I winced as the engine caught. • She winced at their infelicities, at the clumsy way they beat about the bush. • His microphone whistled a little and Sally winced in embarrassment. • Ralph winced, turned his attention to another man, a man drawing a woman over to his stool. • Fred often winced when he witnessed his wife's impudence and guile, but he realised she was right. • He undressed, then crawled be-tween the gritty sheets, wincing with each creaking spring. • When he laughed, he winced with pain. wince at the memory/thought/idea • He winced at the memory as he hammered on the steel and then looked through the spy port. • She bit her lip, wincing at the memory of her resentful scheming. Origin wince (1200-1300) Old North French wenchier "to be impatient, move about suddenly"

admire

çok beğenmek hayran kalmak 1 to respect and like someone because they have done something that you think is good, or to respect their qualities or skills I really admire the way she brings up those kids all on her own. admire somebody for (doing) something Lewis was much admired for his work on medieval literature. 2 to look at something and think how beautiful or impressive it is We stopped halfway to admire the view. Sal stood back to admire her work. 3 → admire somebody from afar GRAMMAR: Using the progressive • Admire is not used in the progressive in meaning 1. You say: I admire him for his courage (=I respect and like him). ✗Don't say: I am admiring him. • Admire is often used in the progressive in meaning 2. You say: He was admiring himself in the mirror (=he was looking at himself). You can also say: He admired himself in the mirror. THESAURUS admire to like someone because they have achieved something special, or they have skills or qualities that you would like to have I admire your courage. She admired him for the way he dealt with the situation. respect to have a good opinion of someone, even if you do not agree with them, for example because they have achieved a lot or have high standards She is respected by all her colleagues at the university. She's an actor who is not prepared to compromise, and her audience loves and respects her for that. revere /rɪˈvɪə $ -ˈvɪr/ formal to greatly admire someone because of their achievements and personal qualities, especially someone famous Mandela is revered as one of the great leaders of our time. look up to somebody to admire someone who is older or who has more experience than you All the young comedians look up to him. think highly of somebody to think that someone is good at what they do His teachers seem to think very highly of him. idolize to admire someone so much that you think they are perfect - used especially about famous people or people in your family He idolized his brother. Jane grew up idolizing Princess Diana. hero-worship to admire someone a lot and want to be like them - often used when this seems unreasonable or extreme She hero-worshipped John to such an extent that she was blind to his faults.

redolence

ıtır, koku, hoş koku

cruet

şişe a thing that holds the containers for salt, pepper, oil, or vinegar on a table Examples from the Corpus cruet • At other windows she could see tables with folded paper napkins and nickel plated cruets. • Make a clam shell cruet Emulsion in your chosen colour 1 Apply a layer of undercoat or primer and leave to dry. • Bowls of fruit, flowers, even the cruet would have to be paid for. • He stayed rigidly still in the high-backed wooden chair and stared at the upset cruet. Origin cruet (1200-1300) Anglo-French Old French crue "bottle"