C2 English vocabylary with sentences

wear and tear

a minor problem or delay Frank managed to install the new program without a hitch by following the step-by-step guide.

soapbox

a difference between things that should be the same Melinda refused to touch her grandma's old piano, disgusted that the keys were made of real ivory.

time after time

a difficult situation that may have an unpleasant outcome I was confident about taking the exam, but it was touch and go on the day when I realised how hard it actually was.

brigade

a group of people who travel with or follow an important person The rowdy demonstrators were turned back by the riot squad. 4.35

immediacy

an accurate example of sth He repurposed his greatgrandmother's old sewing machine to make a stylish table. 74

be in sb's bad books

be out of favour with somebody because of having done something to displease them Nick had another argument with the boss, so he's in her bad books again.

be beside yourself

be overcome by an emotion Dad was beside himself with happiness when I told him I'd got my scholarship.

blow your chance

be pessimistic about sth Lindsey avoided criticising her son's choice of partner, but she was around to pick up the pieces after his divorce.

bale

be something difficult to do The government has pulled the plug on student grants. 66

dollar bill

blackened as a result of a fire On the inscription on the base of the statue, the name of the ancient sculptor was still distinguishable.

accomplished

blend together with other things so the differences are not clear; join two or more things to form one Her aunt was instrumental in getting her the job.

undercurrent

boast about your success The British fondness for a nice cup of tea is a legacy of their empirical past.

worthless

in a symbolic way; as a symbol The fruit of the tree was a hybrid of an apple and a pear.

sought-out

desired; wanted The most sought-out paintings fetched a good price at the auction.

urge

encourage or strongly advise somebody to do sth Jeff wanted to study art, but his parents were urging him to leave school and get a job to earn a living.

recognition

extreme suffering or distress Despite her high level of attainment at school, Agnes preferred farming work to the prospect of university.

poaching

extremely cruel and uncaring Conservationists are concerned that fracking will cause irreversible damage to the environment.

biodegradable

fake; of poor quality How did he manage to land a prime job at the embassy?

straitened

famous and often mentioned The irony was that the new Minister for Health and Sport was an overweight heavy smoker who never walked the length of himself.

snappy

give words of praise to promote sth Political campaigners are adept at the manipulation of public opinion.

crack down

hand out a share of sth, e.g. money, clothes, etc. He realised he'd been ripped off when the so-called nearly-new car broke down on its first run.

string

having a certain, predetermined future As a child actress in E.T., Drew seemed destined for stardom.

heart rate monitor

in a disgusting or extremely unpleasant way The restaurant was hideously decorated with plastic Santas and glittery red streamers.

hail from

in line with; in agreement with Anyone who has studied classics will be familiar with the works of Homer.

encompass

include Make sure your essay encompasses all the relevant points. 1.66

apathetic

lacking interest or unwilling to take action If voters hadn't been so apathetic, there would have been a better turnout for the election.

sold on sth

larger than normal It's not surprising you got such a hefty fine since you had parked all day in front of the police station.

exit

leave; go out James exited the room without saying goodbye.

fast track

likely to be a success; over-optimistic Kate tried to ignore the crude remarks from the group of teenagers on the street.

recite

loudly voicing your opinions; generally connected with the voice This book includes phonetic symbols to assist in pronunciation.

leap at

make a careless mistake I got caught up in heavy traffic this morning.

speculate

make a mistake when you are reciting a script We've witnessed a huge leap in sales since we ran the TV ad.

scrutinise

make something less challenging He's normally so shy, but when he gets hold of a microphone, he can certainly play to the camera.

dash sb's hopes

make something less sharp; make something less effective All applicants for the post had to sit an aptitude test.

randomly

make something popular It's fun to put away the tablets and have an evening playing parlour games with friends occasionally.

apprentice

make up for or pay somebody back for sth They incurred a massive amount of debt to repay on their credit cards as a result of their reckless spending spree.

soundproof

new and imaginative Although the variables have changed, it is still possible to draw parallels between the conflicts between nations in the past with those of the present.

maturity

related to law-making procedures In Mediterranean societies, the burden of elderly care usually falls on the family.

eviction

rent a house They let the house under a one-year tenancy agreement.

predator

a situation where something exciting or dangerous is very close to happening The dog was so agitated that it had to be sedated before the vet could examine it.

intact

save items from a (car/ship/train) wreck or damaged building From the stacks of papers awaiting attention on her desk, I realised it was a bad time to ask Nancy to do me a favour.

skew

slang way of speaking, common to a local area He wrote an emotive account of his ordeal.

beanie

sth that proves something else is true or exists A statue of the dog was erected in Edinburgh as a testament to his loyalty to his master.

blare

sth/sb that appears strange The weather forecast will be the deciding factor in their choice of destination for their winter beak.

touch base

take something to pieces; spread apart in different directions If you use the incorrect PIN number too often, the bank will deactivate your card.

big yourself up

taking action to make things happen and direct a situation Jill nearly fell for a phone scam when someone called to say she had won a free holiday to the Caribbean.

folklore

that goes into a lot of detail and takes too long to get to the point Opening a restaurant was a good idea, but we faced a number of teething problems before getting off the ground.

cream of the crop

that happens very quickly Advertisements for the new housing estate were designed with the aspirational newmoneyed middle-class customer in mind.

old-time

that has existed for many years Many Bedouins have now abandoned their nomadic lifestyle in favour of urban life.

by the book

the act of sending somebody to a person or place they need to go to, e.g. for help The village school's core curricular subjects were reading, writing and maths.

ahead of the curve

the arrival of a new invention Before the advent of email, we had to wait days or weeks to receive letters.

legislative

a heavy or stressful responsibility Out of business and out of luck, she was forced to join the ranks of the unemployed.

bitcoin

a situation of rapidly rising prices which is damaging to a country's economy One day digital currency may replace banknotes and coins.

egocentric

an extended advertisement that emulates documentary style The economic downturn has led us to question the ethics of materialism.

mount up

based on a first impression On the threshold of a major political decision, John suddenly resigned from his post and walked out.

on the threshold

be in agreement about what to do My maths teacher just rang to cancel today's lesson. Saved by the bell!

feat

become weaker or less Despite laws to the contrary, ageist attitudes prevail in the job market where employers hire younger staff on lower pay.

vibrant

cause the supply of something to reduce They were served several side dishes to complement the main course.

minimalist

completely different and new Jean hardly recognised her old school friend due to the radical change in her appearance.

juggernaut

aggressively competitive Sales of the scent have increased since its endorsement from the popular actor.

disburse

make sth/sb spread out and move away in different directions; scatter Many families emigrated from Europe to the USA in the 17th century.

intricate

finely-detailed and complex The neutral shade of the curtains went well with the intricate floral pattern of the carpet.

lax

pretend you don't notice sth The hotel facilities and service were highly commendable; our stay was worth every penny.

foremost

have the advantage of the positive results of sth The parents and teachers banded together to organise the school fair.

fugitive

having a tendency to change suddenly; unstable Long-distance travel features high on most people's bucket lists.

drive something home

important in terms of an idea implied Sales of the newspaper skyrocketed with the exclusive report.

haggle

disapprovingly small or insignificant I'm sure the taxi driver put one over on us by taking us by the longest route to the museum.

at will

extremely nervous about sth Rescuing the child from the blaze was a brave and heroic deed.

forge

dishonest and immoral Matilda felt that her tutor had assessed her essay too harshly because he held conflicting opinions on the topic.

do away with

face up to and deal with directly Anna had never really cared about animals; she was just jumping on the vegetarian bandwagon to seek approval from her new boyfriend.

rear its

refuse to back down or give up; stick to your opinion Julie stood her ground and refused to work any unpaid overtime.

hear something on the grapevine

resent that somebody has something which you feel they don't deserve Detracting from the historic significance of the site, the tacky souvenir shops offended the sensibilities of the more discerning visitors.

saddle somebody with sth

resign from a position of power Although now in her 20s, she still leans on her family for financial support.

enforcement

respect and admire to a great extent Several animals, such as cows and monkeys, are regarded as sacred in Hindu culture and are not to be harmed.

superiority

respected The original redbrick universities specialised in science and engineering, but have now branched out into other fields of study. 8.19

temerity

restrain somebody by tying or holding them so that they cannot move Happiness beamed from each child's countenance as they sang.

unfold

retrieved from old archives The need for food banks is a sad indictment of our society.

eliminate

rule out; remove John is likely to win the singing contest as the judges have eliminated most of the other contestants.

confidant

sb who helps or conspires with somebody to do sth Meg and Tom sought the advice of a guidance counsellor in an effort to save their marriage.

fictitious

sb who helps to negotiate an agreement between two or more groups or organisations The new hospital wing is to be named after the benefactor who funded the construction.

negligence

sb who is 100 years old or more It's amazing how many centenarians are still alive and well on the island.

redeem

sb who is entitled to receive a donation or other benefit Crime rates are high in the most impoverished areas of the city.

manipulation

unaware of what is happening A child can figure out the difference between hearsay versus facts.

apathetic

unkind and without sympathy or feeling for others Mrs Jones had just cause to complain about illegally parked cars blocking the wheelchair ramp.

catch somebody red-handed

use as a source of support When the area was designated as a refugee camp, the authorities ran up against complaints from the local community.

deed

use your influence to get an advantage The reporter certainly didn't pull any punches; he was quite offensive and prying.

phonetic

simple and unsophisticated Despite a series of setbacks, he held fast to his original business plan until the company eventually took off.

troubled

worried I knew all was not well when I saw Tom's troubled expression.

far-reaching

writing offensive or annoying messages on an online discussion 'Copyright' embraces legal rights related to books, films, plays and music.

fertile

wrongly, due to an error of judgement I'm inclined to agree that we shouldn't risk hiking in this weather.

sneaky

stop an activity Her Twitter feed is peppered with quotes from others more famous than she will ever be.

ritual

substituting for something else which is not available A sense of camaraderie developed among the earthquake victims camped in the park.

high-end

the traits of a person's character as shown to others Nobodybelieved the bogus report about the discovery of a giant's bones.

jingle

the activity or process of advertising and marketing goods Airport baggage handling services are run through a private business franchise.

precept

the amount of money you spend Gran said she only needed a few shillings a day to do all her shopping in the past.

double-edged sword

the best from a group or large number of things/people Amanda sat peacefully on the station platform reading her book, ignoring the fast-paced, smartphonewielding wannabes sharing her commute.

disinhibition

the state of having no feeling of embarrassment or shyness to restrict behaviour Certain drugs, which have caused people to experience sudden social disinhibition and lead to self-destructive behaviour, are banned in Australia.

salt cellar

the traditional stories of a country Although some of her points were valid, her speech about racial inequality was too long-winded.

compliment

tire somebody out so they agree to do sth With discounts that were almost too good to be true, she splashed out and treated herself to a couple of new outfits.

enclave

the arrival of people or goods, etc. in large numbers It was a very short-sighted decision to turn up in the city without making a prior hotel booking.

vocational

the attitude of people who act as though they are superior to others Ancient Athens was one of the first bastions of democracy.

status symbol

the basic untreated components used to make sth Use inverted forms sparingly in your text.

seminal

the cause of the end of something being in a powerful position The years of plague were a major factor in the downfall of ancient Athens.

backbone

the chance to make a decision quickly and act on something before somebody else does The great artist died in poverty and his masterpieces only received recognition years later.

remains

the circular lines visible in wood when a tree is cut horizontally across the trunk Independent films cannot easily compete with the Hollywood juggernaut.

sport

the common spirit or prevailing attitude typical of a particular period in history The book perfectly captured the zeitgeist of early 20th century Ireland. 13

shrinkage

the communications between people using technological means Traditional craftsmen blame the increase in globalisation for their loss of business.

broke

the complex system of regulations and ways of processing information in a government department Scrooge must be the world's most famous miser who never gave anything away until he got scared.

swell

the direct importance and resulting urgency Materialism was regarded as the epitome of success.

oncoming

the distance above ground level Our car got stuck on the road in a raging blizzard.

trauma

the effect of a serious shock or injury, especially on the brain Alex needed the help of a psychologist to help him through the trauma of his parents' divorce.

humanity

the fact of having a similar appearance to sth The sequel bears no resemblance to his original novel in the series.

familiarity

the feeling of closeness through knowing sth/ somebody well He felt a sense of familiarity as he approached his birthplace for the first time in 20 years.

anecdote

the money you have available after making tax payments, etc. The article covered the most important facets of academic life. Compound nouns disposable income dress code eye-opener paternity leave rose-coloured glasses tree ring Video 9: Best Job Ever! page 138

a means to an end

the number of people out of work; unemployment Harry received a bonus from his employer as an acknowledgement of his contribution to the company's success.

asylum seeker

the organisation responsible for policing activities at sea near the coastline and rescuing ships in trouble My first day at work after leaving school was quite an ordeal.

sovereign

the people who hold controlling power in a country or organisation; a system where people are ranked in levels of importance Amelia has always been a conscientious student who consistently completes her assignments to exceptional standards.

hashtag

the practice of working towards social change, often collectively Is the selfie craze purely down to narcissism, or is it simply a cry for approval to cover insecurity?

peer pressure

the pressure from people your own age or social status to do the same as they do so as to be accepted Tracy dresses exactly as she pleases and refuses to give in to peer pressure to wear certain brands of clothing.

reminisce

the process of changing from one situation to another Even the most law-abiding drivers fail to notice speed restriction limits where the signs are obscured by trees.

chronicle

the process of regaining strength or sth's improving prospects Angela did very well in the oral exam and turned the whole thing into a natural conversation with the examiner, gaining top marks for speaking fluently.

quack

the process of treating used objects/ materials to create something more valuable than the original object It's a foregone conclusion that marine species will continue to die out if sea pollution is not stopped. Nouns: actions buzz discrepancy educated guess entanglement foregone conclusion fracking goodwill grapevine influx injection itinerary narrow escape poaching understatement upcycling voluntourism Speaking page 105

inhumane

the process of using liquid at high pressure to force open natural cracks in the earth to extract oil or gas Light rain? That is an understatement; there's thunderstorm on the way.

fulfilment

the quality of continuing without giving up until you achieve a goal With the increasing prevalence of street gangs in the neighbourhood, we decided it was time to move house.

adolescence

the stage of life between childhood and adulthood Teenagers go through major physical and emotional changes during adolescence.

infancy

the stage of life from birth to early childhood Children's psychological development depends greatly on the stimulus they receive during their infancy.

clay

the state of being a woman

agitated

the state of being prepared for sth Omar's nationality was an impediment in his quest to find a job in Italy.

foray

the state of being untrue You should avoid driving whilst taking certain medications.

memoir

the upper class The journalist went into hiding after admitting responsibility for the leak of top secret information to the media.

scorn

the use of comments that have an opposite meaning to what they say to criticise or make fun of sb The country's national health service was seen as a benchmark for the rest of Europe.

intimidate

the use of force to restrict a group of people Sorry to butt in, but I've just had some serious news.

mortgage

the use or treatment of sth/sb in a harmful or wrong way She was fired from the bank after misusing customers' private data for marketing purposes.

brew

to do with literature Gwen wrote her thesis on the literary works of 19th century female authors.

pretence

to serve food using a large deep spoon Liana knitted some warm shawls for the women at the homeless shelter.

gripping

uncover only a small part of an issue Hard rock is considered a subgenre of rock music in the wider sense.

ivory

unusual or crazy Her ongoing support was implicit from the tone of her voice.

trickle down

unusual or out of the ordinary Our train was delayed by six hours, and to add insult to injury, the station cafe had closed, so there were no refreshments available.

exert

use effort, such as strength or influence to achieve a result Parents often exert too much pressure on their children to achieve success from an early age.

rolling in it

very poor Being born with a silver spoon in her mouth, she had certainly had a privileged childhood.

beneficiary

very poor Getting to the bomb shelter when the air-raid warning sounded was a harrowing experience.

nest egg

when all other options have been tried As I prefer a quiet life, it's not so much life in the fast lane as life in the bus lane for me!

divine

with a pleasant taste The Olympic Games are a symbol of Greece's national heritage.

neon

with a skeleton made of cartilage (strong white tissue) The soft lighting created an atmosphere of serenity.

maladjusted

with emotional problems that prevent somebody behaving in a socially acceptable way Those who bully others often tend to be maladjusted as a result of their upbringing.

abstain

with less money or opportunities than others We all huddled round the campfire and told ghost stories.

band together

without any money or source of income Have you prepped your opening speech yet?

be wet behind the ears

without being made to do sth You are at liberty to express your own opinions.

unbeknown

without somebody knowing Unbeknown to us, the boss had heard our entire conversation.

prime

worrying Despite the injection of grants to develop tourism, small businesses have become unviable due to tax measures.

accessible

ˈsʌmbədi/ guide sb/sth I'd recommend Thelma as a competent accountant with an aptitude for problem solving.

efficacy

(of photos) taken unexpectedly while the subject is behaving naturally; open and direct She took the publishers to court over the public disclosure of her letters.

façade

a (disorganised) group of people When asked where she was intending to find cash for the project, Jean simply raised her eyes heavenwards and shrugged.

rudimentary

a container So-called discount offers are simply a ruse to attract more customers.

novice

a meeting of people Greek name days are always a great excuse for a family gathering.

tailor-made

a person's child; the young of an animal Mum's taking an Open University course in computing to enhance her job prospects.

lad

acquire and gather He received a huge round of applause at the end of his speech.

emotive

as from now; looking ahead Smelling smoke when he woke up, the farmer raised the alert and called the fire brigade.

be inclined to agree

create Unscrupulous employers have used the job crisis to exploit their workers by lowering wages to the minimum.

set something to rights

create something and make people accept it Periodically, the guard walked along the corridors to check up on the prisoners.

bucket list

criticise Harry had a go at sky-diving, but he was too scared to do it a second time.

gullible

easy to deceive; liable to believe what other say without question How could you be so gullible as to buy that old heap of a car?

vulnerable

easy to hurt or damage emotionally or physically Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to criticism from their peers.

harmonious

give a solution to a problem Emigrating to New Zealand was a significant milestone in Athena's life.

vicinity

lay eggs The lure of city life drove her to leave her village.

accelerate

make something stroonger Barbara bought an old farm cottage and had it renovated.

advent

not giving enough care and attention The car wasn't so much old as falling apart due to the owner's negligence.

hefty

pay a lot for sth Few parents are wealthy enough to fork out for all the latest gadgets their children demand.

NGO

practical emergency aid, such as food, clothes or medical supplies The mass influx of illegal immigrants has created an unmanageable humanitarian crisis.

stature

praise somebody for doing sth Sure, I'll look after your pets when your away; it's no big deal.

recession

a form of criticism through humour often to exaggerate weaknesses in an amusing way After the company declared bankruptcy, its assets were sold off.

falsehood

a form of medicine Mindful of the risks involved, he decided not to attempt the climb alone.

stray

a friendly, understanding relationship The school's mentorship programme worked well in its experimental stages.

brutalise

a garden tool like large heavy scissors What a long way school notebooks have come in a century - from slates to tablets!

biofluorescence

a gas that gives a bright light when electricity goes through it Sharks are an example of huge cartilaginous animals

ferment

a gift from one country or tribe to another as a peace offering Keith was horrified when the shopkeeper refused to accept the €100 note upon discovering that it was counterfeit.

deteriorate

a glass tube used in scientific experiments and medical tests An array of test tubes filled with strange liquids were perched on the rack next to his microscope.

cheap and nasty

a great number or amount The government was subject to a slew of criticism over the proposed changes to the education system.

fraternity

a group of companies or people who work together towards a particular objective Flights were delayed due to a strike by the baggage handlers' union.

squad

a group of companies who agree to price fixing to maximise profits Dramatic fluctuations in currency rates have raised concerns among the banking fraternity. 4.34

spec

a group of customers within a particular age group, gender, interest group The website aims to appeal to the fifty-something demographic.

lobby

a group of people who share a common opinion; a unit of soldiers in an army The actor entered the hotel surrounded by his entourage of security staff.

entourage

a group of police or soldiers working together on a specific task; a large group of players from which a team is selected The dairy cartel has ensured that milk prices are much the same across all the supermarkets.

be at liberty to do sth

a group of things dealt with together; an amount of a product made at the same time Bales of hay lay in neat rows in the fields ready for collection.

desired

a guess likely to be correct based on existing knowledge The temple was a prime example of sixth-century Greek architecture.

altitude

a heavy snowstorm with strong winds Dennis went through a period of disorientation upon his return home following his stay in hospital.

entail

a heavy, silver-coloured metal Uranium is used in the production of nuclear energy. 15

rapport

a helping process where somebody experienced assists somebody with less experience of sth In an overcrowded classroom setting with students of mixed ability, teachers feel frustrated that they are unable to fulfil their own potential.

frond

a hidden feeling which has a noticeable effect on sth Though Steve has never been one to blow his own trumpet, he is rather proud of winning the trophy for Tang Soo Do.

dynamite

a highly explosive substance Several sticks of dynamite were used to blow up the old block of flats.

slap

a hit with an open hand Fred gave his friend a friendly slap on the back.

compliant

a hormone that increases the heart-rate and energy level His report gave only a superficial analysis of the political problem.

intimacy

a hot drink made from herbs or fruit The computer had to be completely dismantled to replace the part.

diaspora

a huge crowd of people The troupe of acrobats gave a breathtaking performance.

philanthropist

a key word or phrase with the hash symbol '#' in front of it, used as a search tool on social media Brenda felt it was time to get involved in environmental activism when she saw the state of her local beach.

bereaved

a kind of insect, the female of which produces a green light at the After the excesses of Christmas parties, Neil felt he had to detox from meats and sweets to get back in shape.

gleefully

a kind of soft mud used in making ceramic dishes The ceremony denoted that the girls had reached womanhood and were ready to find a husband.

batch

a large amount of material collected together and tied up Running a company and keeping it sustainable is no mean feat.

7.49 unsettling

a large amount of money put in to support a business, etc. His travel blog gave a cautionary tale explaining the hazards of travelling alone in the area.

remoteness

a large board where advertisements are posted on a building or on a roadside She uses Facebook as a platform to air her personal views.

endurance

a large conical tent traditional to Native Americans in the past

womanhood

a large conical tent traditional to Native Americans in the past Most Native Americans now live in towns or cities and few would contemplate the prospect of a nomadic life in a tepee that their ancestors had.

gruel

a large copper cooking pot The baker's long white apron was covered with flour.

posse

a large crowd Beth and Judy are thick as thieves; anything you say to one always gets back to the other.

mob

a large crowd of people who may behave violently An angry mob protested outside the town hall.

clan

a large extended family group with a common surname My Scottish ancestors were members of the Gordon clan.

cluster

a large field where a particular crop is grown The bulk of demand for their products comes from northern Europe.

eel

a large flat fish with a long tail that has a dangerous sting Human beings' organs are physiologically similar to many other mammals.

worldliness

a large flat serving dish Our trees yield several kilos of olives annually.

humiliate

a large meeting of people involved with a common field She rose meteorically to the halls of fame.

branding

a large number of things/people Alex dreams of living a simple life as a goatherd tending his herd in the mountains.

plantation

a large number or amount of similar things; size or quantity of sth We kept a cautious eye on the weather forecast before setting off on our hiking trip.

stage

a large organised public protest meeting Local residents formed a human chain to carry the buckets of water up the hill to put out the wildfire.

outrage

a large piece of fabric or paper with a message written on it showing support for a cause Protesters carried banners bearing anti-war slogans outside parliament.

raring

a length of time that something lasts Under 18-year-olds cannot marry without parental consent in most European countries.

likelihood

a light flexible fabric made using nanotechnology Cybernetic implants could be used to help patients with physical disabilities.

test tube

a limit Alexander Fleming broke the frontiers of medical science when he discovered penicillin in 1928.

acknowledgement

a list of books, articles, etc. that you have referred to in a piece of writing Thorough research providing statistics is fundamental to back up your report.

volatile

a list of things you'd like to do in your lifetime Don't knock the idea of selfpublishing your book; it worked for some of the best-selling writers.

rally

a long line of people linked together either by holding hands, or to complete a task jointly How can you be so apathetic about people who are starving? Why don't you care?

union

a long line of rulers from the same family group Two platoons advanced on the enemy camp in the middle of the night.

cremate

a long thin leaf An undercurrent of envy prevented them from developing a closer relationship.

rod

a long thin straight pole Ted lost his balance and fell off the ladder when he was putting up the new curtains on the rod.

notwithstanding

a long, flat-bottomed boat The slaves were brutalised and kept in appalling conditions.

9.83 pull up stakes

a period of preparatory training Before travelling abroad, it's wise to read up on the local etiquette to avoid embarrassing moments.

relieve somebody of sth

a period of time that a father is allowed to take off work to care for his newborn child Bob was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 2016.

delegate

a period of time when somebody stops working to relax; a period of time when something is not working West Papua became an autonomous province in 2003.

privileged

a person who alerts people to the fact that a company or person in power is doing something illegal On election day, our local primary schools are used as polling stations.

middleman

a person who gives something freely to help others Candice grew up in an orphanage after her grandparents died in the war.

burglar

a person who illegally enters buildings and steals things: The burglar had taken a laptop on which highly sensitive information was stored.

strike a chord

a quick, sometimes secretive, look at sth The hard-hitting documentary changed the public perception of milk production.

contagion

a quiet person who doesn't make friends easily Nigel prefers to express his thoughts in writing as he's too much of an introvert to speak up in public.

paraphernalia

a range of things that sth/sb deals with; opportunity to do sth The prime minister lives in hope of finding a positive omen for the country's economic future. 59

gelada

a rare species of monkey native to Ethiopia Unlike other monkeys, geladas spend most of their time eating grass in the meadows of Ethiopia.

avatar

a record of your qualifications and work experience; a CV It may be hard to ignore those cute kitty videos, but most of them are purely clickbait from advertisers.

concession

a repayable amount loaned from a bank or building society to buy property The revolution came about to curb the dictator's abuse of power.

compassion

a resident of a prison or other institution which they are not free to leave I'm still hesitant about accepting the job offer as it involves relocating.

upcycling

a result that is certain to happen He played a musical instrument similar to the didgeridoo that is peculiar to the indigenous people of Australia.

counsellor

a review of a system to assess and repair or change it The complex infrastructure of the multi-national giant means that any new plans take months to implement.

suppress

a revolt against people in power Janet discovered that her ancestors had fled from France to Scotland in 1685 because they were being persecuted for their religious beliefs.

blight

a round loaf of traditional Russian bread The woman at the market stall tried to persuade us to buy her embroidered tablecloths.

street vendor

a saying that means somebody who finds a lost object has the right to keep it Divisions between the haves and have nots appear to be deepening as more people fall into poverty. 48

grace

a school or college dining hall His eyes filled with compassion when he found the abandoned puppies.

ordeal

a seasonal period of heavy rains in southern Asia He was arrested at the Australian border for trying to enter the country with a fake identity.

stigma

a sense of honour and self-respect Being questioned in front of the judge in court was a soul-crushing experience.

self-awareness

a sense of understanding your own behaviour and who you are Watching how you behave on video can lead to a greater sense of selfawareness.

aimlessness

a sequence of actions repeated often in the same way Abandoned a few days after birth, the kitten was fortunately adopted and raised happily by its surrogate family.

illustrious

a series of Not fitting the image of the slim beautiful heroine, she was destined to play the dispensable victim and sundry supporting roles.

apply yourself

a set of equipment for a specific task I don't understand the rationale behind the revised school curriculum.

crowdfunding

a set of symbols used in text messages to represent a facial expression or feeling While some memes can be funny, most tend to lack originality, so I usually delete them - and never share such trivia!

rose-coloured glasses

a short amusing or interesting story about an experience or other event Many families are struggling to make ends meet as their disposable income has shrunk in the recent years.

vehemently

a short course to help students prepare quickly for exams Catherine was impressed that her first group of Chinese students were so disciplined in comparison with their Mediterranean counterparts.

on the spur of the moment

a short distance away Microcopy shows up in online error boxes explaining what users should do.

cement

a short part of a larger text, film, etc. The newspaper produced evidence that their claims were actually true and not just libel.

garner

a short period of people clapping to show approval The prime minister was coming in for a great deal of ridicule from the media.

fondness

a short period of sth, especially illness On our visit to the West Indies, we adored the spicy creole cuisine, but could not understand much of the creole language.

effusive

a short piece of music used in an advertisement The trashy novel and film became a box office success only through clever merchandising.

range

a short prayer made before eating a meal Ron sat at a long table with his classmates for breakfast in the school commons.

decipher

a short-lasting uncontrollable state of an extreme emotion, e.g. laughter, crying, etc. The blight of fungus destroyed the vines before the grapes had ripened.

fundamental

a sign that shows how something is now or likely to be Pauline had to sacrifice her social life to produce her 5,000-word dissertation for her course assessment.

scope

a sign that something might happen If you keep at it, you'll finish your dissertation in no time.

fluff your lines

a significant change or improvement I was sure she said her name was Mabel, but I must have misheard her.

remedy

a significant event in your life The demonstration was a clear manifestation of support for the opposition party.

novel

a similar feature or situation, etc. Adrian supplements his teaching salary by working as a private tutor in evening classes.

the Renaissance

a situation that is a result of past actions or events They were obviously tea drinkers, from the brown residue around the inside of their cups.

empowerment

a situation that worsens progressively Losing control of her company's budget, she fell headlong into bankruptcy.

legendary

a situation where something has an opposite or contrasting result to what is intended It's time our government addressed the problem of youth unemployment.

dim

a situation where you only just avoid danger Women are not allowed to visit the monastic enclave on the rocky peninsula.

stack

a state police officer in the USA Sharon had a vast collection of coins of different denominations from her international travels.

cut-throat

a statement made by somebody to show they support sth The article was replete with factual errors.

fracking

a statement that makes something sound less serious or important than it is The carnival floats were decorated with colours as vibrant as the festive atmosphere.

go down

a statement which shows that a person or organisation, etc. rejects responsibility for sth The authenticity of their claims are open to question.

anticipate

a store where goods are kept before being sold or sent to shop In all likelihood, driverless buses will soon be a common sight in our cities.

7.53 cautionary

a strong and enjoyable feeling of excitement The concept of an underwater hotel is somewhat out of the ordinary.

in earnest

a strong feeling In an utterly selfless fashion, Helen always helps anyone in need without a second thought.

grasp

a strong feeling of sadness A look of sorrow swept across his face when he heard the bad news.

law-abiding

a strong hope to achieve sth In the face of adversity, she turned to her closest friends for support.

fascination

a strong interest in sth Thelma's fascination with archaeology led her to write a book on Minoan art.

get caught up in sth

a student or graduate who has a temporary work experience post in a workplace The company had to let half the staff go when sales figures kept dropping. Phrasal verbs fall in with something leap at let go slip up toughen up

fraudulent

a subconscious habit or way of behaving The age-old tradition of bullfighting is fast losing its popularity in Spain.

limelight

a successful point in a chosen career Even the non-stop action with striking visual images and sound effects could not compensate for the banal dialogue and storyline.

popularise

a word game or miming game, etc. played at home The teachings of Pythagoras were a precursor to European culture.

foreman

a worker who is responsible for leading a group of other workers, especially in construction or factory work The factory foreman told the workers to take a break while the machines were being serviced.

heirloom

a written account of events in chronological order The tourist industry is beginning to show some signs of revival after years of recession.

complex

ability to reach or achieve Having eaten all the leaves that were within its grasp, the panda lay down for a snooze.

on the face of it

about to enter a new situation Most adolescents believe that their parents are never on the same page as them.

in the offing

about to happen (usually for something negative) The process of car manufacturing has become almost entirely automated, cutting the need for factory workers.

channel

absolute; used to emphasise the size or amount of sth The Apache tents have a conical shape with a gap at the top for smoke to come out.

extravagantly

absolutely Their climbing equipment showed great resilience, having stood the tests of time.

voracious

absolutely and without a doubt Do we really need to cast lots to decide who washes the dishes?

fall in with sb

accept enthusiastically The robber slipped up by calling his friend by his real name, so the whole gang got caught.

condemn

accept or show approval for immoral behaviour The organisation strongly advocates the provision of more homeless shelters in the city centre.

joblessness

acceptance that something is right Don't forget to include your bibliography quoting your sources at the end of your thesis.

perpetuate

accepted by law; justifiable Amal was forced into an arranged marriage before she had reached maturity.

philosophical

accepting a negative situation with a calm, understanding reaction Mum was quite philosophical about losing her job as she said she might now consider starting her own business.

hit the books

according to the rules The head teacher recommended the child's referral to a speech therapist.

sane

achievement He deciphered the enemy's signal code just in time to help plan a counter attack.

anguish

achievement of a goal He was fired for his ineptness at handling customer complaints.

dumb something down

act differently in the presence of cameras The film's title is cringeworthy, as was most of the inane dialogue.

alarm

affect something negatively and unpleasantly In our country, strict punishments are imposed on people who abuse children.

demographic

affect the quality of an image by using a camera setting that lets too much light in It took some practice to master the phone's camera settings so as not to overexpose the photos.

embrace

affecting the development of sth Having never left her hometown in Ireland, Siobhan had a completely monocultural upbringing.

blow your own trumpet

affection A bout of gastric flu caused her to lose quite a bit of weight. Expressions blow your own trumpet hold fast sit tight stay put 85 Grammar pages 175-176-177

curricular

allow somebody to become an integral part of a place, group, etc. Professor Jackson pretends to be absent-minded by forgetting the end of a formula just to make sure his students know the answer.

sprawling

although it was They were utterly worn out, inasmuch as they'd just completed a 25 km walk. 55

seizure

an attack of an illness that strikes suddenly Aunt Hilda was admitted to hospital after her heart seizure.

tank

an attitude towards sb/sth that you regard as stupid or inferior 'So the dog ate your homework again,' said the teacher with more than a hint of sarcasm.

breadwinner

an earthquake that follows as a consequence of a (usually) larger one Amongst the crowd of immigrants at the port were a number of asylum seekers waiting to have their passports and documents checked.

inescapable

an economic period when trade and production levels are at a low, resulting in high unemployment Aristophanes masterfully addressed social issues through satire in ancient time.

sitcom

an effort to become involved in a different area of activity They set up an experiment to test whether the advertising claims reading the shampoo were truth or falsehood.

digital currency

an exchange of work measured in hours or by the hour The old drachma ceased to be legal tender in Greece after the euro was adopted.

gushing

an outward appearance of something which may not be a reality The blogger developed an intimacy with her followers which helped promote her website.

reckless

an over-confident outspoken manner that can seem rude The kidnappers had pinioned their victim to the chair.

outburst

an unexpected expression of strong emotion The centre forward was sent off due to his outburst of violence during the match.

alert

an unexpected meeting A cluster of local children were feeding the elephants bathe.

adulthood

an unrealistic over-optimistic view of life In the staff room, teachers exchanged amusing anecdotes about their students.

et yourself in for sth

anxiety or suffering Mark is always willing to help a friend in distress.

at arm's length

at a safe distance Tracy keeps her neighbours at arm's length as she prefer to keep her personal business private.

initially

at first Paul's parents were initially surprised at his decision to leave home, but they soon came round to the idea.

gloat

at the same time as something else The department heads agreed concurringly to close the office for two weeks during the holiday season.

gesture

attract and hold sb's close attention The audience were captivated by his stunning performance.

cajole

attract or persuade somebody to do sth Even the offer of a bonus could not induce her to stay another moment in the job.

entrepreneur

attractive and exciting Although Daisy is a charming dog, she is inherently disobedient having had no early training.

reluctant

attractive with an old-worldly quality Around the souk, the ever-present aroma of spices filled the air.

spawn

attractiveness; appeal Knowing only a smattering of German, Olga had no intention of going to university in Frankfurt.

lay the foundation for

based on observations or experience The practice of randomly targeting potential clients by phone must be the most annoying form of marketing.

rosy

basic and unrefined (usually in a negative sense); vulgar Tears filled his eyes and he could not conceal his raw emotion. 38

cautious

basic; main There was no phone signal in the vicinity, so we walked for miles to find help. Adjectives applicable blatant cautious colloquial communal dissimilar emotive empirical far-reaching formative inflated inherent intrigued intrinsic mind-boggling monocultural narcissistic non-verbal one-sided primary proximate self-absorbed transmittable viral 35

bibliography

basic; most important Exam results are not always an accurate indicator of a person's ability.

derivative

basic; undeveloped They used coconut shells as drinking vessels to serve the cocktails.

compilation

be a clear example of sth Karl is vehemently opposed to private education, maintaining that everyone should have an equal chance in life.

tag

be a popular subject of discussion currently on social media Our biology teacher drew an analogy between the human body and a machine.

sparingly

be an accurate example of sth The book goes a long way to debunk the myth of racial inferiority.

testament

be as good as expected The new printer didn't quite measure up to what we expected, given the rave reviews.

make a go of sth

be below the necessary standard He blew his chance at the interview by showing reluctance to do overtime.

run up against

be dependent on There was a public outcry at the government's decision to do away with some popular TV channels. Phrasal verbs band together round up fall back on run up against come down to do away with

vocation

be determined to achieve sth How long was she on the dole before she found another job?

throng

be extremely friendly with each other, often in a conspiratorial way Though a little worried about meeting her new colleagues, Christine got on famously with them from the first day.

in a nutshell

be familiar with or experienced in how to do sth I confess I deserved to fail the exam as I didn't study for it, so let's just drop the subject.

not be fussed

be full of sth Brimming with enthusiasm, Antonia waited for her new tablet to arrive in the post.

bring out the best in sb

be ignored If the United Nations doesn't get behind the immigration crisis, our country will never be able to deal with it alone.

come into sth

be in a difficult situation that is hard to get out of They saved a little bit every month to add to that nest egg which would make retirement more comfortable.

discernible

be in disagreement We were unimpressed as most of his jokes were in very bad taste.

be thrown in at the deep end

be inexperienced Fiona left the company of her own accord, having received a better offer.

pull your weight

be made to start something difficult, often without experience She has just started her apprenticeship, so she's still a bit wet behind the ears.

withstand

be more important than something else The convenience of having a dual sim phone outweighs the costs. 14

rigorous

be more successful than others expected; prove others to be wrong William is studying applied linguistics at Cambridge with a view to becoming a teacher.

mandatory

be received or remembered in a particular way The packaging included a disclaimer that the supplements were not recognised as having medicinal value.

durable

be strong enough to remain unharmed through an extreme condition Liz was so relieved that her glasses managed to withstand being driven over after she had dropped them on the road.

embark

be subject to He bragged to his gang about stealing the car.

vicious circle

be successful and make progress The economic crisis has left so many people out of work with feelings of aimlessness.

embody

be unwilling to give something up It's time the new government stopped gloating over their victory and started putting their pre-election promises into action.

miserly

because of which The palace grounds have lost their lustre with the ravages of time.

scam

become a reality; happen as planned He's only working for the NGO for mercenary reasons.

pick up the pieces

become compelled to get involved in Georgia kept bigging herself up to get voted in as class president.

toughen up

become friends with Basil leapt at the chance to go to music school. 5.84

compensate

become liable to pay sth; become subject to sth The airline reimbursed us for the damage to our suitcases.

irregularity

become stronger and more resilient He fell in with bad company and began playing truant with them.

fork out

become unable to operate or move We returned the printer within a day of buying it because the paper was constantly jamming.

slip up

become unwillingly involved While studying for his master's degree, Andrew worked as an intern at a local newspaper office.

upright

behaving honestly and ethically I couldn't believe such an apparently upright citizen could have committed murder.

nudge

behaving in careless risk-taking way How dare you have the temerity to speak to me like that!

hallucination

behaving nervously or anxiously She donned her wedding gown in readiness for the ceremony.

neurotic

behaving nervously or unreasonably Mr Templar became neurotic about home security after the burglary and had cameras fitted in every room.

benchmark

break sth; split something into pieces so it can't function He lived with a constant sense of desolation during the long period of unemployment.

decompose

break up into very small pieces The dress was so old that its fabric had begun to disintegrate.

sorrow

briefly notice sth/sb We just glimpsed the tail of lizard before it disappeared into the undergrowth.

deviate

bring something in to make it a part of something else An unbreakable screen has been incorporated in the tablet's design.

needless to say

broadly accepted as normal by the majority We made sure the new student was invited to the party so that she wouldn't feel marginalised.

reverent

burn a corpse, usually as part of a funeral ceremony Through the palm fronds, we could make out a cruise ship on the horizon.

empirical

by chance; in no special order The interactive exhibition was designed to popularise museums by using state-of-the-art technology.

prejudiced

catch somebody in the act of doing something wrong Living on a minimum wage, Jimmy had no savings to fall back on when his car needed repairs.

work up

cause a feeling or idea to develop Vince held an exhibition of his artwork to work up some interest from potential customers.

disproportionately

cause a situation to continue Their decision to dismiss Nick was perfectly legitimate as he had been colluding with a rival firm.

stress

cause somebody to feel very anxious The pressure of studying for exams was stressing him out completely.

disregard

cause somebody to feel worried or afraid It could be argued that extreme political correctness assaults the rights to freedom of speech.

bury your head in the sand

cause somebody to show their best qualities Although several storm warnings were issued, the advice fell on deaf ears and motorists got trapped in snowdrifts.

phenomenal

cause something bad to happen A lightning bolt struck the tower - wham! - right in front of us.

sleek

cause something to be in a certain state The latest update on this program has rendered it totally useless. I must find a way to revert to the earlier version.

shudder

cause something to change so that it becomes distorted or wrong Visitors to Newcastle often have problems understanding the colloquial slang which differs widely from that of its Scottish neighbours.

induce

cause something to change; cause somebody to change an opinion Targeted offers of cut-price vouchers are aimed to woo customers to overpriced restaurants.

breed

cause something to happen Tina's promotion bred a feeling of resentment amongst her colleagues, who had also applied for the position.

fortitude

cause something to happen; create a certain reaction If we can't keep up with the rent, we'll soon be facing eviction.

entice

cause something to happen; persuade somebody to do sth Currency rates began to sway dramatically when the election result was known.

ignite

cause something to start burning The heat of the sun through broken glass can be enough to ignite dry grass and cause a wildfire.

disassemble

cause something to stop functioning Sales of the phone have been discontinued following vast numbers of customer complaints.

hieroglyph

cause something to undergo a chemical change through the action of yeast or bacteria In agricultural societies, peasants had to pay tribute to the ruling power to defend their land from enemies.

captivate

cause sth/sb to move away or avoid you The combined Athenian and Platean forces repelled the Persian invaders at the Battle of Marathon.

come between

cause to separate; harm a relationship They've been utterly devoted to each other for years and nothing can come between them.

fare

complete The mother prepared her daughter's gown for her rite of passage upon her coming of age.

devoted

completely loyal and loving Barbara is utterly devoted to her grandchildren and adores spending time with them.

baffle

confuse Grace's decision to resign from her comfortable job completely baffled her colleagues.

interrelated

connected together; bearing a relation to each other Our states of physical and emotional health are closely interrelated.

alkali

connected with a god The murky brown soup was, fortunately, much more palatable than it looked; in fact it was quite tasty.

referral

connected with a school curriculum Since the 1990s, a whole generation of Balkan immigrants have become assimilated into Greek society.

mind-boggling

consider Ancient Greeks laid the foundations for democracy.

indictment

consider slowly From what we are able to glean from historic accounts, he must have been an important figure.

free hand

consider something appropriate to do Hospital visiting times are restricted, so relatives and friends are not allowed to remain in the wards at will.

quaint

constanty remaining Nancy's paternal grandmother comes from Sparta.

look somebody up

contact or visit somebody when you are in their area Next time you're in London, look me up and we can get together.

transition

doing everything by the law; never breaking the law With aspirations of fame and fortune, he set out for the bright lights of Broadway.

blatant

doing something in order to receive recognition from others Television is rapidly becoming the least credible news medium.

dress code

doing things suddenly without prior planning; done without prior planning At what age do you consider a child has reached adulthood? Writing pages 136-137

out of the ordinary

draɪvˈsʌmbədi/ ˈsʌmθɪŋ aʊt/ compel sb/sth to leave a place The fiveday itinerary includes a tour of UNESCO sites.

alluring

due to the basic nature of sth/sb Without conclusive proof, police cannot arrest the suspected arsonist.

the big time

dull and unimportant The band produced a catchy tune that stormed the charts in the 80s, but it was just a one-hit wonder.

come to

eager; enthusiastic about sth Young children have a relatively short attention span.

countenance

easily noticeable or recognisable; clearly The prisoner was kept in solitary confinement for six months.

hint

easily obeying particular rules; very willing to agree with sth/sb The prospect of capturing the couple together on film got the photographer's adrenaline flowing.

in its entirety

easily understood Ellen always manages to steer the topic of discussion towards animal abuse whenever we eat out together.

porringer

eat quickly and hungrily Our long hike had left us with a voracious appetite.

exacerbate

emit in large amounts Vicky's on her soapbox again about immigration.

telephoto lens

emotionally moving Hearing the alarm, he stumbled out of bed still half asleep.

fall back on

encounter; face Whether he stays in the country or not all comes down to whether he can make a decent living here. 25

indigenous

encourage the development of sth It was abundantly clear that the turtle had been injured by a ship's propeller.

trade paper

encourage; persuade Stunning landscape images were used to hype up the hotel's location.

abolition

end something officially, by order of law A special force was set up to clamp down on corruption among tax officials.

understatement

energetic and lively; bright Earth's natural resources are fast being depleted.

pleasurable

enjoyable My holiday at the spa was a most pleasurable experience which left me feeling refreshed and relaxed.

scoff

enthusiastic about; convinced that something is useful/desirable Pavlos is sold on the idea of getting a 3D printer. Now all he needs is the cash to buy one.

keenly

enthusiastically; deeply Visitors to the zoo keenly observed the young panda's behaviour.

at heart

essentially, sometimes underneath an outward appearance Debbie can sound abrupt over the phone despite being a warm and friendly person at heart.

solely

exchange something for something else All potential beneficiaries have to give some proof of identity at the community centre before receiving any food vouchers.

arouse

excite or awaken particular feelings in sb The referendum aroused a great deal of disagreement even between friends.

smattering

excite or interest somebody in sth Leo followed his dreams and found his true vocation as a football coach.

integrate

exclude somebody from a social group and refuse to converse with them The bride wore a traditional lace veil over her face.

supplementary

deduce The phone line was so faint that her voice was barely intelligible.

applicable

expand on a point by going into details Politeness was an inherent part of Robert's upbringing.

upcoming

expect an outcome and prepare for it; look forward to something that's about to happen Our lost cat was found sleeping in a furniture warehouse near our home.

sustain

experience or suffer something unpleasant Lance sustained a severe leg injury when he fell off his bike.

altruistic

deliberate; determined How can you cheat your customers with a clear conscience? Don't you care at all?

franchise

extreme pride in your own appearance or abilities They sent out a promotional email to all their customers.

frame of mind

extremely bad; awful Hamish may have been born on the wrong side of the tracks, but he succeeded in breaking out of the cycle of deprivation that pervaded the district.

applied

demand; require very much Becoming a design engineer involves combining practicality with imagination.

deposit

dependent on sb, especially your mother Our pilot carried out some skilful manoeuvres to avoid flying into the eye of the storm.

gloom

correct a situation The first high school in Scotland was established in Dunfermline in 1120.

rub off

cover the appearance of something to make it look like something else T-shirts bearing snappy slogans hung outside the souvenir shop.

entertain

create the ideas and basic structures to develop a larger initiative Only through accurate and qualitative research can scientists collect empirical data to prove or disprove a theory.

sustenance

extremely difficult and causing great stress There's no longer any stigma about being unemployed since so many people have been in the same position.

trim

extremely difficult and tiring The scandal destroyed his credibility as a politician.

on cloud nine

extremely happy Tracy was on cloud nine when she heard the unexpected good news.

sb's/sth's days are numbered

criticise in an amusing way The tabloid scoop revealed that the ageing star was suffering from a serious illness.

paradox

crowd out a place in large numbers There was no guarantee the hotel would make a profit, but by the same token, the season had not been a complete disaster.

windfall

cruel and heartlessly determined As a much sought-after speaker, she can command high fees for each public appearance.

merciful

cruel, violent and without feeling Private care home should be regulated to ensure the elderly are living in humane conditions.

periodically

crushed oats used to make food Slaves aboard the ship had nothing but a plate of gruel to sustain them daily.

touch and go

damage to things from normal everyday use Most modern phones are not designed to last through years of wear and tear.

detox

damaging I stopped for the night a backpackers hostel off the beaten track in the Scottish Highlands.

irony

deal with The issue of heating allowances for the elderly should be foremost on the agenda.

lavender

deceptively made to cheat sb, usually to make money She has the annoying mannerism of constantly looking at her phone in the middle of a conversation.

prosperity

decide to do something risky despite being nervous about it When the tiny island of Spinalonga became overrun with tourists, the locals felt the TV series filmed there had a lot to answer for.

wham

decide what to do as a situation develops without a forward plan Though the food packages were welcome, they were just a drop in the ocean compared to the number of starving homeless.

veil

decorate In my view, anyone who takes such foolhardy risks in the name of sport is not entirely sane.

karavai

decorated with patterns made by stitching with coloured threads Terrorism in this country caused indescribable suffering to its people.

biopic

direct something towards a particular aspect or area, etc. It was sheer folly to attempt the expedition alone.

versus

disapprove of sth That actor must be raking it in from the coffee ads.

accomplishment

discover the meaning of something difficult to understand The class burst into fits of laughter at the English teacher's attempts to speak Greek.

diminish

discriminatory behaviour against people on grounds of age Their landlord will demand a rent increase when their three-year lease expires.

narcissism

disguise; cover something up to hide it It was questionable whether the celebrity's support for the cause was motivated by altruism or to stay in the limelight.

aboveboard

dishonest I'd never buy a car from that shady dealer.

benevolent

dishonestly using your position to get money or some advantage Henry VIII could hardly be considered a merciful ruler when he had his own wives executed.

human chain

disinterested or not caring Patrick was offended by his colleagues callous remarks about the Irish.

in the name of sth

distribute or spread news, etc. The book doesn't sound worth reading, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so I'll give it a go.

get behind sth

do as much as possible to achieve sth As Julie's dog wouldn't listen to a word she said, she had to send it to obedience training.

denomination

do more than is expected She went to pay her condolences to her recently bereaved neighbour whose grandfather had passed away.

fall short of sth

do something that destroys your hope of success They didn't hold out much hope of crossing the Atlantic in their small sailing boat.

make money hand over fist

do something wrong or illegal often without intending to How can they market goods of little monetary value at such extortionate prices?

throw in the towel

do your best to succeed in sth The hotel service fell short of our expectations.

ranks

extremely painful The painful sting of the venomous jellyfish took me weeks to get over.

overjoyed

extremely pleased Irene's grandmother was overjoyed to see her when she returned from Canada.

pinion

face or facial expression I distinctly remember the day we first met.

strive

fail by reaching a point with no hope of growth His suggestion was met with scorn from the store manager.

annoyance

fail to arouse any interest or excitement for sb The idea of a night at the opera leaves Daniel cold. 9

callous

fair and morally correct The centre receives financial support from a benevolent local businessman.

sphere

fall asleep Their debts kept mounting up until they admitted they could no longer afford private school fees.

persona

false and pretending to be genuine Upwards of a million copies of their album have been sold around the world.

replete

false; pretending to be true It is mandatory for food companies to list ingredients on the labels of their products.

correspondent

famous and likely to be remembered for a long time Daytime TV is peppered with Z-list celebrities, known for nothing more than seasonal chat shows.

fit in

feel accepted and have a sense of belonging in a group, team, etc. Language and cultural barriers made it hard for Omar to fit in with Greek society.

have a chip on your shoulder

feel easily offended about something because of a past experience As Morag is from Inverness, she has a chip on her shoulder about being called English.

red-brick university

feel insulted or hurt by a remark The exam was supervised with rigorous security standards.

recipient

felt to an equal extent by all involved The opposition party has called for the redistribution of public money from defence into the education sector.

be in good/bad taste

filled with constant noise, excitement, etc. Her accent was completely over the top and destroyed an otherwise enjoyable play.

wipe out

finally begin to understand They happened to stumble upon the ruins of an ancient sanctuary when hiking in the wild cross country.

so-called

financial or other aid that the government gives to people who are unemployed, poor or have special needs, etc. There was more news of rioting and clashes between gangs and police in the Paris ghetto.

humanitarian

financial support, often given in return for advertising It's shocking to think that there is a need to feed people through community food banks in so many countries.

formidable

find a logical reason why sth/sb does sth For extra practice, supplementary exercises were added to the online version of the course.

dawn on

find by chance The holiday apartment was sparsely furnished, offering only the basic facilities.

ponder

find information, with difficulty, from a variety of limited sources The carcass of a fox lay by the roadside.

drop the subject

find out how to do something through your own experience or mistakes Reading between the lines, I think he want to leave his job.

prep

find people or animals and bring them together in a group The unsightly figures of the homeless sleeping in city centre doorways are often a source of concern among passers-by.

plagiarism

follow a set of rules, etc. Professor Higgins became dean of the Faculty of Science in 2010.

insatiable

follow and observe somebody without their permission How can you stay out of the public eye if you want to be famous? You can't have it both ways.

track

follow the progress of sth/sb Our tutor gives us monthly tests to track our academic progress.

measly

fool (sb); deceive In a spirit of goodwill, Sue offered the homeless man a bottle of water and a sandwich.

overrun

for the same reason; by the same logic Notwithstanding Paul's knowledge of Spanish, he hadn't a clue what the villagers were trying to tell him.

door stepping

forcefully stressing a point He prefers to keep quiet about the seedier side of his extramarital relationships.

assimilate

forgetful They offer tailor-made courses with a flexible schedule and content to suit individual requirements.

reap the benefit

form a group to work collectively Finding himself destitute, Vidalis wandered the streets in search of work.

non-verbal

frank and open, without regard to what others feel or think Constantly posting new selfies is the most irritating form of attention-seeking.

emancipated

free a person or country from sth/sb that controls or restricts them Buddhist monasticism remains customary in some South-east Asian countries, such as Thailand.

fast-paced

full of aspirations to improve your situation The university campus was fertile ground for radical groups.

colloquial

full of or inspiring emotion Going forward, we expect a gradual improvement in the company's performance. Verbs bombard contradict cultivate deactivate detract from something disassemble discontinue diversify elaborate embrace entertain homogenize nourish popularise shudder skew tag trend Video 4: Elephant Alert page 62

at your fingertips

functioning correctly A few delays held up the start of the project, but it's now up and running on schedule.

oral

generally connected with hearing The tribe have retained their old ways and are resistant to any deviance from their social norms.

mimic

get and use something very easily Ben made sure he had all the data at his fingertips before submitting his proposal.

disclosure

get into trouble When I realised my essay was off topic, I had to start writing it from scratch again.

core

get involved in something that may be a difficult experience Before you sign the contract with the company, make sure you know what you're letting yourself in for.

microcosm

get on a ship; start out doing sth The local authority has come in for a lot of criticism about the state of the beaches.

utilise

get something caught and torn on a sharp object It's ironic that many supposedly environmentally friendly vegetables are sold wrapped in plastic which is not biodegradable.

ruthless

get something e.g. rewards because you deserve them The company owner was arrested on a charge of money laundering when it was clear he was living beyond his means.

crucial

give a clue to explain the cause of sth If you could shed some light on exactly what the job involves, we could give you an estimate for the costs.

vehicle

give large amounts of something at once I had to block notifications from my daily newsfeed as there was too much repetition of information to bother with.

imminent

give off; send out The whale emitted a highpitched sound before disappearing under the surface.

intelligible

give somebody a particular task to do or role to carry out Ian carries a bag of spare tubes, spanners and other paraphernalia whenever he goes long-distance cycling.

rip sb/sth off

give somebody generous amounts of sth Police were tipped off that the suspect might be heading for the airport.

tender

give something a new meaning; move the limits of sth Technology has redefined the art of written communication.

down the drain

give up trying Despite some teething problems getting started, she's making a go of writing her first novel.

rationalise

given in addition to something else We surmised that the tutor had given us the wrong test paper since the questions were far too easy.

injection

giving a warning Motorcycle racing gives Richard a real buzz.

hierarchy

giving attention to deal and correctness Richard got saddled with the job of cleaning the camp toilets.

twinkle

glasses; abbreviation of spectacles Let's get down to business before we run out of time to finish this job.

frenzy

go back on a previous decision or statement Mike's aunt left him a small inheritance in her will.

cybernetic implant

go beyond what is expected A sense of doom hung over the dull graffiti-covered boarded-up shops and empty marketplace.

drift apart

gradually become less friendly with sb We were best friends at school, but we drifted apart over the years when we went off to study at different universities.

tenant

gradually spend money or time carelessly The doctor was fired when it was disclosed that he had never actually passed a medical degree.

devour

greedy; eating a lot I've known Maria for years and trust her implicitly.

commodity

happily; in a cheerful way Social media may offer a sense of connectedness to people living in remote areas.

intoxicating

happily; in a very pleased way The potter skilfully moulded the clay into a gorgeous vase, then placed it in the kiln to harden.

of your own accord

have permission or the right to do sth Taxi drivers hovered outside the airport, waiting for the next batch of passengers to arrive.

be on the same wavelength

have similar ideas; share the same opinion We're on the same wavelength when it comes to animal welfare as neither of us can stand seeing animals suffer.

be in tune with

have the same ideas as sb; accord with sb's way of thinking Jack isn't quite in tune with the rest of the staff as he's a bit of a loner and prefers to do his own thing. 1.154

adamant

having a fixed opinion about sth The parliamentary spokesperson was adamant that the tax increases were justified and no amount of public protest would change the decision.

platonic

having a friendly, but not sexual relationship Steve's insists that his friendship with Margo is purely platonic and they aren't romantically involved.

merge

having a key influence Helping out at the soup kitchen for the first time was a real eye-opener.

strapped for cash

having a lot of money Who'd have believed that the former millionaire would ever end up indigent and homeless?

answer for

hear a piece of news from informal sources, through gossip You shouldn't begrudge him taking a long holiday since he's been working so hard for years.

cultivate

help something to grow or develop; keep sth/sb alive and healthy by feeding them Granddad gets together with his old army comrades every year on Remembrance Day.

put one over on sb

helpful intentions towards others What had formerly been a secluded beach on our previous visits had been transformed into an exclusive spa complex.

swallow

hold (sth) back; not reveal or express sth Linda tried to swallow her emotions as she broke the bad news to her friend.

bite your tongue

hold yourself back from saying something that might upset sb I knew my teacher had made a mistake, but I didn't know whether to tell her or just bite my tongue.

well-to-do

honest A special task force was established to weed out crooked public officials.

uranium

honest and blindly trusting I'd advise you not to be so ingenuous but to consider his proposal very carefully before you accept.

gritty

hopeless; discouraging Living on the streets is particularly harsh in winter.

upwards of

hoping to do or become sth His side of the story is definitely partial as he knows the suspect.

obnoxious

horrible; offensive What an obnoxious manner he has! It's small wonder he has no friends.

dean

impressively powerful or worthy of respect Bob's parents tried to rationalise why their older son had turned into the school bully in his first year at primary school.

make your mark

improve the quality of sth Residents living near the coal-fired power plant have complained of health problems due to pollution.

offspring

improve the quality, appearance, value, etc. of sth/sb Smaller class groups will facilitate student participation.

squatter

in a clear and direct way Elena conceded that learning to drive was not as easy as it seemed.

take something in

in a few words; succinctly Having been in the retail business for years, he certainly knows the ropes.

recurrently

in a manner with the letters joined together The building was extravagantly decorated with gold-trimmed wall paintings.

ethically

in a morally acceptable way In some cultures, it is considered ethically correct to eat certain insects.

soup kitchen

in a neglected poor condition Allied forces had taken control of most of the country, but met with a few pockets of resistance in the east.

goodwill

in a place far away or sheltered from other people The precious cargo of antiquities was recovered from the shipwreck.

wretched

in a poor neighbourhood Federer's loss in the first round gave him the impetus to give it his all in the final. Expressions as a last resort be in a tight corner born with a silver spoon in your mouth cast lots finders keepers (losers weepers) frame of mind go the extra mile in the fast lane in the red on the side on the wrong side of the tracks rolling in it set something to rights strapped for cash the haves and have-nots Grammar pages 85-86-87

convention

in a rapidly developing way The fans unleashed their disappointment with offensive chants.

in a rut

in a routine (often boring) situation that is hard to change I wish I could find a more exciting job instead of being stuck in a rut as a bank clerk.

appallingly

in a shocking way The court case was appallingly handled; the verdict was so unfair!

slew

in a style that uses simple ideas or not using any more than what is absolutely necessary The play was staged on a minimalist set with a simple wooden frame and black background, which carried a powerful sense of tragedy.

stingray

in a way connected with how a living thing functions Swimming close to the dolphins was a surreal experience.

utilitarian

in a way related to the look of sth The garden offered an aesthetically pleasing riot of colour in spring.

distress

in a way that avoids causing an argument At times, even the most understanding parents find it hard to bite their tongues and remain calm and non-confrontational with their teenage children.

susceptible

in a way that has an opposite or undesired effect The recession has adversely affected our plans to develop our business and we've lost most of our customers lately.

flag

in a way that increases progressively faster Air pollution over the city increases exponentially with the burning of fossil fuels upon the onset of winter.

out of character

in a way that is different from sb's usual personality How strange that Mandy lost her temper last night - it was so out of character!

discursive

in a way that is helpful or useful I'm sure a few days' break will affect you beneficially and you'll come back to work feeling refreshed.

fulfil

in a way that is unevenly divided Their dependency on private education simply perpetuates the cycle of class inequality.

delve into sth

in a way that is widely known and understood Not enough of the news seems to be presented completely impartially, as so many journalists have their own political agenda.

classics

in a way that ridicules sb/sth To complete her social work qualification, Helen had to spend parts of her course on placement in both state and voluntary organisations.

sublet

in advance I can write you a reference to testify to your work experience with the company.

cursively

in an excessive way Sean was utterly exhausted after the long-haul flight.

bitterly

in an extremely bad way; acutely I was bitterly disappointed at his dreadful attitude.

detrimental

in an isolated spot The government's plan to tax hotels even further is far too simplistic and will reduce revenues in the long term.

prevalent

in excess of what you need Following their redundancy upon the closure of the company, the former staff are now living in straitened circumstances.

warehouse

possibility These nanofibre climbing boots are incredible light and waterproof.

destitute

prepare Irene has rounded up a few friends to help with the kids' party.

at stake

profit-making The image of a cross section of a smoker's lung was used as a deterrent to teenage smoking.

hype

promote a product; put forward (an idea) Street vendors touted their wares at every corner.

roadblock

promoting an attractive name and an image for a product or service to attract customers Our website features a host of electronic goods at down-toearth prices.

propel

push sth/sb forward usually causing rapid movement The strong current propelled the raft towards the rocks.

exploitative

push your elbow against somebody beside you to atract their attention It was hardly surprising when she crashed off the road since she's always been a reckless driver.

sift

put a mark on something that needs future attention Lulu skimmed through the mass of emails in her in box and flagged up the ones which were urgent.

mutually

sharing out something in a different way than it was previously The country's minimum wage level is hardly enough to provide daily sustenance for a small family.

relief

related to supporting and improving conditions for people in need Our local marine wildlife support group depends on sponsorship from a mobile phone provider to fund the new rescue centre.

cognitive

related to the processes of thinking and understanding It's amazing how children's cognitive development varies according to their upbringing.

discern

related to typing and the preparing of written material for print They sold their old car through an online classified ad.

undertaking

relating to the skills and knowledge required for a particular job Although he was offered a place at Cambridge, Terry opted for a local university to avoid the risk of facing class snobbery.

oppress

restrain sth; stop something from developing The uprising which began against Ottoman rule in 1821 led to the establishment of an independent Greek nation.

inhibit

restrict sb's actions by causing them to feel shy or embarrassed Students felt that their new teacher inhibited them from learning with her strict manner.

fritter something away

reveal private or secret information Just imagine if we all start trading with bitcoins and there would be no need for currency exchange.

in the pipeline

reveal something that has been covered Your promotion was always on the cards as you've been working so hard all these years.

get something off your chest

reveal what is worrying you; talk openly about a problem What's up with you? I'm all ears if it would help to get it off your chest.

red tape

rich It seemed extravagant spending so much on a pair of shoes, but at least they were ethically made and so comfortable.

symbolic

rise or increase rapidly Her days as an award-winning author are numbered as she seems to be running out of ideas.

pull strings

say something bad in a polite way to avoid upsetting people Malcolm has been saving up for a deposit to buy a flat.

flattering

say sth The judges scrutinised the photo for signs of digital enhancement.

back somebody up

say that what somebody says is true Your alibi sounds unlikely. Is there any witness who can back you up?

lustre

sb in a position of authority in an organisation The Sunday morning church bells were heard throughout the parish.

dissertation

sb in charge of a university department Renia's CV with her formidable list of work experience highly impressed the interview panel.

peer

sb of the same age or in the same social position as another Sophie gets along well with most of her peers in her class at college.

nourish

sb that you serve together with in a military group or fellow member of a socialist or communist party Robert has been my closest friend and confidant for years.

comrade

sb that you trust with your personal secrets Police have arrested one of the terrorists, but his confederates are still at large.

signee

sb wealthy who helps people in need, usually by making donations After experimenting with different hashtags, Kate began to reach a wider audience through her Twitter account.

squander

sb who buys goods from suppliers and sells to consumers Supporters cheered in a frenzy of excitement when the winning goal was scored.

scoop

sb who deceives somebody to gain money Undeterred by the slanderous accusations against her, she continued her campaign to expose the media mogul.

misanthrope

sb who does not like other people and avoids human company Although Sue enjoys spending time alone with her books, it doesn't mean that she's a complete misanthrope; she actually has a wide circle of friends.

intermediary

sb who donates money or goods, etc. to help individuals or charities The hostel provides shelter solely for abused women and their children.

gangster

sb who has had long-term experience in an activity or job The documentary gave us some insight into the living conditions in Brazilian favelas.

bureaucracy

sb who hates spending money, even if they are wealtthy I'm sure she got the job because of her posh accent, but it's a pity she has nothing interesting to say.

elder

sb who is involved in a secret plan to do something damaging Grossly underpaid and overworked, she took her employers to court over their exploitative terms of service.

intruder

sb who is new to doing something and has little experience Lia is a complete novice at playing the violin; she sounds terrible! Phrasal verbs back somebody up come between confide in crack somebody up drift apart egg (sb) on engage in something fit in go back hold down lead (sb) on look somebody up put somebody down settle down stick up for stress (sb) out wind (sb) up work up Grammar pages 11-12-13

outsider

sb who is not an accepted member of a community group Although Penny spends a month on the island every year, she is still regarded as an outsider as she is not a permanent resident.

escalate

sb who is running away to avoid capture If the housing market weren't so volatile, I'd prefer to sell up immmediately.

merger

sb who is wealthy and powerful due to success in business People over 60 are entitled to travel concessions in the UK.

subgenre

sb who listens to others without being seen The documentary on bullying struck a chord within the education sector.

stumble

sb who makes documentaries His career was decimated by the company closure.

sedate

sb who makes false claims to have medical skills or knowledge; slang term for doctor The imposing statues were constructed by upcycling empty aluminium cans.

banal

sb who makes one successful piece of music or performance but no others thereafter Judging from their prices, the clothes are obviously aimed at the high-end market.

etiquette

sb who moves into somebody else's property and lives there without paying The students were explicitly told to submit their assignments by the end of the month.

confederate

sb who offers specialist advice to others Our country's education system is outmoded and needs a complete overhaul.

acquaintance

sb you know but are not close friends with Laura has a large number of acquaintances on social media sites, most of whom she has never met personally.

resounding

scheduled or planned for the future The prince's official portrait was unveiled at a special ceremony.

over the top

in order to be or achieve sth; for the sake of The dictator used the online news channel to disseminate propaganda.

back to front

in slow and steady steps Little by little, the sea level is rising along our coast.

buffoonish

incapable of normal, rational thinking Digging deep into the victim's past, the detective uncovered a web of corruption and blackmail involving respected figures.

suspend

include large quantities of something repeatedly in sth Exhaustive tests have been carried out to assess the efficacy of the medication.

trolling

include within sth Oliver spent his formative years in an orphanage.

transmission

including imperfections Their apparently random street interviews were not completely unscripted as volunteers had been selected in advance.

benefit

including people of different age groups Most children show signs of rebellion against their parents from the age of 12 upwards.

overwhelm

incorrect in a belief; based on an incorrect belief or assumption I was under the mistaken impression that he came from a poor family.

blight

increase in size Texting lacks the immediacy of face-to-face discussion.

drift off

increase over time On the face of it, she seems like the best person for the job, but only time will tell.

footage

increase rapidly Meryl Streep was chosen for the leading role in the biopic about the life of Margaret Thatcher.

downtime

independent As a result of the women's Suffrage movement, women were first enfranchised to a limited extent by an act of Parliament in 1918 in the UK.

immortal

indicating those who are only slightly famous Patrick never enjoyed being in the limelight offstage. 77

crackpot

indirectly suggested We purchased an assortment of spices and a colourful rug at the souk. Places brink enclave foothill province souk Vocabulary pages 98-99-100

vouch for sb/sth

secretive or deceptive Authorities have finally suspended the search for the missing plane.

state of affairs

seem less significant Although she had only just passed her degree with a minimum of study, the fact that it was from St Andrews University gave her an air of superiority.

multitude

large number of people or things together There are a multitude of expressions to describe different types of human behaviour.

facet

leave behind a layer of a substance on the surface of sth The geographical remoteness of the island makes import costs high.

disperse

leave your country to go to live in another one Millions of Asians and Africans have immigrated to Europe in recent years.

credible

legendary The awards ceremony was attended by illustrious guests from the world of literature.

emphatically

less pleasant, often linked with immoral activities There was more than a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

burn the midnight oil

let somebody decide what to do on their own Since he seemed quite capable, the school owner gave David a free hand in designing the course.

amiable

likeable; good-natured Ian took his clients out to dinner to create a more amiable atmosphere for discussion.

beneficially

likely to be affected by sth/sb or suffer from sth As a teenager, Mike was highly susceptible to criticism from his peers and took it all very personally.

bespectacled

likely to become or do sth A group of lads were hanging around outside the cafe. 5.32 live wire (n) /laɪv ˈwaɪə(r)/ a very energetic person who is hard to control ● Annabelle's daughter is quite shy, but her son is a real live wire.

prone

likely to do something or suffer sth Our old teacher was prone to falling asleep in the middle of a exam.

astounded

likely to fail or succeed depending on an action Despite the lucrative salary offered, Eva felt morally obliged to turn down the job in the unscrupulous company.

forthcoming

likely to happen in the near future As the tremors increased, the villlagers evacuated to escape the impending volcanic eruption. Useful expressions Adverbial & Adjectival ahead of the curve back and forth back to front in the offing in the pipeline little by little more or less on the cards safe and sound sold on something the last straw time after time touch and go up and running wear and tear Expressions with Verbs keep somebody posted put something into perspective shed light on think outside the box not be fussed about Phrasal Verbs measure up fork out Speaking page 29

unveil

likely to happen; predictable Keep me posted on how things go after your operation. 18

adorn

logical; of sound mind The stadium was one of the architects greatest accomplishments.

disciplined

look after yourself The learning process is accelerated when learners are personally motivated.

learn the hard way

look for an implicit meaning in sth Can you cite any examples to support your theory?

suck sb/sth in

look quickly through written material, photos, information, etc. My persistence paid off when the company finally agreed to give me a refund for the faulty printer.

mercenary

looking back after the event They gazed in awe across the magnificent landscape.

excessive

make fun of Hamish's peers ridiculed him because of his Scottish accent when he moved to York.

tease

make fun of somebody in a friendly way as a joke, or to embarrass them Patrick got used to being teased about his red hair and freckled complexion as a child.

facilitate

make it difficult for sth/sb to progress Ria and Al have soundproofed the walls of their spare room by covering them with empty cardboard egg boxes!

read between the lines

make reference to something as an example His first book was a compilation of short stories.

lead

make somebody believe an untrue situation The caller had no intention of buying my bike; he was just leading me on to gain personal information about where I live. 1.130

hands-on

make somebody endure something unpleasant Students are encouraged to develop the skill of critical thinking to process information analytically.

put somebody down

make somebody feel inferior or stupid Not having strong enough policies of their own, the electoral candidates resorted to putting each other down in the debate.

mainstream

make somebody feel insignificant and not part of a group The president's opening speech was truly inspirational.

harrowing

make somebody feel sorry for doing sth A plethora of electronic petitions are generated daily seemingly on altruistic grounds.

cringeworthy

make somebody feel stupid or humble Hundreds of delegates attended the sales convention.

stand in

make somebody redundant Disillusioned with the job market, Kevin struck out on his own and opened a bicycle repair shop. Verbs concede delegate deposit diminish enfranchise let liberate merge nominate perpetuate provoke retain revere sublet tender testify Phrasal verbs come to lay somebody off lean on sb/sth relieve somebody of something saddle somebody with something stand in step down strike out

enhance

make something happen more easily Bullying might be a contributing factor which hinders a child's progress at school.

fend for yourself

make something happen or go faster The influx of immigrants has reinforced the stress on the country's education budget.

disintegrate

make something solid become part of a liquid The honey dissolved quickly in the hot tea.

undeterred

make something, such as an agreement, stronger He read a short excerpt from his new novel at the press conference.

connectivity

manage to contact sb Peter attends all the board meetings so he keeps in the loop with management decisions.

let go

manage to feel brave enough to do something despite the risk involved Don't buy that old car! It would be just money down the drain.

hold down

manage to keep a job John had difficulty in holding down two jobs at once as he was utterly exhausted.

precursor

more or less; almost entirely Despite being applicable to all public places, the non-smoking laws seem to be ignored in many cafes and restaurants.

bogus

more than Dozens of aspiring young hopefuls applied to audition for the role.

address

most important or urgent Studying for her masters in Law was no picnic, but now she's got her own practice and is starting to reap the benefits.

spendthrift

mean; miserly Not only have many small firms closed lately, but some large companies have filed for bankruptcy too.

pull the plug on sth

move house and go to live elsewhere (US Eng) We haven't started lessons yet as we're having a week of orientation to get used to university life.

mutation

move suddenly and quickly George sprang to his feet as soon as the phone rang.

emigrate

move to a country to live there after leaving your homeland Rod developed a sense of empathy with the villagers after spending the harsh winter with them.

foregone conclusion

native to an area The conference aimed to foster greater cooperation between nations on the issue of sea pollution.

crude

natural and uncontrolled (in a positive or negative sense) Only by gritty determination did Vanessa win the tournament.

on edge

nervous; easily upset Most parents tend to be a bit on edge when they are unsure of their teenage children's whereabouts.

circumference

no longer produced, often due to being replaced by something new I doubt if it's possible to repair your ten-year-old printer as it's probably obsolete by now and you'll never find new parts.

discreet

not able to be satisfied She was sick of being stalked by the paparazzi.

iconic

not be bothered about sth; not much interested in sth I'm not fussed about which brand name the phone is, so long as it functions efficiently.

turn over a new leaf

not be noticed or dealt with Parents of teenage addicts can speak to a counsellor at the drug rehabilitation centre.

cynical

not believing that something is done for good or unselfish reasons; negatively thinking Stop being so cynical! You have just as much chance of getting the job as anyone else.

7.50 influx

not considering the possible consequences of sth The children's eyes shone with unbridled enthusiasm at the prospect of visiting Disneyland.

hideously

not costing much, but of poor quality On the website these boots seemed to be a great bargain, but they turned out to be just a cheap and nasty disappointment.

automated

noticeable and interesting; atrractive in an unusual way Reluctantly, we bid our friendly hosts goodbye and headed for the airport to catch our homebound flight.

Mickey Mouse

obtain a job I'm sick and tired of being bombarded with marketing phone calls.

charisma

obtain by buying or receiving as a gift; gain by your own efforts The gang were involved in large-scale internet fraud, cheating small companies out of cash.

element

occur or exist before something else Months of trial and error on the part of the research team preceded the launch of the smartwatch.

tender

oder somebody to leave a job or place There was too much work for one person, so Cynthia delegated the more time-consuming parts to her assistant.

looting

of a society and its organisation We received a sudden windfall when our lottery ticket got lucky.

originate

of critical importance Regular back-ups are crucial to avoid losing important data.

boycott

organise and carry out Greece as we know it was occupied over the centuries by numerous forces, including Romans, Goths, Franks, Venetians, Turks and Germans.

picket

organise and participate in sth The word spread rapidly throughout social media, ensuring a mass turnout at the rally against education cuts.

bastion

originally come from or have been born in Coming from a totally different cultural background, Ivan's ideas were not quite in sync with those of his British colleagues.

more or less

out of danger; not harmed It was a rough flight through the storm clouds, but we landed safe and sound at the airport.

renovate

outside the usual school curriculum In its entirety, the play lasted for three hours with only a short interval.

mindful

over-enthusiastic in an insincere way The advertisement bore no semblance of truth whatsoever.

incur

pay somebody back for something they have lost or paid out He squandered all his spare cash on sports cars and motorbikes and now he's broke.

competent

peaceful and friendly To remedy the problems facing unemployed teenagers, the centre runs a drop-in counselling service as well as support groups.

serene

peaceful and not worried The serene smile on Da Vinci's Mona Lisa has become legendary.

cartilaginous

peaceful calmness The sight of the long wriggly eels was enough to put me off swimming in the lake.

essence

people you are related to; family members The staffing cuts will be discussed at the next meeting of the board of directors.

disorientation

place something firmly into sth A roadside shrine was erected near the site of the fatal accident.

huddle

plain-speaking and practical without expression of emotion For one so large in stature, he was rather a coward.

keep somebody posted

planned to happen soon Try to anticipate what type of questions you'll be asked in the interview.

grain

plural of fungus; organisms like a plant without leaves that grows on othe plants or trees and in damp areas The north side of the tree was covered in fungi.

excruciating

poisonous When the sailor came to, he realised he was shipwrecked on an island.

viral

polite conversation about trivial everyday subjects Mass immigration of people from different cultures will have far-reaching consequences for our society.

mortality

polite respect Despite the Greek no-smoking law, its enforcement is lax or non-existent in most areas.

infrastructure

the basic ideas or structure that a system is built around Though I disagree with him, the underpinnings of his theory are quite logical.

overhaul

the basic networks, such as roads, power, water supply, hospitals, schools, etc. that help a country or organisation function Discussions are underway regarding the legal framework for environmental protection. 32

skull

the bone that gives structure to the head and protects the brain Wearing a motorcycle helmet reduces the risk of injury to the skull in the event of an accident.

domesticate

the branch of science dealing with the classification of things Archaeologists have managed to decipher the meaning of the Egyptian hieroglyphs on the wall of the king's tomb.

dosh

the bureaucratic process that makes it hard to deal with government departments The well-laid lawns of the moneyed villas were a far cry from the backstreets of the city centre.

elaborate

the business of buying and selling shares in companies; the building where this activity happens I spent half the night fielding comments on my blog.

authenticity

slim and fit-looking It was a gruelling eight-hour flight made worse by the extra delay.

wear somebody down

spend a lot of money at once My enquiry about the comparative technical specs of the various TVs on sale was met with a shrug and a vacant look from the sales assistant.

reimburse

spend money carelessly and wastefully Many High Street retailers have closed their shops and turned to online selling.

moneyed

spending more than is necessary or than is affordable You ought to be a little more thrifty with your pay packet and keep some cash for a rainy day.

6.87 stingy

spending more than necessary There's a fine line between careful and penny-pinching. What's the point in having money if you can't enjoy it?

revival

spoken We did a listening comprehension test to measure our aural skills.

abundantly

spreading over a wide area It was a fulfilling, albeit tiring, hike around the mountain.

occupy

stand outside a workplace to protest and try to persuade others to join a strike Campaigners staged a protest march during the presidential visit.

lay somebody off

start doing something new Her sleep patterns were totally out of sync after months of burning the midnight oil before the exams.

specs

start work on something seriously While my parents used to grumble about their boss, they now reminisce about the good times when they had steady jobs.

assert

state confidently After his arrest, the prisoner asserted his right to call a lawyer.

hold fast

stay where you are Oliver did not dare to defy Fagin, for fear of being beaten.

deviance

stay where you are and wait or don't move The esteemed professor was our guest speaker at the medical convention.

relic

sth built to remember a famous historic event or figure On 25th January, Scots get together to celebrate the birthday of their national poet, Robert Burns, by reciting some of his best-loved works whilst enjoying traditional food and drinks.

camaraderie

sth given to somebody to entice them to do sth Upon his release from prison, Jimmy decided to turn over a new leaf and look for an honest job. 5.16 grassroots (n) /ɡrɑːs ruːts/ the ordinary people in a group or society and not their leaders ● At grassroots level, many people are happy to complain, but few are willing to step up and take responsible decisions.

tuition

sth of little importance in itself which will lead to something better The rate of joblessness has grown to around 50% among young people, which is a tragic state of affairs.

traumatic

sth that causes a feeling of disapproval or prejudice After years of unemployment, Fred felt a sense of dignity when he started working for this firm.

inferiority

sth that exists independently in its own right Through the telephoto lens, he captured every detail of the nesting eagle on top of the rock.

tribute

sth that has been made to look like a genuine article She deftly scooped out the flesh of the avocado from its hull. 82

obligatory

sth that has both benefits and drawbacks Naturally, that private school has a high pass rate since they only accept applicants who are already the cream of the crop.

mannerism

sth that has existed for many years; traditional His greatgrandfather was a banjo player in an old-time music hall.

complement

sth that has strangely contrasting features The beaches are overrun with local and foreign visitors in the summer months.

microclimate

sth that includes all the elements of something much larger We said our final goodbyes and left our friends to embark on the ferry.

lucrative

sth that prevents or dissuades somebody from doing sth His hopes of winning elevated after he won in the quarter finals.

framework

sth that supports the basis of an idea or building News of the bombing went viral within minutes on Twitter.

souk

sth that's rare The tour operator's advertising campaign had the desired effect and bookings began to pour in.

stratification

sth unacceptable by the usual rules; an error If you hope to start a business, you'd better toughen up and take some risks.

injustice

sth very shocking which angers people Demonstrators carried banners outside the court calling for the woman's release.

lineage

sth which is based on something else I have only a rudimentary knowledge of Polish - just enough to utter polite responses.

teething problems

sth with a uniquely desirable quality The dinner was a veritable disaster; everything went wrong that could go wrong!

fringe

sth/sb that causes terrible damage They were convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.

parlour game

sth/sb that preceded sth/sb else and affects its progress Like it or not, Facebook has become, to all intents and purposes, a major communication platform.

know the ropes

stop a discussion on a particular issue Maggie had no support from her parents when she left home; they made her learn the hard way.

aptitude

strength of character Claire took the initiative of designing a new company logo.

unscrupulous

strictly; unkindly Martha relished the anonymity of the city in stark contrast to the small-minded village community she had left.

hybrid

strong smelling or tasting Before packing away her winter woollies, she leaves small bunches of lavender to keep them fresh and ward off insects. 12.28

downfall

strongly desire sth No matter how many gadgets Eric has, he's constantly hankering for more.

unflattering

strongly get a point across; forcefully convey a meaning He removed the sweeping statement from his blog as a symbolic gesture of apology.

obstinate

stubborn; sticking to your opinion Jane is so obstinate that she refuses to follow her parents' advice.

saved by the bell

study hard We were surprised at Mandy's use of plagiarism as she had always done everything by the book.

aspiring

subjective; showing support in favour of one side of sth I can't understand why she feels the need to have tattoos - there's no accounting for taste.

shimmer

success and wealth They finally took the plunge and signed up for the Himalayan trek.

condone

support and recommend sth It is blatantly obvious that the state is unable or unwilling to provide adequate welfare support.

fake

support for one group by another who share the same values Alistair abstained from voting in the election as he could agree with either of the candidates.

diehard

symbolising a particular ideal or concept; famous Mark Zuckerburg has reached iconic status with the success of Facebook.

land a job

sɪk (ənd ˈtaɪəd) əvˈsʌmθɪŋ/ˈsʌmbədi/ fed up with sth/sb The new university is a joint undertaking between the old technical college and a private investor.

contradict

take away from the enjoyment of sth The lifestyle of the islanders has diversified over the year through the influence of foreign tourists.

mount

take control of an area or country, etc. Flights were disrupted for weeks when striking workers picketed the airport.

crampon

take somebody by surprise at a weak moment when they are unprepared Engrossed in their fishing, the anglers drifted unawares out to sea.

deduce

take something away from a total amount A small transaction fee will be deducted from the payment into your bank account.

infusion

take something to pieces You would be more self-content if you set more realistically attainable goals instead of wearing yourself out.

precede

talk in a mocking way about something that you consider stupid In the past, the idea of a horseless carriage was scoffed at in the way people recently scoffed at driverless vehicles.

placement

teaching fees Liz regarded English language teaching as a means to an end as it served as an internationally marketable skill.

up and running

terrrible Are you feeling okay? You look absolutely ghastly.

blizzard

the confused state of not knowing which direction to take The enemy arrows were embedded on his wooden shield.

consent

the courage shown under extreme difficulty His sudden movement provoked the bear's attack.

the haves and have-nots

the crime of stealing things from shops during or after an emergency, e.g. fire With the Industrial Revolution came societal reforms in Britain as more people moved to live in cities.

deranged

the crime of threatening to reveal information about somebody unless they pay you to keep quiet After the revolt, the royal family were sent into exile.

time-honoured

the custom of giving money or property to a woman or her husband by the woman's family to support her when she marries The castle ruins remain as the last vestige of 13th century Frankish rule.

micro-organism

the dangerous radiation sent out as a result of nuclear fission Dangerous levels of radioactivity were recorded across the country when the nuclear reactor exploded.

glean

the dead body of an animal The villagers took part in ritual dances reminiscent of years gone by.

aristocracy

the disclosure of secret information to the public The public were horrified to learn of the torture of foreign correspondents at the front line.

eradicate

the disease poliomyelitis, which affects the central nervous system Polio has become rare in the UK since the introduction of child inoculation programmes.

nomadic

the period during the 14th to 16th centuries when art and literature were influenced by a revived interest in classical ancient Greek and Roman culture We are now having to endure the legacy left by the consumerist era of the 80s and 90s.

let

the period during which you rent a property; the right to occupy a property you rent The building had been derelict for years and all the utilities had been disconnected.

equate

the point where something cannot be added to because there is already an abundance She lacked the charisma and finesse of her parents.

authority

the power to make decisions and tell others how to behave My neighbours appear to have no authority over their kids, who are unacceptably noisy.

furnace

the practical business of designing and building aircraft The modern age of aviation began with the design of hot air balloons in the 18th century.

subject somebody to sth

the process of considering information carefully to judge it objectively The government can no longer turn a blind eye to the shocking state of affairs in the public education system.

proximate

the process of getting smaller; the extent to which something reduces in size Advances in telecommunications have meant that we can now get in touch with people almost anywhere at anytime.

fall through the cracks

the process of helping somebody change to have a healthier or more acceptable lifestyle after a period of illness or addiction, etc. As a budding entrepreneur, he founded his first company at the age of 19.

backtrack

the property or money you receive as a legal right from a relative after their death It must have taken you hours to prepare such an elaborate meal, but it was delicious.

disclaimer

the quality of being genuine When we saw him perform live, he looked nothing like the photoshopped trim figure from the profile image.

cry out for

the quality of being suitable and of realistic or practical use You can check out the rules in the grammar appendix of your student's book.

conical

the quality of having a lot of experience and knowledge of the culture and other socially important issues The university is a well-respected establishment.

wet market

the quality of having a lot of life experience and thus being broad-minded The restauranteur brought a huge platter of starters before the main meal.

posture

the quality of showing kindness and compassion towards others; the state of being human If the new supervisor hopes to win the respect of the staff, she'd better loosen up and start showing some humanity.

gruelling

the quality that makes somebody appear trustworthy and respectable Can you vouch for Judy's work experience?

whereby

the quality that makes something appealing Tax officials are examining the company's accounts.

saturation

the quality to charm and impress others Miranda has acquired a reputation as film director.

mistaken

the quick spread of sth, such as disease or a negative idea The sudden influx of immigrants has led to the contagion of racism throughout Europe.

promotional

the relative number of sales of a product that one company has compared with sales of all companies selling the same thing The latest word in the trade papers is that a merger of the telecommunication giants is imminent.

leave somebody to their own devices

the right to make your own decisions on what to do I can give you my opinion, but at the end of the day, you should just do whatever you see fit.

orientation

the rules of polite culturally acceptable behaviour The abandoned factory has been taken over by squatters.

manoeuvre

the rules that state which clothes are appropriate The manager was stunned at Timothy's spontaneous resignation.

neuroscience

the science of studying the brain and nervous system As research methods in neuroscience develop, there is more evidence to explain how people experience different emotions.

melatonin

the scientific principle that everything has a cause Causality is simply the basic relationship between the cause of something and its effect.

self-content

the sense of being happy with the way you are Despite having lived in a city most of her life, Karen had a feeling of self-content settling down in her small country house.

self-satisfaction

the sense of being pleased or satisfied with something you have done Having received so much praise for her project, Kate felt a sense of selfsatisfaction.

self-esteem

the sense of feeling valued or important Constant criticism from teachers and parents can lower a child's self-esteem.

cheerily

the sense of having a connection with others and being a part of a group Katie was finding it hard to settle down in China as the culture was so dissimilar to that of Wales.

ego

the sense of self worth Getting elected as class president was a boost for Diana's ego since she was actually quite shy.

conscious

the sense that makes you feel guilty if you do something wrong The majority of Scots revolted against the UK's decision to leave the European Union.

a stone's throw

the short-form text used in apps and transactions This particular species of fish is peculiar to the lake at Prespes.

whim

the smallest visible part of a larger problem On a cold winter's night in Aberdeen, we decided on the spur of the moment to book a holiday in New Zealand.

appendix

the standards by which something is assessed or categorised Her argument is pure hypothesis, so she needs to expand with a few hard facts to make it hold water.

overexpose

the starting price decided by the seller In my opinion, the house isn't worth the asking price; perhaps they would accept a lower offer.

spontaneous

the state of being an adult He's rather naïve and tends to view the world through rose-coloured glasses.

pale in comparison

the state of being better or in a stronger position than others Open-air theatrical performances are one of Greece's hallowed traditions.

inasmuch as

the state of being caught or trapped in sth The hikers utilised a piece of wood to support their injured companion's broken leg until they reached the refuge.

legitimate

the state of being completely developed Legislative changes regarding sex discrimination were introduced in the UK in 1975.

globalisation

the state of being connected I couldn't get hold of Nigel this morning; he was in meetings for hours.

destined

the state of being famous as a performer There was no discernible difference between the two brands.

deposit

the state of being far away from inhabited areas Thanks to local activists, most of the unsightly billboards which festooned the national roads have been removed by law.

blackmail

the state of being forced to leave one's country to live elsewhere Not being literary minded, he hired a shadow writer to produce his bestselling memoirs.

distinctly

the state of being imprisoned or put in a place to limit or restrain your movements The plumber arrived with an apprentice carrying his equipment.

epitomise

the state of being less important or of lower quality than sth/sb else His company is no longer a separate entity since its acquisition by the corporation.

libel

the state of being long forgotten or unknown Social media sites alone are not always reliable as news outlets as they tend to recycle the same old, often unfounded stories.

caste

the state of being separated into different levels The opposition party claimed there had been irregularities during the ballot counts.

well-being

the state of good physical and psychological health Having enough sleep is as important as diet and exercise for your overall wellbeing.

self-sufficiency

the state of having enough resources without needing anything from others Moving to another country requires a great deal of self-sufficiency as it could be difficult to build support networks.

make your way in life

the state of having no plans or idea what to do Steven was used to the daily ritual of commuting to and from work.

penny-pinching

the state of not having enough money to pay your debts Police are cracking down on identity theft.

7.61 itinerary

the state of undisturbed quiet and peacefulness Unfortunately, there is no vaccine to protect against mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue, which is prevalent in Asia and South America.

burden

the status of frontline soldiers rather than army officers; the ordinary members of a group rather than the leaders The prisoners were subject to the most excruciating forms of torture.

utterly

the strength and ability to withstand difficult situations The village lies in the foothills of the Alps.

in sync with

the study of ancient Greek and Latin language and literature Tina mockingly referred to her teacher's accent as 'Grenglish'.

primary

the surrounding area Frogs usually spawn in the lake at this time of year.

activism

the tendency to admire yourself and your appearance to an extreme extent We all managed to mask our feelings until the last moment, so Melinda had no idea about the surprise party.

think outside the box

the theory of physics around the idea that energy exists in indivisible units I don't know anyone at all who understands quantum theory!

knock

try doing sth A period of army service is obligatory for young men in many countries.

awe

try to do something in the same way as somebody else We were astounded to hear that the dean had been arrested.

short-sighted

uncontrolled and excessive The view from our terrace at sunset was out of this world.

aesthetically

unconventional; different from what is normally done Her unorthodox teaching methods were questioned at first, but they have shown positive results.

bare

uncover something so that it is visible The burglar took to his heels when the large family dog bared its teeth and growled at him.

momentum

understand the meaning of or notice sth His bank statement showed a staggering balance, as a result of a typographical error.

set your sights on sth

unemployed and living on state benefits They felt trapped in a vicious circle of poverty and unemployment.

catch somebody off guard

unexpectedly; without noticing Blinded by oncoming headlights, he swerved and crashed into the ditch.

power plant

unfairness or an unfair act Environmental groups said the plans to build the runway across the country park were an outrage.

unconditional

unlimited; without expecting something in return Fiona is a true friend who is always prepared to offer unconditional help whenever necessary.

adversely

unnecessary or more than acceptable Working from home put undue stress on Annie's family relationships.

splash out

unresponsive as though devoid of thought The shop strives to retain its existing customers through loyalty incentives.

heritage

unwilling; not keen to do sth The upbeat resort was once a quaint fishing village on the coast of Cornwall.

striking

unwillingly My internet connection simply froze, and I had to call the techie on the 24-hour helpline to get back online again.

brink

use a drug to cause sth/sb to become calm or sleep Don't believe everything that quack tells you; get a second opinion from a more reputable doctor. 54 Adverbs abundantly concurringly cursively explicitly extravagantly somewhat utterly virtually Listening page 104

causality

using invisible electromagnetic waves longer than those of visible light Infrared radiation is used in scientific and medical applications.

raw material

using something carefully in small amounts His books epitomised the living conditions in post-war Britain.

vocal

using symbols from a special alphabet to denote different sounds; generally connected with sounds Some native Australian animals, including the platypus and marsupials, are among the most primitive species in existence.

inflated

usual or accepted standard of behaviour Nick shuddered at the thought of the amount of work he still had to do.

opulent

wealthy Shirley comes from a well-to-do family and attended the most expensive private schools.

well-heeled

wealthy The plumber's estimate was high, but it was completely aboveboard for the extent of repairs required.

lavish

wealthy; luxurious Tim has managed to invest wisely and remain quite well-heeled, so he has a good life.

thick and fast

wearing glasses I sent my CV to dozen of prospective employers.

monocultural

well-known for negative reasons Incidentally, I notice we have a common acquaintance in Canada on Facebook.

as a last resort

where everything seems exciting and full of action Stanley works in a bank, but he also designs websites on the side.

altruism

widespread or common at a particular time or place Any more donations of clothes for the bazaar would be surplus to requirements as we already have more than we can store.

corrupt

willing to be kind to and forgive people in your power He was sentenced to life imprisonment for the brutal attack on the school.

doom

willing to give help or information; upcoming The company has a revolutionary new design in the offing which they hope to present at the next car exhibition.

just

willing to help and be generous towards others Democracy is under threat from corrupt political practices.

spare no effort

willingness to follow orders and behave are you are told to In view of the referee's unfair decision, he was clearly biased towards the home team.

poised

with a calm and confident manner; not moving but ready to do so The cat stood poised for action as she waited for the bird to land on the lawn.

mind you

with a fixed belief or goal; stubborn Even diehard gamers will find the new version of WipeOut really challenging.

long-standing

with a lifestyle that involves moving as a group from place to place The Renaissance began in Florence with the influx of Greek scholars fleeing the Ottoman conquest.

steer clear of sb/sth

ˈsʌmθɪŋ/ stay out of the way of sb/sth that might be problematic You'd better steer clear of Tommy; he's in a foul mood today.

skyrocket

ˈsʌmθɪŋz deɪz ɑː ˈnʌmbəd/ sb/sth will not continue or be successful much longer The cartoonist has a talent for hilariously lampooning celebrities.

bunch

towards the sky The Smiths dropped their pretence of wealth when the banks cancelled their credit cards.

condition

train a person or animal to behave in a particular way or accept sth Army recruits are conditioned to follow orders from their superiors.

crammer

trained to behave according to the rules The children were left to fend for themselves for an hour or so after school before their parents got back from work. Phrasal verbs drift off fend for yourself hail from keep at something mount up subject somebody to something take something in Listening page 118

command

transfer money made illegally into banks abroad or a business to make it look legal The film was a moral tale about a man who found a million dollar bill in the street.

barge

treat sb/sth in a violent way Mildred was snipping away at her garden hedge with a pair of stainless steel shears.

revolt

treat somebody unfairly by denying their rights and freedom; restrict sb's development The attempt at a military coup was suppressed overnight.

uprising

treat somebody unfairly or cruelly because of their beliefs, race, etc. The police decided not to prosecute the homeless woman for stealing food from the dustbin.

assault

treat sth/sb in a way that harms them Activists are encouraging the public to boycott companies which are damaging the environment.

confide in

trust somebody with your private thoughts or problems Do you confide your secrets to a friend or family member?

grudge

a bad feeling or strong dislike for somebody because of something they did in the past You beat me fair and square in the tennis match, so I bear no grudge against you.

on the dole

a bad situation that is hard to get out of as one problem leads to another Betty left home to make her own way in life as soon as she finished her studies.

scrutiny

a break in a system or agreement which causes it to fail Pete was fired from the company as a result of his breach of confidentiality.

skint

a bribe; an illegal payment given secretly in return for special treatment David was such a tight-fist that he always managed to get out of paying his share of the restaurant bill.

enrich

a building where electric power is produced 19th century novelists drew attention to the social injustices of the time.

sophistication

a business or other organization, or the place where an organization operates He participate in a reality show to present his culinary skills.

entity

a camera lens that adjusts to produce large images of distant subjects The empty shops were a poignant reminder of the economic situation.

banner

a catchphrase designed to attract attention and get a message across quickly We're facing so many legal roadblocks that I don't think we'll ever manage to open our restaurant. Places/Locations pocket polling station power plant Feelings: nouns conscience dignity injustice narcissism obedience outrage sentiment stigma 28

genome

a change in the structure of sth; a genetic variation The city's population was affected by a deadly mutation of the flu virus.

austerity

a person who liaises or negotiates between people or companies A new children's hospital was built following a generous contribution from an anonymous donor.

exile

a personal written account of sb's life experience The party claims to represent the working classes rather than the aristocracy.

indicator

a piece of academic writing on a certain subject The graduates filed onto the stage one by one to receive their degrees from the dean.

outweigh

a piece of equipment enclosed by walls on all sides and closed on top that is heated to a high enough temperature to melt hard materials, such as metal or glass Until now, furnaces for melting iron ore have been heated by fossil fuels.

censor

a piece of equipment that reacts to sound, light or movement, etc. to cause a device to operate or show sth The light above our front door is triggered by a sensor that detects movement.

pixel

a piece of equipment used to check the pace of your heart From the movements on the heart rate monitor, it was clear that the unconscious patient was beginning to recover.

veteran

a piece of information or close look that gives you an understanding of sth From the slight twinkle in her eye, I knew my friend was about to make a happy announcement.

salvage

a pile When they broke down on the highway, a state trooper in a patrol car stopped to offer assistance.

ordinarily

a place that many people visit As we passed each stall, we were offered samples of the traditional fare on sale.

sponsorship

a place where free food is given to people in need Living on the streets since she lost her home, Tracy waits in line for a plate of food at the soup kitchen every day.

whistle-blower

a place where people go to cast their vote in an election Human rights groups are pushing for the abolition of the death penalty in countries where it still exists.

embed

a place where people visit because it has an important personal or spiritual meaning to them She raised her children according to strong moral precepts.

beadle

a place where poor people were sent to live and had to do work An air of gloom and fear hung over the city in the wake of the attacks.

food bank

a place where soup or other cooked food is served to destitute people Central Glasgow has been transformed since the run-down old slums were replaced by modern buildings and pedestrianised shopping areas.

drive

a plan and schedule for a journey The tranquillity of the pine forest was shattered by a blast of loud music blaring from a parked camper van.

non-confrontational

a point that marks the limit of sth Teachers have to set boundaries for student behaviour within the classroom environment.

welfare

a poor area of a city where people of the same background tend to be concentrated Matthew was flat broke when his out-of-work benefit stopped after one year on the dole.

convict

a press photographer who follows famous people to photograph them You can see what jobs are available at the employment bureau.

faction

a pressure group who try to influence decision makers on a particular issue Desmond finally gave up cigarettes under pressure from the anti-smoking brigade at work.

shrine

a principle or general rule Excessive expenditure on overstaffed public services has led the country into debt.

attribute

a quality or characteristic Modesty is one of Malcolm's greatest attributes as he's rather quiet about his own successes.

broken home

a quick way to complete or achieve sth They retired with hopes of living a rosy life in the countryside.

selfless

a situation where people have to make do with very little money due to poor economic conditions Charles acts as a middleman between job seekers and employers.

jam

a small amount of a particular colour Something was wrong with the colour setting on the camera, so all the prints came out with a greenish tinge.

legacy

a small amount of a substance left after a process is complete The display case contained pieces of Bronze Age kitchenware and other such relics.

narrow escape

a small area of a city or country where the community has a unique culture Apart from the weekly influx of cruise passengers on their day trip, business has been very quiet on the island this year.

a riot of

a small geographic area whose climate differs from the surrounding area The island was a microcosm of the whole country.

cabinet

a small part of a group whose beliefs or aims differ from those of the wider group Community groups organised a lobby against the closure of the local school.

composition

a small portion of food After devouring its share of the prey, the lion lay down to watch the cubs eat the remains.

techie

a small remote-controlled aircraft used for aerial photography or for military purposes While some 20th century works of science fiction were pure fantasy in their time, it's quite thought-provoking how close they've come to reality.

scratch the surface

a type of media, literature, etc. that differs from the others within the same category I'd love to be a fly on the wall to see her reaction when she finds out what happened.

genie pants

a type of small brimless hat Don't forget to wear your scarf and beanie; it's freezing out there!

going forward

a warning signal of impending danger I'll never forget my first encounter with a snake; it was more scared than I was and disappeared fast.

painstaking

able to be seen and touched Detectives are pretty certain that he is the thief, but he can't be charged without tangible evidence.

eloquent

able to express opinions well in a clear and confident way, especially in public The most eloquent speaker was chosen to represent the team in the debate.

compatible

able to get on well together through having similar or matching characteristics or interests and needs Our musical tastes are not compatible as I really can't stand jazz.

repel

absolute Her new book was an outright success and has been nominated for several awards.

intellect

add something on to the end of a written work Whoever posited the unscientific theory of mass poisoning through the use of chemtrails has a lot to answer for.

somewhat

almost Some species of fish have a sting to protect them from predators.

semicomatose

almost unconscious Gwen was still semicomatose when we saw her after her operation, so she didn't seem to realise where she was. 1 Do You Mind? 1 1.22

against your will

although you don't want to do so Stuart had to leave the country against his will when his visitor's permit expired.

unbridled

amazing; impressive The emperor ordered the destruction of the temples to wipe out traces of the ancient polytheist religion.

see fit

any time you like He was a bundle of nerves waiting to hear the outcome of the interview.

satire

anything of value which a person or company owns The bank tried to intimidate them into settling our debts out of court.

boundary

appear or occur When the possibility of losing his job reared its ugly head, George thought of becoming self-employed.

frontier

appear suddenly, often in a manner that is threatening A huge dark shape loomed in the doorway.

monetary

appearing to be overly emotional You know you've been watching too much TV when you start humming the jingles.

unawares

approaching The plane suddenly dropped to a low altitude and crashed into the mountainside.

little by little

approximately; nearly Rabies is more or less non-existent in our country, thanks to immunisation.

exponentially

become worse John decided to emigrate after his hopes of finding work deteriorated rapidly as local businesses closed.

culinary

begin cultivating a plant for human use Chromosomes are useful in the taxonomy of living things.

detract from sth

begin to include a wider range of things to become more varied The spread of chain stores has homogenised shopping centres across the UK so they are almost all identical.

trait

behave according to the accepted rules of a society; be in agreement with or follow the same pattern as sth/sb Neil moved out of the university hall of residence in first year as he couldn't conform with the idea of communal living.

conduct yourself

behave in a certain way The sales assistant conducted herself in a highly unprofessional manner when she lost her temper with the customer.

persecute

charge somebody in court for committing a crime After the civil war, many Greek families emigrated to more affluent countries, such as Australia.

solidarity

choose not to do something which you might normally do What support is there for underprivileged families?

implicitly

choose sth/sb by lot (where each person selects something from a container whoever gets the different one is chosen) A patrol car was stationed at every junction.

render

common to a group or a range of things rather than specific The word 'device' is a generic term for any piece of equipment designed for a specific job.

thought-provoking

compare things to make a reasoned judgement about sth The biofluorescence of fish and other creatures makes the sea bed a colourful place.

inheritance

complicated but carefully planned There was a flurry of activity on the stock exchange following the announcement of the takeover bid.

omen

continue doing something without stopping The news came as such a shock that it took me a few minutes to take it all in.

spring

continue to do sth; go on (to do something after doing something else) After reading the instructions, Mavis proceeded to connect the new router.

spreadsheet

copy the way sb/sth acts or speaks The antivirus scan detected a potential threat which was simply a harmless program that mimicked the pattern of phishing bug.

intern

fire; dismiss sb Stephanie finally plucked up the courage to ask for a pay rise.

obsessive

focussed on one person or thing to an abnormal extent Greg has become so obsessive about his new project that he never has time for his friends or family.

flexitime

freed from some type of restriction New legislation was introduced to liberate slaves.

companionable

friendly and good to be in the company of My uncle is a companionable character, who is always the life and soul of the party.

asset

frighten somebody into doing something you want them to Greeks suffered religious and other forms of repression during the Ottoman rule.

impoverished

frightening or very upsetting Our visit to the long-term care unit in the children's hospital was a chastening experience.

carbon dioxide

from own side to another and back again Jerry walked back and forth, impatiently waiting for the train.

get into hot water

from the beginning The tantalising view of the tropical beach beckoned to them from the glossy ad.

ever-present

from the father's side of the family In the time-honoured tradition, the flame was carried all the way from Olympia around the world to the venue of the Games. 83 Adjectives for traditions age-old ever-present long-standing nomadic old-time quaint time-honoured Things from the past dowry hieroglyph heirloom heritage legacy memorial relic residue the Renaissance vestige

endorsement

full with sth The pseudocelebrity regularly appears on breakfast TV chat shows.

erode

get rid of Insect-borne diseases are not easy to eradicate, especially in a humid climate.

on the cards

give somebody regular information on a situation Walter was feeling a bit nervous about his upcoming driving test.

conscientious

give somebody responsibility for doing something unpleasant The party leader stepped down the day after the referendum. 65

9.49 autonomous

give somebody the right to vote or to have citizenship The Kingdom of Scotland was an independent sovereign state until 1707.

matter-of-fact

height The group were commended for their successful fundraising efforts.

fusion

involve If you tell us what exactly the project entails, we can give an accurate estimate for the job.

get hold of sb

involved in a group dealing with or sharing information about a particular issue David hadn't heard from his brother in months, so he decided to phone to touch base with him.

physically

involving the body rather than the mind Robin still found cycling physically challenging months after breaking his ankle.

mentally

involving the mind rather than the body Solving crosswords and other puzzles can be mentally stimulating.

confront

join others doing something that is currently fashionable to be seen to do so If politicians continue to bury their heads in the sand regarding violence among football fans, the problem will only get worse.

elated

joyful and very excited We were elated at the referee's decision to award our team a penalty.

primitive

keep believing in something despite them being questioned or threatened Though many of their compatriots had emigrated due to the financial crisis, they decided to stay put and try to weather the storm.

dread

loud or great Anna's first novel was a resounding failure, but her second had more sales.

juvenile detention centre

loyal support Applications for the job were pouring in thick and fast.

thrifty

luxurious; generous The room was decorated with opulent velvet furnishings.

outdated

made for a practical purpose rather than for appearance Kate hated wearing her dull grey school uniform, denouncing it as an utterly utilitarian style.

monsoon

made to appear to something else; not real Several other public services were striking in solidarity with the hospital staff.

the last straw

made to be strong and long-lasting The smartphone cover was made of durable plastic that protected it from accidental damage.

impending

made to operate by a machine to reduce human labour There was a striking similarity between the girls, although they were not related.

unsightly

made-up and not real or true Websites such as eBay™ offer an intermediary platform between buyers and sellers.

tally

mainly According to the group's Facebook page, the petition has attracted 30,000 signees so far.

novelty

make a bad situation worse Voluntourism has attracted foreign visitors to assist with wildlife projects, such as the sea turtle rescue project in Greece.

rake in sth

make a lot of money very quickly The film fell foul of the censorship board. 70

entanglement

make use of I couldn't avoid snagging my trousers on the thorny bushes which we had to walk through.

ground-breaking

making a new and important discovery Before the ground-breaking discovery of antibiotics, people used to die from infections that are now curable.

have it both ways

making sb/sth look less attractive than they are or would prefer to be seen She drove home the point that the tax payers were entitled to know how their money was being spent.

off the beaten track

making something appear simpler than it is The white steps leading to the village church were kept in pristine condition. 7.12 seething (adj) /ˈsiːðɪŋ/ moving energetically in a large number ● The watermelon skin left on the beach was covered by a seething swarm of wasps.

veritable

making you feel excited as though overpowered She gleefully agreed to prepare the food for the wedding feast.

shady

mean; miserly Their spendthrift gestures gradually put them out of business when they ran out of cash.

shilling

mean; reluctant to spend money that you have We had to sign a new contract whereby we agreed to work unpaid overtime.

medium

means of achieving or expressing sth The moment she signed the online petition she was bombarded by spam emails.

associate

mentally link sth/sb with (sth/sb else); have a connection with Ian always associates Cornwall with his childhood memories of summer.

backhander

miser Let's stop at the ATM; I need to get some dosh for shopping.

leap

misunderstand something you hear which sounded like something else Signal fires were often used for the transmission of news across the ancient world.

esteemed

mix well and become part of a social group He was ostracised by the village community for questioning their religious beliefs.

tight-fist

money Replacing his stolen driving licence involved an incredible amount of red tape.

ghetto

money that the government pays to people who are unemployed, poor or have special needs, etc. The centre offers intergenerational sessions where older people teach skills to unemployed youths.

quantum theory

more advanced than a current trend Instead of copying other companies' products, it's better to develop original ideas to keep ahead of the curve.

physiologically

more dreamlike rather than realistic Lee released the rabbit whose foot had got trapped in the snare.

dissolve

move very quickly The spaceship began to break up as it hurtled through the Earth's atmosphere.

sensibilities

move very slowly from the top to the lower levels As the passengers disembarked, street sellers laden with novelty items awaited at the port.

engage in sth

much more than necessary Working in front of a computer for an excessive period of time can lead to eye strain and backache.

mentorship

satisfy Magda spends a disproportionately large amount of time on her work.

put your foot in it

say something inappropriate in a certain situation that upsets sb It was supposed to be a surprise party. You've really put your foot in it now!

memorial

say something out loud which you have learnt by heart, e.g. a poem or piece of prose The proposal to do away with the national holiday met with resistance from a vocal majority.

crack somebody up

say something that amuses somebody very much Billy's live performance was so funny it cracked us all up. We couldn't stop laughing!

analogy

say something that is the opposite of what has been said to correct somebody or show disagreement The unsightly forest of wind turbines detracted from the beauty of the island.

attribute

say that sb/sth is the cause of sth Sam attributed his success in business to a lot of hard work and a little luck.

slate

sb who acts as if they are better than others because they know more or have different tastes The final year of the course involves work placements for students to gain hands-on experience.

obliterate

sb who believes in and supports that women's and men's rights and opportunities should be equal When Dad lost his job, Mum became the sole breadwinner who had to support all of us.

infrared

sb who checks the content of books, films, and other media to remove parts considered unsuitable for a particular audience As the film contained some violent scenes, the censor had rated it unsuitable for young children.

superficial

sb who chooses to live alone and avoids company She took the talk show host to court for slander.

rehabilitation

sb who opens a new type of business to earn money The prospect of a free trip to Iceland seemed most alluring.

field

sb who owns shares in a business The tight schedule left no margin for error.

impetus

sb who pays rent to live in a place She had frittered away her inheritance within a year.

tip off

sb who pretends to be sb/sth they are not to cheat others out of money Penny came into a fortune when her grandmother passed away.

restraint

sb who pretends to believe in or support something that they don't It was a great compliment to be invited to dinner by the mayor.

orphanage

sb who receives sth Let's find a mutually convenient venue to meet in.

aftershock

sb who requests permission to stay safely in another country after being forced to leave their own in danger of their lives Realising we would never make it to shore without the engine, we sent up a distress flare which was seen by the coastguard.

legal tender

sb who sells goods or food directly on the street If nobody claims the purse you handed in, you'll get it back. So it's a case of finders keepers. Writing pages 90-91

prominently

sb who signs their name on sth Donating £5.00 per year to your favourite cause does not make you a philanthropist.

confinement

sb who works as a trainee with an experienced worker to learn the skills of a trade He had to work double overtime to compensate for having taken extra leave.

host

sb whose job it is to look after a herd of goats It was conceivably the worst film I've ever seen.

deactivate

stop manufacturing a product; stop doing sth Cynthia always inserts hilarious captions on her Instagram photos.

settle down

stop moving around and start living in one place to develop a steady lifestyle After years of working on cargo ships, Paul found it difficult to settle down and live in a city apartment.

glimpse

stop sb/sth coming close to you; reject sb's help or attention Any attempt the keeper made to get close to the lion was repulsed with an angry roar.

be no mean feat

stop something from proceeding Nicola's family recently pulled up stakes and emigrated to Canada for a more secure future.

buzz

strange or different The last remaining villagers were driven out in the 1960s when the area was designated an archaeological site. 7.59

have a go at sth

that must be done because of a rule, etc.; compulsory Emigration is a double-edged sword that brings new opportunities but presents the challenges of living in another culture as a foreigner. Expressions at stake be inclined to agree be sucked in big yourself up blow your chance catch somebody off guard cream of the crop double-edged sword down the drain downward spiral fall short of something fall through the cracks get caught up in something get down to business in retrospect make a go of something make your way in life not hold out much hope on the dole pick up the pieces pluck up courage round of applause set your sights on something thick and fast throw in the towel turn over a new leaf vicious circle Writing pages 76-77

carcass

that reminds you of sth Lee sold his goats at the wet market. Reading pages 170-171

conform

that you were born with Do you believe that musical talent is innate or is it learned?

pepper something with sth

the ability to have the desired effect The magazine was full of candid shots of celebrities, supposedly caught unawares as they went about their daily lives.

deference

the act of putting a law into practice so it is obeyed Revered as a great peacemaker, a day of mourning was declared on his death.

candid

the act of revealing something that was previously unknown You're liable to get into hot water if you put too much personal information for the whole world to see on social media.

ridicule

used before a description to show that you don't consider it appropriate Most people would prefer to have a job than live on welfare.

misspent

used in a careless or wasteful way Despite her misspent teenage years when she hardly studied at all, Elaine passed her university degree with flying colours.

hanker

used informally to add a detail what you already said Andrea's just locked herself out of her email account. Mind you, I'm not surprised - she can never remember passwords.

unwitting

used to compare two different things Our science teacher took a dim view of being called a geek.

installation

usually; normally Visiting his old university campus, Dad took me round some of his old haunts in the city.

deciding

vague; unclear We had a very narrow escape when the plane almost crash landed on the trees close to the runway.

simplistic

very clean and well maintained The resort has all the trappings of a traditional British seafront town with its promenade and colourful beach huts.

ingenuous

very clever Virtual clouds are an ingenious way to save or share data.

jubilant

very happy because of a successful result The jubilant fans cheered loudly after the final whistle.

bureau

very interesting and exciting The documentary was interesting, but was lacking in detail and clearly only scratched the surface of the main problem.

sparsely

very large or impressive Wildfires invariably wreak destruction across the country in the dry season.

bottom line

very rich Having just received her holiday bonus, Angela was feeling quite flush and splashed out on a new hairdo.

exemplify

very strongly; forcefully George had to spend his twomonth summer break on a crammer to prepare for his final year exams at high school.

conceivably

very surprising; hard to imagine Until a few years ago, most people would never entertain the thought of 'chatting' to strangers online.

invaluable

very useful The internet has become such an invaluable source of information that we now feel quite deprived if we cannot get online.

poignant

walk in an awkward uncontrolled way Debbie took on a new role as a documentarian portraying social issues after being made redundant when the newspaper closed down.

brag

walk in an exaggerated, overtly proud way She had the same dream recurrently for several nights in a row.

tutor

wander off the topic and start talking about something else She developed an instant rapport with her students through making them feel their opinions were valued.

rarity

wanted Making an educated guess, I'd say the kittens are about two months old.

sensor

wear away the surface of sth The sides of the riverbank had been eroded dramatically by the heavy rains.

brim

wear something proudly; show off a possession you're proud of People who go around sporting their new smartphones in public places are prime targets for thieves.

behind sb's back

without somebody knowing or against their wishes Carol fell out with her colleague when she found out he'd been talking about her behind her back. 7 1.149

incidentally

without spoken words He made a blatant attempt to win the boss's favour.

camouflage

witty and easily remembered In his cookery book, the chef avoided reference to specific brands in order to avoid plugging them.

lean on sb/sth

work hard to the best of your abilities Tracy was thrown in at the deep end and left in charge of the office when the manager went off sick.

9.64 strike out

work or study long hours into the night While their parents were out at work, the twins were left to their own devices for an hour or so after school.

step down

ˈsʌmθɪŋ/ depend on sb/sth for support You'd better start pulling your weight if you expect to get a pay rise.

take the plunge

admit responsibility for sth; make up for doing sth I heard on the grapevine that the area is to become a designated nature reserve, but I'm not sure if it's true.

explicitly

admit that somebody else is correct or something is true Once the naughty boy of the class, he had grown up to become a calm and accomplished young man.

archival

an indication of something negative He pondered the question for a moment before replying.

steer sth/sb

capable of doing something to the required standard Relations between the two countries have never been harmonious, so the possibility of war could become a reality.

biased

having more rights or opportunities than others The politician's downfall was due to a whistle-blower's press release. People asylum seeker benefactor beneficiary breadwinner bunch coastguard donor feminist human chain middleman philanthropist recipient signee whistle-blower Grammar pages 41-42-43

fraudster

inherit Unemployed, and having a large mortgage to pay off Rita was in a tight corner and could see no way out.

drone

inspiring serious thoughts about sth When you see people living on the streets, it puts our idea of home comforts into perspective. Technology Nouns advent aviation biofluorescence breach causality circumference drone element fission frontier furnace fusion genome hitch likelihood mutation nanofibre neon pixel precedent progenitor radioactivity scrutiny sensor spec spreadsheet techie tinge uranium Video 2: Neon Seas page 32

introductory

intended to introduce you to a subject or activity The college offers a range of short introductory courses for foreign students.

materialise

interested in something for the money In retrospect, she regretted not having left her birthplace when she was younger.

hyperinflation

internet-based currency Time banks are a logical concept for people who are able to exchange similar services.

paparazzo

organisation that collects and provides information The film was a gripping tale of courage and endurance.

come down to

put an end to Confronted by a line of police, the hooligans following the peaceful demonstration retreated into the back streets.

append

put forward a hypothesis as a basis for argument For some inexplicable reason, Frances dropped out of the course when she was doing very well.

chasten

putting other people's needs before your own Ben always makes a conscious effort to help those less fortunate than he is.

downward spiral

quickly and directly without considering the consequences Most of the gang members had already spent a few months in a juvenile detention centre.

elevate

quickly worsen With sniffer dogs on his trail, the fugitive escaped by floating down the river on a log.

withdrawn

quiet and introverted; not outgoing Mabel had become even more shy and withdrawn as she found it hard to fit in at her new school.

deterrent

raise something to a higher position The wave of violence escalated as the word was spread through social media.

explicitly

rather There were virtually no hotels operating in the low season in the area.

gear something to/towards sb/sth

sth that prevents something increasing He's always recommending products he's never used himself. What a hypocrite!

norm

shake because of a strong feeling The journalist skewed the witness's account of the incident so that it bore no resemblance to what had happened.

sheer

shaped like a cone Having a well-stocked bookcase gave the room an atmosphere of sophistication.

eminent

seemingly about to happen Seeing the rapidly gathering clouds, we realised a storm was imminent.

explicit

self-centred and not considering the needs of others Until the last scene of the infomercial, we'd made several guesses what it was advertising.

enfranchise

self-governing She joined the hierarchy, having been elected as a member of parliament in the 1980s.

caption

shared by a number of people We aim to cultivate loyalty and trust with our clients.

cast lots

send somebody to stand or wait in a particular place; place yourself in a particular place to wait for or watch sth The artist died a pauper, which is ironic given the current value of his works.

begrudge

sensitive feelings Little of the income generated from high-end cruise ships has trickled down to the local ecomony.

news outlet

separate and distinct from others of the same kind Given her gentle public image, it did not seem credible that she could have been so cruel to her children.

turn your back on sb/sth

seriously and sincerely I completely agree with your sentiments on this issue.

documentarian

seriously damage sth Deeply offended by the interviewer's hard-hitting questions, he got up and walked out of the studio.

ridicule

set a limit; be unwilling to do sth Kate's parents are generally very tolerant, but they draw the line at letting her stay out all night unless they are sure of her whereabouts. 10

bleak

severe He slipped on the ice and bashed his head on the pavement.

affluent

sewage or other liquid waste The college disburses scholarships to up to 100 students every year.

gathering

sth that is annoying; the feeling of being annoyed Olga could not hide her annoyance at the interruption.

on the side

sth that is likely to happen His account was already £2,000 in the red, so the bank refused to lend him any more.

mentality

so interested that you want to find out more about sth How can we put a price on our time when it's our most irreplaceable commodity?

symbolically

sth that is produced by a blend of two or more things The pungent aroma of orange blossoms filled the night air.

intrigued

sth that is produced for sale Smiling cheerily, Paul announced that he was dropping out of university to travel the world.

commend

sth that is unimportant or not a problem If you twist Joe's arm, I'm sure he'll give you a lift to the station.

limitations

sth that limits sb/sth from achieving more or being better It isn't a bad camera, but it has its limitations in close-up photography.

butt in

sth that people believe to show high social status and wealth China imports a number of raw materials from Australia for use in manufacturing.

albeit

used to add a justification for something already mentioned Loggerhead turtles are prone to injury through entanglement in fishing nets.

7.68 wreak

used to denote a loud sound or sudden event The ski slopes may not be open, but let's just head for Parnassos and play it by ear when we arrive.

innate

used to describe writing or spoken discussion involving different opinions on sth We were asked to write a discursive essay on the pros and cons of technological advances.

gem

used to emphasise or qualify a metaphor or exaggeration The intoxicating smell of cooking filled the air.

misguidedly

used to express you have a similar opinion Strong bonds were forged between the participants on the course.

partial

used to show you do not agree with sb's choice; there's no way to explain why people like different things, especially those that seem unappealing Students were reprimanded for using Instagram during the class.

conspirator

using sb/sth unfairly for your own gain Dora nudged me and pointed silently towards the snake emerging from the rocks next to us.

critical thinking

a situation This light shower pales in comparison to the hurricanes coming in across the Atlantic.

compulsive

unable to stop doing sth Nobody takes Bill seriously since he's known to be a compulsive liar.

distinguishable

complete and undamaged Thousands of pounds worth of jewellery was salvaged from the safety deposit boxes found on the sunken liner.

retailer

a state of fast uncontrolled action The moment they came to power, they began to backtrack on their pre-electoral promises.

station

a very poor person The photographers ranged themselves along the foot of the stage.

lure

a very small amount The wildlife documentary fired his interest in travelling to New Guinea.

be on good terms

have a friendly relationship Jerry is an amicable student who is on good terms with most of his teachers.

be thick as thieves

have a very good relationship We have a nodding acquaintance with most of our neighbours, but only know a few of them by name.

follow in sb's footsteps

have an important effect on sth She hoped that her children's books would enrich the lives of their readers.

humbling

ˈsʌmθɪŋ/ ignore or reject sb/sth The tears in his eyes showed he was speaking in earnest as he described his wartime experience.

credibility

ˈsʌmθɪŋ/ state that you can verify the good character of sb/sth That was a sneaky trick you pulled on your brother.

bulk

careful not to take risks Their primary concern was how to keep the animals out of danger.

draw the line

central and basic All staff are expected to support the core values of the company: integrity and quality service.

egg

encourage or provoke somebody to do sth As the boys egged each other on to dive off the high rocks into the sea, two of them ended up in hospital.

outright

gentle and caring The tender words in his letter moved me to tears.

a safe bet

owing more to the bank than you have paid them The bottom line is that we've reached the end of our savings.

span

permission to do sth The boys endured the pain of the poisonous stings with great fortitude.

venomous

recover consciousness We were all packed and raring to go.

seedier

a very small amount of sth The editor became less compliant to the journalist's suggestion to include the article when he received a call from the prime minister's office.

computer literacy

a computer program in which data is recorded in rows and columns for calculations or plans, etc. All our financial accounts are recorded on monthly spreadsheets, which are backed up on the cloud.

bombard

a constant updating list of stories, comments, photos, etc. on social media sites The morning train was filled with self-absorbed commuters wired up to their personal listening devices.

tycoon

a cost reduction for people of certain categories Thomas faced the threat of eviction when he couldn't keep up with his mortgage repayments.

soul-crushing

a count of the total or amount of sth When we reached the restaurant, a sign was prominently displayed in the window informing us that it was closed for repairs.

palatable

a country's history and long-standing traditions regarded as an integral part of its character He was reluctant to discuss his wartime experience as it evoked painful memories.

mediocre

a court specialising in a particular type of legal issues Our dentist was on leave, so his partner was standing in for him at the surgery.

ostracise

a covering worn to conceal the face The temple was adorned with scented flowers and colourful statues.

acquire

a crime of cheating a person or organisation out of money Don't get sucked in to pyramid marketing schemes; the only one who profits is the company owner.

determinant

a deciding factor Qualifications may not be the sole determinant in securing a job, but they can give you an advantage over other candidates.

adhere to

a department of study in a university; all the teachers in a university department Marie Curie was considered a woman of outstanding intellect.

corruption

destroy or remove all evidence of sth Not everyone seems to have grasped that feminists stand up for equality of men's rights as well as women's.

bash

destroy sb's hopes Her first month at university had blunted her desire to become a lawyer.

blast

destroy something by using explosives The explosion had blasted a hole in the side of the building.

commons

a feeling of sympathy for and urge to help sb/sth that is suffering A couple of inmates escaped from the prison by means of a helicopter that suddenly landed in the yard.

rebellion

a violent criminal Outside the studio were hundreds of wannabe singers awaiting their auditions.

devastate

an area of a country not including the capital city They set off to explore the underwater caves on a whim.

rationale

an area of interest or focus Arthur had stayed up all night studying and was so tired he almost drifted off during the exam.

platform

a TV comedy series based on the same group of characters in funny situations He made a short-lived foray into the business world before becoming an author.

money laundering

a US dollar banknote The charred remains of the pine forest extended along the hillside.

spiral

a biographical film He channelled all his energy into his music.

reluctantly

a computer expert or enthusiast Eric used his drone to take some spectacular aerial photos of the lake. 19

spew

a box or platform you stand on to declare your views in public The passenger was detained by police when the check-in staff noticed a discrepancy on his passport.

prospective

a boy or young man Ted shows off a bit too much in an effort to garner approval from his peers.

convergence

a characteristic Unfortunately, Simon had always been a fraud and honesty was not a trait of his character.

tranquillity

a chemical put into the body to protect from disease The tsunami had devastated the island within minutes.

emit

a chemical substance that affects skin colour in the body Melatonin is an essential hormone which affects our sleep patterns.

etymology

a chemical substance which causes acids to neutralise or effervesce It was the divine right of kings to receive tributes from their subjects.

reprimand

a child who has just learnt to walk and moves unsteadily White is not the most flattering colour to match your pale complexion; it makes you look tired and grey.

fire

a chosen profession or job that you feel suits you Roxanne knew she had to study hard as she had set her sights on becoming a doctor.

cartel

a close-knit group formed around a particular ideal or shared experience The politician had links with the largest crime syndicate in Mexico.

expenditure

a coin worth 1/20 of one pound used in Britain until 1971 The miserly business owner refused to upgrade the office equipment.

assign

a collection of objects used for an activity There is little scope for expansion in our specialised line of business.

misnomer

a collection of old things that remind somebody of sth/sb which they are connected with The sound effects were utterly mesmerising.

cite

a collection of things, e.g. music or written works The statues exemplified the style of the famous sculptor, Praxiteles.

hypocrite

a comment or gesture that expresses admiration or praise The sales staff's approach is to wear customers down with repeated phone calls until they give in and buy something. It's water-on-a-stone tactics. 72

trend

a comparison of something with something else that is similar to give an example It was obvious they were about to break up when they were constantly contradicting each other.

proactive

a devious and illegal way to obtain money from others The college gave a guarantee that we would all instantly find great jobs after the course, but we are still waiting for them to materialise.

fit

a disease that destroys a crop; something that affects sth/ somebody badly Karavai is a type of decorated bread, traditionally served at Russian weddings to symbolise fertility.

classified

a distribution of large numbers of advertising leaflets to homes, etc. She had to be cajoled into doing the interview.

pull the punches

a down payment made in advance Isn't it time you got a place of your own, son? You can't stay tied to my apron strings forever!

milestone

a fact or action that shows something is true or exists Returning to work at 40, Jane faced age discrimination at every turn; being told she was too old for most jobs.

dogged

a family with divorced or separated parents Hugh's dreams were shattered when he lost the talent contest that he had regarded as a fast track to fame.

in retrospect

a feeling of admiration and wonder He hopes to be able to emulate his favourite guitarist's performance one day.

workhouse

a feeling of hopelessness and sadness; a lack of light The newly elected government had promised to set the education system to rights.

meadows

an area of land with grass and other wild plants in it: We walked through fields and meadows.

reminiscent

a market selling fresh meat and produce, and not durable goods such as cloth and electronics Having been brought up by German parents in Asia, Kim had an air of worldliness in the eyes of her English collleagues.

a drop in the ocean

a mass of different types of the same thing Casablanca has its own microclimate which tends to be cooler than the rest of Morocco.

wannabe

a member of a gang of criminals A Nobel Literature Prize was offered to the veteran singer Bob Dylan.

small-minded

a metal plate with sharp points, which you attach to the sole of a boot or shoe for climbing on ice or snow A huge wave caught us off guard and almost capsized our yacht.

parish

a minor church officer In Victorian times, those who could not support their families were often sent to the workhouse and forced to earn their keep there.

apron

a mixture of different things which form sth Oliver was refused another porringer of food. 43

grit

a mood We were shocked to learn just how wretched the conditions are in clothing factories of some supposedly highend brands.

on the wrong side of the tracks

a motivating factor; stimulus Prospective tenants were expected to pay two months' rent in advance before receiving the keys.

tied to sb's apron strings

a movement to control the position or direction of sth Teachers and students are expected to respect the school dress code.

materialism

a moving object's (or similar metaphor's) retention of kinetic energy It was difficult to discern the source of the misinformation.

blunt

a natural talent for doing sth Nigel didn't have the backbone to face the reporters after his defeat.

incorporate

a necessary part or a quality of sth Frontfacing cameras have become an essential element of phones for selfie addicts.

leak

a news reporter who covers a particular subject or region A toast was raised to the bard's immortal memory.

market share

a newspaper with news exclusively related to a particular type of business Len tried to coax his father into buying him a car.

snare

a non-governmental organisation; a charity or other non-profit organisation not controlled by governments Relief workers have been doing their best to support the earthquake victims.

stand your ground

a non-verbal movement to show a certain feeling or meaning When travelling abroad, it's wise to avoid making certain gestures in case they're considered rude in another culture.

individual

a particular person who behaves in a unique way Our genetic code is what makes us all individuals so no two people are quite the same.

mosaic

a pattern or image made with many small parts put together The path leading to the mansion was a mosaic of broken tiles and pebbles.

typographical

a small advertisement in a newspaper or website placed by people who want to buy or sell goods or services, etc. As a student, he earned some cash by doing leaflet drops for a promotional company.

clique

a small close-knit group which excludes others I'm afraid the school students' committee has become a bit of a clique who are doing whatever they feel like whilst ignoring their classmates' views.

creole

a small container which salt is poured There's usual a moral ending in tales from ancient folklore. Nouns Feelings & Actions accomplishment deviance endurance establishment fit fondness installation mannerism ruse sophistication worldliness Listening page 178

official

a small geographical area that has its own church and/or elected local government The beadle made sure the hymn books were all neatly in place before the congregation arrived for the service.

dynasty

a small group of 10-12 soldiers that is part of a larger group The annual Notting Hill festival brings out the music and spirit of the Jamaican diaspora.

troupe

a small group of people with a similar purpose or interest Throngs of people lined the streets to watch the parade.

encounter

a small group of similar things or people in one place Travelling through Nepal, we saw vast tea plantations on the hillsides.

resilience

a small hill on the lower slopes of a mountain Poaching, which all too often goes unpunished, is one of the major hazards endangering elephants.

hitch

a small seed of a plant such as rice; a small hard piece or amount of sth Nura took a few grains of rice and planted them to grow food for her family.

run-down

a small separate part of a larger area Despite his brave façade, Kevin tends to get easily upset at the sight of suffering.

shears

a small sheet of dark grey stone that was used to write on in schools in the past Carol is too much of a snob to join her friends at the backstreet café; she prefers a more high class venue.

dowry

a small trace of something that has remained over time This old teapot is a family heirloom which belonged to my greataunt's mother.

surreal

a small, usually metal, trap used for catching animals Several new NGOs were formed to offer aid to economic immigrants.

serenity

a snakelike fish As he was scuba diving, Marios almost stood on a stingray which was lying on the sea bed.

lethargy

a social class, especially in Hindu society Social stratification was clearly taken into account when they appointed the company director.

obscurity

a source where news can be obtained Fiction can be divided into several discrete subgenres.

measure up

a specification; a detail of the design or materials used in sth Just tell us what you want and we can build a new PC according to your specs.

recluse

a spoken statement which gives false information aiming to damage sb's reputation His clumsy denial of the claims came across as buffoonish rather than convincing.

province

a spontaneous desire to do something that may not be necessary or practical The online review represents only the tip of the iceberg as only a handful of people bothered to complain about the service.

sarcasm

a standard used to draw comparisons against The ranks of the opposition party fractured after their electoral defeat.

instrumental

a surprising experience or information that makes you understand more about sth A phosphorescent light glowed from some of the calcites on the cave walls in the cavers' torchlight.

pungent

a sweet-scented plant with pale purple flowers The company was taken to court for fraudulent advertising.

nominate

a system of flexible working hours Women in western society are more emancipated than their counterparts around the globe due to the effects of political activism in the 20th century.

parallel

a teacher, especially one who teaches individuals or small groups His essay was fairly well-written, but for the fact that he had strayed off topic in the final paragraph.

board

a team of members of parliament chosen to make decisions on policy Trouble broke out between rival factions in the stadium after the match.

horde

a team of performers Eagerly awaiting the star's arrival, a small posse of photographers stood outside the theatre.

adolescent

a teenager; somebody going through the stage of life between childhood and adulthood Ms Jones refused to take her class on a threeday excursion as she did not wish to be held responsible for a group of adolescents.

mockingly

a temporary period spent gaining practical experience in a workplace University education is definitely not accessible for everyone as tuition fees are on the increase.

oatmeal

a thin porridge; a dish made by boiling oats in water The steaming hot soup was served from an old-fashioned copper.

hurtle

a tiny living thing Steve looked into the microscope to examine the micro-organisms in the piece of wood.

implicit

a traditional Arab market Asian restaurants were once a rarity in Greece, but now they are becoming more commonplace.

unqualified

a traditional ritual that symbolises an important stage in sb's life The ordeal put the girls through both physical and psychological endurance.

vessel

a trick used to obtain something by cheating The shares had become worthless by the time the company went bankrupt.

add insult to injury

a type of tourism that allows travellers to do voluntary work in countries they want to visit That cream will only exacerbate your sunburn; try some yoghurt instead.

disclose

a unit of electronic money used for an online trading system Hyperinflation during the nineties and early noughties contributed to the world recession.

trooper

a unit of monetary value While the company's package tours are relatively pricey, they do go that extra mile to offer that holidayof-a-lifetime experience.

resemblance

a unit that is the smallest individual part of a picture on a digital screen One small photograph can contain a million pixels.

hallowed

a university built in the late 19th to early 20th century as opposed to older established ones (e.g. Oxford, Cambridge) Most people would take offence at being called an upperclass twit, but Graham took it as a joke.

coastguard

a very difficult experience Low-lying villages in Bangladesh are liable to flooding during the monsoon season.

tree ring

a very large organisation which has overwhelming power She could not afford any bad press that might destroy her name in the cut-throat world of modelling.

epitome

adapt something to make it suitable for another purpose The magazine remains on the fringe of mainstream media.

meme

add a link with a user's name to a photo on social media Though her family have requested privacy, the singer's death is currently trending on social media.

deplete

add something extra to improve something else Robin Williams was a sad paradox - the funny man who suffered from depression.

eye-opener

an opaque or clear carbonate mineral that forms part of major rocks They uncovered the remains of an ancient warrior while excavating the sanctuary.

aural

an act of doing something differently from the normal way The train had just pulled out of the station, so all we could do was sit tight and wait for the next one.

sacred

an act of making somebody part of a group; an act of introducing somebody to an activity The painkillers were so strong that Greg was suffering hallucinations.

impediment

an act that demands great strength or skill His savings rapidly diminished as did the chances of finding work.

centenarian

an action or decision in the past which was the same or similar to one that happened later Such devastating storms are without precedent in this part of the country; we've never seen anything like it!

practicality

an additional section giving supplementary information at the end of a book, etc. Do you think exams are the best criteria to assess a student's progress?

merchandising

an agreement between a company and somebody who wants to market its products or services using its brand name in a given place Are compulsive selfies acts of vanity or a sign of insecurity?

misuse

an amount of money or other gift illegally offered to somebody in exchange for help Could you lend me a few quid till pay day? I'm completely broke.

be in a tight corner

an amount of money saved up over a period of time As a last resort, she moved back to her grandparents farm in the countryside.

societal

an amount of money that somebody gets unexpectedly through a win or a gift He's a ruthless gangster who will stop at nothing to control the streets.

insight

an amused expression in your eyes Ian can't read anything without his specs on.

fungi

an ancestor The ancient calculating device found in the Antikythera shipwreck is regarded as a progenitor of the computer.

taxonomy

an ancient Egyptian symbol used to represent a word, sound or syllable Most fruits and some vegetables can be fermented to make wine.

virtually

an animal that hunts and eats other animals I believe the company is on the brink of bankruptcy.

a pain in the neck

an annoyance My little sister is always trying to listen in on my phone calls; she can be a real pain in the neck at times.

aspiration

an extemely difficult situation Seeing her own name above the shop gave Sheila a sense of fulfilment.

criteria

an idea that you believe to be correct based on a guess or assumption A simple internet search confirmed the editor's suspicions of several instances of plagiarism within the book.

initiation

an illusion that somebody imagines, usually due to the effect of an illness or drug He began to get agitated as he awaited the test results.

one-sided

an image of a person of animal, etc. that represents a user on a website or game Colin had sent copies of his bio to over 20 companies before he received even one job offer.

emoticon

an image or saying that is transmitted quickly on internet and adapted to various situations to make it funny Kindly ask my permission before tagging me on a photo next time; my friends thought I was in Rome with you.

nanofibre

an implant made to enhance human abilities using cybernetics (the study of how machines communicate information compared with how the human brain communicates information) His generous offer exceeded our expectations.

lampoon

an important news story that is the first to be published on the topic The elderly widow was cheated out of her savings by a conman.

sick

an important task In order to become an electrician, Ken attended a one-year vocational training course.

unscripted

an inappropriate or misleading name His entire room was filled with childhood memorabilia, giving the impression that he could be described as a 'kidult'.

exceed

an inevitable unpleasant event Tom wasn't very forthcoming about his research. It all seems highlt confidential.

billboard

an opportunity to make your ideas or beliefs known publicly Wendy never misses an episode of the sitcom Absolutely Fabulous reruns.

syndicate

an organisation established to protect workers needs and negotiate improved conditions The Tudor dynasty ruled England for centuries.

play it by ear

an insignificant amount, not large enough to change a situation The trees were a riot of orange hues in late autumn.

snobbery

an institute or group that holds onto a certain way of life that it represents Marios hails from Crete, but he's been living in Patra for years.

headlong

an institute where convicted criminals under 18 years old are imprisoned The new army recruits had to pledge allegiance to their country.

donor

an institution for children whose parents are dead Although the company sends out hundreds of emails every day, most recipients ignore them, so they only get a handful of responses.

a slap in the face

an insulting or disappointing action or event It was a real slap in the face for Rita when she got turned down for promotion after all her hard work.

a bundle of nerves

an intentional act Rosemary's friend managed to pull some strings to help her get a scholarship.

ladle

an item of clothing worn around the shoulders or covering the head It was a humbling experience for Bill to see how happy the children were despite their poverty.

copper

an item of clothing worn over the front of the body to keep clothes clean when you prepare food or do other work The composition of the village community is mainly senior citizens with a handful of young families.

residue

an object or custom, etc. surviving from the past It is customary for people to lay wreaths around the war memorial to honour the victims of war on Remembrance Day.

vestige

an object that has been handed down the generations in a family Pausanias the traveller's chronicles have shed much light on the history of ancient Greece up to the 2nd century AD.

readiness

an obstacle Herakles was revered for achieving great feats of courage and ingenuity.

slogan

an obstacle that stops a plan progressing Clever branding should attract customers without pushy marketing techniques.

9.31 ageist

an official contract for the use of a property or vehicle for a period of time The Watsons have sublet their spare room temporarily to a student who is on a work placement.

kin

an official decision-making group in a company or organisation The Prime Minister is meeting with the cabinet ministers to discuss tax reforms.

rid sb/sth of sth/sb

an old and respected member of a tribe or small community The conspirators' best tool to bring down the dictator was media propaganda.

yield

ancestry Certain products which sold as 'chocolate' in other countries are referred to as 'chocolate derivatives' in Italy.

do sb's head in

annoy or confuse somebody intensely Please turn off that music! It's doing my head in and I can't concentrate.

wind

annoy sb; say something that is not true to annoy sb Don't take George seriously; he's just winding you up.

pauper

arrange in a certain order After George said a Thanksgiving grace, we tucked in to the turkey dinner.

fly on the wall

arouse interest by saying something that people can relate to I took a quick peek at the clock, hoping that the interview would end soon.

attainable

have an influence on sb/sth else so that it adopts some of the same qualities, beliefs, etc. His natural looks are well camouflaged by hairpieces and botox.

post-traumatic

as a result of a serious shock or injury, especially to the brain Naser suffered from post-traumatic stress after his town was bombed.

extracurricular

as a whole His books are both accessible and enjoyable to people of all ages.

twist sb's arm

as is already understood Michele prefers obscure indie films to mainstream Hollywood culture.

in the fast lane

as well as your main job It's a safe bet that the bank will agree to renegotiate your loan repayment to make things a bit easier.

give somebody their marching orders

assign work or part of your responsibilities to somebody else You look as if you need some downtime; it's months since you've had a break.

age-old

associated with an earlier period It is a long-standing Hawaiian tradition to offer visitors a garland of flowers as a greeting.

medication

aware; conscious Her gushing endorsement of the washing powder left viewers unconvinced.

sentiment

caring more about the needs of others than your own Faced with the prospect of raising their family in austerity in Greece, they opted to emigrate to Australia for a more secure future.

snob

being practically involved in doing sth Maria was subjected to ridicule by her classmates when she expressed her wish to study at Oxfordbridge University.

self-absorbed

being too preoccupied with admiring your own appearance Ivan has an inflated view of his own importance, but is no better than any other group member.

discrete

believable Our itinerary included a visit to the fabled Sanctuary of Eleusis.

microcopy

belonging to The Olympic Games embody the spirit of international peace and cooperation.

stalk

benefit in an impossible way from two contrasting approaches The press photographers just lap up unflattering shots of celebrities without their make-up on.

be sucked in

boast by saying overly positive things about yourself Team members are expected to be proactive and work towards joint solutions to develop this project.

notoriously

by the way; used to add extra information in passing You can often tell if someone is lying by their non-verbal signals. Adverbs cheerily conceivably incidentally notoriously randomly Writing pages 60-61

be at odds

bæd teɪst/ be appropriate and inoffensive / be inappropriate and offensive The media was abuzz with rumours of their divorce.

impartially

careful not to reveal something secret Underlying her insatiable need for attention, lies an inferiority complex.

play to the camera

causing embarrassment or upset Even though Ted knew his friend was wrong, he didn't want to humiliate him by pointing it out in front of others.

extravagant

cautious about spending money; not spending more than necessary Despite their humble home, they always bestow the most lavish hospitality on their guests.

solid

certain Though Ken was the prime suspect in the murder investigation, the police had no solid proof to arrest him.

underwhelming

change or do something differently from normal Whilst J. K. Rowling deviated from her usual style to write adult fiction, Jo Nesbo has deviated in the opposite direction, moving from crime fiction to children's stories.

diversify

change something so that all its features blend and become similar Brake failure was the proximate cause of the accident.

inducement

change the way you behave to be a better person Mike had fallen through the cracks of the education system and couldn't read or write until his 20s.

inspirational

choose the same job or the same way of life as somebody else, usually a family member, did or does You have to be particularly talented or well-connected to make your mark in society.

miser

classy and elegant; expensive and high class I need a new pair of shoes, but I'm skint so I'll have to make do without them.

dispassionate

clear-thinking because of lack of emotional involvement To a dispassionate observer, United clearly did not deserve to win, though the fans would never admit it.

tangible

close examination The politician's personal emails have become subject to public scrutiny.

leave somebody cold

have an overpowering effect on Sarah was overwhelmed by the beauty of the island.

semblance

closeness between people A soothing chamomile infusion will assist relaxation.

homogenise

closest in distance or time Due to shrinkage in the wash, my new sweater was too small to wear.

take a dim view of sth

collect sth, especially money, in large amounts The skilled hacker has been making money hand over fist from online gaming. 10.46 staggering (adj) /ˈstæɡərɪŋ/ very surprising ● She has a staggering number of followers who read her blogs on social media.

proceed

come from a particular place/source The game of chess is thought to have originated in Asia or the Middle East.

subsequent

coming after something else The cause of the accident was unknown until the subsequent enquiry was conducted.

indigent

coming from a rich family Through sheer grit and personal sacrifice, you should be able to get the business off the ground.

round of applause

comments made to make somebody look stupid The so-called 'war on terror' is generating more terrorism than tackling it.

keep at sth

comprehend something completely In a nutshell, there are not so many job opportunities for forensic scientists in our town.

compact

compress the parts of something closely together into a more solid state or into a smaller space After the household waste is collected, it is compacted into large blocks to take up less space.

pseudo-

compulsory by law The film went down well with the critics.

hinder

condition something so that sound cannot get into or out of it The theatre group had devised a novel approach to encourage audience participation.

dignity

confidence-destroying; extremely disappointing Alison kept a tally of the number of homeless who arrived at the shelter every night.

at ease

confident and relaxed She is much too shy to feel at ease in the company of strangers.

time bank

currency that is valid and legally accepted Street vendors were lined up outside the station selling everything from bags and clothes to cheap toys. Verbs backtrack command compensate devour disclose embed establish field incur pinion range reimburse salvage squander station Speaking page 89

ghastly

have imaginative and original ideas If humans were incapable of thinking outside the box, they wouldn't have survived past the Stone Age. 16 2.88

raw

describing somebody who is brave and determined; describing a realistic unpleasant situation The prospects looked bleak for the housing market with the economic downturn.

absent-minded

designed specifically to suits sb's needs While the majority of parents want the best for their offspring, it's not that easy to work out what 'the best' is.

against all odds

despite seeming impossible Against all odds, the climbing team made it to the top of K2.

by the same token

despite sth Colourful gondolas and barges were lined up along the side of the canal.

out of this world

destroy completely It suddenly dawned on us that we had missed the last bus to our hotel, so we hitched a lift from a kindly fellow tourist.

vaccine

destroy completely Life can appear idyllic in the provinces so long as adequate facilities, such as medical care, are close at hand.

consumerism

destroy or damage sth Due to the heavy rains, the river began to swell and burst its banks.

born with a silver spoon in your mouth

determination I'm not in the right frame of mind to sit through a theatre play, so count me out for tonight.

glow-worm

detoxify; cleanse your body of harmful substances by following a certain diet and routine Plans for the construction of a hotel complex on the beach were opposed on the grounds that it would be detrimental to the environment.

mesmerising

develop We found some old views of the area as it was 100 years ago among some archival photo in the library.

flourish

develop and do well Andrew's self-confidence began to flourish when his parents sent him to music school.

communal

develop sth, such as support, friendship, etc. Face-to-face communications beats virtual contact when it comes to nourishing a relationship.

coax

exaggerate the qualities of something to attract attention to it The energy bars are pitched as a healthy snack despite containing harmful additives.

abuzz

exaggerated How many hours do you expect to work in the name of success?

narcissistic

exaggerated; made to seem more important than is really the case Multicultural classrooms are becoming the norm in some societies.

utter

examine something closely The plot of the film had been dumbed down in the remake.

shed light on

examine something in detail Jason had to sift through years of paperwork to find his birth certificate.

cling on to

express pleasure at something you succeeded in at somebody else's expense The photography and art courses run concurrently, so you can't attend both in the same term.

empathy

express strong disapproval for something you feel is wrong Violence against innocent people or animals should never be condoned.

vent

express strongly Alex hit the ball hard into the net to vent his frustration at losing the match.

shareholder

extra amount of something included to ensure something is a success; small amount by which somebody wins sth The possibility of a merger between two of the country's major banks was ruled out.

miraculous

extraordinary and unexpected The patient made a miraculous recovery and was back to work long before anyone expected.

envisage

have a fear that something terrible will happen I dread to think what would happen if there was an accident on the metro line.

humane

having an unreasonable hatred of a particular group of people The bank cashier was fired when she was caught red-handed stealing cash as she loaded the ATM.

go the extra mile

having lost a loved one who has recently died Moonlight shimmered on the ripples of the lake.

posh

having no money The surgeon was caught red-handed accepting a backhander from the patient's family.

formative

having only a single belief system, way of life, etc. My internet provider is notoriously unreliable.

minted

having some money to spare, usually only for a short time Theo will be too strapped for cash to go out much until he pays off his car loan.

principled

having strong moral beliefs Beth has a principled approach towards helping students who cannot afford to pay fees.

inflexible

not willing to change your mind; difficult to change or bend Colin's inflexible attitude towards his teenage daughter made her want to leave home.

one-hit wonder

high-class and expensive His public persona was a dreadful façade, designed to disguise his heartless self.

sit tight

highly regarded or respected It takes a couple of generations for foreign incomers to become truly integrated in another culture.

concede

highly skilled and having achieved a lot Feelings of anxiety merged with happy excitement as he approached his sold home.

harsh

hit sb/sth hard Louise's hopes of getting the job were dashed when she missed the interview due to the train delay.

ruse

not worth anything; useless The statue symbolically represented the nation's independence.

memorabilia

hypnotic; having a strongly attractive quality that holds sb's attention As the plot unfolds, we realise that all is not as bright as it seems.

blatantly

ignore I don't want to alarm you, but isn't that smoke coming from your flat?

jump on the bandwagon

ignore a problem and refuse to admit it is there A few days' work at the homeless shelter has brought out the best in Maria.

abolish

illegal behaviour by somebody who exploits their position of power for personal gain The rain had obliterated the tell-tale tyre marks from the crash scene.

foothill

illegal hunting Stealing the blanket from the homeless man was an unforgivable inhumane act.

bio

images and words, etc. on the internet which attract users to open links to particular sites Valerie used crowdfunding to pay for her awarenessraising documentary about the children's home.

goatherd

imaginably; seemingly possible Using clever hashtags, Sharon has collected a mindboggling number of followers on social media.

literary

imagine I cannot envisage having a robot to clean the house.

frontal lobe

one of the two parts of the brain which control behaviour, personality, etc. In the past, mental illness was treated by removing all or part of the frontal lobes.

repression

interrupt rudely Large cars, once a status symbol, have simply become a tax burden for most. Compound nouns leaflet drop market share raw material status symbol trade paper Writing pages 150-151

harshly

intolerant and stubborn; with a narrow set of rigid views We were well-equipped for the winter hike with crampons attached to our boots to cross the icy trail.

precedent

keep on trying despite adverse conditions Despite the high fees, Martin decided to persevere with the course until he completed his masters degree.

utilities

keep sth As a result of his cowardice, William was relieved of his position as captain.

go back

know each other from a time in the past Angela and I go back 15 years; we used to work together.

get along famously

know somebody very casually and not closely The match was entirely one-sided as United had no chance of winning with two players sent off in the first half.

attainment

lack of ability or skill Your irresolution completely blew your chances of winning the contract; you should have made up your mind sooner.

neglect

lack of care or attention In the UK, parents who leave underage children alone at home can be imprisoned for child neglect.

disposable income

one part of sth The retreating floods had deposited a layer of mud and gravel on the town streets.

educated guess

major; typical Seeing how the island's economy had deteriorated so drastically was an unsettling experience.

trappings

make a difference by reducing the amount of sth After haggling over the extortionate taxi fare, the driver finally accepted the reasonable amount we offered.

the proof of the pudding

make a judgement based on an educated guess or assumption The director made them rerecord the scene where the leading actor fluffed his lines.

bankruptcy

make a more serious effort to stop an illegal activity She dropped in at the refugee centre to dole out donations of winter clothing.

upfront

make a statement that something is true The company tendered an estimate for internal repairs required before the building can be occupied.

commendable

make a very loud noise If the Tower of Pisa is ever returned to a vertical position, it could cease to become the oddity that attracts millions of visitors.

infer

make an educated guess or develop an opinion about something based on the information given From the author's overall tone, we can infer that she must have had a difficult childhood.

in the loop

make contact with sb, often after being out of touch The technician disassembled the laptop to pinpoint the problem.

dysfunctional

not functioning normally Dysfunctional relationships between couples are generally due to incompatible interests and desires.

at a loss

not knowing what to say Roxanne was at a loss to explain why her husband had left her. 1.74 aberrant (adj) /æˈberənt/ antisocial ● Mike was expelled from school as a result of his repeated aberrant behaviour in class.

asking price

not likely to impress or excite Despite the overwhelming cost of the tickets, I'm afraid the band's actual performance was disappointingly underwhelming.

abnormal

not normal; unnatural Having lost an abnormal amount of weight during her illness, Ellen is on a special diet to regain her strength.

conman

not put off from doing sth The treaty was drawn up to cement relations between the ruling powers after the war.

connectedness

not similiar The common cold is caused by highly transmittable infections.

redefine

not simple It's amazing to think that ancient Greeks had the knowledge to devise complex mathematical formulae.

imperialistic

not strict Unwilling to turn a blind eye to animal abuse, Irene posted a video of the cruel donkey driver on her blog which went viral.

inappropriate

not suitable I hadn't realised it would be a formal dinner, so my jeans and T-shirt were quite inappropriate for the occasion.

distrustful

not trusting sb/sth easily Granddad is extremely distrustful of all politicians.

proverbially

objectively; without taking sides She was always very discreet about her family background.

monasticism

of ordinary standard or quality, not exceptional The decision to strip him of his rank due to unprofessional conduct was taken at a military tribunal.

revere

of religious importance; very important and highly respected His first book was a flop, but served as a lesson in his initiation as an author.

scourge

officially declare that somebody is guilty of a crime Despite her valiant attempts to stay out of the press, one paparazzo was particularly persistent and snapped her on the patio in her pyjamas.

paternity leave

officially put forward sb's name for an important role, award, etc. Working flexitime means that Karen can start work at the office as soon as the kids leave for school at 7:30 and go home at 15:30.

testify

officially submit sth Caught stealing from the cash register, Simon was given his marching orders.

there's no accounting for taste

officially tell somebody off for doing sth A small group of toddlers played with their toys as their nursery teachers kept a watchful eye on them.

obsolete

old-fashioned, therefore, not useful Unfortunately, our school's computers are so outdated that they keep breaking down.

adrenaline

only considering the obvious aspects of sth The former star now prefers to live as a recluse in the company of her pets.

newsfeed

only interested in yourself The band's performance would have been fantastic were it not for the overacting of the narcissistic lead singer.

benefactor

only; exclusively During the Second World War, British families were given vouchers which they redeemed to claim their food rations.

overt

open and direct Who has time to read through all the egocentric messages and photos on social media?

concurringly

openly and directly I always feel somewhat relieved when my suitcase appears in the baggage reclaim area.

advocate

openly and frankly without caring how others are affected The fact that Tom was a war hero was disregarded when he was out of work.

decimate

openly and honestly critical Detectives delved into his personal correspondence and found evidence of his dirty dealings.

unleash

part of a film showing an event The economy has been spiralling downward for years.

undue

participate in sth Some children may engage in bullying at school as a result of problems within their family environment.

calcite

parts of something left when the rest has been used or removed As well as calculating the age of a tree, scientists can use old tree rings to detect the effects of weather patterns throughout the centuries. Nouns adulthood anecdote bale batch burden calcite consent deed deference deposit discrimination downtime enforcement etiquette eviction facet feat flexitime fortitude free hand hallucination impediment initiation lease manifestation manoeuvre maturity milestone monasticism mortality orientation ranks readiness remains remoteness span squatter tenancy tribunal utilities 68

effluent

pay out sums of money from an amount collected to different people or groups We need a good shower of rain to disperse some of the smoke polluting the city.

prevalence

persistent The concept of coming from a broken home no longer carries the social stigma of the past and has arguably become the new norm.

leaflet drop

persuade somebody to do something through kind words Promises of cash rewards are used to entice clients to change their phone providers.

no big deal

persuade somebody who is reluctant Needless to say, none of us had even read the book before we saw the film. 27

pristine

physical signs or decoration usually associated with sth The mild winter made a dent in the takings at the ski resort as there was no snow on the slopes for weeks.

long-winded

problems faced in the initial stages of doing something new The peninsula is a hidden gem, with unspoilt beaches and towering cliffs.

haunt

produce on sale, especially food The fundraiser was an unqualified success.

fall foul of sth

related to money I didn't know quite how to respond to her effusive welcome since we were practically strangers.

platter

provide Judging from his clothes, he appeared to be of noble lineage.

initiative

public praise for your actions They suffered the anguish of seeing their home destroyed in the war.

tenancy

public services such as power or water supplies Ivana has to apply for a permit every year to retain the right to stay in the country.

tantalising

publicly open The reasons why the post were deleted should be made explicit.

hesitant

punishment by death Drastic measures are being taken to rid the country of the disease.

aviation

reach a conclusion about something on the basis of existing evidence Judging from the tyre tracks at the scene of the accident, the police deduced that the driver had been exceeding the speed limit.

conscience

react against sth/sb you feel is wrong or bad Laws which oppress the rights of women are still sadly prevalent in many countries.

6.57 stock exchange

receive and respond to questions or comments Company shareholders began to sell out when rumours of closure were published.

charred

recognisable You were so lucky the £100 note that was in your shirt pocket remained intact throughout the washing machine cycle!

not hold out much hope

recover or help somebody to recover to normal after a setback I tried not to get sucked into yet another boring discussion about British politics.

abuse

refuse to buy or use something from a particular source as a form of protest The school mounted a photographic exhibition to raise awareness on social isues.

stay put

refuse to obey an order; go against a rule A reverent silence fell as the priest entered the temple.

tout

regard something as the same as something else The best way to avoid saturation coverage of news events is to switch off the TV and media threads.

6.15 establish

regularly We were offered traditional biscuits made from oatmeal and honey.

give somebody the elbow

reject sb; tell somebody to leave because they are no longer needed or wanted Harry gave his socalled friend the elbow when he realised he'd been using him to advance his own career. Body-related expressions a slap in the face at arm's length at heart behind sb's back bite your tongue do sb's head in get something off your chest give somebody the elbow have a chip on your shoulder keep a cool head put your foot in it rear its (ugly) head

distant

related by family, but not closely I have a distant cousin - possibly a granddaughter of my grandma's cousin - living somewhere in this area, but we've never managed to meet yet.

vanity

related to advertising He claims to have a 60 % share of the international publishing market.

establishment

related to cookery Domesticating a stray cat can be a difficult task lasting several months.

epileptic

related to epilepsy, an illness affecting the brain Tom became epileptic as a result of a head injury.

meteorically

release We found some old footage of the band's performance on YouTube.

be on the same page

relieved of doing something you don't want to do because of an interruption Summer's over guys! It's time to hit the books again to get through this course with flying colours.

keep a cool head

remain calm Don't worry so much about your interview; just keep a cool head and do your best.

retain

remove a responsibility or role from sb Paul chose to take a few months paternity leave to look after the baby when his wife resumed work.

fabled

renowned and greatly admired After a string of hits as a teenage star, he withdrew into obscurity.

lease

rent out a property that you rent from somebody else There was an upfront deposit of a month's rent for the flat.

reinforce

repair or redecorate something to improve its appearance and condition Mary's kids take part in so many extracurricular activities that they have no time left for free play. Expressions a means to an end by the book in a nutshell in its entirety in sync with on the face of it on the threshold saved by the bell sick (and tired) of sth/sb state of affairs 61 Writing pages 120-121

swagger

repeatedly It is a rarity to read script written cursively in our digital age.

safe and sound

repeatedly; regularly Time after time, our head teacher has warned us not to bring mobile phones into the classroom.

get down to business

think or talk about past experiences or events Adolescence is an interesting transition from childhood to adulthood, which is equally puzzling for parents of teenagers.

tribunal

replace somebody at work, etc. When the pit became flooded, hundreds of mine workers were laid off.

peculiar

represent the concept of sth Sadie clung on to the dream that one day she would be able to travel to every continent. 53

hard-hitting

research something thoroughly The reporters were proverbially dogged in their pursuit of a scoop.

intergenerational

resistance against authority; reluctance to obey and attempts to change accepted rules The 'friendly' match was cut short when a group of thugs started throwing things at the players.

deduct

respected and important, often within a certain profession An eminent underwater photographer produced the unique images for the magazine.

paternal

respected as having existed for many years Until a couple of centuries ago, dowries were still commonly provided to a husband by his bride's father in western society.

defy

respectful As a dying wish, the angler requested that his body was to be cremated and the ashes scattered in the river.

end of its tail ● At night, we could see the flickering lights of glow-worms in the bushes outside our tent. 7.2

shine brightly, esp on the surface of something moving The country's prosperity depends on the tourism sector.

emulate

shocked or surprised at an unlikely achievement The talks went on for hours as the future of the country was at stake.

flush

short of money Everyone thinks we're rolling in it because we built our own house, but it took years of effort and we put everything into it.

surplus

short of money or having less than you had before Fans were devastated at the death of the legendary David Bowie in 2016.

come in for

show off; boast arrogantly The victor swaggered off the court, waving to his fans and brandishing his trophy.

brutal

showing compassion and kindness to people and animals Fear and ignorance can often lead to prejudiced views against other nationalities.

impassive

showing no sign of emotion From her impassive expression, you can never tell what our teacher is thinking.

empathetic

showing understanding for sb's feelings Good teachers have to be both patient and empathetic towards their students' needs.

slander

silly; clownish The accusations were so absurd that they appeared to be the product of a deranged mind.

underprivileged

sit with your arms and legs close to your body for protection or warmth; sit or stand close together with others She was remarkably matter-of-fact about having fled the horrors of war.

introvert

the action of two or more things meeting and joining together, then becoming similar The new Acropolis Museum is a prime example of the convergence of ancient and modern architecture.

inmate

slow to say or do something because you are unsure or unwilling Capital punishment is still enforced in many states of the USA.

loom

slowly begin to form; seem likely to happen Trouble had been brewing on the borders long before war finally broke out.

ingenious

slowly break down or become destroyed naturally If you don't eat those grapes soon, they'll start to decompose.

radical

smooth, shiny and seemingly elegant Gwyneth wore a sleek black dress which made her look even more elegant than usual.

embroidered

so unusual that something cannot be described The installation of the new heating system only took a couple of days.

stick up for

support sb/sth Liz always sticks up for her little brother if he gets into trouble in the school playground.

fall on deaf ears

support sth The firefighter spared no effort and rescued the puppy from the bottom of the well.

cargo

supporting the attitude that one country is inferior to another ruling power We hastily exited the smoke-filled restaurant, appalled at the lax attitude to the anti-smoking laws.

crooked

suspicious-looking and dishonest Contrary to popular belief, the Scots are probably far less stingy than their southern neighbours.

from scratch

tempting Pay no attention to their overt claims that using a credit card will solve your problems.

obedience

tending to favour one thing over another Until a few decades ago, only privileged families had the luxury of travelling abroad on holiday.

oddity

that affects a result more than other things Brad had a dim recollection of visiting the Parthenon twenty years earlier.

to all intents and purposes

that applies to or affects sb/sth; relevant (to sb/sth) Tania simply announced her resignation and refused to elaborate on her reasons.

dismantle

that can be achieved or reached His optimism never fails to rub off on his companions.

stardom

that can be discerned or recognised The films gushing opening reviews were completely at odds with the reactions from the bored audience.

snag

that can be naturally decomposed Tom took some surprising good photos, considering he only has a cheap Mickey Mouse camera.

dissimilar

that can be passed on or transmitted from sb/sth to sb/sth else Email has become an intrinsic part of business communications.

surmise

that can be understood The invigilator was assigned the task of collecting the papers at the end of the exam.

have the last laugh

that can be used practically rather than only in theory The country is crying out for workers with practical skills and creative talent rather than more philosophers and lawyers.

inseparable

that can't be separated; having a very friendly close relationship Nancy and Robert have been absolutely inseparable from the year they met.

persistence

that cannot be avoided; unavoidable The world economy has been in deep recession for the past decade.

aspirational

that encourages activity or productivity Bradley misguidedly turned to drugs in search of the excitement that was lacking in his everyday life.

marginalise

that gives inspiration Ruth surprised us all by studying art when she was expected to follow in her parents' footsteps and run the family hotel.

take offence

that has to be done according to strict rules/ standards Anthony had the last laugh when his better qualified friends, who were unemployed, came to him for their car repairs.

transmittable

that is a basic part of sth/sb which can't be taken out In essence, people not using social media find it increasingly difficult to stay informed about certain events.

elaborate

that is an intrinsic part of sth, therefore can't be taken out of it I was utterly appalled at the mentality of the villagers regarding animals.

reciprocal

that is done or given by both people involved; mutual The ceasefire took place under a reciprocal agreement.

underpinning

that is spread rapidly over the internet After half an hour of small talk, Stan realised he had very little common with his new colleague.

toddler

that makes sb/sth appear more attractive He listened patiently, without uttering a word until his son finished making his excuses.

shawl

that makes you feel not as good as you believed you were When George went to prison for fraud, even his close family turned their back on him.

have a nodding acquaintance with sb

that only involves or benefits one person Vicky uses a photo of her favourite pet as an avatar on social media.

inherently

that proves something completely Having a comfortable private office space gave Sarah a sense of empowerment and confidence in her work.

capital punishment

ˈsʌmθɪŋ əv ˈsʌmbədi/ˈsʌmθɪŋ/ remove the source of a problem from sb/sth The village elders met to share air their views I the old square.

faculty

the ability to reason and understand advanced concepts A list of photo credits were appended at the back of the book.

immigrate

the ability to relate to or understand somebody else's feelings Animal welfare groups throughout the world condemned the mass poisoning of strays.

breach

the ability to use and understand computers well Vincent's level of computer literacy isn't proficient enough for him to design his own website.

rite of passage

the ability to withstand great difficulty Most Native Americans now live in towns or cities and few would contemplate the prospect of a nomadic life in a tepee that their ancestors had. Other nouns blight bout clay derivative etymology gem lavender lineage revival taxonomy tribute undercurrent wet market womanhood

adversity

the achievement of or sense of achieving something you hoped for It was no easy hike, but we reached the peak through sheer perseverance.

mishear

the act of broadcasting information or other data She promised to love him as he was, warts and all.

fission

the act of combining two or more things together to form one The artistic fusion of sound and light gave the restaurant a relaxing atmosphere.

interaction

the act of communicating with or reacting to others Teachers are under pressure to create positive interactions between local children and immigrant students.

flick through sth

the act of continuing to try to do something in a determined way despite difficulties Counting their losses, they came to the inescapable conclusion that it was time to close the business.

plug

the act of controlling sb/sth by making them behave in a certain way She became the unwitting victim of a telephone scam.

hypothesis

the act of copying sb's ideas, especially in written works You'd better adhere to the school rules or you may be expelled.

conclusive

the act of enabling somebody to become stronger and have more control over their circumstances The international economy is on a downward spiral, signalling the end of the consumerist era.

generic

the act of giving excessive compliments or praise, often in order to gain something from sb Flattery will get you everywhere with Professor Huggins; he just loves being praised for his work!

margin

the act of joining two companies together into one Aristotle Onassis went from humble beginnings to become a wealthy business tycoon.

provoke

the act of making somebody leave a house on legal grounds We found a small apartment to let in the suburbs.

indescribable

the act of placing something in a position so that it can be used Ordinarily, he never attends religious ceremonies, but he made an exception out of respect to his wife's family.

heavenwards

the act of pretending that something is true Tony ladled the delicious sauce on top of the pasta.

excerpt

the act of publishing a statement about somebody that is untrue and damaging to their reputation The actor rose from obscurity as a plumber to become an Oscar winner.

clickbait

the act of raising money for a project by attracting large numbers of small donations, usually through social media sites It is inadvisable to include smileys and other emoticons in a business email.

polio

the act of splitting the central part of an atom The discovery of nuclear fission opened radical new possibilities in the field of electric power generation as well as the creation of atomic weapons.

manifestation

the act of treating people differently on basis of their gender, race, age, etc. Infant mortality is disproportionately high in poor countries.

abuse

the act of using something wrongly or dishonestly The referee was accused of accepting bribes to sway the result of the match.

polling station

the end of a law; the end of something by order of a law The death penalty was completely abolished in the UK in 1998.

perseverance

the fact of being noticeably common or occurring frequently in a particular place Mark never gave up his dogged attempts to make it to the top of his profession.

mask

the fact of caring selflessly about other people's needs Taking advantage of the prevalent sympathy towards the disaster victims, the uploaded video caught the eye of millions of viewers and earned a fortune from clicks on ads.

fracture

the feeling of loneliness and sadness; the state of a place that has been abandoned or destroyed The family got into extreme debt due to excessive consumerism.

contempt

the feeling of looking down on or showing disrespect for sb/sth you believe to be inferior The islanders viewed the boatloads of immigrants with contempt and suspicion at first.

tinge

the final setback after a series of them, that makes something impossible to deal with or accept We've been having problems with our new neighbours, but the last straw came when they tried to install a satellite dish and it fell on top of our car.

Z-list

the focal point of publicity He never thought he would make the big time until he landed the part of the villain in a James Bond film.

surrogate

the friendly bond between people who work together or are in similar circumstances Unfair taxation systems are no inducement for people to start up a new business.

persevere

the gas emitted when people or animals breathe out, by plants or by burning Plants and trees take in carbon dioxide in the daylight and emit it at night.

inherent

the general way of thinking of an individual or group I was intrigued to know how Francis had set up his website so quickly.

progenitor

the genetic material of a living thing A human genome fits into a cell nucleus that's just the size of a pinpoint.

discrepancy

the hard whitish substance that forms the tusks of elephants and some other animals Brian's latest crackpot idea is to go swimming with whales.

desolation

the idea that people should buy and use goods in large quantities for a society to progress The country has been blighted by public sector redundancies and company closures.

intrinsic

the important basic quality central to what or how something is Police are trying to trace the victim's next of kin.

ineptness

the inability or unwillingness to make a decision It took Gary a few weeks to shake off the lethargy brought on by his illness.

bout

the language of somebody of mixed racial roots, especially in the southern states of the USA and West Indies Could you pass the salt cellar and pepper pot please? This sauce needs a little seasoning.

counterfeit

the leafy outer covering of a seed or plant; husk The history and etymology of many English words dates back to ancient Greek.

in the red

the main point to be considered Look at that car! She must be absolutely minted.

apparatus

the main reason behind a particular idea More women are coming to the forefront in the sphere of international politics.

feminist

the main wage-earner of a household After the 6.5 Richter earthquake, the townspeople spent the night in the park, fearing further damage by aftershocks.

repulse

the manner you position your body when you stand or sit Wearing uncomfortable shoes will do nothing for your posture and may cause severe back problems.

radioactivity

the measurement straight around a circle or a curved object The circumference of the Moon is almost 11,000 km.

platoon

the movement of people from one ethnic group to another country Miltiades gave the command to charge upon the horde of Persians advancing across the plain of Marathon. 30

put something into perspective

the naturally ability to absorb light and transform it to a different colour A bright green neon sign was flashing continuously outside the hotel window, making it impossible for me to sleep. 2.151

redistribution

the nourishment we need to stay alive and healthy The most traumatic experience I ever had as a child was when our dog went missing for a week.

discrimination

the number of deaths during a period of time The books were censored in deference to the culture of the country.

hull

the origin of a word and its meaning As it is an alkali, adding soda to citrus fruit juice will cause it to effervesce.

repurpose

the outer area of sth The recession has been the scourge of the decade.

pocket

the outward appearance of sth/sb, which may be different to the inner character An assorted bunch of volunteers, from teenagers to elderly, turned up to help out at the bazaar.

secluded

things transported in a ship or plane The Inuit are still up against the imperialistic notion that they all live in igloos.

liberate

the way of life related to monks or nuns in a monastery In view of the team's mediocre performance this season, it's unlikely they will make it to the final rounds.

infomercial

the way of life that puts money and possessions over everything else Support for the leading candidate began to lose momentum as the election day drew near.

peek

the way something is regarded Tired of reporters and their door stepping, he moved house to a secret location registered under a pseudonym.

finders keepers

the wealthy and the poor During the riots, gangs went on a looting spree in the High Street shops.

telecommunications

the worldwide spread of trade and production of the same goods and services in many countries Before you buy that country house, check the internet connectivity in the area.

irresolution

tiredness and/or lack of enthusiam Only members of the ruling caste are allowed entry to this club.

foster

to a great extent; extremely The sprawling concrete mass of the city stretches in all directions around the Acropolis hill.

optimal

to the maximum or best possible extent The car reaches its optimal fuel efficiency at an average speed of around 50 miles per hour.

pitch

try to persuade people to buy sth High earnings do not equate with happiness, but they might help make life more comfortable.

sway

try to persuade somebody to support sth The ad for snack bars was clearly geared towards working parents.

make a dent in sth

try to reach an agreement over a price The minimum wage was reduced to a measly three euros per hour.

vacant

try very hard When Greece's economy tanked, it translated into the closing of numerous family businesses.

thug

trying to behave like somebody that you want to be the same as The sleazy nightclub was run by a local gangster.

zeitgeist

type of loose-fitting wide trousers The head teacher does not approve of students wearing baggy genie pants to school.

woo

təˈwɔːdz ˈsʌmθɪŋ/ˈsʌmbədi/ adapt something to make it suitable for a particular purpose Those annoying marketing calls keep coming without restraint.

round up

ugly; unpleasant looking His plot is based on a real situation, but all the characters have fictitious names.

posit

unable to be explained If you want to get better grades, you'll have to start applying yourself to your studies till the final exams are over.

fraud

ˈsʌmθɪŋ ɪn/ make somebody get involved in sth In search of a housewarming gift for his friend, Andy flicked through the pages of the brochure from that well-known Swedish furniture outlet.

flattery

very important and having a major influence on developments Lesley played a seminal role in forming the company.

allegiance

very quickly and in great numbers A bespectacled librarian directed me to the reference section.

prosecute

very wealthy with a comfortable living standard Due to a blockage in the drains, there was a disgusting smell of effluent in the street.

shower somebody with sth

warn somebody about something likely to happen The gang of fraudsters operated an insurance scam to cheat people out of their savings.

pluck up the courage

wasted The course is harder than I expected, but I'm not ready to throw in the towel yet.

perception

watching sb's home The politician emphatically denied any connection with the off-shore bank.

attention-seeking

way or means of expressing sth Clever memes are used as a vehicle to attract potential customers to her online shop.

disseminate

you can only judge something by personal experience, not from theory We could only speculate as to whether the takeover rumours were true until we heard more.

meticulous

with great attention to detail; thorough Lynne keeps a meticulous record of the company accounts.

unorthodox

with great care and effort With painstaking attention to detail, the technician removed and replaced the faulty hardware.

small talk

with long-term consequences She was quite upset by the trolling attack that followed her objective comment on Facebook.

stumble upon

with only small numbers or amounts of something in a large area A phenomenal range of souvenirs and other local goods were on sale in the souk.

concurrently

with the same opinion as something else Reception staff are explicitly instructed to be courteous to guests.

back and forth

with the wrong side facing I got dressed in such a rush after swimming that I put on my sweater back to front and didn't notice till I was on the bus.

warts and all

without a plan 'Seafront hotel' was bit of a misnomer since it was five miles from the shore.

the tip of the iceberg

without forward planning Their bungalow was just a stone's throw from a secluded beach. Expressions a drop in the ocean a riot of (sth) a stone's throw add insult to injury make a dent in something off the beaten track on the spur of the moment out of the ordinary out of this world play it by ear put one over on somebody take the plunge the tip of the iceberg turn a blind eye to

bribe

without money; bankrupt You'd think the government could save money and time by reducing the amount of unnecessary bureaucracy involved.

discontinue

words written on or below an image As a student, Anita rented a room in a flat and shared a communal kitchen and bathroom.

inexplicable

work very hard to achieve sth Oxygen tanks and other diving apparatus lined the walls of the water sports centre.

uneasy

worried or unconfident They had an uneasy feeling that they were being followed.

voluntourism

worsen a bad a situation Black smoke spewed out from the huge funnel of the ship.

turn a blind eye to

worthy of praise Music blared from the nearby nightclub till the small hours of the morning.

temperament

your manner of behaving or reacting towards others Lucy's calm temperament makes her an ideal school counsellor.

dole something out

ˈsʌmθɪŋ ɒf/ cheat sb/sth The organisation was showered with donations following the TV appeal.