0518

Question 1

mayhem

Answer 1

When you put us together, it was mayhem .
an extremely confused situation in which people are very frightened or excited SYN chaos
There was complete mayhem after the explosion.
cause/create/wreak mayhem
For some children, the first fall of snow is an opportunity to create mayhem.

Question 2

thick as thieves

Answer 2

The teachers, the pupils, the principle, everyone at school knew: Teddy and Trevor, thick as thieves.

be (as) thick as thieves
if two people are as thick as thieves, they are very friendly with each other and seem to share a lot of secrets, making other people think they are hiding or planning something
Lately Nick and Lou have been as thick as thieves.

Question 3

bolt

Answer 3

We bolted, heading for the doors.
1 [intransitive] to suddenly run somewhere very quickly, especially in order to escape or because you are frightened
The horse reared up and bolted.
Kevin had bolted through the open window.

Question 4

squirm

Answer 4

I got to the fence and knew exactly how to squirm through.
1 to twist your body from side to side because you are uncomfortable or nervous, or to get free from something which is holding you SYN wriggle
Christine squirmed uncomfortably in her chair.
The boy tried to squirm free.
► see thesaurus at move
2 to feel very embarrassed or ashamed
squirm with
He made me squirm with embarrassment.

Question 5

red-handed

Answer 5

For a moment my mom thought she’d caught me red-handed, but Teddy’d given me a solid alibi.

catch somebody red-handed
to catch someone at the moment when they are doing something wrong
Earl was caught red-handed taking the money.

Question 6

alibi

Answer 6

something that proves that someone was not where a crime happened and therefore could not have done it
a perfect/cast-iron/unshakeable etc alibi
He had a perfect alibi and the police let him go.
2 an excuse for something you have failed to do or have done wrong

Question 7

gist

Answer 7

You’ll miss part of it, someone might translate on the fly to give you the gist, you pick up the rest from the context, and you just figure it out.
the gist
the main idea and meaning of what someone has said or written
the gist of
The gist of his argument is that full employment is impossible.
Don’t worry about all the details as long as you get the gist (=understand the main meaning) of it.

Question 8

mogul

Answer 8

By the end of high school I’d become a mogul.

movie/media/gambling etc mogul
a businessman or businesswoman who has great power and influence in a particular industry
→ mogul
movie/media/gambling etc mogul
• Under normal circumstances Chaplin may well have simply thrown the eminent movie mogul a mere passing glance of recognition.
• The movie moguls were taking it up.

Question 9

frugal

Answer 9

1 careful to buy only what is necessary OPP extravagant
As children we were taught to be frugal and hard-working.
He led a remarkably frugal existence.
2 a frugal meal is a small meal of plain food SYN simple OPP extravagant
a frugal breakfast

Question 10

scrimp

Answer 10

I’d scrimped and saved my tuck-shop money and my CD money to buy them.

to try to save as much money as you can, even though you have very little
They scrimped and saved for years to buy their own home.