0507

Question 1

devastated

Answer 1

I wasn’t exactly devastated about the cats.

1 to make someone feel extremely shocked and sad
Rob was devastated by the news of her death.
2 to damage something very badly or completely
The city centre was devastated by the bomb.

Question 2

mutilate

Answer 2

But even as a kid, looking at these dead, mutilated animals, I was like, “Well, there you have it. Maybe if they’d been nicer, they could have avoided this. “

1 to severely and violently damage someone’s body, especially by cutting or removing part of it
The prisoners had been tortured and mutilated.
extra protection for mental patients who might mutilate themselves
2 to damage or change something so much that it is completely spoiled
The sculpture was badly mutilated in the late eighteenth century.

Question 3

impregnate

Answer 3

This woman’s Maltese poodle had been impregnated by the bull terrier from next door, a strange mix.

1 to make a substance spread completely through something, or to spread completely through something
impregnate something with something
The mats have to be impregnated with disinfectant.
2 technical to make a woman or female animal pregnant

Question 4

gruesome

Answer 4

It was a strange, gruesome relationship.

very unpleasant or shocking, and involving someone being killed or badly injured
Police described it as a particularly gruesome attack.
Spare me the gruesome details.

Question 5

scruffy

Answer 5

Panther, who was more half-and-half, came out weird and scruffy-looking.

dirty and untidy
a scruffy old pair of jeans
scruffy shops

Question 6

rascal

Answer 6

Fufi was a little rascal as well.

1 a child who behaves badly but whom you still like

Question 7

scamper

Answer 7

She’d jump, scampered up the last couple of feet, and then she was gone.
to run with quick short steps, like a child or small animal

Question 8

budge

Answer 8

This woman wasn’t budging, so we went home to get evidence.

1 to move, or to make someone or something move
She leaned on the door, but it wouldn’t budge.
budge from
Will hasn’t budged from his room all day.
The horse refused to budge an inch.
► see thesaurus at move
2 to change your opinion, or to make someone change their opinion
The government has refused to budge.
budge on
He won’t budge on the issue.
budge from
Treacy refuses to budge from his principles.

Question 9

a whole thing

Answer 9

A complicated situation; something that causes a dispute.
A: “Ugh, I forgot to invite Penny to the party, and now it’s a whole thing.” B: “Oh man. Is she mad at you?”
Please tell me this isn’t going to be a whole thing between us. Can we just forget about it?

Question 10

out of the blue

Answer 10

One day out of the blue my mother said to me…

informal if something happens out of the blue, it is very unexpected → a bolt from/out of the blue