CPE (3B) Flashcards
bring (sth) about
to make something happen. Ex: What brought about the change in his attitude?
bring sb in
bring sth in
to ask somebody to do a particular job or to be involved in something. Ex: Experts were brought in to advise the government.
to bring somebody to a police station in order to ask them questions or arrest them. Ex: Two men were brought in for questioning.
introduce a new law/make money. Ex: They want to bring in a bill to limit arms exports.
bring (sth) off
to succeed in doing something difficult. Ex: It was a difficult task but we brought it off.
bring somebody on
bring something on
to help someone to improve, especially through training or practice. Ex: Her new piano teacher has really brought her on.
to make something develop, usually something unpleasant (illness). Ex: The loud music brought on another one of his headaches.
Stress can bring on an asthma attack.
bring somebody out
bring something out
to make a shy person happier and more confident. Ex: Paulo’s very shy - he needs bringing out.
publish/release. Ex: They keep bringing out smaller phones.
to make a particular quality or detail noticeable. Ex: A crisis can bring out the best and the worst in people.
The seasoning really brings out the flavour of the meat.
bring someone round (around)
bring someone to
bring sth round to sth
- to make someone become conscious again after being unconscious. Ex: I gave him a sniff of smelling salts to bring him around.
- to persuade someone to have the same opinion as you have:
Ex: He lost consciousness after the fall, and they were unable to bring him to.
to cause someone to come to a particular place or thing
to direct a conversation to a particular subject
bring (somebody) up
bring (something) up
to care for a child, teaching him or her how to behave, etc. (well/badly brought up, bring somebody up to do something (teach as children to), bring somebody up (as) something
to mention a subject or start to talk about it. Ex: Bring it up at the meeting.
to vomit. Ex: She was crying so much I thought she’d bring up her breakfast.
to cause to stop suddenly
call at
visit briefly, (of a train, etc.) to stop at a place for a short time. Ex: This train calls at Didcot and Reading.
call back
call (somebody)back
to return to a place in order to see someone or collect something, ask to return. Ex: She said she’d call back later to pick up the report.
to phone someone again or to phone someone who called you earlier.
call for (sth)
call for (someone)
to need/require something. Ex: The situation calls for prompt action.
to publicly ask for something to happen, to demand that something happens. Ex: They called for the immediate release of the hostages.
to collect somebody in order to go somewhere
call in
call (sb) in
call (sth) in
to phone a place, especially the place where you work
to ask for the services of somebody.
to call in a doctor/the police/to ask someone to come to help in a difficult situation. Ex: A new team of detectives were called in to conduct a fresh inquiry.
to order or ask for the return of something. Ex: Cars with serious faults have been called in by the manufacturers.
call somebody/something off
call sth off/call off sth
to order a dog or a person to stop attacking, searching, etc.
to cancel something; to decide that something will not happen. Ex: Tomorrow’s match has been called off because of the icy weather. ( call off a deal/trip/strike/engagement)
call somebody out
call (something) out
,
to ask somebody to come, especially to an emergency (call out an engineer/a plumber/the troops), to criticize someone or ask them to explain their actions, cause one to go on strike
call somebody out (on/for something): to criticize somebody, especially publicly. Ex: People were calling him out for his negative comments.
to say something in a loud voice
call (someone) up
call (something) up
to use the phone to talk to someone, to order someone to join a military organization or to ask someone to join an official, especially national, team:
He was called up when the war began.
to find and show information on a computer screen/to bring something back to your mind
carry (sth) off
to succeed in doing or achieving something difficult. Ex: I wouldn’t dare wear anything that outrageous, but Michelle carried it off wonderfully
carry (something) on/ carry on with sth
carry on
to continue doing something, or to cause something to continue. Ex: Let’s carry on this discussion at some other time.
to behave in an uncontrolled, excited, or anxious (= worried and nervous) way
carry (sth) out
carry out something
to do something that you have said you will do or have been asked to do (carry out a promise/a threat/a plan/an order)
to perform or complete a job or activity; to fulfill (carry out an inquiry/an investigation/a survey). Ex: Extensive tests have been carried out on the patient.
carry over
carry (sth) over
to continue to exist in a different situation. Ex: Attitudes learned at home carry over into the playground.
to use or do something at a later time than planned. Ex: The performance has had to be carried over to/till next week because the repairs to the theatre aren’t finished yet./to keep something from one situation and use it or deal with it in a different situation
If something from one situation carries over or is carried over into another situation, it is allowed to affect the other situation.
to move to or to come from a place or time
carry (somebody) through/carry somebody through something
carry something through
carry through (on/with something)
to help somebody to survive a difficult period
to complete something successfully (despite difficulties). Ex: It is doubtful whether it will be possible to carry through the education reforms.
to do what you have said you will do
catch on
catch on (to something)
to become fashionable or popular. Ex: I wonder if the game will ever catch on with young people?
to understand something
catch up (with somebody)/catch (someone) up
to reach the same level or standard as somebody who was better or more advanced
to reach somebody who is ahead by going faster. Ex: I ran after her and managed to catch up with her./Go on to the shops without me, I’ll catch you up.
chip in (something)/chip (something) in
chip in (with something)
to give some money when several people are giving money to pay for something together. Ex: They all chipped in £100 and bought their mother a trip to Greece.
to join in or interrupt a conversation; to add something to a conversation or discussion
clear of
find innocent
clear off
clear someone off something
to go or run away. Ex: He cleared off when he heard the police siren.
to make someone go away from somewhere
clear out
clear something out
to leave a place
to tidy a place by getting rid of things that you do not want (clear out a drawer/room). Ex: If we clear out the spare room, you can use it as a study./ to sell products at a cheap price in order to get rid of them
clear up
clear (something) up
(of the weather) to become fine or bright. Ex: I hope it clears up this afternoon./ (of an illness, infection, etc.) to disappear.
to make a place tidy by removing things from it or putting them where they should be./ to give or find an explanation for something, or to deal with a problem or argument. (clear up after sb, clear up a mystery/misunderstanding/confusion)
charge to
bill sb/To bill one for something; to fund something using one’s money or account.. Ex: Go find a dress for the cocktail party, and charge it up to me—here’s my credit card.
charge with
publicly accuse sb of committing a wrong deed. Ex: He was charged with creating a disturbance.
a piece of cake
something that is very easy to do. Ex: The exam was a piece of cake.
a red-letter day
an important day, or a day that you will remember, because of something good that happened then. Ex: The day I first set foot in America was a red-letter day for me.
a wild-goose chase
a search for something that is impossible for you to find or that does not exist, that makes you waste a lot of time. Ex: After two hours spent wandering in the snow, I realized we were on a wild goose chase.
be caught red-handed
be caught while committing a crime. Ex: He was caught red-handed taking money from the till.
be on the cards
to be likely to happen. Ex: “So you think they’ll get married next year?” “I think it’s on the cards.”
be over the moon
be elated/extremely happy and excited. Ex: She was over the moon about/with her new bike.
call sb names
to use offensive words about somebody/ insult sb. Ex: People would make fun of me and call me names.
chair a meeting
preside over a meeting. Ex: She was also not sufficiently qualified to chair the meeting, which lasted only 20 minutes.
crocodile tears
if somebody sheds (= cries) crocodile tears, they pretend to be sad about something, but they are not really sad at all. Ex: Let’s have no more politicians shedding crocodile tears for the unemployed.
cross one’s mind
If something crosses your mind, you think of it. Ex: It never crossed my mind that she might lose
cut somebody dead
to pretend not to have seen somebody; to refuse to say hello to somebody in order to show you are angry. Ex: She saw me, recognized me and cut me dead.
as different as chalk and cheese/ like chalk and cheese
completely different from each other. Ex: My two horses are as different as chalk and cheese.
down in the dumps
feeling unhappy/depressed/miserable. Ex: She’s a bit down in the dumps because she failed one of her exams.
down the drain
If work or money is or goes down the drain, it is spoiled or wasted, wasted or lost. Ex: I can’t believe it’s broken already – well, there’s seventy bucks down the drain./If the factory closes, that will be a million dollars’ worth of investment down the drain.
get a bit hot under the collar
get angry, upset, excited or embarrassed. Ex: Some of you were getting very hot under the collar about Royals.
get a problem off one’s chest
to tell someone about something that has been worrying you or making you feel guilty for a long time. Ex: Why not tell her how you feel? It might do you good to get it off your chest.
go to the dogs
If a country or organization is going to the dogs, it is becoming very much less successful than it was in the past. Ex: After Joe retired, the business went to the dogs.
have the cheek
dare to do something. Ex: Or their Socialist back-up troops who, in this House, have the cheek to thrust their values down our throats?
keep one’s chin up
used to tell somebody to try to stay cheerful even though they are in a difficult or unpleasant situation. Ex: Chin up! Only two exams left.
let sleeping dogs lie
to avoid mentioning a subject or something that happened in the past, in order to avoid any problems or arguments. Ex: In this way, within the potential churners you let “sleeping dogs” lie and the offer of the utility within the scope of
lost cause
something that has failed or that cannot succeed/someone or something that has no chance of succeeding. Ex: The game looked a lost cause when the score reached 6–0.
off colour
slightly ill. Ex: I’m feeling a bit off-colour today.
on the dole
receiving unemployment benefit/social security. Ex: Young people on (= receiving) the dole are often bored and frustrated.
play one’s cards right
to deal successfully with a particular situation so that you achieve some advantage or something that you want/act cleverly./to do the correct things to achieve the desired result Ex: If you play your cards right, you could make quite a lot of money out of this.
show one’s true colours
reveal one’s real character.
with flying colours
very well; with a very high mark. Ex: She passed the exam with flying colours.
not count one’s chickens before they are hatched
you should not make plans that depend on something good happening before you know that it has actually happened. Ex: She wanted to buy a dress in case someone asked her to the dance, but I told her not to count her chickens before they hatched.
extricate somebody/something/yourself (from something)
to escape or enable somebody to escape from a difficult situation/to remove, release, or free someone or something from a difficult condition or situation. Ex: They need education and other economic opportunities in order to extricate themselves from poverty.
expunge something (from something)
to remove or get rid of something, such as a name, piece of information or a memory, from a book or list, or from your mind because it causes problems/bad feelings. Ex: What happened just before the accident was expunged from his memory.
exclude sth (from something)
exclude somebody/something (from something)
exclude something
to deliberately not include something in what you are doing or considering. Ex: The cost of borrowing has been excluded from the inflation figures. (liability, the cost)
to prevent somebody/something from entering a place or taking part in something. Ex: She felt excluded by the other girls (= they did not let her join in what they were doing).
to decide that something is not possible. Ex: We should not exclude the possibility of negotiation.
to leave sb out from the rest, decide/prove that sth is not worth considering
exude (a quality, feeling) (something) | exude (from somebody)
exude (from) something
if you exude a particular feeling or quality, or it exudes from you, people can easily see that you have it. Ex: She just exudes confidence/love/pain.
if something exudes a liquid or smell, or a liquid or smell exudes from somewhere, the liquid, etc. comes out slowly. Ex: Some trees exude from their bark a sap that repels insect parasites.
intervene (of events)
to become involved in a situation in order to improve or help it.
intervene in something
intervene between A and B
intervene against somebody
intervene (with somebody) (on behalf of somebody)
intervene to do something
to interrupt somebody when they are speaking in order to say something/ to happen in a way that delays something or prevents it from happening. Ex: They were planning to get married and then the war intervened./to exist between two events or places: Ex: Two decades intervened between the completion of the design and the opening of the theatre. (intervene in sth)
obstruct
obstruct somebody/something
to block a road, an entrance, a passage, etc. so that somebody/something cannot get through, see past, etc. Ex: You can’t park here, you’re obstructing my driveway.
to prevent somebody/something from doing something or making progress, especially when this is done deliberately. Ex: He got five years in prison for withholding evidence and obstructing the course of justice. (to obstruct a police investigation)
impede
to delay or stop the progress of something. Ex: Work on the building was impeded by severe weather.
to make it more difficult for something to happen or more difficult for someone to do something. Ex: Although he’s shy, it certainly hasn’t impeded his career in any way.
bar
bar (to/from something) a thing that stops somebody from doing something. Ex: At that time being a woman was a bar to promotion in most professions.
to prevent someone from doing something or going somewhere. Ex: Protesters tried to break into the building, but the police barred their way/path.
block
block (to something) something that makes movement or progress difficult or impossible. Ex: I suddenly had a mental block and couldn’t remember his name.
to prevent movement through something/to be between someone and the thing they are looking at, so that they cannot see/to stop something from happening or succeeding. Ex: She was very talented and I felt her parents were blocking her progress/proposal.
hinder
to make it difficult for somebody to do something or for something to happen/to limit the ability of someone to do something, or to limit the development of something. (hinder somebody/something from something/from doing something). Ex: a political situation that hinders economic growth./High winds have hindered firefighters in their efforts to put out the blaze.
provoke (reaction)
to cause a particular reaction or have a particular effect (negative). Ex: The announcement provoked a storm of protest.
to say or do something that you know will annoy somebody so that they react in an angry way (provoke somebody, provoke somebody into (doing) something, provoke somebody to do something)
launch
to start an activity, especially an organized one (campaign., investigation, an appeal/initiative, attack, bid/company, inquiry, assault, offensive, scheme, site/website, product/range)-launch on
to send something out, esp. a vehicle into space or a ship onto water,
to start a new job, to start work in a new industry, or to start a new part of your work life (launch sb/yourself as sth, launch career)
instigate
to make something start or happen, usually something official (by persuading, urging). Ex: The government has instigated a programme of economic reform.
to cause an event or situation to happen by your actions. Ex: Changes in the orientation program were instigated by the new director.
commence
to begin to happen; to begin something. Ex: The meeting is scheduled to commence at noon.
commence with something
commence something
commenced operations
to commence bankruptcy proceedings against somebody
commence doing something
commence to do something
exploit (sb/sth)
exploit something (disapproving): to treat a person or situation as an opportunity to gain an advantage for yourself/to use something well in order to gain as much from it as possible. exploit something for something
Ex: She fully exploits the humour of her role in the play.
Ex: He exploited his father’s name to get himself a job.
exploit somebody (disapproving) to treat somebody unfairly by making them work and not giving them much in return. Ex: What is being done to stop employers from exploiting young people?
earn (money, praise)
to get money for work that you do (earn an income/a wage/a salary/a living/a fortune/commission), earn somebody something, earn something from something, earn sb sth
gain
to obtain or win something, especially something that you need or want (gain experience/ weight/momentum/ understanding/knowledge/support access/control/power/entry/insight/advantage/reputation/gain sb sth)
gain something by/from something
gain something by/from doing something
gain (by/from something)
profit
earn money, or benefit (annual/pre-tax/corporate profits, maximize/increase profits, record/ report/turn/post profits, gross profit , profit margins/motive, profit on/in/from something, earn profits, at a profit, for profit
intensify
to increase in degree or strength; to make something increase in degree or strength. Ex: The opposition leader has intensified his attacks on the government.
He intensified his training, running 45 miles a week.
heighten
if a feeling or an effect heightens, or something heightens it, it becomes stronger or increases. Ex: The campaign is intended to heighten public awareness of the disease.
As the excitement heightened, the audience began stamping their feet.
aggravate
to make an illness or a bad or unpleasant situation worse. Ex: Pollution can aggravate asthma.
aggravate somebody (informal): to annoy somebody, especially deliberately
enhance
to increase or further improve the good quality, value or status of somebody/something (enhance the reputation/quality/his performance/ability/experience/greatly/further enhance
smash
to break something, or to be broken, violently and noisily into many pieces (by hitting/dropping)
smash something/somebody (+ adv./prep.) to hit something/somebody very hard/smash a record/smash something (up)
smash windows/to pieces/to smithereens/
Several windows had been smashed.
strike
to hit somebody/something hard or with force (strike sb sth/strike against, to hit somebody/something with your hand or a weapon, (disaster)
whack
to hit somebody/something very hard, noisily. Ex: She whacked him with her handbag.
to put something somewhere without much care
whack somebody (North American English, slang): to murder somebody
