Words 8

Question 1

1 to begin to sleep

2 ____ somebody/something ↔ ___
to take someone or something to a place by car and leave them there on your way to another place

3 to fall to a lower level or amount

Answer 1

drop off phrasal verb

1 She kept dropping off at her desk.
I must have dropped off to sleep .

2 drop somebody/something ↔ off
I’ll drop you off on my way home.

3 The number of graduates going into teaching has dropped off sharply.

Question 2

1 [ uncountable ] members of a royal family

2 [ countable usually plural ] a payment made to the writer of a book or piece of music depending on how many books etc are sold, or to someone whose idea, invention etc is used by someone else to make money

Answer 2

roy‧al‧ty / rɔɪəlti / noun ( plural royalties )

1 At school the other children treated them like royalty .

2 the royalties from his latest book
royalty payments

Question 3

the act or process of governing

Answer 3

gov‧er‧nance / ɡʌvənənsə $ -ər- / noun [ uncountable ] formal

Question 4

1 to start a journey, especially a long journey

2 to start doing something or making plans to do something in order to achieve a particular result

3 ___ something ↔ ___
to explain ideas, facts, or opinions in a clearly organized way, in writing or in a speech

4 ___ something ↔ ___
to put a group of things down and arrange them

5 ___ ___ __ something
to start doing something, especially something new, difficult, or important

Answer 4

set out phrasal verb

1 set out for
Kate set out for the house on the other side of the bay.

set out on a journey/drive/voyage etc
The band are setting out on a European tour in March.

2 set out to do something
salesmen who deliberately set out to defraud customers

set out with the idea/purpose/intention etc of doing something
They set out with the aim of becoming the number one team in the league.

3 set something ↔ out
He set out the reasons for his decision in his report.

4 set something ↔ out
The market traders began setting out their displays.

5 set out on something
My nephew is just setting out on a career in journalism.

Question 5

to become more strict in dealing with a problem and punishing the people involved

Answer 5

crack down phrasal verb

crack down on
The government is determined to crack down on terrorism.
The police are cracking down hard on violent crime.
→ crackdown

Question 6

1 [ countable ] something special that you give someone or do for them because you know they will enjoy it

2 [ singular ] an event that gives you a lot of pleasure and is usually unexpected

3 [ countable ] a special food that tastes good, especially one that you do not eat very often

4 my _____ spoken
used to tell someone that you will pay for something such as a meal for them

5 go down a _____ British English informal
if something goes down a _____, people like it very much

6 look/work a _____ British English informal
to look very good or work very well

Answer 6

treat 2 S3 noun

1 as a treat
Steven took his son to a cricket match as a birthday treat.

2 When we were kids, a trip to the beach was a real treat .

3 The cafe serves an assortment of gourmet treats.

4 my treat spoken
Let’s go out to lunch – my treat.

5 go down a treat British English informal
That new vegetarian restaurant seems to be going down a treat.

6 look/work a treat British English informal
The sports ground looked a treat, with all the flags flying.

Question 7

1 not definite or certain, and may be changed later SYN provisional OPP definite

2 done without confidence SYN hesitant

Answer 7

ten‧ta‧tive / tentətɪv / adjective

1 I passed on my tentative conclusions to the police.
The government is taking tentative steps towards tackling the country’s economic problems.

2 a tentative smile

— tentatively adverb :
Albi knocked tentatively and entered.

— tentativeness noun [ uncountable ]

Question 8

1 to avoid giving a direct answer to a question

2 _____ your bets
to reduce your chances of failure or loss by trying several different possibilities instead of one

_____ _______ something phrasal verb
to try to protect yourself against possible problems, especially financial loss

_____ __ phrasal verb
__ _____ed __

1 to be surrounded or enclosed by something

2 if you feel ______ed __ by something, you feel that your freedom is restricted by it

Answer 8

hedge 2 verb ( past tense and past participle hedged , present participle hedging ) [ intransitive and transitive ]

1 You’re hedging again – have you got the money or haven’t you?
‘That depends on my partner,’ she hedged.

2 hedge your bets
It’s a good idea to hedge your bets by applying to more than one college.

hedge against something phrasal verb
Smart managers will hedge against price increases.

hedge in phrasal verb be hedged in
1 The building was hedged in by trees.

Question 9

things that are for sale, usually not in a shop

Answer 9

wares / weəz $ werz / noun [ plural ] old-fashioned

craftspeople selling their wares

wares noun [ plural ] written things that are offered for sale, especially in a market or on the street : In the market, the traders began selling their wares. | Merchants brought their wares from all over the world.

Question 10

a very large suitcase that opens into two parts

Answer 10

port‧man‧teau / pɔtmæntəʊ $ pɔrtmæntoʊ / noun ( plural portmanteaus or portmanteaux / -təʊz $ -toʊz / ) [ countable ] old-fashioned

Question 11

1 especially British English
someone whose job is to control railway signals

2 ( also signaller British English )
a member of the army or navy who is trained to send and receive signals

Answer 11

sig‧nal‧man / sɪɡn ə lmən / noun ( plural signalmen / -mən / ) [ countable ]

Question 12

1 to prevent something from growing or developing well

2 to make someone feel embarrassed or nervous so that they cannot do or say what they want to

Answer 12

in‧hib‧it AC / ɪnhɪbət, ɪnhɪbɪt / verb [ transitive ]

1 An unhappy family life may inhibit children’s learning.

2 inhibit somebody from doing something
Recording the meeting may inhibit people from expressing their real views.

Question 13

1 ____ to do something
if something ____s to happen, it happens often and is likely to happen again

2 ( also ____ to somebody/something ) [ transitive ]
old-fashioned to look after someone or something

3 ____ towards something
to have one particular quality or feature more than others :

4 ____ bar especially American English
to work as a bartender

5 [ intransitive always + adverb/preposition ] formal
to move or develop in a particular direction

Answer 13

tend S1 W1 / tend / verb

1 tend to do something
People tend to need less sleep as they get older.
My car tends to overheat in the summer.

2 ( also tend to somebody/something ) [ transitive ] old-fashioned
Sofia was in the bedroom tending to her son.

3 tend towards something
Charles tends towards obesity.

4 tend bar especially American English

5 [ intransitive always + adverb/preposition ] formal tend upwards/downwards
Interest rates are tending upwards.

Question 14

1 to frighten or threaten someone into making them do what you want

2 to make someone feel worried and not confident

Answer 14

in‧tim‧i‧date / ɪntɪmədeɪt, ɪntɪmɪdeɪt / verb [ transitive ]

1 intimidate somebody into doing something
They tried to intimidate the young people into voting for them.
Attempts to intimidate her failed.

2 The whole idea of going to Oxford intimidated me.

— intimidation / ɪntɪmədeɪʃ ə n, ɪntɪmɪdeɪʃ ə n / noun [ uncountable ] :
She had endured years of intimidation and violence.
the intimidation of voters

scare especially spoken to frighten someone. Scare is less formal than frighten , and is the usual word to use in everyday English : He was driving fast just to scare us. | It scared him to think that his mother might never recover.

intimidate to deliberately frighten someone, especially so that they will do what you want : Many of the gangs were using dogs to intimidate people.

Question 15

a small piece of metal that you fire from a gun → shell , shot

Answer 15

bul‧let / bʊlət, bʊlɪt / noun [ countable ]

He was killed by a single bullet.
a bullet wound in the shoulder
Several bullet holes could be seen beside a window.
→ plastic bullet , → bite the bullet at bite 1 ( 9 )

COLLOCATIONS

verbs

fire a bullet Police fired rubber bullets to break up the crowd.

a bullet hits/strikes somebody The first bullet hit him in the back.

a bullet misses somebody/something The bullet narrowly missed her heart.

a bullet enters somebody’s chest/brain etc There was a scar where the bullet had entered his shoulder.

a bullet is lodged in somebody’s chest/brain etc (= is stuck in that part of the body ) Surgeons are trying to remove a bullet lodged in his neck.

a bullet flies (= moves fast ) Bullets were flying around our heads.

a bullet whistles (= moves fast making a noise ) I heard a bullet whistle past me.

a bullet bounces/ricochets off something (= hits something and moves away from it again ) The bullet ricocheted off a wall.

put a bullet through/in something He threatened to put a bullet through my brain.

spray bullets (= fire a lot of bullets ) The soldier lifted the machine gun and sprayed bullets through the trees.

something is riddled with bullets (= something has a lot of bullets in it ) The car was riddled with bullets.

adjectives

a stray bullet (= one that someone fires by mistake ) He was tragically killed by a stray bullet.

a rubber/plastic bullet (= one made of rubber/plastic, not designed to kill ) Riot police fired plastic bullets into the air.

an explosive bullet An explosive bullet is a very unpleasant weapon.

bullet + NOUN

a bullet wound He died from a bullet wound to his chest.

a bullet hole There were two bullet holes in the windscreen.

phrases

a hail/volley of bullets (= a lot of bullets fired all together ) Officers were met by a hail of bullets from the house.

Question 16

1 ___________ violence/conflict/murder etc
violence etc that is related to the strong feelings of people who belong to different religious groups

2 American English supporting a particular religious group and its beliefs

Answer 16

sec‧tar‧i‧an / sekteəriən $ -ter- / adjective

1 sectarian violence/conflict/murder etc
people on both sides of the sectarian divide in Northern Ireland

2 a sectarian school

— sectarianism noun [ uncountable ]

Question 17

1 [ uncountable and countable ] the act of suddenly taking control of something, especially by force

2 [ uncountable and countable ] when the police or government officers take away illegal goods such as drugs or guns

3 [ countable ] a sudden condition in which someone cannot control the movements of their body, which continues for a short time SYN fit

Answer 17

sei‧zure / siʒə $ -ər / noun

1 seizure of
the fascist seizure of power in 1922

2 drugs seizures

3 He had an epileptic seizure .

Question 18

an act of ___________ting something, or the period of time when it is _________ted

Answer 18

boycott 2 noun [ countable ]

They are now trying to organize a boycott .

boycott of/on/against
a boycott on GM crops
He called for a boycott of the elections.

Question 19

to refuse to buy something, use something, or take part in something as a way of protesting

Answer 19

boy‧cott 1 / bɔɪkɒt $ -kɑt / verb [ transitive ]

We boycott all products tested on animals.

boycott to protest about the actions of a company, country, or industry by refusing to buy something, or refusing to go to a place or event : They may boycott the next Olympic Games. | Shoppers are boycotting battery-farmed eggs.

Question 20

to officially prevent someone from doing something SYN ban

Answer 20

de‧bar / dɪbɑ $ -bɑr / verb ( past tense and past participle debarred , present participle debarring ) [ transitive usually passive ] formal

debar somebody from (doing) something
All five men were debarred from entering France for three years.

Question 21

to make a judgment about something or someone SYN judge

Answer 21

ad‧judge / ədʒʌdʒ / verb [ transitive usually passive ] formal

The reforms of 1979 were generally adjudged to have failed.

Question 22

1 [ intransitive ] American English informal
if two statements, reports etc ____ with each other, the information in them matches

2 [ intransitive + at ] to say something that is intended to make someone seem silly

Answer 22

jibe 2 verb

1 jibe with
His report did not jibe with the facts.

Question 23

to reduce or limit something SYN

Answer 23

cur‧tail / kɜteɪl $ kɜr- / verb [ transitive ] formal

The new law will curtail police powers.
severely/drastically curtail
Budget cuts have drastically curtailed training programs.

— curtailment noun [ uncountable and countable ]

Question 24

to prevent something from continuing in its usual way by causing

Answer 24

dis‧rupt / dɪsrʌpt / verb [ transitive ]

Traffic was disrupted by a hoax bomb.
Climate change could disrupt the agricultural economy.

Question 25

to think of something in a particular way or as having a particular quality SYN consider

Answer 25

deem / dim / verb [ transitive not in progressive ] formal

deem that
They deemed that he was no longer capable of managing the business.

deem something necessary/appropriate etc
They were told to take whatever action they deemed necessary.

be deemed to be something
They were deemed to be illegal immigrants.

be deemed to do something
UK plans were deemed to infringe EU law.

Question 26

to do something that is against a law or someone’s legal rights

___________ on/upon something phrasal verb
to limit someone’s freedom in some way

Answer 26

in‧fringe / ɪnfrɪndʒ / verb [ transitive ]

A backup copy of a computer program does not infringe copyright.

— infringement noun [ uncountable and countable ] :
the infringement of human rights

infringe on/upon something phrasal verb

Some students argued that the rule infringed on their right to free speech.

Question 27

4 used to say that something is happening or is true now but will probably change in the future

Answer 27

4 for the moment

Well, for the moment we’re just friends.
For the moment the rain had stopped.

Question 28

refusing to do what someone tells you to do

Answer 28

de‧fi‧ant / dɪfaɪənt / adjective

Mark smashed a fist on the desk in a defiant gesture.

— defiantly adverb

Question 29

allow someone to do something that is not normally allowed

Answer 29

bend/stretch the rules

They bend the rules to suit themselves.

Question 30

1 series
a _____ of events is a series of related events, which are part of a longer process

2 competition
one of the parts of a competition that you have to finish or win before you can go on to the next part → heat , stage

3 regular activities
_____ of something
a _____ of activities is a regular series of activities, especially activities that are not very exciting

4 visits
_____s [ plural ]
the usual visits that someone, especially a doctor, regularly makes as part of their job

5 _____ of applause
when people clap for a short time to show that they enjoyed something or approve of something

6 golf
a complete game of

7 boxing/wrestling
one of the periods of fighting in a boxing or wrestling match

8 drinks
if you buy a _____ of drinks in a bar, you buy drinks for all the people in your group

9 do the _____s British English informal , make the _____s American English ( also go the _____s British English )
if a story, idea, or illness does the _____s, it is passed on from one person to another

10 do the _____s of something British English , make the _____s of something American English
to go around from one place to another, especially looking for work or advertising something

11 gun shot a single shot from a gun, or a bullet for one shot

12 circle
something that has a circular shape

13 food/newspapers/letters etc British English a regular visit to a number of houses, offices etc to deliver or sell things

14 song
a song for three or four singers, in which each one sings the same tune, starting at a different time

15 _____ of sandwiches British English
sandwiches made from two whole pieces of bread

16 _____ of toast British English
one whole piece of bread that has been toast ed

17 in the _____ a play that is performed in the round is performed on a central stage surrounded by the people watching it

Answer 30

round 3 noun [ countable ]

1 series a round of events is a series of related events, which are part of a longer process
round of
a third round of peace talks
the Government’s latest round of expenditure cuts
2 competition one of the parts of a competition that you have to finish or win before you can go on to the next part → heat , stage
the first/final/next/qualifying etc round
I got beaten in the first round.
Two of their candidates made it through to the next round.
round of
the final round of the championship
3 regular activities round of something a round of activities is a regular series of activities, especially activities that are not very exciting :
an endless round of meetings and interviews
He continued with his usual round of private and business engagements.
the daily round of commuting and shopping
4 visits rounds [ plural ] the usual visits that someone, especially a doctor, regularly makes as part of their job
be (out) on your rounds
I’m sorry. The doctor is out on her rounds.
5 round of applause when people clap for a short time to show that they enjoyed something or approve of something :
She got a big round of applause .
The passengers gave the pilot a round of applause .
6 golf a complete game of golf :
I played a round of golf on Sunday morning.
7 boxing/wrestling one of the periods of fighting in a boxing or wrestling match
8 drinks if you buy a round of drinks in a bar, you buy drinks for all the people in your group
it’s my/your etc round (= used to say whose turn it is to buy drinks for all the people in your group )
What are you having? It’s my round.
9 do the rounds British English informal , make the rounds American English ( also go the rounds British English ) if a story, idea, or illness does the rounds, it is passed on from one person to another :
a joke doing the rounds
10 do the rounds of something British English , make the rounds of something American English to go around from one place to another, especially looking for work or advertising something :
Ryan is making the rounds of talk shows to promote her new movie.
11 gun shot a single shot from a gun, or a bullet for one shot :
I’ve only got ten rounds of ammunition left.
Richards fired a few rounds .
12 circle something that has a circular shape :
Slice the potatoes into rounds.
13 food/newspapers/letters etc British English a regular visit to a number of houses, offices etc to deliver or sell things
paper/milk round (= a job in which you deliver newspapers, milk etc to people’s houses )
I used to do a paper round .
14 song a song for three or four singers, in which each one sings the same tune, starting at a different time
15 round of sandwiches British English sandwich es made from two whole pieces of bread
16 round of toast British English one whole piece of bread that has been toast ed
17 in the round a play that is performed in the round is performed on a central stage surrounded by the people watching it

COLLOCATIONS

phrases
a round of talks/negotiations/meetings A second round of talks got under way this week.
a round of voting In the first round of voting he took 44.5 percent of the vote,
a round of cuts (= when a government or a company reduces the size or amount of something ) The President is likely to approve a new round of cuts in military forces.
a round of layoffs (= when people are told to leave their jobs ) The latest round of layoffs could bring its labor force down to 60,000.
a round of violence What has prompted the latest round of violence?

Question 31

1 organize [ transitive ]
to plan, organize, and begin an event or a course of action

2 increase [ intransitive usually in progressive ] to increase gradually in amount or degree

3 horse/bicycle [ intransitive and transitive ] formal
to get on a horse or bicycle OPP dis___________

4 go up [ transitive ] formal
to go up a step or stairs

5 picture [ transitive ] to fix a picture to a larger piece of stiff paper so that it looks more attractive

6 sex [ transitive ] technical
if a male animal _____s a female animal, he gets up onto her back to have sex → mounted

_____ __ phrasal verb
to gradually increase in amount

Answer 31

mount 1 / maʊnt / verb

1 The National Gallery mounted an exhibition of Danish painting.

mount a campaign/challenge/search etc
Friends of the Earth are mounting a campaign to monitor the illegal logging of trees.

mount an assault/attack
Guerrillas have mounted an attack on the capital.

2 Tension here is mounting , as we await the final result.
Casualties on both sides of the battle have continued to mount.

3 He mounted his horse and rode on.

4 He mounted the stairs and looked around him slowly.
A car suddenly mounted the pavement to avoid a vehicle coming in the opposite direction.

5 mount something on/onto something
Entries to the photography competition should be mounted on white paper.

mount up phrasal verb

At £6 a ticket, the cost quickly mounts up.

Question 32

hin‧der / hɪndə $ -ər / verb [ transitive ]

to make it difficult for something to develop or succeed SYN hamper

Answer 32

hin‧der / hɪndə $ -ər / verb [ transitive ]

His career has been hindered by injury.
policies that will hinder rather than help families ► Do not confuse with prevent (=to make it impossible for someone to do something) : His poor health prevented him from going to work (NOT His poor health hindered him from going to work).

Register
In everyday English, people often say something gets in the way of something rather than hinders it:
This could get in the way of rescue attempts.
Poor English got in the way of his progress.

Question 33

1 in the _____ of something
a) if you are in the _____ of an event or situation, it is happening around you

b) in the middle of a place or a group of things or people

2 in our/their _____ formal
in a particular group

Answer 33

midst 1 / mɪdst / noun

1 in the midst of something
a) The government is in the midst of a major crisis.

b) We were sitting in the midst of an elegant and well-dressed audience.

2 in our/their midst formal
I fear we have an enemy in our midst.

Question 34

1 a place in a road where the traffic cannot pass easily, so that there are a lot of delays

2 a delay in one stage of a process that makes the whole process take

Answer 34

bot‧tle‧neck / bɒtlnek $ bɑ- / noun [ countable ]

2 Understaffing has caused a real bottleneck.

Question 35

to separate a road, room etc from the area around it so that people cannot go there or use it

Answer 35

close something ↔ off phrasal verb

The roads into the docks were closed off by iron gates.

Question 36

1 choose
to choose someone or something from a group

2 recognize
to recognize someone or something in a group of people or things

3 see
if you can ____ something __, you can see it but not very clearly

4 shown clearly [ usually passive ]
if something is ____ed ___, it is in a different colour or material from the background, so that it can be clearly seen

5 play a tune
to play a tune on a musical instrument slowly or with difficulty

Answer 36

pick somebody/something ↔ out phrasal verb

1 She picked out a navy blue dress.
His story was picked out as the best by the judges.

2 She was able to pick out her father at the other side of the room.
I picked out Valerie’s voice from among the general conversation.

3 I could just pick out some letters carved into the stone.

4 His name was picked out in gold lettering.

5 He sat at the piano and picked out a simple tune.

Question 37

a colourless gas that is found in small quantities in the air and is used in glass tubes to produce a bright light in electric advertising signs. It is a chemical element : symbol Ne

Answer 37

ne‧on / niɒn $ -ɑn / noun [ uncountable ]

neon lights/signs (= ones that use neon )
the neon lights of Las Vegas
A neon sign flashed on and off above the door.

Question 38

produced or existing in large quantities

Answer 38

pro‧fuse / prəfjus / adjective

He made profuse apologies .
Profuse sweating is one of the symptoms of heat exhaustion.

— profusely adverb :
The wound was bleeding profusely.
— profuseness noun [ uncountable ]

Question 39

formal
1 [ countable ] a business deal or action, such as buying or selling something

2 [ uncountable ] the process of doing business

3 ____________s [ plural ] discussions that take place at the meetings of an organization, or a written record of these

Answer 39

trans‧ac‧tion S3 W3 / trænzækʃ ə n / noun formal

1 The bank charges a fixed rate for each transaction.
financial transactions

2 the transaction of his public duties

Question 40

beautiful, bright, and impressive in appearance

Answer 40

re‧splen‧dent / rɪsplendənt / adjective formal

resplendent in
She looked resplendent in a silk dress.

— resplendently adverb

Question 41

to improve something

Answer 41

en‧hance W3 AC / ɪnhɑns $ ɪnhæns / verb [ transitive ]

Good lighting will enhance any room.
The publicity has enhanced his reputation .

— enhancer noun [ countable ] :
flavor enhancers
— enhancement noun [ uncountable and countable ]

Question 42

1 ____ something ↔ __
to ____ a switch on a machine such as an oven , radio etc so that it produces more heat, sound etc OPP ____ down

2 to be found, especially by chance, after having been lost or searched for

3 to arrive at a place, especially in a way that is unexpected

4 if an opportunity or situation ____s up, it happens, especially when you are not expecting it

5 ____ something ↔ __
to find something by searching for it thoroughly

6 ____ something ↔ __ British English
to shorten a skirt, trousers etc by folding up the bottom and sewing it

Answer 42

turn up phrasal verb

1 turn something ↔ up
Turn the oven up to 220.
Turn up the radio!

2 Eventually my watch turned up in a coat pocket.

3 You can’t just turn up and expect a meal.

turn up late/early/on time etc
Steve turned up late, as usual.

4 Don’t worry, I’m sure a job will turn up soon.

5 turn something ↔ up
The police investigation hasn’t turned up any new evidence.

6 turn something ↔ up British English
→ turn up trumps at trump 1 ( 4 )

Question 43

American English spoken
1 very drunk

2 completely destroyed

Answer 43

trashed / træʃt / adjective American English spoken

1 We got trashed last night.

2 We need a new map – this one’s trashed.

Question 44

1 [ uncountable ] the business of selling and sending goods to other countries OPP import

2 [ countable usually plural ] a product that is sold to another country OPP import

Answer 44

ex‧port 1 W2 AC / ekspɔt $ -ɔrt / noun

1 export of
a ban on the export of toxic waste

for export
bales of cloth for export to the continent

2 Wheat is one of the country’s main exports.

COLLOCATIONS

export + NOUN

an export market The US is Scotland’s second largest export market after France.

export trade Most of its export trade is with Russia.
export earnings/revenue (= the money a company or country makes from exports ) Oil and gas provide 40% of Norway’s export earnings.

export sales/figures (= the total number of products that are sold to other countries ) Export sales exceeded 50% of the company’s total turnover. | Hong Kong is a major trading power, with annual export figures rivalling those of Germany.

an export licence (= an official document giving you permission to sell something to another country ) You will have to submit an application for an export licence.

export controls/restrictions/quotas (= official limits on the number of exports ) The European Parliament wants tougher export controls on certain goods. | The number of goods subject to import and export quotas is being reduced.

an export ban ( also a ban on exports ) During the crisis, France imposed an export ban on British beef. | The ban on exports was lifted in June.

ADJECTIVES/NOUN + export
the major/main/principal export Agricultural products are the country’s principal exports.
oil/agricultural/manufacturing exports Oil exports from Iraq have resumed.
British/US etc exports Higher tariffs will affect a wide range of British exports.
invisible exports (= services that are exported, such as banking or insurance, rather than a product ) The City of London is important to the invisible exports of this country.

verbs
boost exports (= increase them ) The measures should boost exports and create employment.
encourage exports (= make them more likely to exist ) Kenya used subsidies to encourage exports.
reduce exports OPEC has threatened to reduce exports of oil to the West.
restrict exports (= limit or control them ) The government threatened to restrict exports because of weak demand.
ban exports (= stop them completely ) In retaliation, Britain banned exports of cloth to France.
exports increase/rise/grow Electronics exports grew more slowly than in previous years.
exports fall/decline/drop Exports of gas and oil continued to fall while imports of raw materials have risen.
exports account for something (= form a particular part of a total ) Exports currently account for 37% of sales.

phrases
a growth/rise/increase in exports The electronics sector has seen a 16% growth in exports.
a fall/decline/drop in exports There has been a decline in exports and an increase in oil prices.

Question 45

1 British English heavy cotton cloth that is usually white

2 American English light cotton cloth with a small printed pattern

3 _______ cat American English a cat that has black, white, and brown fur

Answer 45

cal‧i‧co / kælɪkəʊ $ -koʊ / noun [ uncountable ]

Question 46

1 at a party someone at a party, meal etc who has invited the guests and who provides the food, drink etc → hostess

2 on television/radio
someone who introduces and talks to the guests on a television or radio programme SYN compere British English

3 country/city
a country, city, or organization that provides the necessary space, equipment etc for a special event

4 a (whole) \_\_\_\_ of people/things   
a large number of people or things

5 in church
the ____ technical the bread that is used in the Christian ceremony of Communion

6 animal/plant technical
an animal or plant on which a smaller animal or plant is living as a parasite

Answer 46

host 1 W3 / həʊst $ hoʊst / noun [ countable ]

1 → hostess :
Our host greeted us at the door.

2 a game show host

3 host country/government/city etc
the host city for the next Olympic Games

play host (to something)  (= provide the place, food etc for a special meeting or event ) 
The gallery is playing host to an exhibition of sculpture. 

4 a (whole) host of people/things   
A host of show business celebrities have pledged their support. 

5 the Host technical the bread that is used in the Christian ceremony of Communion

Question 47

existing only in small amounts

Answer 47

sparse / spɑs $ spɑrs / adjective

his sparse brown hair
rural areas with sparse populations

— sparsely adverb :
a sparsely populated area

— sparseness noun [ uncountable ]

Question 48

1 an ____ room or building has plenty of fresh air because it is large or has a lot of windows

2 done in a happy and confident way, even when you should be serious or worried

Answer 48

air‧y / eəri $ eri / adjective

1 an airy room or building
All the hotel’s bedrooms are light and airy.

2 He dismissed her concerns with an airy wave of the hand.

Question 49

be/lie/sit ________ (out)

to be lying or sitting with your arms or legs stretched out in a lazy or careless way

Answer 49

sprawled / sprɔld $ sprɒld / adjective

be/lie/sit sprawled (out)
He was sprawled in an armchair in front of the TV.
A girl lay sprawled across the bed.

Question 50

formal or literary

a state of calm or comfortable rest

Answer 50

re‧pose 1 / rɪpəʊz $ -poʊz / noun [ uncountable ]

in repose
His face looked less hard in repose.

Question 51

1 [ transitive ] ( also scribble down ) to write something quickly and untidily

2 [ intransitive ] to draw marks that have no meaning

Answer 51

scrib‧ble 1 / skrɪb ə l / verb

1 I scribbled his phone number in my address book.
He scribbled down our names.

2 Someone had scribbled all over my picture.

Question 52

1 [ transitive ] to think that something is true, although you are not certain SYN assume

2 [ transitive ] to accept something as true until it is shown to not be true, especially in law SYN assume

3 [ intransitive ] formal to behave without respect or politeness by doing something that you have no right to do

4 [ transitive usually in present tense ] formal to accept something as being true and base something else on it SYN presuppose

5 _______ on/upon sb’s friendship/generosity etc
to unfairly ask someone for more than you should, because they are your friend, are generous etc

Answer 52

pre‧sume S3 AC / prɪzjum $ -zum / verb

1 Each of you will make a speech, I presume?
‘Are his parents still alive?’ ‘ I presume so .’

presume that
I presume we’ll be there by six o’clock.

presume somebody/something to be somebody/something
From the way he talked, I presumed him to be your boss.

be presumed to do something
The temple is presumed to date from the first century BC.

2 We must presume innocence until we have evidence of guilt.
be presumed innocent etc

3 presume to do something
I would never presume to tell you what to do.

4 The Ancient History course presumes some knowledge of Greek.

presume that
I presume that someone will be there to meet us when we arrive.

5 presume on/upon sb’s friendship/generosity etc
It would be presuming on his generosity to ask him for money.

Question 53

1 a _________ word or phrase is used in a different way from its usual meaning, to give you a particular idea or picture in your mind → literal

2 technical _________ art shows objects, people, or the countryside as they really look → abstract

Answer 53

fig‧u‧ra‧tive / fɪɡjərətɪv, fɪɡjʊrətɪv, -ɡə- / adjective

1 a figurative word or phrase
He’s my son, in the figurative sense of the word.

— figuratively adverb :
They have a taste – figuratively speaking – for excitement.

Question 54

1 to not notice something, or not see how important it is SYN miss

2 to forgive someone’s mistake, bad behaviour etc and take no action

3 if a house, room etc ________s something, it has a view of it, usually from above

Answer 54

o‧ver‧look / əʊvəlʊk $ oʊvər- / verb [ transitive ]

1 It is easy to overlook a small detail like that.
Nobody could overlook the fact that box office sales were down.

2 She found him entertaining enough to overlook his faults.

3 Our room overlooks the ocean.

Question 55

someone who is __________ has been carefully chosen for a special purpose

Answer 55

hand‧picked / hændpɪkt◂ / adjective

one of his handpicked advisers

Question 56

1 if a bird or aircraft _______s, it moves suddenly down through the air, especially in order to attack something

2 written if the police, army etc _______ on a place, they go there without any warning in order to look for someone or something

Answer 56

swoop 1 / swup / verb [ intransitive ]

1 The eagle hovered, ready to swoop at any moment.

swoop down/over/across etc
A helicopter suddenly swooped down.

2 swoop on
Drug officers swooped on several addresses in London last night.

Question 57

_____ actions are done publicly, without trying to hide anything OPP covert

Answer 57

o‧vert / əʊvɜt, əʊvɜt $ oʊvɜrt, oʊvɜrt / adjective

an overt attempt to silence their political opponents
Overt race discrimination is illegal.

— overtly adverb :
an overtly political message

Question 58

1 take up/pick up the _____

a) to make a system or organization as efficient as possible by making sure that money, space, or people are fully used
b) to do something that needs to be done because someone else is no longer doing it
c) to make a rope tighter

2 [ uncountable ] part of a rope that is not stretched tight

3 [ uncountable ] money, space, people, or time that an organization or person has available, but is not using fully

4 cut/give somebody some _____ spoken
to allow someone to do something without criticizing them or making it more difficult

5 _____s[ plural ] trousers

6 [ uncountable ] British English very small pieces of coal

Answer 58

slack 2 noun

1 take up/pick up the slack
a) Without another contract to help pick up the slack, employees may face job losses.

3 There is still some slack in the budget.

4 cut/give somebody some slack spoken
Hey, cut me some slack, man. I’m only a few bucks short.

5 slacks [ plural ]
a pair of slacks
dress slacks (= for more formal occasions )

Question 59

1 [ intransitive and transitive ] to include or show something as a special or important part of something, or to be included as an important part

2 [ transitive ] to show a film, play etc

Answer 59

feature 2 W3 AC verb

1 The exhibition features paintings by Picasso.
a cruise ship featuring extensive spa facilities

feature in
A study of language should feature in an English literature course.

be featured in something
Pupils visited some of the websites featured in the article.

feature prominently/strongly/heavily etc
Violence seems to feature heavily in all of his books.

feature somebody as something
The film featured Brando as the Godfather.

2 The Retro Theatre is featuring films by Frank Capra this week.

Question 60

1 able to move quickly and easily

2 someone who has an _____ mind is able to think very quickly and intelligently

Answer 60

a‧gile / ædʒaɪl $ ædʒ ə l / adjective

1 Dogs are surprisingly agile.

2 He was physically strong and mentally agile.

— agility / ədʒɪləti, ədʒɪlɪti / noun [ uncountable ] :
With surprising agility, Karl darted across the road.

Question 61

_________ your way into/through etc something
to use your strength to go somewhere

_________ __ phrasal verb
to use your power to get involved in or take control of something that someone else was doing, especially in business – used to show disapproval

Answer 61

muscle 2 verb

Joe and Tony muscled their way through the crowd.

muscle in phrasal verb

muscle in on
Banks are muscling in on the insurance business.

Question 62

1 sea
a part of the sea that is partly enclosed by a curve in the land

2 keep/hold something at _____
to prevent something dangerous or unpleasant from happening or from coming too close

3 area
an area within a large room or just outside a building that is used for a particular purpose

4 for cargo the part of a ship or plane where things are stored

5 tree  ( also   \_\_\_ tree )   
a tree that has leaves that smell sweet and are often used in cooking 

6 horse
a horse that is a reddish brown colour

Answer 62

bay 1 / beɪ / noun [ countable ]

1 a house with a view across the bay
Montego Bay

2 keep/hold something at bay
A thick wall keeps the noise at bay.

3 a storage bay
loading bay

4 the cargo bay

bay an area of sea that is partly enclosed by a curve in the land : I swam across the bay. | the Bay of Biscay

Question 63

1 [ countable ] an arrangement which you make so that a place in a hotel, restaurant, plane etc is kept for you at a particular time in the future → booking

2 [ uncountable and countable ] a feeling of doubt because you do not agree completely with a plan, idea, or suggestion

3 [ countable ] an area of land in the US kept separate for Native Americans to live on

4 [ countable ] American English
an area of land where wild animals can live without being hunted SYN reserve , preserve American English

Answer 63

res‧er‧va‧tion / rezəveɪʃ ə n $ -zər- / noun

1 a dinner reservation
Customers are advised to make seat reservations well in advance.

2 have/express reservations (about something)
I had serious reservations about his appointment as captain.
We condemn their actions without reservation (= completely ) .

3 a Navajo reservation

4 a wildlife reservation

COLLOCATIONS

verbs
make a reservation Didn’t you make a reservation?
have a reservation We have a reservation for seven o’clock.
confirm a reservation We will send you an email to confirm your reservation.
cancel a reservation She called the restaurant and cancelled the reservations.

NOUN + reservation
a dinner/lunch reservation I’d forgotten to make a dinner reservation.
a hotel reservation I canceled my hotel reservation.
an airline reservation Make sure you have an airline reservation before booking the hotel.

COLLOCATIONS

verbs
have reservations I have reservations about her work.
express reservations (= say that you have reservations ) I did not think it wise to express my reservations.

adjectives
some/certain reservations Despite some reservations, I recommend this book.
serious/grave reservations They had serious reservations about the plan.
strong reservations Five of the committee members expressed strong reservations about the product’s safety.
considerable reservations We have considerable reservations about the government’s economic proposals.
a minor reservation (= not serious or important ) I voted “yes”, although I had a few minor reservations
a major reservation (= serious or important ) We have major reservations about his ability to do the job.

Question 64

1 be ____n __
to be completely deceived by someone who lies to you

2 ____ somebody ↔ __
to let someone stay in your house because they have nowhere else to stay

3 ____ something ↔ __
to understand and remember new facts and information SYN absorb

4 ____ something ↔ __ American English
to collect or earn a particular amount of money SYN take British English

5 to visit a place while you are in the area

6 American English old-fashioned
if you ____ __ a show, play etc, you go to see it

7 ____ somebody ↔ __ British English old-fashioned
if the police take someone in, they take them to a police station to ask them questions about a crime

8 ____ something ↔ __
to make a piece of clothing fit you by making it narrower OPP let out

Answer 64

take somebody/something ↔ in phrasal verb

1 be taken in
Don’t be taken in by products claiming to help you lose weight in a week.

2 take somebody ↔ in
Brett’s always taking in stray animals.

3 take something ↔ in
He watches the older kids, just taking it all in.
His eyes quickly took in the elegance of her dress.

4 take something ↔ in American English

5 They continued a few miles further to take in Hinton House.

6 American English old-fashioned

7 take somebody ↔ in British English old-fashioned
All five teenagers were arrested and taken in for questioning .

8 take something ↔ in

Question 65

1 a mass of wind or water that spins quickly and pulls things into its centre

2 [ usually singular ] written a situation that has a powerful effect on people’s lives and that influences their behaviour, even if they do not want it to

Answer 65

vor‧tex / vɔteks $ vɔr- / noun ( plural vortices / -təsiz, -tɪsiz / or vortexes ) [ countable ]

2 vortex of
the vortex of emotions surrounding the case

Question 66

formal to spend time thinking carefully and seriously about a problem, a difficult question, or something that has happened SYN consider

Answer 66

pon‧der / pɒndə $ pɑndər / verb [ intransitive and transitive ]

He continued to ponder the problem as he walked home.

ponder on/over/about
The university board is still pondering over the matter.

ponder how/what/whether
Jay stood still for a moment, pondering whether to go or not.

ponder to spend time thinking carefully and seriously about something, especially a problem or something complicated : She is still pondering what to do. | Officials are pondering ways to remove the oil from the beaches.

Question 67

informal to do something badly, because you have been careless or because you do not have the skill to do it properly

Answer 67

botch 1 / bɒtʃ $ bɑtʃ / ( also botch up ) verb [ transitive ]

informal
The builders really botched up our patio.
a botched investigation

Question 68

a show of the work of an artist , actor, film-maker etc that includes examples of all the kinds of work they have done

Answer 68

retrospective 2 noun [ countable ]

a Hitchcock retrospective

retrospective of
a retrospective of painter Hans Hofmann

Question 69

1 [ intransitive and transitive ] to breathe air in a noisy way out through your nose, especially to show that you are annoyed or amused

2 [ transitive ] to take drugs by breathing them in through your nose → sniff

Answer 69

snort 1 / snɔt $ snɔrt / verb

1 ‘Certainly not,’ he snorted.

snort with
She snorted with laughter .
The horse snorted and stamped its hoof impatiently.

2 snorting cocaine

Question 70

a grey, green, or yellow plant that spreads over the surface of stones and trees → moss

Answer 70

li‧chen / laɪkən, lɪtʃ ə n / noun [ uncountable ]

Question 71

a sudden expression of anger among a large group of people about something that has happened SYN row

Answer 71

fu‧ro‧re / fjʊrɔri, fjʊərɔ $ fjʊrɔr / British English , fu‧ror / fjʊərɔ $ fjʊrɔr / American English noun [ singular ]

cause/create a furore
The security leaks have caused a widespread furore.

furore over/about
the furor over the oil embargo

Question 72

1 clothes
___ something ↔ __
to ___ a piece of clothing __ your body OPP take off

2 on skin
___ something ↔ __
to ___ make-up , cream etc __ your skin

3 affect/influence something
___ something __ something
to do something that affects or influences someone or something else

4 start equipment
___ something ↔ __
to make a light or a piece of equipment start working by pressing or turning a button or switch SYN switch on , turn on :

5 music
___ something ↔ __
to ___ a record, tape, or CD into a machine and start playing it

6 pretend
___ something ↔ __
to pretend to have a particular feeling, opinion, way of speaking etc especially in order to get attention

7 ___ __ weight/12 lbs/4 kg etc
to become fatter and heavier SYN gain

8 event/concert/play etc
___ something ↔ __
to arrange for a concert, play etc to take place, or to perform in it

9 show what you can do
___ something ↔ __
to show what you are able to do or what power you have

10 cook
___ something ↔ __ to start cooking something

11 provide something
___ something ↔ __ British English
to provide a service for people, especially a special one

12 you’re ___ting me __ ! especially American English spoken
used to tell someone that you think they are joking

13 risk money
___ something __ something
to risk an amount of money on the result of a game, race etc SYN bet

14 add
___ something __ something
to add an amount of money or tax onto the cost of something

15 telephone
___ somebody ↔ __
to give someone the telephone so that they can talk to someone who is telephoning

Answer 72

put somebody/something on phrasal verb

1 He took off his uniform and put on a sweater and trousers.
I’ll have to put my glasses on; I can’t read the sign from here.

2 I’ve got to put this cream on twice a day.

3 The government put a limit on imports of textiles.
Pat was putting pressure on him to leave his wife.

4 He got up and put on the light.
Shall I put the kettle on?

5 She put on some music while they ate.

6 Sheila’s not really that upset; she’s just putting it on.
Leaving the court, the families all tried to put on a brave face (= not show that they were sad or worried ) .

7 put on weight/12 lbs/4 kg etc
Rosie’s put on five kilos since she quit smoking.

8 One summer the children put on a play.

9 The team need to put on another world-class performance.

10 Shall I put the pasta on now?

11 BA is putting on extra flights to cover the Christmas rush.

12 you’re putting me on! especially American English spoken
He wouldn’t do that – you’re putting me on.

13 We put £50 on Brazil to win the Cup.

14 Can smokers really complain if more tax is put on cigarettes?

15 Can you put Janet on?

Question 73

1 [ intransitive and transitive ] if you ________ something, or if it ________es, it becomes separated from the thing it was attached to OPP attach

2 ______ yourself from somebody/something
to try to be less involved in or less concerned about a situation

Answer 73

de‧tach / dɪtætʃ / verb

1 detach something from something
You can detach the hood from the jacket.
Please detach and fill out the application form.

2 detach yourself from somebody/something
Doctors have to detach themselves from their feelings.

Question 74

1 ball/object [ intransitive and transitive ]
if a ball or other object _____s, or you _____ it, it immediately moves up or away from a surface after hitting it

2 jump up and down [ intransitive ]
to move up and down, especially because you are hitting a surface that is made of rubber, has springs etc

3 cheque [ intransitive and transitive ] if a cheque ____s, or if a bank _____s a cheque, the bank will not pay any money because there is not enough money in the account of the person who wrote it

4 walk [ intransitive always + adverb/preposition ]
to walk quickly and with a lot of energy

5 something moves up and down [ intransitive ]
if something _____s, it moves quickly up and down as you move

6 light/sound [ intransitive and transitive ]
if light or sound _____s, it hits a surface and then moves quickly away from it

7 email ( also _____ back ) [ intransitive and transitive ] if an email that you send _____s or is _____d, it is returned to you and the other person does not receive it because of a technical problem

8 _____ ideas off somebody
to talk about your ideas with someone in order to get their opinion

9 force somebody to leave [ transitive ] informal
to force someone to leave a place, job, or organization, especially because they have done something wrong

_____ something ↔ _____ phrasal verb informal
to discuss ideas with other people

_____ ____ phrasal verb

1 to feel better quickly after being ill, or to become successful again after failing or having been defeated SYN recover

2 if an email that you send _____s ____ or is _____d ____, it is returned to you and the other person does not receive it because of a technical problem

_____ somebody ____ something phrasal verb British English
to force someone to decide to do something, especially without giving them time to consider it carefully

Answer 74

bounce 1 S3 / baʊns / verb

1 bounce off
The ball bounced off the post and into the goal.

bounce something on/against etc something
The kids were bouncing a ball against the wall.

2 bounce on
Lyn was bouncing on the trampoline.
Stop bouncing up and down on the sofa.

4 Olivia came bouncing into the room.

5 Her hair bounced when she walked.

6 bounce (something) off something 
The radio signals are bounced off a satellite. 

8 bounce ideas off somebody
When you work in a team you can bounce your ideas off each other.

9 bounce somebody from something
Taylor was bounced from the team for assaulting another player.

bounce something ↔ around phrasal verb informal
I wanted to have a meeting so that we could bounce a few ideas around.

bounce back phrasal verb
1 The company’s had a lot of problems in the past, but it’s always managed to bounce back.

bounce somebody into something phrasal verb British English
bounce somebody into doing something
Party members feel that they were bounced into accepting the policy.

bounce verb [ intransitive ] to jump up and down several times, especially on something that has springs in it : Children love bouncing on beds.

Question 75

1 ______ poverty/misery/failure etc
the state of being extremely poor, unhappy, unsuccessful etc

2 an _____ action or expression shows that you feel very ashamed

Answer 75

ab‧ject / æbdʒekt / adjective

1 abject poverty/misery/failure etc

2 an abject action or expression
an abject apology

— abjectly adverb

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2016/may/24/tracey-emin-the-stone-i-married-is-beautiful-and-dignified-it-will-never-let-me-down?CMP=fb_gu

Question 76

1 ____ position
in a position in which the surface of something is against another surface without curving or sloping

2 three minutes/ten seconds etc ____ informal
in exactly three minutes, ten seconds etc – used to emphasize that something happens or is done very quickly

3 fall ____ informal
if a joke, story etc falls ____ it does not achieve the effect that is intended

4 music
if you sing or play music ____, you sing or play slightly lower than the correct note so that the sound is unpleasant OPP sharp

5 fall ____ on your/something’s face
a) to fall so that you are lying on your chest on the ground

b) informal to not have the result you want or expect, especially when this is embarrassing

6 ____ out informal
a) as fast as possible

b) American English in a direct and complete way SYN straight out

7 tell somebody ____ British English spoken
to tell someone something directly and definitely SYN straight out

Answer 76

flat 3 adverb

1 The bed can be folded flat for storage.
He lay flat on the floor.
That night I lay flat on my back and stared up at the ceiling.

2 three minutes/ten seconds etc flat informal
I was dressed in five minutes flat.

3 fall flat informal
Unfortunately, what could have been a powerful drama fell flat.

5 fall flat on your/something’s face
a) Babe slipped and fell flat on her face.

b) informal
The theory falls flat on its face when put into practice.

6 flat out informal
a) Everyone’s working flat out to finish on time.

b) American English
ask/tell somebody flat out
She asked him flat out if he was seeing another woman.

7 tell somebody flat British English spoken
I told him flat that I didn’t want to see him again.

→ flat broke at broke 2 ( 1 )

Question 77

to plan or invent a new way of doing something

Answer 77

de‧vise / dɪvaɪz / verb [ transitive ]

She devised a method for quicker communications between offices.

COLLOCATIONS

nouns

devise a method/way Our aim is to devise a way to improve quality and reduce costs.

devise a means (= think of a way ) We must devise a means of transport that does not pollute the atmosphere.

devise a system How do you devise a system of testing students that is completely fair?

devise a plan/scheme Together they devised a clever plan to escape.

devise a strategy The region is keen to devise a strategy to develop tourism.

devise a solution Representatives met to discuss the crisis and devise solutions.

devise a programme Your trainer will devise an exercise programme for you to follow.

devise an experiment/test He devised a series of experiments to test his theory.

create to make or design something new and original : We decided to create the software ourselves. | For her latest book, she has created a whole new group of characters.

devise formal to invent a way of doing something, especially one that is clever or complicated : This system was devised as a way of measuring students’ progress.

Question 78

1 [ usually singular ] official instructions that explain what someone’s job is, what their duties are etc

2 law
a short spoken or written statement giving facts about a law case

3 British English law
a law case that a lawyer will argue in a court

4 a short report about something

5 in ___________
a) in as few words as possible

b) without any details

6 __________s [ plural ]
men’s or women’s underwear worn on the lower part of the body

Answer 78

brief 2 AC noun [ countable ]

1 The architect’s brief is to design an extension that is modern but blends with the rest of the building.

2 The ACLU filed a brief (= gave one to the court ) opposing the decision.

5 in brief
a) We should, in brief, invest heavily in digital systems.

b) Here again are today’s headlines in brief.

6 briefs [ plural ]

brief British English informal the lawyer who represents someone in a court case : His brief asked for a fine rather than a prison sentence.

Question 79

1 be ____ of somebody
to like someone very much, especially when you have known them for a long time and almost feel love for them

2 be ____ of (doing) something
to like something, especially something you have liked for a long time

3 be ____ of doing something
to do something often, especially something that annoys other people

4 [ only before noun ] a ____ look, smile, action etc shows you like someone very much SYN affectionate

5 have ____ memories of something/somebody
to remember someone or something with great pleasure

6 a ____ hope/belief
a belief or hope that something will happen, which seems silly because it is very unlikely to happen

Answer 79

fond / fɒnd $ fɑnd / adjective

1 be fond of somebody
Joe’s quite fond of her, isn’t he?
Over the years we’ve grown very fond of each other.

2 be fond of (doing) something
I’m not overly fond of cooking.
I’d grown fond of the place and it was difficult to leave.

3 be fond of doing something
My grandfather was very fond of handing out advice to all my friends.

4 [ only before noun ] a fond look, smile, action etc He gave her a fond look.
As we parted we said a fond farewell .

5 have fond memories of something/somebody
Marie still had fond memories of their time together.

6 a fond hope/belief
in the fond hope/belief that
They sent him to another school in the fond hope that his behaviour would improve.

— fondness noun [ uncountable ] :
a fondness for expensive clothes → fondly

Question 80

1 _______ with problems/difficulties/danger etc
full of problems etc

2 full of anxiety or worry SYN tense

Answer 80

fraught / frɔt $ frɒt / adjective

1 fraught with problems/difficulties/danger etc
Their marriage has been fraught with difficulties.

2 a fraught atmosphere
a fraught situation
Julie sounded rather fraught.

Question 81

1 if cloth or other material ____s, or if something frays it, the threads become loose because the material is old

2 if someone’s temper or nerves ____, or if something ____s them, they become annoyed

Answer 81

fray 1 / freɪ / verb [ intransitive and transitive ]

1 The collar had started to fray on Ed’s coat.
He had frayed the bottom of his jeans.

2 Tempers soon began to fray .

— frayed adjective :
The carpet was badly frayed.

Question 82

very strongly felt and sincere

Answer 82

heart‧felt / hɑtfelt $ hɑrt- / adjective

a heartfelt apology

Question 83

1 to become separated from the main part of something SYN ____ off

2 to leave a place with a particular feeling or idea

Answer 83

come away phrasal verb

1 One of the wires in the plug had come away.
I turned some of the pages and they came away in my hand.

2 We came away thinking that we had done quite well.

come away with
I came away with the impression that the school was very well run.

Question 84

an _________________ feeling, quality etc is difficult to describe or explain

Answer 84

in‧de‧fi‧na‧ble / ɪndɪfaɪnəb ə l◂ / adjective

an indefinable feeling, quality etc
She felt an indefinable sadness.

— indefinably adverb

Question 85

13 a) to say very firmly that someone must do something or must stop doing something

b) informal to make a car go faster

Answer 85

13 put your foot down

a) You’ll just have to put your foot down and tell him he can’t stay out on school nights.
b) informal to make a car go faster

Question 86

1 [ uncountable and countable ] a feeling that you get from one of your five senses, especially the sense of touch

2 [ countable ] a feeling that is difficult to describe, caused by a particular event, experience, or memory

3 [ uncountable ] the ability to feel things, especially through your sense of touch

4 [ countable usually singular ] extreme excitement or interest, or someone or something that causes this

Answer 86

sen‧sa‧tion / senseɪʃ ə n / noun

1 burning/prickling/tingling etc sensation
One sign of a heart attack is a tingling sensation in the left arm.

sensation of
a sensation of heat

2 sensation that
Caroline had the sensation that she was being watched.

strange/curious/odd sensation
It was a strange sensation – I felt I’d been there before.

3 Jerry realized that he had no sensation in his legs.

4 cause/create a sensation
The sex scenes in the film caused a sensation.

pop/fashion/media etc sensation
the latest pop sensation from England

COLLOCATIONS

adjectives
pleasant She was enjoying the pleasant sensation of being in the warm water.
unpleasant I felt a rather unpleasant sensation in my chest.
strange/odd As we looked at each other I had a strange sensation.
a physical sensation Babies soon learn to recognize the physical sensation of hunger.
a burning sensation These chemicals can cause a burning sensation or rash.
a prickling sensation (= a feeling that your skin is stinging ) He felt a prickling sensation on the back of his neck.
a tingling sensation (= a feeling that your skin is stinging slightly ) She felt a tingling sensation, like a mild electric shock.
a choking sensation (= a feeling that you cannot breathe ) A choking sensation filled my throat.

verbs
feel/have/experience a sensation He felt a tingling sensation down his left side.
cause/produce a sensation The drug can produce strange sensations in some patients.

Question 87

be _____ to do something formal

to be unwilling to do something SYN reluctant OPP willing

Answer 87

loath , loth / ləʊθ $ loʊθ / adjective

be loath to do something formal
Sarah was loath to tell her mother what had happened.

Question 88

1 eating or wanting large quantities of food

2 having an extremely strong desire to do or have a lot of something

Answer 88

vo‧ra‧cious / vəreɪʃəs, vɒ- $ vɔ-, və- / adjective

1 Pigs are voracious feeders.
Kids can have voracious appetites .

2 a voracious reader
Her appetite for information was voracious .

— voraciously adverb :
Anne has always read voraciously .

— voracity / -ræsəti, -ræsɪti / noun [ uncountable ]

Question 89

to collect and save large amounts of food, money etc, especially when it is not necessary to do so

Answer 89

hoard 2 ( also hoard up ) verb [ transitive ]

families who hoarded food during the strike

— hoarder noun [ countable ] :
I’m a hoarder when it comes to clothes.

hoard to keep large amounts of food, money etc because you think you may not be able to get them in the future – used when you do not approve of people doing this because it is not necessary or not fair to other people : People have been hoarding food and fuel in case there is another attack. | Rationing of basic food products was introduced to prevent hoarding.

Question 90

1 [ intransitive and transitive ] to complain in a sad annoying voice about something SYN moan

2 [ intransitive ] to make a long high sound because you are in pain or unhappy

3 [ intransitive ] if a machine _____s, it makes a continuous high sound

Answer 90

whine / waɪn / verb

1 Oh Charlotte, please stop whining.
‘I don’t understand,’ whined Rose.

whine about
The sergeant was whining about how hard he had been forced to work recently.

2 He could hear the dog whining behind the door.

— whine noun [ countable ] :
The baby’s howl turned to a high-pitched whine.
the whine of a vacuum cleaner

moan/whine informal ( also whinge / wɪndʒ / British English informal ) to keep complaining in an annoying way : Everyone was moaning about the hotel food. | Stop whingeing and get on with your work!

Question 91

being a perfect example of a particular type of person or thing SYN typical

Answer 91

quin‧tes‧sen‧tial / kwɪntəsenʃ ə l◂, kwɪntɪsenʃ ə l◂ / adjective

‘Guys and Dolls’ is the quintessential American musical.

— quintessentially adverb :
a place that is quintessentially English

quintessential used when you want to emphasize that someone or something is the very best example of something – used especially when you admire them very much : the quintessential guide to New York | Robert Plant is the quintessential rock ‘n’ roll singer.

Question 92

1 to not have the chance to do something that you enjoy and that would be good for you

2 ____ somebody/something ↔ ___ British English
to not include someone or something

Answer 92

miss out phrasal verb
1 Some children miss out because their parents can’t afford to pay for school trips.

miss out on
Prepare food in advance to ensure you don’t miss out on the fun!

2 miss somebody/something ↔ out British English
Make sure you don’t miss any details out.

Question 93

1 to free someone from feelings or conditions that make their life unhappy or difficult

2 to free prisoners, a city, a country etc from someone’s control

Answer 93

lib‧e‧rate AC / lɪbəreɪt / verb [ transitive ]

1 liberate somebody from something
women’s freedom to pursue careers liberated from childcare
the liberating power of education

2 A few days later, our armies liberated the city.

— liberation / lɪbəreɪʃ ə n / noun [ uncountable ] :
liberation from oppression
the liberation of Paris in August 1944

— liberator / lɪbəreɪtə $ -ər / noun [ countable ]

Question 94

1 the land and buildings of a university or college, including the buildings where students live

2 the land and buildings belonging to a large company

Answer 94

cam‧pus / kæmpəs / noun [ uncountable and countable ]

1 a beautiful campus in New England

on/off campus
Most first-year students live on campus.

2 the Microsoft campus outside Seattle

Question 95

to be in a particular situation, state, or place after a series of events, especially when you did not plan it

Answer 95

end up phrasal verb

He came round for a coffee and we ended up having a meal together.
I wondered where the pictures would end up after the auction.

end up doing something
Most slimmers end up putting weight back on.

end up with
Anyone who swims in the river could end up with a nasty stomach upset.

end up as
He could end up as President.

end up like
I don’t want to end up like my parents.

Question 96

ordinary, and happening every day

Answer 96

quo‧tid‧i‧an / kwəʊtɪdiən $ kwoʊ- / adjective literary

Question 97

someone who is ____________ shows no emotion or reaction in the expression on their face so that it is impossible to know what they are feeling or thinking

Answer 97

in‧scru‧ta‧ble / ɪnskrutəb ə l / adjective

He stood silent and inscrutable.

— inscrutably adverb

— inscrutability / ɪnskrutəbɪləti, ɪnskrutəbɪlɪti / noun [ uncountable ]

Question 98

a joke that is only understood by a particular group of people

Answer 98

in-joke noun [ countable ]

Question 99

very strange and difficult to explain

Answer 99

un‧can‧ny / ʌnkæni / adjective

an uncanny coincidence

— uncannily adverb

uncanny very strange – used especially about someone having an unusual ability to do something, or looking surprisingly similar to someone : She had an uncanny knack (= ability ) of putting her finger right on a problem. | Alice had an uncanny resemblance to Josie. | his uncanny ability to pick racing winners

Question 100

1 to hit the ball to begin a game of golf

2 ____ somebody ↔ ___
to force a person or animal to go away from you

Answer 100

drive off phrasal verb

2 drive somebody ↔ off
We keep dogs in the yard to drive off intruders

Question 101

1 _____ power/influence/authority etc
to have a lot of power or influence, and to use it

2 to hold a weapon or tool that you are going to use

Answer 101

wield / wild / verb [ transitive ]

1 wield power/influence/authority etc
The Church wields immense power in Ireland.

2 She had her car windows smashed by a gang wielding baseball bats.

THESAURUS

to use your power or your rights
exercise formal to use your rights, authority, influence etc : Only 40% of the poulation exercised their right to vote. | Congress must decide whether to exercise its veto.

wield / wild / formal to use great power or influence : The central banks wield enormous power.

Question 102

1 if the Moon ___________s the Sun, the Sun cannot be seen behind the Moon, and if the Earth _______s the Moon, the Moon cannot be seen because the Earth is between the Sun and the Moon

2 [ often passive ] to become more important, powerful, famous etc than someone or something else, so that they are no longer noticed → overshadow

Answer 102

eclipse 2 verb [ transitive ]

2 The economy had eclipsed the environment as an election issue.

Question 103

1 informal to spend a lot of time in a particular place or with particular people

2 ____ something ↔ ___
to ____ clothes outside in order to dry them

3 let it all ____ ___ informal
to relax and do what you like

Answer 103

hang out phrasal verb

1 informal
hang out with
I don’t really know who she hangs out with.
Where do the youngsters hang out? → hangout

2 hang something ↔ out
My job was to hang out the washing.
Hang the wet things out to dry .

3 let it all hang out informal

Question 104

1 [ transitive ] to suddenly attack and enter a place using a lot of force

2 [ intransitive always + adverb/preposition ] to go somewhere in a noisy fast way that shows you are extremely angry

3 [ intransitive and transitive ] literary to shout something in an angry way

Answer 104

storm 2 verb

1 An angry crowd stormed the embassy.

2 storm out of/into/off etc
Alan stormed out of the room.

3 ‘What difference does it make?’ she stormed.

storm to suddenly attack a city or building that is well defended by getting inside it and taking control : Elite troops stormed the building and rescued the hostages.

Question 105

British English informal the act of stealing things

Answer 105

thiev‧ing / θivɪŋ / noun [ uncountable ]

— thieving adjective :
thieving pirates

Question 106

1 [ uncountable ] a very high level of intelligence, mental skill, or ability, which only a few people have

2 [ countable ] someone who has an unusually high level of intelligence, mental skill, or ability

3 a __________ for (doing) something
special skill at doing something

Answer 106

ge‧ni‧us / dʒiniəs / noun

1 The film reveals Fellini’s genius.

work/writer/man etc of genius
Wynford was an architect of genius.
a stroke of genius (= a very clever idea )
At the time, his appointment seemed a stroke of genius.
a work of pure genius

2 Freud was a genius.

musical/comic/mathematical etc genius

a genius at (doing) something
My father was a genius at storytelling.

3 a genius for (doing) something
That woman has a genius for organization.
Warhol’s genius for publicity

genius [ uncountable ] very great ability, which only a few people have : The opera shows Mozart’s genius as a composer. | Picasso was a painter of genius .

Question 107

1 [ uncountable ] thick thread made of cotton or wool, which is used to knit things

2 [ countable ] informal a story of adventures, travels etc, usually made more exciting and interesting by adding things that never really happened

Answer 107

yarn / jɑn $ jɑrn / noun

2 The old captain would often spin (= tell ) us a yarn about life aboard ship.

yarn informal a long exciting story that is not completely true : The movie’s a rattling good yarn and full of action.

Question 108

bad-tempered and unfriendly SYN sullen

Answer 108

sur‧ly / sɜli $ sɜrli / adjective

a surly teenager

— surliness noun [ uncountable ]

Question 109

loft 1 / lɒft $ lɒft / noun [ countable ]

1 under a roof British English
a room or space under the roof of a building, usually used for storing things in SYN attic

2 on a farm
a raised area in a barn used for keeping hay or other crops in

3 part of a room American English
a raised area above the main part of a room, usually used for sleeping

4 type of apartment
a space above a business, factory etc that was once used for storing goods, but has been changed into living space

5 for birds
a set of cage s used to keep pigeon s in

6 in a church
the raised place in a church where the organ or choir is

Answer 109

loft 1 / lɒft $ lɒft / noun [ countable ]

1 Our neighbours have just done a loft conversion (= changed the loft into bedrooms ) .

2 a hayloft

4 She’s just bought a loft in Manhattan.

Question 110

1 ( also ____ up ) to fill or block a small hole

2 to advertise a book, film etc by mentioning it on television or radio

3 ____ the gap
to provide something that is needed, because there is not enough

4 American English old-fashioned to shoot someone

____ ____ phrasal verb
to keep working hard at something

____ something ↔ __ phrasal verb
to connect a piece of electrical equipment to the main supply of electricity, or to another piece of electrical equipment

____ ____ something phrasal verb

1 \_\_\_\_ (something) \_\_\_\_ something  
to connect one piece of electrical equipment to another, or to be connected

2 informal to realize that something is available to be used and use it

Answer 110

plug 2 verb ( past tense and past participle plugged , present participle plugging ) [ transitive ]

1 ( also plug up )
We used mud to plug up the holes in the roof.

2 Arnie was on the show to plug his new movie.

3 plug the gap
With so few trained doctors, paramedics were brought in to plug the gap.

plug away phrasal verb

plug away at
If you keep plugging away at it, your English will improve.

plug something ↔ in phrasal verb

‘Is your printer working?’ ‘Wait a minute – it’s not plugged in.’

plug into something phrasal verb

1 plug (something) into something     
Your phone can be plugged into the cigarette lighter socket in your car. 
Games consoles plug into the back of the TV. 

2 informal A lot of students don’t plug into all the research facilities we have.

plug verb [ transitive ] informal to advertise a book, film etc by talking about it on television or radio : Marc was on the show to plug his new play.

Question 111

ready and willing to fight or argue

Answer 111

com‧ba‧tive / kɒmbətɪv $ kəmbætɪv / adjective

Congress is in a combative mood.

— combativeness noun [ uncountable ]

Question 112

1 to worry a lot about things that may not be very important

2 to pay too much attention to small unimportant details

3 American English to behave in an unhappy or angry way

____ ____ somebody/something phrasal verb
to pay a lot of attention or too much attention to someone or something, especially to show that you are pleased with them or like them

Answer 112

fuss 2 verb [ intransitive ]

1 I wish you’d stop fussing – I’ll be perfectly all right.

2 fuss with/around/about
Paul was fussing with his clothes, trying to get his tie straight.

3 The baby woke up and started to fuss.

fuss over somebody/something phrasal verb
His aunts fussed over him all the time.

Question 113

1 [ intransitive ] if two armies, groups etc _____, they start fighting – used in news reports

2 [ intransitive ] if two people or groups ____, they argue because they have very different beliefs and opinions – used in news reports

3 [ intransitive ] if two colours or designs clash, they look very bad together

4 [ intransitive ] especially British English
if two events _____, they happen at the same time in a way that is inconvenient SYN conflict American English

5 [ intransitive and transitive ]
if two pieces of metal _____, or if you _____ them, they make a loud ringing sound

Answer 113

clash 1 / klæʃ / verb

1 Troops clashed near the border.

clash with
Police have clashed with demonstrators again today.

2 clash with
Democrats clashed with Republicans in a heated debate.

clash over/on
The two men have clashed over the report’s conclusions.

3 clash with
I can’t wear red – it clashes with my hair.

4 clash with
The announcement has been delayed to avoid clashing with the Prime Minister’s speech.

5 The cymbals clashed.

Question 114

1 plan
____ something ↔ ___
to think carefully about how you are going to do something and plan a good way of doing it

2 calculate
____ something ↔ ___
to calculate an answer, amount, price etc

3 understand
____ something ↔ ___ especially British English
to think about something and manage to understand it

4 cost
if a cost or amount ____s ___ at a particular figure, it is found to be that much when you calculate it

5 get better
if a problem or complicated situation ____s ___, it gradually gets better or gets solved

6 happen
if a situation ____s ___ in a particular way, it happens in that way SYN turn out

7 exercise
to make your body fit and strong by doing exercises

8 I can’t ____ somebody ___ British English spoken used to say that you cannot understand what someone is really like or why they behave in the way they do

9 be ____ed ___
if a mine is ____ed ___, all the coal, gold etc has been removed from it

Answer 114

work out phrasal verb

1 UN negotiators have worked out a set of compromise proposals.

work out what/where/how etc
We need to work out how we’re going to get there.
I had it all worked out (= had made very careful plans ) .

2 See if you can work this bill out.

work out how much/how many etc
We’ll have to work out how much food we’ll need for the party.

3 The plot is very complicated – it’ll take you a while to work it out.

work something out for yourself
I’m sure you can work it out for yourself.

4 work out at/to £10/$500 etc
The bill works out at £15 each.
work out expensive/cheap etc (= be expensive or cheap )
If we go by taxi, it’s going to work out very expensive.

5 Things will work out, you’ll see.
I hope it all works out for Gina and Andy.

work itself out
I’m sure everything will work itself out.

6 work out well/badly
Financially, things have worked out well for us.

7 He works out with weights twice a week. → workout

8 I can’t work somebody out British English spoken
I couldn’t work her out at all.

9 be worked out

Question 115

1 [ countable ] a short angry argument, especially between people who know each other well SYN quarrel

2 [ countable ] a situation in which people disagree strongly about important public matters SYN controversy

3 [ singular ] a loud unpleasant noise that continues for a long time SYN racket

Answer 115

row 2 / raʊ / noun British English

1 row with
He had just had a row with his wife.

row about
What was the row about?
a family row
a blazing row (= a very angry argument )

2 row about/over
a new row over government secrecy

3 Stop that row – I’m trying to get to sleep!

COLLOCATIONS

verbs
have a row Have you and Peter had a row?

ADJECTIVES/NOUN + row
a huge row They had a huge row when he got back home early yesterday.
a furious row She left the party after a furious row with her boyfriend.
a blazing/flaming row (= a very angry row ) She had a blazing row with Eddie and stormed out of the house.
a stand-up row (= a very angry row ) That night there was a stand-up row among the four kidnappers.
a family row When he turned up late, there was a family row.
an unholy row informal (= a very angry row ) An unholy row broke out between two of the men drinking in the bar.

Question 116

boring or ordinary

Answer 116

pro‧sa‧ic / prəʊzeɪ-ɪk, prə- $ proʊ-, prə- / adjective

a prosaic writing style
The reality, however, is probably more prosaic.

— prosaically / -kli / adverb

Question 117

1 if a train, bus, plane, or ship ____s __, it arrives at a place

2 if money or information ____s __, you receive it

3 to be involved in a plan, deal etc

4 to join in a conversation or discussion

5 to become fashionable or popular OPP go out

6 to finish a race

7 if the tide ____s __, the sea moves towards the land and covers the edge of it OPP go out

____ __ ___ something phrasal verb
____ __ ___ criticism/blame/scrutiny
to be criticized, blamed etc for something

Answer 117

come in phrasal verb

1 What time does your train come in?

come in to
We come in to Heathrow at nine in the morning.

2 Reports are coming in of a massive earthquake in Mexico.
We haven’t got enough money coming in.

3 We need some financial advice – that’s where Kate comes in.

come in on
You had the chance to come in on the deal.

4 Can I come in here and add something to what you’re saying?

5 Trainers really became popular in the 1980s, when casual sportswear came in.

6 come in first/second etc
His horse came in second to last.

come in for something phrasal verb
come in for criticism/blame/scrutiny
The government has come in for fierce criticism over its handling of this affair.

Question 118

easily annoyed by unimportant things SYN bad-tempered

Answer 118

crab‧by / kræbi / adjective

a crabby old man
You’re a bit crabby this morning.

Question 119

1 in ____________
happening one after the other without anything different happening in between

2 a ____________ of something
a number of people or things of the same kind, following, coming, or happening one after the other SYN stream

3 [ uncountable ] the act of taking over an official job or position, or the right to be the next to take it → accession

Answer 119

suc‧ces‧sion AC / səkseʃ ə n / noun

1 in succession
She won the championship four times in succession.

in quick/rapid/close succession (= quickly one after the other )
He fired two shots in quick succession.

2 a succession of something
A succession of visitors came to the door.

3 If the prince dies, the succession passes to his son.

succession to
the queen’s succession to the throne

Question 120

1 (heart) _________ operation/surgery
an operation to direct blood through new vein s (= blood tubes ) outside the heart because the veins in the heart are blocked or diseased

2 a road that goes around a town or other busy area rather than through it → ring road

3 technical a tube that allows gas or liquid to flow around something rather than through it

Answer 120

by‧pass 1 / baɪpɑs $ -pæs / noun [ countable ]

1 (heart) bypass operation/surgery
a triple heart bypass operation

Question 121

1 a period of darkness caused by a failure of the electricity supply SYN power cut

2 a situation in which particular pieces of news or information are not allowed to be reported

3 a period during a war when all the lights in a town or city must be turned off

4 if someone has a ________, they suddenly become unconscious

Answer 121

black‧out / blækaʊt / noun [ countable ]

2 As the crisis worsened, the authorities imposed a news blackout .

Question 122

in \_\_\_\_ (of something)   formal   
instead of

Answer 122

lieu / lju, lu $ lu / noun

  in lieu (of something)   formal :  
extra time off in lieu of payment

Question 123

________ something ↔ __ phrasal verb

1 to bring a thought, picture, idea, or memory to someone’s mind

2 to make something appear when it is not expected, as if by magic

3 to make the soul of a dead person appear by saying special magic words

Answer 123

con‧jure / kʌndʒə $ kɑndʒər, kʌn- / verb

conjure something ↔ up phrasal verb

1 conjure up images/pictures/thoughts etc (of something)
Dieting always seems to conjure up images of endless salads.

2 Somehow we have to conjure up another $10,000.

Question 124

1 [ only before noun ] having an extreme way of life or an extreme belief that is very unlikely to change

2 ____-____ pornography magazines, films etc that show the details of sexual behaviour, often in an unpleasant way

Answer 124

hard-core , hard‧core / hɑdkɔ $ hɑrdkɔr / adjective

1 a hard-core drug addict
hard-core racists

2 hard-core pornography magazines, films etc

Question 125

clever talk or tricks used to persuade someone to do what you want

Answer 125

wiles / waɪlz / noun [ plural ]

It was impossible to resist her feminine wiles .