TEST 21-30 Flashcards
(182 cards)
1
Q
disparity
A
a difference, esp. one connected with unfair treatment
2
Q
vie for sth
A
compete for sth
3
Q
malleable
A
easily influenced, changed, trained or controlled
4
Q
in raptures
A
an expression of extreme pleasure and happiness or excitement
5
Q
snap up
A
to buy or obtain sth quickly because it’s cheap or you want it very much
6
Q
term of endearment
A
used to address or describe a person, animal or inanimate object for which the speaker feels love or affection
7
Q
stammer
A
to speak with difficulty, repeating sounds or words and often stopping, before saying things correctly
8
Q
wear your heart on your sleeve
A
to make your feelings and emotions obvious rather than hiding them
9
Q
on the same page
A
to understand and agree with what is being done or suggested
10
Q
clam up
A
to suddenly stop talking or explaining sth
11
Q
in a pinch
A
sth that you can do if it is really necessary, but it will be difficult, not perfect, or not what you would really like
12
Q
I would give my right arm for sth/ to do sth
A
like or need it very much
13
Q
glean
A
to obtain information, knowledge, etc. sometimes with difficulty and often from various different places
14
Q
kernel of sth
A
a very small part of sth
15
Q
deep-pocketed
A
having large amount of money to spend
16
Q
hotbed
A
a place where a lot of particular activity, esp. sth bad or violent is happening
17
Q
capstone
A
sb’s greatest achievement or the greatest part of sth
18
Q
rarefield
A
containing less oxygen than usual
19
Q
arm-twisting
A
behavior in which you try to make sb do sth by threats or by persuading them
20
Q
bode ill for sth
A
to be a bad sign for sth
21
Q
within spitting/touching/striking distance
A
very close to sth
22
Q
cock-and-bull story
A
a story that is unlikely to be true, often used as an excuse
23
Q
take sb to the cleaners
A
to steal all of sb/s money, etc. or getting it using a trick
24
Q
placid
A
not easily excited or annoyed
25
take on sth (n)
a particular opinion or idea that sb has about sth
26
efflorescence
the production of a lot of sth, the most developed stage of sth
27
capricious
changing suddenly and quickly
28
on spec
taking a chance, without being sure that you will get what you want
29
saddle with
to give sb/yourself an unpleasant responsibility, task, debt, etc.
30
abrogate
to fail to carry out a responsibility or duty, to avoid sth that you should do
31
mendacious
not telling the truth
32
defuse
to stop a possibly dangerous or difficult situation from developing, esp. making people less angry or nervous
33
missile
sth used to throw at people to attack them
34
insensate
not aware of what you are doing or what is happening around you
35
quizzical
(expression) showing that you are slightly surprised
36
embattled
involved in war, surrounded by the enemy
37
loophole
a mistake in the way a law, contract, etc. has been written that enables people to legally avoid sth that the law, contract, etc. has intended them to do
38
cringe-worthy
cringe-making
make you feel embarrassed or uncomfortable
39
be saved by the bell
sth that you say when a difficult situation ends suddenly before you have to do or say sth you do not want to
40
old maid
a woman who has never married and is now no longer young
41
speak with a forked tounge
to tell lies or say one thing and mean sth else
42
hit/knock sb for six
to affect sb very deeply, to upset or overwhelm sb
43
clatter
the sound of hard objects hitting against each other
44
convert
to be able to be changed from one form, purpose, or system to another
45
tend sb/sth
to care for sb/sth
46
precursor (of/to sth)
a person or thing that comes before sb/sth similar and that leads to or influences its development
47
last-ditch
used to describe a final attempt to achieve sth, when there is not much hope of succeeding
48
promulgate
to spread an idea, belief, etc. among many people or to announce
49
shirk
to avoid doing sth you should do, esp. because you're too lazy
50
hard line
a strict policy or attitude
51
bristle with
to contain a large number of sth
51
busybody
a person who is too interested in what other people doing
52
embed
to fix sth in a subtance or solid subject
53
beseech
to ask sb for sth in an anxious way because you want it very much
54
befit
to be suitable and good enough for sb/sth
55
be up the creek (without a paddle)
to be in a very difficult situation
56
till the cows come home
for a very long time, or for ever
57
a drop in the bucket
an amount of sth that is too small or unimportant to make any real difference to a situation
58
be afflicted with sth
be affected in an unpleasant or harmful way
59
forlon
unlikely to succeed, come true, etc
60
insulate sb/sth from/against sth
to protect sb/sth from unpleasant experience, influences
61
press on
to continue traveling or doing sth
62
plead
to state that you are guilty or not guilty of a crime
63
bail out
to escape from a situation that you no longer want to be involved in
64
break
when the waves break, they fall and are dissolved into foam, usually near land
65
transient
continuing for only a short time
66
drive/send sb round the bend
to make sb very bored or very angry
67
hoodwink
to deceive or trick sb
68
jumble sale
a sale of a mixed collection of things that people no longer want, esp. in order to make money for an organization
69
below-the-radar
ignored or not noticed much by people in general
70
upshot
the final result of a situation
71
linchpin
a person or thing that is the most important part of an organization, a plan, etc., because everything else depends on it
72
bilateral
involving two groups of people or two countries
73
luxuriate in sth
to get great pleasure from sth
74
barrel of fun
a person or thing that is very enjoyable
75
kick against
to refuse to accept sth and react strongly against it
76
dog eat dog
a situation in business, politics, etc. where there is a lot of competition and people are willing to harm each other in order to succeed
77
atrophy
the condition of being weak
78
avariece
greed
79
tinker with sth
to make small changes to sth in order to repair or improve it, esp. in a way that may not be helpful
80
trifle with sb/sth
to treat sb/sth without real respect
81
dial up
to increase the amount of sth
82
prostrate
so shocked, upset, etc. that you cannot do anything
83
chafe at/under sth
to feel annoyed and impatient about sth, esp. because it limits what you can do
84
valiant
very brave or determined
85
work your fingers to the bone
to work very hard
86
flog a dead horse
waste energy on a lost cause or a situation that cannot be changed
87
make lemonade out of lemons
make a bad situation better
88
hit play dirt
to suddenly be in a successful situation
89
in the offing
likely to appear or happen soon
90
nestled
nest
to put or hold sb/sth in a comfortable position in a warm or soft place
91
accursed
annoying or making you feel angry
92
mimicry
the action of copying the skill of being able to copy the voice, movements, etc. of others
93
feverishly
in a way that shows strong feelings of excitement or worry, often with a lot of activity or quick movements
94
latch onto
to attach oneself to sth
95
on the fly
do sth quickly
96
outrun
to develop faster or further than sth
97
take issue with
to disagree strongly
98
woefully
to a serious degree
99
gape at sb/sth
to stare at sb/sth with your mouth open because you are shocked or surprised
100
gregarious
sociable
101
meticulous
paying attention to details
102
as stubborn as a mule
very stubborn
103
a real blast from the past
sth or sb that a person has not seen for a long time, which evokes nostalgic feelings
104
sadfishing
exaggerating emotional problems to generate empathy
105
hit the road
to leave a place or begin a journey
106
take in
to go and see sth of interest
107
come up in the world
to have more money or a better social position than you had before
108
enquiry
an official process to discover the facts about sth bad that had happened
109
undimmed
still bright or shinning
110
unbeatable
unable to be defeated or improved because of excellent quality
111
overtake
to go past sth by being a greater amount or degree
112
embedded
(emotion, opinion, etc.) a very strong part of sb/sth
113
repeal
cause a law to no longer have any legal force
114
not get a word in edgeways
to not be able to say anything because sb else is talking all the time
115
go up in smoke
to be wasted
116
face the music
to accept criticism or punishment for sth you have done
117
drop a bombshell
sb give sb else a sudden piece of bad or unexpected news
118
blow sth out of proportions
to treat a particular event or problem far to seriously
119
plummet
to fall very quickly and suddenly
120
move with the times
to change and become more modern, because attitudes or fashions are changing
121
swell
to become larger and rounder than usual, to (cause to) increase in size or amount
122
get back on one's feet
to be healthy again after a period of illness
123
get the knack of sth
to learn how to do sth competently or well after a certain period of practice
124
out of step with sb/sth
not having the same ideas or beliefs as other people, or not being aware of other people's beliefs
125
bolt down
to eat sth quickly
126
horse around
fool around
127
vicious
violent and cruel
128
pertinent
appropriate to a particular situation
129
genesis
the beginning or origin of sth
130
overruns
the act of taking more time or money than was intended
131
signatory
a person, country, or an organization that has signed an official agreement
132
come to a standstill
(work, traffic, negotiations, etc.) to slow down and finally stop, to stop completely
133
if/when it comes to the crunch
if/when a situation becomes extremely serious and a decision must be made
134
disturb
to move or change sth from its usual position, agreement, condition, or shape
135
pull your socks up
to make an effort to improve your work or behavior because it is not good enough
136
a clean bill of health
a decision by a doctor that sb is healthy
137
take sth with a pinch of salt
to not completely believe sth that you are told, because you think it is unlikely to be true
138
the cream of sth
the best of a particular group of people
139
jump the gun
to do sth too soon, esp. without thinking carefully about it
140
smarten sb/sth up
to (cause to) become more clean, tidy and stylish
141
work off
(an unpleasant feeling) to get rid of it doing sth energetic
142
partition
the division of one country into two or more countries
143
forthright
direct and honest in manner and speech
144
short-lived
lasting for only a short time
145
anglicise
to make sb/sth English in character
146
entanglement
the act of becoming caught or twisted in sth, the state of being caught or twisted in sth
147
biting
used to describe weather that is extremely cold, esp. when it causes you physical pain
148
any old how
carelessly
149
sit in judgement on/over sb/sth
to make a judgement on sb/sth esp. when you have no right to do so
150
get a grip on yourself
to make an effort to control your emotions and behave more calmly
151
go through hell and high water
experience a lot of difficulties
152
more heaven and earth
to do everything you can to achieve sth
153
the end of the line/road
the point at which it is no longer possible to continue with a process or activity
154
go off the rails
to start behaving in a way that is not generally acceptable, esp. dishonestly or illegally
155
have a good laugh about sth
to find sth amusing and realize that it is funny, esp. when the situation was at first upsetting
156
have one's way
to do, get etc. what one wants
157
have a lot going for sth
have certain advantages that will make the end result successful
158
no sth to speak of
not enough of sth to make it worth talking about
159
make time
to make certain you have some time when you are not busy in order to do sth you think you should do
160
drag
go slowly
161
whip sth up
to encourage or cause people to have strong feelings about sth
162
sugary
seeming too full of emotion in a way that is not sincere
163
surrealistic
very strange, more like a dream than reality
164
unequivocally
in an unambiguous manner
165
pour/throw cold water on sth
to criticize sb's opinions or ideas and stop people believing then or being excited about them
166
a bone of contention
sth that two or more people argue about strongly over a period of time
167
in line with sth
according to or following sth such as a rule, or principle
168
call sb's attention to sb/sth
to make sb notice and think about a person or thing
169
in limbo
in a situation in which you are not certain what to do next, cannot take actions, etc., esp. because you are waiting for sb else to make a decision
170
workhorse
a person who does a lot of work, esp. a type that is necessary but not interesting
171
in a flash
immediately
172
fork out
to pay an amount of money, esp. unwillingly
173
give place to
to be replaced by sth or sb else
174
scrape through sth
to succeed in sth with a lot of difficulty
175
shady
dishonest or illegal
176
disburse
to pay out money, usually from an amount that has been collected for a particular purpose
177
condition
to train or influence a person or animal mentally so that they do or expect a particular thing without thinking about it
178
interactive
capable of acting on or influencing each other
179
dehumanizing
depriving of human qualities
180
wordsmith
a person who shows skill at using words
181
scaremongers
a person who spreads stories deliberately to make people frightened or nervous
