Words 17 Flashcards
(20 cards)
keep something at bay
also hold something at bay
to control something and prevent it from causing you problems:
Governments continue to enforce social-distancing measures to keep the virus at bay.
She fought to keep her unhappiness at bay.
pencil sb/sth in
— phrasal verb with pencil verb
UK /ˈpensəl/ US
UK -ll- | US -l-
to make an arrangement with someone to do something knowing that the time or date may need to be changed:
Let’s pencil a meeting in for next Thursday at 11.
Analysts are penciling in global GDP growth of 7% or more in the third quarter of this year, compared with the second.
diverge
verb [ I ]
UK /ˌdaɪˈvɜːdʒ/ US /dɪˈvɝːdʒ/
to follow a different direction, or to be or become different:
It’s common for growth rates to diverge in downturns.
They walked along the road together until they reached the village, but then their paths diverged.
Although the two organizations have worked together for many years, their objectives have diverged recently.
tot sth up — phrasal verb with tot verb UK /tɒt/ US /tɑːt/ -tt- informal
to add up numbers or amounts of something, or to have a particular number or amount as a total when added up:
She quickly totted up our bill and added an amount for the waiter.
That tots up to £20.
venture
verb [ I usually + adv/prep, T ] formal
UK /ˈven.tʃər/ US /ˈven.tʃɚ/
C2
to risk going somewhere or doing something that might be dangerous or unpleasant, or to risk saying something that might be criticized:
Britons seem more nervous than other Europeans about venturing outside.
She rarely ventured outside, except when she went to stock up on groceries.
subpar
adjective (also sub-par)
UK /ˌsʌbˈpɑːr/ US
used to describe something that is below average, or below what is expected:
The covid-induced downturn will leave the world economy feeling subpar for some time to come.
The economy posted sub-par annual growth of less than 2% for four straight quarters.
Does he deserve such a generous retirement package, considering the company’s subpar performance?
The new chairman is attempting to revamp operations after years of subpar results at the company.
trickle verb [I] (SMALL NUMBER)
trickle in, out, back, etc.
to arrive or move somewhere slowly and gradually, in small numbers:
In recent weeks, the first confirmed reports of people who have been reinfected with the coronavirus have begun to trickle in.
Gradually people trickled back into the theatre for the second half.
swish
verb [ I or T ]
UK /swɪʃ/ US /swɪʃ/
to (cause to) move quickly through the air making a soft sound:
Brush your teeth or swish some mouthwash.
I heard the rope swish through the air.
The horses swished their tails to get rid of the flies hovering around them.
cast/shed/throw light on sth
C2
Something or someone that casts/sheds/throws light on a situation provides an explanation for it or information that makes it easier to understand:
As an economist, he was able to shed some light on the problem.
seam
noun [ C ]
UK /siːm/ US /siːm/
seam noun [C] (JOIN)
a line where two things join, especially a line of sewing joining two pieces of cloth or leather:
The bags we sell have very strong seams, so they will last for years.
My old coat is coming/falling apart at the seams (= the stitches are coming out).
woe
noun
UK /wəʊ/ US /woʊ/
woes [ plural ] formal
big problems or troubles:
The country has been beset by economic woes for the past decade.
Erdogan and the country’s finance minister, his son-in-law Berat Albayrak, have often blamed Turkey’s economic woes on foreign powers.
Unusually poor harvests have added to the country’s woes.
dent
verb [ T ]
UK /dent/ US /dent/
to make a small hollow mark in the surface of something:
I dropped a hammer on the floor, and it dented the floorboard.
President’s unexpected decision to fire David Costa as governor adds another dent to the central bank’s credibility.
amplify
verb [ T ]
UK /ˈæm.plɪ.faɪ/ US /ˈæm.plə.faɪ/
to increase the size or effect of something:
While that helped Erdogan’s government provide much-needed support to the $740 billion economy during the coronavirus pandemic, it also amplified inflationary pressures and weighed on the lira.
remit verb [ T ] UK /rɪˈmɪt/ US /rɪˈmɪt/ -tt- remit verb [T] (REDUCE)
the area that a person or group of people in authority has responsibility for or control over:
Agbal has a reputation as a decent technocrat. He is orthodox in economic outlook. Cannot imagine he would have taken the job without a remit to be allowed to do the right thing.
LAW UK specialized
to reduce a period of time that someone must spend in prison:
His prison sentence was remitted to two years.
to state legally that someone does not have to do something, for example pay a debt:
The fine was calculated at £3,500 but was subsequently remitted.
to order a legal case to be dealt with in a different court of law:
(be remitted to the court/tribunal)
The case will be remitted to the tribunal for reconsideration.
oust
verb [ T ]
UK /aʊst/ US /aʊst/
to force someone to leave a position of power, job, place, or competition:
The president was ousted (from power) in a military coup in January 1987.
Police are trying to oust drug dealers from the city .
nosedive
noun [ C usually singular ]
UK /ˈnəʊz.daɪv/ US /ˈnoʊz.daɪv/
to suddenly fall in value, quickly and by a large amount:
House prices nosedived without warning.
A senior official in Erdogan’s AKP said Uysal was held responsible for the nosedive of the lira.
plummet
verb [ I ]
UK /ˈplʌm.ɪt/ US /ˈplʌm.ɪt/
to fall very quickly and suddenly:
House prices have plummeted in recent months.
amid
preposition formal
UK /əˈmɪd/ US /əˈmɪd/
(also amidst, UK /əˈmɪdst/ US /əˈmɪdst/)
C1
in the middle of or surrounded by:
Erdogan appointed then-Deputy Governor Uysal to head the central bank in July 2019 when he sacked his predecessor Murat Cetinkaya AMID the president’s frustration that the bank HAD NOT cut interest rates to boost the economy.
Naci Agbal HAD been finance minister from 2015 until 2018 when he WAS appointed to head the directorate of presidential strategy and budget.
panacea
noun [ C usually singular ]
UK /ˌpæn.əˈsiː.ə/ US /ˌpæn.əˈsiː.ə/
something that some people believe will solve all problems:
Some economists say that consumer spending is the panacea for all economic ills.
frown on/upon sth
— phrasal verb with frown verb [ I ]
UK /fraʊn/ US /fraʊn/
C2
to disapprove of something:
Smoking is frowned upon in many societies.
