It was a difficult task, but we brought it  

off.

A crisis brings  out the best in her.

This is not the time to bring  up that subject.

She brushed  past him without saying a word.

He’s very interested in her but she’s always brushing him  off.

I must brush  up on my Italian before I go to Rome.

I bumped  into him on the way out.

David burst  in with Mrs Johnson hot on his heels.

The car skidded, turned over and burst  into flames.

He burst  out laughing.

call / BrE ; AmE / [ I , T ]

to shout or say sth loudly to attract sb's attention
I thought I heard someone calling . ◇ Did somebody call my name? ◇ He called out a warning to her. ◇ ‘Don't
forget what I said!’ she called after him. ◇ I started to leave but they called me back again.
She called out to her father for help.
cry out , cry out sth phrasal verb
to shout sth loudly, especially when you need help or are in trouble
She cried out for help. ◇ I cried out his name. ◇ ‘Thank God you're here!’ she cried out.
The hostages cried out to their captives to let them go.
See also cry out ⇨ SCREAM
►  cry / BrE ; AmE / noun [ C ]: With a cry of ‘Stop thief!’ he ran after the boy.
Her answer was greeted with cries of outrage.
exclaim / BrE ; AmE / [ T , I ] ( written )
to say sth suddenly and loudly, especially because of a strong emotion
‘It isn't fair!’ he exclaimed angrily. ◇ The visitors were led through the gardens, all of them exclaiming with
delight.
‘You can't do that!’ she exclaimed in horror.
►  exclamation / BrE ; AmE / noun [ C ]: He gave an exclamation of surprise.
blurt / BrE ; AmE / [ T ]
to say sth suddenly and without thinking carefully enough
He blurted out the question without thinking. ◇ ‘I know what you're thinking,’ she blurted.
She blurted the address out before I could stop her.
burst out phrasal verb
to say sth suddenly and loudly, especially with a lot of emotion
‘He's just a bully!’ the little boy burst out.
‘You could have killed him!’ she burst out suddenly.

flood / BrE ; AmE / [ I ]

to become filled or covered with water; (of a river) to become so full that it spreads out onto the land around it
The cellar floods whenever it rains heavily. ◇ When the Ganges floods , it causes considerable damage.
See also flood ⇨ SOAK verb , flood ⇨ FLOOD noun   1
overflow / BrE ; AmE / [ I , T ]
(of a container or river) to be so full that the contents go over the sides
The bath is overflowing! ◇ ( figurative ) Her heart overflowed with love. ◇ If it keeps raining the river could
overflow its banks.
spill over / BrE ; AmE / spill over sth / BrE ; AmE / phrasal verb spilled , spilled ; BrE also spilt , spilt
to go over the sides, edge or surface of sth, especially a container
The bag was so full of presents that it was spilling over. ◇ The tears spilled over and trickled down her cheeks. ◇
A few drops of wine spilled over the edge of her glass. ◇ She lay with her hair spilling over the pillow.
burst its banks idiom burst , burst
(of a river) to flood suddenly or dramatically
Many sheep were swept to their deaths when the river burst its banks after rising eight feet overnight.

meet / BrE ; AmE / met , met [ I , T , no passive ]

to be in the same place as sb by chance and talk to them
I hope we'll meet again soon. ◇ Did you meet anyone in town?
A year or so later I happened to meet him again.
See also meet ⇨ MEET   1 , meet ⇨ MEET   3
run into sb phrasal verb running , ran , run ( rather informal )
to meet sb by chance, especially sb you know
Guess who I ran into today!
encounter / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( formal )
to meet sb, or discover sth, especially sb/sth new, unusual or unexpected
She was the most remarkable woman he had ever encountered. ◇ Walruses were commonly encountered in the
Shetland Islands until quite recently.
See also come across sb/sth ⇨ FIND   2 , encounter ⇨ MEETING noun   2
bump into sb phrasal verb ( informal )
to meet sb by chance, especially sb you know
I bumped into Tina this morning.
NOTE RUN INTO SB OR BUMP INTO SB? There is very little difference in the meaning or range of these two verbs. Bump
into sb is more informal and is used slightly less in American English.
cause / BrE ; AmE / [ T ]
to make sth happen, especially sth bad or unpleasant
Do they know what caused the fire? ◇ Are you causing trouble again? ◇ Doctors say her condition is causing some
concern. ◇ The project is still causing him a lot of problems. ◇ The poor harvest caused prices to rise sharply.
The bad weather is causing problems for many farmers. ◇ deaths caused by dangerous driving ◇ Heavy rainfall in
the mountains caused the floods. ◇ A serious road accident caused traffic chaos yesterday. ◇ The earthquake
caused widespread damage to property. ◇ Will it cause any difficulties if I go early? ◇ The bombing caused an
international outcry. ◇ Bacteria sticks to food debris in the teeth, causing decay. ◇ The president's remarks
caused surprise and embarrassment. ◇ The revelations caused some discomfort to the president. ◇ The loss of a
pet can cause some people real anguish.
See also cause ⇨ SOURCE noun
re sult in sth phrasal verb
to cause a particular situation, especially the loss or increase of sth; to have sth as a result
Closure of the plant could result in the loss of thousands of jobs . ◇ In 1965 their work resulted in a Nobel Prize. ◇
These policies resulted in many elderly and disabled people suffering hardship.
The war resulted in a massive increase in government spending. ◇ The cyclone has resulted in many thousands of
deaths. ◇ The trial resulted in an acquittal. ◇ Copying from another candidate results in automatic explusion. ◇
The lack of a clear set of competition rules resulted in inconsistency in the awarding of prizes.
See also result ⇨ RESULT noun , resulting , resultant ⇨ RELATED
lead to sth , lead sth to sth phrasal verb led , led
to be the reason why sth happens; to have sth as a result
The scandal ultimately led to his resignation. ◇ A reward was offered for information leading to an arrest. ◇
These policies could lead the country to environmental catastrophe.
Eating too much sugar can lead to health problems. ◇ The leak led to a slow build-up of carbon dioxide. ◇ The
war has led to the collapse of agriculture in the area. ◇ This election result could well lead to further bloodshed. ◇
The stress led to a gradual deterioration in her health. ◇ Bottling up your anger can only lead to unhappiness. ◇
Modern farming methods have led to the total extinction of many species of wild flowers. ◇ The sudden collapse of
the business led to allegations of corrupt deals. ◇ Incorrect choice of words leads to ambiguity for the reader. ◇
Their work led to some important medical discoveries. ◇ Greater contact between the two groups should lead to a
better mutual understanding.
Lead to sth is often used as part of a process of explaining or understanding sth.
produce / BrE ; AmE / [ T ]
to cause a particular result or reaction
A phone call to the manager produced the result she wanted. ◇ The prime minister's speech produced an angry
response from opposition parties. ◇ The drug produces a feeling of great happiness and excitement.
Their strategy produced the desired outcome. ◇ The questionnaire produced 9 000 replies. ◇ The drug produced
an improvement in all but one case.
bring sth a bout phrasal verb brought , brought
to make sth happen, especially to cause sth to change over a period of time or in a number of stages
What brought about the change in his attitude? ◇ It was this scandal that finally brought about her downfall.
Television brought about a revolution in people's leisure activities. ◇ Going to college brought about a dramatic
transformation in her outlook. ◇ The tax brought about a significant redistribution of wealth. ◇ The plan brought
about improvements in the city's transport system. ◇ Intensive farming has brought about an increase in outbreaks
of food poisoning.
give rise to sth idiom gave , given ( formal )
to make or allow sth to happen or come into existence
The novel's success gave rise to a number of sequels. ◇ The ocean gave rise to the first life on Earth.
create / BrE ; AmE / [ T ]
to produce a particular feeling or impression
The company is trying to create a young energetic image. ◇ The announcement only succeeded in creating
confusion.
make / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] made , made
to cause sth to appear as a result of breaking, tearing, hitting or removing material
The rock made a dent in the roof of the car. ◇ The holes in the cloth were made by moths.
induce / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( formal )
to cause sth or make sth more likely to happen
A glass of warm milk at bedtime may help to induce sleep. ◇ Doctors will begin bringing him out of a drug-induced
coma on Sunday.
Induce is often used to talk about the effects that sth such as medicine, disease or injury has on the body: Hearing
loss is often induced by exposure to loud noise.

land / BrE ; AmE / [ I , T ]

to come down through the air onto the ground or another surface; to make a plane come down to the ground in a
controlled way
Both aircraft landed safely. ◇ A fly landed on the tip of his nose. ◇ A single snowflake drifted down and landed on
the window sill. ◇ He landed the damaged aircraft in a field.
The plane was forced to land in a nearby airfield. ◇ A swan landed on the water.
OPP take off ⇨ SET OFF
►  landing noun [ C , U ]: a perfectly/smooth/safe landing ◇ The pilot was forced to make an emergency landing . ◇
a landing site
the first Apollo moon landing
come to rest phrase came , come ( written )
to stop moving, especially after flying or travelling in an uncontrolled way
The car crashed through the barrier and came to rest in a field. ◇ His eyes came to rest on Clara's face.
The plane finally came to rest in a ploughed field. ◇ The plane came to rest nose down. ◇ Keep the wings level
and don't relax until the glider has come to rest.
come down / BrE ; AmE / phrasal verb came , come
(of an aircraft) to come down to the ground, especially in an uncontrolled way because there is a problem
Forty-two people died when a military aircraft came down in a remote area.
The plane was coming down to land . ◇ The aircraft came down during an attempt to land in bad weather.
settle / BrE ; AmE / [ I ]
to fall or fly down onto sth and stay there for some time
Dust had settled on everything. ◇ Two birds settled on the fence. ◇ Some snow fell but it didn't settle ( = stay on
the ground ) .
When the dust had settled ( = when the air cleared ) we saw the piles of rubble.
touch down / BrE ; AmE / phrasal verb
(of a plane or spacecraft) to land, especially under control or as planned
The space capsule will touch down tomorrow.
The plane touched down right on schedule. ◇ The aircraft was just about to touch down. ◇ The plane touched
down with a bump.
alight / BrE ; AmE / [ I ] ( always used with an adverb or preposition ) ( formal or literary )
(of a bird or insect) to land on or in sth after flying to it
A butterfly fluttered by and alighted on a rose.
Several birds alighted on the branches of the tree. ◇ Storks alight in the tops of trees to roost.
perch / BrE ; AmE / [ I ] ( always used with an adverb or preposition )
(of a bird) to land and stay on a branch, etc
A robin flew down and perched on the fence. ◇ They found the parrot perched in a tree.
bring sth down phrasal verb brought , brought
to land an aircraft, usually in a situation where there is sth wrong
The pilot brought the plane down safely before the passengers even realized there was a problem.
[+]
reduce / BrE ; AmE / [ T ]
to make sth less or smaller in size, amount, number or level
The number of employees was reduced from 40 to 25. ◇ Costs have been reduced by 20 over the past year. ◇
Giving up smoking reduces the risk of heart disease. ◇ Reduce speed now ( = on a sign ) .
OPP increase ⇨ INCREASE
See also reduction ⇨ REDUCTION
lower / BrE ; AmE / [ T ]
to reduce the level of sth
This drug is used to lower blood pressure. ◇ The company may be forced to lower prices in order to stay
competitive. ◇ He lowered his voice to a whisper.
Lower is used especially in the contexts of health and finance: to lower blood pressure/cholesterol levels ◇ to
lower prices/interest rates . Reduce can also be used in these cases; however, if you are talking about the level of
sb's voice, only lower can be used : He reduced his voice to a whisper.
OPP raise ⇨ INCREASE
minimize ( BrE also -ise ) / BrE ; AmE / [ T ]
to reduce sth, especially sth bad, to the lowest possible level
Good hygiene helps to minimize the risk of infection. ◇ They worked at night in order to minimize the disruption.
Costs were minimized by using plastic instead of leather.
OPP maximize ⇨ INCREASE
decrease / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( rather formal )
to reduce the amount or level of sth
People should decrease the amount of fat they eat. ◇ The dose was gradually decreased after eight weeks.
OPP increase ⇨ INCREASE
Decrease is more formal and less frequent than increase ; it is used especially in the contexts of health and
medicine. The more usual opposite of increase is reduce .
See also decrease ⇨ REDUCTION noun
bring sth down phrasal verb brought , brought
to reduce the price, number or level of sth
We aim to bring down prices on all our computers. ◇ The economic recovery will bring down unemployment.
turn sth down / BrE ; AmE / phrasal verb
to reduce the noise, heat or light produced by a piece of equipment by moving its controls
Please turn the volume down. ◇ He turned the lights down low.
OPP turn sth up ⇨ INCREASE
See also turn sth off ⇨ TURN STH OFF

introduce / BrE ; AmE / [ T ]

to make sth such as a product, law, system or idea available for use or discussion for the first time
The company is introducing a new range of products this year. ◇ We want to introduce the latest technology into
schools. ◇ We are going to introduce a few changes to the system.
The airline has introduced a cheap return fare to New York. ◇ The new law was introduced in 2006. ◇ The local
coucil plans to introduce new regulations on parking. ◇ The government has introduced tough new import
restrictions. ◇ These measures have only been recently introduced . ◇ The practice of community policing was
introduced in the 1970s. ◇ The government introduced meat rationing in May. ◇ Many innovations were
introduced by the 1919 Act.
See also introduction ⇨ INTRODUCTION   1
launch / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( especially business or journalism )
to formally start an activity, especially an organized one
The Duchess of Cornwall, president of the charity, will launch the appeal in London. ◇ Police have launched a
murder enquiry. ◇ A massive attack was launched in the spring of 1918.
A German firm launched a takeover bid for the company. ◇ The company launched a huge advertising campaign.
◇ The charity tonight launched its crusade against homelessness. ◇ We're going to launch a big recruitment drive
in the autumn. ◇ The government has launched a new policy initiative. ◇ The police immediately launched a
nationwide search for the killer. ◇ The authorities launched a massive security operation in the city. ◇ Enemy
troops launched an assault on the town.
People in business typically launch an appeal , a bid , a campaign , an enquiry , an initiative , an investigation , an
operation , a plan , a project or a programme . In military contexts, an army might launch an attack , an assault , a
raid or an invasion . You can also launch a new product.
See also launch ⇨ LAUNCH noun
initiate / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( formal )
to introduce a system or policy or start a process
The government has initiated a programme of economic reform. ◇ He initiated a national debate on reform. ◇ The
organization may initiate legal action against you.
The enquiry was formally initiated last month. ◇ Anyone has the right to initiate legislation in Parliament by means
of a private bill. ◇ Bacteria then enters the wound and initiates infection.
institute / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( formal )
to introduce a system or policy or start a process
The new management intends to institute a number of changes. ◇ They could institute criminal proceedings against
you.
NOTE INITIATE OR INSTITUTE? There is very little difference in meaning between these words. Initiate has a wider
range of collocates than institute : it can be used to talk about starting either a formal process, such as legal action,
or a more informal process, such as a debate or discussion . Institute is only used to talk about more formal
processes : He instituted a national debate on reform.
instigate / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( especially BrE , formal )
to start a process or action, often sth official
We will instigate a comprehensive review of defence policy. ◇ It was Rufus who instigated the whole thing.
The man responsible for instigating change was Robin Darwin.
Instigate is often used when there is some discussion about who made sth happen, or when the action taken is not
popular with everyone involved.
►  instigation / BrE ; AmE / noun [ U ]: An appeal fund was launched at the instigation of the President. ◇ It was done
at his instigation .
set sth in motion , put sth in motion idiom setting , set , set or putting , put , put ( especially written )
to make a process start or happen
The wheels of change have been set in motion.
Set/put sth in motion is usually used to talk about starting a process that consists of several steps: to set in motion
preparations/a process/a chain of actions/steps/a procedure/measures
bring sth in phrasal verb brought , brought
to introduce a new law
They want to bring in a bill to limit arms exports.
Bring sth in is mainly used to talk about an act , a bill , a law , a regulation or legislation .
phase sth in phrasal verb ( especially business )
to introduce or start using sth gradually in stages over a period of time
The new tax will be phased in over two years.
OPP phase sth out
To phase sth out is to stop using sth gradually in stages over a period of time.
bring sb up phrasal verb [ often passive ]
to care for a child, teaching him/her how to behave, until he/she is grown up
She brought up five children. ◇ He was brought up by his aunt. ◇ What a well brought up child! ◇ They were
brought up ( = taught as children ) to respect authority.
I was brought up a Protestant.
adopt [ I , T ]
to take sb else's child into your family and become its legal parent(s)
He led a campaign to encourage childless couples to adopt . ◇ She was forced to have her baby adopted .
We would like to adopt a child.
See also take sb in ⇨ ACCOMMODATE
►  adoption / BrE ; AmE / noun [ U , C ]: She put the baby up for adoption.
raise / BrE ; AmE / [ T , often passive ] ( especially AmE )
to care for a child or young animal until it is grown up
They were both raised in the South. ◇ These kids have been raised on a diet of hamburgers. ◇ I was born and raised
a city boy.
They raised her as a Catholic.
See also raise ⇨ KEEP   4
NOTE BRING SB UP OR RAISE? When it is used in British English to talk about caring for a child, raise is slightly more
formal than bring sb up .
rear / BrE ; AmE / [ T , often passive ] ( rather formal )
to care for young animals or children until they are grown up
She reared a family of five on her own. ◇ Lions usually manage to rear about half the number of cubs born to them.
See also rear ⇨ KEEP   4
NOTE RAISE OR REAR? Raise is more often used to talk about children; rear is more often used to talk about animals.
foster / BrE ; AmE / [ T , I ] ( especially BrE )
to take sb else's child into your family for a period of time, without becoming his or her legal parent(s)
They have fostered over 60 children during the past ten years. ◇ We couldn't adopt a child, so we decided to foster.
►  foster / BrE ; AmE / adj. [ only before noun ]: a foster mother/father/family/child/home ◇ foster parents ◇ foster
care
be born and bred idiom
to have been born and to have grown up in a particular place with a particular background and education
He was born and bred in Boston. ◇ I'm a Londoner, born and bred.

dismiss / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( rather formal )

to treat sth as if it is not important and not worth thinking or talking about; to put thoughts or feelings out of your
mind
I think we can safely dismiss their objections. ◇ He dismissed the opinion polls as worthless. ◇ The suggestion
should not be dismissed out of hand ( = without thinking about it ) . ◇ Dismissing her fears, she climbed higher. ◇ He
dismissed her from his mind.
►  dismissal / BrE ; AmE / noun [ U ]: Her casual dismissal of the threats seemed irresponsible.
brush sb/sth a side phrasal verb
to ignore sb/sth; to treat sb's feelings, suggestions or protests as if they are not important
I tried to protest, but he brushed me aside. ◇ She brushed aside my fears.
shrug sth off , shrug sth a side phrasal verb -gg-
to treat sth as if it is not important
Shrugging off her injury, she played on. ◇ He shrugged aside suggestions that he resign.
NOTE BRUSH STH ASIDE OR SHRUG STH OFF? You brush aside concerns or fears that are important to sb else, you shrug
off sth about yourself that other people expect you to be upset about.
discount / BrE ; AmE ( AmE also ) / [ T ] ( formal )
to think or say that sth is not important or not true
We cannot discount the possibility of further strikes. ◇ The news reports were being discounted as propaganda.
banish / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( written )
to make a thought or feeling go away
The sight of food banished all other thoughts from my mind. ◇ He was determined to banish all feelings of guilt.
set sth a side phrasal verb setting , set , set
to not consider sth, because other things are more important
Let's set aside my personal feelings for now.
laugh sth off phrasal verb ( informal )
to try to make people think that sth is not serious or important, especially by making a joke about it
He laughed off suggestions that he was going to resign.

burst 'in | burst into a 'room, 'building, etc.

to enter a room or building suddenly and noisily

burst 'in on sb/sth

to interrupt sb/sth by entering a place suddenly and noisily:He burst in on the meeting.

'burst into sth

to start producing sth suddenly and with great force:The aircraft crashed and burst into flames (=
suddenly began to burn). Ç She burst into tears (= suddenly began to cry).

'burst on / onto sth

to appear somewhere suddenly in a way that is very noticeable:A major new talent has burst onto the
literary scene.

burst 'out

1 to speak suddenly, loudly and with strong feeling:[+ speech] ‘For heavens' sake!’ he burst out.—
related noun outburst ò note at call

2 to begin doing sth suddenly:[+ -ing] Karen burst out laughing.

bring sb/sth (with you) | bring sth (for sb) | bring (sb) sth to come to a place with sb/sth:[vn]
Don’t forget to bring your books with you. Ç She brought her boyfriend to the party. Ç [vn, vnn] Bring a
present for Helen. Ç Bring Helen a present.

bring sb/sth sth | bring sth to sb/sth to provide sb/sth with sth:[vnn] His writing brings him $10 000 a
year. Ç [vn] The team’s new manager brings ten years' experience to the job.

[vn to inf] bring yourself to do sth to force yourself to do sth:She could not bring herself to tell him the
news.

[vn] bring sth (against sb) to officially accuse sb of a crime:to bring a charge / a legal action / an
accusation against sb

bring sth a'bout

to make sth happen SYN  cause:What brought about the change in his attitude?

bring sb a'round
(NAmE) = bring sb round

bring sth a'round

(NAmE) = bring sth round

bring sb/sth 'back

to return sb/sth:Please bring back all library books by the end of the week. Ç He brought me back (=
gave me a ride home) in his car.

bring sth 'back

1 to make sb remember sth or think about it again:The photographs brought back many pleasant
memories.

2 to make sth that existed before be introduced again SYN  reintroduce:Most people are against
bringing back the death penalty.

bring sb sth 'back | bring sth 'back (for sb)

to return with sth for sb:What did you bring the kids back from Italy? Ç I brought a T-shirt back for Mark.

'bring sb/sth before sb

(formal) to present sb/sth for discussion or judgement:The matter will be brought before the
committee. Ç He was brought before the court and found guilty.

bring sb 'down

1 to make sb lose power or be defeated:The scandal may bring down the government.

2 (in sports) to make sb fall over:He was brought down in the penalty area.

bring sth 'down

1 to reduce sth:We aim to bring down prices on all our computers.

2 to land an aircraft:The pilot managed to bring the plane down in a field.

3 to make an aircraft fall out of the sky:Twelve enemy fighters had been brought down.

4 to make an animal or a bird fall down or fall out of the sky by killing or wounding it:He brought down
the bear with a single shot.

bring sb/sth 'forth

(old use or formal) to give birth to sb; to produce sth:She brought forth a son. Ç trees bringing forth fruit

bring sth 'forward

1 to move sth to an earlier date or time:The meeting has been brought forward from 10 May to 3 May.
2 to suggest sth for discussion:Please bring the matter forward at the next meeting.

3 to move a total sum from the bottom of one page or column of numbers to the top of the next:A
credit balance of $50 was brought forward from his September account.

bring sb 'in

1 to ask sb to do a particular job or to be involved in sth:Local residents were angry at not being
brought in on (= asked for their opinion about) the new housing proposal. Ç [+ to inf] Experts were
brought in to advise the government.

2 (of the police) to bring sb to a police station in order to ask them questions or arrest them:Two men
were brought in for questioning.

bring sb/sth 'in

1 to introduce a new law:They want to bring in a bill to limit arms exports.

2 to attract sb/sth to a place or business:We need to bring in a lot more new business.

3 to give a decision in court:The jury brought in a verdict of guilty.

bring sb 'in sth | bring 'in sth

to make or earn a particular amount of money:His freelance work brings him in about $20 000 a year. Ç
How much does she bring in now?

bring sth 'off

to succeed in doing sth difficult SYN  pull off:It was a difficult task but we brought it off. Ç The goalie
brought off a superb save.

bring sb 'on

to help sb develop or improve while they are learning to do sth

bring sth 'on

1 to make sth develop, usually sth unpleasant SYN  cause:He was suffering from stress brought on by
overwork.

2 to make crops, fruit, etc. grow well

'bring sth on yourself / sb

to be responsible for sth unpleasant that happens to you/sb:I have no sympathy—you brought it all on
yourself.

bring sb 'out

(BrE) to make people go on strike

bring sb 'out of himself, herself, etc.

to help sb to feel more confident:She’s a shy girl who needs friends to bring her out of herself.

bring sth 'out

1 to make sth appear:A crisis brings out the best in her.

2 to make sth easy to see or understand:That dress really brings out the colour of your eyes.

3 to produce sth; to publish sth:The band have just brought out their second album.

bring sth 'out in sth

to make sb’s skin be covered in spots, etc.:The heat brought him out in a rash.

bring sb 'round (BrE) (NAmE bring sb a'round)

(also bring sb 'to) to make sb who is unconscious become conscious again

bring sb 'round (to … ) (BrE) (NAmE bring sb a'round)

to bring sb to sb’s house:Bring the family round one evening; we’d love to meet them.

bring sb 'round (to sth) (BrE) (NAmE bring sb a'round)

to persuade sb to agree to sth:He didn’t like the plan at first, but we managed to bring him round.

bring sth 'round to sth (BrE) (NAmE bring sth a'round to sth)

to direct a conversation to a particular subject

bring sb 'to

= bring sb round

bring A and B to'gether

to help two people or groups to end a disagreement:The loss of their son brought the two of them
together.

bring sb 'up

1 [often passive] to care for a child, teaching him or her how to behave, etc. SYN  raise:She brought up
five children. Ç He was brought up by his aunt. Ç a well / badly brought up child Ç [+ to inf] They were
brought up to (= taught as children to) respect authority. Ç [+n] I was brought up a Catholic.—related
noun upbringing

2 (law) to make sb appear for trial:He was brought up on a charge of drunken driving.

bring sth 'up

1 to mention a subject or start to talk about it SYN  raise:Bring it up at the meeting.

2 (BrE) to vomit:to bring up your lunch

3 to make sth appear on a computer screen:Click with the right mouse button to bring up a new menu.

bring sb 'up against sth

to force sb to know about sth and have to deal with it:Working in the slums brought her up against the
realities of poverty.

[C] brush with sb/sth a short unfriendly meeting with sb; an occasion when you nearly experience sth
unpleasant:She had a nasty brush with her boss this morning. Ç In his job he’s had frequent brushes with
death. Ç a brush with the law

brush (against / by / past) sb/sth to touch sb/sth lightly while moving close to them / it:[v] She
brushed past him. Ç His hand accidentally brushed against hers. Ç [vn] The leaves brushed her cheek. Ç
He brushed her lips with his.

brush sb/sth a'side

to ignore sb/sth; to treat sb/sth as unimportant SYN  dismiss:He brushed aside my fears.

brush sb / yourself 'down

(BrE) = brush sb / yourself off

brush sth 'down

to clean sth by brushing it:to brush a coat / horse down

brush 'off

to be removed by brushing:Mud brushes off easily when it is dry.

brush sb 'off

to rudely ignore sb or refuse to listen to them:She brushed him off impatiently.—related noun brush-off

brush sb / yourself 'off

to make sb/yourself tidy, especially after you have fallen, by brushing your clothes, etc. with your hands

brush sth 'up | brush 'up on sth

to quickly improve a skill, especially when you have not used it for a time:I must brush up on my Spanish
before I go to Seville.

bump 'into sb

(informal) to meet sb by chance

bump sb 'off

(informal) to murder sb

bump sth 'up

(informal) to increase or raise sth

After thirty years in politics, he is finally bowing  out.

We’re tired of having to bow  to authority.

Attempts must be made to break  down the barriers of fear and hostility which divide
the two communities.
She longed to break  in on their conversation but felt it would seem rude.

The whole room broke  into applause.

He eventually broke  off all relations with his family.

She felt the need to break  out of her daily routine and do something exciting.

Her boyfriend just broke  up with her.

The treaty attempts to bring  about a reconciliation between the two sides.

The government will now have to bring  in a bill to improve child care.

give way idiom gave , given ( especially BrE )

to stop resisting pressure or demands from sb, often by agreeing to do sth that you do not really want to do; to stop
resisting an emotion
He refused to give way on any of the points. ◇ In the end she always gave way to him because she could not bear
his moods. ◇ She never gave way to anger.
He was not a man to give way to this kind of pressure.
give in phrasal verb gave , given
to give way to sb/sth
The authorities have shown no signs of giving in to the kidnappers' demands. ◇ He reluctantly gave in to the
pressure. ◇ In the end, they were forced to give in.
OPP resist ⇨ RESIST
NOTE GIVE WAY OR GIVE IN? In many cases you can use either word. Give way is used more often than give in when
you are talking about giving way to a person, rather than to sb's demands or pressure; you can also give way but NOT
give in to an emotion : She never gave in to anger
submit / BrE ; AmE / -tt- [ I , T ] ( rather formal )
to accept the authority, control or greater strength of sb/sth; to agree to sth because of this
She refused to submit to threats. ◇ He submitted himself to a search by the guards.
OPP resist ⇨ RESIST
See also submissive ⇨ PASSIVE
bow to sth / BrE ; AmE / phrasal verb
to agree unwillingly to do sth because other people want you to
He felt he had to bow to her wishes.
They finally bowed to pressure from the public.
◇ She bowed to the inevitable ( = accepted a situation in which she had no choice ) and resigned.
back down / BrE ; AmE / phrasal verb
to take back a demand or opinion that other people are strongly opposed to
She refused to back down on a point of principle. ◇ We cannot back down from the decision, which we believe is
right and just.
The government backed down under pressure from the House of Lords.
See also retreat ⇨ WITHDRAW   2
relent / BrE ; AmE / [ I ] ( rather formal )
to finally agree to sth after refusing
‘Well, just for a little while then,’ she said, finally relenting.
The government considered making everybody pay the tax but relented.
yield / BrE ; AmE / [ I ] ( rather formal , written )
to stop resisting pressure or demands from sb/sth; to stop resisting your own desires
After a long siege, the town was forced to yield. ◇ I yielded to temptation and had a chocolate bar.
[+]

convey / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( rather formal )

to make information, ideas or feelings known to sb
He tried desperately to convey how urgent the situation was. ◇ Colours like red convey a sense of energy and
strength. ◇ ( formal , spoken ) Please convey my apologies to your wife.
She did not wish to convey that they were all at fault.
send / BrE ; AmE / sent , sent [ T ]
to tell sb sth in a message
My parents send their love . ◇ What sort of message is the irresponsible behaviour of these celebrities sending to
young people? ( formal ) or ( literary ) She sent word that she could not come.
( formal , literary ) He sent me word to come. ◇ ( formal , literary ) She sent to say that she was coming home.
communicate / BrE ; AmE / [ T , I ] ( rather formal )
to make information, ideas or feelings known to other people
He was eager to communicate his ideas to the group. ◇ Her nervousness was communicating itself to the children.
◇ Candidates must be able to communicate effectively.
See also communication ⇨ COMMUNICATION , communication ⇨ LETTER , communicator ⇨ SPEAKER   1
NOTE CONVEY OR COMMUNICATE? You can convey information, an idea or a feeling to one other person, a group of
people or people in general. You can communicate sth to a group of people or people in general, but not usually to
one other person : Please communicate my apologies to your wife. Convey must take an object, which must be
different from the subject : Her nervousness was conveying itself to the children. ◇ Candidates must be able to
convey effectively.
relay / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( rather formal )
to give information to sb else after receiving it yourself
He relayed the message to his boss. ◇ Instructions were relayed to her by phone.
repeat / BrE ; AmE / [ T ]
to tell sb sth that you have heard or been told by sb else
I don't want you to repeat a word of this to anyone. ◇ The rumour has been widely repeated in the press. ◇ Why
did you go and repeat what I said to Ian?
See also repeat ⇨ REPEAT   1
impart / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( formal )
to pass information or knowledge to other people
Her aim was not merely to impart knowledge, but rather to help students learn for themselves.
get sth a cross phrasal verb getting , got , got ; AmE , spoken getting , got , gotten ( rather informal )
to succeed in communicating sth
He's not very good at getting his ideas across.
pass sth on phrasal verb ( rather informal )
to give information to sb else after receiving it yourself
I passed your message on to my mother.
You can also pass on things other than information.
See also pass sth on ⇨ PASS STH ON
break / BrE ; AmE / broke , broken [ T , I ]
to be the first to tell sb some bad news, especially in a kind way; (of news) to become known
I don't know how to break it to him . ◇ Just break the news to her gently. ◇ There was a public outcry when the
scandal broke.

break / BrE ; AmE / broke , broken [ I , T ]

(of a device or small machine) to stop working as a result of being damaged; to damage a device or small machine
and stop it from working
My watch has broken . ◇ I think I've broken the video.
fail [ I ]
(of a system, part of a machine or system, or part of the body) to stop working
The air-conditioning system failed on the hottest day of the year. ◇ The brakes on my bike failed halfway down the
hill.
►  failure / BrE ; AmE / noun [ U , C ]: patients suffering from heart/kidney failure ◇ A power failure plunged
everything into darkness.
The cause of the crash was given as engine failure. ◇ Production has been hampered by mechanical failure.
break down phrasal verb broke , broken
(of a machine or vehicle) to stop working because of a fault
The washing machine has broken down again. ◇ We ( = our car ) broke down on the motorway.
►  breakdown / BrE ; AmE / noun : a breakdown on the motorway
go wrong phrase goes , went , gone
to stop working correctly
My watch keeps going wrong. ◇ The new television set will contain fewer components to go wrong.
Machines, devices and parts inside machines and vehicles can go wrong ; whole vehicles cannot : The car has gone
wrong again. If sth goes wrong , it may not stop working completely, as it does if it breaks or breaks down .
crash / BrE ; AmE / [ I , T ]
(of a computer or computer system) to stop working suddenly; to make a computer or computer system stop
working suddenly
Files can be lost if the system suddenly crashes.
►  crash / BrE ; AmE / noun [ C ]: A systems crash in the morning and a bomb scare in the afternoon provided
enough excitement.
go down / BrE ; AmE / phrasal verb goes , went , gone [ I ]
(of a computer system) to stop working temporarily
The system is going down in ten minutes.
NOTE CRASH OR GO DOWN? Individual computers or whole systems can crash and this is always sudden and
unexpected; when a system goes down , it may have been turned off deliberately to prevent people from using it
while work is carried out on it.
fail / BrE ; AmE / [ I , T ]
(of a person or thing) to not be successful in achieving sth
They had tried and they had failed . ◇ I failed in my attempt to persuade her. ◇ I tried to cheer her up, but failed
miserably . ◇ She failed to get into art college.
The song can't fail to be a hit ( = it will definitely be a hit ) . ◇ She tried to put an all-women crew together, but
failed dismally . ◇ Opponents say it's a policy doomed to fail .
OPP succeed ⇨ ACHIEVE , succeed ⇨ SUCCEED
See also failure ⇨ LOSER   2 , failure ⇨ FAILURE
go wrong idiom goes , went , gone ( rather informal )
(of a thing) to experience problems or difficulties; (of a person) to make a mistake
The relationship started to go wrong when they moved abroad. ◇ What would you do if something went wrong? ◇
He was badly injured when the joke went horribly wrong . ◇ Where did we go wrong with those kids ( = what mistakes
did we make for them to behave so badly ) ? ◇ If you do what she tells you, you won't go far wrong .
What else can go wrong? ◇ Ellen realized she must have gone wrong somewhere and tried to double back.
collapse / BrE ; AmE / [ I ]
(of a thing or group of people) to fail suddenly and completely
Talks between management and unions have collapsed. ◇ All opposition to the plan has collapsed. ◇ The home
side collapsed spectacularly in the second half.
The coalition collapsed under the pressure of differences between the two parties.
See also collapse ⇨ FAILURE noun
break down / BrE ; AmE / phrasal verb broke , broken
(of talks or a relationship) to fail after a period of time, especially because of a problem or difficulty
The agreement broke down almost immediately. ◇ Communication between the two sides has broken down . ◇ They
were divorced on the grounds that their marriage had broken down irretrievably .
See also breakdown ⇨ FAILURE
get nowhere , go nowhere , get sb nowhere idiom getting , got , got ; AmE , spoken getting , got ,
gotten ; goes , went , gone ( rather informal )
(usually of a person) to make no progress or have no success; to allow sb to do this
We discussed it all morning but got nowhere. ◇ Do you ever get the feeling your job is going nowhere? ◇ Talking
to him will get you nowhere.
Mum could see she was getting nowhere with him, so she tried a different approach ◇ Continual moaning and
criticism of others gets you nowhere.
OPP get somewhere
To be getting somewhere is to be making progress in what you are doing: At last I feel we're getting somewhere.
backfire / BrE ; AmE / [ I ]
(of a plan) to have the opposite effect to the one intended, with bad or dangerous results
Unfortunately the plan backfired. ◇ The surprise I had planned backfired on me.
He had to be rescued from the water when the stunt backfired disastrously.
founder / BrE ; AmE / [ I ] ( rather formal , written )
(of a plan or attempt to do sth) to fail because of a particular problem or difficulty
The peace talks foundered on a basic lack of trust. ◇ The project foundered after problems with the funding.
The venture might easily founder for want of capital to finance expansion.
fall through phrasal verb fell , fallen
(of a plan) to not be completed, or not happen
The deal fell through when the author received a more attractive offer.
We were hoping to move to a house in Bath, but the sale fell through. ◇ Our plans fell through because of lack of
money.
come to nothing , not come to anything idiom came , come ( rather informal )
(of a plan or attempt to do sth) to be unsuccessful; to have no successful result
How sad that all his hard work should come to nothing. ◇ Her plans didn't come to anything.
Somehow all their endeavours had come to nothing.
theft / BrE ; AmE / [ U , C ]
the crime of stealing sth from a person or place
Police are investigating the theft of computers from the company's offices. ◇ There has been a reduction in the
number of car thefts .
A number of thefts have been reported recently.
See also thief ⇨ THIEF
robbery / BrE ; AmE / [ U , C ]
the crime of stealing money or goods from a bank, shop, person, etc., especially using violence or threats
He already had a conviction for armed robbery ( = using a gun, knife, etc. ) . ◇ There has been a spate of robberies
in the area recently.
See also rob ⇨ ROB , robber ⇨ THIEF
NOTE THEFT OR ROBBERY? Theft emphasizes the thing stolen: car/computer theft ◇ car/computer robbery . Robbery
emphasizes the place from which sth was stolen, especially a bank or other business, and often suggests that
violence was used: bank robbery ◇ armed robbery ◇ bank theft ◇ armed theft
burglary / BrE ; AmE / [ U , C ]
the crime of entering a building illegally and stealing things from it
The youth was charged with three counts of burglary. ◇ There has been a rise in the number of burglaries
committed in the area.
Burglary usually refers to the act of stealing things from people's homes. It usually takes place when the people are
not there or asleep and does not usually involve threats or violence.
See also burgle , burglarize ⇨ ROB , burglar ⇨ THIEF
raid / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]
an attack on a building, place or vehicle in order to commit a crime, especially to steal sth
He had once been involved in a bank raid. ◇ She was shot during an armed raid on a security van.
See also raid ⇨ ROB , raider ⇨ THIEF
break-in / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]
an act of entering a building using force, usually to steal sth
Police were called to three break-ins in the same area last night.
See also break into sth ⇨ ROB
embezzlement / BrE ; AmE / [ U ]
the crime of stealing money that you are responsible for or that belongs to your employer
She was found guilty of embezzlement.
See also embezzle ⇨ STEAL
shoplifting / BrE ; AmE / [ U ]
the crime of stealing goods from a shop by deliberately leaving without paying for them
She was convicted of shoplifting.
See also shoplift ⇨ STEAL , shoplifter ⇨ THIEF
larceny / BrE ; AmE / [ U , C ] ( AmE or old-fashioned , BrE , law )
the crime of stealing sth from sb; an occasion when this takes place
The couple were charged with grand/petty larceny ( = stealing things that are valuable/not very valuable ) .
heist / BrE ; AmE / [ C ] ( especially AmE , informal )
an act of stealing sth valuable from a bank or shop
It's a tense thriller about a diamond heist that goes badly wrong. ◇ a heist movie

rob / BrE ; AmE / -bb- [ T ]

to steal money or property from a person or place
An armed gang robbed a bank in Main Street last night. ◇ The gang had robbed and killed the drugstore owner. ◇
He was accused of robbing the company's pension funds. ◇ The tomb had been robbed of all its treasures.
In the 19th century doctors robbed graves to obtain cadavers for medical training purposes.
See also robber ⇨ THIEF , robbery ⇨ THEFT
loot / BrE ; AmE / [ T , often passive , I ]
to steal things from shops or buildings, especially after a place has been bombed, after a fire or during a riot ( = a
situation of violent disorder )
Most of the stores in the town had been looted. ◇ The invaders rampaged through the streets, looting and killing.
See also looter ⇨ THIEF
break into sth phrasal verb broke , broken
to enter a building or open a vehicle by force, especially in order to steal things from it
Thieves broke into the store and got away with $50 000. ◇ Our car got broken into last night.
See also break-in ⇨ THEFT
raid / BrE ; AmE / [ T ]
to enter a place, usually using force, and steal things from it
Many treasures were lost when the tombs were raided in the last century. ◇ ( humorous ) I caught him raiding the
fridge again ( = taking food from it ) .
Sales staff were forced to lie on the floor when a gang raided a jewellery store last night.
See also raid ⇨ THEFT , raider ⇨ THIEF
plunder / BrE ; AmE / [ I , T ] ( formal )
to steal things from a place or region, especially during a war, using force
The troops crossed the country, plundering and looting as they went. ◇ Delhi was captured and plundered in 1739.
The abbey had been plundered of its valuables.
ransack / BrE ; AmE / [ T ]
to search a place, making it untidy and causing damage, because you are looking for sth, usually in order to steal it
The house had been ransacked by burglars. ◇ Police completely ransacked the offices in their search for the
missing files.
The palace was ransacked by rioters in 1848.
burgle / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( BrE )
to enter a building illegally, usually using force, and steal things from it
Her house has been burgled five times. ◇ We were burgled while we were away ( = our house was burgled ) .
See also burglary ⇨ THEFT
burglarize / BrE ; AmE / ( AmE )
to burgle sb/sth
The doctor's office is frequently burglarized by drug addicts.
NOTE RAID OR BURGLE/BURGLARIZE? Burgle/burglarize is only used to talk about buildings, especially people's
homes; raid can be used to talk about any place, but is used especially about shops and businesses and with the
word tombs (but NOT graves which can only be robbed ).
hold up sb/sth / BrE ; AmE / phrasal verb held , held
to rob a bank, shop or vehicle using a weapon
Masked men held up a security van in South London yesterday. ◇ They were held up at gunpoint.

pause / BrE ; AmE / [ I ]

to stop speaking or doing sth for a short time before continuing
Anita paused for a moment, then said, ‘All right.’ ◇ The woman spoke almost without pausing for breath ( = very
quickly ) .
I paused at the door and looked back.
◇ Pausing only to pull on a sweater, he ran out of the house.
Pause is often used with the adverbs briefly , (for) a moment , (for) an instant and momentarily .
See also pause ⇨ PAUSE noun
hesitate / BrE ; AmE / [ I ]
to be slow to speak or act because you feel uncertain or nervous
She hesitated before replying. ◇ I didn't hesitate for a moment about taking the job.
She stood there, hesitating over whether or not to tell him the truth.
See also hesitate ⇨ HESITATE , hesitant ⇨ HESITANT
►  hesitation / BrE ; AmE / noun [ C , U ]: He spoke fluently and without unnecessary hesitations.
break off phrasal verb broke , broken ( especially written )
to suddenly stop speaking or doing sth for a time
He broke off in the middle of a sentence.
People often break off suddenly or abruptly , often because of a sudden strong emotion: She broke off and turned
away to hide the tears.
He broke off, suddenly appalled.
dither / BrE ; AmE / [ I ] ( especially BrE , rather informal , disapproving )
to hesitate about what to do because you are unable to decide
She was dithering over what to wear. ◇ Stop dithering and get on with it.
Dither is usually used in a disapproving way. A person who dithers is generally seen as being rather weak and
irritating.
►  dither / BrE ; AmE / noun [ sing. ]: ( informal ) She was in a total dither about the party.

break out / BrE ; AmE / phrasal verb

(of war, fighting, arguments, diseases or disasters) to start happening suddenly
They had escaped to America shortly before war broke out. ◇ A fierce controversy has broken out over the issue.
◇ An epidemic of cholera broke out and over 7 000 people died. ◇ Fire broke out during the night.
Fighting had broken out between rival groups of fans. ◇ Heavy gunfire broke out in the capital last night. ◇ Minor
skirmishes broke out all along the border. ◇ A scuffle broke out among people in the crowd. ◇ Prison riots broke
out over worsening conditions. ◇ Revolt broke out when the government decided to raise the price of bread. ◇ An
intense discussion broke out about the importance of intuition. ◇ Chaos broke out when the fire started. ◇ His
hands trembled and sweat broke out all over his body. ◇ In the spring of 1495 a dreadful plague broke out among
those involved in the siege of Naples.
See also outbreak ⇨ WAVE   3
erupt / BrE ; AmE / [ I ]
(of war, fighting or arguments) to start happening, suddenly and with force; to get suddenly more larger, more
serious and more violent
Violence erupted outside the embassy gates. ◇ The unrest erupted into revolution.
Minutes later a violent argument erupted . ◇ The violence threatened to erupt into full-scale war.
NOTE BREAK OUT OR ERUPT? Erupt suggests a greater degree of violence than break out ; it is NOT used to talk about
diseases or disasters : An epidemic of cholera erupted. ◇ Fire erupted during the night. Erupt , but NOT break out
can be used when an argument or violence suddenly becomes worse : The unrest broke out into revolution.
develop / BrE ; AmE / [ I ]
to start happening and then become more serious or important
A crisis was rapidly developing in the Gulf.
The situation is developing into a crisis.
See also development ⇨ EVENT   1
blow up phrasal verb ( rather informal , especially journalism )
(of a storm, argument or serious situation) to start suddenly and with force
A storm was blowing up. ◇ A crisis has blown up over the President's latest speech
A row blew up over pay rises for ministers.
The main collocates of blow up in this meaning are storm , trouble , crisis and row .

disperse / BrE ; AmE / [ I , T ] ( rather formal , written )

to move apart and go away in different directions; to make sb/sth do this
The fog began to disperse . ◇ The crowd dispersed quickly. ◇ Police dispersed the protesters with tear gas. ◇
They dispersed the chemicals with a sheet of water. ◇ The community was dispersed by the war.
The pollution in the air will disperse .
Disperse can be used to talk about groups of people, clouds or substances in the air.
break up / BrE ; AmE / break sth up / BrE ; AmE / phrasal verb broke , broken [ I ]
(of a meeting) to finish, with the people going away in different directions; to make people leave a meeting or stop
fighting, especially by using force
The meeting broke up at eleven o' clock.
The Cabinet broke up without reaching a final decision.
◇ Police broke up the demonstration. ◇ A woman was hurt as she tried to break up a fight .
NOTE DISPERSE OR BREAK UP? A meeting breaks up but the people, group or crowd at the meeting disperse(s) : The
meeting dispersed at eleven o'clock. ◇ The crowd broke up quickly. You can break up a demonstration or a fight ,
but police disperse the crowds or protesters at the demonstration : Police dispersed the demonstration. ◇ Police
broke up the protesters with tear gas.
separate / BrE ; AmE / [ I , T ]
to stop being a group or one whole thing and move apart in different directions; to make people move apart
We separated into several different search parties. ◇ Two men separated from the others and walked towards me. ◇
South America and Africa separated 200 million years ago. ◇ The war separated many families.
South America separated from Africa 200 million years ago. ◇ Police tried to separate the two men who were
fighting. ◇ Those suffering from infectious diseases were separated from the other patients.
See also isolate ⇨ ISOLATE , separate ⇨ SEPARATE   1 , separation ⇨ DIVISION   1
scatter / BrE ; AmE / [ I , T ]
(of a group of people, animals or things) to move apart very quickly in different directions; to make people or
animals do this
At the first gunshot, the crowd scattered. ◇ He banged his fist on the table and the chess pieces scattered over the
floor. ◇ The explosion scattered a flock of birds roosting in the trees.
The mice scattered when I entered the room.
part / BrE ; AmE / [ I , T ] ( rather formal , written )
(of two things or two parts of sth) to move apart; to make two things or two parts of sth move apart
The crowds parted in front of them. ◇ The elevator doors parted and out stepped the President. ◇ Her lips were
slightly parted. ◇ She parted the curtains a little and looked out.
divide / BrE ; AmE / [ I , T ]
to become, or to make sth become, two or more parts or groups instead of one whole thing
The cells began to divide rapidly. ◇ We reached the point where the river divides in two. ◇ This report is divided
broadly into two parts. ◇ A sentence can be divided up into meaningful segments.
The children divided into two teams. ◇ First, divide the class into two groups.
See also division ⇨ DIVISION   1
break up / BrE ; AmE / break sth up / BrE ; AmE / phrasal verb broke , broken
to divide, or to make sth divide, into several smaller parts
The grey clouds had begun to break up. ◇ Much has changed since the Soviet Union broke up. ◇ Break up the
chocolate and place it in a bowl. ◇ The ship was broken up for scrap metal. ◇ Sentences can be broken up into
clauses.
split / BrE ; AmE / splitting , split , split [ I , T ]
to divide, or to make sth divide, into two or more parts or groups
The results split neatly into two groups. ◇ Slate splits easily into thin sheets. ◇ Which scientist first split the atom ?
◇ She split the class into groups of four. ◇ The day was split up into six one-hour sessions.
See also split ⇨ DIVISION   1
NOTE DIVIDE, BREAK UP OR SPLIT? Divide is slightly more formal than break up or split . Break up often suggests a
degree of force: things break up because people or circumstances have forced them to and they cannot hold
together any more. When sth has broken up, or been broken up, it can no longer be considered part of a whole thing:
The empire was broken up into different parts ( = it was no longer an empire ) . ◇ The empire was divided /split
into different parts ( = it was still an empire but contained separate areas ) . Things usually divide or split because it
is natural for them to do so, although this is not always the case with particular collocations: cells divide naturally,
but atoms can only be split using a great deal of force.
cut sth up / BrE ; AmE / phrasal verb cutting , cut , cut
to divide sth into small pieces, especially by using a knife or scissors
He cut up the meat on his plate. ◇ I cut the paper up into small segments.
subdivide / BrE ; AmE / [ T , often passive ] ( rather formal )
to divide sth into smaller parts, especially when it has already been divided once and each part is being divided again
Each of the chapters is subdivided into several double-page spreads.
The bibliography is arranged in period sections, subdivided by subject.
split up , split sb up phrasal verb splitting , split , split
(of a group of people) to separate from each other, either as individuals or in smaller groups; to divide a group of
people into smaller groups; to separate two or more people from each other
Let's split up now and meet again at lunchtime. ◇ We were split up into groups to discuss the question. ◇ You two
are talking too much. I'm going to have to split you up.
separate out , separate sth out phrasal verb
(of the different parts of sth) to move apart and become separate; to make the different parts of sth do this; to see the
difference between things which are different but together
Particles will separate out as the smoke disperses. ◇ More and more households are separating out recyclable
waste. ◇ We need to separate out fact from speculation.
Separate out is used to emphasize that each part can be considered a complete thing in itself: The particles separate
out ( = they move away from each other ) . ◇ The particles will divide ( = each particle will become two or more
separate parts ) .

smash / BrE ; AmE / [ T , I ]

to break sth or be broken, violently and noisily, into lots of small pieces
She flew into one of her rages and started smashing crockery. ◇ His right hand was smashed and his shoulder
dislocated. ◇ The glass bowl smashed into a thousand pieces.
If sb smashes up a place or room, they destroy it by breaking all the furniture, etc.: Youths had broken into the bar
and smashed the place up.
shatter / BrE ; AmE / [ I , T ]
to suddenly break into small pieces; to make sth do this
He dropped the vase and it shattered into pieces on the floor. ◇ The explosion shattered all the windows in the
building. ◇ Shattered homes were ablaze.
NOTE SMASH OR SHATTER ? People smash things deliberately; things get shattered as a result of explosions, flying
bullets, stones, etc.: The thief smashed a window to get into her car. ◇ The thief shattered a window to get into her
car. ◇ Windows were shattered in the blast. ◇ Windows were smashed in the blast.
break up / BrE ; AmE / break sth up / BrE ; AmE / phrasal verb broke , broken
to separate, or make sth separate, into smaller pieces, either violently or carefully
The ship broke up on the rocks. ◇ The grey clouds had begun to break up. ◇ The ship was broken up for scrap
metal. ◇ Break up the chocolate and place it in a bowl.
splinter / BrE ; AmE / [ I , T ]
(of wood, glass, stone or bone) to break into long, thin, sharp pieces; to make wood, glass, etc. break in this way
The mirror cracked but did not splinter. ◇ She could hear the talons shredding and splintering the wood.

break (sth) (in / into sth) to be damaged and separated into two or more parts, as a result of force;
to damage sth in this way:

[v] All the windows broke with the force of the blast. Ç She dropped the plate and it broke into pieces. Ç
[vn] to break a cup / window Ç She fell off a ladder and broke her arm. Ç He broke the chocolate in two.

break (for sth) to stop doing sth for a while, especially when it is time to eat or have a drink:[v] Let’s
break for lunch. Ç [vn] a broken night’s sleep (= a night during which you often wake up) Ç (especially
BrE) We broke our journey in Oxford (= stopped in Oxford on the way to the place we were going to).

[v + adv.  /  prep.] break free (from sb/sth) (of a person or an object) to get away from or
out of a position in which they are stuck or trapped:He finally managed to break free from his attacker.
[vn] break it / the news to sb to be the first to tell sb some bad news:Who’s going to break it to
her? Ç I’m sorry to be the one to break the news to you.

[C] break (in sth) a space or an opening between two or more things:We could see the moon through
a break in the clouds.

[sing.] break (in sth) | break (with sb/sth) the moment when a situation that has existed for a
time changes, ends or is interrupted:He needed to make a complete break with the past. Ç a break with
tradition / convention (= a change from what is accepted, in sth such as art, behaviour, etc.) Ç a break in
the weather (= a change from one type of weather to a different one) Ç a break in diplomatic relations

break

rest breather breathing space respite time out

These are all words for a short period of time spent relaxing.

break a short period of time when you stop what you are doing and rest or eat: Let's take a break.

 NOTE 

In British English break is a period of time between lessons at school. The North American English word
is recess.
rest a period of relaxing, sleeping or doing nothing after a period of activity: We stopped for a well-
earned rest.

breather (informal) a short pause in an activity to rest or relax: a five-minute breather

breathing space a short pause in the middle of a period of mental or physical effort: This delay gives the
party a breathing space in which to sort out its policies.

breather or breathing space?

You decide when to take a breather; a breathing space has to be given or won. A breather is for
relaxing; a breathing space is for sorting things out.

respite a short break from sth difficult or unpleasant: The drug brought a brief respite from the pain.

time out (informal, especially NAmE) time for resting or relaxing away from your usual work or studies:
Take time out to relax by the pool.

words that mean ‘break’

burst The balloon hit a tree and burst.

Crack The ice started to crack.

Crumble Crumble the cheese into a bowl.

Cut Now cut the wire in two.

Fracture He fell and fractured his hip.

Shatter The vase hit the floor and shattered.

Smash Vandals had smashed two windows.

Snap snapped the pencil in half.

Split The bag had split open on the way home.

Tear She tore the letter into pieces.

All these verbs, except cut, can be used with or without an object.
break a'way (from sb/sth)

1 to escape suddenly from sb who is holding you or keeping you prisoner:The prisoner broke away
from his guards.

2 to leave a political party, state, etc., especially to form a new one:The people of the province wished
to break away and form a new state.—related noun breakaway

3 to move away from a crowd or group, especially in a race:She broke away from the pack and opened
up a two-second lead.

break 'down

1 (of a machine or vehicle) to stop working because of a fault:The telephone system has broken down.
Ç We (= the car) broke down on the freeway.—related noun breakdown

2 to fail:Negotiations between the two sides have broken down.—related noun breakdown

3 to become very bad:Her health broke down under the pressure of work.—see also nervous
breakdown

4 to lose control of your feelings and start crying:He broke down and wept when he heard the news.

5 to divide into parts to be analysed:Expenditure on the project breaks down as follows: wages $10m,
plant $4m, raw materials $5m.—related noun breakdown

break sth 'down

1 to make sth fall down, open, etc. by hitting it hard:Firefighters had to break the door down to reach
the people trapped inside.

2 to destroy sth or make it disappear, especially a particular feeling or attitude that sb has:to break
down resistance / opposition Ç to break down sb’s reserve / shyness Ç Attempts must be made to break
down the barriers of fear and hostility which divide the two communities.

3 to divide sth into parts in order to analyse it or make it easier to do:Break your expenditure down
into bills, food and other. Ç Each lesson is broken down into several units.—related noun breakdown

4 to make a substance separate into parts or change into a different form in a chemical process:Sugar
and starch are broken down in the stomach.

—related noun breakdown

'break for sth

to suddenly run towards sth when you are trying to escape:She had to hold him back as he tried to break
for the door.

break 'in
to enter a building by force:Burglars had broken in while we were away.—related noun break-in

break sb/sth 'in

1 to train sb/sth in sth new that they must do:to break in new recruits Ç The young horse was not yet
broken in (= trained to carry a rider).

2 to wear sth, especially new shoes, until they become comfortable

break 'in (on sth)

to interrupt or disturb sth:She longed to break in on their conversation but didn’t want to appear rude. Ç
[+ speech] ‘I didn’t do it!’ she broke in.

break 'into sth

1 to enter a building by force; to open a car, etc. by force:We had our car broken into last week.—
related noun break-in

2 to begin laughing, singing, etc. suddenly:As the President’s car drew up, the crowd broke into loud
applause.

3 to suddenly start running; to start running faster than before:He broke into a run when he saw the
police. Ç Her horse broke into a trot.

4 (BrE) to use a banknote of high value to buy sth that costs less:I had to break into a £20 to pay the
bus fare.

5 to open and use sth that has been kept for an emergency:They had to break into the emergency food
supplies.

6to be successful when you get involved in sth:The company is having difficulty breaking into new
markets.

break 'off

1 to become separated from sth as a result of force:The back section of the plane had broken off.

2 to stop speaking or stop doing sth for a time:He broke off in the middle of a sentence.

break sth 'off

1 to separate sth, using force:She broke off a piece of chocolate and gave it to me.

2 to end sth suddenly:Britain threatened to break off diplomatic relations. Ç They’ve broken off their
engagement.

break 'out
(of war, fighting or other unpleasant events) to start suddenly:They had escaped to America shortly
before war broke out in 1939. Ç Fighting had broken out between rival groups of fans. Ç Fire broke out
during the night.—related noun outbreak

break 'out (of sth)

to escape from a place or situation:Several prisoners broke out of the jail. Ç She needed to break out of
her daily routine and do something exciting.—related noun breakout

break 'out in sth

to suddenly become covered in sth:Her face broke out in a rash. Ç He broke out in a cold sweat (= for
example, through fear).

break 'through

to make new and important discoveries:Scientists think they are beginning to break through in the fight
against cancer.—related noun breakthrough

break 'through | break 'through sth

1 to make a way through sth using force:Demonstrators broke through the police cordon.

2 (of the sun or moon) to appear from behind clouds:The sun broke through at last in the afternoon.

break 'through sth

to succeed in dealing with an attitude that sb has and the difficulties it creates SYN  overcome:He had
finally managed to break through her reserve.

break 'up

1 to separate into smaller pieces:The ship broke up on the rocks.

2 to come to an end:Their marriage has broken up.—related noun break-up

3 to go away in different directions:The meeting broke up at eleven o’clock.

4 (especially BrE) to begin the holidays when school closes at the end of a term:When do you break up
for Christmas?

5 (BrE) to become very weak:He was breaking up under the strain.

6 (NAmE) to laugh very hard:Woody Allen makes me just break up.

7 when a person who is talking on a mobile phone / cellphone breaks up, you can no longer hear them
clearly because the signal has been interrupted

break sth 'up

1 to make sth separate into smaller pieces; to divide sth into smaller parts:The ship was broken up for
scrap metal. Ç Sentences can be broken up into clauses.

2 to end a relationship, a company, etc.:They decided to break up the partnership.—related noun

break-up

3 to make people leave sth or stop doing sth, especially by using force:Police were called in to break up
the fight.

break 'up (with sb)

to end a relationship with sb:She’s just broken up with her boyfriend.—related noun break-up

'break with sth

to end a connection with sth:to break with tradition / old habits / the past

She’s been beavering  away at her homework for hours.

He tried to blot  out anything that would remind him of his ordeal.

The scandal will soon blow  over.

The media have blown the incident  up out of all proportion.

He blurted  out the bad news before I could stop him.

He got bogged  down in the political quagmire.

The issue really boils  down to a clash between left and right.

I must bone  up on my French before we go to Paris.

Instead of discussing their problems, they bottle  up all their anger and resentment.

The company successfully bounced  back after the fire.

[vn] bounce ideas (off sb) / (around) to tell sb your ideas in order to find out what they think about
them:He bounced ideas off colleagues everywhere he went.

[v, vn] bounce (sth) (back) if an email bounces or the system bounces it, it returns to the person who
sent it because the system cannot deliver it

[vn] (informal, especially NAmE) bounce sb (from sth) to force sb to leave a job, team, place, etc.:He was
soon bounced from the post.

bounce 'back

to become healthy, successful or confident again after being ill / sick or having difficulties SYN 
recover:He’s had a lot of problems, but he always seems to bounce back pretty quickly.

bounce sb 'into sth

(BrE) to make sb do sth without giving them enough time to think about it

on the 'bounce
(BrE, informal) one after the other, without anything else coming between:We’ve won six matches on
the bounce.

bottle 'out (of sth / doing sth)

(BrE, informal) to not do sth that you had intended to do because you are too frightened

bottle sth 'up

to not allow other people to see that you are unhappy, angry, etc., especially when this happens over a
long period of time:Try not to bottle up your emotions.

boil 'down | boil sth 'down

to be reduced or to reduce sth by boiling

boil sth 'down (to sth)

to make sth, especially information, shorter by leaving out the parts that are not important:The original
speech I had written got boiled down to about ten minutes.

boil 'down to sth

(not used in the progressive tenses) (of a situation, problem, etc.) to have sth as a main or basic part:In
the end, what it all boils down to is money, or the lack of it.

boil 'over

1 (of liquid) to boil and flow over the side of a pan, etc.

2 (informal) to become very angry

3 (of a situation, an emotion, etc.) to change into sth more dangerous or violent  SYN  explode:Racial
tension finally boiled over in the inner city riots.

boil 'up

if a situation or an emotion boils up, it becomes dangerous, worrying, etc.:I could feel anger boiling up
inside me.
boil sth 'up

to heat a liquid or some food until it boils

bone 'up on sth

(informal) to try to learn about sth or to remind yourself of what you already know about it:She had
boned up on the city’s history before the visit.

bog sth/sb 'down (in sth) [usually passive]

1 to make sth sink into mud or wet ground:The tank became bogged down in mud.

2 to prevent sb from making progress in an activity:We mustn’t get bogged down in details.

bog 'off

(BrE, taboo, slang) only used in orders, to tell sb to go away:Bog off, I’m trying to sleep!

blurt sth (out) to say sth suddenly and without thinking carefully enough:[vn] She blurted it out
before I could stop her. Ç [v speech] ‘She’s pregnant,’ Jack blurted. [also v that, v wh-] ò note at call

blot sth 'out

1 to cover or hide sth completely:Clouds blotted out the sun.

2 to deliberately try to forget an unpleasant memory or thought:He tried to blot out the image of
Helen’s sad face.
blot (on sth) something that spoils the opinion that other people have of you, or your happiness:Her
involvement in the fraud has left a serious blot on her character.

[vn] blow your nose to clear your nose by blowing strongly through it into a handkerchief

[vn, vnn] blow (sb) a kiss to kiss your hand and then pretend to blow the kiss towards sb

[vn] blow sth (on sth) (informal) to spend or waste a lot of money on sth:He inherited over a million
dollars and blew it all on drink and gambling.

blow sb a'way (informal, especially NAmE)

1 to kill sb by shooting them

2 to impress sb a lot or to make them very happy

3 to defeat sb easily

blow 'in | blow 'into sth

(informal) to arrive or enter a place suddenly:Look who’s just blown in! Ç Have you heard who’s blown
into town?

blow sb 'off

(NAmE) to deliberately not meet sb when you said you would; to end a romantic relationship with sb

blow 'out
1 if a flame, etc. blows out, it is put out by the wind, etc.:Somebody opened the door and the candle
blew out.

2 if an oil or gas well blows out, it sends out gas suddenly and with force—related noun blowout

blow itself 'out

when a storm blows itself out, it finally loses its force

blow sb 'out

(NAmE, informal) to defeat sb easily

blow sth 'out

to put out a flame, etc. by blowing

blow 'over

to go away without having a serious effect:The storm blew over in the night. Ç The scandal will soon
blow over.

blow 'up

1 to explode; to be destroyed by an explosion:The bomb blew up. Ç A police officer was killed when his
car blew up.ò note at explode

2 to start suddenly and with force:A storm was blowing up. Ç A crisis has blown up over the President’s
latest speech.

blow sth 'up

1 to destroy sth by an explosion:The police station was blown up by terrorists.ò note at explode

2 to fill sth with air or gas so that it becomes firm:The tyres on my bike need blowing up.

3 to make a photograph bigger SYN  enlarge—related noun blow-up

4 to make sth seem more important, better, worse, etc. than it really is:The whole affair was blown up
out of all proportion.

blow 'up (at sb)

(informal) to get angry with sb SYN  lose your temper:I’m sorry I blew up at you.—related noun blow-up

bow 'down to sb/sth

(disapproving) to allow sb to tell you what to do

bow 'out (of sth)

to stop taking part in an activity, especially one in which you have been successful in the past:She has
finally decided it’s time to bow out of international tennis.

'bow to sth

to agree unwillingly to do sth because other people want you to:They finally bowed to pressure from the
public. Ç She bowed to the inevitable (= accepted a situation in which she had no choice) and resigned.

beaver a'way (at sth)

(informal) to work very hard at sth:He’s been beavering away at the accounts all morning.

He proved that he was right and his critics had to back  down.

It’s too late to back  out of the holiday now.

If they don’t believe you, I’ll back you  up.

He was banking  on the train being on time.

The exam was more difficult than I had bargained  for.

She barged  in on our meeting without even knocking.

The other witnesses will bear  out what I say.

He’s bearing  up well under the strain of losing his job.

Just bear  with me a little longer, I’m nearly ready.

He was badly beaten  up by a gang of thugs.

[usually sing.] back (of sth) the part of a piece of paper, etc. that is on the opposite side to the one
that has information or the most important information on it:Write your name on the back of the
cheque.

[usually sing.] back (of sth) the part or area of sth that is furthest from the front:We could only get
seats at the back (= of the room). Ç I found some old photos at the back of the drawer. Ç He was shot in
the back of the knee. Ç The house has three bedrooms at the front and two at the back. Ç (BrE) There’s
room for three people in the back. Ç (NAmE) There’s room for three people in back. Ç (BrE) If you’d like
to come round the back (= to the area behind the house), I’ll show you the garden.—see also hardback,
paperback, short back and sides

[v] bargain (with sb) (about / over / for sth) to discuss prices, conditions, etc. with sb in order
to reach an agreement that is acceptable SYN  negotiate:He said he wasn’t prepared to bargain. Ç In the
market dealers were bargaining with growers over the price of coffee.

back a'way (from sb/sth)

to move away backwards from sb/sth that is frightening or unpleasant; to avoid doing sth that is
unpleasant
back 'down (on / from sth) (NAmE also back 'off)

to take back a demand, an opinion, etc. that other people are strongly opposed to; to admit defeat:She
refused to back down on a point of principle.

back 'off

1 to move backwards in order to get away from sb/sth frightening or unpleasant:As the riot police
approached the crowd backed off.

2 to stop threatening, criticizing or annoying sb:Back off! There’s no need to yell at me. Ç The press
have agreed to back off and leave the couple alone.

back 'off (from sth)

to choose not to take action, in order to avoid a difficult situation:The government backed off from a
confrontation.

back 'onto sth

(BrE) (of a building) to have sth directly behind it:Our house backs onto the river.

back 'out (of sth)

to decide that you are no longer going to take part in sth that has been agreed:He lost confidence and
backed out of the deal at the last minute.

back 'up | back sth 'up

to move backwards, especially in a vehicle:You can back up another two feet or so. Ç I backed the car up
to the door.

back sb/sth 'up

1 to support sb/sth; to say that what sb says, etc. is true:I’ll back you up if they don’t believe you. Ç The
writer doesn’t back up his opinions with examples.

2 to provide support for sb/sth:two doctors backed up by a team of nurses Ç The rebels backed up their
demands with threats.—related noun backup

back sth 'up

(computing) to prepare a second copy of a file, program, etc. that can be used if the main one fails or
needs extra support—related noun backup

at the back / at the rear / behind

At the back and at the rear have a similar meaning, but at the rear is used more in formal or official
language: What’s that at the back of the fridge?ÇSmoking is only allowed at the rear of the aircraft. It is
more usual to talk about the back door of a house but the rear exit of an aircraft or public building. If
something is behind something else it is near to the back of it but not part of it. Compare: Our room was
at the back of the hotel and There’s a lovely wood just behind our hotel.

[vn] bank sth (up) to form sth into piles:They banked the earth (up) into a mound.

[v] bank (with / at … ) to have an account with a particular bank:The family had banked with Coutts for
generations.

[vn] bank sth (up) to pile coal, etc. on a fire so that the fire burns slowly for a long time:The fire was
banked up as high as if it were midwinter.

'bank on sb/sth

to rely on sb/sth:I’m banking on your help. Ç [+ to inf] I’m banking on you to help me. Ç [+ -ing] I was
banking on getting something to eat on the train. Ç ‘I’m sure he’ll help.’ ‘Don’t bank on it (= it is not likely
to happen).’

bank 'up

to form into piles, especially because of the wind:The snow had banked up against the wall.
bear sth (against / towards sb) | bear sb sth to have a feeling, especially a negative feeling:[vn] He
bears no resentment towards them. Ç [vnn] She bore him no ill will. Ç [vn, vnn] He’s borne a grudge
against me ever since that day. Ç He’s borne me a grudge ever since that day.

[vn] bear (formal) to show sth; to carry sth so that it can be seen:The document bore her signature. Ç He
was badly wounded in the war and still bears the scars. Ç She bears little resemblance to (= is not much
like) her mother. Ç The title of the essay bore little relation to (= was not much connected with) the
contents.

[vn] bear yourself well, etc. (formal) to move, behave or act in a particular way:He bears himself (=
stands, walks, etc.) proudly, like a soldier. Ç She bore herself with dignity throughout the funeral.

bear 'down on sb/sth

1 (especially BrE) to move quickly towards sb/sth in a determined or threatening way

2 (especially NAmE) to press on sb/sth:Bear down on it with all your strength so it doesn’t move.

'bear on sth

(formal) to relate to sth SYN  affect:These are matters that bear on the welfare of the community.

bear sb/sth 'out

(especially BrE) to show that sb is right or that sth is true:The other witnesses will bear me out. Ç The
other witnesses will bear out what I say.

bear 'up (against / under sth)

to remain as cheerful as possible during a difficult time:He’s bearing up well under the strain of losing his
job. Ç ‘How are you?’ ‘Bearing up.’

'bear with sb/sth

to be patient with sb/sth:She’s under a lot of strain. Just bear with her. Ç If you will bear with me (= be
patient and listen to me) a little longer, I’ll answer your question.

barge 'in (on sb/sth)

to enter a place or join a group of people rudely interrupting what sb else is doing or saying:I hope you
don’t mind me barging in like this. Ç He barged in on us while we were having a meeting.

[vn] beat sb (at sth) to defeat sb in a game or competition:He beat me at chess. Ç Their recent wins
have proved they’re still the ones to beat (= the most difficult team to beat).

[vn] beat sth (up) | beat A and B together to mix sth with short quick movements with a fork, etc.:Beat
the eggs up to a frothy consistency. Ç Beat the flour and milk together.

beat sth (out) (into sth) to change the shape of sth, especially metal, by hitting it with a hammer, etc.:
[vn] beaten silver Ç The gold is beaten out into thin strips. Ç [vn-adj] The metal had been beaten flat.

[vn] beat sth (through, across, along, etc. sth) to make a path, etc. by walking somewhere or by
pressing branches down and walking over them:a well-beaten track (= one that has been worn hard by
much use) Ç The hunters beat a path through the undergrowth.

'beat it

(slang) (usually used in orders) to go away immediately:This is private land, so beat it!
anticipate / BrE ; AmE / [ T ]
to see what might happen in the future and take action to prepare for it; to do sth before sb else does it
We need someone who can anticipate and respond to changes in the fashion industry. ◇ Try and anticipate what
the interviewer will ask.
( formal ) When Scott reached the South Pole he found that Amundsen had anticipated him.
See also anticipation ⇨ EXPECTATION
pre-empt / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( rather formal , especially written )
to prevent sth from happening by taking action to stop it; to do or say sth before sb else does it
The government announced it had pre-empted a coup attempt. ◇ I do not want to pre-empt anything that the
treasurer is going to say.
Her departure pre-empted any further questions. ◇ A good training course will pre-empt many problems. ◇ It
would be wrong for me to pre-empt any future decision the committee might make. ◇ She was just about to
apologize when he pre-empted her.
forestall / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( rather formal , especially written )
to pre-empt sth
Any plans for a peaceful settlement were forestalled by the intervention of the army.
Try to anticipate what your child will do in order to forestall problems. ◇ This statement was seen as an attempt to
forestall criticism. ◇ Let me start with a couple of explanations to forestall any possible misunderstandings.
NOTE PRE-EMPT OR FORESTALL? In most cases you can use either word: to pre-empt/forestall
problems/questions/criticism/discussion/plans ◇ He opened his mouth to speak but Richard pre-empted/forestalled
him. However, although you can either pre-empt or forestall sth bad that is going to happen, you can also pre-empt
sth good, such as good news , that sb has to say: I would not want to pre-empt any hopeful news that he might tell us
tonight. ◇ to forestall any hopeful news
beat sb to sth , beat sb to it phrasal verb beat , beaten ( rather informal )
to get somewhere or do sth before sb else
She beat me to the top of the hill. ◇ I was about to take the last cake, but he beat me to it.

attack / BrE ; AmE / [ T , I ]

to use violence to try to hurt or kill sb
The man attacked him with a knife. ◇ Most dogs will not attack unless provoked.
It's alleged that the man savagely attacked the pensioner in his home. ◇ They run a helpline for women who have
been sexually attacked .
See also attack ⇨ ATTACK noun   2
assault / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( rather formal )
to attack sb violently, especially when this is considered as a crime
He has been charged with assaulting a police officer. ◇ He admitted indecently assaulting the child.
Four women have been sexually assaulted in the area recently. ◇ Many healthcare workers say they have been
physically assaulted by patients.
See also assault ⇨ ATTACK noun   2
beat sb up / BrE ; AmE / phrasal verb beat , beaten
to hit or kick sb hard, many times
He was badly beaten up by a gang of thugs.
mug / BrE ; AmE / -gg- [ T , often passive ]
to attack sb violently in order to steal their money, especially in a public place
She was mugged in the street in broad daylight.
Your chances of being mugged in Manhattan are lower than ever before. ◇ Many elderly people will not go out for
fear of getting mugged.
►  mugging / BrE ; AmE / noun [ U , C ]: Mugging is on the increase in the area, especially after dark. ◇ Murders,
kidnaps and muggings are reported daily in the newspapers.
strike / BrE ; AmE / struck , struck ; AmE also struck , stricken [ I ]
to attack sb/sth, especially suddenly
Police fear that the killer may strike again. ◇ The lion crouched ready to strike.
beat sth 'down

to hit a door, etc. many times until it breaks open

beat 'down (on sb/sth)

if the sun beats down it shines with great heat

beat sb/sth 'down (to sth)

to persuade sb to reduce the price at which they are selling sth:He wanted $8 000 for the car but I beat
him down to $6 000. Ç I beat down the price to $6 000.

beat 'off

(NAmE, taboo, slang) to masturbate

beat sb/sth 'off

to force sb/sth back or away by fighting:The attacker was beaten off. Ç She beat off a challenge to her
leadership.

beat sth 'out

1 to produce a rhythm by hitting sth many times

2 to put a fire out by beating:We beat the flames out.

3 to remove sth by hitting it with a hammer, etc.:They can beat out the dent in the car’s wing.

'beat sb out of sth

(NAmE, informal) to cheat sb by taking sth from them:Her brother beat her out of $200.

'beat sb to sth / … | beat sb 'to it

to get somewhere or do sth before sb else:She beat me to the top of the hill. Ç I was about to take the
last cake, but he beat me to it.

beat sb 'up
to hit or kick sb hard, many times:He was badly beaten up by a gang of thugs.

beat 'up on sb

(NAmE) to hit sb hard, especially sb who is young or weak:I’ve heard people say he used to beat up on
his wife.

beat yourself 'up (about / over sth)

(NAmE, informal) to blame yourself too much for sth:Look, there’s no need to beat yourself up over this.

They really agonized  over what to call the baby.

Generally speaking, I’m inclined to agree  with you.

The new system allows  for increased creativity with reduced financial stress.

Not punishing them amounts  to condoning their crime.

I agree, but I can’t answer  for my colleagues.

Who do you answer  to in your new job?

You can’t ascribe the same meaning  to both words.

Mark asked  after you when I spoke to him, so I told him you were well.

I don’t know of any vacancies in the company but I’ll ask  around.

Meals average  out at about £10 per head.

[v] agonize (over / about sth) to spend a long time thinking and worrying about a difficult situation or
problem:I spent days agonizing over whether to take the job or not.

agree to 'differ

if two people agree to differ, they accept that they have different opinions about sth, but they decide
not to discuss it any longer

not a'gree with sb

(of food) to make you feel ill / sick:I love strawberries, but they don’t agree with me.

agree

approve õ consent õ acquiesce

These words all mean to say that you will do what sb wants or that you will allow sth to happen.

agree to say that you will do what sb wants or that you will allow sth to happen: He agreed to let me go
early.

approve to officially agree to a plan, suggestion or request: The committee unanimously approved the
plan.

consent (rather formal) to agree to sth or give your permission for sth: She finally consented to answer
our questions.

acquiesce (formal) to accept sth without arguing, even if you do not really agree with it: Senior
government figures must have acquiesced in the cover-up.

to agree / consent to sth

to agree / consent to do sth

to be prepared / willing / unwilling / forced to agree / approve / consent / acquiesce

to refuse to agree / approve / consent / acquiesce

to agree to / approve / consent to a request

to agree to a demand

to readily agree to / approve / consent to / acquiesce in sth

to reluctantly agree to / approve / consent to / acquiesce in sth

[v] agree (with sth) to be the same as sth SYN  tally:The figures do not agree. Ç Your account of the
accident does not agree with hers.

 OPP  disagree

[v] agree (with sth) to match a word or phrase in number, gender or person:In ‘Tom likes jazz’, the
singular verb ‘likes’ agrees with the subject ‘Tom’.

agree (to sth) to say ‘yes’; to say that you will do what sb wants or that you will allow sth to happen:[v] I
asked for a pay rise and she agreed. Ç Do you think he’ll agree to their proposal? Ç [v (that)] She agreed
(that) I could go early. Ç [v to inf] She agreed to let me go early.

be agreed (on / about sth) | be agreed (that … ) if people are agreed or sth is agreed, everyone has the
same opinion about sth: [vn] Are we all agreed on this? Ç [vn (that)] It was agreed (that) we should hold
another meetin
agree (with sb) (about / on sth) | agree (with sth) to have the same opinion as sb; to say that you have
the same opinion:[v] When he said that, I had to agree. Ç He agreed with them about the need for
change. Ç I agree with her analysis of the situation. Ç ‘It’s terrible.’ ‘I couldn’t agree more (= I completely
agree)!’ Ç [v (that)] We agreed (that) the proposal was a good one. Ç [v speech] ‘That’s true’, she
agreed. OPP  disagree

[vn] allow sth (for sb/sth) to make sure that you have enough of sth for a particular purpose:You need
to allow three metres of fabric for the dress.

al'low for sb/sth

to consider or include sb/sth when calculating sth:It will take about an hour to get there, allowing for
traffic delays. Ç All these factors must be allowed for.

al'low of sth

(formal) to make sth possible:The facts allow of only one explanation.

allow 'me

used to offer help politely

—more at rein noun

have / know all the 'answers

(informal, often disapproving) to be confident that you know sth, especially when you actually do not:He
thinks he knows all the answers.

—more at no exclamation
answer 'back

to defend yourself against criticism:He was given the chance to answer back in a radio interview.

answer 'back | answer sb 'back

to speak rudely to sb in authority, especially when they are criticizing you or telling you to do sth:Don’t
answer back! Ç Stop answering your mother back!

'answer for sth

1 to accept responsibility or blame for sth:You will have to answer for your behaviour one day. Ç This
government has a lot to answer for (= is responsible for a lot of bad things).

2 to promise that sb has a particular quality or can be relied on to do sth:I can answer for her honesty.

'answer for sb

(usually in negative sentences) to say that sb else will do sth or have a particular opinion:I agree, but I
can’t answer for my colleagues.

'answer to sb (for sth)

to have to explain your actions or decisions to sb:All sales clerks answer to the store manager.

a'mount to sth

1 to add up to sth; to make sth as a total:His earnings are said to amount to £300 000 per annum. Ç
They gave me some help in the beginning but it did not amount to much (= they did not give me much
help).

2 to be equal to or the same as sth:Her answer amounted to a complete refusal. Ç Their actions
amount to a breach of contract. Ç It’ll cost a lot—well, take a lot of time, but it amounts to the same
thing.
feature / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]
something important, interesting or typical of a place or thing
An interesting feature of the city is the old market. ◇ Teamwork is a key feature of the training programme. ◇ The
one redeeming feature of the plan was its low cost to the council. ◇ The design has many new built-in safety features .
A feature that characterizes all anteaters is an extremely low metabolic rate. ◇ Which features do you look for
when choosing a car? ◇ The software has no particular distinguishing features .
A feature tends to be sth noticeable, and is usually sth desirable.
See also feature ⇨ FEATURE verb
characteristic / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]
a part of a person's character, appearance or behaviour; something typical of a place or thing
The need to communicate is a key characteristic of human society. ◇ His melodies have distinguishing
characteristics which make them instantly identifiable. ◇ Personal characteristics, such as age, sex and marital
status are taken into account.
The two species have several characteristics in common.
A characteristic is usually sth that helps to make sb/sth clearly different from others.
quality / BrE ; AmE / [ C , U ]
a part of a person's character, especially a good one such as the ability to do sth or a good way of behaving; a feature
of a thing, especially one that is good and makes it different from sth else
personal qualities such as honesty and generosity ◇ It's hard to find people with the right qualities for the job. ◇
He showed great energy and leadership qualities . ◇ The ancient city of Assisi has a wonderful magical quality.
She has all the qualities of a good teacher. ◇ The film has a dream-like quality.
property / BrE ; AmE / [ C , usually pl. ] ( formal or technical )
a feature of a substance or material, especially of its physical form or behaviour
Compare the physical and chemical properties of the two substances. ◇ The plant is thought to have medicinal
properties.
The difference occurs because of local variation in soil properties.
attribute / BrE ; AmE / [ C ] ( rather formal )
a quality or feature of sb/sth, especially one that people think is good
Patience is an essential attribute for a teacher. ◇ The most basic attribute of all animals is consciousness.
In modern society, the positive attributes of age are often ignored. ◇ Those possessing the necessary physical
attributes will emerge as the best sportsmen. ◇ He lists the ten most important attributes of a good school.
trait / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]
a particular quality in a person's character that is noticeable and makes them behave in a particular way
personality/character traits ◇ Awareness of class is a typically British trait.
point / BrE ; AmE / [ C , usually pl. ]
a particular quality or feature that sb/sth has
Tact is not one of her strong points . ◇ Living in Scotland has its good points but the weather is not one of them. ◇ One
of the hotel's plus points is that it is very central.
Read the manual to learn the program's finer points ( = small details ) .
Points is often used when you are considering the good and bad qualities of sth.

a'scribe sth to sb

to consider or state that a book, etc. was written by a particular person SYN  attribute:This play is usually
ascribed to Shakespeare.

a'scribe sth to sb/sth (formal)

1 to consider that sth is caused by a particular thing or person:He ascribed his failure to bad luck.
2 to consider that sb/sth has or should have a particular quality:We ascribe great importance to these
policies. SYN  attribute

ask (sb) (for sth) to say that you would like sb to give you sth:

[v] to ask for a job / a drink / an explanation Ç I am writing to ask for some information about courses. Ç
[vn] Why don’t you ask his advice? Ç Can I ask a favour of you? Ç [vnn] Why don’t you ask him for his
advice? Ç Can I ask you a favour?

[vn] ask sth (for sth) to request a particular amount of money for sth that you are selling:He’s asking
£2 000 for the car.

ask sth (of sb) to expect or demand sth:[vn] I know I’m asking a great deal. Ç You’re asking too much of
him. Ç [vn to inf] I know it’s asking a lot to expect them to win again.ò note at demand

'ask after sb

(BrE) to say that you would like to know how sb is, what they are doing, etc.:He always asks after you in
his letters.

ask a'round
to speak to a number of different people in order to try and get some information:I don’t know of any
vacancies in the company but I’ll ask around.

ask sb 'back

(especially BrE) to invite sb to come back to your house when you are both out together:I hoped he
wouldn’t ask me back.

'ask for sb/sth

to say that you want to speak to sb or be directed to a place:When you arrive, ask for Jane.

ask sb 'out

to invite sb to go out with you, especially as a way of starting a romantic relationship:He’s too shy to ask
her out.

If you join a club, you have to abide  by its rules.

His boss called him to account  for failing to meet the deadline.

Tracy found it easy to accustom herself  to the heat in Africa

Each time my neighbours had a fight, I had to act  as referee.

The numbers add  up to exactly 100.

I have authorized him to act  for me while I am away.

The government’s failure to act  on this matter led ultimately to its ruin.

The pupil was punished for acting  up in class.

If I might just add  to what Mr Collins said.

You'll have to add  up all the money I owe you.

follow / BrE ; AmE / [ T ]

to accept advice or instructions and do what you have been told or shown to do
I didn't really follow the recipe. ◇ He has trouble following simple instructions.
Why didn't you follow my advice?
Follow is often used to talk about acting according to written instructions such as a recipe , timetable or syllabus , as
well as orders or commands .
comply / BrE ; AmE / [ I ] ( rather formal )
to act according to a rule or the law
They refused to comply with the UN resolution. ◇ What sanctions can they take against us if we fail to comply?
Comply is usually used in contexts relating to law and diplomatic situations.
OPP breach ⇨ BREAK   3
See also compliant ⇨ PASSIVE
►  compliance / BrE ; AmE / noun [ U ]: to ensure full compliance with the law
Safety measures were carried out in compliance with paragraph 6 of the building regulations.
obey / BrE ; AmE / [ T , I ]
to do what you are told or expected to do
He consistently refuses to obey rules. ◇ He had always obeyed his parents without question. ◇ ‘Sit down!’ Meekly,
she obeyed.
The object of obey can be a person (for example a parent ) or a thing (for example rules ). Using obey often
emphasizes the relationship of power between people.
OPP disobey ⇨ OPPOSE , break ⇨ BREAK   3
See also obedient ⇨ GOOD   7
act on sth , act upon sth phrasal verb
to take action as a result of advice, information or a feeling
Acting on information from a member of the public, the police raided the club. ◇ Why didn't you act on her
suggestion? ◇ Acting on impulse, he picked up the phone and dialled her number.
ad here to sth phrasal verb ( formal )
to act according to a law, rule or set of instructions; to follow a particular set of beliefs or a fixed way of doing sth
For ten months he adhered to a strict no-fat low-salt diet. ◇ She adheres to teaching methods she learned over 30
years ago.
Staff should adhere strictly to the safety guidelines.
►  adherence noun [ U ]: strict adherence to the rules
a bide by sth phrasal verb ( formal )
to accept and act according to a law, agreement or decision
You'll have to abide by the rules of the club. ◇ We will abide by their decision.
observe / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( formal )
to act according to a law, agreement or custom
Will the rebels observe the ceasefire? ◇ We observed a two-minute silence for the victims of the bombing.
carry sth out / BrE ; AmE / phrasal verb
to do sth that you have been asked to do
He made it clear that they must carry out orders immediately.
See also carry sth out ⇨ KEEP   5
respect / BrE ; AmE / [ T ]
to not break a law or principle
The new leader has promised to respect the constitution.
Respect is often used to talk about people who have the power to break the rules without being punished, but choose
or are encouraged not to do so as a matter of principle.
OPP violate ⇨ BREAK   3
See also respect ⇨ RESPECT noun
official / BrE ; AmE / [ usually before noun ]
connected with the job of sb who is in a position of authority; agreed to, said or done by sb who is in a position of
authority
The minister was in Berlin on official business. ◇ She attended in her official capacity as mayor. ◇ The news is not
yet official . ◇ The country's official language is Spanish. ◇ The report revealed official corruption ( = corrupt
behaviour by officials ) in relation to road building.
This was her first official engagement. ◇ He made an official visit to Tokyo in March. ◇ 10 Downing Street is the
Prime Minister's official residence. ◇ He stepped into the waiting official car. ◇ An official announcement is
expected tomorrow. ◇ The official news agency reported an attack by rebel soldiers. ◇ An official enquiry has
been launched into the cause of the accident. ◇ I intend to make an official complaint ( = to complain to sb in
authority ) .
The official account of an event is the one that is told to the public by people in authority. It may or may not be true
That was the official version of events but nobody believed it. ◇ The official line is that the date for the election has not
yet been decided.
OPP unofficial ⇨ UNOFFICIAL
See also official ⇨ OFFICIAL noun
►  officially / BrE ; AmE / adv. : The library will be officially opened by the local MP. ◇ Officially, he resigned
because of ill health.
We haven't yet been told officially about the closure. ◇ The college is not an officially recognized English language
school.
formal / BrE ; AmE /
following an agreed or official way of doing things
Once the loan has been approved we'll send a formal agreement for you to sign. ◇ Formal diplomatic relations
between the two countries were re-established in December. ◇ What this announcement does is put the
arrangement on a formal basis.
The two governments announced their formal acceptance of the scheme. ◇ There has been no formal
announcement of her resignation yet. ◇ On receipt of a formal complaint the inspectorate is required to
investigate. ◇ The government has lodged a formal diplomatic protest about the decision. ◇ There followed a
formal request for military aid. ◇ The organization is not a formal political party.
OPP informal ⇨ INFORMAL
►  formally / BrE ; AmE / adv. : The accounts were formally approved by the board.
authorized ( BrE also -ised ) / BrE ; AmE /
done with or having the permission of sb in authority
The family agreed to an authorized biography of the artist. ◇ There was a notice on the door: Authorized
Personnel Only.
The country has only one authorized political party. ◇ The 1611 translation of the Bible into English is called the
Authorized Version . ◇ This misinterpretation established itself as the authorized version of events. ◇ Access to the
system is restricted to authorized staff by the use of security passwords.
OPP unauthorized ⇨ UNOFFICIAL
licensed / BrE ; AmE /
done, owned or run with official permission; owning a licence to do sth
There aren't enough licensed taxis in the city. ◇ The handgun had been bought from a licensed dealer. ◇ There
are only two companies licensed to produce the vaccine.
She is licensed ( = has a licence from the state ) to practise law in California. ◇ ( BrE ) The restaurant is not
licensed ( = not allowed to sell alcoholic drinks ) .
OPP unlicensed ⇨ UNOFFICIAL
accredited / BrE ; AmE / [ usually before noun ]
officially recognized or approved; working with official permission
Only accredited golfing journalists were allowed near the players. ◇ The former business school is now a fully
accredited British university.
Accredited representatives from several countries took part in the investigation. ◇ The documents were made
available to accredited researchers.
►  accreditation / BrE ; AmE / noun [ U ]: the accreditation of engineering qualifications

explain / BrE ; AmE / [ I , T ]

to give a reason for sth; to be a reason for sth
She tried to explain but he wouldn't listen. ◇ Ed explained that his car had broken down. ◇ The government now has
to explain its decision to the public. ◇ Well, that doesn't explain why you didn't call me. ◇ ( spoken ) Oh well then,
that explains it ( I understand now why sth happened ) .
I really don't see why I should have to explain myself ( = give reasons for my behaviour ) to you. ◇ scientific
findings that help explain the origins of the universe
See also explanation ⇨ REASON
justify / BrE ; AmE / [ T ]
to show that sb/sth is right or reasonable; to give an explanation or excuse for sth or for doing sth, especially sth that
other people think is wrong or unreasonable
How can they justify paying such huge salaries? ◇ Her success had justified the faith her teachers had put in her.
◇ You don't need to justify yourself to me.
Can you justify that accusation? ◇ The senator made a half-hearted attempt to justify the claim. ◇ The Prime
Minister has been asked to justify the decision to Parliament. ◇ It would be difficult for an employer to justify
dismissing someone on those grounds.
See also justification ⇨ REASON , unjustified ⇨ UNJUSTIFIED
ac count for sth phrasal verb ( rather formal )
to be the explanation or cause of sth; to give an explanation of sth
The poor weather may have accounted for the small crowd. ◇ How do you account for the show's success?
( spoken ) Oh well, that accounts for it ( = I understand now why it happened ) .
defend / BrE ; AmE / [ T ]
to say or write sth in support of sb/sth that has been criticized, or to give an explanation for sth
Politicians are skilled at defending themselves against their critics. ◇ How can you defend such behaviour?
She was quick to defend her husband's actions. ◇ The company has strenuously defended its decision to reduce the
workforce. ◇ The minister vigorously defended the policy.
See also defence ⇨ SECURITY
stand up for sb/sth phrasal verb stood , stood [ no passive ]
to strongly support or defend sb/sth that has been criticized
Always stand up for your friends. ◇ You must stand up for your rights. ◇ She had learnt to stand up for herself.
stick up for sb/sth phrasal verb [ no passive ] ( rather informal )
to support or defend sb/sth that has been criticized
Stick up for what you believe. ◇ She taught her children to stick up for themselves at school.
Don't worry — I'll stick up for you.
Stick up for sb/sth is used especially to talk about sb defending another person or themselves when no one else
will.

used to sth , used to doing sth / BrE ; AmE / phrase

knowing sth very well because you do it or experience it often, so that you accept it as normal or usual
I'm not used to eating so much at lunchtime. ◇ I found the job tiring at first but I soon got used to it.
She had gradually grown used to his odd habits.
OPP unused to sth ⇨ NEW   3
familiar with sth phrase
knowing sth very well
I wasn't familiar with the area. ◇ You will need to be thoroughly familiar with the software.
After you grow more familiar with our methods you can take on more responsibilities. ◇ She was reasonably
familiar with the language. ◇ I'm sure you're already familiar with this idea. ◇ With practice you will become
familiar with these techniques. ◇ Not everyone is familiar with the Roman alphabet.
OPP unfamiliar with sth ⇨ NEW   2
accustomed to sth , accustomed to doing sth phrase ( rather formal )
familiar with sth and accepting it as normal or usual
My eyes slowly grew accustomed to the dark. ◇ She was a person accustomed to having eight hours' sleep a night.
OPP unaccustomed to sth ⇨ NEW   2
up to date / BrE ; AmE / [ not before noun ]
having the most recent information
I need to be kept up to date with any developments. ◇ She brought him up to date with what had happened. ◇ up-to-
date information/records
OPP out of date ⇨ OLD-FASHIONED

acclimatize (yourself) (to sth) to get used to a new place, situation or climate:[v] Arrive two days early in
order to acclimatize. Ç [vn] She was fine once she had acclimatized herself to the cold.

clean up your 'act

(informal) to start behaving in a moral or responsible way:He cleaned up his act and came off drugs.

tidy / BrE ; AmE / [ T , I ] ( especially BrE )

to make sth look neat by putting things in the place where they belong
She wanted to tidy herself up before the appointment ( = comb her hair, etc. ) . ◇ She was always cleaning and
tidying . ◇ When you use the kitchen please tidy up after yourself.
I've been tidying my room. ◇ He spent a few minutes tidying his desk. ◇ She tidied up and washed the dishes.
See also tidy ⇨ NEAT adj. , freshen up ⇨ WASH
clean up , clean sth up / BrE ; AmE / phrasal verb
to make sth clean and neat by removing dirt and mess
He always expected other people to clean up after him ( = when he had made the place dirty or untidy ) . ◇ Who's
going to clean up this mess? ◇ to clean up beaches after an oil spillage
See also clean ⇨ CLEAN verb
►  clean-up noun [ usually sing. ]: a massive clean-up operation ◇ the clean-up of the river
clear up , clear sth up phrasal verb
to make sth clean and neat, by removing rubbish or putting things in the place where they belong
Start clearing up now. ◇ Let him clear up his own mess! ◇ They were still clearing up the debris after the
accident.
We've got to clear up the house before Mum gets back. ◇ They have to serve lunch and clear up afterwards. ◇ I'm
fed up with clearing up after them!
sort sth out , sort through sth phrasal verb ( informal )
to organize the contents of sth
We'll need to sort out the contents of the house. ◇ He was sorting through his desk and throwing away old papers.
[+]

clean sth 'down

to clean sth thoroughly:All the equipment should be cleaned down regularly.

'clean sth off / from sth | clean sth 'off

to remove sth from sth by brushing, rubbing, etc.:I cleaned the mud off my shoes.

clean sth 'out

to clean the inside of sth thoroughly:I must clean the fish tank out.

clean sb 'out

(informal) to use all of sb’s money:Paying for all those drinks has cleaned me out.

clean sb/sth 'out

(informal) to steal everything from a person or place:The burglars totally cleaned her out.

clean (yourself) 'up

(informal) to make yourself clean, usually by washing:I need to change and clean up. Ç Go and clean
yourself up. Ç You’d better get cleaned up.—related noun clean-up

clean 'up | clean sth 'up

1 to remove dirt, etc. from somewhere:He always expected other people to clean up after him (= when
he had made the place dirty or untidy). Ç Who’s going to clean up this mess? Ç to clean up beaches after
an oil spillage—related noun clean-up

2 (informal) to win or make a lot of money:This film should clean up at the box offices.

clean sth 'up

to remove crime and immoral behaviour from a place or an activity:The new mayor is determined to
clean up the city. Ç Soccer needs to clean up its image.—related noun clean-up

'act for / on behalf of sb

to be employed to deal with sb’s affairs for them, for example by representing them in court

'act on / upon sth

to take action as a result of advice, information, etc.:Acting on information from a member of the public,
the police raided the club. Ç Why didn’t you act on her suggestion?

act sth 'out

1 to perform a ceremony or show how sth happened, as if performing a play:The ritual of the party
conference is acted out in the same way every year. Ç The children started to act out the whole incident.

2 to act a part in a real situation:She acted out the role of the wronged lover.

act 'up (informal)

1 to behave badly:The kids started acting up.

2 to not work as it should:How long has your ankle been acting up?

add sth 'in

to include sth with sth else:Remember to add in the cost of drinks.

add sth 'on (to sth)

to include or attach sth extra:A service charge of 15 was added on to the bill.—related noun add-on

'add to sth

to increase sth in size, number, amount, etc.:The bad weather only added to our difficulties. Ç The house
has been added to (= new rooms, etc. have been built on to it) from time to time.
add 'up (informal)

1 (especially in negative sentences) to seem reasonable; to make sense:His story just doesn’t add up.

2 (not used in the progressive tenses) to increase by small amounts until there is a large total:When
you’re feeding a family of six the bills soon add up.

add 'up | add sth 'up

to calculate the total of two or more numbers or amounts:The waiter can’t add up. Ç Add up all the
money I owe you.

add 'up to sth

1 to make a total amount of sth:The numbers add up to exactly 100.

2 to lead to a particular result; to show sth SYN  amount to sth:These clues don’t really add up to very
much (= give us very little information).

add insult to 'injury

to make a bad relationship with sb worse by offending them even more

'added to this … | 'add to this …

used to introduce another fact that helps to emphasize a point you have already made:Add to this the
excellent service and you can see why it’s the most popular hotel on the island.

solve / BrE ; AmE / [ T ]

to find a way of dealing with a problem or difficult situation
You can't solve all your difficulties by running away. ◇ Unemployment will not be solved by offering low-paid jobs
in call centres.
Attempts are being made to solve the problem of waste disposal in the town. ◇ The Board met several times last
week to try to solve the firm's financial crisis.
See also solution ⇨ SOLUTION , solve ⇨ SOLVE   2
sort sb/sth out phrasal verb ( especially BrE , rather informal , especially spoken )
to deal with a problem in a satisfactory way
Don't worry, I'll try and sort it out. ◇ You load up the car and I'll sort the kids out. ◇ She tried to sort things out
between them. ◇ I'm sure the problem will sort itself out eventually ( = be solved without anyone having to take any
action ) .
He said he needed to get away for a while in order to sort himself out ( = try to solve his problems ) .
See also sort sth out ⇨ ORGANIZE
sort / BrE ; AmE / [ T , usually passive ] ( especially BrE , informal , especially spoken )
to sort sb/sth out
Don't worry. We'll soon have this sorted. ◇ It's all sorted. ◇ It's time you got yourself sorted.
It's our problem. We'll get it sorted.
In this meaning sort is more informal than sort sb/sth out and is usually used in the phrases be sorted , get/have sth
sorted or get yourself sorted .
straighten sb/sth out phrasal verb
to make a complicated or unsatisfactory situation better, by dealing with the particular things that are causing
problems
I need some time to straighten out my finances. ◇ I used to eat a lot of junk food, but my husband soon straightened
me out.
[+]

re'solve into sth | re'solve sth into sth

1 to separate or to be separated into its parts:to resolve a complex argument into its basic elements

2 (of sth seen or heard at a distance) to gradually turn into a different form when it is seen or heard
more clearly:The orange light resolved itself into four lanterns.

3 to gradually become or be understood as sth:The discussion eventually resolved itself into two main
issues.

defraud / BrE ; AmE / [ T , I ] ( rather formal , disapproving )

to get money illegally from a person or organization by deceiving them
They were accused of defrauding the company of $14 000. ◇ ( law ) All three men were charged with conspiracy to
defraud .
See also fraud ⇨ FRAUD   1 , fraud ⇨ FRAUD   2
rip sb off / BrE ; AmE / phrasal verb -pp- [ often passive ] ( informal , disapproving )
to cheat sb by making them pay too much or by selling them sth of poor quality
Tourists complain of being ripped off by local cab drivers.
►  rip-off [ C , usually sing. ]: $70 for a T-shirt! What a rip-off!
swindle / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( disapproving )
to get money illegally from a person or organization by deceiving them
They swindled him out of thousands of dollars.
►  swindle / BrE ; AmE / noun [ C , usually sing. ]: We think she was mixed up in an insurance swindle.
NOTE DEFRAUD OR SWINDLE? Defraud is more formal than swindle , especially when it is used without an object.
Swindle cannot be used without an object.
fleece / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( informal , disapproving )
to take a lot of money from sb by making them pay too much for sth
Some local shops have been fleecing tourists.
bilk / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( especially AmE , informal , disapproving )
to swindle sb
He was a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars.
screw / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( slang , disapproving )
to cheat sb, especially by making them pay too much money for sth
We've been screwed. ◇ How much did they screw you for ( = how much did you have to pay ) ?
short- change / BrE ; AmE / [ T , often passive ] ( disapproving )
to give back less than the correct amount of money to sb who has paid with more than the exact price for sth
I think I've been short-changed at the bar.

borrow / BrE ; AmE / [ T , I ]

to take and use sth that belongs to sb else, and return it to them at a later time; to take money from a person or bank
and agree to pay it back to them at a later time
Can I borrow your pen? ◇ You can borrow the book from the local library. ◇ How much did you have to borrow
to pay for this? ◇ I don't like to borrow from friends.
I'm borrowing the office laptop for the weekend. ◇ She borrowed £2 000 from her parents.
OPP lend ⇨ LEND
beg / BrE ; AmE / -gg- [ I , T ]
to ask sb for money, food, etc., especially in the street when you have nothing
There were homeless people begging in the streets. ◇ He gets thousands of begging letters ( = letters asking for
money ) . ◇ We managed to beg a meal from the cafe owner.
They were so poor they were forced to beg. ◇ Starving children were begging for food.
See also beggar ⇨ TRAMP
scrounge / BrE ; AmE / [ T , I ] ( informal , disapproving )
to get sth from sb by asking them to give it to you because you do not want to pay for it
Can I scrounge a cigarette off you? ◇ I don't want to spend my life scrounging from other people.
They had managed to scrounge a free meal. ◇ What is she scrounging for this time? ◇ Hello, I've come to
scrounge some coffee.
See also scrounger ⇨ TRAMP

tramp / BrE ; AmE / [ C ] ( sometimes disapproving )

a person who has no home or job and who travels from place to place, usually asking people in the street for food or
money
An old tramp was sitting on a bench.
vagrant / BrE ; AmE / [ C ] ( formal or law )
a tramp
The accused was a vagrant who travelled around, sleeping in parks and bus shelters.
beggar / BrE ; AmE / [ C ] ( sometimes disapproving )
a person who lives by asking people for money or food
There were a number of beggars sleeping in doorways.
See also beg ⇨ BORROW
drifter / BrE ; AmE / [ C ] ( especially AmE , often disapproving )
a person who moves from one job or place to another with no real purpose
Several hundred drifters spend the night in the park.
I spent my time in the company of drifters and losers. ◇ As a young man he had been a romantic and a drifter. ◇ A
36-year-old drifter from Cincinnati was charged with the murder.
bum / BrE ; AmE / [ C ] ( informal , especially AmE , often disapproving )
a person who has no home or job and who asks other people for money or food; a person who does no work, but
spends a lot of time in a place, doing very little
The city at night intimidated me with the bums and dealers shouting out abuse. ◇ He left college to lead the life of a
beach bum ( = sb who spends all their time on the beach, without having a job ) .
scrounger / BrE ; AmE / [ C ] ( especially BrE , informal , disapproving )
a person who gets sth from sb by asking them for it rather than by paying for it; a person who gets money from the
government without working for it
He's such a scrounger. He tried to get me to pay his air fare home. ◇ The government has launched a campaign
against welfare scroungers .
See also scrounge ⇨ BORROW

di·vest / verb [vn] (formal)

1 divest sb / yourself of sth to remove clothes:He divested himself of his jacket.

2 divest yourself of sth to get rid of sth:The company is divesting itself of some of its assets.

3 divest sb/sth of sth to take sth away from sb/sth:After her illness she was divested of much of her
responsibility.

cache / noun, verb

Πnoun

1 a hidden store of things such as weapons:an arms cache

2 (computing) a part of a computer’s memory that stores copies of data that is often needed while a
program is running. This data can be accessed very quickly.

Πverb [vn]

1 to store things in a secret place, especially weapons

2 (computing) to store data in a cache:This page is cached.

'model yourself on sb

to copy the behaviour, style, etc. of sb you like and respect in order to be like them:As a politician, he
modelled himself on Churchill.

'model sth on / after sth

to make sth so that it looks, works, etc. like sth else:The country’s parliament is modelled on the British
system.

pro[pen[si[ty 7pr!  pen4s! tc8

n.,
pl. 3ties 5< propense, inclined < L propensus, pp. of propendere (see PROPEND) + 3ITY6
1 a natural inclination or tendency; bent
2 [Obs.] favorable inclination; bias (for)
—SYN INCLINATION

dis·mem·ber / verb [vn]

1 to cut or tear the dead body of a person or an animal into pieces

2 (formal) to divide a country, an organization, etc. into smaller parts

 dis·mem·ber·ment noun [U]

ac·ces·sion / noun

accession (to sth)

1 [U] the act of becoming a ruler of a country:the accession of Queen Victoria to the throne—see also
accede
2 [U] the act of becoming part of an international organization:the accession of new member states to
the EU in 2004 Ç the new accession states of the EU

3 [C] (technical) a thing that is added to a collection of objects, paintings, etc. in a library or museum

surround / BrE ; AmE / [ T ]

to be all around sb/sth; to move into a position all around sb/sth, especially so that they cannot escape; to move
sb/sth into a position in this way
Tall trees surround the lake. ◇ The lake is surrounded with/by trees. ◇ the membranes surrounding the brain ◇
Police surrounded the building. ◇ He has now surrounded his house with barbed wire.
As a child I was surrounded by love and kindness. ◇ Troops fanned out to surround the camp. ◇ On one occasion,
armed guerrillas surrounded their jeep.
enclose / BrE ; AmE / [ T ]
to build a wall, fence or other structure around sth; (of a wall, fence, etc.) to surround sth
The yard had been enclosed with iron railings. ◇ Low hedges enclosed the flower beds. ◇ I can't stand being shut
in a small enclosed space .
The garden was enclosed by a tall, black wooden fence. ◇ The land was enclosed in the seventeenth century ( = in
Britain, when public land was made private property ) .
When the wall, fence, etc. is the object of the verb enclose , the verb is nearly always passive : They had enclosed
the yard with iron railings.
line / BrE ; AmE / [ T , often passive ]
(of people or things) to form lines or rows along sth
Crowds of people lined the streets to watch the race. ◇ The walls were lined with books.
flank / BrE ; AmE / [ T ]
to be on one or both sides of sb/sth
They drove through the flat cotton fields that flanked Highway 17. ◇ She left the courtroom flanked by armed
guards.
encircle / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( written )
to surround sb/sth completely in a circular shape or movement
The island is encircled by a coral reef. ◇ Jack's arms encircled her waist.
border / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( written )
(especially of a natural feature) to form a line along or around the edge of sth
Meadows bordered the path to the woods.
The large garden is bordered by a stream.

fight / BrE ; AmE / fought , fought [ I , T ]

to take part in a war or battle against an enemy
The soldiers were trained to fight in the jungle. ◇ The country fought several wars against its neighbours. ◇ They
gathered soldiers to fight the invading army.
He fought in Vietnam. ◇ My grandfather fought against the Fascists in Spain.
See also fighting ⇨ WAR
wage / BrE ; AmE / [ T ]
to begin and continue a war, battle or campaign
The rebels have waged a guerrilla war since 1995. ◇ He alleged that a press campaign was being waged against
him.
He made the decision to wage war.
engage / BrE ; AmE / [ T , I ] ( formal )
to begin fighting a battle with sb
He ordered his men to engage (with) the enemy.
skirmish / BrE ; AmE / [ I ]
to take part in a short fight between small groups of soldiers, especially one that is not planned
The patrol skirmished with the enemy for several hours.
See also skirmish ⇨ WAR
take up arms idiom took , taken ( rather formal )
to prepare to fight a war
He encouraged his supporters to take up arms against the state.

join / BrE ; AmE / [ T , I ]

to become a member of an organization, company or club; to do sth that sb else is also doing or go somewhere with
them
She joined the company three months ago. ◇ I've joined an aerobics class. ◇ It costs £20 to join . ◇ Will you join
us for lunch? ◇ Members of the public joined the search for the missing boy.
Do you mind if I join you? ◇ Over 200 members of staff joined the strike. ◇ I'm sure you'll all join me in wishing
Ted and Laura a very happy marriage.
be involved , get involved phrase
to do a particular type of activity; to be part of or connected with a group, club or society
I got involved in politics when I was at college. ◇ She is very much involved with several local charitable groups.
He got involved in working for AIDS research. ◇ He wanted to be actively involved in school life.
See also involvement ⇨ INVOLVEMENT
participate / BrE ; AmE / [ I ] ( rather formal )
to be involved in an activity or event
She didn't participate in the discussion. ◇ We want to encourage students to participate fully in the running of the
college.
Details of the competition are available at all participating stores.
See also participation ⇨ INVOLVEMENT , participant ⇨ PARTICIPANT
take part phrase took , taken
to be involved in an activity or event
He had taken part in a demonstration several years earlier. ◇ How many countries took part in the last Olympic
Games?
See also part ⇨ INVOLVEMENT
en gage in sth phrasal verb ( rather formal )
to be involved in a particular type of activity
Even in prison, he continued to engage in criminal activities.
She often engages in friendly banter with her customers. ◇ The committee concluded that the senators had engaged
in improper conduct.
See also engagement ⇨ INVOLVEMENT
NOTE BE/GET INVOLVED, PARTICIPATE, TAKE PART OR ENGAGE IN STH? You participate or take part in a particular
activity or event: participate is more formal than take part . Be/get involved is a more general expression to talk
about the kind of activity or area of interest that sb gives their time to: you might be involved in politics but would
participate/take part in a political debate . Engage in sth is also used for more general types of activity, especially
(but not only) activities that are bad in some way or cause disapproval.
enter / BrE ; AmE / [ T , no passive ] ( rather formal )
to become a member of an institution; to start working in an organization or profession; to begin or become involved
in an activity or situation
I entered politics late in life. ◇ She entered Parliament ( = became an MP ) in 1998. ◇ It was his aim to enter the
Church ( = become a priest ) . ◇ When did the US enter the conflict? ◇ Several new firms have now entered the
market.
She entered college in 2006. ◇ The investigation has entered a new phase. ◇ The strike is entering its fourth week.
►  entry / BrE ; AmE / noun [ U ]: countries seeking entry into the European Union ◇ the American entry into the
war
the entry of women into the workforce
NOTE JOIN OR ENTER? Join is the usual term for talking about becoming a member of an organization or club. Enter
is used to talk about politics, professions such as law and medicine, and institutions such as universities, Parliament
and the Church.
join in , join in sth phrasal verb
to take part in sth with other people
She listens but she never joins in. ◇ I wish he would join in with the other children. ◇ He didn't dare to join in the
singing.
have a part , play a part phrase
to be involved in an activity or situation and influence its development
She plays an active part in local politics. ◇ We all have a part in the making of this decision.
Alcohol plays a part in 70 per cent of divorces.
See also part ⇨ INVOLVEMENT
share / BrE ; AmE / [ I , T ]
to work together with other people in an equal way to make work or responsibilities easier
I try to get the kids to share in the housework. ◇ Don't try to do everything yourself: you will need to share the load
with your partner.
Collocates of share in this meaning include work, load, burden and responsibilities .
See also share ⇨ SHARE noun
enter into sth phrasal verb ( rather formal )
to become involved in a formal or business relationship with sb; to take an active part in sth
Read the small print before you enter into any agreement. ◇ I refuse to enter into correspondence with such people.
[+]

aspect / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]

a particular part or feature of a situation, idea, problem or person's character; a way of looking or thinking about sth
The book aims to cover all aspects of city life. ◇ This was one aspect of her character he hadn't seen before. ◇ She
felt she had looked at the problem from every aspect .
The most important aspects of the debate were covered. ◇ The consultancy gives advice to manufacturers on the
health and safety aspects of their products.
side / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]
a particular aspect of sth, especially a situation or a person's character
Her novels deal with the darker side of human nature. ◇ It's good you can see the funny side of the situation. ◇ I'll
take care of that side of things .
These poems reveal her gentle side. ◇ This is a side to Alan that I never knew existed.
In this meaning, side is often, though not always, rather informal, used especially in spoken English in the phrases
see the funny side and that/the business/the political, etc. side of things .
respect / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]
a particular aspect or detail of sth
In this respect we are very fortunate. ◇ He takes after his father in some respects , but he's very different in other ways.
◇ There was one respect, however, in which they differed.
Respect is used especially to draw attention to one particular aspect of sth, in order to contrast it with other aspects.
It is used very often in the phrases in some/many/all respects and in one/every respect but it is NOT followed by of
sth and you should use one before it instead of a : an important aspect of the problem ◇ an important respect of the
problem. ◇ They differed in one respect. ◇ They differed in a respect.
dimension / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]
a feature of sth; a way of looking at or thinking about sth
Her job added a new dimension to her life. ◇ We should also consider the social dimension of unemployment.
Dimension is used especially to talk about issues in society and history; common collocates include social,
economic, political, ideological, cultural, linguistic, historical, geographical, environmental, regional, national,
international, human, personal, moral, ethical, religious and spiritual .
strand / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]
one of the different parts of sth, especially an idea, plan or story
There are three main strands to the policy. ◇ The author draws the different strands of the plot together in the final
chapter.
We heard every strand of political opinion.
end / BrE ; AmE / [ C , usually sing. ]
a part of an activity with which sb is concerned, especially in business
We need someone to handle the marketing end of the business. ◇ Are there any problems at your end? ◇ I have
kept my end of the bargain.

possible / BrE ; AmE / [ not usually before noun ]

that can be done or achieved
It is possible to get there by bus. ◇ This would not have been possible without you. ◇ Try to avoid losing your
temper if (at all) possible ( = if you can ) . ◇ Travel by bus whenever possible ( = when you can ) . ◇ Do everything
possible to get it finished on time. ◇ New technology has made it possible to communicate more easily.
It's just not physically possible to finish all this by the end of the week. ◇ The doctors did all that was humanly
possible to save him. ◇ Expansion was made possible by the investment of government money. ◇ ( rather formal )
Would it be possible for me to leave a message for her?
OPP impossible ⇨ IMPOSSIBLE
See also possibility ⇨ OPPORTUNITY , possibility ⇨ OPTION , possibilities ⇨ POTENTIAL , possible ⇨ POSSIBLE   2
viable / BrE ; AmE / ( rather formal , especially business )
that can be done; that is likely to be successful and is therefore worth considering or supporting
There is no viable alternative. ◇ If there was any delay then the rescue plan would cease to be viable.
I'm afraid that is just not a viable option. ◇ Once the company is commercially viable, we should be able to invest
more.
A company, plan or project that is commercially/economically/financially viable is capable of producing a profit.
practical / BrE ; AmE /
sensible and appropriate; likely to be successful
It wouldn't be practical for us to go all that way just for the weekend. ◇ It was difficult to find a practical solution
to the problem.
In this meaning practical is used to describe ideas, courses of action and ways of doing things: a practical
alternative/approach/measure/method/option/possibility/proposition
OPP impractical ⇨ UNREALISTIC
realistic / BrE ; AmE /
sensible and appropriate; that can be achieved
We must set realistic goals. ◇ If you want to retain good employees, you have to pay a realistic salary.
Realistic is often used to talk about what you can hope to achieve in business or at work: a realistic
alternative/demand/estimate/goal/hope/option/plan/solution/target
OPP unrealistic ⇨ UNREALISTIC
►  realistically / BrE ; AmE / adv. : Realistically, there is little prospect of a ceasefire. ◇ How many can you
realistically hope to sell?
feasible / BrE ; AmE /
that can probably be achieved and is therefore worth trying
It's just not feasible to manage the business on a part-time basis.
At first this did not seem like a feasible suggestion.
workable / BrE ; AmE /
that can be used successfully and effectively
Gradually, through discussion, a workable plan emerged. ◇ I'm sure we can come to some workable arrangement.
Workable is often used in business-related contexts to describe things such as a system or idea: a workable
arrangement/framework/plan/programme/proposal/solution/system
OPP unworkable ⇨ UNREALISTIC
achievable / BrE ; AmE / ( rather formal )
that can be achieved
Profits of $20m look achievable. ◇ Setting achievable goals will help to build confidence in your staff.
Achievable most often collocates with goal, objective, target and standard .

precaution / BrE ; AmE / [ C ] ( rather formal )

something that is done in advance in order to prevent problems or avoid danger
Serious injury can occur if proper safety precautions are not followed. ◇ You must take all reasonable precautions to
protect yourself.
Residents have a responsibility to take adequate precautions against fire. ◇ I'll keep the letter as a precaution .
See also precautionary ⇨ PROTECTIVE
defence / BrE ; AmE / ( BrE ) ( AmE defense ) [ C , U ]
something that provides protection against attack from sth that is harmful such as enemies, the weather or illness
The town walls were built as a defence against enemy attacks. ◇ The harbour's sea defences are in poor condition.
◇ The body has natural defence mechanisms to protect it from disease.
Humour is a more effective defence than violence.
See also defend ⇨ PROTECT , defensive ⇨ PROTECTIVE
shield / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]
a person or thing used to protect sb/sth, especially by forming a barrier
The gunman used the hostages as a human shield . ◇ She hid her true feelings behind a shield of cold indifference.
Water is not an effective shield against the sun's more harmful rays.
See also shield ⇨ PROTECT
safeguard / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]
an action or law that is designed to protect people from harm, risk or danger
The measures have been introduced as a safeguard against fraud. ◇ Stronger legal safeguards are needed to
protect the consumer.
See also safeguard ⇨ PROTECT
screen / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]
something that prevents sb from seeing or being aware of sth, or that protects sb/sth
All the research was conducted behind a screen of secrecy. ◇ We planted a screen of tall trees.
A screen of bodyguards protected the President.
buffer / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]
a thing or person that reduces a shock or protects sb/sth against difficulties
Support from family and friends acts as a buffer against stress. ◇ Peacekeepers have been sent in to establish a
buffer zone ( = an area that keeps two other areas distant from one another ) between the rival forces.
She often had to act as a buffer between father and son.
within / outside the purview of sth

(formal) within the limits of what a person, an organization, etc. is responsible for; dealt with by a
document, law, etc.

storm / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]

very bad weather with strong winds and rain
Rail services were suspended as fierce storms lashed the country. ◇ A few minutes later the storm broke ( = began ) .
◇ I think we're in for a storm ( = I think there will be one ) . ◇ Does the insurance policy provide for storm damage?
Storm is often used in compounds meaning a particular type of storm: an electrical storm ( = with lightning ) ◇ a
tropical storm ◇ a dust storm ◇ a rainstorm ◇ a sandstorm ◇ a hailstorm
thunderstorm / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]
a storm with thunder and lightning and usually very heavy rain
The church was struck by lightning during a violent thunderstorm.
He slept well, unaware of the thunderstorms which filled the night.
hurricane / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]
a violent storm with very strong winds that move in a circle, especially in the North Atlantic Ocean
Hurricane-force winds hit the islands. ◇ Hurricane Rita is now approaching the coast of Florida.
Hurricanes are usually given names of people, such as Hurricane Ana or Hurricane Bill .
tornado / BrE ; AmE / pl. tornadoes or tornados [ C ]
a violent storm with very strong winds that move in a circle. There is often also a tall cloud which is narrower at the
bottom than at the top
Tornadoes ripped into the southern United States yesterday.
The tornado picked up their mobile home and dumped it on the other side of the field.
A tornado is much more local and smaller in size (but not necessarily strength) than a hurricane . It might touch
down in one place for just a short time before moving on: The tornado touched down north-west of Hobbs, New
Mexico, damaging a barn and trailer home.
gale / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]
a very strong wind
The gale blew down hundreds of trees. ◇ ( BrE ) It's blowing a gale outside.
The mansion was battered by gale-force winds which smashed windows and damaged the roof.
blizzard / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]
a heavy storm with snow and very strong winds
More than a million lambs died in the worst blizzards to hit New Zealand in 30 years.
The falling snow was approaching blizzard conditions.
snowstorm / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]
a heavy fall of snow, usually with a strong wind
We fought our way through a raging snowstorm.
It is accepted that exceptional snowstorms can occur without strong winds.
See also snow ⇨ SNOW
cyclone / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]
a violent storm with strong winds that move in a circle, especially in tropical regions
The island was hit by a cyclone which caused considerable damage.
Cyclones are anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere.
typhoon / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]
a violent tropical storm with very strong winds that move in a circle, especially in the western Pacific Ocean
Earthquakes, typhoons and other natural disasters are frequent in that part of the Pacific.
The hottest time of year coincides with the typhoon season.
NOTE HURRICANE, CYCLONE OR TYPHOON? Cyclone is the most general word for a violent storm with strong winds that
move in a circle. Tropical cyclones with wind speeds of over 17 metres per second are called tropical storms and
given names; if the wind reaches 33 m/s they are called hurricanes (in the North Atlantic Ocean) or typhoons (in
the western Pacific Ocean).
twister / BrE ; AmE / [ C ] ( AmE , rather informal )
a tornado
The twister, reported to be about 100 yards wide, caused major damage to the high school.

nab 7nab8
vt.
nabbed, nab4bing 5< thieves‘ slang (16th-17th c.) prob. var. of dial. nap, to snatch < Scand, as in
Dan nappe, Swed nappa, to snatch6 [Colloq.]
1 to seize suddenly; snatch or steal
2 to arrest or catch (a felon or wrongdoer)
—SYN CATCH

ignorance / BrE ; AmE / [ U , sing. ] ( sometimes disapproving )

a lack of knowledge or information about sth
There is widespread ignorance about the disease. ◇ I remained in blissful ignorance of what was going on. ◇
Children often behave badly out of ignorance .
Some doctors believe that ignorance is bliss ( = that it is better not to know sth ) and do not tell their patients all the
facts. ◇ Many of the comments betray an appalling ignorance of the reality of these children's lives. ◇ She was
kept in ignorance of her husband's activities. ◇ He pleaded ignorance of any wrongdoing. ◇ They fought a long
battle against prejudice and ignorance. ◇ Many lives are lost through ignorance. ◇ I hate to confess my
ignorance, but can you explain what ‘space-time’actually is? ◇ The more he talks, the more he shows his
ignorance. ◇ These attitudes are based on ignorance and fear.
OPP knowledge ⇨ KNOWLEDGE , knowledge ⇨ AWARENESS
See also ignorant ⇨ IGNORANT
innocence / BrE ; AmE / [ U , sing. ] ( approving )
lack of knowledge and experience of the world, especially of evil or unpleasant things
The story is about a child's loss of innocence . ◇ There was a touching innocence about the child's request.
In her innocence, she had stopped to help a girl who seemed to be injured. ◇ I felt I had returned to a state of
almost child-like innocence. ◇ She had taken advantage of his innocence. ◇ There were claims that the whole
nation had somehow lost its innocence .
See also innocent ⇨ NAIVE
inexperience / BrE ; AmE / [ U ]
lack of experience or knowledge of sth
I'm afraid that in this instance the player's inexperience showed.
Her mistakes were largely due to her youth and inexperience. ◇ Despite her relative inexperience, she has shown
herself to be a highly competent manager. ◇ The debate was only marred by the inexperience of the main speakers.
OPP experience ⇨ KNOWLEDGE
See also inexperienced ⇨ NAIVE
naivety (also naïvety ) / BrE ; AmE / [ U , sing. ] ( often disapproving )
lack of experience of life, knowledge, or good judgement, especially when this involves a tendency to always
believe what people tell you
They laughed at the naivety of his suggestion.
Their welcoming attitude towards strangers is often seen as naivety . ◇ Opposition politicians accused him of
naivety .
◇ She showed a certain naivety in going to the press about the matter.
See also naive ⇨ NAIVE
incomprehension / BrE ; AmE / [ U ]
lack of understanding of sth
Many people's experience of school was one of boredom, incomprehension and failure. ◇ His attempts to warn
them were met with incomprehension and sometimes ridicule.
The relationship between the two countries has always been one of mutual incomprehension . ◇ She stared at him
with blank incomprehension.

mistake / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]

something that you do or think that is not correct, or that produces a result that you did not want
Don't worry, we all make mistakes . ◇ I made the mistake of giving him my address. ◇ You must try to learn from
your mistakes . ◇ Leaving school so young was the biggest mistake of my life. ◇ I took your bag instead of mine by
mistake ( = accidentally; without meaning to ) . ◇ Children may eat pills in mistake for sweets.
It's easy to make a mistake . ◇ This letter is addressed to someone else — there must be some mistake . ◇ It would
be a mistake to ignore his opinion.
See also mistaken ⇨ WRONG   1 , mistake ⇨ MISTAKE noun   2 , mistake ⇨ MISUNDERSTAND verb
error / BrE ; AmE / [ C , U ] ( rather formal )
a mistake, especially one that causes problems or affects the result of sth
No payments were made last week because of a computer error. ◇ I think you have made an error in calculating
the total. ◇ He accused the prime minister of committing a serious error of judgement . ◇ The delay was due to
human error ( = a mistake made by a person rather than a machine ) . ◇ The computer system was switched off in
error ( = by mistake ) . ◇ Children learn to use computer programs by trial and error ( = by trying various methods
until they find one that is successful ) .
There is no room for error in this job.
See also error ⇨ MISTAKE   2
omission / BrE ; AmE / [ C ] ( rather formal )
a thing that has not been included or done
There were a number of errors and omissions in the article.
( formal ) The accident was not caused by any act or omission of the transport company.
See also omit ⇨ LEAVE SB/STH OUT
blunder / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]
a stupid or careless mistake
After a series of political blunders he finally resigned.
I think I've made a terrible blunder.
Blunder is often used to talk about mistakes made by people who have important jobs serving the public. It is often
used with adjectives such as administrative , bureaucratic , economic and political .
gaffe / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]
a mistake that a person makes in public or in a social situation, especially sth embarrassing
He made some real gaffes early in his career. ◇ Most people will politely look the other way if you commit some
social gaffe.
oversight / BrE ; AmE / [ C , U ] ( rather formal )
a mistake that you make because you forget to do sth or you do not notice sth
I didn't mean to leave her name off the list; it was an oversight. ◇ You can never entirely eliminate human error
and oversight.

give sb/sth / get short 'shrift

to give sb / get little attention or sympathy

spin 'off (from sth) | spin sth 'off (from sth)

to happen or to produce sth as a new or unexpected result of sth that already exists:products spinning
off from favourite books—related noun spin-off

spin sth 'off

(business) (especially NAmE) to form a new company from parts of an existing one:The transportation
operation will be spun off into a separate company.

spin sth 'out

to make sth last as long as possible

'spin-off noun spin-off (from / of sth)

1 an unexpected but useful result of an activity that is designed to produce sth else:commercial spin-
offs from medical research

2 a book, a film / movie, a television programme, or an object that is based on a book, film / movie or
television series that has been very successful:The TV comedy series is a spin-off of the original movie. Ç
spin-off merchandise from the latest Disney movie

pre·vari·cate / verb
(formal) to avoid giving a direct answer to a question in order to hide the truth SYN  beat about the
bush: [v] Stop prevaricating and come to the point. [also v speech]

by de'fault

1 a game or competition can be won by default if there are no other people, teams, etc. taking part

2 if sth happens by default, it happens because you have not made any other decision or choices which
would make things happen in a different way

in de'fault of sth

(formal) because of a lack of sth:They accepted what he had said in default of any evidence to disprove
it.

default (on sth) to fail to do sth that you legally have to do, especially by not paying a debt:to default on
a loan / debt Ç defaulting borrowers / tenants

default (to sth) (especially computing) to happen when you do not make any other choice or change

pad·dock / noun

1 a small field in which horses are kept

2 (in horse racing or motor racing) an area where horses or cars are taken before a race and shown to
the public

3 (AustralE, NZE) any field or area of land that has fences around it
quad·ru·ped / noun

(technical) any creature with four feet—compare biped

beat / BrE ; AmE / beat , beaten [ I , T ]

to hit sb/sth a lot of times, especially very hard
Someone was beating at the door. ◇ Hailstones beat against the window. ◇ Someone was beating a drum. ◇ A
young man was found beaten to death at his home last night.
She was beating dust out of the carpet. ◇ At that time, children were often beaten for quite minor offences ( = as a
punishment ) . ◇ They used to get beaten with a wooden spoon. ◇ The prisoners were beaten into submission ( =
they were beaten until they did what was wanted ) . ◇ They beat him unconscious ( = beat him until he became
unconscious ) .
batter / BrE ; AmE / [ I , T ]
to hit sb/sth hard a lot of times, especially in a way that causes serious damage
She battered at the door with her fists. ◇ Severe winds have been battering the north coast. ◇ The police had to
batter the door down.
He had been badly battered around the head and face. ◇ Someone had battered her to death. ◇ Heavy rains
battered what remained of the crop.
pound / BrE ; AmE / [ I , T ]
to hit sb/sth hard a lot of times, especially in a way that makes a lot of noise
The machines pounded away day and night. ◇ She pounded him with her fists.
Heavy rain pounded on the roof. ◇ Someone was pounding at the door. ◇ All she could hear was the sound of
waves pounding against the cliffs.
lash / BrE ; AmE / [ I , T ]
to hit sb/sth with a lot of force
The rain lashed at the window. ◇ Great waves lashed the shore.
The rain and hail lashed the mountainside.
The subject of lash is often rain, wind, hail, sea or waves .
hammer / BrE ; AmE / [ I , T ]
to hit sb/sth hard a lot of times, in a way that is noisy or violent
( figurative ) I was so scared my heart was hammering ( = beating very fast ) in my chest. ◇ He hammered the door
with his fists.
Someone was hammering at the door. ◇ Hailstones were hammering down onto the roof. ◇ ( figurative ) Eastern
counties were brutally hammered by the weekend flooding.
NOTE POUND OR HAMMER? There is not much difference in meaning between these two, but to pound is sometimes a
steadier action. : The machines hammered away day and night. To hammer can be more violent and it is often used
figuratively.
dash / BrE ; AmE / [ T , I ] ( always used with an adverb or preposition )
to throw or make sth fall violently onto a hard surface; to beat against a surface
The boat was dashed repeatedly against the rocks. ◇ The waves were dashing against the harbour wall.
pummel / BrE ; AmE / -ll- , AmE -l- [ I , T ]
to hit sb/sth a lot of times, especially with your fists ( = tightly closed hands )
Her fists pummelled at his chest. ◇ He pummelled the pillow with his fists.
He saw the other man being pummelled by the crowd.
summarize ( BrE -ise ) / BrE ; AmE / [ T , I ]
to state the main points of sth in a short and clear form
The results of the research are summarized at the end.
To summarize , the main conclusions are as follows…
See also summary ⇨ SUMMARY
sum up , sum sth up phrasal verb -mm-
to summarize sth, especially when you give your own interpretation or opinion of sth
Can I just sum up what we've agreed so far?
The mood after the game was summed up by the captain in the following words… ◇ To sum up, there are three
main ways of tackling the problem.
Sum up is also used when a judge gives a summary of the main facts and arguments in a legal case, near the end of
a trial: The judge will sum up the evidence tomorrow.
condense / BrE ; AmE / [ T ]
to put sth such as a piece of writing into fewer words; to put a lot of information into a small space
The article was condensed into just two pages. ◇ The author has condensed a great deal of material into just 100
pages.
recap / BrE ; AmE / -pp- [ I , T ] ( not used in the perfect or past tenses ) ( rather informal , especially spoken )
to repeat or give a summary of what has already been said or decided
Let me just recap on what we've decided so far.
Finish the report by recapping exactly what action should be taken.
See also repeat ⇨ REPEAT   1

sum 'up | sum sth 'up

1 to state the main points of sth in a short and clear form SYN  summarize:To sum up, there are three
main ways of tackling the problem … Ç [+ wh-] Can I just sum up what we’ve agreed so far?

2 (of a judge) to give a summary of the main facts and arguments in a legal case, near the end of a trial
—related noun summing-up

sum sb/sth 'up

1 to describe or show the most typical characteristics of sb/sth, especially in a few words:Totally lazy—
that just about sums him up.

2 to form or express an opinion of sb/sth SYN  size up:She quickly summed up the situation and took
control.—related noun summing-up
mean / BrE ; AmE / meant , meant [ T ]
(of an action or situation) to have sth as a result or a likely result
Spending too much now will mean a shortage of cash next year. ◇ Do you have any idea what it means to be poor?
◇ We'll have to be careful with money but that doesn't mean (that) we can't enjoy ourselves. ◇ This new order will
mean working overtime.
The injury could mean him missing next week's game. ◇ The cost would have meant financial ruin for us. ◇
Touching the wires means instant death.
involve / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( especially written )
(of an action or situation) to have sth as a necessary or important part
Any investment involves an element of risk. ◇ Many of the crimes involved drugs. ◇ The test will involve
answering questions about a photograph.
The job involves me travelling all over the country. ◇ Inventions typically involve minor improvements in
technology. ◇ The measures to improve the health service will involve an increase in government spending. ◇ The
reforms will inevitably involve a lot of new paperwork for teachers.
entail / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( rather formal , especially written )
to involve sth that cannot be avoided, especially in order to achieve sth
The job entails a lot of hard work. ◇ The girls learn exactly what is entailed in caring for a newborn baby. ◇ It will
entail driving a long distance every day.
What does the job actually entail? ◇ Restructuring will inevitably entail compromises.
NOTE INVOLVE OR ENTAIL? In many cases you can use either word: The job involves/entails a lot of hard work. ◇ to
involve/entail answering questions/driving a long distance/loss/rejection/destruction/cost/risk . However, a problem
might involve an aspect, such as drugs or violence , that is not necessary to achieve sth, but defines the nature of the
problem. Entail cannot be used in this way : Many of the crimes entailed drugs/violence.
imply / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( rather formal , especially written )
(of an idea or action) to make sth necessary in order to be successful
The project implies an enormous investment in training. ◇ Sustainable development implies a long-term
perspective.
►  implication / BrE ; AmE / noun [ C , usually pl. ]: The development of the site will have implications for the
surrounding countryside. ◇ They failed to consider the wider implications of their actions.
necessitate / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( formal )
(of an event or situation) to make sth necessary
Recent financial scandals have necessitated changes in parliamentary procedures. ◇ Increased traffic necessitated
widening the road.
His new job necessitated him/his getting up at six.
See also necessary ⇨ NECESSARY , necessity ⇨ NEED noun
spell / BrE ; AmE / spelt , spelt or spelled , spelled [ T ]
(of an event) to have sth, usually sth bad, as a result
The crop failure spelt disaster for many farmers. ◇ This defeat spelt the end of his hopes of winning the title again.

departure / BrE ; AmE / [ C ] ( rather formal )

an action that is different from what is usual or expected
It was a radical departure from tradition. ◇ Their latest single represents a new departure for the band.
A departure is usually sth that is regarded as a big change ( dramatic, fundamental, major, radical, revolutionary,
significant ) or a pleasant change ( fresh, new, welcome ).
►  de part from sth phrasal verb : Departing from her usual routine, she took the bus to work.
deviation / BrE ; AmE / [ U , C ]
the act of moving away from what is normal or acceptable; a difference from what is expected or acceptable
Modern examples of this type of weaving showed little deviation from traditional patterns. ◇ sexual deviation
This is a deviation from the original plan.
►  deviate / BrE ; AmE / verb [ I ]: He never deviated from his original plan.
diversion / BrE ; AmE / [ C ] ( rather formal )
something that takes your attention away from sb/sth while sth else is happening
For the government, the war was a welcome diversion from the country's economic problems. ◇ A smoke bomb
created a diversion while the robbery took place.
The party will make a pleasant diversion.
►  divert / BrE ; AmE / verb [ T ]: The war diverted people's attention away from the economic situation.
digression / BrE ; AmE / [ C , U ] ( rather formal )
the act of starting to talk about sth that is not connected with the main point of what you are saying
After several digressions, he finally got to the point.
A digression may be seen as interesting or entertaining, or it may be seen as long, boring and annoying.
►  disgress / BrE ; AmE / verb [ I ]: ( formal , especially spoken ) Anyway, I digress. Back to the story.
Let us digress a little here… ◇ He continually digressed from the subject.
parenthesis / BrE ; AmE / pl. parentheses / BrE ; AmE / [ C ] ( formal )
a word, phrase or sentence that is added to a speech or piece of writing, especially in order to give extra information
I should say, in parenthesis , that these figures cannot always be trusted.
In writing, a parenthesis is separated from the rest of the text using brackets, commas or dashes. People often talk
about sth being said in parenthesis . People also sometimes use the plural parentheses to talk about the brackets
themselves, so they may say that a piece of information is in parentheses .

not brook sth / brook no … (formal) to not allow sth:[vn] The tone in his voice brooked no argument.
[also vn -ing]

represent / BrE ; AmE / [ T , no passive ] ( rather formal )

to be an example or expression of an idea, quality or opinion
The project represents all that is good in the community. ◇ Those comments do not represent the views of us all. ◇
The artist uses doves to represent peace.
See also representation ⇨ DESCRIPTION
embody / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( not usually used in the progressive tenses ) ( rather formal )
(especially of a person) to give a visible form to an idea, quality or feeling
a politician who embodied the hopes of black youth ◇ We want to build a national team that embodies competitive
spirit and skill.
See also embodiment ⇨ EXAMPLE   2
symbolize / BrE ; AmE / ( BrE also -ise ) [ T ] ( not usually used in the progressive tenses )
(of a person, object, quality, event or action) to represent a more general quality or situation
The use of light and dark symbolizes good and evil. ◇ He came to symbolize his country's struggle for
independence.
See also symbol ⇨ SIGN   1
NOTE REPRESENT, EMBODY OR SYMBOLIZE? Sometimes you can use any of these words, especially when you are talking
about a person: He came to represent /embody/symbolize his country's struggle for independence. Embody is the
most physical and visual of these words and is used to talk about real people becoming the basis for other people's
hopes: the qualities that sb embodies are always good qualities. Symbolize is often more abstract ( = existing as an
idea rather than as a physical reality ) , and can be used to talk about objects or things, such as a dove ( = a type of
bird ) being used to give the idea of peace, but it is a picture or idea of a dove, not a particular dove that really exists.
Represent is the most general of these words: it can be used to mean embody or symbolize or it can simply mean
‘express’: The comments represent the views of the majority.
exemplify / BrE ; AmE / [ T , often passive ] ( not usually used in the progressive tenses ) ( formal )
to be a good example of sth
Her early work is exemplified in her book, ‘A Study of Children's Minds’. ◇ His food exemplifies Italian cooking at
its best.
See also example ⇨ EXAMPLE   2
typify / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( not usually used in progressive tenses ) ( rather formal )
to be a typical example of sth; to be a typical feature of sth
These are clothes that typify the 1960s. ◇ There's a new style of politician, typified by the Prime Minister.
The haunting guitar melodies typify the band's music.
epitomize ( BrE also -ise ) / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( not usually used in the progressive tenses ) ( rather formal )
to be a perfect example of sth
The fighting qualities of the team are epitomized by the captain. ◇ These movies seem to epitomize the 1950s.
See also epitome ⇨ EXAMPLE   2
NOTE EXEMPLIFY, TYPIFY OR EPITOMIZE? Something can exemplify an idea or sb's work. Something can typify or
epitomize a mood, style or atmosphere, especially of a particular time or place. Epitomize suggests that you cannot
imagine a more typical example of sth. Typify is more neutral, and suggests that the example you are giving has all
the usual qualities or features of a particular time, place or type of person or thing.

favourite / BrE ; AmE / ( BrE ) ( AmE favorite )

liked more than others of the same kind
It's one of my favourite movies. ◇ Who is your favourite writer?
See also favourite ⇨ CHOICE noun   2 , favour ⇨ PREFER verb
preferred / BrE ; AmE / [ only before noun ] ( especially business )
that most people think is the best
The company has not yet identified a preferred candidate for the job. ◇ Watching TV was high on the children's list
of preferred activities.
See also prefer ⇨ PREFER , preference ⇨ CHOICE   2 , preference ⇨ TASTE   1
favoured / BrE ; AmE / ( BrE ) ( AmE favored ) ( rather formal , especially written )
preferred by most people
David Prince is widely viewed as the favoured candidate to replace Mr Wallace.
See also favour ⇨ PREFER verb
NOTE PREFERRED OR FAVOURED? There is little difference in meaning between these two words. In spoken English,
preferred is much more common than favoured .
of choice idiom [ after noun ]
that is chosen by a particular group of people or for a particular purpose
It's the software of choice for business use. ◇ Cheap handguns are the weapon of choice for young criminals.
See also choice ⇨ CHOICE noun   2
pet / BrE ; AmE / [ only before noun ]
that you are very interested in
One of the council's pet projects is to reduce traffic speeds in residential areas.
In British English, sth that you particularly dislike is your pet hate . In American English, it is called your pet peeve :
According to our survey, your number one pet peeve is junk email.
best- loved / BrE ; AmE /
loved the most or by the most people
It remains one of the best-known and best-loved movies of all time.
Robert Burns, regarded as one of the world's greatest and best-loved poets
Best-loved is often used about films, books, pieces of music, etc. and the people who created them (writers, actors,
musicians, etc.). It can be used about people or things that are popular in general: This play has become the best-
loved of all his works. but is often used about a particular country: one of Britain's best-loved comedians or a
particular time: one of the best-loved authors of the last century.

army / BrE ; AmE / [ C+sing./ pl.  v . ]

a large organized group of soldiers who are trained to fight on land
The two opposing armies faced each other across the battlefield.
A huge army marched on London. ◇ The king was unable to raise an army . ◇ He was in command of the British
Army in Egypt.
The army [ sing.+ sing./ pl.  v . ] is the part of a country's armed forces that fights on land: Her husband is in the
army . ◇ After leaving school, Mike went into the army . ◇ He's an army officer.
force / BrE ; AmE / [ C+sing./ pl.  v . ]
a group of people who have been trained to protect or attack other people, usually by using weapons
A peace-keeping force was deployed to the area. ◇ The country now has its own army , air force and navy. ◇ A UN-
led task force of 28 000 troops was sent to the area.
We were visited by a member of the security forces. ◇ Allied forces were able to advance to the capital.
Forces [ pl. ] are the weapons and soldiers that an army has, considered as things that may be used: The government
is negotiating cuts to nuclear forces. The armed forces [ pl. ] (or just the forces in British English) are the army,
navy and air force.
unit / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]
a group of people who work or live together, especially a group of soldiers who form a part of an army
The army is collaborating with guerrilla units in the border region. ◇ Medical units were operating in the disaster
area.
Enemy units were advancing from the south.
See also unit ⇨ DEPARTMENT , detachment ⇨ TEAM   1
contingent / BrE ; AmE / [ C+sing./ pl.  v . ]
a group of soldiers that are part of a larger force
The French contingent in the UN peacekeeping force withdrew.
Many large cities provided substantial contingents for the war effort.
legion / BrE ; AmE / [ C , sing.+ sing./ pl.  v . ]
a large group of soldiers that forms part of an army, especially the one that existed in ancient Rome
A Roman Legion consisted of 6 000 men.
The French Foreign Legion had taken control of much of the country.

burn / BrE ; AmE / burnt , burnt or burned , burned [ T , I ]

to damage, injure, destroy or kill sb/sth with fire, heat or acid; to be damaged, etc. by fire, heat or acid
She burned all his letters. ◇ The cigarette burned a hole in the carpet. ◇ His greatest fear is of being burnt alive .
◇ The house was burnt to the ground ( = completely destroyed ) by protesters. ◇ The car was found abandoned in a
wood, completely burnt out . ◇ Sorry — I burned the toast. ◇ The soup's hot. Don't burn your mouth. ◇ The house
burned down in 1995. ◇ Ten people burned to death in the hotel fire. ◇ I can smell something burning in the kitchen.
All his belongings were burnt in the fire. ◇ Protesters threatened to burn down the house. ◇ I like my steak burnt to a
cinder on the outside and blood red and juicy inside. ◇ I got badly burned by the sun yesterday. ◇ I burned myself
on the stove. ◇ The house burned to the ground . ◇ The spacecraft burned up as it entered the earth's atmosphere. ◇
My skin burns easily ( = in the sun ) .
char / BrE ; AmE / -rr- [ T , usually passive , I ]
to make sth black by burning it; to become black by burning
The bodies were charred beyond recognition. ◇ The flame licked through the paper, which charred and crinkled.
◇ Nearby were the charred remains of a burnt-out car.
The tables had been pocked and charred by cigarettes.
scald / BrE ; AmE / [ T ]
to burn yourself or part of your body with very hot liquid or steam
Be careful not to scald yourself with the steam.
( figurative ) Tears scalded her eyes.
cremate / BrE ; AmE / [ T , often passive ]
to burn a dead body, especially as part of a funeral ceremony
When she dies she wants to be cremated, not buried.
►  cremation / BrE ; AmE / noun [ U , C ]: More people are choosing cremation rather than burial.
incinerate / BrE ; AmE / [ T , often passive ]
to burn sth until it is completely destroyed
Most of the waste is incinerated.
scorch / BrE ; AmE / [ T ]
to burn and slightly damage a surface by making it too hot
I scorched my dress when I was ironing it. ◇ The buildings around us were scorched by the fire.
In American English scorch is also used, especially in journalism, when large areas of land are destroyed by fire: (
AmE , journalism ) Wildfires have scorched over two million acres of forest.
singe / BrE ; AmE / [ T , I ]
to burn the surface of sth slightly, usually by mistake; to be burnt in this way
He singed his hair as he tried to light his cigarette. ◇ the smell of singeing fur
Sparks burned holes in my shirt and the fire singed my sleeve.
NOTE
SCORCH OR SINGE? Things are scorched by heat or fire. Things can only be singed by fire or a flame.
sear / BrE ; AmE / [ T ]
to burn the surface of sth in a way that is sudden and powerful
The heat of the sun seared their faces. ◇ Sear the meat first ( = cook the outside of it quickly at a high temperature )
to retain its juices.

block / BrE ; AmE / [ T ]

to stop sb from getting past or seeing sth by standing in front of them or in their path
She had her back to the door, blocking his exit. ◇ An ugly new building blocked the view from the window.
One of the guards moved to block her path. ◇ His way was blocked by two large bouncers.
be in sb's way , be in the way , get in sb's way , get in the way idiom
to stop sb from moving or doing sth by standing in front of them or in their path
You'll have to move — you're in my way. ◇ Do you want me to move my bike — is it getting in your way?
There were several rocks in the way. ◇ ( figurative ) I left them alone, as I felt I was in the way ( = stopping them
from doing what they wanted to do just by being there ) .
OPP get out of sb's/the way
obstruct / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( formal )
to block a road, entrance, passage, etc. so that sb/sth cannot get through or see past
You can't park here, you're obstructing my driveway. ◇ First check that the accident victim doesn't have an
obstructed airway.
The pillar obstructed our view of the stage.
barricade / BrE ; AmE / [ T ]
to place a line of objects across a road or door to stop people from getting past
They barricaded all the doors and windows. ◇ He had barricaded himself inside his room.
Soldiers found the doors barricaded and the women hiding inside.
See also barricade ⇨ BARRIER
cut sth off / BrE ; AmE / phrasal verb
to stop sb from getting somewhere by standing or moving in front of them or in their path
They cut off the enemy's retreat. ◇ The only other escape route was cut off by the rising tide.
NOTE BLOCK, CUT STH OFF OR BE/GET IN SB'S/THE WAY? You usually block sb's way deliberately by standing still in one
place; you can deliberately cut off sb's escape or route by moving between them and the way they want to go; you
usually get in sb's way by accident by being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
block sth off phrasal verb
to close a road or an opening by placing a barrier at one end or in front of it
The main roads out of the city have been blocked off.
The barrier is brought down to block off the car park at night.
seal / BrE ; AmE / [ T ]
(of the police or army) to stop people from passing through a place, especially a border
Troops have sealed the border between the countries.
bar / BrE ; AmE / -rr- [ T ]
to be standing or placed in sb's way on a road or path or in an entrance so they cannot get past
Two police officers were barring her exit. ◇ We found our way barred by rocks.
See also barrier ⇨ BARRIER

block / BrE ; AmE / [ T ]

to stop sth from moving or flowing through a pipe, passage, road, etc. by putting sth in it or across it
After today's heavy snow, many roads are still blocked . ◇ The exit was blocked with beer crates. ◇ Fat that is
poured down the sink will block the drain.
He found that the pipe was partially blocked with leaves. ◇ A large delivery van was almost blocking the narrow
street.
OPP unblock
To unblock a pipe or drain is to clean it by removing sth that is blocking it. A road or exit can be cleared .
See also clear ⇨ CLEAR verb
seal / BrE ; AmE / [ T , often passive ]
to close a container tightly or fill a crack or hole, especially so that air or liquid cannot get in or out
The containers must be carefully sealed so that no air can get in. ◇ The windows and doors had been sealed up
with bricks. ◇ The samples are kept in sealed plastic bags.
He sealed the bag tightly with sticky tape. ◇ The whole unit is sealed to prevent dust getting in.
clog / BrE ; AmE / -gg- [ T , I , often passive ]
to block sth or to become blocked, especially by a number of objects or a substance gradually collecting in one place
The narrow streets were clogged with traffic. ◇ The wheels got clogged up with mud. ◇ Within a few years the
pipes began to clog up.
Hair clogged the plughole.
stop / BrE ; AmE / -pp- [ T ]
to deliberately block, close or fill a hole or opening
Stop up the other end of the hose, will you? ◇ I stopped my ears but still heard her cry out.
dam / BrE ; AmE / -mm- [ T ]
to build a dam across a river, especially to make a reservoir ( = a lake to store water )
Locals strongly opposed plans to dam the river.
They formed artificial lakes by damming up a natural stream.
plug / BrE ; AmE / -gg- [ T ]
to fill a hole with a substance or object that fits tightly into it, especially to stop liquid from coming out
He plugged the hole in the pipe with an old rag. ◇ Divers succeeded in plugging the leaks from the tanker.
choke / BrE ; AmE / [ T , often passive ]
to block or fill a passage or space so that it is difficult for anything to move through it
The pond was choked with rotten leaves.
In summer the roads around the town are choked up with traffic.
block sth up phrasal verb [ often passive ]
to completely fill a hole or opening and stop anything from passing through it
One door had been blocked up. ◇ My nose is really blocked up.
[+]

sensitive / BrE ; AmE / ( sometimes disapproving )

easily offended or upset
You're far too sensitive.
He's very sensitive about his weight.
◇ She's acutely sensitive to criticism. ◇ He's depicted as an insecure and sensitive soul .
See also sensitive ⇨ SENSITIVE   2 , sensitive ⇨ SENSITIVE   3
touchy / BrE ; AmE / [ not usually before noun ] ( rather informal , often disapproving )
easily offended or upset, especially in a way that is not reasonable
He's a little touchy about his weight. ◇ She gets very touchy if you mention the divorce.
prickly / BrE ; AmE / ( BrE , informal , often disapproving )
easily offended or annoyed
She's still a bit prickly about the whole incident. ◇ He could be very prickly with journalists.
My remarks produced a prickly response from the Australian coach.
NOTE WHICH WORD? People who are sensitive or touchy are likely to get upset or cry; both words can be slightly
disapproving but touchy usually suggests greater disapproval than sensitive . People who are prickly are more
likely to get slightly aggressive than to cry.

poor / BrE ; AmE /

below the standard or quality that is acceptable or expected

We discussed the party's poor performance in the election. ◇ She's been in poor health for some time now. ◇ On
the whole he had a poor opinion of human nature. ◇ It was raining heavily and visibility was poor .
We tried to keep working in the poor light.
OPP fine ⇨ GOOD   1
►  poorly / BrE ; AmE / adv. : The job is relatively poorly paid. ◇ Our candidate fared poorly in the election ( = did
not get many votes ) .
bad / BrE ; AmE / ( rather informal )
of a poor quality or standard
I thought it was a very bad article. ◇ That's not a bad idea. ◇ This isn't as bad as I thought.
I'd rather not drive in such bad conditions.
OPP good ⇨ GOOD   1
►  badly / BrE ; AmE / adv. : She sang two songs, very badly. ◇ The whole thing was badly organized.
NOTE POOR OR BAD? Poor is more frequent in written English in this meaning, but bad is used more in informal
spoken English. Some words do not collocate with both poor and bad : They have a poor standard of living. ◇ a
bad standard of living ◇ I don't think it's a bad school. ◇ I don't think it's a poor school.
cheap / BrE ; AmE /
low in price and quality
The room was filled with the smell of cheap perfume. ◇ The market has been flooded with cheap imports.
( BrE ) We brought a few cheap and nasty bottles of wine home from holiday.
See also cheap ⇨ CHEAP
►  cheaply / BrE ; AmE / adv. : The leaflet had been cheaply produced and photocopied.
low / BrE ; AmE /
below the usual or expected standard or quality
Much of the work was of a very low standard. ◇ These measures will lead to a lower quality of life for many older
people.
OPP high ⇨ HIGH   1
dismal / BrE ; AmE / ( informal )
not skilful or successful; of a very low standard
The singer gave a dismal performance of some old songs. ◇ Their recent attempt to increase sales has been a
dismal failure .
Dismal most often collocates with failure , performance , result , record and weather .
►  dismally / BrE ; AmE / adv. : I tried not to laugh but failed dismally ( = was completely unsuccessful ) .
crap / BrE ; AmE / ( BrE ) ( AmE crappy ) ( taboo , slang )
of a very poor quality or standard
Crap should only be used in an informal situation to sb who is your equal in age and status. If said to sb who is
older or who considers themselves more important than you, it could cause very great offence
I used to be in this really crap band. ◇ a crappy movie/apartment
See also crap ⇨ RUBBISH noun
►  crap / BrE ; AmE / adv. : ( BrE ) The team played crap yesterday.
inferior / BrE ; AmE / ( rather formal )
not as good as sth else of the same kind
The cracks in the structure were due to the poor-quality materials and inferior workmanship. ◇ Modern music is
often considered inferior to that of the past.
OPP superior ⇨ BETTER , superior ⇨ GOOD   1
shit / BrE ; AmE / ( BrE ) ( AmE shitty ) ( taboo , slang )
of a very poor quality or standard
Shit should only be used in an informal situation to sb who is your equal in age and status. If said to sb who is older
or who considers themselves more important than you, it could cause very great offence. It is an even stronger and
more offensive term than crap
I was a shit player. ◇ They're a shitty team.
hopeless / BrE ; AmE / ( BrE , informal )
of a very low quality or standard of service
The buses are absolutely hopeless these days.
second- rate / BrE ; AmE /
not as good as sth else of the same kind
Why do we only produce second-rate films?
OPP first-rate ⇨ EXCELLENT

worry / BrE ; AmE / [ I ]

to keep thinking about unpleasant things that might happen or might have happened
Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. ◇ I worry that I won't get into college. ◇ You worry too much.
See also worry ⇨ WORRY verb   2 , worried ⇨ WORRIED
fret / BrE ; AmE / -tt- [ I ] ( especially BrE )
to be worried or unhappy and unable to relax
Fretting about it won't help.
Fretting, he looked again at his watch.
agonize / BrE ; AmE / ( BrE also -ise ) [ I ]
to spend a long time thinking and worrying about a difficult situation, problem or decision
I spent days agonizing over whether to take the job or not.
sweat / BrE ; AmE / [ I , T ] ( informal )
to worry or feel anxious about sth
They really made me sweat during the interview.
Oh, let them sweat a bit.
◇ ( AmE ) Don't sweat it ( = don't worry ) . We'll be fine.

rude / BrE ; AmE / ( disapproving )

having or showing a lack of respect for other people and their feelings
He made a rude comment. ◇ She was very rude about my driving. ◇ Why are you so rude to your mother? ◇ It's
rude to speak when you're eating.
There's no need to be rude ! ◇ How rude of me not to offer you something to drink!
OPP polite ⇨ POLITE
►  rudely / BrE ; AmE / adv. : They brushed rudely past us. ◇ ‘What do you want?’ she asked rudely.
He waved her rudely away.
►  rudeness / BrE ; AmE / noun [ U ]: She was critical to the point of rudeness. ◇ I want to apologize for my
rudeness the other day.
OPP politeness ⇨ RESPECT
cheeky / BrE ; AmE / ( BrE , especially spoken , sometimes disapproving )
(especially of children) rude in an amusing or annoying way
You cheeky monkey! ◇ He's got a cheeky grin. ◇ You're getting far too cheeky!
►  cheek noun [ U , sing. ]: ( BrE , informal , usually disapproving ) He had the cheek to ask his ex-girlfriend to
babysit for them. ◇ I think they've got a cheek making you pay to park the car.
What struck him most was the colossal cheek of it all. ◇ Of all the damned cheek! Make your own coffee!
►  cheekily / BrE ; AmE / adv. : He grinned cheekily.
irreverent / BrE ; AmE / ( often approving )
not showing respect to sb/sth that other people usually respect
He was famous for his irreverent wit. ◇ She has an irreverent attitude to tradition.
The movie takes an irreverent look at the city.
Irreverent is used especially to talk about public shows of disrespect by comedians, writers and broadcasters.
insolent / BrE ; AmE / ( rather formal , disapproving )
very rude, especially to sb who is older or more important
He was always an insolent child.
Insolent is used especially to talk about the behaviour of children towards adults.
►  insolence / BrE ; AmE / noun [ U ]: Her insolence cost her her job.
►  insolently / BrE ; AmE / adv. : ‘Well?’ he queried insolently.
disrespectful / BrE ; AmE / ( rather formal , disapproving )
showing a lack of respect for sb/sth
Some people said he had been disrespectful to the Queen in his last speech.
OPP respectful ⇨ POLITE
See also disrespect ⇨ CONTEMPT
impolite / BrE ; AmE / ( rather formal , disapproving )
not behaving in a pleasant way that follows the rules of society
Some people think it is impolite to ask someone's age.
Impolite is often used in the phrase It seems/would be impolite (to…) : Refusing to eat what was offered would be
impolite.
OPP polite ⇨ POLITE
impertinent / BrE ; AmE / ( rather formal , disapproving )
not showing respect for sb who is older or more important
Don't ask such impertinent questions!
Would it be impertinent to ask why you're leaving?
Impertinent is often used by people such as parents and teachers when they are telling children that they are angry
with them for being rude: Don't be impertinent!
►  impertinence / BrE ; AmE / noun [ U , C , usually sing. ]: She had the impertinence to ask my age!
churlish / BrE ; AmE / ( rather formal , disapproving )
rude, bad-tempered or unfriendly
It would be churlish to refuse such a generous offer.
Churlish is most often used in the phrase It would be/seems churlish to…
discourteous / BrE ; AmE / ( formal , disapproving )
having bad manners and not showing respect
He didn't wish to appear discourteous.
OPP courteous ⇨ POLITE

irritable / BrE ; AmE /

getting annoyed easily; showing your anger
He was tired and irritable. ◇ She waved him away with an irritable gesture.
See also irritate ⇨ ANNOY , irritated ⇨ ANNOYED , irritating ⇨ ANNOYING , irritation ⇨ FRUSTRATION
sullen / BrE ; AmE / ( disapproving )
silent and angry, especially in a way that other people think is unreasonable
sullen teenagers ◇ He lapsed into a sullen silence.
Bob looked pale and sullen. ◇ She gave him a sullen glare.
bad- tempered / BrE ; AmE /
often angry; in an angry mood
Her husband was a bad-tempered man. ◇ What's making her so bad-tempered?
grumpy / BrE ; AmE / ( informal , often disapproving )
not happy with things and complaining a lot, especially in a way that annoys other people
Pay no attention to his moods — he's just a grumpy old man.
morose / BrE ; AmE / ( written )
angry and unhappy and not talking very much
She just sat there looking morose.
sulky / BrE ; AmE / ( disapproving )
silent because you are angry about sth, especially in a way that other people think is unreasonable
Sarah had looked sulky all morning.
See also sulk ⇨ TEMPER noun , sulk ⇨ BROOD verb
NOTE SULLEN OR SULKY? Typically, children are sulky : if you describe an adult as sulky it suggests that they are
behaving like a child. Sullen is an even more disapproving word: people can be sullen on a particular occasion or it
can describe their whole character because they behave like that all the time.
petulant / BrE ; AmE / ( written , disapproving )
bad-tempered and unreasonable, especially because you cannot do or have what you want
He behaved like a petulant child and refused to cooperate.

discourage / BrE ; AmE / [ T , often passive ]

to make sb feel less confident or enthusiastic about doing sth
Don't be discouraged by the first failure — try again! ◇ The weather discouraged most people from attending. ◇
High interest rates will discourage investment.
From boyhood he had been easily discouraged by obstacles in his path. ◇ Learners can feel very discouraged if an
exercise is too difficult.
OPP encourage ⇨ ENCOURAGE   1
See also discouraging ⇨ DISAPPOINTING
►  discouragement / BrE ; AmE / noun [ U , C ]: an atmosphere of discouragement and despair ◇ Despite all these
discouragements, she refused to give up.
OPP encouragement ⇨ ENCOURAGE   1
demoralize ( BrE also -ise ) / BrE ; AmE / [ T , often passive ]
to make sb lose confidence and hope, especially by creating a negative feeling among a group of people
Constant criticism is enough to demoralize anybody. ◇ Many members were demoralized by the leadership's
failure to implement reforms.
The world depression further demoralized the labour movement.
See also morale ⇨ MOOD
►  demoralizing / BrE ; AmE / ( BrE also -ising ) adj. : the demoralizing effects of unemployment
depress / BrE ; AmE / [ T ]
to make sb feel sad and without hope or enthusiasm
Wet weather always depresses me. ◇ It depresses me to see so many young girls smoking.
The prospect of staying single depressed her. ◇ What depresses me most is that I never see you.
See also depressed ⇨ DEPRESSED , depressing ⇨ NEGATIVE , depression ⇨ GLOOM
daunt / BrE ; AmE / [ T , often passive ]
to make sb feel nervous and less confident about doing sth, because it seems difficult or frightening
She was a brave woman but she felt daunted by the task ahead.
He's a bit daunted at the thought of managing on his own. ◇ The prospect of going in a helicopter rather daunts
me. ◇ She had struggled with problems that would daunt the most energetic and resourceful of people.
See also daunting ⇨ FRIGHTENING
crush / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( especially written )
to destroy sb's confidence or happiness
She felt completely crushed by the teacher's criticism. ◇ Their new self-confidence could not be crushed.
He always has this fantastic energy. Nothing can crush him.
►  crushing / BrE ; AmE / adj. : a crushing defeat in the election
The shipyard has been dealt another crushing blow with the failure to win this contract.
get sb down phrasal verb getting , got , got ; AmE , spoken getting , got , gotten ( rather informal ,
especially spoken )
to make sb feel sad or depressed
Don't let it get you down too much. ◇ The lack of sleep is getting me down.
OPP cheer sb up ⇨ ENCOURAGE   1
oppress / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( rather formal , written )
to make sb only able to think about sad or worrying things
The gloomy atmosphere in the office oppressed her.
[+]

mislead / BrE ; AmE / misled , misled [ T ] ( rather formal )

to give sb the wrong idea or impression and make them believe sth that is not true
He deliberately misled us about the nature of their relationship. ◇ The company misled hundreds of people into
investing their money unwisely.
Misleading the court in a trial is a serious offence
See also misleading ⇨ MISLEADING
kid / BrE ; AmE / -dd- [ T ] ( informal )
to allow sb/yourself to believe sth that is not true, especially that things are easier or better than they really are
They're kidding themselves if they think it's going to be easy.
I tried to kid myself (that) everything was normal.
In this meaning kid is usually used in the phrase kid myself/yourself/themselves, etc.
See also kid ⇨ JOKE verb
delude / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( rather formal )
to make sb/yourself believe sth that is not true, especially that things are easier or better than they really are
Don't be deluded into thinking that we are out of danger yet.
You poor deluded creature. ◇ He's deluding himself if he thinks it's going to be easy. ◇ She had been deluding
herself that he loved her.
See also delusion ⇨ ILLUSION
string sb a long phrasal verb strung , strung ( informal )
to allow sb to believe sth that is not true, for example that you love them or intend to help them
She has no intention of giving you a divorce — she's just stringing you along.
lead sb on phrasal verb led , led ( informal )
to deceive sb and make them believe sth, especially that you love them or find them attractive
He's used you and led you on; now find someone else who will make you happy.
See also tease ⇨ FLIRT
NOTE STRING SB ALONG OR LEAD SB ON? Lead sb on is nearly always used to talk about making sb believe that you
love them; string sb along has a wider range of uses relating to making people believe that you will do sth for them:
She suspected that they were just stringing her along with their promises of this and that.
distort / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( rather formal )
to change facts or ideas so that they are no longer correct or true
Newspapers are often guilty of distorting the truth. ◇ The article gave a distorted picture of his childhood.
Distort is often used to talk about the way in which the media or people in authority such as the government change
facts and ideas in this way.
falsify / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( formal )
to change a written record or information so that it is no longer correct
She was arrested for falsifying information and obstructing the course of justice.
rig / BrE ; AmE / -gg- [ T , usually passive ] ( especially journalism )
to arrange the result of sth in a way that is not honest or fair
He said the election had been rigged. ◇ It was a deliberate attempt to rig the market ( = to cause an artificial rise or
fall in prices ) against the consumer.
A commission was appointed to ensure the lottery was not rigged.
misrepresent / BrE ; AmE / [ T , often passive ] ( formal )
to give information about sb/sth that is not true or complete so that other people have the wrong impression about
them/it
He felt that the book misrepresented his opinions. ◇ In the article she was misrepresented as an uncaring mother.
fix / BrE ; AmE / [ T , often passive ] ( informal , especially journalism )
to arrange the result of sth in a way that is not honest or fair
I'm sure the match was fixed.
NOTE RIG OR FIX? These words are very similar in meaning and sometimes you can use either: to rig/fix an election .
Both are used especially in journalism, but rig is used especially in political and business contexts, and fix for
talking about sport: the most frequent collocates of fix in this meaning are match and race .
fiddle / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( BrE , informal )
to change the details or figures of sth in order to try to get money dishonestly, or gain an advantage
Are you saying you've never even been tempted to fiddle your expenses ?
She fiddled the books ( = changed a company's financial records ) while working as an accountant.
misquote / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( rather formal )
to repeat what sb has said or written in a way that is not correct
The senator claims to have been misquoted in the article.

misunderstand / BrE ; AmE / misunderstood , misunderstood [ I , T ]

to not understand sb/sth correctly
I thought he was her husband — I must have misunderstood . ◇ Don't misunderstand me — I'm grateful for
everything you've done. ◇ She must have misunderstood what I was trying to say.
I completely misunderstood her intentions. ◇ His concern for their safety was misunderstood as interference. ◇
Always give clear instructions so that they won't be misunderstood . ◇ Many mental illnesses are widely
misunderstood .
OPP understand ⇨ UNDERSTAND   1
See also misunderstanding ⇨ ILLUSION
misinterpret / BrE ; AmE / [ T , often passive ]
to understand sth/sb wrongly, by giving it/what they say a different meaning from the one intended
His comments were misinterpreted as a criticism of the project.
In some areas, a friendly remark to a person of the opposite sex may be misinterpreted. ◇ She frequently felt that
her work was being misinterpreted. ◇ The policemen seemed to be deliberately misinterpreting his answers.
See also misinterpretation ⇨ ILLUSION
get sth wrong idiom getting , got , got ; AmE , spoken getting , got , gotten ( rather informal , spoken )
to not understand a situation correctly
No, you've got it all wrong. She's not his wife. ◇ Trust you to get it all wrong!
I admit I got the situation wrong, but it still worries me.
get sb wrong idiom getting , got , got ; AmE , spoken getting , got , gotten ( rather informal , spoken )
to misunderstand what sb says or what their intentions are
Don't get me wrong ( = don't be offended by what I am going to say ) , I think he's doing a good job, but…
I think I must have got him all wrong. I thought he was just after the money. ◇ You've got me totally wrong. I didn't
say anything like that.
mistake / BrE ; AmE / mistook , mistaken [ T ]
to not understand or judge sb's behaviour or a situation correctly
He mistook the other man's offer as a threat. ◇ There was no mistaking ( = it was impossible to mistake ) the
bitterness in her voice.
I must admit that I mistook her intentions. ◇ They mistook the purpose of the ambassador's visit. ◇ He had
certainly changed, but nobody could mistake his voice.
See also mistaken ⇨ WRONG   1 , mistake ⇨ MISTAKE noun   1
misread / BrE ; AmE / misread , misread [ T ]
to judge a situation badly, especially by not realizing what is likely to happen
She had seen the warning signs but she had misread them.
I'm afraid I completely misread the situation.
misjudge / BrE ; AmE / [ T ]
to form a wrong opinion about a person or situation, especially in a way that makes you deal with them/it unfairly
She was beginning to realize that she had misjudged him.
It's easy to misjudge people when you don't really know them.
◇ They had seriously misjudged the mood of the electorate.

hesitate / BrE ; AmE / [ I ] ( rather formal )

to be worried about doing sth, especially because you are not sure that it is right or appropriate
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any queries.
If you'd like me to send you the book, then please don't hesitate to ask.
See also hesitate ⇨ PAUSE verb , hesitant ⇨ HESITANT
►  hesitation / BrE ; AmE / noun [ U ]: She agreed without the slightest hesitation . ◇ I have no hesitation in
recommending her for the job.
shy a way from sth phrasal verb
to avoid doing sth because you are nervous, afraid or shy
Hugh never shied away from his responsibilities. ◇ The newspapers have shied away from investigating the story.
Typical collocates of shy away from sth are question , subject , idea , prospect , commitment , truth , publicity and
scandal .
shrink from sth phrasal verb ( written )
to be unwilling to do sth that is difficult or unpleasant
We made it clear to them that we would not shrink from confrontation. ◇ They did not shrink from doing what was
right.
hold back / BrE ; AmE / phrasal verb held , held
to hesitate to act or speak
He wanted to tell her about it, but held back for fear of upsetting her again. ◇ She held back from saying what she
really thought about it.
NOTE HESITATE OR HOLD BACK? People hesitate when they are not sure what to do and are worried about doing the
wrong thing; people hold back when they feel that what they really want to do may not actually be the best thing or
what other people want.
think twice idiom thought , thought
to think carefully before deciding to do sth
You should think twice about employing someone you've never met.
baulk ( BrE ) ( AmE usually balk ) / BrE ; AmE / [ I ] ( rather formal )
to be unwilling to do sth or become involved in sth because it is difficult, dangerous or expensive
Many parents may baulk at the idea of paying $100 for a pair of shoes.
He baulked for a moment. ‘I can't afford it,’ he finally admitted.
Baulk suggests sb stopping suddenly when you are told sth such as a price or a new idea. There is a stronger sense
of protest suggested in baulk compared with shy away from sth or shrink from sth .
recoil / BrE ; AmE / [ I ] ( written )
to react to an idea or situation with strong dislike or fear
She recoiled from the idea of betraying her own brother.
NOTE SHRINK FROM STH OR RECOIL? Recoil suggests a reaction of shock or horror; shrink from sth suggests a strong
feeling of not wanting to do sth, but the feeling is less strong than with recoil .

leave / BrE ; AmE / left , left [ T ]

to give sb else the responsibility for sth
You can leave the cooking to me. ◇ Leave it with me — I'm sure I can sort it out. ◇ I leave it to you to decide what
order to do things in. ◇ She left her assistant in charge. ◇ I was left to cope on my own.
re fer sb/sth to sb/sth phrasal verb -rr- ( rather formal )
to send sb/sth to sb/sth for help, advice or a decision
My doctor referred me to a specialist. ◇ The case was referred to the Court of Appeal.
( formal ) May I refer you to my letter of 23 May?
►  referral noun [ U , C ]: illnesses requiring referral to hospitals
hand sth over / BrE ; AmE / phrasal verb
to give sb else your position of power or the responsibility for sth
He finally handed over his responsibility for the company last year.
Hand sth over is typically used with work-related words such as job, project, business and responsibility . In British
English hand over to sb can also be used without an object: ( BrE ) She resigned and handed over to one of her
younger colleagues.
►  handover / BrE ; AmE / noun [ C , U ]: the smooth handover of power from a military to a civilian government
delegate / BrE ; AmE / [ I , T ] ( rather formal )
to give part of your work, power or authority to sb in a lower position than you
Some managers find it difficult to delegate. ◇ The job had to be delegated to an assistant.
People typically delegate powers, responsibilities, authority, decisions and work .
►  delegation / BrE ; AmE / noun [ U ]: the delegation of decision-making
turn sth over to sb phrasal verb ( especially AmE )
to give the control of sth to sb
He turned the business over to his daughter.
entrust / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( formal )
to make sb responsible for doing sth or taking care of sb
He entrusted the task to his nephew. ◇ He entrusted his nephew with the task. ◇ His mother entrusted him to
doctors at Charing Cross hospital.
Note the three possible patterns used with entrust : to entrust sth to sb ◇ to entrust sb with sth ◇ to entrust sb to sb .

disgusting / BrE ; AmE / ( especially spoken )

extremely unpleasant and making you feel slightly ill
The kitchen was in a disgusting state. ◇ What a disgusting smell! ◇ The sink was full of a disgusting black slime.
◇ This tastes absolutely disgusting . ◇ Picking your nose is a disgusting habit.
I've always thought he was a disgusting little man.
See also disgust ⇨ SHOCK verb
►  disgust / BrE ; AmE / noun [ U ]: She wrinkled her nose in disgust at the smell or urine.
►  disgustingly / BrE ; AmE / adv. : The kitchen was disgustingly dirty.
foul / BrE ; AmE /
dirty, and tasting or smelling bad
This tastes foul! ◇ The air in the cell was foul. ◇ She could smell his foul breath. ◇ Foul drinking water was
blamed for the epidemic.
revolting / BrE ; AmE /
disgusting
The stew looked revolting. ◇ He's an absolutely revolting man.
►  revoltingly / BrE ; AmE / adv. : a revoltingly sentimental story
NOTE DISGUSTING OR REVOLTING? Both of these words are used to describe things that smell and taste unpleasant,
unpleasant personal habits and people who have them. There is no real difference in meaning, but disgusting is
more frequent, especially in spoken English.
repulsive / BrE ; AmE / ( rather formal )
extremely unpleasant in a way that offends you or makes you feel slightly ill
What a repulsive person! ◇ He found her habits quite repulsive.
Repulsive usually describes people, their behaviour or habits, which you may find offensive for physical or moral
reasons.
See also repel ⇨ SHOCK verb
offensive / BrE ; AmE / ( formal )
(especially of smells) extremely unpleasant
The problem is how to eliminate offensive smells from the processing plant.
gross / BrE ; AmE / ( informal , spoken )
(of a smell, taste or personal habit) extremely unpleasant
‘He ate it with mustard.’ ‘Oh, gross!’
nauseating / BrE ; AmE /
making you feel that you want to vomit
He woke to the nauseating smell of burning flesh.
See also nauseous ⇨ SICK   2

crowded / BrE ; AmE / ( sometimes disapproving )

having a lot of people or too many people
We made our way through the crowded streets. ◇ In the spring the place is crowded with skiers. ◇ London was
very crowded.
See also crowd ⇨ CROWD noun , crowd ⇨ CROWD verb
busy / BrE ; AmE /
full of people, vehicles and activity
We have to cross a busy main road to get to school. ◇ Victoria is one of London's busiest stations.
lively / BrE ; AmE / ( approving )
full of life and excitement, with a lot of people enjoying themselves
‘Les vignes’ is a lively bar just off the main street. ◇ Younger people may prefer a livelier resort such as Malia.
bustling / BrE ; AmE / ( written , approving )
full of people moving about in a busy way
Naples is a bustling city located in a beautiful natural setting.
The market was bustling with life.
See also bustle ⇨ ACTIVITY
vibrant / BrE ; AmE / ( written , approving )
full of life and excitement
Thailand is at its most vibrant during the New Year celebrations.
Next on our itinerary is the vibrant city of Shanghai.
Vibrant is often used in tourism literature to describe busy cities where there are many different types of people and
commercial activities. It also suggests that there is a lot of activity at night, with bright lights and an exciting
atmosphere.

harass / BrE ; AmE / [ T , often passive ] ( disapproving )

to annoy or worry sb by putting pressure on them, or by saying or doing unpleasant things to them, especially
repeatedly over a period of time
He has complained of being harassed by the police. ◇ The man harassed a neighbour with racist abuse. ◇ There
were claims that he sexually harassed female employees.
Opposition supporters were frequently harassed . ◇ Protesters have been blocking access to the clinic and
physically harassing staff. ◇ He told her that if she continued to harass him, he would call the police.
►  harassment / BrE ; AmE / noun [ U ]: racial/sexual/police harassment
nag / BrE ; AmE / -gg- [ T , I ] ( used especially in the progressive tenses ) ( rather informal , disapproving )
to keep complaining to sb about their behaviour or keep asking them to do sth, in an annoying way
She had been nagging him to mend the gate. ◇ Stop nagging — I'll do it as soon as I can. ◇ He's always nagging
at her for wearing too much make-up.
Mum's always nagging me about studying. ◇ He nagged me until I wrote the letter and posted it off. ◇ I do wish
you'd stop nagging on about the garden.
pester / BrE ; AmE / [ T , I ] ( rather informal , disapproving )
to annoy sb, especially by repeatedly asking them questions or asking them to do sth
Journalists pestered neighbours for information. ◇ The kids kept pestering me to buy them ice creams. ◇ Stop
pestering!
He has been pestering her with phone calls for a week. ◇ The horses were continually pestered by flies. ◇ She
would pester him until she got exactly what she wanted. ◇ I knew he would keep pestering until he got an answer.
hound / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( written , disapproving )
to keep following or contacting sb in order to get sth from them or ask them questions
They were hounded day and night by the press.
The star claims he is being hounded by an obsessed fan. ◇ I'm constantly being hounded for autographs. ◇ The
travellers say the police are hounding them.
harry / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( rather formal , written , often disapproving )
to repeatedly ask sb questions or ask them to do sth, especially in a way that annoys or upsets them
She has been harried by the press all week. ◇ The superintendent sent him to harry the forensic lab over the blood
tests.
I was harried constantly by the manager.
hector / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( written , disapproving )
to try to make sb do sth by talking to them in an aggressive way
Unlike most environmentalists, she doesn't hector us about giving things up.
Teachers are feeling pushed around, hectored, lectured and badgered. ◇ Countries are tired of being hectored by
Western leaders about industrial emissions.
►  hectoring / BrE ; AmE / adj. : a hectoring tone of voice
persecute / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( disapproving )
to deliberately annoy sb all the time and make their life very unpleasant
Why are the media persecuting him like this?
go on / BrE ; AmE / phrasal verb goes , went , gone ( especially BrE , rather informal , disapproving )
to repeatedly complain to sb about their behaviour, work etc
She goes on at him continually. ◇ Stop going on about it!
loser / BrE ; AmE / [ C ] ( often disapproving )
a person who is regularly unsuccessful, especially when you have a low opinion of them
She's one of life's losers . ◇ He's a born loser .
The impression he gave was one of a bumbling loser . ◇ He began to see himself as a loser ; lacking in skills or
opportunities.
OPP winner ⇨ SUCCESS
failure / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]
a person who is not successful
He was a failure as a teacher. ◇ I felt a complete failure .
Her parents had long since branded her a failure.
OPP success ⇨ SUCCESS
See also fail ⇨ FAIL   2
incompetent / BrE ; AmE / [ C ] ( disapproving )
a person who does not have the skill or ability to do their job or a task as it should be done
The whole thing is being led by a bunch of incompetents.
He's a hopeless incompetent.
See also incompetent ⇨ INCOMPETENT adj.
has-been / BrE ; AmE / [ C ] ( informal , disapproving )
a person who is no longer as famous, successful or important as they used to be
She's just an old has-been. ◇ He's very much a political has-been.
no- hoper / BrE ; AmE / [ C ] ( informal , disapproving )
a person, team or racehorse that is considered useless or very unlikely to be successful
They were written off as a bunch of no-hopers. ◇ He backed an apparent no-hoper at odds of 100–1.
underachiever / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]
a person who is less successful than they could be, especially in school work
At school he was a classic underachiever .
Once a student begins to feel like an underachiever, it's hard to get rid of a negative self-image.
disappointment / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]
a person who is disappointing to other people, because of their lack of achievement or bad behaviour
I always felt I was a disappointment to my father.
What a disappointment he had turned out to be!
disaster / BrE ; AmE / [ C ] ( informal , disapproving )
a person who is a complete failure at sth, especially because of their lack of skill or ability
He was a competent accountant, but as a manager he's a disaster.

hairy / BrE ; AmE /

covered with a lot of hair
His shirt was unbuttoned, revealing a hairy chest. ◇ The plant's rough, hairy stems can grow up to 6 feet tall.
See also hair ⇨ FIBRE
bearded / BrE ; AmE / ( especially written )
having a beard
His bearded face peered around the door. ◇ He was a huge bearded man with a shock of dark hair.
furry / BrE ; AmE /
covered with fur; soft, like fur
small furry animals ◇ The moss was soft and furry to the touch.
unshaven / BrE ; AmE /
not having shaved or been shaved recently
He looked pale and unshaven.
He was overweight with a bloated, unshaven face.
shaggy / BrE ; AmE /
(of hair or fur) long and untidy; having long untidy hair or fur
He was a solid man with a shaggy mane of hair.
The dog has a thick, shaggy white coat. ◇ The youth shook his shaggy head.
Typical collocates of shaggy are beard , coat , eyebrows and mane .
bushy / BrE ; AmE /
(of hair or fur) growing thickly; (of plants) growing thickly, with a lot of leaves
He was short and stocky, with thick bushy eyebrows. ◇ It grows into a bushy plant, with soft leaves.
He muttered into his bushy beard.
Bushy is usually used to talk about a man's, rather than a woman's, hair , eyebrows , etc. Typical collocates are
moustache , eyebrows and beard , and for an animal, tail .

take over / BrE ; AmE / take sth over / BrE ; AmE / phrasal verb took , taken
to gain control of or responsibility for sth, especially in place of sb else; to gain control of a political party or country
He took over as chairman last year. ◇ She took over the tenancy of the farm from her father. ◇ The army is
threatening to take over if civil unrest continues.
When Smith died, Blair took over the leadership of the party. ◇ Fast food outlets seem to be taking over the world.
►  takeover noun [ C ]: a takeover bid for the company
dominate / BrE ; AmE / [ T , I ] ( often disapproving )
to control sb/sth or be the most important person, group or thing in a particular situation or area, especially in an
unpleasant way
As a child he was dominated by his father. ◇ United completely dominated the first half of the game. ◇ She always
says a lot in meetings, but she doesn't dominate.
The insurance market is totally dominated by the private pension organizations. ◇ This is an attempt to control the
multinational giants who dominate the chemical industry. ◇ She was a boisterous girl with a loud voice who
always dominated the conversation.
See also dominant ⇨ POWERFUL
►  domination noun [ U ]: The country is still under foreign domination . ◇ The film is about a mad professor set on
world domination.
The purpose of the alliance was to prevent the domination of a single power.
monopolize ( BrE also -ise ) / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( often disapproving )
to have or take control of the largest part of sth, so that other people are prevented from sharing it; to have or take a
large part of sb's attention or time
Men traditionally monopolized jobs in the printing industry. ◇ As usual, she completely monopolized the
conversation. ◇ Don't let him monopolize you like he did at the last party.
The Swedish market is currently monopolized by the state-owned telecoms company. ◇ The trainer should guide
and advise but should never monopolize the situation.
reign / BrE ; AmE / [ I ]
to be the best or most important person, group or thing in a particular situation or area of skill
A handful of families have reigned over Bangkok's economy for many years. ◇ In the field of classical music, he still
reigns supreme . ◇ She will face the reigning champion in her first round match.
hog / BrE ; AmE / -gg- [ T ] ( rather informal , disapproving )
to use or keep most of sth yourself and prevent others from using or having it
She preferred to keep in the background rather than hogging the limelight ( = trying to get lots of public attention ) . ◇
Helen's always hogging the bathroom ( = spends a long time in it so that others cannot use it ) .
corner / BrE ; AmE / [ T ]
to gain control of the trade in a particular type of goods or services
The firm has cornered the UK computer market. ◇ They've cornered the market in silver.
He made his millions by cornering the estate-agency business in the town.
Market is by far the most frequent collocate of corner in this meaning.
share / BrE ; AmE / [ C , usually sing. ]
one part of sth that is divided between two or more people; a part that sb has in a particular activity that involves
several people; an amount of sth that is thought to be normal or acceptable for one person
How much was your share of the winnings? ◇ Next year we hope to have a bigger share of the market . ◇ I'm hoping
for a share in the profits. ◇ We all did our share of the work. ◇ Everyone must accept their share of the blame.
( BrE ) I'm looking for a flat share ( = a flat that is shared by two or more people who are not related ) . ◇ I've had
my share of luck in the past. ◇ I've done my share of worrying for one day!
See also share ⇨ JOIN , share ⇨ SHARE verb
quota / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]
the limited number of people or things that is officially allowed; an amount of sth that sb expects or needs to have or
achieve
They are bringing in a quota system for accepting refugees. ◇ The show is good fun and yields its full quota of
laughs.
The government plans to introduce a strict import quota on grain. ◇ Members of the military forces must fulfil a
daily quota of work in the fields.
allocation / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]
an amount of sth, especially money, that is given to sb for a particular purpose
We have spent our entire allocation for the year.
The project was financed by an allocation of funds from the National Lottery.
See also allocate ⇨ ALLOCATE
commission / BrE ; AmE / [ U , C ]
an amount of money that is paid to sb for selling goods, which increases with the value of goods that are sold; an
amount of money that is charged, for example by a bank, for providing a particular service
In this job you work on commission ( = are paid according to the amount you sell ) . ◇ You get a 10 commission on
everything you sell. ◇ One per cent commission is charged for cashing traveller's cheques.
He earned $2 000 in commission last month.
allowance / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]
the amount of sth that is allowed in a particular situation
There is a maximum baggage allowance of 20 kilos.
Roman soldiers received a salt allowance, called salarium, the origin of the word ‘salary’.
ration / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]
a fixed amount of sth, especially food, that you are officially allowed to have when there is not enough for everyone
to have as much as they want, for example during a war
I gave him my butter ration at breakfast one morning. ◇ a ration book/card/coupon ( = allowing you to claim a
ration of sth )
A ration [ sing. ] is also an amount of sth that is thought to be normal or acceptable for one person: As part of the
diet, allow yourself a small daily ration of sugar.
I felt that my ration of luck was running out.
See also rations ⇨ SUPPLIES
►  ration / BrE ; AmE / verb [ T , often passive ]: Eggs were rationed during the war. ◇ The villagers are rationed to
two litres of water a day.
NOTE SHARE, QUOTA OR RATION? These words can all be used to mean ‘an amount of sth that is thought to be normal
or acceptable for one person’. Share and quota can both be used to talk about pleasant or unpleasant things such as
luck, laughs, work or blame . Share is much more frequent; quota is only used in this meaning in more formal or
written language. Ration is used to talk about food, or about sth nice that you must not have or expect too much of.
cut / BrE ; AmE / [ C , usually sing. ] ( rather informal )
a share in sth, especially the profits of sth
They were rewarded with a cut of 5 from the profits. ◇ There wasn't much left after his agents took their cut.
percentage / BrE ; AmE / [ C , usually sing. ]
a share of the profits of sth
He gets a percentage for every car sold.
NOTE CUT OR PERCENTAGE? Percentage is used especially in a situation where money is paid to sb for doing a job,
for example to an employee. Cut is used more often if people divide a total sum of money among themselves. If the
percentage figure is given, the word cut is used: Our manager gets a cut of 10. ◇ Our manager gets a percentage
of 10.

controversial / BrE ; AmE /

causing a lot of angry public discussion and disagreement
Her controversial new play sparked a riot outside the theatre.
It is one of the most controversial of London's new office buildings. ◇ A controversial plan to build a new road has
met with protests.
◇ Winston Churchill and Richard Nixon were both controversial figures.
OPP uncontroversial
Something that is uncontroversial does not cause, or is not likely to cause, any disagreement: an uncontroversial
policy/opinion
See also controversy ⇨ DEBATE noun
►  controversially / BrE ; AmE / adv. : Punishments for prisoners include loss of privileges and, more
controversially, the stopping of visits.
questionable / BrE ; AmE /
that you have doubts about because you think it is not accurate or correct
The conclusions that they come to are highly questionable. ◇ It is questionable whether this is a good way of
solving the problem.
debatable / BrE ; AmE /
not certain because people can have different ideas and opinions about the thing being discussed
Whether or not that's a good thing remains a debatable point. ◇ It is highly debatable whether conditions have
improved for low-income families.
dubious / BrE ; AmE /
that you cannot be sure about; that is probably not good
They consider the plan to be of dubious benefit to most families. ◇ ( ironic ) She had the dubious honour of being
the last woman to be hanged in England ( = it was not an honour at all ) .
contentious / BrE ; AmE / ( formal )
likely to cause disagreement between people
Both views are highly contentious. ◇ Try to avoid any contentious wording.
The government's treatment of refugees remains a highly contentious issue.
OPP uncontentious
Something that is uncontentious is not likely to cause disagreement between people: The proposal is relatively
uncontentious.
NOTE CONTROVERSIAL OR CONTENTIOUS? These words are very close in meaning but controversial has a wider range
and can describe people and things as well as issues and opinions: a controversial
figure/book/film/play/plan/building ◇ a contentious figure/book/film/play/plan/building
arguable / BrE ; AmE / ( formal )
not certain; that you do not accept without question
It is arguable whether the case should have ever gone to trial ( = perhaps it should not have ) .

denial / BrE ; AmE / [ C , U ]

a statement that says that sth is not true or does not exist
The terrorists issued a denial of responsibility for the attack. ◇ There was an official denial that there would be an
election before the end of the year.
When I asked if she had cheated in the exam, she answered with a vehement denial . ◇ The document contains an
explicit denial that the company ever sold arms. ◇ Despite official denials , it appears the government did make a
deal with the terrorists.
OPP claim ⇨ CLAIM
See also deny ⇨ DENY
disclaimer / BrE ; AmE / [ C ] ( formal )
a statement in which sb says that they are not connected with or responsible for sth, or that they do not have any
knowledge of it
There was a disclaimer of liability in the surveyor's report.
They protect themselves by issuing various disclaimers.
See also disclaim ⇨ DENY
rebuttal / BrE ; AmE / [ C , U ] ( formal )
a statement that says or proves that a statement or criticism is false; the act of making this kind of statement
The accusations met with a firm rebuttal. ◇ These assumptions require careful and express rebuttal.
She could not think off hand of a rebuttal to this argument. ◇ He offered a spirited rebuttal of the charges.
See also rebut ⇨ DISPROVE
refutation / BrE ; AmE / [ C , U ] ( formal )
a statement that says or proves that sth is not true; the act of making this kind of statement
These comments are not offered as a refutation of the theory.
It is ‘pseudo-science’ to put forward a theory which runs no risk of refutation by experience.
See also refute ⇨ DISPROVE , refute ⇨ DENY
NOTE REBUTTAL OR REFUTATION? A rebuttal is often more personal than a refutation : it is usually a response to an
accusation or criticism of some kind. A refutation is usually more academic, a response to a theory or argument.
retraction / BrE ; AmE / [ C ] ( formal )
a statement saying that sth you previously said or wrote is not true
He demanded a full retraction of the allegations against him.
See also retract ⇨ BREAK verb   4

shape / BrE ; AmE / [ C , U ]

the form of the outer edges or surfaces of sth; an example of sth that has a particular form; a person or thing that is
difficult to see clearly
The building has a rectangular shape . ◇ The pool was in the shape of a heart. ◇ The island was originally circular
in shape . ◇ Candles come in all shapes and sizes . ◇ You can recognize the fish by the shape of their fins. ◇ This
old T-shirt has completely lost its shape .
Ghostly shapes moved around in the dark. ◇ I could just make out a dark shape in the distance.
See also shape ⇨ SHAPE verb
figure / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]
the shape of a person seen from a distance or not clearly
There before him stood a tall figure in black.
I saw a shadowy figure approaching.
See also figure ⇨ BODY   1
form / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]
the shape of sb/sth; a person or thing of which only the shape can be seen
Her slender form and graceful movements entranced him. ◇ The human form has changed little over the last 30 
000 years. ◇ They made out a shadowy form in front of them.
See also form ⇨ FORM noun   1
shadow / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]
a dark shape that sb/sth's form makes on a surface, for example on the ground, when they are between the light and
the surface
The children were having fun, chasing each other's shadows. ◇ The ship's sail cast a shadow on the water. ◇ The
shadows lengthened as the sun went down.
As he stood still I traced the outline of his shadow on the wall.
See also shadow ⇨ DARKNESS
outline / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]
the line that goes around the edge of sth, showing its main shape but not the details
At last we could see the dim outline of an island.
The students added the position of the main cities to an outline map of the country. ◇ She drew the figures in
outline.
See also outline ⇨ SUMMARY
profile / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]
the outline of a person's face when you look from the side, not the front
He turned his head so his strong profile was facing the camera. ◇ The portrait shows her in profile.
silhouette / BrE ; AmE / [ C , U ]
the dark outline or shape of a person or object that you see against a light background; the shape of a person's body
or an object
The trees were black silhouettes against the pale sky. ◇ The mountains stood out in silhouette. ◇ The dress is fitted
to give you a flattering silhouette.
Through the fog, the silhouette of buildings appeared along the shore.
line / BrE ; AmE / [ C ]
the edge, outline or shape of sth, especially sth that has been designed or created
With its sleek lines and powerful engine, the XK8 is the definition of a luxury sports car. ◇ He traced the line of her
jaw with his finger.
I prefer simple lines in skirts and trousers.
contour / BrE ; AmE / [ C ] ( written )
the outer edges of sth; the outline of its shape or form
The road follows the natural contours of the coastline.
[+]

tired / BrE ; AmE /

said or written so often that it has lost interest, meaning or humour
He began with a few tired old jokes. ◇ It's the same tired advice that was given to my mother.
The word ‘empowering’ is tired and overused. ◇ It's a tired cliché-ridden definition of leadership.
corny / BrE ; AmE / ( informal )
used too often to be interesting or to sound sincere
I know it may sound corny but it happens to be true. ◇ You sound like someone out of a corny film!
Opera's blend of corny emotion with glamour and spectacle appeals to advertisers.
Corny is used especially to describe jokes, stories, films and the situations and emotions shown in them.
trite / BrE ; AmE /
said or written so often that it has lost interest or meaning
It is a trite observation that there is no such thing as a standard of international law.
She seemed bored and asked trite questions. ◇ As trite as it sounds, I had forgotten what greenness was until I saw
those palms.
NOTE TIRED OR TRITE? Tired phrases, jokes and advice make the listener feel bored; trite observations, questions
and remarks make the listener feel contemptuous ( = lacking respect ) .
stale / BrE ; AmE /
no longer interesting or exciting because it has been said or done too many times before
What had seemed fresh and exciting at first was now stale and predictable.
The routine of married life had gone stale on them. ◇ Of course I've heard. That's stale news. ◇ What made the
work so stale and uninteresting?
hackneyed / BrE ; AmE /
(of a phrase or idea) used too often and therefore boring
The artist should be careful to avoid hackneyed subjects.
He doesn't fit the hackneyed image of the computer nerd. ◇ There was truth in that hackneyed old saying in show
business, ‘Fame costs.’
clichéd / BrE ; AmE /
(of a phrase or idea) used so often that it no longer has any meaning
The song is as clichéd as its title.
The comedian makes a conscious effort to avoid clichéd topics. ◇ It is the most clichéd subject possible for a pop
song. ◇ It is a brief, deliberately clichéd description.

typical / BrE ; AmE /

having the usual qualities or features of a particular type of person, thing or group
It's a typical Italian café. ◇ This meal is typical of local cookery. ◇ The weather at the moment is not typical for
July.
This is a typical example of Roman pottery.
You can also use typical to talk about a person who behaves in the way that you expect, because you know their
character so well. This use often shows disapproval: It was typical of her to forget. ◇ He spoke with typical
enthusiasm. ◇ ( informal , spoken , disapproving ) She's late again — typical!
OPP atypical ⇨ UNUSUAL
►  typically / BrE ; AmE / adv. : They treated us to some typically American hospitality. ◇ Typically, she couldn't
find her keys.
characteristic / BrE ; AmE / ( rather formal )
very typical of sth, or of sb's character or behaviour
With characteristic modesty she insisted on sharing the credit with the whole team. ◇ They suffer from many of the
environmental problems that are characteristic of inner-city areas.
OPP uncharacteristic
Uncharacteristic describes sth that is not typical of sb/sth or the way sb usually behaves: The remark was quite
uncharacteristic of her.
►  characteristically / BrE ; AmE / adv. : Characteristically, Helen paid for everyone.
NOTE TYPICAL OR CHARACTERISTIC? When it is used to mean that sb behaves as you would expect, typical often
shows disapproval (although it can show approval), but characteristic usually shows approval: It was typical of her
to forget. ◇ Such generosity was characteristic of Mike.
symbolic / BrE ; AmE /
containing symbols; being used as a symbol
The dove is symbolic of peace. ◇ He shook his fist in a symbolic gesture of defiance. ◇ The new regulations are
largely symbolic ( = they will not have any real effect ) .
The Channel Tunnel has enormous symbolic significance for a united Europe.
►  symbolically / BrE ; AmE / adv. : a symbolically significant gesture
representative / BrE ; AmE / ( rather formal )
typical of a particular group of people; containing or including examples of all the different types of people or things
in a large group
The paper-thin models in magazines are not representative of most women. ◇ We interviewed a representative
sample of teachers.
Is a questionnaire answered by 500 people truly representative of the population as a whole?
OPP unrepresentative
Sth that is unrepresentative of sb/sth is not typical of a group of people or things and therefore not useful as a
source of information about them: an unrepresentative sample
classic / BrE ; AmE /
very typical as an example of sth, with all the features you would expect to find
It was a classic example of poor communication. ◇ She displayed the classic symptoms of depression.
I made the classic mistake of clapping in a pause in the music!
Example is by far the most frequent collocate of classic in this meaning.
archetypal / BrE ; AmE / [ usually before noun ] ( rather formal , written )
having all the important qualities and characteristics that make sb/sth a typical example of a particular kind of
person or thing
The Beatles were the archetypal pop group. ◇ It was the archetypal British suburb, built in the 1930s.
stereotypical / BrE ; AmE / ( often disapproving )
typical of the fixed idea or image that many people have of a particular type of person or thing, but which is often
not true in reality
She did not conform to his stereotypical image of feminine behaviour.
quintessential / BrE ; AmE / [ only before noun ] ( formal )
perfect as an example of sth
He was the quintessential tough guy.
►  quintessentially / BrE ; AmE / adv. : a sense of humour that is quintessentially British

mundane / BrE ; AmE / ( disapproving )

not interesting or exciting; belonging to the world of ordinary things
To return to more mundane matters — lunch is at half past twelve.
He had no interest in such mundane details. ◇ She forced her mind onto more mundane things.
routine / BrE ; AmE / [ usually before noun ] ( disapproving )
the same every day and therefore boring
I have little patience with routine tasks such as washing up.
Every day we went to our routine , boring and badly-paid jobs. ◇ For some patients, a very routine existence is
preferable.
See also routine ⇨ USUAL
humdrum / BrE ; AmE / ( disapproving )
without excitement because nothing unusual or interesting happens
There is a lot of dull, humdrum work in local politics.
His arrival brought some variety into the humdrum life at the gallery. ◇ How I wish it was over and I could get
back to my humdrum routine .
prosaic / BrE ; AmE / ( written , disapproving )
not romantic or exciting
Seafarers found it difficult to settle down to the more prosaic existence of life ashore.
Daylight brought the prosaic world back again. ◇ The final message is prosaic: practise as often as you can.

general / BrE ; AmE /

affecting all or most people, places or things
The general opinion is that a new bridge is needed. ◇ As a foreigner and a teacher, I was the object of general
interest. ◇ The unions threatened a further general strike ( = one that affects all workers in an industry or country ) .
◇ The bad weather has been fairly general ( = has affected most areas ) .
The general consensus was that the scheme was too expensive. ◇ There was a general lack of adequate training. ◇
There was a general amnesty for crimes committed during the civil war.
See also general ⇨ USUAL , general ⇨ GENERAL   2
►  generally / BrE ; AmE / adv. : The software will be generally available from January.
common / BrE ; AmE /
happening often; existing in large numbers or in many places
Jones and Davies are common Welsh names. ◇ The fungus is a common sight in woodlands at this time of year. ◇
It's a common enough situation, I know.
The most common complaint from patients was about poor communication. ◇ The disease is very common in young
horses.
OPP rare , uncommon ⇨ RARE
See also commonly ⇨ USUALLY
widespread / BrE ; AmE /
existing or happening over a large area or among many people
The storm caused widespread damage. ◇ The decision met with widespread approval. ◇ The use of steroids was
widespread in many sports.
There seems to be a widespread belief that living standards are rising. ◇ The Internet only came into widespread
public use in the 1990s. ◇ There is widespread support for the policy. ◇ There is widespread dissatisfaction with
the party leadership.
universal / BrE ; AmE /
done by or involving all the people in the world or in a particular group
A representative assembly is a near universal feature of modern democracies. ◇ Agreement on this issue is almost
universal. ◇ The party wanted to introduce a universal health care system.
Initially there was no universal agreement about what constituted a group. ◇ The increase in crime has been a
universal phenomenon. ◇ There was universal disgust at what he had done. ◇ The country held its first general
election with universal suffrage ( = the right of all adults to vote ) in 1931.
►  universally / BrE ; AmE / adv. : The document is now universally acknowledged as a forgery.
This treatment is not universally available.
prevalent / BrE ; AmE / ( formal )
that exists or is very common at a particular time or in a particular place
Temporary working is most prevalent among people in service occupations. ◇ Our diet contributes to the high
levels of heart disease prevalent in this country.
Truancy is most prevalent near the end of compulsory schooling. ◇ The disease is more prevalent in younger
women.
See also prevail ⇨ EXIST
commonplace / BrE ; AmE /
done very often, or existing in many places, and therefore not unusual or surprising
It is commonplace for soldiers to get very little sleep. ◇ Violent incidents of this kind have become commonplace.
Double agents are quite commonplace in the world of espionage. ◇ She made things that are now quite
commonplace but at the time seemed really exotic.
ubiquitous / BrE ; AmE / [ usually before noun ] ( formal or humorous )
seeming to be everywhere or in several places at the same time
The ubiquitous portraits of the president usually showed him in military uniform.
Blue is derived from the ubiquitous indigo plant. ◇ He is as recognizable and as ubiquitous as the celebrities he
photographs. ◇ The actors include George Wendt, Adrian Dunbar and the ubiquitous James Nesbitt.
rife / BrE ; AmE / [ not before noun ]
(of sth bad) very common in a particular place
Rumours have been rife in media circles all summer. ◇ Speculation is rife that the company is about to be sold.
[+]

calm / BrE ; AmE /

not excited, anxious or upset
Strangely, she felt quite calm about it. ◇ It is important to keep calm in an emergency. ◇ She handled the situation
with calm assurance.
He spoke in a reassuringly calm voice. ◇ The golden rule of first aid is to stay calm .
OPP agitated ⇨ RESTLESS , excitable ⇨ MOODY
See also calm ⇨ COMPOSURE noun
►  calmly / BrE ; AmE / adv. : ‘I'll call the doctor,’ he said calmly.
patient / BrE ; AmE /
able to wait for a long time or accept annoying behaviour without becoming angry
You'll just have to be patient and wait till I'm finished. ◇ She's very patient with the children.
OPP impatient ⇨ RESTLESS
See also patience ⇨ PATIENCE
►  patiently adv. : to listen/sit/wait patiently
She sat patiently waiting for her turn.
cool / BrE ; AmE /
not excited, angry or emotional
Keep cool. We'll sort this out. ◇ She tried to remain cool, calm and collected . ◇ He has a cool head ( = he stays calm
in an emergency ) .
What is she like beneath her cool, confident exterior?
See also cool ⇨ COMPOSURE noun
relaxed / BrE ; AmE /
not anxious or worried
I had to learn to be more relaxed about things. ◇ She appeared relaxed and confident before the match.
She had a very relaxed manner. ◇ After a couple of drinks he felt more relaxed.
OPP nervous ⇨ NERVOUS , nervous ⇨ WORRIED
NOTE CALM, COOL OR RELAXED? Relaxed describes how you feel about sth: you are genuinely not anxious or worried
about it. Cool is used more to describe how sb behaves: whether or not they feel angry or emotional, they don't let it
affect their behaviour but continue to think clearly and act sensibly. Calm can describe feelings or behaviour.
controlled / BrE ; AmE /
remaining calm and not getting angry or upset, especially by making a special effort to do so
He spoke in a controlled, even voice.
She remained quiet and controlled. ◇ She closed the door behind her in a quiet and controlled manner.
easy- going / BrE ; AmE /
relaxed and happy to accept things without worrying or getting angry
His friends described him as an easy-going person.
Normally he was relaxed and had an easy-going manner. ◇ My older brother is more easy-going.
Easy-going is used especially to describe sb's personality and the way they behave usually, rather than in a
particular situation or on a particular occasion.
OPP uptight ⇨ TENSE
See also tolerant ⇨ TOLERANT
placid / BrE ; AmE /
(of a person or animal) not easily excited or irritated
The cattle are placid, so easy to work with. ◇ My second child was a placid baby.
OPP high-spirited
High-spirited animals, especially horses, are lively and difficult to control.
►  placidly / BrE ; AmE / adv. : ‘Of course,’ said Helen placidly.
laid- back / BrE ; AmE / ( rather informal )
calm and relaxed; seeming not to worry about anything
Steve was very laid-back about it all. ◇ He loved the laid-back Caribbean lifestyle.
He is laid-back, affable and easy-going.
unperturbed / BrE ; AmE / [ not usually before noun ]
not worried or anxious, especially when sth surprising or unpleasant happens
She seemed unperturbed by the news.
The local people remained calm and apparently unperturbed. ◇ Mick put his hand over his face, but John was
quite unperturbed.
unfazed / BrE ; AmE / [ not usually before noun ] ( rather informal )
not worried or surprised by sth unexpected that happens
The President seems unfazed by the ongoing crises around the world.
‘No thanks,’ Charlie said, totally unfazed .
composed / BrE ; AmE / [ not usually before noun ]
calm and in control of your emotions
She sat with a book on her lap, apparently quite composed.
He looked composed as he went about his work.
OPP flustered ⇨ RESTLESS
See also composure ⇨ COMPOSURE
irrelevant / BrE ; AmE /
not important to or not connected with a situation or subject
It's totally irrelevant whether I'm married or not. ◇ Many people consider politics to be irrelevant to their lives. ◇
Please keep all irrelevant remarks to yourself.
Whether I believe you or not is irrelevant now. ◇ That evidence is irrelevant to the case. ◇ These arguments were
dismissed as irrelevant. ◇ The matter is strictly irrelevant at this point in the proceedings. ◇ As far as the law is
concerned it is irrelevant that the two divisions are part of one company. ◇ Ludicrously irrelevant thoughts
swarmed in her head.
OPP relevant ⇨ RELEVANT
►  irrelevance / BrE ; AmE / noun [ U , C , usually sing. ]: the irrelevance of the curriculum to children's daily life
◇ His idea was rejected as an irrelevance .
immaterial / BrE ; AmE / [ not usually before noun ] ( rather formal )
not important in a particular situation
The cost is immaterial. ◇ It is immaterial to me whether he stays or goes.
The condition of the car is quite immaterial as long as it works. ◇ These facts are immaterial to the problem.
OPP material ⇨ RELEVANT
extraneous / BrE ; AmE / ( formal )
not important to or not connected with a situation or subject
We do not want any extraneous information on the page. ◇ We shall ignore factors extraneous to the problem.
Coughs and extraneous noises can be edited out.
NOTE IRRELEVANT, IMMATERIAL OR EXTRANEOUS? In a few cases you can use any of these words: factors
irrelevant/immaterial/extraneous to the case . However, extraneous is not usually used after a linking verb, unless it
is followed by to : The cost is irrelevant/immaterial. ◇ The cost is extraneous. It is used especially to talk about
factors, variables, considerations, information, material or matter which are/is not important or wanted in a
particular context. Irrelevant and immaterial are both often used in the structure It is irrelevant/immaterial
whether/that… Immaterial is slightly stronger and can suggest a greater degree of impatience. Immaterial is not
usually used before a noun : immaterial remarks/thoughts
be side the point phrase ( especially spoken )
irrelevant
‘He's been married before.’ ‘ That's beside the point. ’
OPP to the point ⇨ RELEVANT
inapplicable / BrE ; AmE / [ not before noun ] ( rather formal , especially written )
that cannot be used, or that does not apply, in a particular situation
These regulations are inapplicable to international students.
OPP applicable ⇨ RELEVANT

stubborn / BrE ; AmE / ( often disapproving )

determined not to change your opinion or attitude
He was too stubborn to admit that he was wrong. ◇ She has inherited her mother's stubborn streak . ◇ ( approving )
He started out with nothing but raw talent and stubborn determination.
The situation was aggravated by Mr Johnson's stubborn refusal to apologize. ◇ She can be as stubborn as a mule . ◇
He can be very stubborn about his principles.
►  stubbornly / BrE ; AmE / adv. : She stubbornly refused to pay.
obstinate / BrE ; AmE / ( usually disapproving )
refusing to change your opinions or behaviour when other people try to persuade you to
He can be very obstinate when he wants to. ◇ Their position remains one of obstinate denial, even in face of the
new evidence.
►  obstinately / BrE ; AmE / adv. : She obstinately refused to consider the future.
wilful / BrE ; AmE / ( especially BrE ) ( AmE usually willful ) ( disapproving )
determined to do what you want; not caring about what other people want
He was an aggressive, often selfish and wilful child.
headstrong / BrE ; AmE / ( disapproving , especially written )
determined to do things your own way and refusing to listen to advice
She is too wild and headstrong to be guided by me.
strong- willed / BrE ; AmE / ( often disapproving )
determined to do what you want, even if other people advise you not to
She was a fiercely independent and strong-willed woman.
NOTE WHICH WORD? Wilful and headstrong are always disapproving terms: a wilful or headstrong person is always
wrong and the people trying to oppose or advise them are always right. A strong-willed person may be right or
wrong but does not listen to advice. Obstinate often suggests that sb will not change their behaviour simply in order
to be difficult and cause problems for other people. Stubborn can suggest this too, but it can also be admiring or
approving, as in the phrase stubborn determination.

accept / BrE ; AmE / [ T ]

to be willing to continue in a difficult situation without complaining, because you realize that it cannot be changed
They accept the risks as part of the job. ◇ He refused to accept that his father was no longer there. ◇ Most people
had come to accept that war was inevitable.
You just have to accept the fact that we're never going to be rich. ◇ Nothing will change as long as the workers
continue to accept these appalling conditions. ◇ It was true, but hard to accept .
face / BrE ; AmE / [ T ]
to accept that a difficult or unpleasant situation exists, although you would prefer not to
She had to face the fact that her life had changed forever. ◇ Face facts — she isn't coming back. ◇ Let's face it ,
we're not going to win.
It's not always easy to face the truth.
come to terms with sth idiom came , come
to accept sth unpleasant by learning to deal with it
She is still coming to terms with her son's death.
He said he had finally come to terms with his sexuality. ◇ They are trying to come to terms with the implications of
the diagnosis. ◇ He's struggling to come to terms with the disappointment of missing the final.
live with sth phrasal verb
to accept sth unpleasant and continue without complaining
You get used to jet lag in the sense that you learn to live with it.
They will have to live with the consequences of their choice. ◇ I just had to learn to live with the pain.
face up to sth phrasal verb
to accept and deal with sth difficult or unpleasant, especially after ignoring it
You have to face up to your responsibilities.
She had to face up to the fact that she would never walk again. ◇ He just won't face up to the truth. ◇ Families are
now facing up to the grim realities of the situation.
make the best of sth idiom made , made ( rather informal )
to accept a bad situation and do as well as you can
She was a pragmatic woman who always made the best of things . ◇ Conditions were harsh, but we made the best of it .
It's time to quit complaining and make the best of a bad job .
re sign yourself to sth phrasal verb
to accept sth unpleasant that cannot be changed or avoided
She resigned herself to her fate. ◇ We have to resign ourselves to making a loss on the sale.
See also resignation ⇨ PATIENCE
►  resigned adj. : He was resigned to never seeing his birthplace again.
reconcile / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( rather formal )
to make sb/yourself accept an unpleasant situation that cannot be changed
He could not reconcile himself to the prospect of losing her.
No amount of designer labels could reconcile her to missing out on the trip.

passive / BrE ; AmE /

accepting what happens or what people do without trying to change anything or oppose them
He played a passive role in the relationship. ◇ Throughout this time I was simply a passive observer of events.
She wore a passive expression on her face as if she didn't care what happened. ◇ We are passive recipients of
information from the world around us.
OPP active ⇨ BUSY   1
►  passively / BrE ; AmE / adv. : He passively accepted everything that was decided for him.
docile / BrE ; AmE /
(of people and animals) quiet and easy to control
a docile child/horse/temperament ◇ It is a cheap and docile workforce.
They stood in the queue, docile and long-faced. ◇ They're a pretty docile type of dog.
amenable / BrE ; AmE / ( rather formal , especially written , approving )
easy to control; willing to be influenced by sb/sth
The manager was very amenable: nothing was too much trouble. ◇ He seemed most amenable to my idea.
They had three very amenable children.
submissive / BrE ; AmE /
willing to obey sb, whatever they want you to do
A woman was expected to be submissive to her husband ◇ She followed him like a submissive child.
OPP assertive ⇨ AGGRESSIVE   2
See also submit ⇨ GIVE WAY
meek / BrE ; AmE /
quiet, gentle, and always ready to do what other people want without expressing your own opinion
They hung their heads in meek submission. ◇ They called her Miss Mouse because she was so meek and mild .
OPP bold ⇨ BOLD
►  meekly / BrE ; AmE / adv. : He meekly did as he was told.
compliant / BrE ; AmE / ( written , often disapproving )
willing (often too willing) to agree with other people or to obey rules
We should not be producing compliant students who do not dare to criticize. ◇ Henry seemed less compliant with his
wife's wishes than he had before.
See also comply ⇨ FOLLOW   3

unacceptable / BrE ; AmE / ( rather formal )

that you cannot accept, allow or approve of
Such behaviour is totally unacceptable in a civilized society. ◇ Such a solution would be quite unacceptable to the
majority of people. ◇ Noise from the factory has reached an unacceptable level.
The cost of these proposed changes makes them unacceptable . ◇ Raising taxes now would be politically
unacceptable .
OPP acceptable ⇨ FINE , acceptable ⇨ RIGHT   2
►  unacceptably / BrE ; AmE / adv. : unacceptably high levels of unemployment
unreasonable / BrE ; AmE /
not fair; expecting too much
It would be unreasonable to expect somebody to come at such short notice. ◇ The fees they charge are not
unreasonable. ◇ He was being totally unreasonable about it.
The job was beginning to make unreasonable demands on his free time.
OPP reasonable ⇨ REASONABLE
too much ( rather informal , spoken )
needing more skill or strength than you have; more difficult or annoying than you can bear
What with the exams, and then his illness, things have become too much for him. ◇ This is too much! First she
complains that I'm never in the office, then she wants to know why I'm not visiting so many clients.
Is it too much to expect a little concerted action from the government on this issue?
intolerable / BrE ; AmE / ( rather formal )
(of a situation, a feeling or sb's behaviour) so difficult, unpleasant or wrong that you cannot bear it or accept it
Keeping the secret put an intolerable burden on him. ◇ Her behaviour has become intolerable. ◇ It seems to me
intolerable that children do not have the same legal protection as adults.
The heat was intolerable.
OPP tolerable
The opposite tolerable is usually used as a way of saying that sth is almost intolerable: At times, the heat was barely
tolerable.
►  intolerably / BrE ; AmE / adv. : It became intolerably hot by day.
unbearable / BrE ; AmE /
(of a situation, feeling or person) so unpleasant, painful or annoying that you cannot bear it
Some of the victims were suffering unbearable pain. ◇ The heat was becoming unbearable. ◇ He's been
unbearable since he won that prize.
OPP bearable
The opposite bearable is usually used as a way of saying that sth is almost unbearable: She was the only thing that
made life bearable.
►  unbearably / BrE ; AmE / adv. : unbearably hot/painful/arrogant
He was so unbearably smug about winning.
NOTE
INTOLERABLE OR UNBEARABLE? In many cases you can use either word: intolerable/unbearable
heat/pain/suffering/tension/excitement . However, unbearable is not usually used to talk about things that offend
your sense of justice, rather than just your feelings : It is unbearable that children do not have the same legal
protection as adults. It is used more for physical than mental suffering and is generally not used in situations where
people have to do sth that is too difficult for them : Keeping the secret was an unbearable burden. People
themselves can be unbearable but NOT intolerable : He's been intolerable since he won that prize.
out of line idiom ( especially AmE , informal , spoken )
(of a person) behaving in a way that is not acceptable or right; (of their behaviour) not acceptable or right
You'd better better calm down — you're way out of line. ◇ If you step out of line one more time, you're fired.
Oh come on, that's way out of line.
out of order idiom ( BrE , informal , spoken )
out of line
What he did was right out of order.
You were well out of order taking it without asking.
NOTE OUT OF LINE OR OUT OF ORDER? Out of order is more frequent in British English than out of line , but it is not
used in American English. Someone can get/step out of line but NOT ‘get/step out of order’.
insufferable / BrE ; AmE / ( rather formal )
(especially of a person or their personal qualities) so unpleasant or annoying that you cannot bear them
She's totally insufferable! ◇ He bore a look of insufferable smugness.
approval / BrE ; AmE / [ U ]
official permission for sth, especially a plan or request, that is given because the plan or request is considered good
or good enough
The treaty still required approval by the Senate. ◇ The plan will be submitted for approval next month. ◇ The offer
is subject to approval by the shareholders ( = they need to agree to it ) . ◇ The project needs the bank's seal of approval (
= official approval ) .
The measure would require the approval of the European Parliament. ◇ The winning photo will be published in the
magazine, subject to the Editor's approval . ◇ Alterations to the hotel must have planning approval .
See also approve ⇨ AGREE   2
acceptance / BrE ; AmE / [ U ]
approval of sth by the members of a group or people in general
A new theory emerged that quickly gained wide acceptance. ◇ The Assembly voted against acceptance of
constitutional reform.
The aim was to secure recognition and acceptance of national boundaries by all member states. ◇ There is
growing acceptance of the view that education is the basis for economic success. ◇ The government needed to win
acceptance for its economic package.
OPP refusal , rejection ⇨ REFUSAL
See also accept ⇨ AGREE   2
agreement / BrE ; AmE / [ U ]
approval of a request, especially by an individual or group of individuals who have special rights in the matter
No images may be reproduced without the artist's agreement. ◇ The museum secured the agreement of the owners to
the loan of the statue.
He still hopes to get his father's agreement. ◇ Such a measure would require the unanimous agreement of the
member states. ◇ My client wishes to withdraw the application, with the court's agreement.
Agreement is less official than approval : it is usually a matter for individuals, or all the members of a group acting
as individuals, not as an official body.
OPP refusal ⇨ REFUSAL
See also agree ⇨ AGREE   2
favour / BrE ; AmE / ( BrE ) ( AmE favor ) [ U ]
support or approval for sb/sth, either from a particular group of people, or from a person or group in authority
The suggestion to close the road has found favour with ( = been supported by ) local people. ◇ The show has lost
favour with viewers recently. ◇ It seems Tim is back in favour with the boss ( = the boss likes him again ) .
She's not in favour with ( = supported or liked by ) the media just now. ◇ an athlete who fell from favour after a drugs
scandal ◇ ( formal ) The government looks with favour upon ( = approves of ) the report's recommendations.
assent / BrE ; AmE / [ U ] ( formal )
the expression of approval or agreement; official approval of sth
There was a general murmur of assent. ◇ She gave her assent to publication.
The patient nodded his assent. ◇ They took her silence for assent. ◇ The finance bill has yet to receive
congressional assent. ◇ The moment a bill receives the Royal Assent ( = is signed by the king or queen ) it becomes
an Act of Parliament.
OPP dissent ⇨ DEBATE
blessing / BrE ; AmE / [ sing. ]
approval of sth, especially when it is seen as a good thing and the person or group giving their approval wants it to
succeed
This arrangement received the full blessing of the committee.
The Board gave its blessing to the plan. ◇ The document received official blessing. ◇ The budget was pushed
through by the government without the blessing of the opposition.
thumbs up idiom ( rather informal )
an expression of satisfaction with sth that sb has done, or approval of sth that they plan to do
The programme is getting a big thumbs up from our target audience. ◇ The government is likely to give the thumbs
up to the merger.
The audience gave her speech a unanimous thumbs up. ◇ Investors gave a cautious thumbs up to the plan.
Thumbs up is nearly always used with the verbs get or give .
OPP thumbs down
If you give sth the thumbs down it means you are not satisfied with it or do not approve of it: The proposals were
given the thumbs down.
acquiescence / BrE ; AmE / [ U ] ( formal )
the fact of doing what sb wants or accepting their opinions, even if you do not really want to or are not sure that they
are right
The best one can hope for is grudging acquiescence from the majority in the party.
The proposed law had the support, or at least the acquiescence, of the king. ◇ This meant, if not his consent, at
least his acquiescence. ◇ The play is about acquiescence in the face of evil. ◇ I must admit, your acquiescence
surprised me.
See also acquiesce ⇨ AGREE   2

curse / BrE ; AmE / [ I , T ]

to use rude or offensive language; to say rude things to sb or think rude things about sb/sth
He hit his head as he stood up and cursed under his breath. ◇ She cursed her bad luck. ◇ He cursed himself for his
stupidity.
►  curse / BrE ; AmE / noun [ C ]: He muttered a curse at the other driver.
swear / BrE ; AmE / swore , sworn [ I ]
to use rude or offensive language, usually because you are angry
She fell over and swore really loudly. ◇ Why did you let him swear at you like that?
I don't like to hear children swearing.
NOTE CURSE OR SWEAR? You can curse a person or thing, but swear never takes an object in this meaning. Swear is
used much more often than curse in spoken English.
damn / BrE ; AmE / ( informal , spoken )
used when swearing at sb/sth to show that you are angry
Damn you! I'm not going to let you bully me. ◇ Damn this machine! Why won't it work?
blaspheme / BrE ; AmE / [ I , T ] ( rather formal )
to speak about God or the holy things of a particular religion in an offensive way; to swear using the names of God
or holy things
How dare you blaspheme in front of your own father? ◇ He was accused of blaspheming the prophet.
►  blasphemy / BrE ; AmE / noun [ U , C ]: He was accused of blasphemy.

despicable / BrE ; AmE / ( formal , disapproving )

deserving hatred and condemnation ( = the expression of very strong disapproval )

That was a despicable act. ◇ I hate you! You're despicable.
See also despise ⇨ HATE
cheap / BrE ; AmE / ( disapproving )
(of a person) having a low status and therefore not deserving respect; (of an action) unpleasant or unkind and rather
obvious
His treatment of her made her feel cheap ( = ashamed, because she had lost her respect for herself ) . ◇ I was tired
of her cheap jokes at my expense.
He's just trying to score a cheap political advantage.
When cheap is used to describe a person, it nearly always refers in an offensive and disapproving way to a woman
who likes to attract men and have sex: a cheap floozy/tart/whore . When used to describe an action, cheap usually
collocates with joke , laugh , trick or jibe .
dishonourable ( BrE ) ( AmE dishonorable ) / BrE ; AmE / ( rather formal , disapproving )
not deserving any respect; immoral or unacceptable
It would have been dishonourable of her not to keep her promise. ◇ He was given a dishonourable discharge ( = an
order to leave the army for unacceptable behaviour ) .
OPP honourable ⇨ RESPECTABLE , honourable ⇨ WORTHY
See also dishonour ⇨ DISGRACE noun   2
►  dishonourably / BrE ; AmE / adv. : She acted dishonourably in accepting money for information.
worthless / BrE ; AmE / ( disapproving )
(of a person) having no good qualities or useful skills
He's just a worthless individual. ◇ Constant rejections made her feel worthless.
See also worth ⇨ VALUE noun   1
feckless / BrE ; AmE / ( rather formal , written , disapproving )
(of a person) having a weak character; not behaving in a responsible way
Her husband was a charming, but lazy and feckless man.
contemptible / BrE ; AmE / ( formal , disapproving )
not deserving any respect at all
I will not tolerate this mean and contemptible behaviour.
See also contempt ⇨ CONTEMPT

contempt / BrE ; AmE / [ U , sing. ]

a strong feeling of dislike that you have for sb/sth because you think they are without value and deserve no respect at
all
She looked at him with barely disguised contempt . ◇ I shall treat that remark with the contempt it deserves. ◇
Politicians seem to be generally held in contempt by the police. ◇ His treatment of his children is beneath contempt ( =
so unacceptable that it is not even worth feeling contempt for ) . ◇ They had shown a contempt for the values she
thought important.
He felt nothing but contempt for her. ◇ He did not want to risk the contempt of his fellows.
OPP respect ⇨ RESPECT
See also contemptuous ⇨ CONTEMPTUOUS , contemptible ⇨ DESPICABLE
scorn / BrE ; AmE / [ U ]
a strong feeling that sb/sth is stupid or not good enough and deserves no respect, usually shown by the way you
speak
Opposition politicians poured scorn on the proposals. ◇ She was unable to hide the scorn in her voice.
Young people may risk the scorn of their peers if they join such a club. ◇ They had nothing but scorn for his
political views. ◇ Her fellow teachers greeted her proposal with scorn.
See also scornful ⇨ CONTEMPTUOUS
disdain / BrE ; AmE / [ U , sing. ] ( rather formal )
a feeling that sth is not good enough for you and does not deserve respect or attention
She turned her head away in disdain. ◇ Imitation jewellery is regarded with disdain.
She's shown her disdain for me from day one. ◇ How could he treat his father with such disdain?
See also disdainful ⇨ CONTEMPTUOUS
►  disdain / BrE ; AmE / verb [ T ]: She disdained his offer of help.
Immigrants accept the jobs disdained by the local workforce.
mockery / BrE ; AmE / [ U ]
unkind comments, laughter or actions that are intended to make sb/sth look stupid or ridiculous
They left themselves open to mockery from the left-wing press. ◇ There was a hint of mockery in his voice.
The mockery of his colleagues continued unabated. ◇ Try to keep the tone one of gentle mockery.
See also mock ⇨ LAUGH AT SB/STH , mocking ⇨ CONTEMPTUOUS
ridicule / BrE ; AmE / [ U ]
unkind comments that are intended to make people laugh at sb
She might find herself exposed to public ridicule . ◇ She soon became an object of ridicule.
He did not want to be identified, fearing the ridicule of his friends.
See also ridicule ⇨ LAUGH AT SB/STH phrasal verb , ridiculous ⇨ RIDICULOUS
disrespect / BrE ; AmE / [ U , sing. ] ( rather formal )
a lack of respect for sb/sth
They have shown a total disrespect for the law. ◇ I mean no disrespect to the team, but their performance was poor.
The new manager showed a healthy disrespect for formality. ◇ No disrespect intended sir, it was just a joke.
OPP respect ⇨ RESPECT
See also disrespectful ⇨ RUDE
derision / BrE ; AmE / [ U ] ( rather formal )
unkind laughter or comments that show you think sb/sth is ridiculous and not worth considering seriously
He snorted in derision. ◇ The statement was met with hoots of derision .
The speech was greeted with derision by opposition leaders.
See also derisive ⇨ CONTEMPTUOUS
NOTE WHICH WORD? Contempt , scorn and disdain put the emphasis on showing that you have no respect for sb/sth
rather than laughing at them. Contempt suggests a strong feeling of dislike. Disdain and scorn involve rejecting sth
because it is not good enough. Disdain suggests a sense of your own superiority; a person's scorn for sth is often
shown by the things they say. Mockery , ridicule and derision put the emphasis on making sb/sth look silly.
Mockery and ridicule invite other people to laugh at sb/sth. Derision is a more formal word and emphasizes that
sth is being greeted with laughter because it is not worth taking seriously.

terrible / BrE ; AmE /

very bad or unpleasant; making you feel unhappy, frightened, upset, ill, guilty or disapproving
What terrible news! ◇ How terrible for you! ◇ It was a terrible thing to happen to someone so young. ◇ That's a
terrible thing to say! ◇ I feel terrible — I think I'll go to bed. ◇ I feel terrible: it could so easily have ended in
tragedy and I just didn't think.
He's had a terrible shock. ◇ I've just had a terrible thought.
OPP good ⇨ NICE   1
See also terrible ⇨ TERRIBLE   2 , terrible ⇨ TERRIBLE   3 , terrible ⇨ TERRIBLE   4
awful / BrE ; AmE / ( especially spoken )
very bad or unpleasant; used to describe sth that you do not like or that makes you feel depressed, ill, guilty or
disapproving
That's an awful colour. ◇ I feel awful — maybe it was something I ate. ◇ I feel awful about forgetting her
birthday. ◇ The awful thing is, it was my fault. ◇ ‘They didn't even offer to pay.’ ‘Oh that's awful.’
The weather last summer was awful. ◇ It was only later that we learned the awful truth.
See also awful ⇨ TERRIBLE   2 , awful ⇨ TERRIBLE   3
horrible / BrE ; AmE / ( especially spoken )
very unpleasant; used to describe sth that you do not like
What a horrible child. ◇ The coffee tasted horrible. ◇ It was horrible sitting there all on my own.
I've got a horrible feeling she lied to us.
See also horrible ⇨ TERRIBLE   3
dreadful / BrE ; AmE / ( especially BrE , especially spoken )
very bad or unpleasant; used to describe sth that you do not like or that you disapprove of
What dreadful weather! ◇ What a dreadful thing to say! ◇ It's dreadful the way they treat their employees. ◇
How dreadful!
vile / BrE ; AmE / ( informal )
extremely bad or unpleasant
There was a vile smell coming from the locked room. ◇ It was a vile business from beginning to end.
The weather was really vile most of the time.
horrendous / BrE ; AmE / ( rather informal )
(of problems) extremely unpleasant and unacceptable
The traffic around the city was horrendous.
They have horrendous financial problems.
'think about / of sb/sth

1 to consider sb/sth when you are doing or planning sth:Don’t you ever think about other people?

2 to consider doing sth SYN  contemplate: [+ -ing] She’s thinking of changing her job.

think a'head (to sth)

to think about a future event or situation and plan for it

think 'back (to sth)

to think about sth that happened in the past:I keep thinking back to the day I arrived here.

think for your'self

to form your own opinions and make decisions without depending on others

'think of sth/sb

1 to have an image or idea of sth/sb in your mind:When I said that I wasn’t thinking of anyone in
particular.

2 to create an idea in your imagination:Can anybody think of a way to raise money? Ç Have you
thought of a name for the baby yet?

3 [no passive] (used especially with can) to remember sth/sb:I can think of at least three occasions
when he arrived late. Ç I can’t think of her name at the moment.

'think of sb/sth as sb/sth

to consider sb/sth in a particular way:I think of this place as my home. Ç She is thought of as a possible
director.—see also well thought of

'think of sth

to imagine an actual or a possible situation:Just think of the expense! Ç [+ -ing] I couldn’t think of letting
you take the blame (= I would not allow that to happen).

think sth 'out

to consider or plan sth carefully:It’s a very well thought out plan.

think sth 'over

to consider sth carefully, especially before reaching a decision:He’d like more time to think things over.

think sth 'through

to consider a problem or a possible course of action fully

think sth 'up

(informal) to create sth in your mind SYN  devise, invent:Can’t you think up a better excuse than that?

romp a'way / a'head

(BrE, informal) to increase, make progress or win quickly and easily

romp 'through (sth)

(BrE, informal) to do sth easily and quickly:She romped through the exam questions.

string sb a'long

(informal) to allow sb to believe sth that is not true, for example that you love them, intend to help
them, etc.:She has no intention of giving you a divorce; she’s just stringing you along.

string a'long (with sb)

(BrE, informal) to go somewhere with sb, especially because you have nothing else to do

string sth 'out

to make sth last longer than expected or necessary:They seem determined to string the talks out for an
indefinite period.—see also strung out

string sth to'gether

to combine words or phrases to form sentences:I can barely string two words together in Japanese.

string sb 'up

(informal) to kill sb by hanging them, especially illegally

shore sth 'up

1 to support part of a building or other large structure by placing large pieces of wood or metal against
or under it so that it does not fall down

2 to help to support sth that is weak or going to fail

draw / get a 'bead on sb/sth

(especially NAmE) to aim carefully at sb/sth before shooting a gun

'soak into / through sth | soak 'in

(of a liquid) to enter or pass through sth:Blood had soaked through the bandage.

soak sth 'off / 'out

to remove sth by leaving it in water

soak sth up

1 to take in or absorb liquid:Use a cloth to soak up some of the excess water.

2 to absorb sth into your senses, your body or your mind:We were just sitting soaking up the
atmosphere.

bear 'down on sb/sth

1 (especially BrE) to move quickly towards sb/sth in a determined or threatening way

2 (especially NAmE) to press on sb/sth:Bear down on it with all your strength so it doesn’t move.

'bear on sth

(formal) to relate to sth SYN  affect:These are matters that bear on the welfare of the community.

bear sb/sth 'out

(especially BrE) to show that sb is right or that sth is true:The other witnesses will bear me out. Ç The
other witnesses will bear out what I say.

bear 'up (against / under sth)

to remain as cheerful as possible during a difficult time:He’s bearing up well under the strain of losing his
job. Ç ‘How are you?’ ‘Bearing up.’

'bear with sb/sth

to be patient with sb/sth:She’s under a lot of strain. Just bear with her. Ç If you will bear with me (= be
patient and listen to me) a little longer, I’ll answer your question.

frisk (around) (of animals) to run and jump in a lively and happy way SYN  gambol, skip:Lambs frisked in
the fields.

'rip at sth

to attack sth violently, usually by tearing or cutting it

rip 'into sb (for / with sth)

to criticize sb and tell them that you are very angry with them

rip 'into / 'through sb/sth

to go very quickly and violently into or through sb/sth:A bullet ripped into his shoulder.

rip sb 'off

[usually passive] (informal) to cheat sb, by making them pay too much, by selling them sth of poor
quality, etc.:Tourists complain of being ripped off by local cab drivers.—related noun rip-off

rip sth 'off

(informal) to steal sth:Thieves broke in and ripped off five computers.

rip sth 'up

to tear sth into small pieces:He ripped up the letter and threw it in the fire.

wheel out
verb
1. vt bring somebody or something forward: to present somebody or use something readily or repeatedly

2. vi leave quickly: to leave a place quickly (informal)

'trade at sth

(US) to buy goods or shop at a particular store

trade 'down

to spend less money on things than you used to:Shoppers are trading down and looking for bargains.

trade sth 'in

to give sth used as part of the payment for sth new:He traded in his old car for a new Mercedes.—
related noun trade-in

trade sth 'off (against / for sth)

to balance two things or situations that are opposed to each other:They were attempting to trade off
inflation against unemployment.—related noun trade-off

'trade on sth

(disapproving) to use sth to your own advantage, especially in an unfair way SYN  exploit:They trade on
people’s insecurity to sell them insurance.

trade 'up

1 to sell sth in order to buy sth more expensive:We’re going to trade up to a larger house.

2 to give sth you have used as part of the payment for sth more expensive

hive off
transitive verb
split something off from whole: to separate something from the whole or from a larger group, e.g. to divert work to a subsidiary company or to
split a branch of knowledge into specialties

belt sth 'out

(informal) to sing a song or play music loudly

belt 'up (BrE)

1 (NAmE buckle 'up) (informal) to fasten your seat belt (= a belt worn by a passenger in a vehicle)

2 (informal) used to tell sb rudely to be quiet  SYN  shut up:Just belt up, will you!
in the nature of 'sth

similar to sth; a type of sth; in the style of sth:His speech was in the nature of an apology.

in the 'nature of things

in the way that things usually happen:In the nature of things, young people often rebel against their
parents.

—more at call noun, force noun

luck 'out

(NAmE, informal) to be lucky:I guess I really lucked out when I met her.

fly off the 'handle

(informal) to suddenly become very angry

rush (sb) (into sth / into doing sth) to do sth or to make sb do sth without thinking about it carefully:[v]
We don’t want to rush into having a baby. Ç [vn] Don’t rush me. I need time to think about it. Ç I’m not
going to be rushed into anything.

whittle sth a'way

to make sth gradually decrease in value or amount

whittle sth 'down

to reduce the size or number of sth:I finally managed to whittle down the names on the list to only five.