Unit 1

 Frequent: frequent /ˈfriːkwənt/ happening or doing something often. E.g. He is a frequent

traveller.
 Recurrent: / rɪˈkʌrənt/ that happens again and again. E.g. Recurrent infections. Recurrent
costs. Poverty is a recurrent theme in her novels.
 Independent = self-contained: 1. Not needing or depending on other people. Independent.
E.g her father was a quiet self-contained man. A self-contained life. 2. (flat) having its own
kitchen, bathroom and entrance.
 Seasoned /ˈsiːznd/ (when used of a person) having a lot of experience of a particular
activity. E.g. A seasoned campaigner/performer/traveller, etc. A seasoned traveller is a
person who has travelled a lot.
 Practised: good at doing something because you have been doing it regularly. E.g. She's
only 18 but she's already a practised composer. It took a practised eye to spot the
difference. A practised public speaker. Practised in something he has good ideas but he
isn't practised in the art of marketing.
 Intrepid: /ɪnˈtrepɪd/ very brave; not afraid of danger or difficulties. Fearless. E.g. An
intrepid explorer. Intrepid travellers always enjoy interaction with the locals.
 Heroic: /həˈrəʊɪk/ showing extreme courage and admired by many people. Courageous.
E.g. A heroic figure. Rescuers made heroic efforts to save the crew.
 Weary: /ˈwɪəri/ very tired, especially after you have been working hard or doing something
for a long time. E.g. A weary traveller. She suddenly felt old and weary. A weary sigh.
This airport is facilitated with good runways, waiting rooms, refreshment and cargo
handling so that a weary traveller is never disappointed.
 Fatigued: /fəˈtiːɡd/ very tired, both physically and mentally. E.g. The troops were already
fatigued from the long forced march.
 Judicious: /dʒuˈdɪʃəs/ careful and sensible; showing good judgement. Sp. Sensato,
acertado. E.g. It is curable with judicious use of antibiotics. Some dishes would be very
bland without the judicious use of spices and other seasonings.
 Discerning: /dɪˈsɜːnɪŋ/ able to show good judgement about the quality of
somebody/something. Sp. Exigente. E.g. The discerning customer will recognize this as a
high quality product. Marble bathrooms with plenty of soft towels, a sauna and an
authentic hammam provide all the modern amenities a discerning traveller is used to.
 An armchair: [only before noun] knowing about a subject through books and television,
rather than by doing it for yourself. E.g. An armchair critic/traveller. A generation of
armchair athletes who prefer to watch sports on tv rather than play. Some armchair
travellers surf youtube for trip-planning research, or for broadening their horizons without
leaving the house.
 Inveterate : /ɪnˈvetərət/ always doing something or enjoying something, and unlikely to
stop. Sp. Empedernido, incurable. E.g. An inveterate liar. He soon became an inveterate
traveller.
 Habitual: /həˈbɪtʃuəl/ [when used before noun] (of a person) doing something that has
become a habit and is therefore difficult to stop. E.g. A habitual criminal/drinker/liar, etc.
 Unguarded: /ʌnˈɡɑːdɪd/ not protected or watched. E.g. The museum was unguarded at
night. An unguarded fire (= that has nothing to stop people from burning themselves on it).
 Unwary: /ʌnˈweəri/ not aware of the possible dangers or problems of a situation and
therefore likely to be harmed in some way. Sp. Incauto. E.g. Exams are not designed to set
traps for unwary student. Unwary traveller.
Unit 2

 Assess (v): to carefully consider a situation, person or problem in order to make a

judgment
 Assess : we tried to ... His suitability for the job
 Assess (v) : to calculate what something costs or is worth
 Assess : our agent will ... The value of the porperty
 Assume (v) : to believe that something is true, even though no one has told you or event
thought you have no proof
 Assume : everyone accepted she was telling the truth, although in fact this was quite a lot
 Baffle (v) : if a problem, someone's behavior, etc. Baffles you, you cannot understand it or
solve it.
 Baffled : detectives remain ... By these murders
 Biased (adj) : preferring one person, thing or idea to another in a way that is unfair
 Biased : it was a ... Report
 Concentrate (v) : to give all your attention to the thing you are doing
 Concentrate : i was sleeping badly and finding it hard to
 Consider (v) : to think about something carefully before making a decision or developing
an opinion
 Considered : she paused and ... For a moment
 Consider (v) : to have a particular opinion about someone or something
 Consider : they ... It inevitable that some of the jobs will be lost
 Contemplate (v) : to consider doing something in the future
 Contemplating : i'm ... Retirement next year
 Contemplate (v) : to thing very carefully about something for a long time
 Contemplating : i haven't got time to sit around ... The meaning of life.
 Cynical (adj) : someone who is cynical believes that people care only about themselves and
are not sincere or honest, or expects things not to be successful or useful
 Cynical : i know that some of you are very .... About the proposal
 Deduce (v) :to know something as a result of considering the information or evidence that
you have
 Deduced : finding fossils far inland, he ... That the area had once been covered by water
 Deliberate (v) : to think about or discuss something very carefully, especially before you
make an important decision
 Deliberated : the judges ... For an hour before choosing the winner.
 Dilemma (n) : a situation in which you have to make a difficult decision
 Dilemma : i'm in a .... Over whether to tell him or not
 Discriminate (v) : to treat someone unfairly because of their religion, race or other personal
features
 Discriminate : employer are not allowed to ... On the basis of gender
 Discriminate (v) : to recognise the difference between things
 Discriminate: long-range missile attacks simply cannot ... Between military and civilian
targets.
 Dubious (adj) : not completely good, safe or honest
 Dubious : the story seemed a bit ... To me
 Dubious (adj) : not sure about the truth or quality of something, or whether you should do
something
 Dubious : i'm very .... About his ability to do the job
 Estimate (n) : an amount that you guess or calculate using the information available
 Estimates : according to official ... , over 25 % of carbon emissions come from the us
 Estimate (n) : a statement telling a customer how much money you will charge if they
employ you to do a particular piece of work
 Estimates : the committee are currently getting ... For repairs to the stonework
 Estimate (v) : to say what you think an amount or value will be, either by guessing or by
using available information to calculate it
 Estimate : it's difficult to .. The cost of making your house safe
 Faith (n) : strong belief in or trust of someone or something.
 Faith : i'm delighted to know you have such .. In me
 Gather (v) : to believe that something is true, although no one has directly told you about
it.
 Gather : you're new here, i....
Unit 3

 Delight :a feeling of great pleasure and satisfaction

 On its way : arriving or happening soon
 Accuracy : the ability to do something in an exact way without making a mistake, the
quality of being correct or true
 Be confined to (somebody/something) : to exist in or affect only a particular place or group
 Contradictory : expressing one thing which is the opposite of another thing already said;
saying two things which cannot both be correct
 Give and take : willingness to accept suggestions from another person and give up some of
your own
 Time and again: very often
 (leave someone) high and dry: leave someone without any help or without the things that
they need
 Fame and fortune: success and money
 First and foremost: more than anything else
 In black and white: in written form, and therefore definite
 Through thick and thin : in spite of any difficulties or problems
 Touch and go : uncertain
 Your own flesh and blood : your own family
 Life and soul : energetic and amusing and at the centre of activity during social occasions
 Prior to : before
 Date back to : exist since
 To date : up to now
 Put (something) to good use: to use something such as knowledge or skills for a particular
purpose
 Come as no surprise : not to make someone feel surprised
 A grain of truth : small amount of truth
 Compound : a substance containing atoms from two or more elements, a combination of
two or more parts, substances, or qualities
 A rise in : an increase in (number, amount, or value)
 Buffet : to hit with a lot of force
 Crime of passion : a crime committed because of very strong emotional feelings, esp. In
connection with a sexual relationship
 Plead for : to ask for something that you want very much, in a sincere and emotional way
 Leniency : being not strict in the way you punish someone or in the standard you expect
 Extenuating circumstances : facts or reasons which make you feel that it was reasonable
for someone to break the usual rules, or make you have sympathy for someone who did
something wrong or illegal
 Invigorating : making you feel healthy and giving you a lot of energy
 Succumb to : to stop opposing someone or something that is stronger than you, and allow
them to take control ￚ synonym: give in
 In due course : at some time in the future when it is the right time, but not before
 Infuriating : very annoying
 Crash : if a computer does this, it suddenly stops working
 In bad taste : likely to offend people
 Rage : a strong feeling of uncontrollable anger - synonym: fury
 Bliss : perfect happiness or enjoyment
 Incredulity : a feeling that you cannot believe something
 Apathy : the feeling of not being interested in something, and not willing to make any
effort to change or improve things
 Dejection : the feeling of being unhappy, disappointed, or sad
 Sorrow :a feeling of great sadness, usually because someone has died or because
something terrible has happened to you
 Terror : a feeling of extreme fear
 Fury : extreme, often uncontrolled anger - synonym: rage
 Loathing : a very strong feeling of hatred
 Tedium :the feeling of being bored because the things you are doing are not interesting and
continue for a long time without changing
 Dread :a strong fear of something that is going to happen or may happen
 Astonishment :complete surprise ￚ synonym: amazement
 Seemingly :appearing to have a particular quality, when this may or may not be
true ￚ synonym: apparently
 Violation : an action that breaks a law, agreement, principle etc
 Waking (moment/hours) : all the time when you are awake
 Intrude : to interrupt someone or become involved in their private affairs in an annoying
and unwanted way
 Avert your gaze : to look away from something so that you do not see it
 Immobile : not moving at all ￚ synonym: motionless
 Unapologetic (about) : not feeling or saying you are sorry for something you have done,
especially when other people would expect you to feel or say sorry
 Undeniable : definitely true or certain
 Irreplaceable :too special, valuable, or unusual to be replaced by anything else
 Insignificant: too small or unimportant to consider or worry about
 Inexhaustible : existing in such large amounts that it can never be finished or used up
 Inconclusive : not leading to a clear decision or result
 Blue-collar workers :workers doing physical work, rather than working in offices
 Underlying : the most important, although it is not easily noticed
 Lofty :showing high standards or high moral qualities
 Indignant (at/about) : angry and surprised because you feel insulted or unfairly treated
 Discrepancy (in) : a difference between two amounts, details, reports etc that should be the
same
 Transcend : to go beyond the usual limits of something
 In exchange for :in return for
 Barter : a system of exchanging goods and services for other goods and services rather than
using money
 Turn sour : to become less enjoyable, pleasant, or satisfactory
 Inequality :an unfair situation, in which some groups in society have more money,
opportunities, power etc than others
 Inequity :lack of fairness, or something that is unfair
 Agitated :so nervous or upset that you are unable to keep still or think calmly
 Measly : very small and disappointing in size, quantity, or value - used to show
disapproval
 With gusto :with a lot of eagerness and energy
 Petty :small and unimportant ￚ synonym: trivial
 Take advantage of (somebody) : to treat someone unfairly in order to get what you want,
especially someone who is generous or easily persuaded
 Choke on (something) : to be unable to breathe properly because something is in your
throat or there is not enough air
 Public outcry :an angry protest by a lot of ordinary people
 Sensitivity (to) : the ability to understand other people's feelings and problems
 Favour : to prefer someone or something to other things or people, especially when there
are several to choose from
 Keenly aware : extremely, painfully aware
 Have an inkling of : to have a slight idea about something
 Break up a fight : to end a fight forcefully
 Goodies : things that are nice to eat
 Eat/drink your fill : to eat or drink as much as you want or need
 Repercussion : the effects of an action or event, especially bad effects that continue for
some time
 A figment of your imagination : something that you imagine is real, but which does not
exist
 Ways: someone's typical style of behaving, especially when it seems different or unusual
 Sure sign of : an event, fact etc that shows that something is definitely going to happen
 Second sight : the ability to know what will happen in the future, or to know about things
that are happening somewhere else, that some people claim to have
 A funny feeling : a feeling that is unusual, strange, or difficult to explain
 Have a sneaking suspicion : to have a feeling about something or someone, but to not say
anything about it because you are not sure or you might be embarrassed
 A bad omen : a sign of something bad that will happen in the future
 A sixth sense : a special ability to know things without using any of your five ordinary
senses such as your hearing or sight
 Female intuition : the ability to understand or know something because of a feeling rather
than by considering the facts, which is typical of women
 Be haunted by (something) : be worried or saddened by some past experiences
 Relieve the tedium : to reduce the feeling of boredom
 Explode with rage : to suddenly express strong anger
 Vent your frustration on somebody : to treat someone badly when you are frustrated even
though it is not their fault
 Allay (somebody's) fears : to make someone feel less afraid
 Conceal your disgust : to hide your real feelings such as disgust
 A new lease of life : to become healthy, active, or happy again after being weak, ill, or
tired
 After a fashion : not very much, not very well, or not very effectively
 Outlaw : to completely stop something by making it illegal
 Offspring : someone's child or children, an animal's baby or babies
 Prohibitive : preventing people from buying or doing something
 Surplus : an amount of something that is more than what is needed or used (synonym:
excess)
 Unit 4
 Drive sb up the wall = irritate or annoy very much
 Up in the air = existing but undecided
 Get your walking papers = get fired from a job
 Dry run = rehearsal
 Take to one's heels = run away
 Go the extra mile= go above and beyond whatever is required for the task at hand
 Family unit = parents and children
 Fret = to be nervous or worried
 Extremely unhappy because something is not interesting
 Not for love nor money = impossible to get
 Tempers fray = become angry
 Fray = fight, or disagreement; tearing and breaking into pieces
 Feasibility = the possibility that something can be made, done, achieved or is reasonable
 Up in arms = angry or upset
 Unwarranted = not having a good reason and therefore annoying or unfair
 Permit (noun) = an official document that allows you to do something or go somewhere
 Unruly (adjective) = difficult to control
 Forge ahead = to suddenly make a lot of progress with something
 Rampant (adj.) = getting worse quickly and in an uncontrolled way
 Engender (verb) = to make people have a particular feeling or make a situation start to
exist; to cause, to develop
 Fall in with = to agree with
 Fall into = to engage (in conversation)
 Fall through = to fail
 Fall to = become someone's duty
 Get about/around = to circulate
 Get along = to leave
 Get around to = to eventually do something
 Get away = to take a holiday
 Fall in/into disrepair = be totally neglected
 Off-day = a day when things go poorly
 To take somebody for a ride = to deceive or cheat someone:
 To walk on air = to swim against the tide
 To not follow what everyone else is doing = to turn the tide
 Wheel and deal = to try to make a profit or get an advantage using clever or complicated
methods and often deceiving people or breaking the usual rules:
 To drive sb round the bend = to drive sb mad
 To fly/go off the handle = to react in a very angry way to something that someone says or
does
 To rock the boat = do or say something that will upset people or cause problems:
 To contend with something/someone = to try to deal with a difficult situation or person:
 Mishap = bad luck, or an unlucky event or accident:
 Treacherous/ˈtretʃ.ər.əs/ = extremely dangerous, especially because of bad weather
conditions:
 In the dead of night/winter = in the middle of night/winter:
 Retract = to take back an offer or statement, etc. Or admit that a statement was false:
 Grave (adj.) = seriously bad:
 Scenic = having or allowing you to see beautiful natural features:
 Take sth to heart = if you take criticism or advice to heart, you think about it seriously,
often because it upsets you:
 Curtail = to stop something before it is finished, or to reduce or limit something:
 Be part and parcel of sth = to be a feature of something, especially a feature that cannot be
avoided:
 Come out in sth = such as spots, to appear on your skin
 Come down with something = to catch or show signs of an illness:
 To date = up to the present time:
 Take notice (of something) = to give something your attention:
 Recurrence = the fact of happening again:
 Be all at sea = be completely confused
 Take to the road = to start travelling:
 Be streets ahead = to be much better or much more advanced than another thing or person:
 Flight of fancy = an idea that shows a lot of imagination but is not practical:
 When one's ship comes in = when one becomes rich and successful.
 Averse (adj.) = strongly disliking or opposed to:
 Divulge (verb) = to make something secret known:
 By and large = when everything about a situation is considered together:
 Blue-sky thinking = using the imagination to think of ideas that do not yet have practical
uses or make money:
 Pie in the sky = something that you hope will happen but is very unlikely to happen:
 Reticent = unwilling to speak about your thoughts or feelings:
 Nullify = to cause something to have no value or effect:
 Unequivocal (adjective) = total, or expressed in a clear and certain way:
 Albeit = although:
 Put paid to sth = to finish or destroy something:
 Prohibitive (adj) = too expensive for most people:
 The brunt of sth = the main force of something unpleasant:
 Atrocious = of very bad quality:
 Horrendous /həˈren.dəs/ = extremely unpleasant or bad:
 Scrutinize = to examine something very carefully in order to discover information:
 Flag down sth/someone = to signal that a vehicle or person should stop by waving:
 Indulge = to allow yourself or another person to have something enjoyable, especially
more than is good for you:
 Refund: an amount of money that is given back to you if you are not satisfied with the
goods or services that you have paid for
 Exchange : the act of giving something you have bought back to the store where you
bought it, for example because it does not work, fit etc, and taking something else instead
 Set out (to do) : to intend to do [phrasal verb]
 Take on : to agree to do [phrasal verb]
 Look into (check out) : to investigate [phrasal verb]
 Follow up : to make further inquiries [phrasal verb]
 Stand out : to be very easy to see or notice, to be highlighted [phrasal verb]
 Try out : to test [phrasal verb]
 Put up with : to tolerate [phrasal verb]
 Back down : to concede [phrasal verb]
 Out of the blue : unexpectedly
 Authority on (something) : someone who knows a lot about a subject and whose
knowledge and opinions are greatly respected
 Conceive of : to imagine a particular situation or to think about something in a particular
way
 Surpass : to be even better or greater than someone or something else
 Converge: they come from many different places and meet together to form a large crowd
 Parallel : happen at the same time or be similar, and seem to be related
 Enhance : to improve the quality, amount or strength of (something)
 Magnify : to make something seem bigger or louder, especially using special equipment
 Unleash : to suddenly let a strong force, feeling etc have its full effect
 Be in awe of (somebody/something) : to admire someone and have great respect for them
and sometimes a slight fear of them
 Glazed look/eyes : a situation when your eyes show no expression, usually because you are
very bored or tired
 Vulnerable (to something) : easily harmed or hurt
 Shell out : to pay a lot of money for something, especially unwillingly [phrasal verb]
 Dawn on (somebody) : realize something for the first time
 Weigh (somebody/something) up : to consider something carefully so that you can make a
decision about it
 Heated (argument/debate/discussion) : full of angry and excited feelings
 Embed : to put something firmly and deeply into something else,
 Contention that : a strong opinion that someone expresses
 Overstate : to talk about something in a way that makes it seem more important, serious etc
than it really is
 Informed decision/choice : a decision etc that is based on knowledge of a subject or
situation
 Urge (somebody to do something) : to strongly suggest that someone does something
 Beehive : a structure where bees are kept for producing honey
 Well-informed : someone who is ___ knows a lot about one particular subject or about
many subjects
 Conscientious : careful to do everything that it is your job or duty to do
 Sustainable : able to continue without causing damage to the environment
 A pox on (something) : used to show that you are angry or annoyed with someone
 Convergence: a situation in which people of things gradually become the same or very
similar
 Mindset : someone's general attitude, and the way in which they think about things and
make decisions
 Pick up on (something) : to notice something about the way someone is behaving or
feeling, even though they are trying not to show it
 Malpractice : when a professional person makes a mistake or does not do their job properly
and can be punished by a court
 Indiscriminately : without thinking about what harm it might cause
 Lavish something on somebody : to give someone or something a lot of love, praise,
money etc

Unit 5
 Superior (to somebody) = better, more powerful, more effective etc than a similar person
or thing, especially one that you are competing against ￚ opposite inferior
 Enduring = continuing for a very long time
 Compelling = making you feel certain that something is true or that you must do something
about it
 Hypothesis (plural:hypotheses) = an idea that is suggested as an explanation for something,
but that has not yet been proved to be true
 Supposedly = used when saying what many people say or believe is true, especially when
you disagree with them
 Implausible = difficult to believe and therefore unlikely to be true
 Genuine = being what it appears to be; real; not false
 Innumerate = unable to do simple calculations or understand basic mathematics
 Tone-deaf = unable to hear the difference between different musical notes
 Correlation (between something and something) = a connection between two ideas, facts
etc, especially when one may be the cause of the other
 Aptitude (for something) = natural ability or skill, especially in learning
 For a start= used to emphasize the first of a list of facts or opinions you are stating
 Obscure = 1) not well known and usually not very important 2) difficult to understand
 Confined (to somebody/something) = limited (to somebody/something)
 Prime = 1) most important ￚ synonym main 2) of the very best quality or kind
 Dispel = to make something go away, especially a belief, idea, or feeling
 Contradiction (between something and something) = a difference between two statements,
beliefs, or ideas about something that means they cannot both be true
 Central (to something) = more important and having more influence than anything else
 Uncharted territory 1) a situation or activity that you have never experienced or tried
before 2) an area not marked on any maps
 Straightforward = simple and easy to understand ￚ opposite complicated
 Time-consuming = taking a long time to do
 Spill over (into something) = to spread and begin to affect other places, people etc (phrasal
verb)
 In particular = especially
 Be tied up with something = to be very closely related to something
 Appealing= attractive or interesting
 Paradoxical = seemingly contradictory but nonetheless possibly true
 Put in (time, effort into doing) = to spend time or use energy working or practising
something (phrasal verb)
 Grossly = extremely
 Be drawn (to something) = to be attracted or be made to want to do something
 Superb = extremely good ￚ synonym excellent
 Plausible = reasonable and likely to be true or successful
 Confound = to confuse and greatly surprise (someone), causing them to be unable to
explain or deal with a situation
 In the first place = used to talk about the beginning of a situation, or the situation before
something happened
 Leave somebody/something off (something) = to not include something such as someone's
name in a list or other document (phrasal verb)
 The proceedings= an event or a series of things that happen
 Take over = to do something instead of someone (phrasal verb)
 Be yours for the taking = if something desirable is yours ______________ , you can easily
obtain it
 Contribute to/towards = to give money, help, ideas etc to something that a lot of other
people are also involved in
 Random = happening or chosen without any definite plan, aim, or pattern
 Destiny = the things that will happen to someone in the future, especially those that cannot
be changed or controlled
 Dream something up = to think of a plan or idea, especially an unusual one (phrasal verb)
 Be a foregone conclusion = if something is a _____________, its result is certain, even
though it has not happened yet
 The chances are (that)... It is likely that... There's every likelihood that …it is very probable
that...
 Be bound to = to be almost certain to do a particular thing
 There's a slim/faint chance = there is a very small chance; it's possible but unlikely
 It's doubtful that = it's unlikely; not probable
 Singularly = in a way that is very noticeable or unusual
 Keen prices = low prices
 Staggering = extremely great or surprising
 Put in a bid (for something) = to offer to pay a particular price for something, especially at
an auction
 Take its toll (on something) = to cause suffering, deaths or damage
 Exposure to = a situation in which someone is not protected from something dangerous or
unpleasant
 With the intention of = with a plan or desire to do something
 Conflation (of something and something) = a combination two or more things which form
a single new thing
 A thing of the past = something that does not exist any more
 In somebody's heyday = at the time when someone or something was most popular,
successful, or powerful
 Career break = an opportunity for improving your professional situation, esp. One which
happens unexpectedly ..be at the height of your success/fame/powers etc ..to be more
successful, famous etc than at any other time
 Haunting = sad but also beautiful and staying in your thoughts for a long time
 Be brought to light = become known
 Hint at = to suggest something in an indirect way, but so that someone can guess your
meaning
 Unattainable = impossible to achieve
 Freelance = working independently for different companies rather than being employed by
one particular company
 Lucrative = letting you earn a lot of money
 Capture = to succeed in recording, showing, or describing a situation or feeling, using
words or pictures
 Liken (something to something) = to say that someone or something is similar to another
person or thing ￚ synonym compare
 See something in a new light = to look at something differently, to change your opinion of
something
 Obscenely = in an extremely unfair, immoral, or unpleasant way, especially in a way that
makes you angry
 Strikingly = in a way that is very easy to notice

Unit 8

 Mischievous = playful.
 Disposition = the particular type of character which a person naturally has.
 Obtuse = stupid, without understanding.
 Abounds = to be very common.
 Phenotypic = pertaining to the physical characteristics of something living, especially
those characteristics which can be seen.
 Oblivious = unaware.
 Endowed = having a particular feature.
 Floored = surprised.
 Bigoted = having strong, unreasonable beliefs.
 Perpetuate = to cause something to continue.
 Personal agendas = own aims or intentions.
 Turmoil = a state of confusion, uncertainty or disorder.
 Imposition = the act of forcing people to accept something.
 Boils down to = to be the main reason for something.
 Doctrine = belief or theory.
 Dubious = uncertain.
 Footing = basis.
 Apportioned = given a share of something.
 Arbitrary = subjective or uninformed.
 Hypothetical = based on an assumption or guess; used as a provisional or tentative idea to
guide or direct investigation.
 Instils = to put an idea into someone's mind.

Unit 9

 Take in = to deceive
 Take on = to challenge
 Take out on = to behave badly towards
 Take over = to gain control
 Take up = to start doing hobby
 Take sb up on sth = to question, challenge
 Tell against = to spoil any chance of success
 Tell apart = to distinguish between
 Tell off = to rebuke
 Tell on = 1) sth to have a bad effect on sb; 2) to inform on sb
 Take me by surprise = to surprise someone with something unexpected.
 As far as anyone can tell = not sure
 Only time will tell = …
 Take my word for it = believe me
 Have a job to do sth = find sth difficult to do
 Donkey work = boring, monotonous work
 Bottom line = conclusion
 Have one's work cut out for = have a difficult task prepared for one
 Jack of all trades = sb who is able to do a variety of jobs
 Pass the buck = avoid taking responsibility by saying that sb else is responsible
 Call it quits = give up,stop
 Take a stock = assess a situation
 Delinquency = behaviour, especially of a young person, that is is illegal or not acceptable
to most people:
 Woes = big problems or troubles:
 Salience = the fact of being important to or connected with what is happening or being
discussed:
 Deification = to make someone or something into a god:
 Margins = the amount by which one thing is different from another:
 Intrinsically = being an extremely important and basic characteristic of a person or thing:
 Redundant = having lost your job because your employer no longer needs you:
 Reprimand = to express to someone your strong official disapproval of them:
 Fringe benefits = something that you get for working, in addition to your pay, that is not in
the form of money:
 Laborious work = needing a lot of time and effort:
 Menial work = menial work is boring, makes you feel tired, and is given a low social
value:
 Lucrative job = (especially of a business, job, or activity) producing a lot of money:=
rewarding job
 Wet .... The ears = behind
 Balance ... Work and home life = between
 Called upon to chair it = …
 Draw the line between = to separate two things; to distinguish or differentiate between two
things.
 Draw the short straw= to have to do the least enjoyable of a range of duties, often because
you have been chosen to do it:
 Draw attention to = to attract someone to notice or focus on someone or something
 Draw lots = to decide something by picking an item, often a slip of paper, at random
 Draw breath = to pause for a moment to take a breath or breathe more slowly
 Draw the line at sth = to decide you will not do something
 Draw a blank = to fail to get an answer or a result:
 Work up the courage =….
 Play it safe = to be careful and not take risks:
 Start from scratch = start from the beginning
 Dress down = to wear clothes that are more informal than the ones you would usually wear
(phrasal verb)
 Dress up = to wear clothes that are more formal than the ones you would usually wear
(phrasal verb)
 Be/get stuck = unable to escape from a bad or boring situation
 Outlay on something = the amount of money that you have to spend on something
 Steer clear (of somebody/something) = to avoid someone or something because of possible
danger or trouble
 Be/get hooked on something = to enjoy something very much and to want to do it as often
as possible
 Raise eyebrows = to surprise people who show surprise, doubt, disapproval etc by moving
their eyebrows upwards
 Get up somebody's nose = to annoy someone very much
 Opt for something = to choose one thing or do one thing instead of another
 Distinct = clearly seen, heard, smelled etc
 Conform to/with = to behave in the way that most other people in your group or society
behave
 Shave something off = to remove hair by shaving (phrasal verb)
 Cease = to stop doing something or stop happening
 In alarm = with a feeling of fear or worry because something bad or dangerous might
happen
 Outlive its usefulness = to become no longer useful
 Underestimate = to think or guess that something is smaller, cheaper, easier etc than it
really is
 Cunning: (n) the ability to achieve what you want by deceiving people in a clever way
(adj) clever and good at deceiving people in order to get what you want
 To all intents and purposes = used to say that something is so close to the truth that it can
be considered to be the truth
 Anything goes = used to say that anything someone says or does is acceptable
 At a glance = to know something as soon as you see it
 En route from/to = on the way from/to
 Needless to say = used when you are telling someone something that they probably know
or expect
 A sea change in something = a very big change in something
 A dress code = rules about what to wear
 Come as a/no surprise = (not) to make someone feel surprised, pleased, disappointed etc
 Having said that/that being said = used to say that something is true in spite of what you
have just said
 Immaculate = 1) very clean and tidy ￚ opposite messy 2) exactly correct or perfect in
every detail ≠ scruffy = dirty and untidy
 Transform somebody/something (from something) into something = to completely change
the appearance, form, or character of something or someone, especially in a way that
improves it
 Quest = a long search for something that is difficult to find, or an attempt to achieve
something difficult
 The time has come for = now is a suitable moment
 Give weight to something = to highlight the importance of something
 Put forward = to suggest something for other people to consider or discuss ￚ synonym
propose (phrasal verb)
 Then again = used to introduce an idea or fact that is different from something you have
just said, or makes it seem less likely to be true
 Painstaking = very careful and thorough
 Ceremonious = done in a formal serious way, as if you were in a ceremony
 Stature = the degree to which someone is admired or regarded as important
 Intertwined with something = closely related to something
 Build something on something = to base something on an idea or thing (phrasal verb)
 Raison d'être = the reason why something exists, why someone does something etc
 Relegate (somebody/something) to (something) = to give someone or something a less
important position than before
 Cumbersome = heavy and difficult to move
 Show off = to try to make people admire your abilities, achievements, or possessions
(phrasal verb)
 Gregarious = friendly and preferring to be with other people ￚ synonym sociable
 Grow out of something = to develop or happen as a result of something else that happened
or existed (phrasal verb)
 Sever = to end a relationship with someone, or a connection with something, especially
because of a disagreement
 Go it alone= to start working or living on your own, especially after working or living with
other people
 Capricious = likely to change your mind suddenly or behave in an unexpected way
 Instinct for = a natural tendency to behave in a particular way or a natural ability to know
something, which is not learned
 Self-preservation = protection of yourself and your own life in a threatening or dangerous
situation
 An insight into = a sudden clear understanding of something or part of something,
especially a complicated situation or idea
 Rage for something = a situation in which something is very popular or fashionable
 Wholesale = affecting almost everything or everyone, and often done without any concern
for the results
 Transpose = to use a system or method in a different situation from the one you used it in
originally
 Vagaries of = unexpected changes in a situation or someone's behaviour, that you cannot
control but which have an effect on your life
 Rapt (attention) = so interested in something that you do not notice anything else
 For the sake of (somebody/something) = in order to help, improve, or please someone or
something
 Beholder = an observer
 Impending = (of an event or situation, especially an unpleasant one) going to happen very
soon
 Hard-hitting = criticizing someone or something in a strong and effective way
 Courteous = polite and showing respect for other people
 Compliant = made or done according to particular rules or standards
 Push on with = to continue with an activity in a determined way (phrasal verb)
 Obstructive = trying to prevent someone from doing something, by deliberately making it
difficult for them
 Defuse a situation/crisis/row = to improve a difficult or dangerous situation, for example
by making people less angry or by dealing with the causes of a problem
 Be/get caught up in something = to be or get involved in something, especially something
bad
 Embark on/upon something = to start something, especially something new, difficult, or
exciting
 Predictably, ... As would be expected

Unit 10

 Die out = to disappear or stop existing completely (phrasal verb)

 Fieldwork = the study of scientific or social subjects, done outside the class or laboratory
 Create/cause a stir = to cause a lot of interest or excitement.
 Be a monument to = be a symbol that reminds people of an important event or famous
person; to show clearly the result of someone's qualities, beliefs, or actions
 Mourn = to feel very sad and to miss someone after they have died -- synonym grieve
 The passing of = the death of; used when you want to avoid using the word 'death'
 Prerequisite for = (formal) something that is necessary before something else can happen
or be done
 Encapsulate = to express or show something in a short way ￚ synonym sum up
 Eminently = (formal) completely and without a doubt
 Indigenous people = people who have always been in the place where they are, rather than
being brought there from somewhere else
 Better off = 1) happier, improved, more successful etc 2) having more money than
someone else or than you had before
 Pidgin = a language that is a mixture of two other languages, which people who do not
speak each other's languages well use to talk to each other
 Stem from something = to develop as a result of something else (phrasal verb)
 Spring from something = to be caused by something or start from something (phrasal verb)
 Whisk somebody/something off = to take someone or something quickly away from a
place
 Suppress (laughter) = to stop yourself from showing your feelings
 Well-behaved = behaving in a calm polite way, and not being rude or violent
 Stand up for somebody/something = to support or defend a person or idea when they are
being attacked (phrasal verb)
 Splash out (something) on = to spend a lot of money on something (phrasal verb)
 Feel/be put out = to feel upset or offended
 Imposition = the introduction of something such as a rule, punishment, tax etc
 Marker of = something which shows that a quality or feature exists or is present
 The great and the good = people who are considered important
 Crack under something = to be unable to continue doing something because there is too
much pressure and you do not have the mental strength to continue
 Under the strain of = under the weight of something
 Abundance of = a large quantity of something
 Conception = an idea about what something is like, or a general understanding of
something
 Come under scrutiny = to be carefully and thoroughly examined
 Innocuous = harmless
 Doom and gloom = pessimistic
Unit 11

 People management = helping staff work as a team; managing recruitment, resolving

disputes, motivating staff and managing training
 Supplier relationship = identifying reliable partners, negotiating successfully with them
and managing the relationship
 Self-confidence = a self belief and passion about your products or services
 Self-determination = a belief that the outcome of events is due to your own actions, rather
than due to external factors
 Self-starter = the ability to be resourceful and take the initiative also to be able to work
independently
 Good judgement = the ability to be open-minded when listening to other people's advice,
while bearing in mind your objectives for the business
 Commitment = the willingness to make personal sacrifices through long hours and loss of
leisure time
 Perservence = the ability to continue despite setbacks, financial insecurity and risk
 Optimistic = expecting good things to happen or something to be successful; showing this
feeling
 Go the distance = to continue an action until the very end
 Come up with = to think of an idea or an answer
 At a stroke = to accomplish or do something with a single, sudden action
 Gauge = to measure or calculate
 Prove to be the making of = lead to the success or achievement of somebody or something
 What it takes = the thing that is required
 Set up = to establish
 Bounce back = to recover after a setback
 Have a grasp = to understand
 Carry out = to perform a function; to execute a plan
 Draw on = to use a supply of something that is available to you
 To tie the knot = to get married
 Cast your net = to consider or try as many things as possible in order to find what you want
 A bolt from (or out of) the blue = when you say that something was a ______, it means that
it was a total surprise
 To have time on one's hands = to have plenty of free time
 To call the tune = to lead, to call the shot
 To carry a torch for = to secretly love someone who does not love you
 Roll up your sleeves = to start doing a job even though it is difficult or you do not want to
do it
 To be at death's door = to be very ill
 To give someone the cold shoulder = to ignore someone
 To get a grip = to take charge, get in control
 To get to grips with = to understand or deal with something difficult
 To have your hands tied = to be unable to do anything to help a situation.
 To lose one's grip = to be unable to control something
 To have something up one's sleeve = to have a secret plan or idea
 To be clutching at straws
 To try any method, even those that are not likely to succeed, because you are in such a bad
situation (usually in continuous tenses)
 Grasp the nettle = to force yourself to tackle a problem or difficult situation
 To clutch = to grasp something tightly
 Hands = the union has its __________ tied, as it can no longer support any form of
industrial action
 To play (right) into someone's hands = to do something that gives someone else an
advantage over you, although this was not your intention
 Up for grabs = available for anyone and not yet claimed
 Grip = the party has been losing its _________ on those middle class voters who have
traditionally been so loyal
 Grasp = once again, it seems that the government has failed to ______ the nettle on
transport.

Unit 13

 Melt = to change a solid substance into a liquid

 Life expectancy = the length of time that a person or animal is expected to live
 Famine = a situation in which a large number of people have little or no food for a long
time and many people die
 Density = the degree to which an area is filled with people or things
 Get (something) across to (somebody) = to succeed in communicating an idea or piece of
information to someone, or to be communicated successfully
 Relevant to (something) = directly relating to the subject or problem being discussed or
considered
 Take advantage of (something) = to use a particular situation to do or get what you want
 Untenable = impossible to continue or to defend
 Ahead of your/its time = having or using the most advanced ideas, methods, designs,
technology etc and therefore not understood or accepted
 Amateurish = not skilfully done or made ￚ opposite professional
 Alienate = to do something that makes someone unfriendly or unwilling to support you
 Reckon = (informal) to think or suppose something
 Lousy = (informal) of very bad quality ￚ synonym awful, terrible
 Prudent = sensible and careful, especially by trying to avoid unnecessary risks
 Rife = if something bad or unpleasant is ________, it is very common
 Sneak (in/out/away etc) = to go somewhere secretly and quietly in order to avoid being
seen or heard ￚ synonym creep
 Kick off = (about meeting, event, or a football game) to start (phrasal verb)
 Lose your cool = to stop being calm in an annoying or frightening situation
 Outlook for = what is expected to happen in the future
 Concern about/for = a feeling of worry about something important
 Depletion = the act of decreasing or reducing something that is present or available
 Concerted effort/action = an effort or action done by people working together in a carefully
planned and very determined way
 Diminish = to become or make something become smaller or less
 Untold = existing or present in an amount that is too large to be measured
 Bounded by (a fence, wall etc) = having something around its edge
 Give way to = to agree to do what someone else wants, instead of what you want,
especially after a lot of discussion or argument
 Bring (something) about = to make something happen ￚ synonym cause (phrasal verb)
 Footprint = a mark made by a foot or shoe
 Thrive = (formal) to become very successful or very strong and healthy
 Scream abuse at = to shout in a very loud high voice rude or offensive things that someone
says when they are angry
 Scold = to angrily criticize someone, especially a child, about something they have done ￚ
synonym tell off
 Sternly = in a serious and strict way showing strong disapproval of someone's behaviour
 Tell (somebody) off for (something) = to speak to someone angrily about something wrong
that they have done
 Catch your death (of cold) = used to warn someone that they may become very ill if they
do not keep themselves warm in cold weather
 Reluctant = slow and unwilling
 Resigned = calmly accepting a situation that is bad, but cannot be changed
 Peevish = easily annoyed by small and unimportant things
 Reassuring = making you feel less worried or frightened
 Retort = to reply quickly, in an angry or humorous way
 Turn your attention to (something/somebody) = to start to think about, deal with, look at
etc a particular person, thing, or subject, instead of what you were thinking about etc
before
 Drift = to move somewhere slowly as though you do not know where you are going
 Spring up = to suddenly appear or start to exist (phrasal verb)
 In common with (somebody/something) = in the same way as someone or something else
 For the most part = used for saying that something is mainly true but not completely true
 Dilettante = someone who is interested in something but does not know very much about it
 Keep track of (somebody/something) = to pay attention to someone or something, so that
you know where they are or what is happening to them
 Cost-effective = bringing the best possible profits or advantages for the lowest possible
costs
 Unsustainable = unable to continue at the same rate or in the same way
 Predator = an animal that kills and eats other animals
 Keystone = (formal) the most important part of an idea, belief, or process that influences
how it develops
 Far-reaching = having a great influence or effect
 Worthwhile = worth the time, money, or effort that you spend on it
 Shift (something) away from (something) = to change a situation, discussion etc by giving
special attention to one idea or subject instead of to a previous one
 On the grounds that = because
 Make judgements about = to form an opinion especially after thinking carefully about
something
 At the expense of = if one thing exists or happens _________ another, the second thing
suffers or is not done properly because of the first
 Put (somebody/something) forward = to suggest a plan, proposal etc, for other people to
consider or discuss ￚ synonym propose (phrasal verb)
 Be at the forefront of (something) = to be in a leading position in an important activity that
is trying to achieve something or develop new ideas

Unit 14

 Disconcerted = slightly confused, embarrassed, or worried

 Spur (sb) on = to encourage sb or make them want to do sth
 Overreach oneself = to try to do more than you have the power, ability, or money to do
 Sceptical about /of = tending to disagree with what other people tell you
 Premise = a statement or idea that you accept as true and use as a base for developing other
ideas
 Bout = a short period of time during which you do something a lot, especially something
that is bad for you
 Empirical = vs theoretical, hypothetical
 Relentless = strict, cruel, or determined, without ever stopping
 Scoff at (sth) = to laugh at a person or idea, and talk about them in a way that shows you
think they are stupid; make fun of
 Hooked on = (infml) addicted to
 Loathing = a very strong feeling of hatred
 One-on-one = between only two people
 Up (v) = to increase the amount or level of something
 Attest to = to show or prove that something is true
 Tone (up) = to improve the strength and firmness of your muscles, skin etc
 Enforced = made to happen, especially by things you cannot control
 Get to grips with something = to understand or deal with something difficult
 Get the hang of something = (informal) to learn how to do something or use something
 Springboard to/for = 1) something that helps you to become successful 2) a strong board
used for helping you to jump high in sports such as diving and gymnastics
 Contend with (something) = to have to deal with problems or difficulties, especially in
order to achieve something (phrasal verb)
 Respite = a short period of rest from having to deal with a difficult or unpleasant situation
 Get a kick out of/from (doing) something = (infml) to experience a feeling of excitement or
pleasure
 Be an old hand (at something) = to have a lot of experience of something
 Rocket up = to increase quickly and suddenly
 Dismissive = refusing to consider sb or sth seriously
 Agile = able to move quickly and easily
 Give (sth) a go = to try to do something
 In-between = in the middle between two points, sizes, periods of time etc
 Harangue (somebody) about (something) = to speak in a loud angry way, often for a long
time, in order to criticize someone or to persuade them that you are right
 Resolve to (do something) = (formal) to make a definite decision to do something
 Swear to (do something) = to promise that you will do something
 Scrounge something off/from somebody = (informal) to get money or something you want
by asking other people for it rather than by paying for it yourself
 Crave = to have an extremely strong desire for something
 Be seething (with something) = to feel an emotion, especially anger, so strongly that you
are almost shaking
 Work (something) off = to get rid of something, especially a feeling such as anger,
nervousness etc, by doing something that uses a lot of your energy
 Excess of = a larger amount of something than is allowed or needed
 Proceed with = (formal) to continue to do something that has already been planned or
started
 Vigorous = using a lot of energy and strength or determination
 Be vulnerable to something = easily harmed or hurt
 Stimulus (plural stimuli) = anything that encourages something to happen, develop, or
improve
 Potent = having a very powerful effect or influence on your body or mind ￚ synonym
powerful
 Ailment = an illness that is not very serious
 Amendment (to something) = a small change, improvement, or addition that is made to a
law or document, or the process of doing this
 Dismiss = to refuse to consider someone's idea, opinion etc, because you think it is not
serious, true, or important
 Clarity (of vision) = the ability to see, think, understand, or remember something clearly
 Show signs of = shows that a situation is becoming better, more active
 Be reputed to be/do = said or believed by many people, but not definitely known to be true
 Reputation for = the opinion that people have about someone or something because of
what has happened in the past
 Complacent = pleased with a situation, especially something you have achieved, so that
you stop trying to improve or change things
 Reconciled to (something) = able to accept a difficult or unpleasant situation (phrasal verb)
 A necessary evil = something that you do not like but that cannot be avoided
 Contain = to stop something from spreading or escaping
 Pose (a threat/danger/risk) = to present a difficult or dangerous situation
 Bewilderment = a feeling of being very confused ￚ synonym confusion
 Challenge (a view/an idea/an assumption etc) = to question whether something is true,
accurate, or legal
 Communicate a disease = to pass a disease from one person or animal to another
 Vested interests = a strong reason for wanting something to happen because you will gain
from it
 At fault = to be responsible for something bad that has happened
 Disregard = to ignore something or treat it as unimportant
 Disprove = to show that something is wrong or not true
 Make a big thing out of something = to treat something as if it is more important than it
really is
 Make it big = to be very successful = he's hoping to make it big on tv.
 Big of somebody (to do) = (usually ironic) kind or generous
 Big-headed = behaving in a way that shows that you think you are very important or
intelligent
 Big-hearted = kind and generous towards other people
 Deal with = to take action to do something, especially to solve a problem
 Deal a blow to = harm, upset, or shock someone or something (formal)= to be very
shocking or harmful to somebody/something = - her sudden death dealt a blow to the
whole country.
 Did you cut a deal (= make one)?= a good/ great deal of = loads of
 Make a big deal out of = to try to make something seem more important than it really is
- She always makes a big deal out of her kids' piano recitals.
 In depth = in a very detailed way and giving a lot of information
 Hidden depths = interesting qualities or ideas that are not immediately obvious
 Out of your depth = 1. To be in water that is too deep to stand in with your head above
water 2. To be unable to understand something because it is too difficult; to be in a
situation that you cannot control
 Fat chance = used for emphasizing that you think something is extremely unlikely
 A fat lot (of good/help/use) = nothing, or not very much at all
 Look/search high and low = to search very thoroughly
 High risk of = risky --- high priority = priority
 In high spirits = very happy or excited
 It's high time that + past simple = used for saying that something should be done soon,
because it is already past the time when it should have been done
 On a high = a feeling of great happiness or excitement
 A new/all-time/record high = a period or situation in which something reaches its highest
level
 A high/low profile = the amount of attention somebody/something has from the public
 (as) large as life = (humorous) used to show surprise at seeing somebody/something
 At large = the opinion of the public at large

 In large measure/part = mainly

 Larger than life = someone who is ... Has a very strong or lively personality that impresses
people very much = he's a larger than life character.
 Large-scale = involving a large number of people or things, or happening over a large area
 Go to great/extreme/any lengths = to try in a very determined or unreasonable way to
achieve something
 At great/some length = for a long time and with a lot of detail = for a long time and in
detail
 A load of/loads of something = a lot of something, often something unpleasant
 A heavy load to bear/carry = a problem, responsibility, or worry that you have to deal with
 Take a long hard look at = to think about a problem or issue very carefully in order to find
out what is wrong or to find a better way of dealing with it
 At long last = if something happens ..., it happens after you have been waiting for it for a
long time = - after a long time = synonym finally
 Come a long way = to improve a lot, or to make a lot of progress
 In the long run/term = not immediately but at some time in the future
 Long time no see = used when you meet someone who you have not seen for a long time
 As/so long as = used before saying the conditions that will make something else happen or
be true
 Long-distance = covering large distances
 All day/week/year long = for the whole day/year/week
 It's a long story = (informal) used to say that the reasons for something are complicated
and you would prefer not to give all the details
 That's your lot = used for telling someone that they have had all of something and there
will be no more
 On your mind = in your thoughts, or making you worry
 Get your money's worth = to feel that something you have got is worth the amount you
paid for it
 Put your money where your mouth is = used for saying that someone should do something,
especially spend money, to show that they mean what they say instead of just talking about
it
 Pay good money for something = to pay a lot for something: used for emphasizing that you
spent a lot, especially when it has not been worth it
 For my money = in my opinion
 Pay dearly for = to suffer because of something that you have done
 Pay someone a compliment = to say something nice about someone or to someone
 Pay your way = to pay for everything that you need or use yourself, rather than allowing or
expecting other people to pay for you
 Pay your last respects to = to go to someone's funeral
 Pay the penalty/price for = to have to deal with the bad effects of something that you have
done = to suffer because of bad luck, a mistake or something you have done
 A poor man's something = a person or thing that is similar to but of a lower quality than a
particular famous person or thing
 Stinking rich = very rich
 Share and share alike = used for saying that it is best to share things equally and fairly
 Run short of = used for saying that you have used almost all of a particular thing and there
is not much left
 Draw/get the short straw = to be the person in a group who has to do an unpleasant or
difficult job
 Make short work of = to defeat an opponent quickly and easily
 At short notice = without being given much warning before something happens
 Short and sweet = not too long or complicated = pleasant but not lasting a long time
 That's about the size of it = (informal) that's how the situation seems to be
 Feel/look small = to feel or look ashamed or unimportant, especially because of something
that someone has said or done = to look or feel stupid, weak, ashamed, etc.
 (it's a) small world = used for showing that you are surprised when you meet someone who
you know unexpectedly, or when you discover that someone knows the same people as
you do or has been to the same places as you have
 Have a thin skin = to be very sensitive to criticism or insults
 Skating on thin ice = to be taking a risk
 Into/out of thin air = if someone or something disappears ... Or appears ..., they disappear
or appear in a sudden and mysterious way
 Thin on the ground = not available in large amounts or numbers
 Weak at the knees = affected by a strong emotion and unable to do anything = his sudden
smile made her go weak at the knees.
 Weak-willed = a ... Person is easily influenced to change their decisions, opinions, or plans
 Weak argument = an inductive argument that does not give probable support to the
conclusion
 On weak ground = they were on weak ground, with no precedents for their action.

Unit 15

 Be that as it may / by the same token / conversely / despite this / even so / by/in contrast /
in other words / likewise / nonetheless / what's more / that said / having said that/
notwithstanding
 Golden handshake = large sum of money paid as compensation to someone who is obliged
to leave a job or retire early
 Mixed blessing = something that happens is good and bad
 Dog eat dog = ruthlessly competitive
 Track record = all the past achievements, successes or failures of a company or person
 Quantum leap = a very important development in something
 Mindset = a habitual or characteristic mental attitude that determines how you will
interpret and respond to situations
 Cut your teeth = to acquire experience at a new skill
 Progress up the rungs = to go up the (career) ladder
 Snap up = to obtain sth quickly because it is cheap or you want it very much. Our best
bargains are ( ) one the first day of sales."
 The jury is still out = (phr).used when you are saying that something is still not certain
 The slightest whiff of sth = a slight sign of something
 A quick fix = quick and easy, short-term, solution to a problem.
 To keep your head down = to avoid trouble:
 Blue chip company = a reputable company known for the quality of its products and the
consistency of its profit and growth figures
 Green shoots = (esp. In newspapers) the first signs of an improvement in an economy
 To bleed red ink = to be in debts, loosing money
 Golden hello = large sum paid to a new employee
 White knight = an alternative buyer found by a company to avoid a hostile takeover

Unit 17

 Elation =a feeling of great happiness and excitement

 Rapture = (literary) great excitement and happiness
 Invasive = spreading quickly and difficult to stop
 Virulent = (of a poison, disease) very dangerous and affecting people very quickly;
opposite mild
 Ephemeral = existing or popular for only a short time
 Fleeting = lasting for only a short time; synonym brief, quick
 Transient = continuing only for a short time, temporary
 Bruised ego = when you feel hurt because you feel less important and valuable than before
 Fatal flaw = a serious weakness that makes something certain to fail
 Feverish = suffering from a fever; very excited or worried about something
 Jaundiced = 1) suffering from jaundice 2) judging everything as bad because bad things
have happened to you in the past
 Sore loser = someone who gets angry or upset when they lose a game or competition
 Flourish = to develop well and be successful; synonym thrive
 Spring up = to suddenly appear or start to exist
 Dazzle = (of a very bright light) to stop you from seeing properly for a short time
 Light up = to become bright with light or colour
 Shine = to produce bright light
 Sparkle = to shine in small bright flashes
 Idyllic = very beautiful, happy, and peaceful, with no problems or dangers
 Yearn (for something) = literary to have a strong desire for something, especially
something that is difficult or impossible to get ￚ synonym long
 Heady = having a powerful effect, making you feel slightly drunk or excited
 Be at odds with = to disagree with -------- not least = especially
 Average something out = to calculate the average of something
 Hold down a job = to succeed in keeping a job for a period of time
 Umbrella term = a word whose meaning includes many different types of a particular thing
 The status quo = the state of a situation as it is

Idioms

 Be on cloud nine = to be very happy about something

 To see (look at) something through rose-tinted (rose-coloured) spectacles= to see only the
pleasant things about the situation and not see the reality of it
 Beyond your wildest dreams = better than anything you ever imagined or hoped for
 In my book = (spoken) in my opinion
 Put yourself on the line (for somebody) = to commit yourself; stand up for what you
believe in even at the risk something bad happening to you
 Feel under the weather = (informal) to feel slightly ill
 Tip the balance = to give a slight advantage to someone or something; to influence the
result of an event
 Cut corners = to save time, money or effort by not following the usual procedure
 Down and out = without hope and usually without a job or a place to live
 Keep your head above water = to struggle to survive, usually under pressure
 Feel the pinch = have less money than previously and suffer as a result
 In the red = overdrawn at the bank
 On a shoestring = with very little money
 Tighten your belt = to try to spend less money than you used to
 A rough ride = a time when you experience a lot of problems

Unit 18

 Give somebody a free hand = to let someone do whatever they want or need to do in a
particular situation
 Walk free = to leave a court of law without being punished or sent to prison
 Set somebody free = to allow a person or an animal to be free
 Get off scot-free = (informal) to avoid being punished although you deserve to be
 Interest-free loan = a loan with no interest charged on it
 In free fall = 1) the movement of someone or something through the air without engine
power, for example before a parachute opens after someone has jumped out of a plane 2) a
very fast and uncontrolled fall in the value of something
 Free spirit = someone who lives as they want to rather than in the way that society
considers normal
 Free-standing = not fixed to anything and standing alone
 Autocrat = someone who makes decisions and gives orders to people without asking them
for their opinion
 Despot = someone, especially a ruler, who uses power in a cruel and unfair way
 Tyrant = a ruler who has complete power and uses it in a cruel and unfair way
 Elude = to escape from someone or something, especially by tricking them
 Evade = 1) to escape from someone who is trying to catch you 2) to avoid talking about
something, especially because you are trying to hide something
 Flee = to leave somewhere very quickly, in order to escape from danger
 Liberate = 1) to free prisoners, a city, a country etc from someone's control 2) to free
someone from feelings or conditions that make their life unhappy or difficult
 Release = to let someone go free, after having kept them somewhere
 Reprieve = to officially stop a prisoner from being killed as a punishment
 Captive = someone who is kept as a prisoner, especially in a war
 Convict = someone who has been proved to be guilty of a crime and sent to prison
 Jailbird = (informal) someone who has spent a lot of time in prison
 Custodian = someone who is responsible for looking after something important or valuable
 On parole = permission for someone to leave prison, on the condition that they promise to
behave well
 Be at large = (of a dangerous person or animal) to have escaped from somewhere or not to
have been caught
 Adhere to = to continue to behave according to a particular rule, agreement, or belief
 Servitude = the condition of being a slave or being forced to obey someone else; synonym
slavery
 Be in limbo = a situation in which nothing happens or changes for a long period of time,
and it is difficult to make decisions
 Faltering = becoming less effective or successful
 Usher in something = (phrasal verb) to cause something new to start, or to be at the start of
something new
 Sideshow = an event that is much less important or serious than another one
 Be doomed to failure = to make someone or something certain to fail
 Raise the profile of (something) = make something more well-known
 Plead ignorance = to give lack of knowledge as an excuse for your actions
 Be enshrined in (something) = to be preserved and protected (by something) so that people
will remember and respect it
 Hold somebody accountable = to say or decide that someone should accept the
responsibility for something bad that happens
 Under the auspices of somebody/something = (formal) with the help and support of a
particular organization or person
 On an equal footing with = with neither side having any advantage over the other; in the
same state or condition as other people or things
 Conjure something up (phrasal verb) to bring a thought, picture, idea, or memory to
someone's mind
Unit 20
 In lieu (of something) = (formal) instead of
 Ad infinitum = continuing without ever ending
 Ad nauseam = (to say or do something) so often that it becomes annoying for other people
 Par excellence = being the most excellent or the most typical example of its type
 Quid pro quo = something that is given to a person in return for something they have done
 Faux pas = an embarrassing mistake in a social situation
 Prima facie = at first sight (= based on what seems to be the truth when first seen or heard)
 Nom de plume : a name used by a writer instead of their real name; -synonym pen name
 Bête noire = the person or thing that someone dislikes most
 Tête à tête = an informal private conversation between two people, especially friends
 Go on = to be spent on, allocated to (phrasal verb)
 Go out = to ebb, flow away from the shore (phrasal verb)
 Go for = to go and get something and bring it back (phrasal verb)
 Go in for = to enter, take part in a competition (phrasal verb)
 Go down with = to become ill with (phrasal verb)
 Go off = to explode or fire (phrasal verb)
 Go with = (of clothes) to match each other (phrasal verb)
 Go off = to become too bad to eat (phrasal verb)
 Go in for = 1) to choose something as your job 2) to do or use something often because
you enjoy it or like it (phrasal verb)
 Go over = to search or examine something very carefully (phrasal verb)
 Go without (something) = not to have something that you usually have (phrasal verb)
 Go down well/badly = to get a particular reaction from someone (phrasal verb)
 Go by (the rules/laws) = to do things according to a set of rules or laws (phrasal verb)
 Go into/over (something) = to explain, describe, or examine something in detail (phrasal
verb)
 Go up = to explode, or be destroyed in a fire (phrasal verb)
 Go over = to repeat something in order to explain it or make sure it is correct (phrasal verb)
 Go off = (of an alarm) to make a noise to warn you about something (phrasal verb)
 Stop by = to make a short visit to a place or person, especially while you are going
somewhere else (phrasal verb)
 Stop over = to stop somewhere and stay a short time before continuing a long journey,
especially when travelling by plane (phrasal verb)
 Have a go at (doing something) = to make an attempt to do something
 Go to somebody's head = (of success) to make you feel more important than you really are
 Go over and over (again) something = to think very carefully about something many times
 Go on record as saying something = to state something publicly and officially
 Go off at a tangent = to suddenly start thinking or talking about a subject that is only
slightly related, or not related at all, to the original subject
 Make a go of (something) = to make something succeed, especially a business or marriage
 Come to a stop = (of an activity) to stop happening
 Will/would stop at nothing (to do something) = to be ready to do anything to achieve
something that you want to achieve
 Put a stop to something = to stop an activity that is harmful or unacceptable

Idioms

 live through (something) = to experience a dangerous or unpleasant situation and still be

alive after it, пережить
 live it up = to enjoy yourself in an exciting way, usually spending a lot of money.
 live up to sb's expectations = to do as well as or be as good as other people expect you to,
 live (something) down = to be able to make people forget about something embarrassing
you have done.
 live in clover = to have enough money to be able to live a very comfortable life.
 live by your wits = to get money by being clever or dishonest, and not by doing an
ordinary job.
 learn to live with something = to accept a difficult situation that is likely to continue for a
long time.
 by word of mouth = through communication that consists of comments that people make to
each other in an informal way, not formal communication such as news reports and
advertisements
 set foot on = to enter or visit a place,
 have a heart-to-heart = to have a conversation in which two people talk honestly about
their feelings and personal problems
 walk hand in hand = to walk holding each other's hands
 stroll arm in arm = to walk slowly with the arm of one person linked with the arm of the
other
 come face to face with (somebody/something) = 1) to meet someone, especially in a way
that surprises or frightens you 2) experience something and have to deal with it
 live from hand to mouth = to spend all the money you earn on basic needs such as food
without being able to save any money
 be made by hand = to be done or made by a person rather than a machine
 fight tooth and nail = to try with a lot of effort or determination to do something

 cost an arm and a leg = to cost a lot of money

 get something off your chest = to tell someone about something that has been worrying or
annoying you for a long time, so that you feel better afterwards
 be up to your ears in (work/debt/problems etc) = to have a lot of work/debt/problems
 make somebody's hair stand on end = to make someone very frightened
 be head and shoulders above (somebody) = to be much better than other people.
 be all fingers and thumbs = to use your hands in an awkward or careless way, so that you
drop or break things
 pull somebody's leg = to tell someone something that is not true, as a joke
 keep somebody on their toes = to make sure that someone is ready for anything that might
happen
 get your head round (something) = to be able to understand something
 not lift/raise a finger = to not make any effort to help someone with their work.

Phrasal Verbs

 cut up about = very upset about something that has happened.

 cut out = to suddenly stop working.
 cut somebody down to size = to make someone realize that they are not as important,
successful etc as they think they are.
 cut somebody off = to refuse to let someone receive your money or property, especially
when you die.
 cut across something = to affect two or more different groups.
 cut back on/cut down on = to reduce the amount, size, cost etc of something.
 cut in (on somebody) = to interrupt someone who is speaking by saying something.
 cut something out = 1) to remove something by cutting round it 2) to cut a shape from a
piece of paper, cloth etc.
 cut something up into (pieces) = to cut something into small parts.
 cut down = to cut through the main part of a tree so that it falls on the ground.
 cut across/through something = to go across an area of land instead of going around the
edge of it.
 cut through something = to quickly and easily deal with something that is confusing or
difficult.