to abound - to 

exist in very large numbers

to ensue (SYN. to follow) (from) - to happen after or as a result of something
stack of (SYN. heap) - a neat pile of things
tangible - clear enough or definite enough to be easily seen or noticed
to relegate - to give someone or something a less important position than before
to deploy - to organize or move soldiers, military equipment etc so that they are in the right place and
ready to be used |(formal) to use something for a particular purpose, especially ideas, arguments etc
the odds - difficulties which make a good result seem very unlikely
to be at odds with/on - to disagree with/on
cart round - to take something somewhere in a cart, truck etc
atop - on the top of something
when it comes to the crunch - if/when a situation becomes extremely serious and a decision must be
made
ambience (SYN. atmosphere) - the qualities and character of a particular place and the way these make
you feel
kudos (SYN. prestige) - the state of being admired and respected for being important or for doing
something important
paperback - a book with a stiff paper cover
hardback - a book that has a strong stiff cover (e.g. copies in hardback)
stiff - hard to bend
folio - a book made with very large sheets of paper
egalitarian - based on the belief that everyone is equal and should have equal rights
to make a call - to visit
affinity (SYN. closeness or bond) - a strong feeling that you like and understand someone or something |
a close relationship between two things because of qualities or features that they share
like-minded - thinking in a similar way
walk-in fridge/closet - used to refer to a space used for storing things that is large enough for a person to
enter and walk around in
curious - weird, strange
political leanings - a political set of beliefs and opinions we like
what are the odds? - what are the chances?
despite all odds - against all difficulties
casualty - somebody who is hurt in an accident or war |a fatal victim
coffee-table book - usually hard-covered book whose purpose is for display on a table intended for use in
an area in which one entertains guests
redundant - not necessary because something else means or does the same thing
crunch - a noise like the sound of something being crushed | a difficult situation caused by a lack of
something, especially money or time (AE)
(to say something) off the top of your head - without careful thought or investigation
to be a load/weight off your mind - an occasion when a problem that has been worrying you stops or is
dealt with
to be at your wits - to be so worried, confused, or annoyed that you do not know what to do next
to be the brains behind something - to be the person who thought of and developed a particular plan,
system, or organization, especially a successful one
to come face to face with (somebody/something) - to be forced to experience a problem or the reality of
a situation, and have to deal with it or accept it
to cross (somebody’s) mind - if something crosses your mind, you think of it
to give (somebody) a piece of mind - to speak angrily to someone about something they have done
wrong
to go to (somebody’s) head - if something goes to someone's head, it makes that person think that they
are very important and makes them a less pleasant person | (of alcohol) make someone dizzy or slightly
drunk
to have a good mind to do something - to think that you might do something, often because something
has annoyed you
to have a good mind of its own - to have strong opinions about things, and make your own decisions
without being influenced by other people
to keep a straight face - to manage to stop yourself from smiling or laughing
to keep/have (all) wits about you - to be ready to think quickly in a situation and react to things that you
are not expecting
to be banging your head against a (brick) wall - to do, say, or ask for something repeatedly but to be
unable to change a situation
to lose/save face - if you lose face, you do something which makes you appear weak and makes people
respect or admire you less/if you do something in order to save face, you do it in order to avoid
appearing weak and losing people's respect or admiration
to put/set your mind to (something) - to decide you are going to do something and to put a lot of effort
into doing it
to rack your brains - to think very hard about something or try very hard to remember it
to dream up - to invent something very unusual and usually silly
to leave somebody to one’s own devices - to allow someone to make their own decisions about what to
do
attention span - the length of time during which one is able to concentrate or remain interested
to appeal to somebody - to attract, please, or interest
to break the mould - to be new and different
to entail - to result in, to lead to, to imply
to discern - if you can discern something, you are aware of it and know what it is
to have an ear for something - if someone has an ear for music or languages, they are good at hearing,
repeating, and understanding these sounds:
avid reader - a person who reads whenever they can and is keen on it.
fervent imagination - a person that has fervent imagination imagines things that are not necessarily true.
to identify with - to feel sympathy with someone or be able to share their feelings
discrepancy - variance, inconsistency
pursuit - hobby, pastime
gobbledygook - complicated language, especially in an official or technical document, that is impossible
or difficult to understand
disinterested - able to judge a situation fairly (SYN. impartial)
industrious - hardworking
exhaustive - detailed/comprehensive
gain (n) - profit
historic - something worth remembering
except - but
to enclose - to attach
scarce - existing in a very small amount
to refrain from - to not do something that you want to do (SYN. to abstain)
fowl - a bird, like a chicken, kept for meat and eggs
buoy - an object that floats on the sea, a lake etc
complementary - going together with something else
complimentary - given free to people/saying that you admire somebody or something
principal - most important, main/headmaster
stake - piece of wood/a stake in business is when you invested money in it
foul - unpleasant
stationery - materials that you use for writing, such as paper, pens, pencils etc
stationary - still (e.g. a car)
heir - somebody who will inherit something
ascent - act of climbing up
assent - approval
reins - band of leather that is fastened around a horse’s head
hand over the reins - take or give someone control over an organization or country
phased - divided into phases
fazed - surprised and worried
guerrillas - partisans
to prey - to hunt
to insure - to buy insurance
to ensure - to make sure
to lessen - to reduce
paws - an animal’s feet
pores - holes you have in your skin
to pour - to make a liquid or other substance flow out of or into a container by holding it at an angle
scent - a pleasant smell that something has
cereal - a breakfast food made from grain and usually eaten with milk
to cite - to mention something as an example, especially one that supports, proves, or explains an idea or
situation
to whine - to moan
cost of living - cost you bear to live or survive
balance of power - a situation in which political or military strength is shared evenly
centre of attention - the person or thing that everyone is most interested in and pays most attention to
choice of career - a choice thank to which you can make decision how your future career will develop
course of action - a way of proceeding or doing something
crack of dawn - the very instant that the sun rises
life of leisure - an existence that does not require that one works
life of crime - habitual breaking of the law
matter of principle - a situation that requires something be done a certain way because one believes it is
the only right way
point of no return - an achieved point you are in and you cannot come bac
price of success - a price you have to bear to be successful
sign of trouble - a mark that means that you are likely to have problems in a moment
time of year - one of the natural periods into which the year is divided by the equinoxes and solstices or
atmospheric conditions
train of thought - a related series of thoughts that are developing in your mind
to be Greek to somebody - to not understand anything you hear or read
to vanish into thin air - to disappear completely
to budge an inch - not to change one’s opinion whatever it takes
tongue-tied - not able to speak
tower of strength - somebody you can rely on
to sleep not one wink - to not sleep at all
to have too much of a good thing - the fact that something pleasant becomes unpleasant because you
have or do too much of it
the more fool you - it is an expression to tell somebody that they did or do silly things
the long and short of it - to say something without giving details
to lie low - to try not to be noticed
crack of doom - the day of Judgement
If the truth were know - If everyone knows the truth
to bid somebody good riddance - to be happy that somebody is gone
good riddance! - goodbye! (impolitely)
to send somebody packing - to tell someone who is not wanted that they must leave at once
to be dead as a door-nail - to be completely dead
to be a laughing stock - someone who is a laughing stock has done something so silly that people have
no respect for them
It is all one to me - It makes no difference to me one way or another
Tut tut! - it is said to express disapproval or irritation
unfolding - act of taking apart
to keep somebody on tenterhooks - to keep somebody unsure
quirky - unusual, especially in an interesting way
daunting - frightening in a way that makes you feel less confident
to blow somebody away - to make someone feel very surprised, especially about something they like or
admire
intricate - containing many small parts or details that all work or fit together (SYN. complex)
to browse - to look through the pages of a book, magazine etc without a particular purpose, just looking
at the most interesting parts/to look at the goods in a shop without wanting to buy any particular thing
eclectic - including a mixture of many different things or people, especially so that you can use the best
of all of them
eye-opener - an experience from which you learn something surprising or new
human endeavour - human effort to achieve something
burr - pronouncing the letter ‘r’ strongly, quite often rolling it
dialect - type of language that locals use, unclear for foreigners
jargon - words and expression used in a particular profession or subject
slang - informal language, often used by teenagers
lingua franca - international language that is spoken on official conferences
Estuary English - type of English that is spoken in the southeast England
child’s play - something that is very easy to do
as tough as nails - strong and very determined
transcribe - to record something written, spoken, or played by writing it down
ubiquitous - found everywhere
wacky - eccentric, crazy
acronym - a word formed by the first letters of the words in a phrase
mainstay - key element
phenomenally - to a very great extent
ubiquity - the fact that something or someone seems to be everywhere
relentlessness - the fact of continuing in a cruel, severe, or extreme way
constancy - no matter what staying all the time same
strayed - to wander, roam not knowing the way to go
stalwart - loyal, able to be trusted
creep - to move slowly, quietly, and carefully, usually in order to avoid being noticed
resilient - being immune to negative effects in one’s live
staunch - always loyal in supporting a person
acclaim - public approval and praise
perennial - lasting very long i.e. problem
pilot trial - first attempt to use sth to see if it works
tricky - deceptive uncertain or difficult
media-savvy - media knowledgeable person
tap into sth - to manage to use something in a way that brings good results
displacement activities - un unnecessary activity that you do because you are trying to delay doing a
more difficult or unpleasant activity
beguile - to persuade, sometimes in order to deceive them
bash out a whole raft of - to effortlessly produce a large collection
a whole different ballgame - a completely different situation
volume of sales - the number of units your company sells during a specific reporting period
dumbed down - accessible to a wide audience that is simply stupid, oversimplified
walk a tightrope - to deal with a difficult situation, especially one involving making a decision between
two opposing plans of action
gruesome - very horrible
humdrum - rather boring
jumping on the bandwagon - doing something because other people do
mainstream - not specialised
never judge a book by its cover - appearances can be deceptive, be careful!
be in sb's good books - sb is pleased with you
read between the lines - get the feeling that sb is just pretending
read sb like a book - know exactly what sb is thinking
speak volumes - says a lot about sb
take a leaf out of sb's book - follow one’s example
babble - say sth quickly that sounds silly
gabble - say sth quickly that clearly no one is going to understand
rabbit on - to talk very long in annoying way
coax - to persuade sb in a gentle and patient way
wheedle - to persuade sb using nice words not meaning it
insinuate - to suggest that sth unpleasant is true *not directly
mumble murmur - speak in low noises
mutter - complaining
rant - complain in a loud way
whinge/whine - to complain the way children do
imitative - copying someone or something
tête-à-tête - face to face between friends
codex - an ancient book that was written by hand
hand-wringing - the clasping together and squeezing of one's hands, especially when distressed or
worried.
dodo - a large bird, unable to fly, that no longer exists
geometric pattern - geometric form
margin - the difference or the the empty space down the side of a page of writing
congregate - to come together in a group
node - a small swelling
painstakingly - done with a lot of care
dog-eared - its corners are folded and torn from being touched a lot.
akin to - to be similar to something
bibliophile - book fan
be on board with - be supporter of
multi-faceted - with various features
blurring - becoming less clear
think tank - an organisation which creates theory
add-on - an extra feature
cornerstone - the basis of something
inception - beginning of something
unfailingly - in a way that never lets you down
scrawled - wrote quickly and unclearly
imminent - coming or happening very soon
annotated - short explanation added to a text or image
incorporating - to include something
mixed blessing - this seems good but may bring bad consequences
across the board - in all ways
susceptible - likely to suffer from
given a hearing - be listened to seriously
reluctance - an unwillingness to do something
onset - the moment at which something unpleasant begins
cognitive - connected with thinking or conscious mental processes
bemoan - to complain or express sadness about something