sweat 1 / swet / verb

1 LIQUID FROM SKIN [ intransitive and transitive ] to have drops of salty liquid coming
out through your skin because you are hot, ill, frightened, or doing exercise SYN
perspire :
I was sweating a lot despite the air conditioning.
sweat heavily/profusely (= sweat a lot )
Within minutes she was sweating profusely.
sweat like a pig/sweat buckets informal (= sweat a lot )
basketball players sweating buckets
2 WORK [ intransitive and transitive ] informal to work hard :
They sweated and saved for ten years to buy a house.
sweat over
Hed sweated over the plans for six months.
sweat blood/sweat your guts out (= work very hard )
I sweated blood to get that report finished.
Weve been sweating our guts out here!
3 WORRY [ intransitive and transitive ] informal to be anxious, nervous, or worried
about something :
Let them sweat a bit before you tell them.
sweat bullets American English (= be very anxious )
Workers are sweating bullets over the possibility of job losses.
4 dont sweat it American English spoken used to tell someone not to worry about
something :
Dont sweat it, Ill lend you the money.
5 dont sweat the small stuff American English spoken used to tell someone not
to worry about unimportant things
6 PRODUCE LIQUID [ intransitive ] if something such as cheese sweats, fat from inside
appears on its surface
7 COOK [ transitive ] British English to heat food gently in a little water or fat :
Sweat the vegetables until the juices run out.
sweat something off phrasal verb
to lose weight by sweating a lot
sweat something out phrasal verb
1 to wait anxiously for news that is very important to you :
Charles is sweating it out while the coach decides which players hes taking to the
Olympics.
2 American English to work very hard on something, especially something difficult :
kids sweating out a test
3 to do hard physical exercise :
They were sweating it out in the gym.
4 to get rid of an illness by making yourself sweat a lot

soar / s $ sr / verb [ intransitive ]
1 AMOUNTS/PRICES ETC to increase quickly to a high level OPP plummet :
Her temperature soared.
The price of petrol has soared in recent weeks.
soaring unemployment
2 IN THE SKY
a) to fly, especially very high up in the sky, floating on air currents :
She watched the dove soar above the chestnut trees.
b) to go quickly upwards to a great height :
The ball soared to left field.
3 SPIRITS/HOPES if your SPIRIT s (= the way you are feeling, for example happy, sad
etc ) or hopes soar, you begin to feel very happy or hopeful OPP sink :
Adams smile sent her spirits soaring .
4 LOOK TALL [ not in progressive ] if buildings, trees, towers etc soar, they look very
tall and impressive SYN tower :
Here the cliffs soar a hundred feet above the sea.
a soaring skyscraper
THESAURUS
TO INCREASE
increase to become larger in number, amount, or degree : Sales increased by 25%. |
The level of violence has increased.
go up to increase. Go up is less formal than increase , and is the usual verb to use in
everyday English : The price of coffee has gone up.
rise to increase. Rise sounds a little formal and is often used when talking about the
level of something increasing : The demand for oil has been rising steadily. | Living
standards have risen dramatically.
grow to increase, especially gradually over a period of time used about numbers or
amounts : Since 1990, US imports of foreign goods have grown at a rate of 7.7% per
year. | The number of people working from home has grown substantially.
escalate to increase to a high level used about things that you do not want to
increase such as costs, crimes, or violence : Fuel prices are escalating. | The fighting has
escalated.
double/triple to become twice as much or three times as much : Since 1950, the
number of people dying from cancer has almost doubled. | The companys profits tripled
last quarter.
expand to become larger in size, or to include a wider range of activities : The business
has expanded at a rate of 15% per year. | We are hoping to expand into mobile phone
services.
soar to increase and reach a very high level used about numbers and amounts, or
about feelings : The temperature soared to 36.6 degrees centigrade. | His confidence
soared. | The singers popularity has soared.
shoot up to increase very quickly and suddenly used about prices, numbers, or
temperatures : Share prices shot up 30% over the last week.
herd 2 verb
1 [ transitive always + adverb/preposition ] to bring people together in a large
group, especially roughly :
The prisoners were herded together .
I dont want to be herded around with a lot of tourists.
herd somebody into something
The visitors were herded into two large halls.
2 [ transitive ] to make animals move together in a group :
It was Toms duty to herd the cows.
3 something is like herding cats used to say that trying to control or organize a
group of people is very difficult
rear 2 verb
1 [ transitive ] to look after a person or animal until they are fully grown SYN
raise :
Its a good place to rear young children.
The birds have been successfully reared in captivity.
2 [ intransitive ] ( also rear up ) if an animal rears, it rises up to stand on its back
legs buck :
The horse reared and threw me off.
3 [ intransitive ] ( also rear up ) if something rears up, it appears in front of you and
often seems to be leaning over you in a threatening way :
A large rock, almost 200 feet high, reared up in front of them.
4 be reared on something to be given a particular kind of food, books,
entertainment etc regularly while you are a child :
children reared on TV and video games
5 rear its ugly head if a problem or difficult situation rears its ugly head, it appears
and is impossible to ignore :
The problem of drug-taking in sport has reared its ugly head again.
crush 1 / kr / verb [ transitive ]
1 to press something so hard that it breaks or is damaged :
His leg was crushed in the accident.
Two people were crushed to death in the rush to escape.
2 to press something in order to break it into very small pieces or into a powder :
Crush two cloves of garlic.
3 crush a rebellion/uprising/revolt etc to use severe methods to stop people
from fighting you or opposing you SYN put down :
The revolution was crushed within days.
4 crush sbs hopes/enthusiasm/confidence etc to make someone lose all hope,
confidence etc
5 to make someone feel extremely upset or shocked :
Sara was crushed by their insults.
crush on somebody phrasal verb American English informal
to have a feeling of romantic love for someone, especially someone you do not know
well :
a guy in my class that Im crushing on
THESAURUS
press to push something down or against a surface with your fingers or foot : The
doctor gently pressed her stomach. | To move forward, press the accelerator. | I
pressed delete and started again.
squeeze to press something inwards from both sides : Its one of those balls that make
a funny noise when you squeeze it. | Squeeze the lemon and add the juice to the sauce.
squash to press something against a surface accidentally and damage it by making it
flat : Dont squash the tomatoes. | He sat on my hat and squashed it.
crush to press something very hard so that it breaks into very small pieces, or is very
badly damaged : Crush two cloves of garlic. | The front of the car was completely
crushed in the crash.
mash to press cooked vegetables or fruit until they are soft and smooth : Mash the
potatoes while they are warm. | Babies love mashed bananas.
grind to press something solid until it becomes a powder, using a machine or tool : the
machine that grinds the corn | freshly ground coffee
leisurely / leli $ lirli / adjective
if you do something in a leisurely way, you do it in a slow relaxed way, without
hurrying :
After lunch we went for a leisurely stroll.
working at a leisurely pace
leisurely adverb :
He sipped leisurely at his drink.
THESAURUS
slow not moving quickly or not doing something quickly : I was always one of the
slowest runners in my class. | My computers really slow compared to the ones at
school.
gradual happening, developing, or changing slowly over a long period of time : a
gradual rise in the Earths temperature | Ive noticed a gradual improvement in his work.
leisurely especially written moving or doing something slowly, especially because you
are enjoying what you are doing and do not have to hurry : a leisurely breakfast | They
walked at a leisurely pace.
unhurried especially written moving or doing something in a slow and calm way,
without rushing at all : She continued to listen, seeming relaxed and unhurried. | the
doctors calm unhurried manner
sluggish moving or reacting more slowly than usual, especially because of a loss of
power or energy. Also used when business, sales, or the economy seem very slow : The
car seems rather sluggish going uphill. | The drink was making her sluggish. | the
companys sluggish performance this year | Sales have been sluggish.
lethargic moving slowly, because you feel as if you have no energy and no interest in
doing anything : She woke up feeling heavy and lethargic. | His son seemed depressed
and lethargic.
languid literary slow and with very little energy or activity used about people, actions,
or periods of time : She lifted her hand in a languid wave. | a long languid afternoon in
the middle of summer | He was pale and had rather a languid air about him.
glacial literary extremely slow used especially about the speed at which something
happens : Things are changing, but at a glacial pace.

sight 1 S2 W2 / sat / noun
1 ABILITY TO SEE [ uncountable ] the physical ability to see SYN vision :
Annes sight is very good for someone of her age.
He began to lose his sight six years ago.
an emergency operation to save his sight
You will get a free sight test if you are under 16.
2 ACT OF SEEING [ singular, uncountable ] the act of seeing something
sight of
Just the sight of him made her go all weak.
at the sight of something
Marcie will faint at the sight of blood.
The house is hidden from sight behind trees.
3 THING YOU SEE [ countable ]
a) something you can see
familiar/common/rare etc sight
Street dentists are a common sight in Pakistan.
As he reached the front door, he saw a strange sight.
the sights and sounds of the forest
not a pretty sight at PRETTY 2 ( 3 ) , sorry sight at SORRY ( 8 )
b) the sights [ plural ] famous or interesting places that tourists visit :
In the afternoon, youll have a chance to relax or see the sights .
the sights of
So, Marias showing you the sights of Copenhagen, is she?
SIGHTSEEING
4 in/within sight
a) inside the area that you can see :
I glanced around me quickly. There was no one in sight.
They burned every house in sight .
The boys get home and eat everything in sight .
Since my hotel was within sight, I told him he could go.
b) likely to happen soon :
Six months from the start of the strike, there is still no end in sight .
Peace is now in sight.
5 within/in sight of something
a) in the area where you can see something :
We camped within sight of the lake.
At last they came in sight of the city.
b) in a position where you will soon be able to get something or achieve something :
Dan was now within sight of the championship.
6 in your sights if you have someone or something in your sights, you intend to
achieve it or get it for yourself, or to attack them
have somebody/something in your sights
Rogers had victory firmly in his sights.
7 out of sight outside the area that you can see :
Karen waved until the car was out of sight.
8 out of sight, out of mind used to say that people soon stop thinking about
something or someone if they do not see them for a while
9 disappear/vanish from sight to disappear :
Will she be all right? asked Jen as the car disappeared from sight.
10 come into sight to appear :
when the ship at last came into sight
11 on sight as soon as you see someone :
The army has been ordered to shoot rebel soldiers on sight .
Jo disliked him on sight.
12 not let somebody out of your sight to make sure that someone stays near
you :
Since the accident, Donna hasnt let the children out of her sight.
13 be sick of/cant stand/hate the sight of somebody/something to dislike
someone or something very much :
Alan and Sam cant stand the sight of each other.
Everybody hates the sight of you.
14 a sight for sore eyes spoken
a) someone or something that you feel very happy to see
b) British English someone or something that is very unattractive or very funny to look
at
15 a (damn/darned/darn) sight more/better etc informal a lot more, a lot
better etc :
I know the place a damn sight better than you do.
The old lady is a sight cleverer than Sarah.
16 be a sight ( also look a sight ) to look very funny or stupid, or very untidy or
unpleasant :
Wed had an all-night party, and the place looked a bit of a sight.
17 sight unseen if you buy or choose something sight unseen, you do it without
looking at the thing first :
I cant believe you would rent a place sight unseen.
18 be a (beautiful/strange/frightening etc) sight to behold formal used to
emphasize that something or someone looks very unusual, for example because they
are very beautiful, strange, or frightening :
His garden was a sight to behold.
His face was not a pleasant sight to behold.
19
GUN [ countable usually plural ] the part of a gun or other weapon that guides your
eye when you are aiming at something
at first sight at FIRST 1 ( 6 ) , know somebody by sight at KNOW 1 ( 3 ) ,
lose sight of something at LOSE ( 1 ) , set your mind/sights/heart on (doing)
something at SET 1 ( 13 )
COLLOCATIONS
ADJECTIVES
good sight Many types of fish have good sight.
poor sight His sight was quite poor.
failing sight (= becoming worse ) He ran the business until failing sight forced him to
retire.
VERBS
lose your sight As the result of a severe illness, she lost her sight at the age of twelve.
save sbs sight Surgeons believe they can save her sight.
sbs sight fails (= gets much worse ) He was in his seventies when his sight began to
fail.
SIGHT + NOUN
a sight test If your sight test shows that you need glasses, the optician will give you a
prescription.
THESAURUS
SOMETHING THAT YOU SEE
sight something that you see : A herd of elephants is a magnificent sight. | Even
Charles cheered up at the sight of the food.
view the area you can see from a window or place, especially when it is beautiful : The
view from the top of the mountain is amazing. | The hotel has great views of Lake
Windermere. | We had a good view of the firework display.
panorama an impressive view of a very large area that stretches a long way across in
front of you : a panorama of snow-covered hills and mountains
vista written a view of a large area of beautiful scenery used in written descriptions :
The road around the island offers some spectacular vistas.
scene what you see in a place, especially where people are moving around and doing
things : Reporters described the horrific scenes which followed the bombing. | His
pictures are mainly of local scenes.
spectacle something that you see that is very unusual, surprising, or strange : It must
have been an unusual spectacle. | I leaned over the balcony to get a look at the
spectacle below.
visuals [ plural ] pictures or parts of a film, video etc that people can see, as opposed
to the parts you can hear : Good visuals will help keep your audiences attention.
exotic / ztk $ z- / adjective
something that is exotic seems unusual and interesting because it is related to a
foreign country use this to show approval :
exotic birds
exotic places
exotically / -kli / adverb
striking / strak / adjective
1 unusual or interesting enough to be easily noticed
striking contrast/similarity/parallel etc
a striking contrast between wealth and poverty
2 attractive in an unusual way that is easy to notice :
a dark man with striking features
3 [ only before noun ] not working because of being on STRIKE :
striking auto workers
be within striking distance at STRIKE 1 ( 17 )
gown / an / noun [ countable ]
1 a long dress that a woman wears on formal occasions
wedding/evening/ball gown
a white silk wedding gown
2 a long loose piece of clothing worn for special ceremonies by judges, teachers,
lawyers, and members of universities SYN robe
3 a long loose piece of clothing worn in a hospital by someone doing or having an
operation :
a hospital gown
DRESSING GOWN
veil 1 / vel / noun [ countable ]
1 a thin piece of material that women wear to cover their faces at formal occasions
or for religious reasons :
She lifted her veil with both hands.
a bridal veil
2 the veil the system in Islamic countries in which women must cover their hair and
faces in public
3 draw a veil over something formal to avoid talking about something that
happened in the past because it is unpleasant or embarrassing :
I think it best to draw a veil over the whole incident.
4 veil of secrecy/deceit/silence etc formal something that hides the truth about
a situation :
Watson deserves credit for lifting the veil of secrecy surrounding Brendas death.
His pornography was covered by a veil of respectability.
5 veil of mist/cloud/smoke etc a thin layer of mist, cloud etc that makes it
difficult to see clearly :
The moon was hidden behind a veil of clouds.
6 take the veil old-fashioned to become a NUN
shade 2 verb [ transitive ]
1 to protect something from direct light :
Shading her eyes, Anita scanned the horizon.
2 ( also shade in ) to make part of a picture or drawing darker :
She shaded in the circles in the last two letters.
shade into something phrasal verb literary
if one thing shades into another, it is difficult to know where one stops and another
starts :
His impatience shaded into anger.
pullover / plv $ -ovr / noun [ countable ]
a piece of WOOLLEN clothing without buttons that you wear on the top half of your
body SYN sweater
sore 1 S3 / s $ sr / adjective
1 a part of your body that is sore is painful, because of infection or because you
have used a muscle too much :
I had a sore throat and aching limbs.
sore from
My arms are sore from all the lifting.
2 sore point/spot/subject (with somebody) something that is likely to make
someone upset or angry when you talk about it :
Just dont mention it its always been a sore point with him.
3 [ not before noun ] especially American English informal upset, angry, and
annoyed, especially because you have not been treated fairly :
Macs still sore because I didnt invite him.
sore at
Dont be sore at me I just forgot to tell you.
4 [ only before noun ] British English used to emphasize how serious, difficult etc
something is :
Inner city schools are in sore need of extra funds.
5 sore loser someone who gets angry or upset when they lose a game or
competition :
Nobody likes a sore loser.
6 stick/stand out like a sore thumb informal if someone or something sticks out
like a sore thumb, they are very noticeable because they are different from everyone or
everything else :
You stick out like a sore thumb in that uniform.
be like a bear with a sore head at BEAR 2 ( 3 ) , a sight for sore eyes at
SIGHT 1 ( 14 )
THESAURUS
WHEN A PART OF YOUR BODY HURTS
painful used for describing a part of the body that hurts : Her leg is still painful where
she broke it. | painful joints | She was suffering from painful stomach cramps.
tender painful when touched : The skin around the wound is very tender.
stiff painful and difficult to move : Ive got a stiff neck. | Her body was stiff from sitting
in the car for so long.
sore painful as a result of a wound, infection, or too much exercise : sore muscles | a
sore throat | The wound was sore and red.
intense W3 AC / ntens / adjective
1 having a very strong effect or felt very strongly :
Young people today are under intense pressure to succeed.
the intense heat of the desert
The pain was so intense I couldnt sleep.
He took an intense interest in all religious matters.
a look of intense dislike
2 intense activity is very serious, uses a lot of effort, and often involves doing a
great deal in a very short time :
The job demands intense concentration.
At least 3000 people were killed in a week of intense fighting.
3 someone who is intense is serious and has very strong feelings or opinions used
to show disapproval :
Shes a little too intense for me.
intensely adverb :
He disliked Kate intensely.
COLLOCATIONS
NOUNS
intense pressure The Prime Minister is under intense pressure to call a general
election.
intense competition There is intense competition for places on the course.
intense heat He could feel the intense heat of the Egyptian sun.
intense cold He was shivering with intense cold.
intense pain She felt an intense pain in her right shoulder.
intense pleasure Anne read the letter with intense pleasure.
an intense desire Fred felt an intense desire to punch Max in the face.
an intense interest in something The police are aware of the intense interest in the
case.
intense dislike He had taken an intense dislike to Robert.
intense activity The opening of the restaurant was preceded by a period of intense
activity.
intense debate Abortion has become the subject of intense debate.
intense negotiations The hostages were freed after intense negotiations.
intense scrutiny (= being examined very carefully ) The mining industry is coming
under intense scrutiny over its environmental record.
intense speculation (= a lot of guessing about what may have happened ) After weeks
of intense speculation, the actress announced that she was pregnant.
intense opposition Locals have voiced intense opposition to plans to expand the
airport.
intense feelings/emotion Her lips trembled with intense emotion.
apparently S1 W2 / prntli / adverb
1 [ sentence adverb ] used to say that you have heard that something is true,
although you are not completely sure about it :
Apparently the company is losing a lot of money.
I wasnt there, but apparently it went well.
2 according to the way someone looks or a situation appears, although you cannot
be sure :
She turned to face him, her anger apparently gone.
shove 1 S3 / v / verb
1 [ intransitive and transitive ] to push someone or something in a rough or careless
way, using your hands or shoulders :
He shoved her towards the car.
Everyone was pushing and shoving to see the prince.
2 [ transitive always + adverb/preposition ] to put something somewhere carelessly
or without thinking much :
Tidying the room seems to mean shoving everything under the bed!
He shoved his hands into his pockets.
3 [ transitive ] spoken used to tell someone in a very impolite way that you do not
want something :
They can take their three cents an hour raise and shove it .
when/if push comes to shove at PUSH 2 ( 6 )
shove off phrasal verb
1 British English spoken used to tell someone rudely or angrily to go away :
Shove off! Im busy.
2 to push a boat away from the land, usually with a pole
shove up/over phrasal verb British English spoken
to move along on a seat to make space for someone else :
Shove up, mate, theres no room to sit down here.
outstretched / atstrett / adjective
stretched out to full length
outstretched arms/hands/fingers
She ran to meet them with outstretched arms.
germ / dm $ drm / noun [ countable ]
1 a very small living thing that can make you ill BACTERIA :
Put disinfectant down the toilet to kill any germs.
2 the germ of an idea/theory/feeling etc the early stage of an idea, feeling etc
that may develop into something bigger and more important :
The germ of a story began to form in his mind.
3 technical the part of a plant or animal that can develop into a new plant or
animal :
germ cells containing DNA
WHEATGERM , GERM WARFARE
notion W3 AC / n n $ no- / noun [ countable ]
1 an idea, belief, or opinion
notion of
misguided notions of male superiority
The traditional notion of marriage goes back thousands of years.
She had only a vague notion of what she wanted to do.
notion that
the notion that human beings are basically good
She had no notion what he meant.
accept/challenge/reject etc a notion
They reject the notion of group guilt.
2 notions [ plural ] American English small things such as thread and buttons that
are used for sewing
COLLOCATIONS
VERBS
have a notion He didnt have a clear notion of what he had to do.
accept a notion Probably 95% of scientists now accept the notion that human activity
is causing climate change.
support a notion There is no evidence to support the notion that girls are treated
better than boys in school.
reinforce a notion (= make an idea stronger or easier to believe ) The research
reinforces the notion that fathers have an important role in their childrens lives.
challenge/dispute a notion Copernicus challenged the notion that the sun goes
around the earth.
reject/dismiss a notion Aristotle rejected the notion that the body and the soul are
separate.
ADJECTIVES
a vague notion (= an unclear idea ) He had only a vague notion of what might happen
next.
an absurd/ridiculous notion They had the ridiculous notion that they could make a
living from singing.
a simple notion You cannot rate the project according to a simple notion of value for
money: there are too many factors involved.
an abstract notion In art, how can you represent abstract notions such as peace or
justice?
a romantic notion (= one that is based on how you want something to be, not how it
is in real life ) He rejected the romantic notion of rugby as a game for gentlemen.
a preconceived notion (= an idea that you have before you have enough knowledge
or experience ) The police were accused of twisting the evidence to meet their
preconceived notion of his guilt.
an accepted/received notion (= an idea that most people believe ) These women
challenged accepted notions of female roles in society.
the whole notion of something (= used to emphasize that you are talking about a lot
of related ideas, not just one specific idea ) The movie makes us question the whole
notion of what makes a hero.
PHRASES
not have the faintest/foggiest notion (= not know or understand something at all )
He had not the foggiest notion how far he might have to walk.
THESAURUS
idea something that you think of, especially something that you could do or suggest : I
think thats an excellent idea. | Let me know if you have any good ideas.
thought something that comes into your mind : The thought had entered my mind that
he might be lying. | It was a worrying thought. | She was lost in her thoughts.
impression the idea that you have in your mind about what someone or something is
like : What was your impression of him?
inspiration a good and original idea, which makes you think of doing or creating
something : Where did you get your inspiration from for the book? | He suddenly had a
flash of inspiration. | The design for the house was entirely the inspiration of the
architect.
brainwave British English , brainstorm American English a sudden new and clever
idea, especially one that solves a problem : I thought Id have to sell the house, but
then I had a brainwave.
concept an idea of how something is, or how something should be done : Concepts of
beauty are different in different cultures. | the traditional concept of marriage
notion an idea about life or society, especially one that is a little silly or old-fashioned :
There is no evidence to support the notion that poverty is caused by laziness.
swarm 2 verb [ intransitive ]
1 [ always + adverb/preposition ] if people swarm somewhere, they go there as a
large uncontrolled crowd :
Photographers were swarming around the princess.
2 if BEE s swarm, they leave a HIVE (= place where they live ) in a large group to look
for another home
swarm with somebody/something phrasal verb
to be full of a moving crowd of people or animals :
The museum was swarming with tourists.
shoo 2 verb [ transitive always + adverb/preposition ] informal
to make an animal or a child go away, especially because they are annoying you
shoo somebody away/out etc
He shooed the kids out of the kitchen.
balcony / blkni / noun ( plural balconies ) [ countable ]
1 a structure that you can stand on, that is attached to the outside wall of a building,
above ground level :
Has your flat got a balcony?
2 the seats upstairs at a theatre stalls
bounce 1 S3 / bans / verb
1 BALL/OBJECT [ intransitive and transitive ] if a ball or other object bounces, or you
bounce it, it immediately moves up or away from a surface after hitting it
bounce off
The ball bounced off the post and into the goal.
bounce something on/against etc something
The kids were bouncing a ball against the wall.
2 JUMP UP AND DOWN [ intransitive ] to move up and down, especially because you
are hitting a surface that is made of rubber, has springs etc
bounce on
Lyn was bouncing on the trampoline.
Stop bouncing up and down on the sofa.
3 CHEQUE [ intransitive and transitive ] if a cheque bounces, or if a bank bounces a
cheque, the bank will not pay any money because there is not enough money in the
account of the person who wrote it
4 WALK [ intransitive always + adverb/preposition ] to walk quickly and with a lot of
energy :
Olivia came bouncing into the room.
5 SOMETHING MOVES UP AND DOWN [ intransitive ] if something bounces, it moves
quickly up and down as you move :
Her hair bounced when she walked.
6 LIGHT/SOUND [ intransitive and transitive ] if light or sound bounces, it hits a
surface and then moves quickly away from it
bounce (something) off something
The radio signals are bounced off a satellite.
7 EMAIL ( also bounce back ) [ intransitive and transitive ] if an email that you send
bounces or is bounced, it is returned to you and the other person does not receive it
because of a technical problem
8 bounce ideas off somebody to talk about your ideas with someone in order to
get their opinion :
When you work in a team you can bounce your ideas off each other.
9 FORCE SOMEBODY TO LEAVE [ transitive ] informal to force someone to leave a place,
job, or organization, especially because they have done something wrong
bounce somebody from something
Taylor was bounced from the team for assaulting another player.
bounce something around phrasal verb informal
to discuss ideas with other people :
I wanted to have a meeting so that we could bounce a few ideas around.
bounce back phrasal verb
1 to feel better quickly after being ill, or to become successful again after failing or
having been defeated SYN recover :
The companys had a lot of problems in the past, but its always managed to bounce
back.
2 if an email that you send bounces back or is bounced back, it is returned to you
and the other person does not receive it because of a technical problem
bounce somebody into something phrasal verb British English
to force someone to decide to do something, especially without giving them time to
consider it carefully
bounce somebody into doing something
Party members feel that they were bounced into accepting the policy.
THESAURUS
jump verb [ intransitive and transitive ] to push yourself up into the air, over something
etc, using your legs : The cat jumped up onto the table. | He jumped over the stream. |
His horse jumped the fence successfully.
skip verb [ intransitive ] to move forwards with little jumps between your steps,
especially because you are feeling happy : The little girl was skipping down the street.
hop verb [ intransitive ] to jump or move around on one leg : He was hopping around
because hed injured his foot.
leap verb [ intransitive and transitive ] especially written to suddenly jump up high or a
long way : The deer leapt over the fence. | Tina leapt onto the boat as it was moving
away. | Fish were leaping out of the water.
bounce verb [ intransitive ] to jump up and down several times, especially on
something that has springs in it : Children love bouncing on beds.
dive verb [ intransitive ] to jump into water with your head and arms first : Zo dived
into the swimming pool.
vault / vlt $ vlt / verb [ intransitive and transitive ] especially written to jump over
something in one movement, using your hands or a pole to help you : He vaulted the
ticket barrier and ran for the exit. | Ben tried to vault over the bar.
wrought iron noun [ uncountable ]
long thin pieces of iron formed into shapes to make gates, fences etc
burro / br $ bro / noun ( plural burros ) [ countable ]
American English a small DONKEY
unruly / nruli / adjective
1 violent or difficult to control SYN wild :
unruly children
unruly behaviour
2 unruly hair is difficult to keep tidy
unruliness noun [ uncountable ]
oppressive / presv / adjective
1 powerful, cruel, and unfair :
an oppressive military regime
2 weather that is oppressive is unpleasantly hot with no movement of air :
the oppressive heat of the afternoon
3 a situation that is oppressive makes you unhappy, worried, or uncomfortable :
an oppressive silence
an oppressive atmosphere
oppressively adverb
aside 1 S3 W3 / sad / adverb
1 kept to be used later :
Ive been setting aside a few pounds each week.
One of the rooms was set aside for a yoga class.
Try to set aside a few hours a week for exercise.
Could you put this cake aside for me?
2 moved to one side or away from you :
He pushed his half-eaten salad aside and left.
He stepped aside to let Katherine go in first.
Mark drew me aside and explained the problem.
She swept her thick hair aside.
3 left to be considered or dealt with later, or not considered and dealt with at all :
He brushed aside criticisms of his performance.
Leaving aside the heat, we really enjoyed our holiday.
You must put aside your pride and call her.
4 [ only after noun ] used to show that something you have just said is not as
important as what you are going to say next :
These problems aside, we think the plan should go ahead.
5 aside from somebody/something especially American English
a) except for SYN apart from :
Aside from Durangs performance, the actors are ordinary.
b) in addition to :
In the poetry competition, aside from Hass, are four other entrants.
nail 2 verb [ transitive ]
1 [ always + adverb/preposition ] to fasten something to something else with nails
nail something to something
A sign saying No Fishing had been nailed to the tree.
nail something down
The lid was firmly nailed down.
nail something up (= permanently close a window or door by fixing something across
it using nails )
The windows had been nailed up.
2 informal to catch someone and prove that they are guilty of a crime or something
bad :
It took us 10 years to nail the guy who killed our daughter.
nail somebody for something
The state police finally nailed him for fraud.
3 informal if you nail something, you succeed in getting it, after a lot of time or
effort :
She finally nailed her dream job.
4 nail a lie/myth British English informal to prove that what someone has said is
completely untrue
5 nail your colours to the mast British English to say clearly and publicly which
ideas or which people you support
6 nail somebody to the wall/cross especially American English to punish
someone severely
nail somebody/something down phrasal verb informal
1 to reach a final and definite agreement or decision about something :
Two days isnt enough time to nail down the details of an agreement.
2 nail somebody down to force someone to say clearly what they want or what
they intend to do
nail somebody down to
Before they repair the car, nail them down to a price.
makeshift / mekft / adjective
made to be used for a short time only when nothing better is available :
The refugees slept in makeshift tents at the side of the road.
clamour 2 British English , clamor American English verb [ intransitive ]
1 [ always + adverb/preposition ] to demand something loudly
clamour for
The audience cheered, clamoring for more.
clamour to do something
All his friends were clamouring to know where hed been.
2 to talk or shout loudly :
Children clamored excitedly.
unbearable / nberb l $ -ber- / adjective
too unpleasant, painful, or annoying to deal with SYN intolerable :
The pain was almost unbearable .
He was making life unbearable for his parents.
unbearably adverb :
an unbearably hot day
frame 2 verb [ transitive ]
1 to surround something with something else so that it looks attractive or can be
seen clearly :
Sarahs face was framed by her long dark hair.
She stood there, framed against the doorway.
2 to put a picture in a structure that will hold it firmly :
Im going to get the picture framed .
a framed photograph
3 to deliberately make someone seem guilty of a crime when they are not guilty, by
lying to the police or in a court of law SYN set up :
Needhams lawyers claimed that he had been framed by the police.
frame somebody for something
The two men were framed for murder.
4 formal to carefully plan the way you are going to ask a question, make a
statement etc :
She wondered how she was going to frame the question.
5 formal to organize and develop a plan, system etc :
Newman played a central role in framing the new law.
6 gilt-framed/wood-framed etc having a frame or frames of a particular colour or
material :
wire-framed spectacles
thrust 1 / rst / verb ( past tense and past participle thrust )
1 [ transitive always + adverb/preposition ] to push something somewhere roughly :
She thrust a letter into my hand.
He thrust me roughly towards the door.
2 [ intransitive ] to make a sudden movement forward with a sword or knife
thrust at
He skipped aside as his opponent thrust at him.
thrust something aside phrasal verb
to refuse to think about something :
Our complaints were thrust aside and ignored.
thrust something upon/on somebody phrasal verb
if something is thrust upon you, you are forced to accept it even if you do not want
it :
She never enjoyed the fame that was thrust upon her.
He had marriage thrust upon him.
THESAURUS
put to move something to a particular place : Ive put the wine in the fridge. | Where
have you put my grey shirt?
place to put something somewhere carefully : Its beautiful, he said, placing it back on
the shelf.
lay to put someone or something down carefully on a flat surface : He laid all the money
on the table. | She laid the baby on his bed.
position to carefully put something in a suitable position : Position the microphone to
suit your height. | Troops were positioned around the city.
slip to put something somewhere with a quick movement : He slipped his arm around
her waist. | Carrie quickly slipped the money into her bag.
shove to put something into a space or container quickly or carelessly : Shove anything
you dont want in that sack. | Ive ironed those shirts so dont just shove them in a
drawer.
stick ( also bung British English ) informal to put something somewhere quickly or
carelessly : I stuck the address in my pocket and I cant find it now. | Could you bung
those clothes in the washing machine?
dump to put something down somewhere in a careless and untidy way : Dont just
dump all your bags in the kitchen. | People shouldnt dump rubbish at the side of the
street.
pop informal to quickly put something somewhere, usually for a short time : Pop it in
the microwave for a minute.
thrust literary to put something somewhere suddenly or forcefully : Hide it, he said,
thrusting the watch into her hand.
grasp 1 / rsp $ rsp / verb [ transitive ]
1 to take and hold something firmly SYN grip :
I grasped his arm firmly and led him away.
Alan grasped the handle and pulled it.
2 [ not in progressive ] to completely understand a fact or an idea, especially a
complicated one :
At that time, we did not fully grasp the significance of what had happened.
Some people find the idea of relativity difficult to grasp.
grasp what/how etc
A short opening paragraph enables the reader to quickly grasp what the article is about.
grasp that
Nick had grasped that something was wrong.
3 grasp an opportunity to eagerly and quickly use an opportunity to do
something :
She is ready to grasp any opportunity to expand the business.
4 grasp the nettle British English to deal with an unpleasant situation firmly and
without delay :
We need to grasp the nettle of prison reform.
grasp at something phrasal verb
to try to hold on to something :
His foot slipped and he grasped at the top of the wall.
indicative 2 AC adjective
1 be indicative of something to be a clear sign that a particular situation exists or
that something is likely to be true :
This behaviour is indicative of her whole attitude, Im afraid.
2 technical an indicative verb form is used for making statements
utensil / jutens l / noun [ countable ]
a thing such as a knife, spoon etc that you use when you are cooking :
kitchen utensils
inherent AC / nhrnt, -her- $ -hr-, -her- / adjective formal
a quality that is inherent in something is a natural part of it and cannot be separated
from it
inherent in
Im afraid the problems you mention are inherent in the system.
Every business has its own inherent risks.
inherently adverb :
Firefighting is an inherently dangerous occupation.
immerse / ms $ -rs / verb [ transitive ]
1 to put someone or something deep into a liquid so that they are completely
covered
immerse somebody/something in something
Immerse your foot in ice cold water to reduce the swelling.
2 immerse yourself in something to become completely involved in an activity :
He left school at 16 and immersed himself in the Labour Party.
immersed adjective :
She was far too immersed in her studies.
THESAURUS
TO PUT SOMETHING INTO A LIQUID
dip to put something into a liquid for a very short time and take it out again : She
dipped her hand in the water to see how hot it was. | Prawns are delicious dipped in a
spicy sauce.
plunge to put something quickly, firmly, and deeply into a liquid : Plunge the pasta into
a pan of boiling water. | I had to plunge my arm in up to the elbow to reach the keys.
dunk to put something such as a piece of bread or cake into a hot drink or soup before
eating it : I love biscuits dunked in coffee.
immerse to put something deep into a liquid so that it is completely covered : If the
plants leaves look dry, immerse the roots in water for a while.
assumption S2 W2 AC / smp n / noun
1 [ countable ] something that you think is true although you have no definite proof
assume
assumption that
A lot of people make the assumption that poverty only exists in the Third World.
My calculations were based on the assumption that house prices would remain steady.
assumption about
People make a lot of assumptions about me.
2 [ uncountable ] formal when someone starts to have control or power
assumption of
the assumption of responsibility
COLLOCATIONS
VERBS
make an assumption Youre making a lot of assumptions for which you have no proof.
be based on/rest on an assumption Our plans were based on the assumption that
everyone would be willing to help.
work on an assumption (= act according to something that may not be true ) The
police seemed to be working on the assumption that he was guilty.
ADJECTIVES
a reasonable/valid assumption This seemed like a reasonable assumption.
a common/general/widespread assumption Theres a common assumption that
science is more difficult than other subjects.
a basic/fundamental/underlying assumption There is a basic assumption in
international law that a state will protect its citizens.
a correct assumption Many people acted on the correct assumption that interest rates
would rise.
a wrong/false/mistaken assumption Both theories are based on a single wrong
assumption.
an underlying assumption (= a belief that is used as the basis for an idea, but which
may not be correct ) There seems to be an underlying assumption in what he says that
women are weaker than men.
a tacit/unspoken assumption (= one that no one says aloud ) There seemed to be a
tacit assumption that they would get married.
a questionable assumption (= one that is likely to be wrong ) That assumption was
obviously highly questionable.
pervasive / pvesv $ pr- / adjective
existing everywhere :
the pervasive influence of television
the all-pervasive mood of apathy
pervasiveness noun [ uncountable ]
anthropology / nrpldi $ -p- / noun [ uncountable ]
the scientific study of people, their societies, CULTURE s etc ethnology , sociology
anthropologist noun [ countable ]
anthropological / nrpldk l $ -l- / adjective
circumstance S2 W1 AC / skmstns, -stns $ sr- / noun
1 [ countable usually plural ] the conditions that affect a situation, action, event
etc :
The Soviet Union had been forced by circumstances to sign a pact with Nazi Germany.
I cant imagine a circumstance in which I would be willing to steal.
in ... circumstances
The rules can only be waived in exceptional circumstances.
under ... circumstances
Prisoners can only leave their cells under certain circumstances.
2 under no circumstances ( also in no circumstances British English ) used to
emphasize that something must definitely not happen :
Under no circumstances are you to go out.
3 under/given the circumstances ( also in the circumstances British English )
used to say that a particular situation makes an action, decision etc necessary,
acceptable, or true when it would not normally be :
Its the best result that could be expected under the circumstances.
4 [ uncountable ] formal the combination of facts, events etc that influence your life,
and that you cannot control :
He was a victim of circumstance .
5 circumstances [ plural ] formal the conditions in which you live, especially how
much money you have
economic/financial/personal etc circumstances
Whether or not you qualify for a loan will depend on your financial circumstances.
people living in difficult social circumstances
in reduced circumstances old-fashioned (= with much less money than you used to
have )
pomp and circumstance at POMP
COLLOCATIONS
ADJECTIVES
in/under certain circumstances (= if particular conditions exist ) In certain
circumstances you may be refused a visa.
exceptional/special circumstances The court may allow this evidence in exceptional
circumstances.
normal circumstances In normal circumstances, a childs language will develop
naturally.
particular circumstances (= special or specific ) There may be particular
circumstances in which this rule will not apply.
difficult circumstances Many teachers are doing a very good job under difficult
circumstances.
suspicious circumstances (= making you think something illegal has happened )
Officers said there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.
mysterious circumstances (= strange or suspicious ) One of their colleagues had
vanished in mysterious circumstances.
unusual circumstances There were several unusual circumstances that night.
unforeseen circumstances (= that you did not realize would happen ) The tragedy
was the result of a series of unforeseen circumstances.
tragic circumstances (= extremely sad and unfortunate ) Both parents had died in
tragic circumstances.
extenuating/mitigating circumstances (= conditions that make it reasonable for
someone to break the rules or law ) Hunger and poverty are not treated by the courts as
extenuating circumstances.
PHRASES
a set/combination of circumstances This was a very unusual set of circumstances.
the circumstances surrounding something Police are investigating the
circumstances surrounding the accident.
due to circumstances beyond sbs control Occasionally flights are cancelled due to
circumstances beyond our control.
imperceptible / mpseptb l, mpseptb l $ -pr- / adjective
almost impossible to see or notice :
Such changes are imperceptible to even the best-trained eye.
imperceptibly adverb :
The daylight faded almost imperceptibly into night.
imperceptibility / mpseptblti, mpseptblti $ -pr- / noun [ uncountable ]
distinguish S3 W3 / dstw / verb
1 [ intransitive and transitive ] to recognize and understand the difference between
two or more things or people SYN differentiate
distinguish between
His attorney argued that Cope could not distinguish between right and wrong.
distinguish somebody/something from
a method of distinguishing cancer cells from normal tissue
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually use the phrases tell the difference between
somebody/something or tell somebody/something from somebody/something ,
rather than distinguish :
He cant tell the difference between right and wrong.
How do you tell cancer cells from healthy cells?
2 [ transitive not in progressive ] to be the thing that makes someone or something
different or special
distinguish somebody/something from
The factor that distinguishes this company from the competition is customer service.
distinguishing feature/mark/characteristic
The main distinguishing feature of this species is the leaf shape.
3 [ transitive not in progressive ] written to be able to see the shape of something or
hear a particular sound :
The light was too dim for me to distinguish anything clearly.
4 distinguish yourself to do something so well that people notice and remember
you :
He distinguished himself on several occasions in the civil war.
THESAURUS
recognize to know who someone is or what something is, especially because you have
seen or heard them before : I hadnt seen her for ten years, but I recognized her
immediately. | Do you recognize this song?
identify to recognize someone or something and say who or what they are : As they
came closer, I was able to identify two of the group. | Its delicious but I cant quite
identify the taste.
distinguish to recognize and understand the difference between two or more things or
people : By this age, kids can usually distinguish between right and wrong. | Its often
difficult to distinguish identical twins from each other.
make something/somebody out to be able to see or hear something or someone
used when it is very difficult to do this : In the distance, I could just make out the
outline of an island. | He whispered something but I couldnt make out what it was.
discern / dsn $ -rn / formal to notice or understand something by looking carefully or
thinking about it carefully : I thought I discerned a faint gleam of hope in his eyes. | A
number of differences can be discerned in the data for the three countries.
yardstick / jdstk $ jrd- / noun [ countable ]
1 something that you compare another thing with, in order to judge how good or
successful it is
yardstick of
Profit is the most important yardstick of success for any business.
as a yardstick
These subjects are used as a yardstick against which to measure the childrens
progress.
2 a special stick used for measuring things, which is exactly one YARD long
profound / prfand / adjective
1 having a strong influence or effect
profound effect/influence/impact/consequence etc
Tolstoys experiences of war had a profound effect on his work.
The mothers behaviour has a profound impact on the developing child.
profound changes in society
2 showing strong serious feelings SYN deep :
a profound sense of guilt
3 showing great knowledge and understanding SYN deep :
a profound question
Jenner is a profound thinker.
4 literary deep or far below the surface of something SYN deep :
Her work touches something profound in the human psyche.
5 complete :
profound deafness
profoundly adverb :
profoundly disturbing news
aspect S2 W1 AC / spekt / noun
1 [ countable ] one part of a situation, idea, plan etc that has many parts
aspect of
Dealing with people is the most important aspect of my work.
Alcoholism affects all aspects of family life.
2 [ countable ] the direction in which a window, room, front of a building etc faces :
a south-facing aspect
3 [ singular, uncountable ] literary the appearance of someone or something :
The storm outside gave the room a sinister aspect.
4 [ uncountable and countable ] technical the form of a verb in grammar that shows
whether an action is continuing, or happens always, again and again, or once :
He sings differs from He is singing in aspect.
COLLOCATIONS
ADJECTIVES
an important/significant aspect A persons nationality is an important aspect of their
identity.
a key aspect (= a very important aspect ) There have been changes in five key aspects
of education.
a positive aspect Describe some of the positive aspects of technological development.
negative aspect We have to consider tourisms negative aspects.
a worrying/disturbing aspect The worrying aspect is that it gets worse every year.
the technical/practical/financial etc aspects The technical aspects of the movie
were incredible.
a striking aspect This is one of the most striking aspects of life in Tokyo.
VERBS
deal with an aspect International banks have departments to deal with this aspect of
trade.
look at/consider/examine an aspect Managers were asked to look at every aspect of
their work.
discuss an aspect Police are reluctant to discuss any aspect of the investigation.
concentrate/focus on an aspect Accountants often concentrate on one aspect of
accounting.
cover all aspects of something The training course covers all aspects of business.
NOUN + ASPECT
the safety/security aspect the safety aspect of nuclear power generation
the health/business/money etc aspect the health aspects of chemical accidents |
Im not very interested in the business aspect.
THESAURUS
appearance the way someone or something looks to other people : Shed had plastic
surgery to change her appearance. | The mushrooms are similar in appearance to
poisonous ones, so you have to be careful.
looks someones appearance, especially when considering how good-looking they are.
Looks is more informal than appearance : Girls of that age are always worried about
their looks. | People generally describe him as having boyish good looks .
image the appearance and character that a person, organization, product etc
deliberately tries to produce : She wowed fans with her sleek new image. | The scandal
has damaged her image as an honest politician. | The car has a racy new image.
aspect literary the appearance of someone or something : The costume gives his
character an even more sinister aspect.
penetrate / pentret, pentret / verb
1 GO THROUGH [ intransitive and transitive ] to enter something and pass or spread
through it, especially when this is difficult pierce :
bullets that penetrate thick armour plating
Sunlight barely penetrated the dirty windows.
penetrate into
Explorers penetrated deep into unknown regions.
2 BUSINESS [ transitive ] to start to sell things to an area or country, or to have an
influence there :
Few U.S. companies have successfully penetrated the Japanese electronics market.
3 ORGANIZATION [ transitive ] to succeed in becoming accepted into a group or an
organization, sometimes in order to find out their secrets :
KGB agents had penetrated most of their intelligence services.
4 UNDERSTAND formal
a) [ transitive ] to succeed in understanding something :
Science has penetrated the mysteries of nature.
b) [ intransitive and transitive ] to be understood, with difficulty :
What could I say that would penetrate his thick skull ?
5 SEX [ transitive ] if a man penetrates someone, he puts his PENIS into a womans
VAGINA or into someones ANUS when having sex
6 SEE THROUGH [ transitive ] to see into or through something when this is difficult :
My eyes couldnt penetrate the gloom.
framework AC / fremwk $ -wrk / noun [ countable ]
1 [ usually singular ] a set of ideas, rules, or beliefs from which something is
developed, or on which decisions are based
framework of/for
This paper provides a framework for future research.
2 social/legal/political etc framework the structure of a society, a legal or
political system etc :
We have to act within the existing legal framework.
3 the main supporting parts of a building, vehicle, or object :
the metal framework of the roof
perception W3 AC / psep n $ pr- / noun
1 [ uncountable and countable ] the way you think about something and your idea of
what it is like
perception of
childrens perceptions of the world
the public perception of the governments performance
2 [ uncountable ] the way that you notice things with your senses of sight, hearing
etc :
drugs that alter perception
visual perception
3 [ uncountable ] the natural ability to understand or notice things quickly :
Ross shows unusual perception for a boy of his age.
internalize AC ( also internalise British English ) / ntnlaz $ -r- / verb
[ transitive ]
if you internalize a particular belief, attitude, behaviour etc, it becomes part of your
character
internalization / ntnlaze n $ ntrnl- / noun [ uncountable ]
hygiene / hadin / noun [ uncountable ]
the practice of keeping yourself and the things around you clean in order to prevent
diseases :
the importance of personal hygiene
oral/dental hygiene
a food hygiene training course
good/poor/proper hygiene
The Consumers Association blames poor hygiene standards.
surreptitious / srpts $ s- / adjective
done secretly or quickly because you do not want other people to notice :
Rory tried to sneak a surreptitious glance at Adams wristwatch.
surreptitiously adverb
surreptitiousness noun [ uncountable ]
precaution / prk n $ -k- / noun [ countable usually plural ]
something you do in order to prevent something dangerous or unpleasant from
happening :
Fire precautions were neglected.
as a precaution
The traffic barriers were put there as a safety precaution .
precaution against
Save your work often as a precaution against computer failure.
wise/sensible precaution
The trails are well marked, but carrying a map is a wise precaution.
Vets took precautions to prevent the spread of the disease.
take the precaution of doing something
I took the precaution of insuring my camera.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say just in case rather than as a precaution :
I'm going to take my umbrella just in case .
COLLOCATIONS
VERBS
take a precaution We had taken the precaution of turning the water off.
ADJECTIVES/NOUN + PRECAUTION
a sensible/wise precaution Fitting window locks is a sensible precaution.
a simple precaution You can easily reduce the risk of theft by taking a few simple
precautions.
a necessary precaution He justified his secrecy as a necessary precaution.
a reasonable precaution You must take all reasonable precautions to safeguard official
property.
adequate/proper precautions Companies have a legal responsibility to take adequate
precautions against fire.
basic/elementary precautions Your home could be at risk if you don't take some
basic precautions.
elaborate precautions (= a lot of detailed precautions ) Elaborate precautions were
taken to avoid disputes between the representatives.
a safety precaution Both areas were cordoned off as a safety precaution.
a security precaution The threat of terrorist attacks has prompted some elaborate
security precautions.
microbe / makrb $ -krob / noun [ countable ]
an extremely small living thing which you can only see if you use a MICROSCOPE .
Some microbes can cause diseases.
abrupt / brpt / adjective
1 sudden and unexpected :
an abrupt change of plan
come to an abrupt end/halt etc
The bus came to an abrupt halt.
2 seeming rude and unfriendly, especially because you do not waste time in friendly
conversation :
Sorry, I didnt mean to be so abrupt.
abruptly adverb
abruptness noun [ uncountable ]
partially / p li $ pr- / adverb formal
not completely SYN partly :
The operation was only partially successful.
Remember that you are partially responsible for their unhappiness.
preferential / prefren l / adjective [ only before noun ]
preferential treatment, rates etc are deliberately different in order to give an
advantage to particular people :
preferential credit terms for reliable borrowers
preferentially adverb
tendency S3 W3 / tendnsi / noun ( plural tendencies ) [ countable ]
1 if someone or something has a tendency to do or become a particular thing, they
are likely to do or become it
a tendency to do something
Gregs tendency to be critical made him unpopular with his co-workers.
The drug is effective but has a tendency to cause headaches.
tendency to/towards
Some people may inherit a tendency to alcoholism.
tendency for
Researchers believe that the tendency for diabetes is present at birth.
2 a general change or development in a particular direction
there is a tendency (for somebody) to do something
There is an increasing tendency for women to have children later in life.
tendency to/towards
a general tendency towards conservation and recycling
tendency among
a tendency among Americans to get married at a later age
3 aggressive/suicidal/criminal/artistic etc tendencies a part of someones
character that makes them likely to behave in a certain way or become an artist,
criminal etc :
children with aggressive or anti-social tendencies
4 [ also + plural verb British English ] a group within a larger political group that
supports ideas that are usually more extreme than those of the main group :
the growing fascist tendency
COLLOCATIONS
ADJECTIVES
a natural tendency (= one you are born with ) His recent experiences had reinforced a
strong natural tendency towards caution.
an inherent/innate tendency (= one that you are born with, which will not change )
When attacked, some people have an inherent tendency to fight back.
a strong tendency There is a strong tendency to give dying patients far more drugs
than are necessary.
a marked tendency (= noticeable ) There is a marked tendency for Hollywood
marriages to end in divorce.
aggressive/violent tendencies Some breeds of dog have aggressive tendencies.
suicidal tendencies They failed to inform the prison authorities of the man's suicidal
tendencies.
criminal tendencies How should we deal with young people who have criminal
tendencies?
artistic tendencies As he grew up, he displayed artistic tendencies.
fascinate / fsnet, fsnet / verb [ transitive not in progressive ]
if someone or something fascinates you, you are attracted to them and think they
are extremely interesting :
The idea of travelling through time fascinates me.
arbitrary AC / btrri, btrri, -tri $ rbtreri / adjective
decided or arranged without any reason or plan, often unfairly :
an arbitrary decision
the arbitrary arrests of political opponents
arbitrariness noun [ uncountable ]
arbitrarily / btrrli, btrrli $ rbtrerli / adverb :
an arbitrarily chosen number
recessed / rsest $ risest, rsest / adjective
fitted into a part of a wall that is further back than the rest of the wall :
a recessed bookshelf
implicit AC / mplst, mplst / adjective
1 suggested or understood without being stated directly OPP explicit
implicit criticism/threat/assumption
Her words contained an implicit threat.
His statement is being seen as implicit criticism of the work of research laboratories.
2 formal forming a central part of something, but without being openly stated
implicit in
Confidentiality is implicit in your relationship with a counselor.
3 complete and containing no doubts
implicit faith/trust/belief
They had implicit faith in his powers.
implicitly adverb :
They believed implicitly in their own superiority.
imperative 1 / mpertv / adjective
1 extremely important and needing to be done or dealt with immediately :
It is imperative that politicians should be good communicators.
it is imperative (for somebody) to do something
It is imperative to meet face to face with the client.
2 technical an imperative verb is one that expresses an order, such as stand up
imperatively adverb
ingrained / nrend / adjective
1 ingrained attitudes or behaviour are firmly established and therefore difficult to
change
ingrained in
The idea of doing our duty is deeply ingrained in most people.
2 ingrained dirt is under the surface of something and very difficult to remove
dysfunctional / dsfk nl / adjective
1 not following the normal patterns of social behaviour, especially with the result
that someone cannot behave in a normal way or have a satisfactory life :
dysfunctional family relationships
2 not working properly or normally OPP functional
sole 1 W3 AC / sl $ sol / adjective [ only before noun ]
1 the sole person, thing etc is the only one SYN only :
the sole American in the room
Griffiths is the sole survivor of the crash.
The story was published with the sole purpose of selling newspapers.
2 not shared with anyone else :
Derek has sole responsibility for sales in Dublin.
The company has the sole rights to market Elton Johns records.
COLLOCATIONS
NOUNS
sbs sole purpose/aim Their sole purpose was to kill.
the sole reason His sole reason for calling was to shower abuse upon me.
the sole cause Im not saying that TV violence is the sole cause of violence in society.
the sole candidate He was the sole candidate for the post.
the sole occupant The librarys sole occupant was a thin, elderly man.
the sole survivor Jack was the sole survivor of the crew.
ADJECTIVES
the sole surviving/remaining member/child etc His sole surviving child, Mary,
succeeded to the throne at the age of one week.
COLLOCATIONS
NOUNS
sole responsibility She has the sole responsibility for a large family.
sole rights The company now has the sole rights to the process.
sole ownership/proprietorship He now has sole ownership of the company.
sole control/charge The school was no longer under their sole control.
stabbing 1 / stb / adjective [ only before noun ]
a stabbing pain is sharp and sudden
stabbing 2 noun [ countable ]
a crime in which someone is stabbed :
a fatal stabbing
folklore / fkl $ foklr / noun [ uncountable ]
the traditional stories, customs etc of a particular area or country
cruelty / krulti / noun ( plural cruelties )
1 [ uncountable and countable ] behaviour or actions that deliberately cause pain to
people or animals OPP kindness :
The children had suffered cruelty and neglect.
There was a hint of cruelty in Brians smile.
cruelty to
cruelty to animals
cruelty of
the cruelty of the slave trade
The deliberate cruelty of his words cut her like a knife.
the cruelties of war
2 [ uncountable ] the unfairness of something that happens :
the cruelty of life
evolve AC / vlv $ vlv / verb [ intransitive and transitive ]
1 if an animal or plant evolves, it changes gradually over a long period of time
evolution
evolve from
Fish evolved from prehistoric sea creatures.
Animals have evolved camouflage to protect themselves from predators.
2 to develop and change gradually over a long period of time :
The school has evolved its own style of teaching.
Businesses need to evolve rapidly.
evolve out of
The idea evolved out of work done by British scientists.
evolve into
The group gradually evolved into a political party.
cock 1 / kk $ kk / noun [ countable ]
1 CHICKEN an adult male chicken SYN rooster British English hen :
A cock crowed in the distance.
2 MALE BIRD especially British English an adult male bird of any kind :
A cock pheasant rose from the hill in front of me.
3 SEX ORGAN informal not polite a PENIS
4 cock and bull story British English a story or excuse that is silly and unlikely but
is told as if it were true :
a cock and bull story about the dog eating her homework
5 OBJECT THAT CONTROLS FLOW something that controls the flow of liquid or gas out of
a pipe or container SYN tap BALLCOCK , STOPCOCK
6 MAN British English old-fashioned used by some people when talking to a man they
know well
HALF COCKED
weed 2 verb [ intransitive and transitive ]
to remove unwanted plants from a garden or other place
weeding noun [ uncountable ]
weed somebody/something out phrasal verb
to get rid of people or things that are not very good :
The research will help governments to weed out ineffective aid schemes.
assert / st $ -rt / verb [ transitive ]
1 to state firmly that something is true :
French cooking, she asserted, is the best in the world.
assert that
He asserted that nuclear power was a safe and non-polluting energy source.
2 assert your rights/independence/superiority etc to state very strongly your
right to something :
Native Americans asserting their rights to ancestral land
3 assert yourself to behave in a determined way and say clearly what you think :
Women began to assert themselves politically.
4 assert itself if an idea or belief asserts itself, it begins to influence something :
National pride began to assert itself.
THESAURUS
claim to say that something is true, even though it has not been proved : He claims
that he didnt see anything. | She claims to be a descendant of Charles Dickens.
allege to claim that someone did something wrong or illegal, although you do not give
any proof : It is alleged that he murdered his wife. | Patients allege that the two firms
failed to warn doctors about the dangers of taking the drugs over a long period.
maintain to repeatedly say that something is true, especially when other people do not
believe you : He continued to maintain his innocence, even after he was sent to prison. |
My mother always maintains that I learned to talk at six months.
insist to say very firmly that something is true : She insists that Tom was there,
although he denies it. | Turkey insists that there is more than enough water in the two
rivers for all three countries.
assert formal to state that something is true used especially in formal writing when
reporting someones opinion : They assert that children work better on their own. | The
Environment Minister asserted that one third of the countrys cities had major pollution
problems.
contend formal to claim that something is true, especially when other people disagree
with you : Lawyers contend that his back problems were due to an existing injury, not
the accident. | It is possible, as Kennedy contends, that her medical condition is caused
by her work.
perceive W3 AC / psiv $ pr- / verb [ transitive not in progressive ]
1 written to understand or think of something or someone in a particular way
perception
perceive something/somebody as something
Even as a young woman she had been perceived as a future chief executive.
perceive something/somebody to be something
Often what is perceived to be aggression is simply fear.
Children who do badly in school tests often perceive themselves to be failures.
2 formal to notice, see, or recognize something perceptive :
That morning, he perceived a change in Francas mood.
Cats are not able to perceive colour.
perceive that
He perceived that there was no other way out of the crisis.
abolish / bl $ b- / verb [ transitive ]
to officially end a law, system etc, especially one that has existed for a long time :
Slavery was abolished in the US in the 19th century.
glory 1 / lri / noun ( plural glories )
1 [ uncountable ] the importance, honour, and praise that people give someone they
admire a lot :
She dreamt of future glory as an Olympic champion.
Gorans moment of glory came when he defeated Rafter.
He began the season in a blaze of glory , scoring seven goals in as many games.
2 [ countable ] an achievement that is greatly admired or respected, or makes you
very proud
glory of
one of the finest artistic glories of Florence
monuments to past glories
Becoming a Supreme Court judge was the crowning glory (= most successful part ) of
her career.
3 [ uncountable ] when something is beautiful and impressive in appearance :
They spent $10 million restoring the theatre to its former glory .
in all its/their etc glory
The sun emerged from behind the clouds in all its glory.
4 bask/bathe in sbs/sths (reflected) glory to share some of the importance
and praise that belongs to someone close to you
5 glory days a time in the past when someone was admired :
the teams glory days in the late '80s
6 to the (greater) glory of somebody/something formal in order to increase the
honour that is given to someone or something :
The cathedral was built to the greater glory of God.
7 glory (be) to God/Jesus etc spoken used to say that God deserves praise,
honour, and thanks
COLLOCATIONS
PHRASES
a blaze of glory (= when someone or something is praised a lot ) The film opened in a
blaze of glory with rave reviews from critics.
somebody's moment of glory The team's only moment of glory came in the second
half of the game.
somebody's dream of glory His dreams of glory were shattered when he lost to
Federer.
VERBS
bask/bathe in the glory of something (= enjoy the fame and admiration you get )
Challenor basked in the glory of his achievement.
cover yourself in glory (= do something that makes people admire you ) As team
captain, he hasn't covered himself in glory.
steal somebody's glory (= do something that makes you more admired than someone
else who is doing something similar ) Collins is wonderful, but Shaw steals all the glory
with his magnificent performance.
win glory He wanted to win glory in battle.
bring glory to somebody/something Locals hope the discovery will bring prosperity
and glory to the town.
ADJECTIVES
reflected glory (= fame that you get because you are close to someone who has done
something that people admire ) She basked in the reflective glory of her daughter's
marriage to such a famous actor.
personal glory He put the team's interests above any chance of personal glory.
greater glory (= more fame and admiration ) He aimed to bring greater glory to
France.
grasp 1 / rsp $ rsp / verb [ transitive ]
1 to take and hold something firmly SYN grip :
I grasped his arm firmly and led him away.
Alan grasped the handle and pulled it.
2 [ not in progressive ] to completely understand a fact or an idea, especially a
complicated one :
At that time, we did not fully grasp the significance of what had happened.
Some people find the idea of relativity difficult to grasp.
grasp what/how etc
A short opening paragraph enables the reader to quickly grasp what the article is about.
grasp that
Nick had grasped that something was wrong.
3 grasp an opportunity to eagerly and quickly use an opportunity to do
something :
She is ready to grasp any opportunity to expand the business.
4 grasp the nettle British English to deal with an unpleasant situation firmly and
without delay :
We need to grasp the nettle of prison reform.
grasp at something phrasal verb
to try to hold on to something :
His foot slipped and he grasped at the top of the wall.
scanty / sknti / adjective
1 not enough :
There is only scanty evidence of his involvement.
2 scanty clothes are small and do not cover very much of your body used to show
disapproval SYN skimpy
scantily adverb :
scantily clad young women
attire / ta $ tar / noun [ uncountable ] formal
clothes :
business attire
subservient / sbsvint $ -sr- / adjective
1 always obeying another person and doing everything they want you to do used
when someone seems too weak and powerless
subservient to
Don remained entirely subservient to his father.
subservient role/position
His wife refused to accept a traditional subservient role.
2 formal less important than something else SYN subordinate
subservient to
the rights of the individual are made subservient to the interests of the state
subserviently adverb
subservience noun [ uncountable ]
distressing / dstres / ( also distressful / dstresf l / ) adjective
making you feel very upset :
a distressing experience
distressingly adverb
dominate W3 AC / dmnet, dmnet $ d- / verb
1 [ intransitive and transitive ] to control someone or something or to have more
importance than other people or things :
The industry is dominated by five multinational companies.
New Orleans dominated throughout the game.
Her loud voice totally dominated the conversation.
Education issues dominated the election campaign.
2 [ transitive ] to be larger and more noticeable than anything else in a place :
The cathedral dominates the city.
dominating adjective :
his dominating characteristic
domination / dmne n $ d- / noun [ uncountable ] :
the desire for political domination
depraved / dprevd / adjective
completely evil or morally unacceptable :
a killers depraved mind
depravity / dprvti, dprvti / noun [ uncountable ]
smug / sm / adjective
showing too much satisfaction with your own cleverness or success used to show
disapproval SYN self-satisfied
smug about
What are you looking so smug about?
smug expression/look/face/smile etc
I knew Id win, she said with a smug smile.
smugly adverb
smugness noun [ uncountable ]
THESAURUS
proud very pleased with what you, your family, or your country have achieved, or of
something you own : I felt so proud when my son graduated from college. | Judiths
very proud of her new Ferrari.
pleased with yourself feeling pleased because something good has happened,
especially because you think you have been very clever, skilful etc : He was smoking a
big cigar and was obviously pleased with himself. | Id made a big profit and was feeling
pretty pleased with myself.
arrogant disapproving behaving in an unpleasant and annoying way, because you think
you are better or know more than other people, and that your opinions are always
right : He was arrogant and regarded people who disagreed with him as fools. | his
arrogant attitude to women
vain disapproving too proud of your appearance, in a way that annoys other people :
Hes so vain he thinks all the girls fancy him.
conceited/big-headed disapproving proud of yourself because you think you are very
intelligent, skilful, beautiful etc, especially without good reason and in a way that annoys
people : Stewarts the most arrogant conceited person Ive ever known. | She was
offered a brilliant job and became incredibly big-headed overnight.
pompous disapproving thinking that you are much more important than you really are,
and using very long and formal words to try to sound important : The clerk was a
pompous little man with glasses. | a pompous speech
smug disapproving pleased with yourself in a quiet but annoying way because you think
you are in a better position than other people : Milly was looking very smug about
coming top of the class. | a smug expression
self-satisfied disapproving pleased with what you have achieved and showing it clearly
in an annoying way : She glared angrily into his self-satisfied face. | a self-satisfied grin
provocative / prvktv $ -v- / adjective
1 provocative behaviour, remarks etc are intended to make people angry or upset,
or to cause a lot of discussion
provocative comment/remark/statement
The ministers provocative remarks were widely reported in the press.
a provocative act by a terrorist group
She was accused of being deliberately provocative .
2 provocative clothes, movements, pictures etc are intended to make someone
sexually excited :
provocative images of young girls
provocatively adverb
endanger / ndend $ -r / verb [ transitive ]
to put someone or something in danger of being hurt, damaged, or destroyed :
Smoking during pregnancy endangers your babys life .
endangered adjective :
The lizards are classed as an endangered species (= one that soon may no longer
exist ) .
endangerment noun [ uncountable ] law :
charges of child endangerment
mutilate / mjutlet, mjutlet / verb [ transitive ]
1 to severely and violently damage someones body, especially by cutting or
removing part of it :
The prisoners had been tortured and mutilated.
extra protection for mental patients who might mutilate themselves
2 to damage or change something so much that it is completely spoiled :
The sculpture was badly mutilated in the late eighteenth century.
mutilation / mjutle n, mjutle n / noun [ uncountable and countable ]
gang rape noun [ countable ]
an occasion when several men attack a woman and force her to have sex with them
prostitute 1 / prsttjut, prsttjut $ prsttut / noun [ countable ]
someone, especially a woman, who earns money by having sex with people
prostitute 2 verb
1 [ transitive ] if someone prostitutes a skill, ability, important principle etc, they use
it in a way that does not show its true value, usually to earn money :
Friends from the theater criticized him for prostituting his talent in the movies.
2 prostitute yourself to work as a prostitute
incisive / nsasv / adjective
showing intelligence and a clear understanding of something
incisive remarks/criticism etc
Her questions were well-formulated and incisive.
incisively adverb
incisiveness noun [ uncountable ]
shorthand / thnd $ rt- / noun [ uncountable ]
1 a fast method of writing using special signs or shorter forms to represent letters,
words, and phrases
in shorthand
The reporter took notes in shorthand.
a secretary who takes shorthand (= writes in shorthand )
LONGHAND
2 a shorter but less clear way of saying something
shorthand for
Hes been relocated, which is shorthand for given a worse job a long way away.
succinct / skskt / adjective
clearly expressed in a few words use this to show approval SYN concise :
a succinct explanation
succinctly adverb :
Anderson put the same point more succinctly.
succinctness noun [ uncountable ]
convey / knve / verb [ transitive ]
1 to communicate or express something, with or without using words :
All this information can be conveyed in a simple diagram.
Ads convey the message that thin is beautiful.
He was sent to convey a message to the UN Secretary General.
convey something to somebody
I want to convey to children that reading is one of lifes greatest treats.
convey a sense/an impression/an idea etc
You dont want to convey the impression that theres anything illegal going on.
2 formal to take or carry something from one place to another :
Your luggage will be conveyed to the hotel by taxi.
3 law to legally change the possession of property from one person to another
COLLOCATIONS
NOUNS
convey information Your movements also convey information to people.
convey a message (= express an important idea used about books, films, art etc )
Do you think the poem conveys a message about society?
convey a sense/an impression of something The music conveys a senses of
sadness and despair.
convey an idea Art can be used to convey an idea.
convey an image At an interview, make sure your clothes convey the right image.
convey a feeling How could he convey his feelings for her?
convey meaning Children sometimes find it easier to use pictures to convey meaning,
rather than words.
ADVERBS
clearly convey something His tone of voice clearly conveyed his disgust.
adequately convey something The words did not adequately convey how strongly she
felt.
effectively convey something The novel effectively conveys some of the countrys
problems.
extent S2 W1 / kstent / noun
1 to ... extent used to say how true something is or how great an effect or change
is
to a certain extent/to some extent/to an extent (= partly )
We all to some extent remember the good times and forget the bad.
I do agree with him to an extent.
to a great/large extent
Its success will depend to a large extent on local attitudes.
to a lesser/greater extent (= less or more )
It will affect farmers in Spain and to a lesser extent in France.
They examined the extent to which (= how much ) age affected language-learning
ability.
To what extent (= how much ) did she influence his decision?
to such an extent that/to the extent that (= so much that )
Violence increased to the extent that residents were afraid to leave their homes.
2 [ uncountable ] how large, important, or serious something is, especially
something such as a problem or injury
extent of
Considering the extent of his injuries, hes lucky to be alive.
Its too early to assess the full extent of the damage.
3 [ uncountable ] the length or size of something :
They opened out the nets to their full extent .
in extent
The region is over 10,000 square kilometres in extent.
COLLOCATIONS
PHRASES
to some extent/to a certain extent (= partly ) What you say is true to some extent,
but its not the whole picture.
to a large/great extent (= a large amount ) The materials we use will depend to a
large extent on what is available.
to a small extent (= a small amount ) The plan succeeded to a small extent.
to a greater extent (= more ) Children suffer the effects of poor diet to a greater
extent than adults.
to a lesser extent ( also to less extent ) (= less ) The same is true for women, though
to a lesser extent.
to a considerable/significant extent (= a considerable or significant amount ) The
affair affected his popularity to a considerable extent.
to a limited extent (= not a very large amount ) In the USA, and to a limited extent in
Britain, the housing market is in recession.
to such an extent that/to the extent that (= so much that ) He annoyed her to such
an extent that she had to leave the room.
to the same extent (= to the same amount ) The roads were congested but not to the
same extent as in London.
to what extent? (= how much? ) To what extent does cutting down trees contribute to
climate change?
the extent to which (= how much ) The report focused on the use of speed cameras,
particularly the extent to which they reduced accidents.
COLLOCATIONS
ADJECTIVES
the full extent He refused to reveal the full extent of his debts.
the actual/true extent Rescue workers still do not know the true extent of the
disaster.
VERBS
know/realize the extent of something We do not yet know the extent of the
damage.
understand the extent of something Other people didnt seem to understand the
extent of his disability.
discover/find out the extent of something We were shocked when we discovered
the extent of the fraud.
assess/establish/determine the extent of something We are still trying to assess
the extent of the problem.
show/reveal the extent of something These pictures show the extent of the
devastation caused by the earthquake. | A report published by the government has
revealed the extent of air pollution in the area.
THESAURUS
size noun [ uncountable and countable ] how big someone or something is : What size
is that shirt? | The price will depend on the size and quality of the carpet. | Your desk is
exactly the same size as mine. | Fire has destroyed an area of forest the size of
Luxembourg. | The seeds are very small, about half the size of a grain of salt. | There
were several pieces of wood of different sizes. | Cover the dough and allow it to rise
until it has doubled in size. | The black spots on her skin seemed to be slowly increasing
in size. | The American states vary enormously in size, from very large to very small. |
In a class this size, there will always be a few problems.
dimensions noun [ plural ] the length, width, and height of an object, room, building
etc : What are the dimensions of the table?
measurements noun [ plural ] the length, width, or height of something, or of
someones body : I need to check the measurements of the window. | your waist
measurement is 31 inches | The nurse took my measurements.
proportions noun [ plural ] the relative sizes of the different parts of an object, room,
building etc : The proportions dont look right to me. | You can sit in the Plaza and
admire the proportions of the cathedral.
area noun [ uncountable and countable ] the amount of space that a flat surface such
as a floor or field covers : To measure the area of a room, you need to multiply the
length by the width.
extent noun [ uncountable ] the size of a large area : The extent of the ranch is
enormous. | The island measured about 1,600 kilometres in extent.
bulk noun [ uncountable ] the very large size of something : The statues massive bulk
made it difficult to move. | his enormous bulk | The view was dominated by the huge
bulk of the power station.
capacity noun [ singular ] the amount that a container will hold : The capacity of the
tank is around 500 gallons. | The computers memory has a capacity of over 200
megabytes. | All the storage units were filled to capacity.
volume noun [ singular ] the amount of space that a substance fills, or that an object
contains : The average domestic swimming pool has a volume of 45,000 litres. | This
instrument measures the volume of air in your lungs. | Help me figure out the volume of
this fish tank. | The shifting of continents has an impact on the volume of water the
oceans can contain.
rude S3 / rud / adjective ( comparative ruder , superlative rudest )
1 speaking or behaving in a way that is not polite and is likely to offend or annoy
people SYN impolite OPP polite :
a rude remark
I didnt mean to be rude, but I had to leave early.
rude to
Why are you so rude to her?
it is rude to do something
Its rude to stare.
2 rude jokes, words, songs etc are about sex SYN dirty American English
3 rude awakening/shock a situation in which you suddenly realize something
unpleasant :
If they expect the match to be friendly, theyre in for a rude awakening.
4 in rude health British English old-fashioned very healthy
5 literary made in a simple basic way :
a rude wooden hut
rudely adverb :
We were rudely awakened by the storm.
He answered me very rudely.
rudeness noun [ uncountable ]
THESAURUS
rude not following the rules of good social behaviour or treating other people with a lack
of respect : Its rude to interrupt. | Hes the rudest man Ive ever met. | rude remarks
about her stomach
impolite/not polite not following the rules of good social behaviour. Impolite sounds
rather formal : It is impolite to stare. | Its not polite to talk with your mouth full of food.
cheeky British English , smart/sassy American English behaving in a way that is a
little rude, especially when this is amusing or annoying used especially about children :
a cheeky grin | Let go, you cheeky monkey (= cheeky child ) ! | Dont get smart with
me!
tactless saying things that are likely to upset or embarrass someone, without intending
to : a tactless remark | How could you be so tactless?
offensive speaking or behaving in a way that is likely to upset or offend someone : His
remarks are offensive to African-Americans. | offensive language
insulting speaking or behaving in a way that is very rude and offensive to someone :
comments that are insulting to women | The article was full of insulting language.
discourteous / dsktis $ -r- / formal rather rude. Discourteous sounds very formal
and is often used when talking about being careful not to upset someones feelings : He
did not wish to appear discourteous towards his host. | It would seem discourteous to
refuse her offer.
ill-mannered ( also bad-mannered ) especially written behaving in a rude way,
especially because you have never been taught how to behave politely : Ill-mannered
movie-goers talked throughout the entire picture. | It was very bad-mannered.
disrespectful not showing the proper respect for someone or something : I felt her
comments were disrespectful to all the people who have worked so hard on this project.
impertinent formal not showing a proper respect for someone, especially by asking or
talking about subjects that you do not have a right to know about : an impertinent
question about his private life | an impertinent young man | Would it be impertinent to
ask how old you are?
insolent formal behaving in a way that is deliberately very rude to someone in
authority : The girls only response was an insolent stare. | Dont be so insolent!
impudent formal rude, and having no respect for people who are older or more
important : The boy gave an impudent smile.
irreverent showing a lack of respect for someone or something who people are
supposed to respect used especially about comedy programmes and newspaper
articles : an irreverent look at the weeks events | his irreverent sense of humour
COLLOCATIONS CHECK
cheeky boy/monkey/grin
impertinent question
insulting behaviour/remark/comment/language
insolent stare/tone
tactless remark/question/attempt
armpit / mpt $ rm- / noun [ countable ]
1 the hollow place under your arm where it joins your body
2 the armpit of something American English informal the ugliest or worst place in
a particular city or area :
Dale says Butte is the armpit of Montana.
ignorant AC / nrnt / adjective
1 not knowing facts or information that you ought to know :
an ignorant and uneducated man
ignorant of
Political historians are often rather ignorant of economics.
ignorant about
Many people remain blissfully ignorant about the dangers of too much sun (= happy
because they do not know about the dangers ) .
2 caused by a lack of knowledge and understanding :
an ignorant remark
ignorant opinions
3 British English spoken rude or impolite :
ignorant behaviour
ignorantly adverb
simplicity / smplsti, smplsti / noun [ uncountable ]
the quality of being simple and not complicated, especially when this is attractive or
useful :
Mona wrote with a beautiful simplicity of style.
For the sake of simplicity, the tax form is divided into three sections.
James solution to this problem was simplicity itself (= very simple ) .
foolish / ful / adjective
1 a foolish action, remark etc is stupid and shows that someone is not thinking
sensibly SYN silly :
Ive never heard anything so foolish in all my life.
It would be foolish to ignore his advice.
be foolish enough to do something
I was foolish enough to believe him.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say silly or stupid rather than foolish :
It was a silly thing to say.
I felt a bit stupid when she said no.
2 a foolish person behaves in a silly way or looks silly SYN stupid :
I was young and foolish at the time.
a foolish grin
look/feel foolish
Hed been made to look foolish.
foolishly adverb :
She foolishly agreed to go with them.
foolishness noun [ uncountable ]
THESAURUS
stupid showing a total lack of good sense or good judgment. Stupid sounds very strong
and is often used when you are annoyed or strongly criticizing someones behaviour : I
wish youd stop asking stupid questions. | It was stupid of me to leave the door
unlocked. | Well, if youre stupid enough to skate on the lake, you deserve to fall in.
silly doing or saying things that are not sensible or serious, and that may make you feel
embarrassed later. Silly sounds much gentler than stupid : a silly mistake | Dont be so
silly! Theres nothing wrong with you. | I think youre silly to worry so much about your
hair.
daft informal not sensible, often in a way that is also amusing : Is this another of your
daft ideas? | Dont be daft! Of course youre not too old to go clubbing.
dumb informal especially American English stupid : a dumb question | He was dumb
enough to believe her. | Oh, I just did the dumbest thing back there, I forgot my purse.
foolish stupid. Foolish sounds rather formal and is used mainly in written English. The
usual words to use in everyday English are silly or stupid : It was a foolish thing to say.
| They did not want to look foolish. | It was all a foolish dream. | I think the board of
directors made a foolish choice that it will later regret.
unwise formal done without thinking carefully enough about the possible disadvantages
that may result : She knew the marriage was unwise. | an unwise choice of words | It
would be very unwise to speculate.
brave British English often humorous used when you think that what someone is
planning or suggesting is certain to fail, but you do not want to say directly that they are
behaving in a stupid way : The leader of the opposition described it as a brave decision.
| I think hes being very brave.
horrify / hrfa, hrfa $ h-, h- / verb ( past tense and past participle horrified ,
present participle horrifying , third person singular horrifies ) [ transitive ]
to make someone feel very shocked and upset or afraid :
Henry was horrified by what had happened.
horrified to see/hear/find etc
She was horrified to discover that he loved Rose.
struck 2 adjective
be struck on somebody/something British English informal to think that
someone or something is very good :
She seemed rather struck on Vincent.
pout / pat / verb [ intransitive and transitive ]
to push out your lower lip because you are annoyed or unhappy, or in order to look
sexually attractive :
He sounded like a pouting child.
Her full lips pouted slightly.
pout noun [ countable ]
pouty adjective
THESAURUS
DIFFERENT TYPES OF EXPRESSION
frown the expression on your face when you move your eyebrows together because you
are angry, unhappy, or confused : With a frown, she asked, So whats wrong with that?
smile an expression in which your mouth curves upwards, when you are being friendly
or are happy or amused : She gave him a quick smile.
scowl an angry or disapproving expression : There was a scowl of irritation on his face.
glare a long angry look : He gave her a furious glare, but said nothing.
grimace an expression you make by twisting your face because you do not like
something or because you are feeling pain : His face twisted into a grimace of anguish.
sneer an expression that shows you have no respect for something or someone : Thats
what you said last time, she said with a sneer.
smirk an expression in which you smile in an unpleasant way that shows you are
pleased by someone elses bad luck or that you think you are better than other people :
He had a self-satisfied smirk on his face.
pout an expression in which you push out your lower lip because you are unhappy that
you did not get what you want : Youre going away? she said with a pout.
encounter 1 W3 AC / nkant $ -r / verb [ transitive ]
1 to experience something, especially problems or opposition
encounter problems/difficulties
They encountered serious problems when two members of the expedition were injured.
encounter opposition/resistance
The government has encountered strong opposition to its plans to raise income tax.
The doctor had encountered several similar cases in the past.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say come across problems/difficulties rather
than encounter problems/difficulties and come up against opposition/resistance
rather than encounter opposition/resistance :
Did you come across any problems?
We came up against quite a lot of opposition from local people.
2 formal to meet someone without planning to :
I first encountered him when studying at Cambridge.
summons 2 verb [ transitive usually passive ]
to order someone to appear in a court of law :
She has been summonsed to appear in court.
Basil was summonsed for wounding a police officer.
obscene / bsin / adjective
1 relating to sex in a way that is shocking and offensive rude :
Bradford made an obscene gesture .
obscene phone calls (= calls from an unknown person saying obscene things )
obscene photographs
2 extremely unfair, immoral, or unpleasant, especially in a way that makes you
angry :
Some players earn obscene amounts of money.
an obscene act of cruelty
obscenely adverb
strung-out adjective [ not before noun ] informal
1 strongly affected by a drug, so that you cannot react normally SYN high
strung-out on
strung-out on drugs
2 extremely tired and worried
strung-up adjective British English informal
very nervous, worried, or excited