-Vocabulary

Whereby (by which)

Irksome (irritating)
Appease (pacify someone by acceding their demands) (verb)
Amendments have been added to appease local pressure groups
Thwart (oppose successfully) (verb)
He never did anything to thwart his father
Vituperative (abusive) (adjective)
Relegate (verb)
Futile (adjective)
Meticulous (adjective)
Luminous (adjective)
Loquacious (talkative) (adjective)
Irresolute (show hesitancy) (adjective)
She stood irresolute outside his door
Malleable (adjective)
Induce (persuade to do something) (verb)
the pickets induced many workers to stay away
Panoply (an extensive or impressive collection) (noun)
a deliciously inventive panoply of insults
Chicanery (use of deception to achieve one’s purpose) (noun)
storylines packed with political chicanery
Disingenuous (try to look that you know less you actually do) (adjective)
He used disingenuous methods to win
Guileless (innocent without deception) (adjective)
His face showed nothing but guileless
Belligerent (hostile and aggressive) (adjective)
Wary (cautious) (adjective)
Deter (discourage someone) (verb)
The high taxes deterred him from buying a house
Salient (most noticeable or important) (adjective)
His grades were salient
Quibble (slight objection) (noun)
Had I a quibble, it would be the waiters service
Feign (pretend to be affected by a feeling, state or injury) (verb)
He feigned his injury
Satiate (fully satisfied) (Verb)
The jury was satiated with his performance
Distil (verb)
Latent (adjective)
Exultant (triumphant) (adjective)
Qualified (absolute) (adjective)
Zeal (fanatical) (noun)
Compunction (feeling of guilt) (noun)
He felt no compunction while killing the bird
To buttress (to increase the strength) (verb)
Her argument was buttressed by the witnesses
To mollify (appease the anger of someone) (verb)
We better mollify him before it’s too late
Maxim (short statement expressing a general truth) (noun)
Facilitate (verb)
Delude (make someone believe something that is not true) (verb)
Intractable (difficult to deal with) (adjective)
Fledgling (person or organization immature or unexperienced) (adjective)
Eulogy (speech to say farewell to someone who died or retired) (noun)
Forestall/pre-empt (act in advance to prevent an anticipated event) (verb)
James forestalled our plan
Burnish (to polish) (verb)
Ebullient (cheerful full of energy) (adjective)
Apartheid (segregate cause of race) (noun)
The apartheid cause strikes in the field
Tally (correspond) (verb)
His testimony should tally with the others
Pristine (adjective)
Punctilious (adjective)
He is so punctilious in properly writing commas
Stint (limitation of supply or effort) (noun)
Daunt (feel intimidated) (verb)
He was daunted by his brother
Profound (very great or intense / knowledgeable) (adjective)
He had a profound passion for his sister
Dichotomy (split between opposing things) (noun)
The dichotomy between science and literature
Execrable (extremely bad or unpleasant) (adjective)
There was such execrable smell
Abject (humiliating or wretched) (adjective)
Lassitude/lethargic (lack of energy) (noun)
Conundrum (difficult problem) (noun)
 This was the most important conundrum in his life
Desultory (lacking a plan, purpose or enthusiasm) (adjective)
Abeyance (temporary suspension) (noun)
The plan was held in abeyance due to …
Wilt (dehydrate) (verb)
Plethora (excessive amount of something) (noun)
There is a plethora of politicians
Benign (having a kindly disposition) (adjective)
Lump sum (amount of money made in one payment) (noun)
ailing (in poor health) (noun)
I encountered an ailing cat
Confirmed bachelor (no interest in marrying) (adjective)
He does not intend to have girlfriend he is a confirmed bachelor
Whirlwind (very energetic) (adjective)
Commended (praise) (verb)
He was commended for his great contribution
Token woman (person included to look fair) (noun)
I would not accept being the token woman
Blood sports (those involving killing as hunting) (noun)
Lest (with the intention of preventing) (conjunction)
She sneaked in the house lest waking her parents up
Detrimental (causes harm) (adjective)
This is detrimental to her health
Tatty /lousy/ (poor condition) (adjective)
Hustle(pushed) (verb)
Sartorial (Related to tailor)//Sastre (adjective)
Jaded (lack of enthusiasm) (adjective)
Soothing (to have a calmingly effect) (adjective)
Ravage (cause severe damage) (verb)
Clamour (Loud noise like shouting) (adjective)
Enmesh (involve in a difficult situation) (verb)
Dredge up something (To bring up a topic quite dark form someone)
Chattering teeth
Permeate (spread through) (verb)
Tinkerer (person who enjoys fixing and experimenting with machines)
(noun)
Stifle (choke)
Diehard (Person who extremely refuses to change) (noun)
Abound (exist in large numbers) (adjective)
Ensue (occur afterwards as a result) (verb)
Deem (regard) (verb)
Kudo (Award) (noun)
Gripping (Gets your attention) (adjective)
Up to scratch (reaches the required standard)
Bustling (full of activity) (adjective)
Lush (full of growing vegetation) (adjective)
Relish (enjoy/great enjoyment) (verb/noun)
Privileged officialdom (position with authority)
Fraught (stressful) (adjective)
Allure (charm) (verb)
Old chestnut (story or joke so repeated that is tedious)
Far cry (really different) (adjective)
Far-flung (very distant) (adjective)
Haphazard (random) (adjective)
Bewildered (confused) (adjective)
Underlie (cause despite not being obvious) (verb)
Upshot (conclusion of a discussion) (noun)
keep abreast of (up to date)
Flit (to pass quickly or abruptly from one place or condition to another)
(verb)
Rein (sth/sb) in (to control)
Upheaval (violent change) (noun)
There has been an upheaval in the economy
Buoyancy (floating capability) (noun)
Grass-roots (most basic level of an activity or organization)
Gangly (tall thin and awkward movements) (adjective)
Partisan (great supporter) (noun)
Stagger (walk unsteadily) (adjective)
Jostle (elbow aside) (verb)
Stowaway (person in a boat who has no permission) (noun)
Kick off (to get started)
To be clued up about sth (have a lot of information)
Afoot (in preparation) (adjective)
plans are afoot for a festival
Red tape (regulations that are excessive)
Toe the line (mark where it ends)
Food for thought
Pie in the sky (very unlikely to happen)
Go nuts/bananas
Hot potato
A piece of cake
Walk on eggshells
Drop a hint
Canny (having good judgement) (adjective)
Naivety (adjective)
Burgeon (begin to grow rapidly) (verb)
The company has burgeoned since last year
Backlog (accumulation of uncompleted works) (noun)
We had to stay late in order to finish the backlog
Detract from (reduce the strength or importance)
Untenable (can’t be maintained) (adjective)
Flounder (show confusion/be in difficulties) (verb)
He was floundered/ he is floundering
Headhunt (find a suitable person for a position) (verb)
Busking (Mendigar) (verb)
White goods (sth common in every house)
Dejection (sad and depressed) (noun)
Revulsion (disgust) (noun)
Tedium (tedious) (noun)
Bliss (happiness/joy) (noun)
Sorrow (anxiety/suffering) (noun/verb)
Dread (fear) (adjective)
Loathing (intense disgust) (noun)
Jeopardised (dangerous) (verb)
Bounder (dishonourable)
Chav (chony)
Thug (noun)
Lout (aggressive man or boy)
Bimbo (an attractive but stupid young woman)
Chivalrous (gallant towards women)
Lanky (thin and tall) (adjective)
Prickly (with spikes) (adjective)
Wimpy (weak and coward) (adjective)
Feeble (lack of strength) (adjective)
Garrulous (really talkative) (adjective)
Unflappable (remains calm in a crisis) (adjective)
Daintily (fine manners) (adjective)
Lavishly (luxurious manners) (adjective)
Indebted (adjective)
Ticklish (tricky situation that requires carefulness)/ sensible a las cosquillas
Lump it (allow) (adjective)
Outstanding (adjective)
Water-lain sediments
Ardent (show strong positive feelings) (adjective)
Scarcity (adjective)
Mercifully (adjective)
Upward (noun)
Inanimate (adjective)
Unaided (adjective)
Ostentatious (pretentious) (adjective)
Mileage (a number of miles travelled or covered.) (noun)
Circumstantial (adjective)
Fruition (the realization or fulfilment of a plan or project)
Subsidize (support financially) (verb)
Innumerate (illiterate but with maths) (adjective)
Remnants (a part or quantity that is left after use) (noun)
Gassy (resembling or full of gas) (adjective)
Choosy (adjective)
Tightened (verb)
Exploitation (noun)
Irrelevancies (noun)
Untimely (premature or unsuitable time) (adjective)
Christendom (sense of being Christian) (noun)
Enliven (make more entertaining) (verb)
Irritant (substances that burn your skin) (adjective)
Timeless (not affected by time) (adjective)
-Expressions
Do away with (stop using/kill)
She tried to do away with herself
Be at a loose end (not knowing what to do)
With everyone on vacation she was at a loose end
wage war (start war)
buy something on approval (you can refund it once tried it)
To bend the rules
Drive a wedge between us (cause disagreement or anger)
Lend credence (make something seem more correct)
Doze off (fall asleep)
Try as I might (great effort)
Nagging phone (insistent)
Brush through (get through flexible objects like brushes)
High and dry (without resources)
Thick and thin (every obstacle)
Elbow people aside (push)
Shoulder the burden (endure something distressing)
Foot the bill (to pay)
Face the music (confront unpleasant consequences)
Stomach the idea (accept unpleasant idea)
Toe the line
The icing on the cake (the best)
To have a lot on somebody’s plate (many responsibilities)
Put all your eggs in the same basket
Have bigger fish to fry (more important things to do)
Sweeten the pill
Take something with a pinch of salt (take it as exaggerated)
Spill the beans
Sell like hot cakes
Get egg on your face (something you predicted does not happen so you
look like a fool)
Eat humble pie
Somebody/something of note (very important)
To be in tune with (people understand each other)
Go for a song (sell at a really low price)
Have another string to your bow (have more than one resource in case of
necessity)
Settle a score with someone (take revenge)
Strike a chord (cause a strong emotional response)
Tying the knot (get married)
Cast my net (search for suitable options or candidates in a specified way)
Bolt from the blue (something you wouldn’t expect)
Time on one’s hand (not busy)
Calling the tune (position of power)
Who scores the higher calls the tune
Carrying the torch for someone (admiration/crush)
Rolled up her sleeves (prepare to fight or work)
At deaths door (experienced close to death)
Giving someone the cold shoulder (treat unfriendly or ignore)
Get a grip (keep or recover self-control)
The final nail in the coffin
To call a spade a spade (speak plainly)
To go down the tubes
A weak link in the chain
To blow a fuse
with no strings attached (No extra conditions)
To get your wires crossed (do something you are not supposed to for a
confusion)
To shoot your bolt (give it all)
To get into gear (do something more energetically)
There is no need to get into year
To twist the knife (make the suffering worse)
A golden handshake (A generous agreement)
Cut one’s teeth (acquire experience in a sector)
I cut my teeth in donnies
progress up the rungs (escalate in the business)
A mixed blessing (both pros and cons)
Dog-eat-dog (anything to be successful)
the slightest whiff of (little smell carried in the air)
snapped up (buy or take something quickly)
a track record (best personal mark in an activity)
the jury’s still out (not decided)
a quantum leap (huge improvement)
Keep one’s head down (avoid attention)
To bleed red ink (lose money)
Green shoots (sign of growth or renewal)
Golden hello (monetary incentive to join)
Blue chip (really important corporation)
White knight (friendly investor buys the company)
Be on cloud nine (happy)
Through rose-tinted spectacles/glasses (only see good points)
beyond someone's wildest dreams
in my book (in my opinion)
put yourself on the line
feel under weather (feel ill)
tip the balance
make no mention of
to the best of one’s knowledge
it stems from (to be caused)
with the naked eye
be under threat
to provide inspiration
Be the talk of the town (what everyone is talking about)
Think big
Dream big
Give rise to sth (cause something to happen or exist)
Adhere to (follow certain beliefs)
To be on the horizon (very close)
To make up (constitute a whole/invent a story)
Engage with
Look further ahead (look to the future)
Not least
Regardless of
Arise from (To happen as a result of a particular situation)
Could/might/may Well (likely to happen)
Extend out
Confined to (To exist in or affect only a particular place or group)
It’s a foregone conclusion
The chances are
There’s every likelihood
Be bound to
There’s a slim/faint chance
Modals
The onus is on you
Be up to (you) to
Didn’t need to
Needn’t have to
Be under no obligation to
It’s your duty/responsibility + to infinitive

-Future expressions
Stand to + infinitive (will)
Be just about to + infinitive
Supposed to + infinitive
Be to + infinitive
Due to + infinitive

-Phrasal verbs
Crack down on someone (to be strict)
Hand out (to give)
Amounted to (stack up/sum of something)
Let down (disappointed)
Play down (make it look as if it is not serious)
Set about (make plans)
Set aside (reserve)
Set apart (distinction)
The right way round
To serve someone right (deserved)
To be right under your nose
To make all the right noises (the exact thing wanted to hear)
To be within your rights
By rights (correctly done)
As right as rain (healthy)
Hand over
-Phrases
-jump/leap/bounds:
To know no bounds (no limits)
A leap in the dark (do something despite not being certain the
outcome)
Jump down somebody’s throat (respond in an angrily way) (I)
By leaps and bounds (immensely)
-Have
Have strong views on
Have a major impact on
Have the right to
Have no say
Have serious consequences
-Place
To be going places (going to get far)
Fall into place (make sense)
-Traveller
Frequent traveller
Independent travellers
Seasoned travellers
 Weary travellers (tired travellers)
armchair traveller (discovers the place through tv or blogs)
unwary (not cautious)
-Take
Take exception to (object strongly to)
Take notice of (show interest)
Take the opportunity to
Take something on board (consider new factors)
Take something into account
Take place
Take part
Take by surprise
Take advantage
Take for granted (assume that something is true without
questioning it/ not appreciated)
Take issue with (disagree)
Take sides
-Eye
Catch someone’s eye
Look someone in the eye (no embarrassment)
Have an eye for
Turn a blind eye to
See eye to eye with (agree)
Be in the public eye
With the naked eye
-Burn
Burn a hole in your pocket (necessity to spend it)
 Burn the midnight oil (work late into the night)
Get your fingers burned (goes wrong)
Fiddling while Rome burns (Do something irresponsible in the
middle of a crisis)
Have money to burn (very rich)
Burn your bridges (irreversible)
-Turn
Take a turn for the better
Have a nice turn of phrase (particular way of expressing)
Not to know which side to turn
To turn as red as beetroot
The turn of the century (start or end of a century)
Not to turn a hair (stay calm despite something shocking occurred)
To toss and turn (move around in the bed)
To take it in turns
A turn-up for the books
-Set
Set the wheels in motion
Set the world on fire
Set the rings round (you phone several people, usually when you
are trying to organize something or to find some information)
set out one's stall (show your beliefs)
set one’s heart on (makes to have a strong desire)
set your weight
set the record straight (make clear something uncomprehended)
set a dangerous precedent
set counter to (oppose)
 set in stone (fixed and unchangeable)
set your sights on (have as an ambition)
set someone's teeth on edge (cause someone to feel intense
discomfort)
-Pull
Pull the strings
Pull a fast one on (tricked)
Pull one’s weight (do your work)
Pull your socks up (very determined to work)
-Live
Live up to your expectations
Learn to live with (tolerate)
Live it up (spend one's time in an extremely enjoyable way)
Live through (survive an unpleasant situation)
Live down (succeed in making others forget)
Live by your wits (earn money by clever and sometimes dishonest
means)
-Make
Make do with (manage with limited means)
You would have to make do with what is in the fridge
Make a swift recovery
Make allowances for (take into consideration while planning)
Make no difference to
Make the best of
Make it possible for
-Go
Go from bad to worse
 Go out of business
Go to great expense
Go bankrupt
Go by the board
Go without saying
-Come
Come as no surprise
Come in for criticism (receive criticism)
Come to a decision
Come to halt (to no longer love or happen)
Come to terms with
Come to the conclusion that
-Be
Be at sb’s disposal
Be no comparison between
Be no concern of sb’s
Be exempt from
Be no justification for
Be of your own making
Be out of the question
Be short of
Be taken aback by
Put (sth) into practice
-Preposition
-by
Confused
Impressed
Surrounded
-for
Eligible
Essential
Impossible
Normal
Responsible
Capacity (for + noun)
Justification
Account
Allow
Apply
Blame (sb)
Cater (provide people with food and drink at a gathering)
Count
Opt
Provide (sb/sth)
 Responsible (+ing)
Struggle
Substitute
-in
Absorbed/engrossed
Believe in (+ing)
Deficient
Fluent
Involved
Lacking
Justified (+ing)
Rich
Deficiency
Drop
Improvement
Surge
Confide
Fail
Implicate
Indulge
Involve
Result
Succeed (+ing)
Specialise (+ing)
-Of
Accused (+ing)
 Capable (+ing)
Devoid
Dream (+ing)
Guilty (+ing)
Independent
Indicative
Innocent
Irrespective
Mindful
Regardless
Reminiscent
Typical
Tired (+ing)
Hint
Maintenance
Production
Source
Consist
Deprive
Remind
-On
Based (+ing)
Centred
Compliment sb on (+ing)
Dependent
Depend (+ing)
 Plan (+ing)
Intent
Tough
Authority
Information
Keen on (+ing)
Blame (sth on sb)
Concentrate
Congratulate
Comment
Decide
Depend
Elaborate
Impose
Lavish (sth)
Pride oneself (+ing)

-To
Accessible
Accustomed (+ing)
Allergic
Anxious (+ infinitive)
Apt (+ infinitive)
Bound (+ infinitive)
Committed (+ing)
Conducive
Crucial
Due (+ infinitive)
Difficult/hard/painful
Inclined (+ infinitive)
Immune
Impervious
Indifferent
Integral
Opposed to (+ing)
Liable (likely to do or to be something) (+ infinitive)
Prepared (+ infinitive)
Prone (likely or liable to suffer from) (+ing)
Ready (+ infinitive)
Reluctant (+ infinitive)
Resigned
Resistant
Sensitive
Slow
Able
Vulnerable
Capacity (to + verb)
Appeal
Apply
Attend
Attribute
Contribute
 Devote oneself
Lead
React
Refer
Resort
Subject (sth/sb)
Tend
Trace (back)
-With
Blue (with cold)
Breathless (with excitement)
Bursting (with health)
Concerned
Fraught (filled with)
Good
Incompatible
Obsessed
Packed
Acquaint (make familiar with)
Associate
Coincide
Collide
Comply (act in accordance with)
Confront
Confuse
Cram (fill completely)
 Deal
Integrate oneself
Provide
Tamper (interfere to cause damage)
Trust
-Against
Race
Fight/Struggle
Battle
Decide
Discriminate
Insure
Protest
Race
React
-About
Boast (show off)
Decide
Dream (+ing)
Protest
Reminisce (remember enjoyable past events)
Worried (+ing)
-From
Abstain
Ban
Bar
 Benefit (+ing)
Derive
Differ
Distinguish (distinguish between)
Expel
Distract
Profit
Stem
-into
Divide/split something
Poke your nose
Pry (sorry, I didn't mean to pry into your conversation)/cotillear

-Collocations
Dress rehearsal (Last rehearsal before the play)
To be in the limelight (In the centre of attention)
Stage fright
Standing ovation
Enter on cue (at the right moment)
Under study (substitute on a play)
Bought in bulk (A grannel)
Train of thought (what you were doing)
 Crack of dawn (sun rises)
Far-flung corners
In the middle of nowhere
To go off the beaten track (get out of the path)
To the ends of earth
Out in the sticks (No civilization)
Backwater (that has no influence from other places)
To the back of beyond

-Prepositional phrases
Against the law
At fault
Beyond a joke
Beyond the shadow of a doubt
By coincidence
By mistake
Far from the truth
For fear of
For the time being
In advance
In all likelihood
In collaboration with
In comparison with
In demand
In favour of
In jeopardy
In recognition of
In response to
In theory
On a knife edge
On a regular/long-term basis
On behalf of
On good terms (with)
On my mind
On purpose
On the edge of
On the safe side
On the verge of
Out of breath
Out of control
Out of hand
Out of favour
Out of the ordinary
Out of the question
To a great extent
Under control
Under the circumstances
Under the impression
With good reason
With the exception of
Within reach (of)
Without delay
Without exception
 Without fail

-Verb phrases + prepositions

Acquire a taste for
Be/have (no) room for
Be charged with (+ing) (made responsible)
Be fined for (+ing)
Be no likelihood of (+ing)
Be/get landed/ stuck with (+ing) (force to do something unpleasant)
Be time to (+ infinitive)
Be no need to (+ infinitive)
Can’t help (+ing)
Can’t stand (+ing)
Consider the possibility of (+ing)
Do your best to (+ infinitive)
Do what you can to (+ infinitive)
Feel the need to (+ infinitive)
Feel like (+ing)
Find a solution to
Go to great lengths to (+ infinitive)
Have a tendency to (+ infinitive)
Hate the thought of (+ing)
Have a reason for (+ing)
Have an/no excuse for (+ing)
Have difficulty in (+ing)
Have no intention of (+ing)
Have no objection to (+ing)
Have no regrets about (+ing)
Have no/little chance of (+ing)
Have/take responsibility for (+ing)
Have a craving/ a thirst for
Have a high level of
Have a lot of influence on
Have access to
Have an aptitude for
Have an effect on
Have complete disregard for
Have success in
Have time to (+ infinitive)
Have no wish/desire to (+ infinitive)
Impose a ban on
Know how to (+ infinitive)
Play a part / a role in
Make a comment on
Make an attempt to (+ infinitive)
Make every effort to (+ infinitive)
 Make your mind up to (+ infinitive)
Result form (+ing)
Take the trouble to (+ infinitive)
Go to the trouble of (+ing)
Take advantage of (+ing)
Spring to mind (comes to mind really fast)
Take responsibility for
Plan on (+ing)

-Adverbs + adjective
-Absolutely
Awful
Convinced
Excruciating (really painful)
Terrified
-Bitterly (extreme forceful degree)
Cold
Disappointed
Opposed
-Completely
Awful
Safe
Sure
-Deceptively
Peaceful
-Decidedly
Bleak (lack of hope)
 Rough
-Deeply
Ashamed
Attached
Moved
Unhappy
Upset

-Entirely
Beneficial
Different
Satisfactory
Sure
True
Unexpected
-Heavily
Armed
Guarded
Loaded
Polluted
-Highly
Critical
Likely
Qualified
Trained
Unlikely
-Painfully
Aware
Obvious
Slow
Shy
-Perfectly
Awful
Balanced
Capable
Normal
Safe
Serious
-Pretty (moderately high)
Alarming
Bleak
Rough
-Quite (completely/ to a extent)
Bleak
Enjoyable
Relieved
Rough
Shocked
-Rather (to a certain degree)
Alarming
Bleak
Enjoyable
 Relieved
Rough
Shocked

-Reassuringly (no doubt)

Matter-of-fact
-Slightly (little)
Alarming
Easier
Shocked
-Somewhat (moderate extent)
Alarming
Bleak
Shocked
-Stupidly
Naive
-Thoroughly (very much)
Ashamed
Convince
Relieved
-Totally (completely)
Ashamed
Convinced
Harmless
Inadequate
 Safe
Unbelievable
Unexpected

-Utterly (completely)
Crazy
Devastated
Impossible
Shattered
Unexpected
Useless
-Widely
Available
Known
Publicised
Read
Understood
Used

-Useful phrases
Be likely to (+ infinitive)
Be at a loss to (+ infinitive) (not know what to do)
Be in no mood to (+ infinitive)
Be keen to (+ infinitive) (very interested
Be under no obligation to (+ infinitive)
Nowhere to be seen
Occur to (sb) to do something
Turn out to (+ infinitive)
Better at (+ing)
Better off (+ing) (more desirable position)