impossible to imagine or think of
inconceivable (The idea that they might not win was inconceivable to them)
to decide or say officially that something is impossible or will not happen
to rule out (The police haven't yet ruled out murder.)
used to emphasize that something is true
undoubtedly (She was undoubtedly the best candidate.)
a plan to deceive someone
hoax (The bomb threat turned out to be a hoax)
to trick someone in order to make them seem guilty of something that they have not done
to set (sb) up (They claimed that they weren't selling drugs, but that they'd been set up by the police)
to support or help someone
to back up (My family backed me up throughout the court case)
a statement that seems impossible to understand because it contains two opposite facts
paradox (It's a curious paradox that drinking a lot of water can often make you feel thirsty.)
not possible to change; impossible to return to a previous condition
irreversible ( Smoking has caused irreversible damage to his lungs)
to expect something to happen and make plans based on it
to count on ( I'm counting on the meeting ending on time, or I'll miss my bus.)
unpleasant and unacceptable
distasteful (He found the subject of their conversation very distasteful.)
to make something seem less important or less bad than it really is
to play down (Military spokespeople tried to play down the seriousness of the disaster.)
an illegal plan for making money, especially one that involves tricking people
to scam (Banks often carry information about e-mail scams on their websites)
a country ruled by a king or queen
realm (The matter was hotly debated in all the towns of the realm)
to calculate the total of two or more numbers
to add up (If you add those four figures up, it comes to over £1,500)
to try out different methods, before deciding which one to choose
to play around with (We've been playing around with ideas for a new TV show.)
to admit that you were wrong or that you have been defeated
to back down (Eventually, Roberto backed down and apologized)
to persuade someone that something is true when it is not, usually as a joke
to have someone on (That's your new car? You're having me on!)
to happen in a particular way, especially an unexpected one
turn out (As events turned out, we were right to have decided to leave early.)