Study

ENGLISH DAY 31

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  • Migrating birds and fish have a strong HOMING instinct/ The president's car is equipped with a HOMING device.
    Relating to the ability of some animals to find their way home/(An electronic device)producing a special signal so that it can be found using electronic equipme
  • I'd have drowned if he hadn't HAPPENED ALONG/BY and pulled me out of the river. (US)
    go to a place by chance or without planning to
  • You will need to show IDENTIY documents. Anyone can create an account with no IDENTITY verification=> IDENTITY CARD
    showing or proving who someone is
  • Most libraries have old newspapers available on MICROFILM=> The paper records were MICROFILMED to save storage space
    film that is used for photographing info in a reduced size, o a piece f this film=> Photograph information in a reduced size, using microfilm
  • (SLANG) I said no! Now GET OUT OF MY FACE!
    a rude way of telling someone that they are annoying you and should stop
  • The computers were HUMMING in the background. What's that strange HUMMING sound?She hummed to herself as she walked to school/ (IFML) The bar was really HUMMING last night=>We could hear the constant HUM of traffic outside the window.
    make a continuous low sound/ Sing without opening your mouth/ Be busy & full of activity, excitement, sounds, or voices=>A continuous, low sound
  • You can't carry all those bags yourself - please, ALLOW ME. (OLD-FASHIONED)
    a polite expression used when offering to help in some way
  • GAUDY plastic flowers=> She commented loudly on the tacky GAUDINESS the card.
    unpleasantly bright in colour or decoration
  • (IT) The licence type you choose will depend on the number of people requiring CONCURRENT ACCESS
    the fact of allowing more than one user to use a computer system at the same time
  • Diets that are high in saturated fat clog up our arteries, THEREBY reducing the blood flow to our hearts and brains=> "Why are you limping?" "Ah, THEREBY HANGS A TALE." (HUMOROUS)
    as a result of this action (FML OR OLD-FASHIONED)=> Said to SB when what they have asked about involves a long explanation
  • That's a bunch of BALONEY if you ask me. (US)
    nonsense (IFML)/ A smoked sausage, sliced and eaten cold
  • You're talking DRIVEL as usual!=> They're always DRIVELING about me meeting Mr Right and getting married=> Who was that DRIVELING idiot on the radio this morning?
    nonsense o boring & unnecessary info=> Talk a lot in a boring, stupid, or annoying
  • She MET WITH an accident on her way to school (FML)/ The announcement MET WITH applause from the audience.
    exp ST, esp. ST unpleasant/ Cause a particular reaction
  • A lot of modern poetry is not written IN RHYME.
    written as a poem so that the word at the end of a line has the same last sound as a word at the end of another line
  • The name RANG A BELL but I couldn't remember where I had heard it before. No, I'm sorry, that description doesn't RING ANY BELLS with me.
    sound familiar
  • What really happened was, and remains to this day, obscure and CONTESTABLE.
    A contestable statement, claim, legal decision, etc. is one that is possible to argue about or try to have changed because it may be wrong
  • HOMING PIGEON
    a pigeon (= a type of bird) that is trained to return to its home from any place that it starts its journey
  • MACARONI and cheese
    a type of pasta in the shape of small tubes
  • The UPPER CLASSES usually send their children to expensive private schools=> She comes from a very UPPER-CLASS family. Her French was good but spoken with an UPPER-CLASS British accent.
    a social group consisting of the people who have the highest social rank and who are usually rich
  • RIGOROUS testing/checking/ The RIGOROUS controls governing the sale of shares
    Careful t look at o consider every part f ST t make certain it is correct o safe/ Controllin behavior in a severe way/
  • TORPEDO=> He accused them of trying to TORPEDO the peace process.
    a long, thin bomb that travels underwater in order to destroy the ship at which it is aimed=> Use a torpedo to destroy something/ (informal) Destroy
  • The army was brought in to try to prevent further BLOODSHED/ The government must find a way to restore order and end the BLOODSHED
    killing and violence/ A great amount of killing and injury
  • It's ridiculous - we have a tiny disagreement and you BLOW the whole thing OUT OF PROPORTION! Of course, when the papers get hold of a story, it's BLOWN OUT OF all PROPORTION.
    to treat a particular event or problem far too seriously
  • The amount f time taken fo ST t happen aftr a vehicle,an instruction,o an order fo goods arrives at a place/ An occasion whn a business,plan,o system suddenly becomes successful/Business was up over 40% in a dramatic TURNAROUND from last ye
    TURNAROUND time for each order is, on average, 4 days/ The CEO was responsible for the TURNAROUND in the company's fortunes/ A positive change; improvement
  • Following the bomb scare at the airport, the staff have been warned to be extra VIGILANT=> The VIGILANCE of a mother fox protects her young from danger.
    always being careful to notice things, especially possible danger
  • I'm not going out with you like that. You LOOK LIKE SOMETHING THAT THE CAT DRAGGED IN! Brush your hair and put on some clean clothes!
    informal to look very untidy and dirty
  • (A person's name&other facts abt who 'ey r)/(Fact f bein,o feelin tht u r, a particular type f person,org,etc.;the qualities tht make a person,org, etc different fm others)/Here, there is a complete IDENTITY btw his theology & his pratice
    The informant was given a new IDENTITY for protection/ I think my job gives me a sense of IDENTITY/ The fact f bein o feelin the same (FML)
  • (IFML) They said that the group was clearly GOING PLACES
    be likely to be successful in the future
  • The company's PCs are sold by computer RESELLERS and distributors. Ticket RESELLERS once hired teenagers to stand in line to buy tickets for big events.
    a company that buys products from manufacturers and sells them to customers (COMMERCE)
  • With rising prices for crops, MARGINAL LAND is coming under pressure to be put back into cultivation.
    farming land that is of poor quality and does not produce much profit, land that is found on the edge of cultivated areas & is often difficult to grow crops on
  • I’m SICK (AND TIRED) OF him whining about money.
    have experienced too much of SB or ST with the result that you are annoyed
  • (FORMAL) The publishers claim that the book constitutes "the first SEQUENTIAL exposition of events and thus of the history of the revolution".=>It stores the voting records SEQUENTIALLY on a strip of paper.
    Following a particular order
  • THERE, THERE, don't cry. (THERE NOW)
    something you say to comfort someone, especially a child
  • He wanted to be a doctor but, to CUT A LONG STORY SHORT, he ended up as a pharmacist., LONG STORY SHORT, I got fired (US)
    used when you are explaining what happened in a few words, without giving all the details
  • I don't want to hear any more of your SASS (US, IFML)=> Don't you SASS your father like that!=> I was a SASSY kid who sometimes talked back to my mother.
    talk or behaviour that is rude and shows no respect=> Talk to someone in a rude way=> Rude but not seriously offensive
  • Stop FUCKING AROUND! (OFFENSIVE)
    behave stupidly, or to waste time doing things that are not important
  • Our team came in a CREDITABLE third in the competition. The other, less CREDITABLE, reason for their decision was personal gain.
    deserving praise, trust, or respect
  • She is regarded as an UPSTANDING citizen in the local community (FORMAL)/
    behaving in a good and moral way
  • For some people, becoming a parent can bring on an IDENTITY CRISIS
    a feeling of being uncertain about who or what you are
  • This year our business is IN THE BLACK
    earning more money than you spend
  • He's got a plan, so I don't want to UNDERCUT the effort that he has underway/ Large supermarkets can UNDERCUT their smaller rivals.
    Weaken, damage, or cause the failure of ST; undermine/ Undercut is also to charge less than a competitor
  • They were punished with unusual RIGOR/ Her arguments lacked intellectual RIGOR (FML)/ She studied ways to improve academic RIGOR in high schools=> They survived THE RIGORS OF the winter (The unpleasant o severe conditions f ST)
    The fact tht ppl r made t follow rules in a very severe way/ The quality f bein detailed,careful,& complete/ High standards (FML)
  • It's two degrees outside, but with the WINDCHILL factor, it feels like minus five.
    the effect that wind has on how cold the air feels
  • We should HAVE/KEEP AN OPEN MIND until all of the evidence is available.
    to wait until you know all the facts before forming an opinion or making a judgment
  • If your SIGHT is poor, you should not drive a car. The old woman has lost her SIGHT (= has become blind)/ You should always KEEP SIGHT OF your bags while you're at the airport/ Make sure you line up the SIGHT
    the ability to see/ ST that is in SB"S view/ A part of a gun or other device through which you look to help you aim at ST
  • MULCH=> MULCH around the base of the roses (Put mulch on or around something)
    a covering of decaying leaves that is spread over the soil in order to keep water in it or to improve it
  • He's lived in Norwich for 40 years, or THEREABOUTS.
    approximately
  • TURNAROUND MANAGEMENT (MANAGEMENT)
    the management methods needed or used to change a failing organization into a successful one
  • The coach CHEWED his team OUT for playing so badly.
    to tell someone angrily that they have done something wrong (US, INFORMAL)
  • An artist of INDISPUTABLE skill, One fact is INDISPUTAB;E - this must never be allowed to happen again=> He is INDISPUTABLY one of the finest baseball players ever
    true, and impossible to doubt
  • We regret that LATECOMERS cannot be admitted until a suitable break in the performance.
    a person who arrives late
  • SUBSET (MATH)
    a set (= a group of similar numbers, objects, or people) that is part of another, larger set
  • We must be finished by tonight, so I want you to GIVE it YOUR BEST (US).
    put a lot of effort into doing something
  • My bank has agreed to DEFER the repayments on my loan. Can we DEFER making a decision until next week?=> He did not seek DEFERMENT from military service.
    delay ST until a later time
  • Walking along the darkened street, he heard FOOTSTEPS close behind him/ When he realized he'd lost his wallet, he retraced his FOOTSTEPS (went back the way he had come). (PLURAL)
    The sound made by a person walkin as 'eir foot touches the ground,o a step (foot movement)/ The route a person has taken so as t reach a place o t achieve ST
  • (In business)a situation in whch a person o group buys all the shares belongin t a company & so gets control f it/ The act of buying all or part of a company from the people who own it
    A management BUYOUT/ The law firm was active in management BUYOUTS, mergers, and acquisitions.
  • It would be INSTRUCTIVE to follow up the opinion poll with another one after the election=> The outcomes of the two experiments were INSTRUCTIVELY different.
    giving useful or interesting information
  • With 20 kids running around and only two adults to supervise, it was complete MAYHEM/ The movie includes a considerable amount of violence and MAYHEM.
    a situation in which there is little or no order or control/ Confused activity or excitement, sometimes involving destructive violence
  • The tiny carvings were OVERLAID WITH silver/ A computer model OVERLAID information about age, work experience, and educational attainment=>The wood frame has a gold OVERLAY/The phone codes could be changed completely, or by an OVERLAY
    cover ST with a layer of ST/Add info, data, ideas, etc. to existing info=>a thin covering of ST/Info, data, ideas, etc. that are added to existing info
  • She's a really sweet person and she's GENROUS TO A FAULT (KIND, GENEROUS, ETC TO A FAULT)
    be extremely kind, generous, etc.
  • My son's planning to GO INTO journalism/ Repeated death threats have forced them to GO INTO hiding/ (Discuss, examine, describe,o explain ST in a detailed o careful way)/ (If a vehicle goes into ST suchas a tree o a wall,it hits it)
    Start doin a particular type f work/ Start an activity,o start t b in a particular state o condition/ I'd rather not GO INTO that now. Can we discuss it later?
  • IN THE LAST/FINAL ANALYSIS, it is the drug companies that are going to profit from this policy.
    used when you are talking about what is most important or true in a situation
  • Government money was given out to some people and not to others, apparently WITHOUT RHYME OR REASON. There is NO RHYME OR REASON to her behaviour.
    be without any obvious reasonable explanation
  • Are there enough pencils to GO AROUND?, There won’t be enough pizza to GO AROUND if you take two pieces
    If there is enough of something to go round, there is enough for everyone in a group of people
  • That strange noise during the night SCARED/FRIGHTENED me OUT OF MY WITS
    cause extreme fear in someone
  • SIDEARM
    a weapon worn on the side of the body, especially a small gun or sword
  • Going to business school is no longer considered an essential rung on the way to the top of the CORPORATE LADDER
    a series of increasingly important jobs that someone can do within a company
  • The children made a COLLAGE of postcards.
    (the art of making) a picture in which various materials or objects, for example paper, cloth, or photographs, are stuck onto a larger surface
  • UP-TEMPO
    Up-tempo music has a fast beat.
  • The new cathedral was completed and CONSECRATED in 2002=> A large congregation gathered for the CONSECRATION of the church.
    officially make something holy and able to be used for religious ceremonies
  • (US) INTERMISSION/ The Sonics led by only two points at INTERMISSION (US)
    a short period between the parts of a play, film, concert, etc/ a period between parts of a game when the players rest and people watching can leave their seats
  • Didn’t the DVD player come with any INSTRUCTIONS?
    information about how to do, make, or use something
  • Meat-eaters have to produce extensive BILE acids in their intestines to properly digest the meat that they eat=> BILE DUCT (Y: ỐNG DẪN MẬT)/ His article was full of loathing and BILE.
    MẬT/ Very angry feelings, words, or behaviour
  • It takes half an hour for the medication to KICK IN (IFML)/ We should be able to get him a nice retirement present if we all KICK IN (US)
    start to have an effect or to happen/ Give something, especially money or help, together with others
  • The end of the year was their SELF-IMPOSED deadline for finishing the work. After the military coup, the family left for SELF-IMPOSED exile in America.
    decided by yourself, without being influenced or ordered by other people
  • We got there just IN THE NICK OF TIME
    At the last possible moment
  • He SQUIRTED some tomato sauce on his burger/ She was SQUIRTING the neighbours with a water pistol=> The door should stop squeaking once I've given it a few SQUIRTS of oil.
    (Force a liquid) to flow out through a narrow opening in a fast stream/ Hit SB or ST with a liquid or gas=> An amount of liquid or gas that is squirted out
  • Thousands of refugees are living in MAKESHIFT camps.
    temporary and of low quality, but used because of a sudden need
  • (HUMOROUS) He was portrayed in the media as a complete FIEND/ McCormack is a FIEND FOR punctuality=> A FIENDISH attack/ A FIENDISH crossword
    an evil & cruel person/ SB who likes ST very much or is very interested in ST=> Evil & cruel/ Clever & difficult, sometimes in a bad way
  • She doesn't know you're married? You have to stop LIVING A LIE and tell her.
    live in a way that is dishonest because you are pretending to be something that you are not, to yourself or to other people
  • I never buy anything SIGHT UNSEEN
    without seeing something first
  • Can you think of a RHYME for "orange"?/ A book of RHYMES and songs=> "Blue" and "flew" RHYME. Can you think of a word that RHYMES with "orange"?
    a word that has the same last sound as another word/ A short poem, esp for young children=> Words that rhyme have the same last sound
  • Two shoppers were injured in the STAMPEDE as shop doors opened on the first day of the sale=> A loud clap of thunder made the herd STAMPEDE.
    an occasion when many large animals or many ppl suddenly all move quickly & in an uncontrolled way, usu in the same direction at the same time, esp bc of fear
  • MOONSHINE
    mainly US alcohol that is made illegally (SLANG, US, IFML)/ Silly talk or ideas (IFML)
  • There is now INCONTESTABLE evidence that the killings did take place (FORMAL)=> Dance is INCONTESTABLY an elegant art form.
    Impossible to question bc of being obviously true
  • (IFML) I never call her and every time she calls me I have a GUILT TRIP=> He's just trying to GUILT-TRIP you into paying him more.
    a strong feeling of guilt bc of ST u have done wrong or forgotten to do=> Make someone feel guilty, usually in order to make them do something
  • I've MADE/DONE THE ROUNDS OF all the agents, but nobody has any tickets left.
    Talk to a lot of people
  • Monkeys are very AGILE climbers/ Most AGILE corporations have flexible management systems that can quickly accommodate global change and exploit opportunities/ For a man of 80, he has a remarkably AGILE mind.
    able to move your body quickly and easily/ Able to deal with new situations or changes quickly and successfully/ Able to think quickly and clearly
  • (FML) The ACRIMONY of the dispute has shocked a lot of people. The decision was reached without ACRIMONY or controversy=> Their marriage ended eight years ago in an ACRIMONIOUS divorce.
    anger, argument, and bad feeling=> Full of anger, arguments, and bad feeling
  • I got a CRYPTIC text message from Sam=> "Maybe he will come out tomorrow," she added CYPTICALLY. He smiled CRYPTICALLY.
    mysterious and difficult to understand
  • UP YOURS! (OFFENSIVE)
    used to show that you very much dislike someone or the things that someone has just said or done
  • (IFML) HORDES OF students on bikes made crossing the road difficult=> When they heard the concert was free, they came IN THEIR HORDES
    a large group of people=> In very great numbers
  • I've got two tickets to see them (perform) LIVE=> Our new payments system will GO LIVE at the beginning of next month.
    Broadcast as it happens; performing or being performed in front of an audience=> If a new system, especially a computer system, goes live, it starts to operate
  • He spoke in a haughty, SUPERCILIOUS voice.
    Behaving as if you are better than other people, and that their opinions, beliefs, or ideas are not important
  • (IFML) I have a busy day tomorrow, so I think I'll HIT THE SACK/HAY
    go to bed in order to sleep
  • We spent a week in Rome looking at all THE SIGHTS=> After days at sea, the sailors finally SIGHTED land.
    places of interest, especially to visitors=> Suddenly see something or someone
  • an UNSCRUPULOUS financial adviser=> It is a problem when corporations wield market power UNSCRUPULOUSLY=> His reputation for UNSCRUPULOUSNESS compromised many of his achievements.
    behaving in a way that is dishonest or unfair in order to get what you want
  • the Geneva CONVENTION, A CONVENTION on human rights
    a formal agreement between country leaders, politicians, and states on a matter that involves them all
  • I have to DEFER TO my boss on important decisions. I DEFER TO(= accept) your judgment. (FML)
    allow SB o ST t make decisions fo u o tell u what t do bc f ur respect fo them o bc f their higher rank, authority, knowledge, etc
  • (FORMAL) We DEPRECATE this use of company funds for political purposes/ He always DEPRECATES my achievements=> She couldn't hide the DEPRECATION in her voice. The barman shook his head IN DEPRECATION.
    Not approve of ST or say that you do not approve of ST/ Say that you think ST is of little value or importance