My Vocabulary Page
hold back v
hold back something: prevent somebody/something
from moving forward or crossing something
1.1/ The police were unable to hold back the crowd.
1.2/ The dam was not strong enough to hold back the flood waters.
1.3/ Sandbags will hold back the flood waters for a while
(v) hold somebody/something back:
prevent somebody/something from doing something or making progress
2.1/ Do you think that mixed-ability classes hold back the better students?
2.2/ We are determined that nothing should hold back the peace talks.
2.3/ She felt that having children would hold her back.
2.4/ She hadn't got the promotion she wanted, and she accused
her boss of holding her back.
hold somebody/something back from something/doing something
2.5/ Nothing could hold them back from success.
2.6/ "Fear that judgment and rejection would hold me back from
my dreams and aspirations," he wrote.
2.7/ Those golds hold me back from doing a lot of things I want to do.
2.8/ Financial barriers would not hold me back from accomplishing
what I want to do in life.
2.9/ "It's that fear of getting hurt again that can hold you
back from falling in love."
(v) hold (somebody) back: if you hold back or if something holds
you back, you hesitate before you do something because you are not
sure whether it is the right thing to do
3.1/ In the current situation many investors are holding back.
3.2/ She wanted to tell him but pride held her back.
3.3/ I wanted to tell him the truth, but something held me back.
3.4/ Her lack of social skills and mistrust of other people hold her back.
hold back from something/doing something
3.5/ She held back from interfering in their arguments.
(v) stop yourself from feeling or showing a particular emotion
4.1/ I was holding back my tears for the whole day after a break-up.
4.2/ She just managed to hold back her anger.
4.3/ He spoke slowly, to hold back his growing anger.
4.4/ "I couldn't hold back my laughter."
4.5/ He could no longer hold back convulsive laughter.
(v) hold something back: keep something secret
5.1/ I think he's holding something back. I'm sure he knows more than he admits.
5.2/ He admitted that something had gone wrong, but he held back the details.
5.3/ Tell me all about it - don’t hold anything back!
5.4/ "Everytime you hold back the truth, you make fear more important than love."
(v) hold a student back a grade (see also: grade retention)
6.1/ When kids haven’t built the academic skills needed for the next grade,
the school may advise holding them back.
6.2/ Does holding kids back a year help them academically?
6.3/ Should schools hold students back because of learning loss caused by
COVID-19 interruptions and differences in digital learning opportunities?
(v) hold back on something: wait for a period of time before doing something
7.1/ We held back on the product release until the third quarter.
7.2/ "He has held back on the IPO for one reason or another."
7.3/ "It may also be a wise move to hold back on new products and
leave them in the pipeline as a bonus for the buyer."
trip v(i,t) //
lose your balance after knocking your foot against something when
you are walking or running, or cause somebody to do this
1.1/ I tripped as I got off the bus.
1.2/ He tripped and fell down, grazing /'greɪzɪŋ/ his knee.
trip on something
1.3/ She nearly tripped on the rug.
1.4/ Be careful not to trip on the floor. (see also: fall on the ground)
1.5/ I tripped on a piece of wire that someone had stretched across the path.
trip over something
1.6/ Someone will trip over that cable.
1.7/ He injured his ankle when he tripped over a water sprinkler while jogging.
1.8/ I was tripping over my words in my excitement to tell them the news.
trip up/over (on something)
1.9/ She tripped up and dropped the tray.
1.10/ Be careful you don't trip up on the step.
1.11/ He tripped up on the doorstep.
1.12/ I tripped up on a piece of loose carpet.
trip over your own feet
1.13/ I tripped over my own feet and fell down the stairs.
trip somebody (up)
1.14/ A fallen branch tripped me up.
1.15/ He was sent off for deliberately tripping Robson when he was about to score.
1.16/ The referee said Morgan was tripped and gave a penalty.
1.17/ As I passed, he stuck out a leg and tried to trip me up.
trip n(c) //
a journey to a place and back again, espa short one
for pleasure or a particular purpose
2.1/ Did you have a good trip?
2.2/ They took a trip down the river.
2.3/ They organize short bike trips.
a trip from A to B
2.4/ The trip from York to Newcastle takes about an hour by train.
2.5/ "I hope you enjoy your trip to Hong Kong."
2.6/ It's a ten-mile trip from the airport to the hotel.
go on a trip (from A to B)
2.7/ We went on a trip to the mountains.
2.8/ We're going on a trip to Norway this summer.
2.9/ "Recently, I went on a trip from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur."
2.10/ "I want to go on a trip around the world, writing a song
in each country I visit."
be away on a trip
2.11/ She's away on a short trip.
2.12/ "I will ask my assistant to keep me posted on the sales while
I am away on a business trip."
a trip abroad, an overseas trip
2.13/ "Who would you like to go on a trip abroad with?"
2.14/ We can't afford another trip abroad this year.
2.15/ He went with her on her overseas trips.
plan a trip
2.16/ He is planning a trip to Vienna.
2.17/ "We are planning a trip from London to Paris on the Eurostar passenger train."
make a trip
2.18/ We had to make several trips to bring all the equipment over.
take a trip
2.19/ I thought we might hire a motorboat and take a trip round the bay.
return from a trip
2.20/ He has just returned from a three-day trip to Australia.
a business trip
2.21/ She's away on a business trip and won't be back until next week.
2.22/ "Is it important to travel first class on a business trip?"
2.23/ "I was coming back from a business trip on Flight BA112."
a school trip
2.24/ "Take a school trip to Kyoto and meet international students."
2.25/ "Houtarou and his group from Furasu High School go on
a school trip to Kyoto."
2.26/ Do you want to go on the school trip to France this year?
a shopping trip
2.27/ "We go on a shopping trip to
2.28/ I was thinking we could go on a shopping trip to New York this weekend.
2.29/ "Amidst the hustle and bustle of daily life, it can be easy to forget to
give yourself a well-deserved break. It doesn’t have to be an island retreat
in the Maldives or a shopping trip to Champs-Elysées in Paris;
you can treat yourself to small luxuries everyday."
a camping trip
2.30/ "Once I joined a camping trip to Mountain Kinabalu."
2.31/ "On January 1, 1980, Charles Monet, a 56-year-old French engineer
living in Kenya, embarked on a camping trip to Mountain Elgon and
set up camp not far from Kitum Cave."
a return trip
2.32/ Jack made a return trip later that year.
2.33/ The return trip on the bike was much easier and quicker
than the outbound trip.
a trip down memory lane
2.34/ Visiting my old school was a real trip down memory lane.
see also: a journey, an expedition, an adventure, a voyage, a tour
n(c) an act of falling or nearly falling down,
because you hit your foot against something
3.1/ She broke her ankle when she had a nasty trip on the stairs.
3.2/ "I had a trip on the stairs once. I was able to break the mighty fall
because I was using the handrails. "
3.3/ "If you do not have current plans to travel internationally,
then getting life insurance is what you should be looking for,
because you can still have a trip down the stairs, in the bathtub, etc.
So, we want to make sure all of your trips are covered."
tumble v(i) //
to fall quickly and without control
1/ I lost my footing and tumbled down the stairs.
2/ At any moment the whole building could tumble down.
3/ He lost his balance and tumbled over.
4/ I will slow down so that I won't tumble on the ground.
5/ n(c) She took a nasty tumble on her way to work and grazed her arm.
stumble v(i) //
to step awkwardly while walking or running and fall or begin to fall
1/ Running along the beach, she stumbled on a log and fell on the sand.
to walk in a way that does not seem controlled
2/ We could hear her stumbling about/around the bedroom in the dark.
to make a mistake, such as repeating something or pausing for too long,
while speaking or playing a piece of music
3/ When the poet stumbled over a line in the middle of a poem,
someone in the audience corrected him.
slip v(i) //
slide without intending to
1.1/ I slipped as I stepped onto the platform.
1.2/ He'd slipped in the bath and broken his hip.
1.3/ She got on her feet and ran towards the door, slipping and sliding.
slip on something
1.4/ She slipped on the ice.
1.5/ Careful you don't slip on this floor in your socks!
1.6/ He slipped on a bar of soap in the shower room.
1.7/ "I slipped on a banana skin that somebody left on the ground."
1.8/ "Barry slipped on a banana skin in the park."
slip over (on something)
1.9/ She slipped over on the ice and broke her leg.
1.10/ "I slipped over on a banana peel."
(idiom) slip on a banana skin/peel: fail in an embarrassing way
2.1/ The director has slipped on a banana skin in her latest film.
2.2/ "The Prime Minister slipped on a banana skin today."
v(i) move out of the correct position
3.1/ Her hat had slipped over one eye.
3.2/ The child slipped from his grasp and ran off.
3.3/ She was careful not to let her control slip.
slip out of something
3.4/ He could feel the rope slipping out of his grasp.
3.5/ The fish slipped out of my hand.
v(i,t) go somewhere or put something somewhere quickly,
often so that you are not noticed
slip out of somewhere
4.1/ Just slip out of the room while nobody's looking.
4.2/ "Vail and Timothy G. Morgan slipped out of the prison after months
of planning, but Vail was hurt during the escape and they were soon caught."
slip away
4.3/ She knew that time was slipping away.
4.4/ I slipped away before the end of the performance.
4.5/ They slipped away from the party right after dinner.
slip (something) into somewhere
4.6/ The ship slipped into the harbour at night.
4.7/ He slipped the letter back into its envelope.
4.8/ He slipped a piece of paper into my hand with his address on it.
4.9/ I managed to slip a few jokes into my speech.
slip in (something)
4.10/ I managed to slip in a few jokes.
4.11/ A guard was posted at the door, in case anyone tried to slip in.
4.12/ "Every day try to slip in a new word into a conversation."
4.13/ "The team understands why it is in everyone's best interest that
they execute the designer's universe, rather than try to slip in ideas
of their own."
slip something + prep
4.14/ She slipped her head around the door.
4.15/ "I slipped my letter under her door."
slip something to somebody, slip somebody something
4.16/ They'd slipped some money to the guards.
4.17/ They'd slipped the guards some money.
4.18/ "I slipped some money to the waiter."
4.19/ If you slip the waiter some money, he'll give you the best table.
v(t) if something slips your mind, you forget it
5.1/ I'm sorry I forgot your birthday - it just slipped my mind.
5.2/ I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. It completely slipped my mind.
v(i,t) put clothes on or to take them off quickly and easily
6.1/ "He slipped a coat over his sweatshirt."
6.2/ "I wish I could tell you I arrived on a plane from Europe,
woke up like this, and easily just slipped into a dress."
6.3/ "She has just slipped out of a dress with lots of sequins."
6.4/ "I slip my slip off over my feet."
slip your shoes on/off
6.5/ "I slip my shoes on."
6.6/ "Let us slip high heels off our feet."
6.7/ "I just slipped my high heels off and curled up."
slip n(c) //
a small piece of paper, esp one for writing on or with something printed on it
7.1/ I wrote it down on a slip of paper.
a reply slip
7.2/ "I didn't hand in my reply slip."
7.3/ "You have to have your parents sign the reply slip."
7.4/ "Please hand in the reply slip to your class teacher on
or before next Tuesday."
a betting slip, a bet slip
7.5/ "He filled in his betting slip and passed it to the cashier."
7.6/ "I go to a branch of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, fill in the bet slip,
hand it to the cashier, and make my payment."
7.7/ "You must produce your winning bet slip to the cashier
in order to get your winnings."
a pay slip, a pay stub
7.8/ "I received my pay slip for the month of Nov 2014."
7.9/ "I have received my pay slip but for some reason given me
different rates of pay."
7.10/ The size of the deductions in the first monthly pay slip
came as a shock to her.
n(c) a small mistake, usually made by being careless or not paying attention
8.1/ There were a few slips in the translation.
8.2/ He recited the whole poem without making a single slip.
8.3/ She made a couple of unfortunate slips during the talk.
8.4/ His team cannot afford any slips.
(make) a slip of the tongue (= make a small mistake when speaking)
8.5/ I called her new boyfriend by her previous boyfriend's name
- it was just a slip of the tongue.
8.6/ "She made a slip of the tongue and accidentally revealed the surprise party."
8.7/ "She made a slip of the tongue when she called him Mark. His name is Mike."
8.8/ "I made a slip of the tongue and spoiled the fun entirely."
n(c) a piece of underwear like a thin dress or skirt, worn under a dress
9.1/ "Would you like me to take off my slip?"
9.2/ "There are so many exposing slips in my lingerie collection."
9.3/ "On Wednesdays we wear sexy slips."
9.4/ "It does need a white slip underneath it because the dress is
fairly seen through!"
a slip dress
9.5/ "if you are looking for some extra depth from the dress,
I would highly recommend you to wear a velvet slip dress."
9.6/ "I put on a slip dress and go for a steak dinner date on the New Year's Day."
slip away v //
leave secretly
1.1/ He slipped away while we were all sleeping.
1.2/ "I slipped away immediately the next morning."
slip away from somebody/something
1.3/ "I slipped away from him and went to take a bath."
1.4/ "In the midst of it all, I had an idea for a song, so I slipped away
from the party, went to the basement and jotted it down."
(v) if a period of time slips away, it passes quickly
2.1/ "Gee, ain't it funny how time slips away?"
2.2/ Time was slipping away and she had to make a decision soon.
2.3/ "Time slips away in the shadow of the sun."
(v) no longer be available; disappear
3.1/ Their support gradually slipped away.
3.2/ Political power was really in their hands and they let it slip away.
a chance(/a possibility/an opportunity) slips away
3.3/ His chance at the medal slipped away as his Olympic teammate took the gold.
3.4/ "Once an opportunity slips away, it is gone for good."
3.5/ "This is what it feels like when an opportunity slips away from you."
hope slips away
3.6/ "Hope is slipping away."
3.7/ "The Mets playoff hopes are slipping away after latest sloppy loss."
3.8/ "Gaza peace hopes slip away as Netanyahu casts doubt over deal."
let something slip through your fingers
3.9/ Don’t let a chance like that slip through your fingers!
3.10/ "I'm heartbroken. I let her slip through my fingers."
back-to-back adj //
happening one after another, without interruption; consecutive; in a row
1/ The NBA schedules games for teams on back-to-back nights
multiple times a season.
2/ Two back-to-back baseball games are played in a row.
back to back
3/ On Wednesday, I'm really busy because I have four classes back to back.
4/ We were really unlucky to get so many snow storms back to back this year.
abruptly adv //
suddenly
1/ The talks ended abruptly when one of the delegations walked out in protest.
2/ She came back five minutes late from lunch and was abruptly dismissed.
abroad adv //
(after verb) in or to a foreign country or countries
go/move/be abroad
1/ We always go abroad in the summer.
2/ They used to go abroad every summer.
3/ He is currently abroad on business.
4/ They decided to move abroad and make a fresh start.
(after noun)
5/ He wanted the best for his children - good schools, a nice house
and trips abroad.
6/ "Both the football teams stateside and the football clubs abroad
bring in a ton of revenue.
7/ "I am 19 years old and would like to play for a football club abroad."
travel abroad
8/ Here are six tips for travelling abroad for the first time.
9/ Rick and his parents travelled abroad in summer.
study abroad
10/ "I studied abroad for a year to improve my English."
11/ "I did a brief summer internship while I was studying abroad."
live abroad
12/ "She has been coming to us in the holidays because our parents live abroad."
13/ "Those who live abroad have been taking advantage of the drop in sterling."
aboard adv, prep //
on or onto a ship, aircraft, bus, or train
1/ Welcome aboard flight BA345 to Tokyo.
2/ The flight attendant welcomed us aboard.
3/ We spent two months aboard ship (= on the ship).
4/ How many pounds of food is typically served weekly aboard
an USN aircraft carrier?
board n(c) //
a thin, flat piece of cut wood or other hard material,
often used for a particular purpose
n(c) [~board] backboard, cutting board, whiteboard, blackboard, noticeboard
1.1/ "I am going to buy a new cutting board."
1.2/ "A backboard is a raised vertical board with an attached basket
consisting of a net suspended from a hoop."
1.3/ "We use a marker to write on a whiteboard."
1.4/ "We write on a blackboard with chalk and do not clean it
for an extended period."
1.5/ "I have put the list of players up on the noticeboard."
n(c) a cupboard /'kʌpbəd/
1.6/ "It makes no sense to keep the good dishes in the cupboard
and only use them on special occasions."
n(u) cardboard /'ka:d.bɔd/
1.7/ "I put all of my cards, except the binder, in a bigger cardboard box."
1.8/ "I was asked to make a cardboard stand-up of a favorite whisky."
unfold/flatten a cardboard box
1.9/ Unfold a cardboard box and cut it into equal sized squares.
1.10/ "Our local recycling company requires all cardboard boxes to be
flattened and broken down for pickup."
make/build a cardboard box
1.11/ "We make a cardboard box out of cardboard."
1.12/ "We make a cardboard gift box with ribbon and tags on it."
n(c) a chessboard
1.13/ "How many grains of wheat would be on the chessboard at the finish?"
1.14/ "If I can't beat you on the chessboard, I'll beat you on the beach."
n(c) a board game /'bɔd ''geɪm/
1.15/ "Monopoly is a popular board game."
1.16/ "A family play a board game together in a log cabin."
n(u) on board: on a boat, train, or aircraft
2.1/ "I get motion sick and vomit on board."
2.2/ As soon as I was on board, I began to have second thoughts about leaving.
on board something
2.3/ An airline meal is a meal served to passengers on board a commercial airliner.
2.4/ Roughly fifty crew members were on board the ship at the time.
2.5/ "Is it lazing on board a cruise ship, drink in hand, enjoying the sun?"
2.6/ "Here's a closer look at what to do to get and stay on board a cargo ship."
board v(i,t) //
get onto or allow people to get onto a boat, train, or aircraft
3.1/ Will passengers waiting to board please go to the ticket counter?
3.2/ "I fly economy all the time and just sit and wait until it's my turn to board."
board something
3.3/ At London airport she boarded a plane to Australia.
3.4/ "Passengers must board the ferry at the time listed on the ferry ticket
and please arrive at the pier not less than 15 minutes before boarding."
n(c) a boarding pass
3.5/ "I needed to show the staff my boarding pass a couple more times at this stage."
3.6/ "I tell her that I'm in my assigned seat and show her my boarding pass
in the app on my phone."
3.7/ "I once lost my boarding pass at Dubai airport so I walked to
the airline agent at the gate and asked for a new boarding pass."
v(i) pay to sleep and eat meals in someone's house
4.1/ During his stay in England he boarded with a family in Bath.
4.2/ "Got to board with my friend BJ on my last day."
4.3/ "It makes no sense not to board with your family."
v(i) sleep and eat at school during the school term
5.1/ When you went to school were you a day student or did you board?
n(c) a boarding school
5.2/ "Can a 14 year old study abroad in a boarding school?"
5.3/ "What should my children bring from Hong Kong when
they study in a boarding school?"
see also: the host family, a day school, a night school
airline meal n(c) //
(also: an in-flight /''ɪn'flaɪt/ meal)
1/ I miss airline meals so much I make them at home.
2/ "When was the last time you actually had an airline meal?"
3/ "I'm sure as hell not waking up for an economy airline meal."
4/ "My airline meal had only three slices of pork."
5/ "One third of your taste buds aren't actually working during
the flight. This is why many airline meals taste bland and not
as good as it would on the ground."
6/ "Cathay Pacific's airline meals are mainly Cantonese and
Hong Kong cuisine, which combines Eastern and Western food cultures."
7/ "The airline dinner typically includes meat (most commonly chicken or beef),
fish, or pasta; a salad or vegetable; a small bread roll (with butter);
and a dessert. Condiments (typically salt, pepper, and sugar) are
supplied in small sachets or shakers."
8/ "The airline meal has had many makeovers in its time and now
with celebrity chefs being heralded in, could it become a luxury again?"
9/ "So the next time that you have an airline meal, just stop and
think about how effectively and efficiently this has been delivered
from catering to the plane; especially when most airline kitchens
can be making 80,000 to 140,000 meals a day."
a short-haul meal, short-haul snacks
10/ "Air Serbia has made some changes to its complimentary
economy short-haul meal offer."
11/ "On the flights lasting less than 6 hours, in the LOT Economy
Class you will receive water, as well as a sweet snacks and a bun."
12/ "We serve lunch or dinner on our short-haul flights departing
between 10 a.m. and midnight. On other flights we serve breakfast."
13/ "In Economy Class on short-haul flights, we serve complimentary
blueberry juice and water on most of our routes."
14/ "British Airways improves short-haul snacks in Economy,
and makes lounge loos unisex."
15/ "We offer a variety of meal types, ranging from short-haul
snacks to full-course meals for long-haul international flights,
all while keeping in mind the needs of different classes - economy,
business, and first class."
see also: n(u) airline food
per se adv //
by or of itself
1/ Research shows that it is not divorce per se that harms children,
but the continuing conflict between parents.
2/ It is not a pretty town per se, but it is where my family comes from,
so I like it.
3/ Of course, a user is not interested in formulas per se,
but in the values computed by them.
4/ There is no indication that just having a degree per se improves your chance
of getting a job.
5/ It is not the money per se that makes them unhappy, but the single-minded
pursuit /pər'su:t/ of that money.
6/ He was not unfit, per se, but next to the athletes he looked like
a sack of potatoes.
7/ Money per se is not the main reason that people change careers.
rooted adj //
having developed from something
1/ The problems were rooted in the area's history.
very strong and firmly fixed
2/ deeply rooted loyalty
deep-rooted
3/ Deep-rooted values guide our actions.
4/ a deep-rooted fear of spiders
be rooted in something: to originate in or stem from something.
5/ The decline of this city is rooted in the move away from local steel
in the 1980s.
6/ Most prejudices are rooted in ignorance
ingrain v(t) //
to establish something such as a belief so firmly that it is not likely to change
1/ We want to ingrain good financial habits in people.
(adj) ingrained
2/ Such ingrained prejudices cannot be corrected easily.
3/ The belief that you should own your house is deeply ingrained in our society.
plant v(t) // or //
(usual meaning)
1/ We planted trees and bushes /bʊʃɪs/ in our new garden.
2/ The plot was surrounded by a stone wall and planted with flowering trees.
3/ a densely planted garden
v(t) To plant an idea or story is to cause it to exist
4/ Defense lawyers try to plant doubts in the minds of the jurors about
what actually happened.
5/ Who planted these rumors?
6/ That incident planted doubts about him in my mind.
to put something firmly and strongly in a particular place
7/ He planted a kiss on her forehead.
reserve v(t) //
to keep something for a particular purpose or time
1/ I reserve Mondays for tidying my desk and answering letters.
2/ These seats are reserved for the elderly and women with babies.
3/ I reserve judgment on this issue until we have more information.
reserve a seat; reserve a table at a restaurant
4/ I reserved a double room at the Lamb Hotel.
5/ If you get there early, reserve me a seat (or: reserve a seat for me).
reserve n(u) //
the habit of not showing your feelings or thoughts
6/ I took her out for a drink and tried to break through her reserve.
n(c,u) the act of keeping something or a supply of something until it is needed,
or a supply that you keep:
7/ (in reserve) She keeps a little money in reserve.
8/ (on reserve) The librarian has put the book on reserve for me.
9/ We still have a reserve of food(/food reserves) in case of emergency.
n(u) without reserve
10/ I can recommend him to you without reserve (=without doubt).
interfere v(i) //
to involve yourself in a situation when your involvement is not wanted or is not helpful
1/ I'd never interfere between(/with) a husband and wife.
2/ (+ in) Interfering in other people's relationships is always a mistake.
3/ She was resentful of anybody's attempts to interfere in her work.
4/ It's their problem and I'm not going to interfere.
interfere with something: to prevent something from working effectively
or from developing successfully
5/ Even a low level of noise interferes with my concentration.
(= ... disturb my concentration)
(= ... hold me back from concentrating on something.)
intervene v(i) //
synonym: interfere
to intentionally become involved in a difficult situation in order to
improve it or prevent it from getting worse
1/ (+ in) The Central Bank intervened in the currency markets today
to try to stabilize the exchange rate.
2/ (+ to) The minister intervened personally to stop the museum
from being closed.
3/ I'd like to help but I don't have the power to intervene in this dispute.
By intervening, someone helps attempt to resolve the conflict between the two parties.
On the other hand, when someone interferes, they're just getting in the way.
It doesn't necessarily have anything to do with two parties in conflict.
disrupt v(t) //
to prevent something, especially a system, process, or event, from continuing
as usual or as expected
1/ The meeting was disrupted by a group of protesters who shouted
and threw fruit at the speaker.
2/ Heavy snow disrupted travel into the city this morning.
disturb v(t) //
to interrupt what someone is doing
1/ Please don't disturb your sister - she's trying to do her homework.
2/ I'm sorry to disturb you so late, but my car's broken down
and I don't have my phone with me.
v(t) to cause someone to be worried or upset
3/ Some scenes are violent and may disturb younger /'yʌŋgɚ/ viewers.
interrupt v(i,t) //
(usual meaning)
1/ She tried to explain what had happened but he kept interrupting her.
2/ I wish you'd stop interrupting.
to stop something from happening for a short period
3/ We had to interrupt our trip when we heard John's mother had had an accident.
glamorous adj //
attractive in an exciting and special way; full of glamour
(synonym: charming)
1/ glamorous fashion models
2/ a glamorous job
3/ She was looking very glamorous.
4/ some of the world's most beautiful and glamorous women.
glamour (or glamor) n(u) //
a quality of someone or something that causes excitement and admiration
because of its style or attractive appearance
1/ Who can resist the glamour of Hollywood?
(fashion styles) glamour
2/ "The dress code for our party is vintage glamour."
3/ "Corsets have long been associated with Victorian glamour - but now,
it's time to bring these beauties from the boudoir."
Charming means pleasant, attractive, likeable.
Glamorous means fascinating, alluring, enchanting, especially attractive.
Think of a famous movie star at an awards ceremony, in a high-end dress with
expensive jewelry. She’d be glamorous. Or maybe the movie star lives
in a huge mansion, it’s glamorous.
vivid adj //
vivid descriptions, memories, etc. produce realistic and detailed images in the mind
1/ He gave a very vivid and often shocking account/description of his time in prison.
2/ He's one of those people with a very vivid imagination - every time he hears
a noise he's convinced it's someone breaking in.
3/ I have vivid memories of that evening.
very brightly coloured
4/ She was wearing a vivid pink shirt.
come across something v
meet or find somebody/something by chance
come across something
1/ She came across some old photographs in a drawer.
2/ He came across some of his old love letters in his wife's desk.
3/ "I came across my old yearbook while cleaning out my parent's attic."
4/ "I came across my lost watch when I was tidying up."
come across an idea
5/ However, I have not come across this idea before, and the author
is to be congratulated on his originality.
6/ "Many people come across a brilliant idea and instantly realize
and are willing to admit it is more than they can handle."
7/ "Yesterday I came across a thought that habit is actually not a good thing."
come across somebody
8/ I came across children sleeping under bridges.
9/ "I came across my old friend in the supermarket this morning."
10/ "I came across my old friend who I hadn't seen for years."
come through something
manage to get to the end of a difficult or dangerous situation
1/ We've had some hard times, but we've come through.
2/ Son has come through a difficult time, with his club future
having also been in the balance.
the cutting edge //
n(s) cutting edge: the most modern stage of development in a particular type
of work or activity
1/ a company at the cutting edge of mobile communications technology
2/ His research is at the cutting edge of new therapies for cancer.
3/ Video games companies are always on the cutting edge in terms of
the graphics.
4/ "We have the cutting edge in developing customised solutions for you,
based on our deep understanding of the markets."
see also: a leading figure in something, leading edge
mitigate v(t) //
make something less harmful, unpleasant, or bad
1/ It is unclear how to mitigate the effects of tourism on the island.
2/ Getting a lot of sleep and drinking plenty of fluids can mitigate
the effects of the flu.
3/ The company was criticized for failing to mitigate risks at the plant.
see also: ease, lessen, weaken
ease v(i,t) //
make or become less severe, difficult, unpleasant, painful, etc
ease a problem/difficulty
1.1/ To ease the problem of overcrowding, new prisons will be built.
1.2/ "Ease your difficulty in climbing stairs with an evacuation chair."
ease trouble, ease a trouble
1.3/ Family counseling can ease trouble at home.
1.4/ "We devote our efforts to sensitive skin to ease troubles experienced
by customers with sensitive skin."
ease pain, ease a symptom, ease a medical condition
1.5/ These pills should ease the pain.
1.6/ Yoga may help ease asthma symptoms.
1.7/ There are treatments available to help ease pneumonia symptoms."
1.8/ "Music and light therapy can ease insomnia and
help you get a good night's rest."
ease a load, ease a burden
1.9/ "How can I ease my workload without this being frowned
upon in my demanding job?"
1.10/ We want to ease the burden on working families.
1.11/ "We aim to ease the burden of single-parent families."
1.12/ Ministers are looking at how to ease the burden of higher
electricity prices on energy intensive industry.
ease stress/pressure
1.13/ A decisive win would certainly help to ease the pressure
on the team's captain.
1.14/ "Your friends can make you feel heard, loved, and ease the stress
of the challenges you’re facing."
ease traffic congestion
1.15/ New measures have been introduced to ease traffic congestion in the city.
1.16/ "Switching from driving to taking a bus could ease traffic congestion
during rush hours."
ease a conflict, ease tension
1.17/ After the arrival of the United Nations soldiers,
tension in the area began to ease.
1.18/ "What can be done to ease the conflict between Russia and Ukraine?"
ease a feeling, ease tears
1.19/ "The executioner was forbidden from easing her misery by killing her
before the flames reached her flesh."
1.20/ "It may also help settle some of your nerves and in turn, ease your tears."
1.21/ "Changing your thoughts can ease your anger,
making you happier and more prosperous."
v(t) ease something: make something easier
2.1/ Ramps have been built to ease access for people who use wheelchairs.
2.2/ "Tactile plates ease mobility for visually impaired people."
2.3/ They have provided valuable economic aid to ease the transition
to a market economy.
see also: facilitate
ease n(u) //
the fact that something does not involve difficulty or effort
with ease
3.1/ She won the 400 metre race with ease.
3.2/ She won the match with ease.
3.3/ "You do it with ease, the greatest of ease."
for ease of something
3.4/ The doors are extra-wide for ease of access
3.5/ We rated the products for ease of use, quality, and price.
3.6/ This computer is popular for its good design and ease of use.
see also: without any difficulty
n(u) the state of being comfortable or relaxed, or free from worry or pain
4.1/ They live lives of great comfort and ease.
4.2/ In his retirement, he lived a life of ease.
4.3/ He came into the room and sat down with his usual good-natured ease.
at your ease: relaxed
4.4/ I never feel completely at ease with him.
4.5/ She was at her ease straight away in the new job.
4.6/ "I did my best to make him feel at ease."
4.7/ "We make you feel at ease just like home ... stay safe!"
see also: comfort, at your convenience
weaken v(i,t) //
to make or become weak or weaker
1/ v(i) The country’s economy continues to weaken.
2/ The bill would seriously weaken environmental protections.
3/ We know that prolonged exposure to vibration can weaken aircraft components.
lessen //
If something lessens or is lessened, it becomes less strong
1/ A healthy diet can lessen the risk of heart disease.
2/ Keeping your weight down can lessen the risk of heart disease.
3/ There have been repeated attempts to reform political funding
to lessen the influence of big donors.
preclude v(t) //
synonym: prevent
to prevent something or make it impossible
1/ His contract precludes him from discussing his work with anyone
outside the company.
2/ Although your application was not accepted, it doesn’t preclude the possibility
of your applying again later.
foundation n(c) //
(usually plural) foundations: the base that is built below the surface
of the ground to support a building
1.1/ Concrete foundations have been laid.
1.2/ "Why do people have wooden foundations on top of gravel?"
1.3/ The foundations will have to be reinforced to prevent the house
from sinking further into the ground.
the foundations of a building
1.4/ The explosion shook the foundations of the houses nearby.
1.5/ The thunder seemed to shake the very foundations of the building.
1.6/ They had dug too deep and undermined the foundations of the house.
1.7/ "Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the foundations of the prison."
lay the foundations of a building
1.8/ The builders are now beginning to lay the foundations of the new school.
1.9/ "Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the Temple of God in Jerusalem."
(US) a foundation
1.10/ The house has a concrete foundation.
1.11/ "I laid a concrete foundation for a shed today and left a surprise
for any future homeowners who decide to tear it up."
1.12/ "A building has a concrete foundation that is 24" wide
and 36" deep at all points."
n(c,u) a principle, an idea or a fact that something is based on
and that it grows from
2.1/ From firm foundations we will continue to grow the business.
a foundation for something
2.2/ Respect and friendship provide a solid foundation for marriage.
2.3/ "Generational wealth is a strong foundation for the future."
the foundation of something
2.4/ He believes terrorism undermines the very foundations of our society.
2.5/ One of the foundations of democracy is a fair trial.
2.6/ "These four papers, together with quantum mechanics and Einstein's
later general theory of relativity, are the foundation of modern physics."
2.7/ "The creative and inventive use of energy is the foundation of modern society."
have a strong foundation in a subject
2.8/ "I have strong foundations in different areas of English."
2.9/ "Why is it important to have a strong foundation in math?"
2.10/ "The best way to build a strong foundation in math would be to
enjoy it and get excited over it."
lay a foundation for something
2.11/ "We need to lay a solid foundation for our future."
2.12/ "This laid a sound foundation for entrepreneurship to flourish."
2.13/ "It is important to lay a strong foundation for excellent language skills."
lay the foundation(s) of(/for) something
2.14/ He helped to lay the foundations of English drama.
2.15/ "Who laid the foundation of modern physics?"
2.16/ He laid the foundation of Japan's modern economy.
2.17/ The two leaders have laid the foundations of a new era
in cooperation between their countries.
2.18/ "Her early research laid the foundation for many important medical discoveries."
2.19/ "At Robinsfield George Eliot Federation we lay the foundations
for future success."
be without foundation, have no foundation
2.20/ These stories have no foundation.
2.21/ These allegations are completely without foundation.
2.22/ These charges are completely without foundation.
see also: found something on something
n(c) an organization that has been created in order to provide for
a particular group of people in need of help or for a particular type of study
3.1/ The money will go to the San Francisco AIDS Foundation.
3.2/ "You will need to determine who will actually run the foundation."
3.3/ Many of the hospitals were originally established by religious foundations.
3.4/ He gave £1m to set up a charitable foundation to help vulnerable young people.
3.5/ "A group of medical experts established the British heart foundation
in 1961 with the goal of bolstering funding for studies into the origins,
prognosis management, and prevention of heart and circulation illnesses."
3.6/ "You can make an online donation to the Chapel & York Hong Kong Foundation
and indicate any of our member organisations."
n(u) the act of establishing an organization, state, etc
4.1/ The foundation of the children’s home was made possible
by a generous contributor.
4.2/ He helped lead the company out of its worst crisis since
its foundation over a hundred years ago.
the foundation of an organization
4.3/ "The foundation of Apple was laid by two high school friends:
Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak."
4.4/ "Before the foundation of CUHK, the possibility to open the door
to Chinese-speaking students was emerging in HKU."
4.5/ "The foundation of CUHK represented a government campaign to
reassert colonial influence and reorient these colleges toward
British academic systems."
see also: n(u) establishment, be founded in 1630
hedge your bets
to protect yourself against making the wrong choice
1/ The weather forecasters were hedging their bets, saying the storm might
come into land or go out to sea.
2/ They're hedging their bets and keeping up contacts with both companies.
as far as it goes
If you say that something is good as far as it goes or true so far as it goes,
you mean that it is good or true only to a limited extent.
1/ Tax relief is fine as far as it goes but it will not get the economy moving again.
2/ It's a good essay as far as it goes.
as far as (something) goes: with regard to; about
3/ As far as the weather goes, we've been having nothing but rain
for the past week.
trait n(c) //
a characteristic, esp. of a personality
1/ Patience is one of his best traits.
2/ Arrogance is a very unattractive personality/character trait.
3/ His sense of humour is one of his better traits.
custom n, adj //
n(c,u) a way of behaving or a belief that has been established for a long time
among a group of people
1/ It was a time-honored custom of the club that blue chairs were
reserved for senior members only.
2/ In my country, it's the custom for women to get married in white.
3/ She’s studying the language and customs of the Hopi Indians.
n(c) something you usually do
4/ He left the house at nine exactly, as was his custom.
(adj, prefix) specially designed for a particular person or purpose
5/ (custom-designed/made/built) Getting parts for custom-built cars can
take six months to a year.
6/ The music industry is being turned upside down by our ability to go to
a website and download MP3 music tracks or get custom CDs made.
7/ a custom-built software
8/ "How to define a custom sort function in JavaScript?"
customize v(t) //
see also: custom
1/ Employees can customize the software to suit their needs.
2/ The basic design of the vehicle has been customized to the client's
requirements.
redeem v(t) //
make something or somebody seem less bad
1.1/ The excellent acting wasn't enough to redeem a weak plot.
1.2/ In an attempt to redeem the situation, Jed offered to help sell tickets.
1.3/ She seems to have no redeeming qualities at all.
redeem yourself
1.4/ He has a chance to redeem himself after last week's mistakes.
1.5/ He was an hour late, but he redeemed himself in her eyes by
giving her a huge bunch of flowers.
1.6/ "I wanted to redeem myself by telling you everything."
a redeeming feature
1.7/ She took me to see a really dull film, the only redeeming feature
of which was the soundtrack.
1.8/ The only redeeming feature of the job is the salary.
1.9/ They refuse to admit that being part of a joint enterprise, as such,
is a redeeming feature of anyone's life.
v(t) redeem something: exchange something such as shares or vouchers
representing a particular amount of money for that amount of money
or goods to this value
redeem a coupon/voucher (against something)
2.1/ To redeem your coupon, simply enter the coupon code at checkout.
2.2/ Please do not attempt to redeem this voucher against
any other product or promotion.
2.3/ This voucher can be redeemed at any of our branches.
redeem a reward, redeem loyalty points
2.4/ "You should only redeem rewards offered in your current market,
as offers and rewards vary between account, region, and market."
2.5/ "When redeem a reward, a discount code will be generated."
2.6/ "How do I redeem my loyalty points for rewards?"
v(t) get back something in pawn by paying a pawnbroker back money
3.1/ He was able to redeem his watch from the pawnshop.
3.2/ "To date, he has not redeemed my dowry. That tells me how repentant he is.
To him, it's just a pair of bangles in exchange for money. Finished."
see also: put something in pawn
v(t) redeem a promise/pledge: do what you have promised that you will do
4.1/ "I will redeem my pledge of car gifts to traditional rulers."
4.2/ "I am determined to redeem my pledge to God."
4.3/ "I will redeem my promise to give her happiness."
4.4/ "I shall redeem my vow to God which my lips promised."
redeem a loan, redeem a mortgage
4.5/ "When you redeem your mortgage, your lender will charge you
an administration fee for this."
4.6/ "After winning the lottery, I can now redeem my mortgage in full."
4.7/ "I intend to fully redeem my loan before I renew my insurance
for the 1-year old car."
redeemable adj //
(of a coupon/voucher) able to be exchanged for a particular amount of money
or for goods of this value
1/ Vouchers are redeemable until Thursday, June 25.
2/ The points are only redeemable against future travel spending on the card.
(of an amount of money) able to be used to pay part of the cost of something
3/ Tickets to the event are £5, redeemable against a purchase of the book
on the night.
able to be corrected, improved, or changed
4/ There are not a lot of redeemable qualities about this man.
5/ When does a person become irredeemable?
6/ What makes a person irredeemable?
get hold of
to obtain something; to get and possess
1/ Where can I get hold of some stamps?
2/ Where can I get hold of today’s newspaper?
3/ Somehow she managed to get hold of the band's new album before it came out.
4/ Where did you get hold of that idea?
5/ This is a very difficult concept to get hold of(=understand).
take your life in your hands
risk your life
1/ Every time you go parachuting /'perəʃu:tɪŋ/ you're taking your life in your hands.
2/ A rider who does not know the road takes his life in his hands by cycling
in the dark.
take something into your own hands
to take control of something
1/ After months of waiting for something to happen, he decided to take matters
into his own hands.
2/ The judge had no sympathy for people who insisted on taking the law
into their own hands.
3/ take your life into your own hands
take matters into your own hands
4/ Local people took matters into their own hands and hired their own
security guards.
bring out //
to make something appear; to make apparent; to reveal
1/ A crisis can bring out the best and the worst in people.
2/ That dress really brings out the colour of your eyes.
3/ She brought out the best in me.
4/ There's nothing like winning it all to bring out the generosity in a man.
5/ A man of late middle age, altogether unremarkable in appearance,
was not the stuff to bring out any special response in her.
to produce something to sell to the public; to release
6/ They keep bringing out smaller phones.
7/ The greeting-card company is bringing out a new line of Mother’s Day cards.
8/ He is totally dedicated and brings out the best in his pupils.
bring forth
to cause something to happen or be seen or known
1/ Maddie brought forth a new line of clothes.
2/ I may be new, but I can still bring forth any proposals I consider necessary.
3/ Her letter to the paper brought forth a flood of supportive comments.
4/ His response to the interview brought forth a lot of criticism.
bring forward
to introduce something so that it can be seen or discussed
1/ The police brought forward some new evidence in the case.
2/ Don't forget to bring forward last month's income and expenses.
bring forward a suggestion/proposal
3/ At the meeting several excellent suggestions were brought forward by
the more junior members of staff.
to change the date or time of an event so that it happens earlier than planned
4/ The elections were brought forward by three months.
5/ I'd like to bring the meeting forward to next week.
6/ He agreed to bring forward deadlines for reducing phosphates in the lake.
ahead of prep //
in front of someone or something
1/ Rick walked on ahead of us.
2/ He could see that the road ahead of him was clear.
3/ You go on ahead of(= before) me, and I'll meet you there.
way/far ahead of: making more progress than someone else
4/ Sophie is way ahead of the other children in her class.
5/ "We remain one step ahead of our competitors."
in or into the future; coming to
6/ She has a difficult time ahead of her.
7/ "A couple looked at lanterns ahead of the new year in Shenyang."
8/ "Belgian Neutrality and its Reinterpretation ahead of the First World War."
ahead of time: in advance
9/ We had a date for lunch, and I said I’d call her ahead of time to decide where.
10/ "The handout is to encourage you to study ahead of time
- before coming to class."
earlier than or before somebody or something
11/ This was one Olympic site that had been completed ahead of schedule.
12/ For most of the year London is five hours ahead of New York.
13/ We finished the project two weeks ahead of the schedule.
(antonym) behind somebody or something
14/ We finished the project two weeks behind the schedule.
15/ New York is two hours behind Utah.
be/stay/get ahead of the curve: be at a leading position
16/ It's difficult to stay ahead of the curve - it involves a lot of
work and innovation.
17/ Our boss wants us to make some changes so that we can
get ahead of the curve.
get ahead of yourself
To plan or become overly excited for a possible future event
1/ A: "I love this house, I can't wait to live here!"
B: "Whoa, the sellers still have to accept your offer, so don't get ahead of yourself."
2/ I think she's getting ahead of herself here — I mean, they've only been dating
a few weeks, and she's practically planning their wedding.
to do something too early, or before you are ready or prepared
3/ I have to stick to my notes or I will get ahead of myself in my lecture.
4/ When he bought a new little bicycle before the baby was born,
he was getting ahead of himself.
pursue v(i,t) //
synonym: chase, go after
(chase) follow or search for someone or something, in order to catch or
attack that person or thing
1/ The police pursued on foot, but lost him in the crowd.
2/ He was killed by the driver of a stolen car who was being hotly
pursued by the police.
(attemp) v(t) try to achieve
example: pursue a career/ pursue a dream/ pursue an interest
3/ She single-mindedly pursued her goal of earning a law degree.
4/ He decided to pursue a career in television.
5/ We need to decide soon what marketing strategy we should pursue
for these new products.
6/ Michael Evans is leaving the company to pursue his own business interests.
v(t) try to discover information about a subject; to uncover
7/ We will not be pursuing this matter any further.
8/ I don't think this idea is worth pursuing any further.
v(t) continue to do
9/ The hobbies that I pursue in my spare time are crafts – woodworking, mainly.
v(t) (relationship)
10/ Make a girl pursue you.
11/ Don't try to pursue a girl you like if you don't support equality
between genders.
chase v(i,t) //
(usual meaning)
1/ (+ after) She was chasing (after) a man who had snatched her bag.
2/ The police car was going so fast, it must have been chasing someone.
3/ The dog chased squirrels in the park.
v(i) chase around: to hurry or run in various directions
4/ She couldn't study with the children chasing around the house.
v(t) chase a job/ chase a dream/ chase an interest
5/ It's depressing how many people there are chasing so few jobs.
6/ After years of chasing her dreams, she finally got a part in a film.
v(t) kick somthing out of somewhere
7/ She’s always chasing rabbits out of her garden, but they keep coming back.
8/ He used to chase the children away from his apple trees.
v(i,t) (relationship)
9/ how to chase a girl you like
10/ Chase the girl on whom you have a crush.
11/ Kevin's been chasing after Joan for months.
go after
(run after) chase
1/ The police went after him but he got away.
2/ She left the room in tears so I went after her.
try to get something; go after a job/ a dream/ an interest
3/ Are you planning to go after Paul's job when he leaves?
4/ We're both going after the same job.