My Vocabulary Page
yearn v(i) //
desire something strongly, esp. something difficult or impossible to obtain
1/ Despite his great commercial success he still yearns for critical approval.
2/ Sometimes I just yearn to be alone.
3/ Joy yearns to earn enough money from her job as a doctor’s assistant
for her to become independent.
see also: desire, long for something
comfort v(t) //
make someone feel better when they are sad or worried
1/ The girl's mother was at home today, being comforted by relatives.
2/ I tried to comfort him, but it was no use.
comfort n //
n(u) the state of being physically relaxed and free from pain;
the state of having a pleasant life, with everything that you need
1/ The hotel offers a high standard of comfort and service.
2/ I didn't want to leave the comfort of my bed.
3/ He's beginning to find a comfort level with his teammates now.
in comfort
4/ They had enough money to live in comfort in their old age.
in the comfort of something
5/ Watch the latest movies in the comfort of your own home.
from the comfort of something
6/ From the comfort of your own armchair, you can witness all the action live.
for comfort
7/ I dress for comfort rather than elegance.
8/ These tennis shoes are designed for comfort and performance.
n(u) a feeling of not suffering or worrying so much;
a feeling of being less unhappy
9/ I tried to offer a few words of comfort.
10/ His words were of little comfort in the circumstances.
take comfort from something
11/ I take comfort from your words.
find comfort in something
12/ We know that they will find comfort in the knowledge that he died doing
the job he loved
be/give/provide comfort to someone
13/ If it's any comfort to you, I'm in the same situation.
14/ Help those who cannot help themselves, give comfort to the lonely and the
homeless and let your family become the focus of hope and life to those
who need it.
n(singular) a person or thing that helps you when you are suffering,
worried or unhappy
15/ Her being with me was such a comfort.
be a comfort to someone
16/ The children have been a great comfort to me through all of this.
It is a comfort to someone (to do something)
17/ It's a comfort to know that she is safe.
18/ It was a comfort to her to know that I was never far away.
It is a comfort (to someone) that
19/ In some ways it's a comfort that they died together.
20/ It will be a comfort to her family that justice has been done.
n(c,plural) a thing that makes your life easier or more comfortable
21/ The hotel has all modern comforts(/every modern comfort).
22/ material comforts
23/ She desperately missed her home comforts while camping.
24/ He is someone who would take the comforts of home over the bright lights
of Hollywood.
comfort zone n(c) //
a situation in which you feel comfortable and you do not have to do
anything new or difficult
1/ Rock climbing pushes many people beyond their comfort zones.
in your comfort zone
2/ If you stay in your comfort zone, you'll never know what you're
really capable of.
out of your comfort zone
3/ Sometimes you have to step out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself.
mark up //
increase the price of something
1/ Suppliers mark up the price paid for gas at the border before selling it on.
2/ They buy paintings at auctions, mark them up, and then resell them
at a vast profit to collectors.
3/ In the days of hyperinflation, we would rush to the market as soon as
we were paid and buy our weekly groceries before they were marked up.
4/ Shares in retail businesses were marked up on the news that consumer spending
rose last month.
mark up something by 10%
5/ Retail chains routinely mark up groceries by 80-90%.
mark up (something) 10%
6/ Shares in the company were marked up 46p to £13.04.
7/ "Knowing that you should mark up 10 percent for overhead and 10 percent
for profit, is the kind of pseudo-knowledge that can get you into a deep hole
pretty quickly."
mark-up n(c,u) //
the amount by which the price of something is increased before it is sold again
1/ Most products sold in those stores are sold at a 5% markup.
2/ Some states have laws forbidding the resale markup on tickets.
noted adj //
well known because of a special skill or feature
1/ a noted dancer
(be noted for) see also: be well known for, be famous for
2/ He is not noted for his sense of humour.
be noted as something
3/ The lake is noted as a home to many birds.
v(t) note: notice something
4/ well noted (with thanks)
5/ noted with thanks
duly /'du:li/ noted
6/ Your criticism has been duly noted.
7/ The parents’ complaints were duly noted by the principal.
8/ Thank you for your suggestions; they have been duly noted.
placard n(c) //
a notice or sign hung in a public place or carried by people
1/ Demonstrators marched past holding(/waving) placards that said
"Send food, not missiles!"
2/ They were carrying placards and banners demanding that he resign.
3/ Protesters hold placards during a rally at Tamar Park.
in a row adv //
happening a number of times, one after the other
two times in a row, twice in a row
1/ I’ve beaten her three times in a row.
2/ "All the rolls are independent, so rolling double sixes twice in a row
is the same as rolling a six on one die four times in a row."
two days in a row, two nights in a row
3/ Can you run two days in a row?
4/ It should be fine to call in sick two days in a row.
5/ She’s been out four nights in a row.
6/ It's been raining two days in a row.
7/ "He has been late to work two days in a row."
on two days in a row
8/ It could be kind of weird to see an executive or a PR person or someone
in the public view with the same clothing on two days in a row.
synonym: consecutively, one after the other(/one after another)
see also: back to back
reassure v(t) // or //
comfort someone and stop them from worrying
1/ They tried to reassure her, but she still felt anxious.
reassure somebody that
2/ The doctor reassured him that there was nothing seriously wrong.
3/ He reassured me that my cheque would arrive soon.
4/The president hastened to reassure his people that he was in perfect health.
be reassured of something
5/ She needed to be reassured of his love for her.
be reassured to do something
6/ You might be reassured to get a college acceptance letter after worrying
that you won't get in anywhere.
7/ I was nervous on my first day at college, but I was reassured to see
some friendly faces.
(adj) reassuring
8/ He smiled at me in a reassuring way.
9/ No matter how unsettling our circumstances, life is still worth living
when we take God's reassuring words to heart.
ashamed adj(after v) //
feeling bad because you are aware that others know that you or someone connected
with you has done something wrong or embarrassing
1/ I felt deeply ashamed for my father’s impoliteness.
ashamed of something
2/ You have nothing to be ashamed of.
3/ She was deeply ashamed of her behaviour at the party.
4/ We must stop being afraid or ashamed of what we are.
ashamed of somebody
5/ I'm so ashamed of you!
6/ His daughter looked such a mess that he was ashamed of her.
7/ I felt so ashamed of myself for making such a fuss.
8/ You should be ashamed of yourself for telling such lies.
ashamed to be something(/do something)
9/ He felt ashamed to let her see him in this state.
10/ The football riots made me ashamed to be English.
11/ I'm ashamed to be seen with you when you behave so badly!
12/ He was ashamed to admit to his mistake.
ashamed that
13/ I was ashamed that I'd made so little effort.
14/ I feel almost ashamed that I've been so lucky.
shame v(t) //
make somebody feel guilty or ashamed
1/ It shames me that I treated her so badly.
2/ The behaviour of a few children has shamed the whole school.
3/ The people who did this all deserve to be publicly shamed.
4/ His generosity shamed them all.
make somebody feel that they have lost honour or respect
5/ You have shamed your family.
6/ A girl has shamed her library for saying she couldn't take part
in a "boys only" robotics course.
7/ The school's exam results shame those of the other schools in the area.
shame someone into something
8/ She shamed her father into promising more help.
9/ An outcry from customers has shamed the company into lowering its prices.
10/ The city council was shamed into taking action after criticism in the
national and local media.
shame someone out of something
11/ Don't let people shame you out of buying clothes you can afford.
12/ Don't let people shame you out of your obsession.
name and shame: publish the names of people or organizations who have done
something wrong or illegal
13/ The companies that pollute our rivers should be named and shamed.
14/ Repeat offenders were named and shamed on the internet.
shame n //
n(singular) if something is described as a shame, it is disappointing
or not satisfactory (synonym: pity)
It is a shame that ...
1/ It's a shame that she wasn't here to see it.
2/ It's a real(/great) shame that the event had to be cancelled.
3/ It’s a shame that you didn’t say something sooner.
4/ Shame they didn't think of that earlier.
what a shame (see also: what a pity)
5/ What a shame they couldn't come.
6/ What a shame that they left just before we arrived.
7/ "Douglas had to miss the school concert because he was ill."
"Oh, what a shame!"
a shame about somebody/something (doing something)
8/ It's a shame about Tim, isn't it?
9/ It's a terrible shame about Stuart losing his job, isn't it?
a shame (for somebody/something) to do something
10/ It's a shame to see her wasting her talent like this.
11/ Have some more vegetables - it would be a shame to waste them.
12/ It seems such a shame to throw perfectly good food away.
13/ It'd be a shame for us to give up now.
14/ It would be a crying shame not to take them up on the offer.
n(u) the feelings of being sad, embarrassed or guilty that you have
when you know that something you have done is wrong or stupid
15/ I would die of shame if she ever found out.
16/ To my shame I refused to listen to her side of the story.
with shame
17/ His face burned with shame.
18/ They should blush with shame.
in shame
19/ She hung her head in shame.
20/ The children hung(/bowed) their heads in shame.
the shame of something/doing something
21/ The king preferred death to the shame of defeat.
22/ It took me a while to get over the shame of not doing something to help him.
23/ The shame of the scandal was so great that he shot himself a few weeks later.
the shame of someone/something doing something
24/ He could not live with the shame of other people knowing the truth.
shame at something/doing something
25/ I felt a twinge of shame at the thought.
26/ She admitted her shame at having a parent in prison.
shame for something/doing something
27/ He was filled with shame for giving in to his anger.
28/ She expressed her shame for her role in the whole unfortunate business.
29/ He said he felt no shame for what he had done.
shame about something/doing something
30/ "I feel no shame about living with HIV."
n(u) no shame, without shame
31/ You can't go out dressed like that - have you no shame?
32/ That child is completely without shame!
33/ She has no sense of shame.
see also: shameless
n(u) loss of honour and respect
34/ He risked public shame and possible imprisonment.
shame in something/doing something
35/ There is no shame in wanting to be successful.
36/ He thinks there's great shame in being out of work and unable to provide
for his family.
37/ There is no shame in poverty.
bring shame on something
38/ She felt that her failure would bring shame on her family.
39/ In some societies, if a woman leaves her husband, it brings shame
on her and her family.
put somebody/something to shame v //
be much better than somebody/something
1/ Their presentation put ours to shame.
2/ Her energy and enthusiasm puts the rest of us to shame.
3/ Your cooking puts mine to shame.
shame on you v //
used to tell someone that they should feel sorry for something they did
1/ Shame on you for being so mean.
2/ Shame on you for doubting me!
3/ "Shame on those people who abuse their privilege at the expense of orthers."
shameful adj //
deserving blame, or being a reason for feeling ashamed
1/ a shameful episode in our history
2/ I couldn't see anything shameful in what I had done.
3/ The crime figures are shameful.
4/ The family kept their shameful secret for years.
5/ It’s shameful that his own country did not fully appreciate his talent
until it was recognized abroad.
how shameful
6/ How shameful!
7/ How shameful is this regime!
shameless adj //
(synonym: unashamed) not feeling ashamed of something you have done,
although other people think you should
1/ a shameless display of greed
2/ It was a shameless display of cowardice.
3/ Some claimed he was a shameless womanizer.
4/ The British press were shameless in their support for Clinton.
5/ She is completely shameless about her ambition.
6/ They seem to have a shameless disregard for truth.
7/ When the senator wanted something from a colleague, he first resorted to
shameless flattery.
plunge v(i,t) //
(fall) move or fall suddenly forward, down, or into something
1/ Her car plunged off the cliff.
2/ The car went out of control and plunged over the cliff.
3/ Niagara /naɪ'ægərə/ Falls plunges 55.5 metres.
plunge into something
4/ We ran down to the beach and plunged into the sea.
5/ He plunged into the crowd, smiling and shaking hands.
plunge something into something
6/ She suddenly plunged the knife into the cake.
7/ Cook the peas by plunging them into boiling water.
v(i,t) if a value or price plunges, it suddenly becomes less
8/ Rumors on Wall Street have caused stock prices to plunge.
9/ The fall in demand caused share prices to plunge.
10/ Our income has plunged dramatically.
11/ Car sales plunged in France in June.
plunge ($10/10%) to $20
12/ Share prices plunged $16.74, or 44%, to $20.51 a share.
plunge by something
13/ The Dow /daʊ/ was 40 points ahead, having plunged by 60 points shortly
after the opening bell.
plunge from something
14/ Visitor numbers plunged from 25 million in 2010 to 22.8 million
- but they are now recovering.
v(i,t) if a person or group plunges into an activity, or a place plunges
into a condition, it suddenly experiences it
15/ The economy was in danger of plunging into a depression.
16/ The storm cut power lines, plunging the town into darkness.
plunge (a place) into darkness: cause (a place) to suddenly become dark
17/ The city was plunged into darkness from the earthquake.
18/ City plunges into darkness as electricity feeders trip.
19/ Various parts of the city plunged into darkness after electricity feeders
in various grid stations in Peshawar tripped between Thursday night
and Friday morning.
plunge into(/in) something: suddenly start doing something actively or enthusiastically
20/ Two months before his exams, he suddenly plunged into his studies.
21/ He took a deep breath and plunged into his speech.
plunge someone/something into something:
suddenly experience a bad situation or unhappiness, or make someone or something
suddenly experience a bad situation or unhappiness
22/ The country was plunged into recession.
23/ He was plunged into despair when his wife left him.
24/ Problems with a controversial new fuel manufacturing facility plunged
the company deeper into losses last year.
plunge n(c) //
a sudden fall forward, down, or into something:
1/ A tree broke(=stopped) his plunge downhill.
2/ The rapid plunge of the stock market caused panic among investors.
a plunge in something
3/ I really enjoyed my plunge in the pool.
4/ We are expecting a plunge in profits this year.
5/ Profits are being affected by the plunge in the dollar against the euro.
6/ The plunge in oil prices has driven fuel bills 12% lower.
take the plunge: make a decision to do something, especially after thinking
about it for a long time:
7/ They're finally taking the plunge and getting married.
8/ You've likely been entrepreneurial in a lot of facets of your life and
are ready to take the plunge to start a company.
see also: make a decision, make up your mind
soothe v(t) //
make someone feel calm or less worried
1/ I picked up the crying child and tried to soothe her.
2/ What works to soothe a friend's baby might not work for yours.
3/ Chosen carefully, your words soothe a friend, make someone laugh,
or open a conversation.
4/ Eating to soothe your feelings. Using food as a reward.
see also: calm down, chill out
v(t) make a part of the body less painful
5/ I had a long, hot bath to soothe my aching muscles.
6/ As a result, drinking green tea can help soothe diarrhea caused by
any gastrointestinal distress.
7/ If you're not a fan of coffee but you want to use caffeine to
soothe your headache, consider trying green or black tea.
see also: ease pain
immerse v(t) //
immerse (yourself) in: involve someone completely in an activity
1/ She immersed herself wholly in her work.
2/ These are just five reasons why you should fully immerse in English language.
3/ Allow them to immerse in English environment and then let them
benefit from the essence of elite America education.
4/ I'm going to France this summer to immerse myself in French culture.
5/ I think showing the kids a movie could help to immerse them
in the language a little more.
see also: submerge yourself in something
v(t) put something or someone completely under the surface of a liquid
6/ Immerse the egg in boiling water.
7/ The shells should be immersed in boiling water for two minutes.
8/ Immersed in the sea, it seems that everything is calm.
submerge v(i,t) //
go below the surface of an area of water
1/ The submarine submerged when enemy planes were sighted.
2/ Seals exhale so they can submerge more easily.
3/ She was taken to hospital after being submerged in an icy river for 45 minutes.
4/ Take a normal breath and completely submerge yourself.
v(t) cover or hide something completely
5/ She has submerged her identity in the role of photographer's wife and muse.
6/ Deal with or submerge your feelings.
7/ I appreciate your stoicism /'sdəʊ.ɪ.sɪzəm/, but you should not
completely submerge your feelings.
submerge yourself in something: put all your effort into doing a particular activity
8/ She is an actress who always try to submerge herself completely in a role.
9/ "The more you submerge yourself in a language, the easier it gets,
which is why I think focusing on it for a week is so effective."
regret v(t) //
feel sorry about something you have done and wish you had not done it
1/ Don’t do anything you might regret.
2/ Is there anything you've done in your life that you regret?
3/ He regretted his decision to leave school.
regret doing something
4/ I regret leaving school so young.
5/ I have always regretted not having studied harder at school.
6/ I’m going to regret eating all those nachos.
regret that
7/ He was beginning to regret that he’d come along.
v(t) (formal) used in official letters or statements when saying that
you are sorry or sad about something
8/ We regret any inconvenience caused to our customers.
regret to say/inform/tell
9/ I regret to inform you that your contract will not be renewed.
10/ The weather, I regret to say, is getting worse.
11/ British Airways regret to announce the cancellation of flight BA205 to Madrid.
regret that
12/ I regret that I will be unable to attend.
13/ My husband regrets that he couldn’t be here tonight.
14/ The council regrets that the money to subsidize the youth club is
no longer available.
regret n(c,u) //
sadness that you feel about something, esp because you wish it had not happened
1/ I left school at 16, but I've had a great life and I have no regrets.
2/ Her biggest regret was not having children.
3/ Did he feel regret, and if so, did he allow anyone to see it?
regret about something
4/ I have no regrets about leaving.
5/ Officers expressed regret about the boy's death.
6/ He confessed to a few regrets about his time in Parliament.
express regret for/at
7/ She has already expressed deep regret for what happened.
8/ The manager expressed deep regret at(/for) the number of staff reductions.
9/ The president expressed his regret at the deaths.
10/ She admitted her regrets at having had to give up her youthful ambitions.
11/ There has still been no official expression of regret for their deaths.
12/ He said he felt deep regret for having been part of a government that had
brutally violated human rights.
with regret
13/ I decided with some regret that it was time to move on.
14/ It is with great regret that I must decline your offer.
15/ It is with great regret that I accept your resignation.
much to the regret of somebody: causing great disappointment to somebody
16/ I lost touch with her, much to my regret.
17/ Warnod had to decline, to his later regret.
18/ We think, much to our regret, that we will not be able to visit you next year.
19/ Much to the regret of my parents, I decided not to go to college.
give/send somebody your regrets: send a polite message that you cannot go to a party
20/ We did have an invitation, but we had to send Graham our regrets.
regretful adj //
showing that you feel sorry about something
1/ a regretful look/glance/smile/goodbye
2/ She apologized and sounded genuinely regretful.
3/ I was really angry at myself and regretful.
4/ She cast a regretful look at the big double bed with its luxurious continental quilt.
5/ With a regretful sigh he removed his arm from its protective place around
her shoulders and stepped back.
be regretful that ...
6/ It is regretful that his great service to this country has been tarred
by his actions.
7/ He was really regretful that he had said those words.
8/ George sounded a little regretful that he hadn’t been there.
be regretful of something or doing something
9/ She was regretful of having caused a scene.
10/ He was regretful of passing up the opportunity.
11/ He is regretful of the decisions he made that allowed him to find himself
in this predicament.
12/ They were regretful of the decision to unplug the server before checking that
the backup had completed.
13/ Never afraid of what the future holds, never regretful of the present.
14/ "David Moyes regretful of missed opportunity"
be regretful about something or doing something
15/ He did not crave recognition, but was understandably regretful about
his lack of it.
16/ He is regretful about not coming with us.
17/ If you decide to leave him, you'll be regretful about the decision for the rest
of your life.
be regretful for something
18/ I am regretful for my mistake and humbled by this experience.
19/ Be grateful for what you have, not regretful for what you haven't.
regrettable adj //
something that is regrettable is unpleasant, and you wish things could be different
1/ This was a very regrettable error.
2/ a regrettable incident
3/ The loss of jobs is highly regrettable.
4/ The whole business was regrettable but not beyond redemption.
5/ Following regrettable delay, the Authority's decision was not published
until 24 May.
It is regrettable that ...
6/ It is regrettable that the police were not informed sooner.
7/ It is regrettable that strike leaders seem intent on spoiling holidays.
8/ It is regrettable, however, that he will not be able to stand trial.
remark: regretful means 'full of regret' and regrettable means 'deserving regret'
regrettable: something that causes regret is regrettable.
regretful: a person who feels regret is regretful;
a regretful letter of apology expresses regret;
a regretful expression or gesture is full of regret
(adv) regrettably: the speaker is simply asserting 'it is to be regretted'.
9/ Their boss is regrettably stubborn.
10/ Regrettably, it rained on the 4th of July.
(adv) regretfully: describe the manner in which someone does something
11/ John had to regretfully decline his beloved’s invitation to go hang-gliding
because he was terrified of heights.
duration n(u) //
the length of time that something lasts
1/ He planned a stay of two years' duration.
2/ The total duration of the class is 2 hours 52 minutes.
3/ If an event starts at 10:25 p.m. and the duration of the event is 32 minutes,
find when the event ends.
see also: elapsed time
for the duration: for as long as something lasts
4/ I guess we're stuck with each other for the duration (of the journey).
5/ He and his family were forced to stay in a single room for
the duration of the holiday.
6/ They left the city for the countryside and stayed there for
the duration of the war.
7/ Does the rate only apply for a limited period or for the duration of the loan?
wager v(t) //
(bet) risk money on the unknown result of an event in the hope of winning
more money than you have risked, or the amount of money risked
1/ v(i) She always wagered on an outsider.
2/ More than $2 billion was wagered legally on sports in Nevada
in the last 12 months.
3/ He is so confident of victory he has wagered on himself.
4/ I'll wager you £5 that they'll get there first.
5/ "If you wager all your money on a horse that’s expected to finish last,
and that horse finishes first, the payout will be greater than if you’d
put it all on the favourite."
see also: risk $10 on something, bet $10 on something
see also: an outsider vs a hot favourite
suggest as a likely idea
6/ I'd wager that she's interested in you.
7/ He regrets doing that, I'll wager.
8/ I would wager that not one person in ten could tell an expensive wine
from a cheaper one.
wager n(c) //
a bet, or an arrangement to risk money on the result of a particular event
1/ She put a cash wager of £50 on the race.
2/ He tried to eat 50 hard-boiled eggs, for a wager.
3/ Is he aware that this has been done as a result of wagers and bets?
refresh v(t) //
make someone less hot or tired
1/ A good night's sleep will refresh you.
2/ It was such a hot night that I had a cold shower to refresh myself.
3/ "I'm asking God to refresh my body, soul, and mind. I'm asking
Him to rejuvenate my mental, spiritual, and physical health."
4/ Here's a 3 main things I do to refresh my body from office work.
refresh somebody's memory; help somebody remember something
5/ She reread her notes to refresh her memory.
6/ I looked the word up in the dictionary to refresh my memory of
its exact meaning.
7/ He had to refresh his memory by looking at his notes.
v(i,t) (computer screen)
8/ If the link doesn't work, try refreshing the page.
9/ Flat-panel monitors refresh more quickly than traditional monitors.
10/ Websites can automatically refresh themselves.
refresher n(c) //
(refresh)
1/ Lemonade is a good refresher on a hot summer day.
2/ This Rose Gold Refresher from Starbucks will have you feeling fancy.
see also: refreshments
n(c) a reminder
3/ Before we play, I need a refresher on the rules.
4/ You need a refresher on the test materials and procedures.
a refresher course: a course to practise and improve skills, especially
because you have not used them for a long time
5/ I went on a refresher course on new techniques in design to bring myself
up to date.
6/ St. John provides One Day First Aid Refresher Course for applicants who
require to renew their 'Certificate in First Aid'.
refreshed adj //
less hot or tired
1/ I feel so refreshed after that cup of tea.
2/ He felt refreshed after his holiday.
(adj) refreshing
3/ It's a refreshing drink and classic that's enjoyed by pretty much everyone.
4/ This strawberry limeade is perfectly sweet and tart, and very refreshing
drink for summer.
5/ There's nothing more refreshing on a hot day than a cold beer.
6/ It's a refreshing change to see a losing team shaking hands and still
smiling after a match.
refreshment n(c,u) //
n(plural) refreshments: drinks and small amounts of food that are provided
or sold to people in a public place or at a public event
1.1/ Light refreshments will be served during the break.
1.2/ Light refreshments will be available at the back of the hall.
1.3/ Tickets include the price of refreshments.
1.4/ What are we going to have for refreshments?
1.5/ "After the show, we want to provide refreshments for our guests and
to give our young actors the opportunity to get chatting to the people invited."
n(u) food and drink
2.1/ Can we offer you some refreshment?
a refreshment room/kiosk/tent (see also: a snack bar)
2.2/ "Children flocked to a refreshment kiosk serving fresh milk."
2.3/ "Tourists visit a refreshment kiosk at the Elephant Rock site"
2.4/ "The weather is predicted to be sunny so we will hold court outside
with a refreshment tent."
for refreshment
2.5/ In York we had a short stop for refreshment.
2.6/ "There's so much to see, so much to do at the park but you do need
to take a break for refreshment."
zigzag n(c) //
a line or pattern that looks like a Z or a row of Zs joined together
1/ a zigzag path(/road/coastline)
2/ The kids ran in zigzags around the playground.
3/ "Vegan T-shirt with a zigzag pattern, perfect for school or leisure time"
4/ They staggered in a zigzag across the tarmac.
5/ This time, the students walked in a zigzag while holding a ball.
v(i) make a movement or shape like a zigzag
6/ The road zigzags along a rocky coastline.
7/ We zigzagged through the crowds of tourists in the museum.
8/ We're sick and tired of having to zigzag on the sidewalk for people who don't
keep to the right.
alleviate v(t) //
(ease) make something less severe
1/ alleviate suffering
2/ A number of measures were taken to alleviate the problem.
3/ The drugs did nothing to alleviate her pain(/suffering).
4/ The medicine did nothing to alleviate her discomfort.
5/ "London barrister Charles Pearson asserted that an underground railway would
alleviate traffic congestion in the British capital, where the number of travellers
was already 750,000 persons."
edge n(c) //
the edge of something
1/ He stood on the edge of the cliff.
2/ a big house at(/on) the edge of town
3/ Don't put that glass so near the edge of the table.
on the edge of something
see also: on the brink of something, on the verge of something
4/ The company is on the edge of collapse.
5/ The government had brought the country to the edge of a catastrophe.
6/ They had brought the country to the edge of disaster.
7/ Scientists hope we are on the edge of a new and greener economy.
8/ The country is teetering on the edge of civil war.
n(singular) have an edge on(/over) somebody/something:
have a slight advantage or superiority over somebody or something
9/ In terms of speed thety have the edge on you every time.
10/ The 1.6 litre diesel /'di:zəl/ has the edge on performance
and an impressive 62.7 mpg.
11/ The player who can turn an impossible defence into still more impossible
attack has the edge on clay.
12/ Because of her experience she has the edge over other applicants.
n(c) give somebody an edge on(/over) somebody/something
13/ Tha team has so many injuries right now that it's given us
the edge on them.
14/ "Fourteen habits that will give you an edge in life and career"
15/ I don't want to do anything that might give Sarah an edge on me
in this competition.
see also: put somebody at an advantage, lose your edge
(push somebody/something) over the edge: into a mental or emotional state
that makes someone completely lose control
16/ She had been driven over the edge by the separation from her husband.
17/ Following on the heels of her recent divorce, the death of her father
pushed Kate over the edge.
18/ No one knows exactly what caused his breakdown, but losing his job may
have pushed him over the edge.
on edge: if you are on edge, you are nervous and not relaxed
19/ Carly seemed on edge while her family was away.
20/ "Not going to lie, I am on edge today."
21/ l'm always on edge before the exam.
take the edge off something: make something unpleasant have less of
an effect on someone
22/ Have an apple - it'll take the edge off your hunger.
23/ His apology took the edge off her anger.
live on the edge: have a life with many dangers and risks, esp because
you like to behave in an extreme and unusual way
24/ Despite the apparent respectability, he was a man who
liked to live on the edge.
25/ My sister ended up in jail on more than one occasion
back when she lived life on the edge.
26/ I liked to live on the edge while I was in college, but now that I'm a bit
older, I tend to be a bit more conservative in the things I do for fun.
edge out v //
edge somebody out: defeat or do better than somebody/something else
by a small amount
1/ Among younger voters, he was edged out by the other candidate.
2/ She is a brilliant gymnast, but her rival edged her out.
edge somebody/something out (of something): force somebody/something out of
a place/situation/etc., usually in a way that is not direct or honest
3/ Managers in their sixties are being edged out by younger replacements.
4/ She was edged out of the company by the new director.
5/ He was soon edged out of the government and remained as Kenyatta's
principal assistant in law only.
rough edges idiom //
small parts, for example in a performance or in your character, that are
not yet as good as they should be
1/ He's a great player, but his game still has a few rough edges.
2/ He had a few rough edges knocked off at school.
3/ Age and experience have softened his rough edges.
(=have made him a more polite or gentle person).
4/ The films are very rough around the edges.
5/ I've seen some rough edges in my character lovingly chiseled down.
6/ I need to allow this sandy season to smooth out my rough edges in my character
and to deal with the imperfections that are surfacing in my frailty.
benefit n(c,u) //
a helpful or good effect
1.1/ The discovery of oil brought many benefits to the town.
1.2/ I didn't get(/derive) much benefit from school.
the benefit(s) of something
1.3/ One of the many benefits of foreign travel is learning
how to cope with the unexpected.
1.4/ I've had the benefit of a good education.
1.5 The industry will be one of the first to enjoy the benefits of the recovery.
1.6/ He couldn't see the benefit of arguing any longer.
1.7/ The industry is reaping the benefits of an increase in consumer confidence.
be of benefit to somebody
1.8/ The new regulations will be of benefit to everyone concerned.
to somebody's benefit
1.9/ It will be to your benefit to arrive early.
1.10/ She drinks a lot less now, to the benefit of her health as a whole.
benefit for somebody/something
1.11/ The project will have major benefits for the local community.
for somebody's benefit
1.12/ Don't go to any trouble for my benefit!
1.13/ I have typed out some lecture notes for the benefit of
those people who were absent last week.
1.14/ I'm not doing it for myself; I'm doing it for your benefit.
with the benefit of hindsight: helped by the knowledge learned later
(see also: in hindsight)
1.15/ With the benefit of hindsight, we would do things differently.
1.16/ With the benefit of hindsight, it is easy for us to
see where we went wrong.
give somebody the benefit of the doubt
1.17/ I didn't know whether his story was true or not, but I decided to
give him the benefit of the doubt.
1.18/ "Ramadan was acquitted with the benefit of the doubt as the court
could not prove evidence against the former Oxford University professor."
n(plural,u) money provided by the government to people who
need financial help because they are unemployed, ill, etc
a benefit claimant
2.1/ "Disabled benefit claimants may have been mistreated."
2.2/ "Benefit claimants may find their payments affected by
bank holidays next month."
unemployment/disability/housing/health/medical benefit(s)
2.3/ I'm collecting unemployment benefits.
2.4/ You may be eligible to receive benefits.
2.5/ The number of people claiming unemployment benefit fell last month.
on benefits
2.6/ I'm on benefits at the moment.
2.7/ The aim is to help people who are on benefits to find jobs.
see also: n(u) welfare
n(plural) an advantage that you get from a company
in addition to the money that you earn
3.1/ Private health insurance is offered as part of
the employees' benefits package.
3.2/ These benefits will now be extended to agency workers.
3.3/ Management is trying to cut employee pay and benefits.
3.4/ There are many ways you can use retirement benefits
to recruit the best workers.
3.5/ "It's no surprise that the employee benefits of Google
are among the best in the land"
n(plural) money from an insurance company
4.1/ The insurance plan will provide substantial cash benefits
to your family in case of your death.
4.2/ 50 is the earliest age the law allows people to receive their pension benefits.
4.3/ Last year, the UK insurance industry paid out nearly £188 million
every day in pension and life insurance benefits.
n(c) an event such as a concert/performance/etc
that is organized in order to raise money for people in need
a benefit match, a benefit concert
5.1/ "A benefit concert will be held during Christmas Eve
for the benefit of the victims of the Lumad killings."
5.2/ "The Confederation of African Football has decided
to organize a benefit match for Haiti."
5.3/ The proceeds from the benefit will go directly to the refugee camps.
see also: a fundraising event, donations, a charity concert
n(c) a friend with benefits (plural: friends with benefits)
6.1/ "She is my friend with benefits."
6.2/ They're not a couple - I guess you'd describe them as friends with benefits.
6.3/ "I only found one of my friends with benefits attractive."
6.4/ "I asked him if we are just friends with benefits."
see also: a sexual partner
benefit v //
v(t) benefit somebody
7.1/ "We benefit each other when we are together."
7.2/ We should spend the money on something that will benefit everyone.
7.3/ The new tax laws will clearly benefit those on low wages.
7.4/ The project will benefit the local community as a whole.
7.5/ "The new travel scheme, offering free travel, benefits people
over the age of 60."
v(i) benefit (from somebody/something): be helped by something
8.1/ "I benefit from hanging out with them."
8.2/ We all benefit when our young people realize their potential.
8.3/ Many oil companies benefited from the rising price of crude oil.
8.4/ I have benefited greatly from her wisdom.
8.5/ Most crime victims benefit greatly by talking about their experiences.
8.6/ "You are a great teacher, and I benefit so much from you."
beneficial adj //
helpful, useful, or good
1/ Moderate exercise is really beneficial.
2/ Only some bacteria are harmful - many are beneficial.
3/ The improvement in sales figures had a beneficial effect(/influence)
on the company as a whole.
be beneficial to somebody/something
4/ Breast-feeding is extremely beneficial to the health of newborn babies.
5/ A stay in the country will be beneficial to his health.
6/ A good diet is beneficial to health.
mutually beneficial
7/ They finally came to a mutually beneficial agreement.
8/ "Removing this barrier to free movement of qualified staff would be
mutually beneficial to all parties because it would give an opportunity
for long serving."
off chance n //
on the off chance: hoping that something may be possible,
although it is not likely
1/ I applied for the job on the off chance that they might like me,
but I didn't seriously expect to get it.
2/ I keep all of my old clothes on the off chance that they might come back
into fashion.
3/ I just came to see you on the off chance that Pippa might be here.
4/ I didn’t really expect her to be at home. I just called on the off chance.
5/ Much effort went into tracing remote family connections abroad on the
off chance of identifying a benefactor.
see also: an outside chance
chance n(c) // or //
[an opportunity] an occasion that allows something to be done
have/get a chance (to do something)
1.1/ I didn't get a chance to speak to her.
1.2/ If you have a chance, try the steak.
1.3/ "You will have a chance to ask more questions."
1.4/ You'll have the chance to ask questions at the end.
1.5/ I'm sorry, I haven't had a chance to look at it yet.
1.6/ "Everyone will have a chance to make their views known at the meeting."
give somebody a chance (to do something)
1.7/ Please give me a chance to explain.
1.8/ If you give me a chance to speak, I'll explain.
1.9/ He wanted to change, but he was never given the chance.
miss a chance (to do something)
1.10/ The team missed their chance to win the cup.
1.11/ He left and I missed my chance to say goodbye to him.
a chance to do something
1.12/ We'd be glad of the chance to meet her.
1.13/ I would welcome the chance to give my opinion.
1.14/ We are now offering you the chance to buy the complete set
of pans at half price.
a chance for somebody to do something
1.15/ There will be a chance for parents to look around the school.
1.16/ Fall Orientation is a chance for new students to make friends,
discover campus, and settle in academically, socially and culturally."
wait for a chance (to do something)
1.17/ Ralph was waiting for a chance to introduce himself.
1.18/ "I will have to wait for a chance to ask her out."
a chance of something/doing something
1.19/ We won't get another chance of a holiday this year.
1.20/ "We were delighted to have a chance of meeting you, Miss Saunders."
1.21/ "To give myself a chance of meeting Lady Gaga in Auckland earlier
this year, I dressed in nothing but yellow Caution tape."
a golden chance
1.22/ She had wasted a golden chance to make history.
1.23/ "He was about to miss a golden chance to register at a fourth finals."
a second chance
1.24/ Society has to give prisoners a second chance when they come out of jail.
1.25/ "With this option, you obtain a second chance for any Van Haren certN exam."
the last chance
1.26/ Tonight is your last chance to catch the play at your local theatre.
1.27/ "The last chance to buy something from me before Christmas
will be this weekend."
the only chance
1.28/ "The Chinese captain seized the only chance of escape."
1.29/ He realized that this might be his only chance to save himself.
(adj) chance: not planned
1.30/ Her chance discovery of the letters led to their publication.
1.31/ "A chance meeting can turn friendship into romance."
1.32/ "Her acting career came about only because of a chance encounter
with an agent at a party."
n(c,u) a possibility of something happening, esp something that you want
an 10% chance of something/doing something
2.1/ You have a 50% chance to survive.
2.2/ I must have a one hundred percent chance of bad luck today.
2.3/ "Each time I have 30% chance of winning the prize."
2.4/ The fifty-fifty rule states that everything has a fifty percent
chance of either working in a person's favor or not.
(a) chance of something/doing something
2.5/ They had zero chance of survival.
2.6/ Is there any chance of getting tickets for tonight?
2.7/ "What is my chance of winning, and how can I increase my odds?"
2.8/ Not wearing a helmet could increase your chance of injury.
2.9/ The Met Office said there was an 80 per cent chance of severe weather.
(a) chance of somebody doing something
2.10/ There is little chance of that happening.
2.11/ "Do you think there's a chance of me running away?"
2.12/ "The chance of me finishing this is slim to none."
(a) chance (for somebody) to do something
2.13/ "Good weather means there is a chance for us to go swimming."
2.14/ "If you have a 50% chance to win $600 and 50% chance to lose $100,
your expected value is $250 gain."
with (a) 10% chance (of something/doing something)
2.15/ They are the one team with a chance of beating us.
2.16/ Tuesday's forecast - cloudy with fifty percent chance of rain.
2.17/ Two weeks of testing are enough to discover a software vulnerability
of high severity with fifty percent chance.
2.18/ "And while I downed that potion to qualify - the one with
a fifty percent chance of killing me - what were you doing?"
2.19/ With a fifty percent chance of dying, this hero couldn't let
cancer get in the way of living her dream.
there's a chance that ...
2.20/ There's a chance that he might go bankrupt.
2.21/ There is no chance that he will change his mind.
2.22/ Don't go climbing if there's any chance of bad weather.
2.23/ There's a good chance that I'll have this essay finished by tomorrow.
2.24/ There's a slim chance that I might have to go to Manchester next week.
a high(/good) chance
2.25/ "I have a pretty high chance of winning the game."
2.26/ "There's a good chance that I'll be back in time.
2.27/ "There's a good chance he is going to be late, given his track record."
a low(/slim) chance
2.28/ She only has a slim chance of passing the exam.
2.29/ "I have a low chance of winning the lottery."
a fifty-fifty chance
2.30/ There is a 50-50 chance of me posting this on this article.
2.31/ "I didn't do too well on my last test, by now there's
a fifty-fifty chance to pass the course."
stand a chance
2.32/ I don't think I stand a chance of winning.
2.33/ "I don't stand a chance fighting that thing."
2.34/ "I realize I don't stand a chance against you."
2.35/ "If we did move to London, I’d stand a much better chance of getting a job."
a chance at something
2.36/ "You still think I have a chance at prom queen?"
2.37/ "Do I have a chance at Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Penn or Stanford?"
2.38/ Now that he's met the love of his life, he finally has
a chance at real happiness.
a chance for something
2.39/ We believe the plan has a good chance for success.
2.40/ You will have a good chance for promotion.
2.41/ "We have a chance for a better future if we work together."
n(plural) chances are that ... (= it is likely that ...)
2.42/ Chances are that you'll be fine.
2.43/ "Chances are that there will be an early winter this year."
2.44/ The chances are you won't have to pay.
2.45/ The chances are that you have already come to believe that
happiness is unattainable.
n(plural) chances of something
2.46/ What are her chances of survival?
2.47/ What are the team's chances of success?
2.48/ "What are the chances of rain today?"
n(plural) chances of (somebody/somebody's) doing something
2.49/ "What are the chances of it raining today?"
2.50/ "What are the chances of it snowing tomorrow?"
2.51/ How do you rate our chances of finding her?
2.52/ I don't fancy our chances of getting there on time.
2.53/ Her resignation has improved my chances of promotion.
n(plural) what are the chances that ...
2.54/ What are the chances that they'll win?
2.55/ What are the chances that it'll rain today?
see also: n(c,u) probability, n(plural) odds
remark: we use the singular form 'chance' when we talk about a percentage;
'chances' are more often used when we are not grading a chance.
n(c) [risk] a possibility that something negative will happen
3.1/ There's a chance of injury in almost any sport.
3.2/ "There is a chance of losing your life or getting injured
for your whole life."
take any chance(s) [= take any risk(s)]
3.3/ I'm delivering my work by hand - I'm not taking any chances.
3.4/ I was careful not to take any chance of being late.
3.5/ The producers didn't want to take a chance on an unknown actor.
3.6/ The police were taking no chances with the protesters.
n(u) [luck]
4.1/ Roulette is a game of chance.
4.2/ It was pure chance that we were both there.
4.3/ We must double-check everything and leave nothing to chance.
by chance
4.4/ I met her by chance at the airport.
4.5/ Four years ago we met by chance in Paris.
by any chance
4.6/ Do you by any chance know when the last bus leaves tonight?
4.7/ Are you in love with him, by any chance?
janitor n(c) //
a person whose job is to clean and take care of a building
1/ I'm the night janitor in the building.
2/ "Showcase your appreciation for a retired Janitor with this T-shirt."
3/ "When I was doing all these, I came to appreciate the work of
our janitors and those who do blue collared jobs."
a janitor of something
4/ "He was a janitor of the school."
5/ "Rudolf was the name of the janitor of our dorm."
6/ "Touched by his perseverance, a janitor of the park offered
to be his French tutor."
n(c) a janitress /'dʒænɪ.trəs/
7/ "Janitresses and thread trimmers averaged 80 and 89 cents an hour."
see also: caretaker, security guard, concierge, handyman
mollify v(t) //
make somebody feel less angry or upset
1/ I tried to mollify her by giving her flowers.
2/ His explanation failed to mollify her.
3/ "Federal officials have tried to mollify objectors by promising
to build access gates with security codes at regular intervals."
see also: appease, placate
juvenile n(c) //
(law) a person who is not old enough to be considered an adult
1.1/ He was still a juvenile when the crime was committed.
1.2/ Some of those programs fail in that they transfer juveniles to
adult correctional systems.
see also: a minor, a teenager, adolescence
(adj) of, by, or for a young person who is not yet an adult
2.1/ a juvenile offender
2.2/ a juvenile detention center (see also: a youth detention center)
2.3/ He studied both adult and juvenile crime.
2.4/ He was later taken to juvenile detention for violating the terms of his parole.
2.5/ "Hong Kong juvenile inmates forced to lick urine, burned with boiling food."
adj (medical) affecting children rather than adults
3.1/ juvenile arthritis
3.2/ The following year, he was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes.
geriatric n(c) //
(elderly) an old person
1/ a clinic for the care of geriatrics
2/ Later she dispatched him to a nursing home for geriatrics.
(disapproving) somebody who is old and weak
3/ They were a bunch of hopeless geriatrics.
see also: an elderly person, a nursing home
(adj) for or relating to old people
4/ geriatric criminals
5/ "You should just go to their page and let Noodle's geriatric wisdom
wash over you."
(disapproving) old and weak
6/ Ballplayers are geriatric at 36.
7/ This place attracts a geriatric crowd.
8/ Who's going to elect a geriatric President?
(adj) relating to the medical care and treatment of old people
9/ geriatric medicine/patients
10/ a geriatric hospital/ward/nurse
11/ geriatric palliative care
12/ Our geriatric services are geared toward patients over the age of 60.
end-of-life care for the elderly
13/ end-of-life care for geriatrics
14/ "End-of-life care for the elderly requires an understanding of not only
the inherent physical changes that occur with aging but also the influence of
social conditions, culture, and individual life experiences and personality."