Ielts Vocabulary

Front 1

To be pressed for time

Back 1

To be in a hurry

Hint 1

I'd love to stop and talk, but I'm pressed for time.

Front 2

Self-congratulatory

Back 2

Self satisfied, arrogant, egotistic

Hint 2

It was not in my nature to turn the campaign into a constant exercise in self-congratulatory autobiography.

Front 3

Have the time of your life

Back 3

To enjoy yourself very much

Hint 3

I gave my mother a trip to London, and she had the time of her life.

Front 4

In next to no time

Back 4

if something happens or is done in no time, it happens or is done extremely quickly.

Hint 4

It's only another mile or so. We'll be there in next to no time. He had the food ready in no time.

Front 5

In the blink of an eye

Back 5

extremely quickly

Hint 5

There was a huge "boom" and in the blink of an eye the buildings were gone.

Front 6

There aren't enough hours in the day

Back 6

There are too many things to do and not enough time.

Hint 6

I am behind in all my work. There aren't enough hours in the day!

Front 7

Time goes so fast OR time flies

Back 7

a certain period has passed surprisingly quickly.

Hint 7

I can't believe your daughter is old enough to be in college already! How time flies!

Front 8

Shun mainstream values

Back 8

Keep away from what is conventional

Hint 8

They create a counter-culture and shun mainstream values

Front 9

A process of trial and error

Back 9

a way of achieving an aim or solving a problem by trying a number of different methods and learning from the mistakes that you make.

Hint 9

There's no instant way of finding a cure - it's just a process of trial and error.

Front 10

Give your self sth to aim for

Back 10

Have an aim

Front 11

Set your self a goal

Back 11

Set your self a goal

Hint 11

Set your self a goal

Front 12

Two sides of the same coin

Back 12

If two things are two sides of the same coin, they are very closely related although they seem different.

Hint 12

Violent behaviour and deep insecurity are often two sides of the same coin.

Front 13

It goes without saying...

Back 13

it should be generally understood or accepted...

Hint 13

It goes without saying that you will improve your skills with practice.

Front 14

Having said that OR that said

Back 14

However

Hint 14

Their work has been fairly good. Having said that, I still think there's room for improvement.

Front 15

Not withstanding

Back 15

In spite of

Hint 15

"notwithstanding the evidence, the consensus is that the jury will not reach a verdict

Front 16

Conversely

Back 16

introducing a statement or idea which reverses one that has just been made or referred to.

Hint 16

"he would have preferred his wife not to work, although conversely he was also proud of what she did"

Front 17

Apart from

Back 17

other than, besides, except for

Hint 17

apart from the saggy roof, the cottage is in pretty good shape.

Front 18

Nevertheless

Back 18

in spite of that, however.

Hint 18

It was a predictable, but nevertheless funny, story.

Front 19

first and foremost

Back 19

most importantly; more than anything else.

Hint 19

he considered himself first and foremost a writer.

Front 20

for one thing

Back 20

used to introduce one of two or more possible reasons for something, the remainder of which may or may not be stated.

Hint 20

Why hadn't he arranged to see her at the house? For one thing, it would have been warmer

Front 21

Afterwards

Back 21

Happening at a time subsequent to reference time

Hint 21

He is going to the store, but he will be here afterwards

Front 22

Beforehand

Back 22

In advance

Hint 22

Rooms must be booked beforehand

Front 23

Take ones toll

Back 23

To affect, especially negatively

Hint 23

Time had taken its toll on the old bridge, and it was no longer sound.Heavy smoking and drinking will take its toll on a person's health.

Front 24

Owing to

Back 24

formal, because of something

Hint 24

Owing to a lack of funds, the project will not continue next year.Flight BA213 has been delayed owing to fog.

Front 25

In the view of

Back 25

because or as a result of...

Hint 25

The poor condition of libraries is of concern in view of the increased emphasis on reference work.

Front 26

For the sake of...

Back 26

Because of

Hint 26

Release this man, for the sake of justice.

Front 27

In the light of...

Back 27

because of certain knowledge now in hand; considering something. (As if knowledge or information shed light on something.

Hint 27

In light of what you have told us, I think we must abandon the project. In light of the clerk's rudeness, we didn't return to that shop.

Front 28

by (or in) virtue of

Back 28

Because or as a result of.

Hint 28

they achieved pre-eminence by virtue of superior military strength‘in virtue of his position he was impartial’

Front 29

on account of something

Back 29

because of something

Hint 29

Mrs. Popper's vacation in Frankfurt had to be cancelled on account of her husband's illness.

Front 30

Correspondingly

Back 30

in an analogous or equivalent way.

Hint 30

it has fewer problems and correspondingly requires less maintenance

Front 31

as if/though

Back 31

used to describe how a situation seems to be:

Hint 31

She looked as if she'd had some bad news.I felt as though I'd been lying in the sun for hours.They stared at me as if I was crazy.

Front 32

Just as

Back 32

in the same way as

Hint 32

Just as we hope to be forgiven, so we should forgive others.

Just as I thought/suspected, the door is locked.

Our house is just as nice as theirs.

Front 33

Rather

Back 33

to a certain or significant extent or degree

quite, a bit, a little, fairly, slightly, somewhat, relatively, to some degree/extent, comparatively, moderately;

Hint 33

she's been behaving rather strangely

Front 34

immensely

Back 34

to a great extent; extremely.

Hint 34

the president was immensely popular.

Front 35

under-represent

Back 35

provide with insufficient or inadequate representation

Hint 35

women are under-represented at high levels

Front 36

The best bet

Back 36

The best choice

Hint 36

If you are in a hurry, then taxis are the best bet.

Front 37

In all fairness

Back 37

used for making your criticism of someone or something seem less strong.

Hint 37

I should say in fairness to him that he’s quite a shrewd politician.

Front 38

The clearest indication of...

Back 38

Used for clarification

Hint 38

The clearest indication that a friendship is in warning stage...

Front 39

Lets put it in this way

Back 39

In other words

Hint 39

Used for clarification

Front 40

Take in

Back 40

1. Include

2. Accomodate

3. Understand

4. Trick, decieve, rip off, shanghai

5. Accept

6. Look around, look at

Hint 40

1. The book takes in the period between 1891 and Lenin’s death.

2. refugees who were taken in during the warWe decided to take in lodgers.

3. I’m not sure how much of his explanation she took in.

4. Don’t be taken in by their promises.

5. He still hasn’t really taken in his father’s death.

6. We sat there taking in the scenery.

Front 41

Prime example

Back 41

Very typical example

Hint 41

Blakey Hall is a prime example of a 19th-century building.

Front 42

Now and again

Back 42

If you say that something happens now and then or every now and again, you mean that it happens sometimes but not very often or regularly.

Hint 42

My father has a collection of magazines to which I return every now and then.Now and again he'd join in when we were playing video games.

Front 43

In due course

Back 43

If you say that something will happen or take place in due course, you mean that you cannot make it happen any quicker and it will happen when the time is right for it.

Hint 43

In due course the baby was born.The arrangements will be published in due course.

Front 44

from time to time

Back 44

sometimes, but not regularly

Hint 44

I still think of her from time to time.

Front 45

Hardly ever, rarely, scarcely, seldom

Back 45

Hardly ever, rarely, scarcely and seldom are frequency adverbs. We can use them to refer to things that almost never happen, or do not happen very often. They have a negative meaning. We use them without not. Rarely, scarcely and seldom are more common in writing than in speaking.

Hint 45

He hardly ever smiles.

Front 46

Ever since

Back 46

during the whole period of time since something happened.

Hint 46

I met Harry at school and we’ve been friends ever since.Ever since his wife left him, he’s had a drink problem.

Front 47

So far

Back 47

a. up to the present momentb. up to a certain point, extent, degree, etc

Hint 47

a:

It's been quiet so far.So far, they have met with no success.Which one have you enjoyed most so far?

b:

Their loyalty only went so far.The church can only go so far in secular matters

Front 48

at times

Back 48

sometimes; on occasions.

Hint 48

"she is at times cruel and ruthless"

Front 49

for the meantime

Back 49

for the present time : until some time in .

Hint 49

the future You should continue to take the medicine for the meantime

Front 50

In the course of time

Back 50

after some time has passed

Hint 50

Don’t worry, it will all become clear in the course of time.

Front 51

In the meanwhile

Back 51

1: at or during the same time : while something else is being done or was being done

2: during the time before something happens or before a specified period ends

Hint 51

1: You can set the table. In the meanwhile, I'll start making dinner. She spent four years studying for her law degree. In the meanwhile, she continued to work at the bank.

2: The new computers won't arrive until next week, but we can keep using the old ones in the meanwhile.

Front 52

Hardly likely

Back 52

very unlikely or very improbable

Hint 52

We could win, but it's hardly likely with so many of our players out injured.I still smoke, so living to be a hundred is hardly likely.

Front 53

In all probability

Back 53

used to convey that something is very likely.

Hint 53

he would in all probability make himself known.

Front 54

A storm in a tea cup

Back 54

A disproportionate reaction of anger, concern, or displeasure over some minor or trivial matter.

Hint 54

in all probabilityphrase of probability1.used to convey that something is very likely."he would in all probability make himself known"

Front 55

pull sb's leg

Back 55

to try to persuade someone to believe something that is not true, as a joke.

Hint 55

Is it really your car or are you pulling my leg?

Front 56

make demands of someone or something make demands on someone or something

Back 56

to expect someone or something to do something or act in a particular way.

Hint 56

Please don't make demands of everyone in the shop. The boss is making a lot of demands on the new machinery.

Front 57

learn (something) the hard way and find (something) out the hard way

Back 57

to learn something by experience, especially by an unpleasant experience. (As opposed to learning in school, from reading, etc.)

Hint 57

She learned how to make investments the hard way. I wish I didn't have to learn things the hard way. I found out the hard way that it's difficult to work and go to school at the same time.

Front 58

Get in the way of something

Back 58

to prevent something from happening

Hint 58

I never let unimportant details get in the way of a good plan.

Front 59

lead somebody by the nose

Back 59

to control someone so that they do exactly what you want them to do

Hint 59

He thinks she's perfect, and she leads him around by the nose.

Front 60

Line of work/business

Back 60

the work that a person does regularly in order to earn money : job

Hint 60

He's in a dangerous line of work.

Front 61

Flat out

Back 61

if a person or a machine is doing something flat out, they are doing it as fast and with as much energy as they can (often + to do sth)

Hint 61

The decorators have been working flat out to get the job finished.

Front 62

On the go

Back 62

Constantly in motion, active, or working.

Hint 62

I feel as if I need to always be on the go; life's too short to be idle!

Front 63

Get to the bottom of

Back 63

to discover the truth about a situation

Hint 63

I'm not sure what is causing the problem, but I'm determined to get to the bottom of it.

Front 64

Pull out all the stops

Back 64

make a very great effort to achieve something.

Hint 64

We pulled out all the stops to meet the deadline.

Front 65

Pick up the pieces

Back 65

to try to get back to an ordinary way of life after a very bad experience.

Hint 65

Survivors of the mudslides are hoping to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives. When their parents died, the grandparents had to pick up the pieces and care for the children

Front 66

With flying colors

Back 66

Very successfully

Hint 66

I pass my entrance wxam with flying colors.

Front 67

I'll/we'll cross that bridge when I/we come/get to it

Back 67

an expression that means you will not worry about a possible future problem but will deal with it if it happens.

Hint 67

I'm not worried about that now, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

Front 68

Have a go at

Back 68

to try to do something

Hint 68

I can't get the window open. Let me have a go (at it).

Front 69

Have a crack at

Back 69

to try to do something although you are not certain that you will succeed

Hint 69

He didn't win the tennis championships, but he plans to have another crack at it next year.

Front 70

Mind-numbing

Back 70

Extremely boring

Hint 70

A mind-numbing task

Front 71

Attention-grabbing

Back 71

Attracting people's notice; striking

Hint 71

the buildings were sufficiently attention-grabbing to find their place in international magazines

Front 72

Watch the box

Back 72

Watch tv

Front 73

Channel surf

Back 73

Change tv channels frequently

Hint 73

I often sit in front of the tv and channel surf

Front 74

Blow one's mind

Back 74

Amaze

Surprise, shock

Hint 74

This jazz group blows my mind

Joe served a jail sentence? That blows my mind.

Front 75

Chill out

Back 75

to relax completely, or not allow things to upset you

Hint 75

I'm just chilling out in front of the TV.Chill out, Dad. The train doesn't leave for another hour!