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99 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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pike
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a long sharp stick used in the past as a weapon by soldiers on foot>A soldier with a ---- could bring down a charging horse.
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mob
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large angry crowd, especially one which could easily become violent>The angry --- outside the jail was/were ready to riot.
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slew
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a large amount or number>Mr Savino has been charged with three murders as well as a whole ---- of other crimes.
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mud-between-the-toes
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someone has spent time doing basic, front line stuff
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bullish
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Optimistic or confident>------- on the prospects of reaching a negotiated settlement.
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hit-and-miss
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Sometimes succeeding and sometimes not.>The trains are often late, so getting to work on time is a fairly ---------- affair.
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formidable
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causing you to have fear or respect for something or someone because they are impressive, powerful or difficult>a --------- obstacle/task
a --------- adversary/enemy/opponent |
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strum
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to move your fingers across the strings of a guitar or similar instrument
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gingham
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a cotton cloth which has a pattern of coloured squares on a white background>a ------- dress/tablecloth
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aficionado
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someone who is very interested in and enthusiastic about a particular subject>a club for model railway ---------
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suede
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leather which is slightly rough to touch and is not shiny>----- shoes
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far-flung
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describes places that are a great distance away, or something that is spread over a very large area>The news spread to all corners of our --------- empire.
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slip-on
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shoes with no fastenings which can be quickly put on and taken off>a pair of -------s
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canvas
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strong, rough cloth used for making tents, sails, bags, strong clothes, etc.
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attest
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to show something or to say or prove that something is true>Thousands of people came out onto the streets to ------ their support for the democratic opposition party.
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elusive
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difficult to describe, find, achieve or remember>The answers to these questions remain as ------ as ever.
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regiment
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a large group of soldiers, or (more generally) any large number of things or people>-------s are usually commanded by a colonel and are sometimes made up of soldiers from a particular city or part of the country.
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feudal
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relating to the social system of Western Europe in the Middle Ages or any society that is organised according to rank>the ------ system
a ------- lord/kingdom/society |
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regalia
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official and traditional special clothes and decorations, especially those worn or carried on ceremonial occasions>The queen's ------ at her coronation included her crown and sceptre.
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sanguine
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(of someone or their character) positive and hopeful>They are less ------- about the prospects for peace.
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munch
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to eat something, especially noisily>He was ------ing on an apple.
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apparel
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clothes of a particular type when they are being sold in a shop>sports -------
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stagflation
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an economic condition in which rising prices, high unemployment and little or no economic growth are present
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gritty
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brave and determined>He showed the ------- determination that we've come to expect from him.
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nosedive
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a sudden extreme drop <stock prices took a -------->
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dreary
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boring and making you feel unhappy>She had spent another ------ day in the office.
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overkill
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much more of something than is needed, resulting in less effectiveness>Should I add an explanation, or would that be ---------?
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travesty
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something which fails to represent the values and qualities that it is intended to represent, in a way that is shocking or offensive>Langdale described the court ruling as a ------- of justice.
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devoid
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be ------ of sth - to lack or be without something that is necessary or usual>He seems to be ------ of compassion.
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chassis
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the frame of a vehicle, usually including the wheels and engine, onto which the metal covering is fixed>The car's lightweight ------ is made from aluminium sheets.
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hum
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to make a continuous low sound>What's that strange ----ing sound?
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concoct
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to make something, usually food, by adding several different parts together, often in a way that is original or not planned>He -------ed the most amazing dish from all sorts of unlikely ingredients.
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unicorn
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an imaginary white horse-like creature with a single horn growing from the front of its head
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stellar
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describes people or their activities that are of an extremely high standard>a ------- performance/player/team
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belladonna (deadly nightshade)
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a very poisonous plant with small black shiny fruits, which grows in Europe, North Africa and West Asia
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kitsch
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art, decorative objects or design considered by many people to be ugly, lacking in style, or false but enjoyed by other people, often because they are funny>His home's full of 1950's ------.
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catchphrase
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a phrase which is often repeated by and therefore becomes connected with a particular organization or person, especially someone famous such as a television entertainer
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synopsis
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a brief description of the contents of something such as a film or book
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bolt
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to move very fast, especially as a result of being frightened>Frightened by the car horn, the horse ----ed.
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circumvent
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to avoid something, especially cleverly or illegally>Ships were registered abroad to --------- employment and safety regulations.
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erratum (pl. errata)
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a mistake in a printed or written document
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the lowdown
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the most important facts and information about something>Our fashion editor gives you the -------- on winter coats for this season.
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plonk, US plunk
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to put something down heavily and without taking care>Just ----- the shopping (down) on the table, and come and have a cup of tea.
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holdup
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a robbery carried out at gunpoint; delay
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evangelical
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having very strong beliefs and often trying to persuade other people to have the same beliefs>Why is it that people who've given up smoking become so ---------- and intolerant of other smokers?
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offshoot
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something which has developed from something larger which already existed>It's an ------ of a much larger company based in Sydney.
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premarital
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before marriage>-------- sex
--------- counselling |
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paternalism
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an attitude of people in authority which results in them making decisions for other people which are often beneficial but which prevent those people from taking responsibility for their own lives
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maul
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If an animal mauls someone, it attacks them and injures them with its teeth or claws>A small boy had been ----ed by the neighbour's dog.
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snarky
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criticizing someone in an annoyed way and trying to hurt their feelings>There was some idiot at the back of the hall making ------ comments.
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friggin'
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used to give more force to an expression of annoyance or anger>You ------- idiot!
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meander
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to walk slowly without any clear direction>We spent the afternoon -------ing around the streets of the old town.
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simmer
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to cook something liquid, or something with liquid in it, at a temperature slightly below boiling>Leave the vegetables to ------ for a few minutes.
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niche
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a job or position which is very suitable for someone, especially one that they like>Lloyd has carved/made a ----- for himself as a professional tennis player.
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seep
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to move or spread slowly out of a hole or through something>Pesticides are ----ing out of farmland and into the water supply.
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lambaste
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to criticize someone or something severely>His first novel was well and truly -------ed by the critics.
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thrash
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to defeat someone thoroughly in a game or sports competition>We -----ed the visiting team 6-0.
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harp on
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to talk or complain about something many times>He's always ----ing -- about lack of discipline.
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tacky
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of cheap quality or in bad style>The shop sold ----- souvenirs and ornaments.
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versatile
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able to change easily from one activity to another or able to be used for many different purposes>He's a very -------- young actor who's as happy in horror films as he is in TV comedies.
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wince
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to show pain briefly and suddenly in the face, often moving the head back at the same time>Did I hurt you? - I thought I saw you -----.
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overstep
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to go beyond what is considered acceptable or correct>The bad language in that play --------ed the limits/boundaries of what ought to be allowed on television.
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etiquette
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the set of rules or customs which control accepted behaviour in particular social groups or social situations>(Social) --------- dictates that men cannot sit while women are standing.
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trickle
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to arrive or move somewhere slowly and gradually, in small numbers>Gradually people ------ed back into the theatre for the second half.
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carousel
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a continuous moving strip on which airport passengers' bags are put for collection
2.MAINLY US FOR merry-go-round |
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caveat
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a warning to consider something before acting further, or a statement which limits a more general statement; a proviso>He agreed to the interview, with the ----- that he could approve the final article.
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shackles
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something that prevents you from doing what you want to do>The press, once heavily censored, has managed to shake off its -------.
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benevolent
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kind and helpful>He was a -------- old man, he wouldn't hurt a fly.
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abuzz
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filled with noise and activity>When we arrived, the party was in full swing and the room was -----.
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pasture
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grass or similar plants suitable for animals such as cows and sheep to eat, or an area of land covered in this>The sheep were grazing on the lush green -------s.
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nuts and bolts
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the practical facts about a particular thing, rather than theoretical ideas about it>When it came to the ---- --- ------ of running a business, he was clearly unable to cope.
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precinct
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the area which surrounds a building or place, especially when enclosed by a wall>A tunnel entrance was found within the ------s of the prison camp.
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belle
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a beautiful and charming woman or one who is beautifully dressed
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squirt
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(to force a liquid) to flow out through a narrow opening in a fast stream>He -----ed some tomato sauce on his burger.
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leukaemia
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a serious disease in which the body produces too many white blood cells
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contort
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to (cause something to) twist or bend violently and unnaturally into a different shape or form>His face ------ed with bitterness and rage.
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haywire
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go ------- - to stop working properly, often in a way that is very sudden and noticeable>The television's gone -------.
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delineate
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to describe or mark the edge of something>The main characters are clearly ------ed in the first chapter of the book.
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swathe
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to wrap round or cover with cloth>He came out of the hospital ------ed in bandages.
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harangue
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to speak to someone or a group of people, often for a long time, in a forceful and sometimes angry way, especially to persuade them>A drunk in the station was --------ing passers-by.
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gleam
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When eyes -----, they shine in a way that expresses a particular emotion>His eyes -----ed with/in triumph.
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pamper
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to treat a person or an animal in a special way by making them as comfortable as possible and giving them whatever they want>She ------s her dog with the finest steak and salmon.
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surrogate
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replacing someone else or used instead of something else>Because she had no children of her own, her friend's son became a kind of ------- child to her.
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tally
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to match or agree with something else>Your plans don't ---- with mine.
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beehive
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a box-like container in which bees are kept so that their honey can be collected
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segue
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to move easily and without interruption from one piece of music, part of a story, subject or situation to another>His performance of 'Alison' ----ed into a cover version of 'Tracks of My Tears'.
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flabbergast
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to shock someone, usually by telling them something they were not expecting>He was ---------ed when we told him how cheap it was.
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incarcerate
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to put or keep someone in prison or in a place used as a prison>Thousands of dissidents have been interrogated or ----------ed.
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sonorous
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having a deep pleasant sound>a -------- voice
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baritone
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a man with a singing voice that is lower than a tenor but not as low as a bass, or a musical instrument with this range
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nonagenarian
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a person who is between 90 and 99 years old
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osteoporosis
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a disease which causes the bones to weaken and become easily broken>--------- afflicts many older women.
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gibberish
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spoken or written words which are nonsense and have no meaning>I was so nervous, I just started talking -------.
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hearsay
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information you have heard, although you do not know whether it is true or not; word of mouth>The evidence against them is all ------.
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geeky
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boring and not fashionable>a ------looking guy in glasses
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hoodwink
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to deceive or trick someone>He -------ed us into agreeing.
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perk up
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to improve or become more exciting>Share prices ----ed -- slightly before the close of trading.
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glom onto
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to become very interested in something such as a new idea or fashion or in someone>Retailers are -----ing ---- a new fashion among teens for outsize clothes.
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avid
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extremely eager or interested>an ---- football fan
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