proxy noun /ˈprɒk.

si/ [C or U]
someone who you choose to represent you, especially to vote for you
a husband acting as proxy for his wife
Can I nominate someone as a proxy to sign for me?

by proxy
if you do something by proxy, you arrange for someone else to do it for you:
You can vote by proxy.
My brother's voting for me by proxy in the club elections.

by-election noun /ˈbaɪ.ɪˌlek.ʃən/ [C]

a special election to replace a politician who has left parliament or died

heir apparent noun [C usually singular]

the person with the automatic right to legally receive all or most of the money, property, titles,
etc. from another person when they die
The Prince of Wales is the heir apparent to the throne.

backward adjective ( NOT CLEVER/MODERN ) /ˈbæk.wəd/

not advanced
When he was a child, his teachers thought he was backward (unable to learn as much as most
children).
People still think of it as a backward country/region/area

chew sth over phrasal verb informal

to think about or discuss something carefully for a long time
I've been chewing the problem over since last week.
Let me chew it over for a few days.

against the clock

if you work against the clock, you work as quickly as you can because you do not have much
time
Everyone is racing against the clock to get things ready in time.

do noun ( PARTY ) /duː/ [C] (plural dos)

mainly UK informal a party or other social event
Julie's having a bit of a do for her fortieth birthday.
We're having a do to celebrate his 30th birthday.
It was one of those dos where nobody really knew each other.

strife noun /straɪf/ [U] formal

violent or angry disagreement
What are the prospects for overcoming the strife between the Christian minority and Muslim
majority?
Twenty years of civil strife have left the country's economy in ruins.
tipping point noun [S or U]
the time at which a change or an effect cannot be stopped
The Earth has already passed the tipping point in terms of global warming.

denouement noun /deɪˈnuː.mɒ/ [C]

the exciting last part of a story or play
The plot takes us to Paris for the denouement of the story.

denounce verb /dɪˈnaʊnt s/ [T]

to criticize something or someone strongly and publicly
The government's economic policy has been denounced on all sides.
We must denounce injustice and oppression.

to accuse someone publicly of being something bad; to give information against

His former colleagues have denounced him as a spy.

make yourself scarce informal

to go away from a difficult situation in order to avoid trouble
Dad's really angry with you, so you'd better make yourself scarce.

coming up roses
If something is coming up roses, it is happening successfully

wheedle verb /ˈwiː.dl ̩/ [I T + adverb or preposition] disapproving

to try to persuade someone to do something or give you something by praising them or being
intentionally charming
She's one of those children who can wheedle you into giving her anything she wants.
She wasn't invited, but somehow she managed to wheedle her way in.
I tried all manner of different approaches - I wheedled, threatened, demanded, cajoled.

dispassionate adjective /dɪˈspæʃ.ən.ət/

not influenced by personal emotions and therefore able to make fair decisions [= impartial]:
a dispassionate view of the situation
In all the media hysteria, there was one journalist whose comments were clear-sighted and
dispassionate.

ashen adjective /ˈæʃ.ən/

without colour, or pale grey in colour
Julie walked in, ashen-faced with shock.
She was thin and her face was ashen.

frigging adjective adverb /ˈfrɪg.ɪŋ/ [before noun] offensive

used to emphasize something you are saying when you are angry, annoyed etc:
I can't open the frigging door!
You frigging idiot!
monosyllabic adjective ( SAYING LITTLE ) /ˌmɒn.əʊ .sɪˈlæb.ɪk/
someone who speaks in a monosyllabic way does not say very much and does not try to be
friendly:
He made monosyllabic replies to my questions.

max sth out phrasal verb

informal to use all that is available of something, especially money
We maxed out all our credit cards.

formulaic adjective /ˌfɔː.mjʊˈleɪ.ɪk/ formal

containing or made from ideas or expressions that have been used many times before and are
therefore not very new or interesting
Children love jokes and riddles that are heavily formulaic.
The text was dull and formulaic.

recoil verb /rɪˈkɔɪl/ [I]

to move back because of fear or disgust (= dislike or disapproval)
He leant forward to kiss her and she recoiled in horror.
I recoiled from the smell and the filth.
She recoiled from his touch as if she had been slapped.

precarious adjective /prɪˈkeə.ri.əs/

a precarious situation or state is one which may very easily or quickly become worse:
Her health remained precarious, despite the treatment.
Many borrowers now find themselves caught in a precarious financial position.

precariously adverb /prɪˈkeə.ri.ə.sli/

in a way that is likely to fall, be damaged, fail, etc
Her suitcase was precariously balanced on the tiny luggage rack above her head.
He lived rather precariously from one day to the next, never knowing where his next meal was
coming from.

marksman noun /ˈmɑːks.mən/ [C]

someone who can shoot a gun very accurately
Police marksmen were called to the scene.

auburn adjective /ˈɔː.bən/

(of hair) reddish brown
auburn-haired

ambrosia noun /æmˈbrəʊ.zi.ə/ [U] literary

the food eaten by Greek and Roman gods, or a very pleasant food which could be compared with
this
The chocolate mousse she makes is sheer ambrosia (= tastes extremely good).
shard noun /ʃɑːd/ [C]
a piece of a broken glass, cup, container or similar object
Shards of glass have been cemented into the top of the wall to stop people climbing over.

spod noun /spɒd/ [C] UK informal

a person who is boring and unfashionable and, as a student, works very hard

teat noun ( BOTTLE ) /tiːt/ [C]

UK (US nipple) a piece of rubber or silicone for feeding a baby from a bottle

wolf-whistle noun /ˈwʊlfˌwɪs.l ̩/ [C]

a short, high sound, followed by a longer sound that drops from high to low, that is made when
you see a person who you find sexually attractive
The last time she went out wearing those ripped jeans she got several wolf-whistles.

wolf-whistle verb [I]

Builders are renowned for wolf-whistling at any woman who walks by.

warlock noun [C]

a man who has magical powers, especially evil powers; sorcerer, wizard

marquee noun ( TENT ) /mɑːˈkiː/ [C]

UK a large tent used for eating and drinking in at events held mainly outside that involve a lot of
people
We're planning to hold the wedding reception in a marquee in the garden.

pack sb off phrasal verb informal

to send someone to another place
We've packed the kids off for the weekend.
I packed her off to my sister's.

bone idle UK
extremely lazy
He never does any exercise - he's bone idle.

murky adjective ( DARK/DIRTY ) /ˈmɜː.ki/

dark and dirty or difficult to see through
The river was brown and murky after the storm.

describes a situation that is complicated and unpleasant, and about which many facts are not
clear
He became involved in the murky world of international drug-dealing.
I don't want to get into the murky waters of family arguments.
solid adjective
consisting completely of one type of material
solid gold/silver
solid wood/pine/oak

shuffle off this mortal coil humorous

to die
My children can't wait for me to shuffle off this mortal coil so they can get their hands on their
inheritance.

cocoon verb /kəˈkuːn/ [T usually passive]

to protect or surround someone or something completely, especially so that they feel safe
She was cocooned in a reassuring network of friends and relatives.
Usually she lay for ages cocooned in her warm bed.
As a student you're cocooned against/from the real world.

do a double take
to look at someone or something again because you are very surprised by what you saw or heard
I did a double take - I couldn't believe it was her.

shear verb /ʃɪər/ (sheared, sheared or shorn)

to cut the wool off a sheep
The farmer taught her how to shear sheep.

to cut the hair on a person's head close to the skin, especially without care
He recalled the humiliation of having his hair shorn and exchanging his clothes for the prison
uniform.

hex noun /heks/ [C] US informal

an evil spell, bringing bad luck and trouble
Someone's put a hex on my computer this morning - it keeps on crashing.

pen verb /pen/ [T] (-nn-) formal

to write something such as a letter, a book etc, especially using a pen:
a song penned by George Clinton
She penned a note of thanks to her hostess.

pungent adjective /ˈpʌn.dʒənt/

having a strong taste or smell
pungent smell/aroma/odour etc
the pungent odour of garlic
I sat down to a cup of wonderfully pungent Turkish coffee.
somnambulism noun /sɒmˈnæm.bjʊ.lɪ.zəm/ [U] specialized
the action, sometimes happening regularly, of a person walking around while they are sleeping;
sleepwalking

somnambulist noun /sɒmˈnæm.bjʊ.lɪst/ [C]

undress noun /ʌnˈdres/ formal or humorous

in a state of undress
not wearing many or any clothes
He came to the door in a state of undress.
Cindy was wandering about her room in a state of undress.

scuzzy adjective /ˈskʌz.i/ informal

(usually of people) unpleasant, dirty and probably unable to be trusted

streamer noun /ˈstriː.mər/ [C]

a long narrow strip of brightly coloured paper that is used as a decoration for special occasions
such as parties
We decorated the office with streamers for Paul's leaving party.

atone for sth phrasal verb formal

to do something that shows that you are sorry for something bad that you did
The country's leader has expressed a wish to atone for his actions in the past.
Richard was anxious to atone for his thoughtlessness.

atonement noun /əˈtəʊn.mənt/ [U] formal

The priest is a representative of his people, making atonement for their sin.
He said that young hooligans should do community service as atonement for their crimes.

trickle noun ( SMALL NUMBER ) /ˈtrɪk.l ̩/

a very small number of people or things arriving or leaving somewhere
Recent legislation has reduced immigration to a trickle.
We usually only get a trickle of customers in the shop in the mornings.

descend verb ( NEGATIVE MOOD ) /dɪˈsend/

if darkness, silence, a feeling etc descends, it becomes dark etc or you start to feel something,
especially suddenly
Total silence descended on the room.
An air of gloom descended over the party headquarters.
A feeling of despair descended (on us) as we realized that we were lost.

descended from sb
to be related to a particular person or group of people who lived in the past
Her father is descended from Greek royalty.
She claims to be descended from Abraham Lincoln.
The people here are descended from the Vikings.
descend to something phrasal verb
to behave or speak in an unpleasant way, which is not the way you usually behave:
Other people may gossip, but don't descend to their level.

stoop to sth phrasal verb disapproving

to do something bad or morally wrong, which you do not normally do
I don't believe she would ever stoop to bribery or blackmail.
I didn't expect you to stoop to lying.
Don't stoop to her level.

band together phrasal verb

to unite in order to achieve something:
Local people have banded together to fight the company's plans.
We decided to band together and organize a protest.

spay verb /speɪ/ [T]

to remove the ovaries of a female animal, to neuter
We're having the cat spayed.

trample verb ( STEP HEAVILY ON ) /ˈtræm.pl ̩/ [I or T usually + prep]

to step heavily on something or someone, causing damage or injury
Somebody trampled all over my flowerbeds in the night!
The children were in danger of being trampled underfoot in the crowd.
Several people were nearly trampled to death in the rush to get out.

to behave in a way that shows that you do not care about someone's rights or feelings
Don't let people trample all over you.
He argues that the Congress and President Clinton trampled the constitutional rights of legal
immigrants in the new welfare reform law.

corner verb ( TRAP ) /ˈkɔː.nər /

[T] to force a person or an animal into a place or situation from which they cannot easily escape
Once the police had cornered her in the basement, she gave herself up.

corner the market

to gain control of the whole supply of a particular kind of goods
They've been trying to corner the market by buying up all the wheat in sight.

sparks plural noun

anger or angry arguments
The sparks were really flying (=people were arguing angrily) at the meeting!

nape noun /neɪp/ [C usually singular]

the back of the neck
She kissed the nape of his neck.
aka /ˌeɪ.keɪˈeɪ/
abbreviation for also known as: used when someone has another name
James Brown, aka the 'Godfather of Soul'

be capped
to play for your national team in a particular sport
She's been capped for Scotland nine times.

misspend verb /ˌmɪsˈspend/ [T] (misspent, misspent)

to use time or money in a manner that is wasteful or unwise
We must stop public money being misspent in this way.
Being a good pool player is usually a sign of a misspent youth.

hump verb ( HAVE SEX ) /hʌmp/

[I or T] offensive to have sex (with someone)

toot verb /tuːt/ [I or T]

to make a short sound or series of short sounds, especially with the horn of a car as a warning
The taxi driver was angrily tooting his horn.
A car tooted at us.

toot noun [C]

The waiting taxi gave a toot on its horn.

complaint noun ( ILLNESS ) /kəmˈpleɪnt/

formal an illness that affects a particular part of your body
a heart/stomach complaint
He is having treatment for a chest complaint.

prim adjective /prɪm/ (primmer, primmest) disapproving

very formal and correct in behaviour and easily shocked by anything rude
She's much too prim and proper to drink pints of beer.
She looked prim and nervous in her best hat and coat.
a very prim and proper young lady

miffed adjective /mɪft/ j informal

annoyed at someone's behaviour towards you
She hadn't phoned for a week and I was getting quite miffed.

incensed adjective /ɪnˈsent st/

extremely angry
The villagers are incensed at the decision to close the railway station.
Fans were incensed at the decision to ban the song.
Passengers are incensed that rail companies make huge profits while service remains poor.
incandescent adjective /ˌɪn.kænˈdes.ənt/
very angry
The Prince was said to be incandescent with rage.

tiff noun /tɪf/ [C] informal

a slight argument between friends or people who are in love
Dave's had a tiff with his girlfriend.
Have you two had a lovers' tiff?

buck verb /bʌk/ [I]

to oppose something in a direct way
He was a rebel who bucked the system (=opposed rules or authority).
Unemployment in the area has bucked the trend by falling over the last month.

put-on noun[C] US informal

when a person tries to deceive someone into believing something that is not true
She's not really angry - it's just a put-on.

leave a bad taste in your mouth

If an experience leaves a bad taste in your mouth, you have an unpleasant memory of it
I think we all felt he'd been treated very unfairly and it left a bad taste in our mouths.

There's no accounting for taste.

said when it is difficult to explain why different people like different things, especially things
which you do not like
"I love working at weekends." "Well, there's no accounting for taste, is there!"

intransigent adjective /ɪnˈtræn.zɪ.dʒənt/ formal

unwilling to change your ideas or behaviour, in a way that seems unreasonable, stubborn
an intransigent attitude
Unions claim that the management continues to maintain an intransigent position.

half-baked adjective /ˌhɑːfˈbeɪkt informal disapproving

An idea or plan which is half-baked has not been considered carefully enough.
The government has set up some half-baked scheme for training teachers on the job.
He's always coming out with these half-baked ideas which will never work.

obsolescence noun /ˌɒb.səˈles.ənt s/ [U]

the quality of being obsolete
Mobile phone technology is developing so quickly that many customers are concerned about
obsolescence.

built-in/planned obsolescence
when a product is intentionally designed and made so that it will not last for a long time
enfant terrible noun /ˌɑ̃ː.fɑ̃ː.terˈiː.blə/ [C] formal
a famous or successful person who likes to shock people
In the seventies he was the enfant terrible of the theatre.

easily adverb ( CERTAINLY )

without doubt, definitely
She is easily the most intelligent person in the class.
For me, Venice is easily the most beautiful city in Europe.

dicey adjective /ˈdaɪ.si/ (dicier, diciest) mainly UK informal

slightly dangerous or uncertain
The company's finances look a bit dicey.
The future looks pretty dicey for small businesses.

iffy adjective /ˈɪf.i/ informal

1 British English not very good:
That meat smells a bit iffy to me.
I was hoping to go to the park but the weather's looking a bit iffy.

2 not certain to happen, doubtful

The July date is still rather iffy.
Simon's still kind of iffy about going to Columbia.

pare verb /peər/ [T often + adverb or preposition]

to cut off the outer layer of something, using a sharp knife:
Pare the rind from the fruit.
He was busy paring apples in the kitchen.
Pare off any bits of the carrots that don't look very nice.

pub crawl noun [C] UK informal

a visit to several pubs, one after the other, having a drink or drinks at each one
We went on a pub crawl on Saturday night.

crawl noun ( MOVEMENT ) /krɔːl/

a very slow speed
Traffic moved forward at a crawl.

be crawling with sth informal

to be completely covered with or full of a particular type of thing
The kitchen floor was crawling with ants.

budding adjective /ˈbʌd.ɪŋ/ [before noun]

beginning to develop or show signs of future success in a particular area
While still at school she was clearly a budding genius.
a budding romance
lay sth to waste (also lay waste)
to completely destroy something
The bomb laid the city centre to waste.

rampage noun /ˈræm.peɪdʒ/ [C or U]

violent and usually wild behaviour
gangs of youths on the rampage
Rioters went on the rampage through the town.

stand noun ( SPORT ) /stænd/

UK a large structure at a sports ground, usually with a sloping floor and sometimes a roof, where
people either stand or sit to watch a sports event
Fighting broke out in the stands five minutes before the end of the match.

recalcitrant adjective /rɪˈkæl.sɪ.trənt/ formal

(of a person) unwilling to obey orders or to do what should be done, or (of an animal) refusing to
be controlled
a recalcitrant pupil

turmoil noun /ˈtɜː.mɔɪl/ [S or U]

a state of confusion, uncertainty or disorder
political/emotional/economic/religious etc turmoil
The whole region is in turmoil.
The country is in a state of political turmoil.
The Stock Exchange is in turmoil following a huge wave of selling.

the third degree informal

asking serious questions and/or giving someone rough treatment to get information
I got the third degree when I got home last night.
I got home after midnight and Dad gave me the third degree.

on a shoestring informal
If you do something on a shoestring, you do it with a very small amount of money
The film was made on a shoestring.
The program was run on a shoestring.

turn a place inside out UK informal

to search a place very thoroughly
I've turned the house inside out but I still can't find my keys.

spunk noun /spʌŋk/

offensive semen (= liquid sent out through the penis during sexual activity)
clock verb ( SPEED ) /klɒk/ [T]
to show or reach a particular speed or distance on a measuring device
The police clocked him doing 80 mph in a 50 mph area.
Jim's car has clocked (up) (= travelled) 40 000 miles in less than two years.

British English informal

to notice someone or something, or to look at them carefully:
Did you clock the bloke by the door?

pally adjective /ˈpæl.i/ informal

friendly
They've become very pally (with each other).
Suddenly she started acting very pally towards me.

lounge about/around (sth) phrasal verb

to spend your time in a relaxed way, sitting or lying somewhere and doing very little
We spent our days lounging around the pool.

How does ... grab you? informal

used to ask if someone would like to do something or is interested in something
We could have a picnic in the park. How does that grab you?

soak sth up phrasal verb

1 to enjoy a place by watching it or becoming involved in it:
Go to a sidewalk cafe, order coffee, and soak up the atmosphere.

2 informal to understand and remember information well

Given the right environment, children are like sponges and will soak up information.
Children soak up language incredibly quickly.

3 to use up all or most of a supply of something, especially a supply of money

The repairs on our house soaked up all our savings.

abysmal adjective /əˈbɪz.məl/

very bad
abysmal working conditions
The food was abysmal.
The standard of the students' work is abysmal.

clock sth up phrasal verb mainly UK informal

to reach or achieve a particular number or amount:
The Dodgers have clocked up six wins in a row.
I clocked up 90,000 miles in my Ford.
Councillor Scott has clocked up more than 25 years on the borough council.
averse adjective /əˈvɜːs/ [after verb]
strongly disliking or opposed to
Few MPs are averse to the attention of the media.
I'm not averse to (= I like) the occasional glass of champagne myself.
I was not averse to fighting with any boy who challenged me.

adverse adjective /ˈæd.vɜːs/ [before noun]

having a negative or harmful effect on something
The match has been cancelled due to adverse weather conditions.
They received a lot of adverse publicity/criticism about the changes.
So far the drug is thought not to have any adverse effects.

afterthought noun /ˈɑːf.tə.θɔːt/ [C usually singular]

something that you mention or add later because you did not think of it or plan it before:
He added as an afterthought, 'Bring Melanie too'.
She only asked me to her party as an afterthought.
The pillars seem to have been added to the entrance as an afterthought.

slapper noun /ˈslæp.ər/ [C] UK offensive

a woman who has sex with a lot of men
She looked like a right old slapper.

be wild about sth/sb informal

to be very enthusiastic about something or someone
I'm not wild about Thai food.

vitriol noun /ˈvɪt.ri.əl/ [U]

violent hate and anger expressed through severe criticism
He is a writer who has often been criticized by the press but never before with such vitriol.

vitriolic adjective /ˌvɪt.riˈɒl.ɪk/

vitriolic language, writing etc is very cruel and angry towards someone:
vitriolic remarks
He launched a vitriolic attack on the prime minister, accusing him of shielding corrupt friends.

call sb’s bluff

to tell someone to do what they have threatened because you do not believe that they will really
do it

tiddly adjective /ˈtɪd.l ̩.i/ informal

extremely small
All you ate was a tiddly little piece of cake.
rebate noun /ˈriː.beɪt/ [C]
an amount of money which is returned to you, especially by the government, for example when
you have paid too much tax
a tax rebate

painstaking adjective /ˈpeɪnzˌteɪ.kɪŋ/

very careful and thorough
The work had been done with painstaking attention to detail.
Chris described in painstaking detail what had happened.
It took months of painstaking research to write the book.
He was described by his colleagues as a painstaking journalist.

painstakingly adverb
The old painting was painstakingly restored.

scrape (the bottom of) the barrel informal

to use the worst people or things because that is all that is available
Richard's in the team? - You really are scraping the barrel!

dapper adjective /ˈdæp.ər /

describes a man who is dressed in a fashionable and tidy way
Hercule Poirot is the dapper detective of the Agatha Christie novels.

be at variance with sb/sth

to be in disagreement with someone or something, or to be different from them
Young people's reactions to world events are often at variance with those of their parents.
Most heavy metal fans are under 20 - this is at variance with the age of the bands themselves,
who are often over 40.
Tradition and culture are often at variance with the needs of modern living.

rebuff verb /rɪˈbʌf/ [T] formal

to refuse to accept a helpful suggestion or offer from someone, often by answering in an
unfriendly way
She rebuffed all suggestions that she should resign.

rebuff noun
formal an unkind or unfriendly answer to a friendly suggestion or offer of help [= snub]:
He received a humiliating rebuff from his manager.
Her desperate request for help was met with a rebuff.

railroad verb /ˈreɪl.rəʊd/ [T usually + adverb or preposition]

to force or persuade someone do something without giving them enough time to think about it
The workers were railroaded into signing the agreement.
We were railroaded into signing the agreement.
putative adjective /ˈpjuː.tə.tɪv/ [before noun] formal
generally thought to be or to exist, whether or not this is really true
the putative father of her child
The putative leader of the terrorist organization was arrested by police in Birmingham
yesterday.

appreciation noun /əˌpriː.ʃiˈeɪ.ʃən/ [U]

increase in price, value, etc.
There has been little appreciation in the value of property recently.

a bolt from/out of the blue

something completely unexpected that surprises you very much
The news of his marriage was a bolt from the blue.

afresh adverb /əˈfreʃ/

If you do something afresh, you deal with it again in a new way
She tore up the letter and started afresh.
We agreed to look afresh at her original proposal.

make a takeover bid for sth

to try to get control of something
The company made a takeover bid for a rival firm.

hot tip informal

an accurate piece of advice about who will win a race
Have you got any hot tips for this afternoon's race?

hot up phrasal verb UK informal

If an event or situation hots up, it becomes more exciting and more things start to happen
Things generally hot up a few days before the race.
A few days before the elections, the pace began to hot up.
The competition is really hotting up now.

life-affirming adjective /ˈlaɪf.əˌfɜː.mɪŋ/

If you describe something as life-affirming, you mean that it makes you feel positive about life
Such a warm, life-affirming film!

pack sth in phrasal verb informal

to stop doing something
This course is really tough, - sometimes I feeling like packing it all in.

Pack it in! UK informal

said to rudely tell someone to stop doing something that is annoying you
Pack it in, Julie - I'm trying to read.
steal the limelight
to get more attention than anyone or anything else in a situation
The experimental car certainly stole the limelight at the motor show.
She's afraid this new actor will steal the limelight from her.

palaver noun /pəˈlɑː.vər/ [S or U] informal

unnecessary work and trouble
Organizing the annual office lunch was such a palaver, I swore I'd never do it again.
We could have done without all this palaver.
What a palaver over nothing!

broad adjective /brɔːd/

If someone has a broad accent (= way of speaking), it is strong and noticeable, showing where
they come from
He spoke with a broad Australian accent.

herd noun /hɜːd/ [C + singular or plural verb] mainly disapproving

a large group of people that is considered together as a group and not separately
Poor Janine - she just follows the herd (= does what all the other people are doing).
You have to be an individual; it's no use running with the herd.

take sth at face value

to accept something for what it appears to be rather than studying it more closely
I took the offer at face value. I didn't think they might be trying to trick me.
You shouldn't always take his remarks at face value.

be ill at ease
to be worried and not relaxed
He seemed ill at ease and not his usual self.

breed noun /briːd/ [C]

a particular kind of person or type of thing:
Real cowboys are a dying breed (=not many exist anymore).
Dodd was one of that rare breed (=there are not many of them) who could make the game of
football look simple.

slight noun /slaɪt/ [C]

when a person fails to pay attention to someone or to treat them with the respect that they
deserve
I regarded her failure to acknowledge my greeting as a slight.
She may take it as a slight on her ability as a mother.

slight verb /slaɪt/ [T]

to insult someone by not paying them any attention or treating them as if they are not important
I felt slighted when my boss thanked everyone but me for their hard work.
Derek felt slighted when no one phoned him back.
unsettled adjective ( WORRIED ) /ʌnˈset.l ̩d/
nervous and worried; unable to relax
Children tend to get unsettled if you keep on changing their routine.
Children often feel unsettled if their parents divorce.

arguably adverb /ˈɑːg.ju.ə.bli/

possibly
He is arguably the world's best football player.
Arguably, the drug should not have been made available.
Senna was arguably the greatest racing driver of all time.

egg sb on phrasal verb

to strongly encourage someone to do something which might not be a very good idea
Don't egg him on! He gets himself into enough trouble without your encouragement.
Bob didn't want to jump, but his friends kept egging him on.

household name noun [C]

a famous person that most people know of
He was a household name in the 1950s.

temper verb ( REDUCE ) /ˈtem.pər/ [T]

formal to make something less strong, extreme, etc.
My enthusiasm for the venture was somewhat tempered by my knowledge of the work that would
be involved.
I learnt to temper my criticism.
The heat in this coastal town is tempered by cool sea breezes.

underbelly noun /ˈʌn.dəˌbel.i/ [S] literary

the weakest or most unpleasant part of something which is most likely to fail or be easily
defeated
a film exposing the sordid underbelly of modern urban society
Small businesses are the soft underbelly (= weakest parts) of the British economy, and they need
as much government support as possible.
photographs that capture the underbelly of the United States - its poverty, its injustice, and its
alienated underclass

flip side
the bad effects of something that also has good effects:
The flip side of the treatment is that it can make patients feel very tired.
We're now starting to see the flip side of the government's economic policy.

nod off phrasal verb informal

to begin sleeping, especially not intentionally
After our busy day we both sat and nodded off in front of the TV.
amenable adjective /əˈmiː.nə.bl ̩/
willing to accept or be influenced by a suggestion
She might be more amenable to the idea if you explained how much money it would save.
Do you think the new manager will prove more amenable to our proposals?

treasure trove noun /ˈtreʒ.əˌtrəʊv/ [C or U]

a large amount of money or a large number of valuable metals, stones or other objects found
hidden somewhere and seeming to belong to no one
A Roman soldier's pay, found by a metal detector enthusiast in Norfolk, has been declared
treasure trove at an inquest in Diss.

a treasure trove of sth

a place that is full of something good
a treasure trove of information
Though small, this museum is a veritable treasure trove of history.

traverse verb /trəˈvɜːs/ [T] formal

to move or travel through an area
Stanley traversed the continent from west to east.
Bounded on the east by Lake Winnebago, the county is traversed by the Wolf and Fox rivers.

get/have your money's worth

to receive good value from something you have paid for
He's had his money's worth out of that suit - he's been wearing it for years.

a clean sweep
when a player, team, etc. wins everything that is available
Romania made a clean sweep of the medals.

frantically adverb ( HURRIEDLY ) /ˈfræn.tɪ.kli/

done in a hurried way and in a state of excitement or confusion
I've been working frantically all week to get it finished on time.
I got home to find Lara frantically searching for her keys.

be barking up the wrong tree informal

to be wrong about the reason for something or the way to achieve something
She thinks it'll solve the problem, but I reckon she's barking up the wrong tree.

get on the right/wrong side of sb

to make someone pleased/annoyed with you
As a teenager, Clare was always getting on the wrong side of her mother.

waylay verb /ˌweɪˈleɪ/ [T] (waylaid, waylaid)

to wait for and then stop someone, especially either to attack them or talk to them
A man on his way to deposit $120 000 in a bank was waylaid by two men who snatched his bag.
I meant to leave earlier but I was waylaid on the way out of a meeting by my manager.
obtuse adjective ( ANGLE ) /əbˈtjuːs/
specialized (of an angle) more than 90° and less than 180°

grovel verb ( TRY TO PLEASE ) /ˈgrɒv.əl [I] (-ll-)

to behave with too much respect towards someone to show them that you are very eager to
please them
He sent a grovelling note of apology.

recondite adjective /ˈrek.ən.daɪt/ formal

not known about by many people and difficult to understand
We had to work from material that was both complex and recondite.

brass neck noun [S or U] UK informal disapproving

If someone has (a) brass neck, they are extremely confident about themselves and are unable to
understand that their behaviour is unacceptable to others
She's got a brass neck to ask for a day off when we're so busy.

trawl verb ( SEARCH ) /trɔːl/

[I or T usually + adverb or preposition] to search among a large number or many different places
in order to find people or information you want
The newspaper had trawled its files for photos of the new minister.
She spent the morning in the library, trawling for information for her project.
You need to trawl through a lot of data to get results that are valid.
I'll have to trawl through all my lecture notes again.

mug noun ( STUPID PERSON ) /mʌg/ [C]

mainly UK informal a person who is stupid and easily deceived
He's such a mug, he believes everything she tells him.
Only a mug would pay that much for a meal.

knock verb ( CRITICIZE ) /nɒk/

[T] UK informal to criticize, especially unfairly
Don't knock him - he's doing his best.

trite adjective /traɪt/ disapproving

expressed too often to be interesting or seem sincere
His lyrics about love and peace are too trite for me to take them seriously.
I know it will sound trite, but I've loved being part of this club.

advisedly adverb /ədˈvaɪ.zɪd.li/ adv formal

If you say you are using a word advisedly, you mean you are choosing it after thinking about it
very carefully
This action is barbaric - and I use the word advisedly.
He behaved like a dictator, and I use the term advisedly.
pass the buck
mainly disapproving
to blame someone or make them responsible for a problem that you should deal with
She's always trying to pass the buck and I'm sick of it!

kudos noun /ˈkjuː.dɒs [U]

the state of being admired and respected for being important or for doing something important
He acquired kudos just by appearing on television.
Being an actor has a certain amount of kudos attached to it.

aptitude test noun [C]

a test to find out whether someone has a natural ability for a particular type of work
I had to take an aptitude test before I began training as a nurse.

rescind verb /rɪˈsɪnd/ [T] formal

to officially end a law, or change a decision or agreement
The policy of charging air travellers for vegetarian meals proved unpopular and has already
been rescinded.

nugget noun ( INFORMATION ) /ˈnʌg.ɪt/ [C]

something that a person has said or written that is very true or very wise
a nugget of information/truth
humorous What other astonishing nuggets of wisdom do you have for us?

scourge verb /skɜːdʒ/ [T]

to cause great suffering or a lot of trouble
The country has been scourged by (= has suffered very much because of) famine in recent years.

splurge verb /splɜːdʒ/ [I or T] informal

to spend a lot of money on buying goods, especially expensive goods; splash out
I feel like splurging (out) on a new dress.
Within a couple of months I'd splurged about £2,500 on clothes.

belligerent adjective /bəˈlɪdʒ.ər.ənt/ disapproving

wishing to fight or argue
a belligerent person
a belligerent gesture
Watch out! Lee's in a belligerent mood.

bolshy adjective (also bolshie) /ˈbɒl.ʃi/ UK informal

describes someone who often argues and makes difficulties
He's a bit bolshy these days.

scrunch verb ( CRUSH ) /skrʌntʃ/

[T] to crush material such as paper or cloth into a rough ball in the hand
She scrunched the letter up and threw it in the bin.
dainty adjective /ˈdeɪn.ti/
small, pretty, and delicate
a dainty gold chain
She was a small, dainty child, unlike her sister who was large and had big feet.
We were given tea, and some dainty little cakes.

erratic adjective /ɪˈræt.ɪk/

not regular, uncertain or without organization in movement or behaviour
He drove in an erratic course down the road.
His breathing was becoming erratic.
She can be very erratic, one day she is friendly and the next she'll hardly speak to you.

erratically adverb /ɪˈræt.ɪ.kli/

In her study, books were arranged erratically on chairs, tables and shelves.
The machine is working erratically - there must be a loose connection.

go astray
to be lost or stolen
The letter had gone astray in the post.

if a plan or action goes astray, it goes wrong

The best-laid plans can go astray.

lead sb astray
to encourage someone to do bad or illegal things that they would not normally do
The older boys led him astray.
to make someone believe something that is not true:
It's easy to be led astray by the reports in the papers.

susceptible adjective /səˈsep.tɪ.bl ̩/

easily influenced or harmed by something
She isn't very susceptible to flattery.
These plants are particularly susceptible to frost.
Among particularly susceptible children, the disease can develop very fast.
They persuade susceptible teenagers to part with their money.

[after verb] formal

(especially of an idea or statement) able to be understood, proved, explained, etc. in a particular
way
Shakespeare's plays are susceptible to various interpretations.
UK The facts are susceptible of other explanations.

well-attended adjective /ˌwel.əˈten.dɪd/

describes an event where many people are present
The information was given at an unusually well-attended press conference yesterday.
cheap and cheerful UK
simple and not expensive, but of reasonable quality
There's a restaurant round the corner that serves cheap and cheerful food.

cheap and nasty UK

costing little and of very bad quality

unhinged adjective /ʌnˈhɪndʒd/ mainly humorous

mentally ill
I sometimes think that your mother is a little unhinged.

knob noun ( BODY PART ) /nɒb/ [C]

UK offensive a penis

ration verb /ˈræʃ.ən/ [T]

to limit the amount of a particular thing that someone is allowed to have
Do you remember when petrol was rationed to five gallons a week?
My children would watch television all day long, but I ration it.

twist/turn the knife (in the wound)

to make someone who is annoyed, worried or upset feel even worse
Just to turn the knife a little, he told me he'd seen my old girlfriend with her new man.

throwback noun /ˈθrəʊ.bæk/ [C usually singular]

a person or thing that is similar to an earlier type
He's an unappealing throwback to the days of '80s City slickers.
In some ways the new applet technology is a throwback to the old pre-PC days.

recidivist noun /rɪˈsɪd.ɪ.vɪst/ [C] specialized

a criminal who continues to commit crimes even after they have been punished

clarion call noun /ˈklær.i.ənˌkɔːl/ [C usually singular] literary

a strong and direct request for people to do something
This election is a clarion call for our country to face the challenges ahead
to issue/sound a clarion call for change

supposedly adverb /səˈpəʊ.zɪd.li/

used to show that you do not believe that something you have been told is true
Well, the tickets are supposedly in the mail.
Anne is coming for a visit in March supposedly.
How could a supposedly intelligent person be so stupid?

be up your street UK (US be up your alley)

to be the type of thing that you are interested in or that you enjoy doing
Carpentry isn't really up my street. I'd rather pay someone else to do it.
I've got a little job for you which is right (= exactly) up your street.
swingeing adjective /ˈswɪn.dʒɪŋ/ UK formal
swingeing cuts
very severe reductions in spending, especially by a government or organization
We are going to have to make swingeing cuts in the budget.

wax lyrical
to talk about something with a lot of interest or excitement
I recall Rosie waxing lyrical about the flatness of his stomach.

grudge noun /grʌdʒ/ [C]

a strong feeling of anger and dislike for a person who you feel has treated you badly, which often
lasts for a long time
I don't bear any grudge against you.
Philippa still has/holds a grudge against me for refusing to lend her that money.

grudging adjective /ˈgrʌdʒ.ɪŋ/

A grudging action or feeling is one which you do or have unwillingly
She won the grudging respect of her boss.

grudgingly adverb /ˈgrʌdʒ.ɪŋ.li/

She grudgingly (= unwillingly) admitted that she had been wrong to criticize him.

pensionable adjective /ˈpent .ʃən.ə.bl ̩/ UK

allowing someone to receive a pension
She is of pensionable age (= is old enough to claim a pension).
a pensionable job

shoulder the blame/burden/responsibility/cost, etc.

to accept that you are responsible for something bad or difficult
It is women who mainly shoulder responsibility for the care of elderly and disabled relatives.
Teachers cannot be expected to shoulder all the blame for poor exam results.
The residents are being asked to shoulder the costs of the repairs.

mirage noun /mɪˈrɑːʒ/ [C]

an image, produced by very hot air, of something which seems to be far away but does not really
exist

monies plural noun /ˈmʌn.iz/ n formal

law money:
Any monies received from this interest will be treated as capital.
If we are no longer able to provide the holiday you booked, we will return to you all monies
paid.
pugnacious adjective /pʌgˈneɪ.ʃəs/ formal
very eager to argue or fight with people:
The professor had been pugnacious and irritable.
I found him pugnacious and arrogant.

inveigle verb /ɪnˈveɪ.gl ̩/ [T] formal

to persuade someone to do what you want, especially in a dishonest way
She had inveigled me into taking messages to her lover.
Her son tried to inveigle her into giving him the money for a car.

exude verb /ɪgˈzjuːd/ [T]

if you exude a particular quality, it is easy to see that you have a lot of it:
She exudes self-confidence.
He exuded an air of wealth and power.

to produce a smell or liquid substance from inside

Some trees exude from their bark a sap that repels insect parasites.

proviso noun /prəˈvaɪ.zəʊ/ [C] (plural provisos)

a condition that you ask for before you will agree to something [+ that]
He was released from prison with/on the proviso that he doesn't leave the country.
The money was given to the museum with the proviso that it is spent on operating costs.

anoint verb ( CEREMONY ) /əˈnɔɪnt/ [T]

to make someone holy in a religious ceremony by putting holy water or oil on them

the object of the exercise

the result that is wanted from an activity
In today's session, the object of the exercise is to improve your interpersonal skills.

the back of beyond UK informal

a place far away from any big town
They live in some village in the back of beyond.

know sth like the back of your hand informal

to have very good and detailed knowledge of something
I know this area like the back of my hand.

back down phrasal verb

to admit that you are wrong or that you have lost an argument:
Both sides have refused to back down.
Eventually, Roberto backed down and apologized.
Local residents have forced the local council to back down from/on its plans to build a nightclub
in their street.
consensus noun /kənˈsent .səs/ [S or U]
a generally accepted opinion or decision among a group of people
The general consensus in the office is that he's useless at his job.
Could we reach a consensus on this matter? Let's take a vote.

the shirt off sb's back informal

the last thing that someone has left
He's the kind of man who'd give you the shirt off his back.

having said that

despite what has just been said
He forgets most things, but having said that, he always remembers my birthday.
The diet can make you slim without exercise. Having said that, however, exercise is important
too.

be of the same mind (also be of one mind)

to have the same opinion
We're of the same mind on most political issues.

plaudits noun /ˈplɔː.dɪt/ [C usually plural] formal

praise and admiration
She's received plaudits for her work with homeless people.
The quality of his photography earned/won him plaudits from the experts.

maelstrom noun /ˈmeɪl.strɒm/

[C usually singular] a situation in which there is great confusion, violence and destruction
The country is gradually being sucked into the maelstrom of civil war.

colic noun /ˈkɒl.ɪk/ [U]

a severe but not continuous pain in the bottom part of the stomach or bowels, especially of babies

levee noun /ˈlev.i/ [C]

a wall made of land or other materials that is built next to a river to stop the river from
overflowing (= coming out of a place because it is too full)

urchin noun /ˈɜː.tʃɪn/ [C] old-fashioned or humorous

a small child, especially one who behaves badly and is dirty or untidily dressed
a street urchin

trail away/off phrasal verb

if someone's voice trails away or trails off, it becomes gradually quieter and then stops
His voice trailed off as he saw the look on her face.
She trailed off, silenced by the look Kris gave her.
seamy adjective /ˈsiː.mi/
involving unpleasant things such as crime, violence, or immorality:
the seamy side of the World Wide Web
The film vividly portrays the seamy side of life in the London of the early 70s.

sumptuous adjective /ˈsʌmp.tju.əs/

luxurious and showing that you are rich
a sumptuous feast
The celebrity guests turned up dressed in sumptuous evening gowns.

rasp verb ( SOUND ) /rɑːsp/

to make a rough unpleasant sound:
my father's rasping voice.
'Stop!' he rasped.
I heard his breath rasping in his chest.

qualm noun /kwɑːm/ [C usually plural]

a feeling of slight worry or doubt because you are not sure that what you are doing is right:
Despite my qualms, I took the job.
The manager has no qualms about dropping players who do not perform well.
She had no qualms about lying to the police.

pregnant adjective ( MEANING ) /ˈpreg.nənt/

filled with meaning or importance which has not yet been expressed or understood
There followed a pregnant pause in which both knew what the other was thinking but neither
knew what to say.

OAP noun /ˌəʊ.eɪˈpiː/ [C]

UK abbreviation for old age pensioner
OAPs get cheaper bus and train tickets.
special rates for OAPs

a litany of sth
a long list of unpleasant things, especially things that are repeated
The manufacturers are reported to have received a litany of complaints from dissatisfied
customers.

write in phrasal verb

to write a letter to a newspaper, television company or other organization, to state an opinion or
ask something
[+ to infinitive] People have written in to complain about the show.
[+ -ing verb] Thousands of people wrote in to the BBC asking for an information sheet.
tout verb ( MAKE KNOWN ) /taʊt/
[T] to advertise, make known or praise something or someone repeatedly, especially as a way of
encouraging their sale, popularity or development
As an education minister, she has been touting these ideas for some time.
He is being widely touted as the next leader of the Social Democratic party.
Several insurance companies are now touting their services/wares on local radio.

rat on sb/sth phrasal verb

if someone rats on you, they tell someone in authority about something wrong that you have
done, grass on
They'll kill you if they find out you've ratted on them!

break out in a rash/spots/sweat

to suddenly have spots or sweat appear on your skin
She broke out in a rash after eating some strawberries.
It didn't take much exercise to make him break out in (a) sweat.
When I heard the noise I broke out in a cold sweat.

spruce sb/sth up phrasal verb informal

to make someone or something cleaner and tidier or to improve the way they appear generally
I thought I'd have a shave and generally spruce myself up for the interview.
They've employed an advertising agency to spruce up the company image.

spruce adjective /spruːs/ approving

neat and clean
Mr Bailey was looking very spruce in a white linen suit.
He looked spruce and handsome in a clean white shirt.

for what it's worth informal

said when you are giving someone a piece of information and you are not certain if that
information is useful or important
For what it's worth, I think he may be right.
They are, for what it's worth, the single most successful eastern arts group in the West.

blank verb blæŋk/ British English informal

to ignore someone who you would usually greet or speak to
Last time I saw Mike Adams he completely blanked me.

grasp the nettle UK

to force yourself to be brave and do something that is difficult or unpleasant
You've been putting off making that phone call for days - I think it's about time you grasped the
nettle!
teeter on the brink/edge of sth
If something is teetering on the brink/edge of a bad situation, it is likely that the situation will
happen soon
What we are seeing now is a country teetering on the brink of civil war.

adversity noun /ədˈvɜː.sə.ti/ [C or U]

a difficult or unlucky situation or event
She was always cheerful in adversity.
The road to happiness is paved with adversities.

silt noun /sɪlt/ [U]

sand or soil which is carried along by flowing water and then dropped, especially at a bend in a
river or at a river's opening

sprightly adjective /ˈspraɪt.li/

(especially of old people) energetic and in good health
He's a sprightly old man of seventy-five.

collude verb /kəˈluːd/ [I] formal

to act together secretly or illegally in order to deceive or cheat someone
It was suspected that the police had colluded with the witnesses.
Several customs officials have been accused of colluding with drug traffickers.
She knew about the plan, and colluded in it.

debris noun /ˈdeb.riː/ [U]

the pieces of something that are left after it has been destroyed in an accident, explosion etc:
She was hit by flying debris from the blast.
Debris from the aircraft was scattered over a large area.

corollary noun /kəˈrɒl.ər.i/ [C] formal

something that is the direct result of something else
Is social inequality the inevitable corollary of economic freedom?
Unfortunately, violence is the inevitable corollary of such a revolutionary change in society.

faff about/around phrasal verb UK informal

to waste time doing unnecessary things
Stop faffing around!
I wish you'd stop faffing about and do something useful!

dregs plural noun /dregz/

the small solid pieces that sink to the bottom of some liquids, such as wine or coffee, which are
not usually drunk
In one swift go, she had drunk her coffee down to the dregs (= finished it).
the dregs of society/humanity
an offensive expression used to describe the people that you consider are the least important or
useful in society
People tend to regard drug addicts as the dregs of society.

muzzy adjective /ˈmʌz.i/ UK

unable to think clearly, especially because you are ill, sleepy, or drunk:
Juliet's head felt muzzy, and she hoped she hadn't a cold coming on.
Feeling muzzy from the blow on his head, he got up very slowly.
Until a week ago, the group's objectives were slightly muzzy.

preternatural adjective /ˌpriː.təˈnætʃ.ər.əl/ formal

more than is usual or natural
Anger gave me preternatural strength, and I managed to force the door open.
He felt possessed of a preternatural strength and fearlessness.

preternaturally adverb /ˌpriː.təˈnætʃ.ər.əl.i/

The house seemed preternaturally silent.

compassion fatigue noun [U]

if you are suffering from compassion fatigue, you have stopped feeling sympathy for people and
do not want to give any more money to help them, because you have seen so many reports on
television, in newspapers etc about other groups of people who are in trouble
Some donors, battered by so many appeals for help, may find themselves battling compassion
fatigue.

rambunctious adjective /ræmˈbʌŋk.ʃəs/ mainly US

full of energy and difficult to control
rambunctious children
a lively and rambunctious puppy

tip noun ( RUBBISH ) /tɪp/ n [C]

UK (mainly US dump) a place where especially large pieces of rubbish can be taken and left
a rubbish/waste tip
We need to take this old carpet to the tip.
UK informal This room is a complete/absolute/real tip (= is very untidy) - tidy it up at once.

voracious adjective /vəˈreɪ.ʃəs/

very eager for something, especially a lot of food
He has a voracious appetite (= he eats a lot).
He's a voracious reader of historical novels (= He reads a lot of them eagerly and quickly).
Her appetite for information was voracious.
wallow verb /ˈwɒl.əʊ/ [I]
if an animal or person wallows, it rolls around in mud, water etc for pleasure or to keep cool:
hippos wallowing in the mud

wallow in self-pity/despair/defeat
to seem to enjoy being sad etc, especially because you get sympathy from other people - used to show
disapproval
He'd been feeling sorry for himself, wallowing in self-pity.

exhort verb /ɪgˈzɔːt/ [T + to infinitive] formal

to strongly encourage or try to persuade someone to do something, to urge
The governor exhorted the prisoners not to riot.
Police exhorted the crowd to remain calm.

exhortation noun /ˌeg.zɔːˈteɪ.ʃən/ [C or U]

Despite the exhortations of the union leaders the workers voted to strike.
The book is essentially an exhortation to religious tolerance.

the forefront noun /ðəˈfɔː.frʌnt/

the most noticeable or important position
She was one of the politicians at/in the forefront of the campaign to free the prisoners.
His team are at the forefront of scientific research into vaccines.

have your (fair) share of sth

to have a lot or more than enough of something bad
We've certainly got our share of problems at the moment.
She's had her fair share of tragedies in her life.

wipe sth out phrasal verb

to destroy something completely
Whole villages were wiped out in the fighting.
One bad harvest could wipe out all of a grower's profits for the previous two years.
Nothing could wipe out his bitter memories of the past.

calamity noun /kəˈlæm.ɪ.ti/ [C]

a serious accident or bad event causing damage or suffering
A series of calamities ruined them - floods, a failed harvest and the death of a son.
It will be a calamity for farmers if the crops failed again.

snowball verb /ˈsnəʊ.bɔːl/ [I]

If a plan, problem, idea, etc. snowballs, it quickly grows bigger and more important
I suggested a few drinks after work, and the whole thing snowballed into a company party.
Interest in the sport is snowballing.

saline adjective /ˈseɪ.laɪn/ specialized

containing or consisting of salt