Interesting vocabulary for the C2 level

Narrow gauge /ɡeɪdʒ/ a size of railway/railroad track that is not as wide as the standard track that is used in Britain and the US. E.g. a narrow-gauge railway.

zip line : a cable or rope stretched between two points at different heights that people slide down for fun Fly over the treetops on a zip line.

Bigwig: an important person. E.g. She had to entertain some boring local bigwigs.

(so named from the large wigs formerly worn by distinguished men)

Spellbound: with your attention completely held by what you are listening to or watching. Sp. fascinado, encantado. E.g. a storyteller who can hold audiences spellbound. The kids watched and listened spellbound to the performance.

Buff: (used in compounds) a person who is very interested in a particular subject or activity and knows a lot about it. E.g. an opera buff. They were a group of computer buffs who used to meet every Thursday evening. Ice-skating buffs. Sp. Aficionado.

To wrap up warm: Sp. Abrigarse.

wow somebody (with something): Sp. Impresionar. To impress somebody very much, especially with a performance. E.g. He wowed audiences around the country with his new show. Her enigmatic performance wowed critics.

find your feet: to become able to act independently and with confidence. E.g. I only recently joined the firm so I'm still finding my feet.

Period piece: a play, film/movie, etc. that is set in a particular period of history. Sp. película de época.

delve into something: to try hard to find out more information about something. Sp. Escarbar, hurgar. E.g. She had started to delve into her father's distant past. We must delve back into history to find the reason.

dial back: To lessen something, especially in intensity. E.g. I could barely move my arms all week—I guess it's time to dial back the workouts! It was very hot in my home, so I dialled back the heating system. Tom is very angry, and his friend says 'Hey, Tom, dial it back a bit'.

keep something back: to prevent a feeling, etc. from being expressed, restrain. Sp. Reprimir. E.g.She was unable to keep back her tears.

price someone or something out of the market to raise or lower a price and drive someone or something out of the marketplace. E.g. You are a very good singer, but your agent has priced you out of the market. The discount prices posted by the chain store were meant to price us out of the market. Asking $10 each for those old records is pricing yourself out of the market. One of the groups priced out of the city are the non-profit organizations.

Flip side: different and less welcome aspects of an idea, argument or action. Sp. La otra cara del disco. E.g. It was only after they were married that she began to see the flip side of the fairy tale. The flips side is that rents are driven up.

slay somebody/something (old-fashioned or literary) (slay, slew, slain) to kill somebody/something in a war or a fight. E.g. St George slew the dragon.

muster something (up) to find as much support, courage, etc. as you can. Sp. Reunir. E.g. We mustered what support we could for the plan. She left the room with all the dignity she could muster. He could muster only 154 votes at the election.

Mailing:  (North American English also mailer) [countable] a letter or package that is sent by mail, especially one that is sent to a large number of people. Flyer. E.g. An order form is included in the mailing. Every mailer I received was a lie.

Outreach: an effort to bring services or information to people where they live or spend time. Sp. Compromiso con la comunidad, participación. E.g.The centre was awarded a grant for outreach to the homeless.

USB stick: pen drive, flash drive, USB drive.

Overpass: /ˈəʊvəpɑːs/ a bridge that carries one road over another one. Sp. Paso elevado. E.g. Four teenagers had thrown a rock from an overpass at our car.

Lift/ elevator shaft: hueco del ascensor.

Brainchild: Sp. Idea, invento. an idea or invention of one person or a small group of people. E.g It was the brainchild of three filmmakers.   The TV programme was the brainchild of the producer.

Hot water maker: kettle. Sp. hervidor de agua.

Frenemy: a person or organization that you are friends with because it is useful or necessary to be their friend, in spite of the fact that you really dislike or disagree with them. E.g. The Internet giant is seen by many as a frenemy, a company they cannot afford not to work with.

a person who pretends to be your friend but is in fact an enemy. E.g. Her only friends are a trio of catty (Sp. malicioso) frenemies she hasn't seen in months.

Rack: a piece of equipment, usually made of metal or wooden bars, that is used for holding things or for hanging things on. E.g. a vegetable/wine/plate/toast rack. Wine rack: botellero.

Stand-alone: A stand-alone computer or business can operate on its own without needing help from another similar thing. E.g. a stand-alone application’ ‘it can be used stand-alone or as part of the network.

Overbearing: trying to control other people in an unpleasant way. Sp. cotrolador E.g. an overbearing parent. an overbearing manner. She found him rude and overbearing. I wasn’t the least impressed or intimidated by her overbearing attitude.

Souk: /suːk/  a market in an Arab country  Sp. Zoco.

Stuff your face to eat a lot. E.g. I've been stuffing my face all morning.

Penny pincher: a person who is unwilling to spend money. E.g. He takes offense at the notion he's a penny-pincher, insisting all his workers are paid above minimum wage. Sp.  Tacaño.

Penny-pinching: the act of trying to avoid spending even very small amounts of money. Unwilling to spend money. E.g. I became tired of his penny-pinching friends.

Duck: to move your head or body downwards to avoid being hit or seen. E.g. He had to duck as he came through the door. Duck (down) (behind/under something) We ducked down behind the wall so they wouldn't see us.

Grew agitated: Sp. empezó a altrarse

fall for somebody: to be strongly attracted to somebody; to fall in love with somebody. E.g. They fell for each other instantly.

worldie: a world class thing or person. E.g. That girl's a worldie! (means she is pretty). This brew is a worldie (a top class cup of tea, worthy of a king).

world-class: as good as the best in the world a world-class athlete.

on the spot: immediately. E.g.  He answered the question on the spot. an on-the-spot parking fine. You can be sacked on the spot for stealing.

peng: good-looking. E.g. Look at her, she is absolutely peng!!  

poster: someone who publishes something such as a message or picture on a website or using social media. E.g. There was a lively debate on the message boards (= a place on a website where people can read or write messages), with many posters arguing against the plan.
 

oh my days! used to emphasize what you are saying when you are surprised, shocked or annoyed E.g. Oh my days! Is that true?

way: a lot. E.g. This skirt is way (= a lot) too short. 

privacy settings: the part of a social networking website, internet browser, piece of software, etc. that allows you to control who sees information about you.

tool: an insulting word for a person who you dislike very much or who behaves very stupidly. 

cringey (embarrassing)

play out: when an event is played out, it happens. E.g. Their love affair was played out against the backdrop of war.
poser (also poseur): someone who behaves in a particular way to make people notice them, admire them, or be impressed by them. E.g. He’s such a poser on the dance floor.

pout: /paʊt/ an expression on your face in which your lips are pushed out to show you are annoyed or to look sexually attractive. E.g. Her lips were set in a pout of annoyance. 

dapper: with a neat appearance and nice clothes. E.g. he looked very dapper in a dark silk suit. 

give you a run for your money to be as good at something as someone who is known to be extremely good. To compete very well against someone so that it is hard for them to defeat you. E.g. He was a very good actor and could have given any professional a run for his money. I think only Liverpool will be able to give Manchester United a run for their money next season. A new phone company is giving the others a run for their money.
gramps: an affectionate and familiar term for a grandfather.
 

class: very good. E.g.  a class

player/performer. She's a real class act. 
better by a mile/ by miles/miles better: much greater or better than something/ someone else. E.g. Restaurant food is better by miles/miles better than it used to be 20 years ago. Of all the strawberry ice-creams we've tasted, this is the best by miles. Everyone expected him to win the championship by a mile. 

legend: a very famous person, especially in a particular field, who is admired by other people. E.g.  a jazz/tennis, etc. legend. She was a legend in her own lifetime. Many of golf's living legends were playing. A legend in the world of music.

Pouch: /paʊtʃ/ a small bag, usually made of leather, and often carried in a pocket or attached to a belt. E.g. a tobacco pouch. She kept her money in a pouch around her neck. Laminating pouches.

clip somebody’s wings: to restrict a person’s freedom or power. E.g. Having a new baby to take care of has clipped her wings.

Clip: to cut something in order to make it shorter or neater. E.g. The shepherd clipped the sheep. The hedge was clipped.

Relent: to finally agree to something after refusing. E.g. ‘Well, just for a little while then,’ she said, finally relenting. The government has relented on this issue.

Adamant /ˈædəmənt/ determined not to change your mind or to be persuaded about something. E.g. Eva was adamant that she would not come. The government remained adamant that there was no more money available.

Old-school: old-fashioned or traditional. E.g. an old-school vibe. Old-school ideas/traditions. He was very old-school in his approach to management.

Vibe: a mood or an atmosphere produced by a particular person, thing or place. E.g. good/bad vibes. The vibes weren't right. I’ve had bad vibes about her lately.

Enshrine: /ɪnˈʃraɪn/ enshrine something (in something) (formal) to make a law, right, etc. respected or official, especially by stating it in an important written document. Sp. Consagrar. E.g. These rights are enshrined in the country's constitution. November 4, 2008 is already enshrined as a key date in American history.

breach of something a failure to do something that must be done by law. Sp. Infracción, incumplimiento, violación. E.g. a breach of contract/copyright/warranty. They are in breach of Article 119.

Stash sth: to store something in a safe or secret place. E.g. She has a fortune stashed away in various bank accounts. The gun was stashed under the bed.

Festoon: /feˈstuːn/ festoon somebody/something (with something) to decorate somebody/something with flowers, coloured paper, etc., often as part of a celebration. E.g. The streets were festooned with banners and lights.

Squabble: /ˈskwɒbl/ a noisy argument about something that is not very important. E.g. family squabbles. The party is split by internal squabbles. squabble (with somebody) (about/over something) There were endless squabbles over who should sit where.

Dastardly: /ˈdæstədli/ evil and cruel. E.g. a dastardly plot to assassinate the king. My first part was Captain O'Hagarty, a dastardly villain in a children's play.

akin to something (formal) similar to. E.g. What he felt was more akin to pity than love. She was wearing something akin to a pineapple on her head. This game is closely akin to hockey.

Pimp: to get customers for a prostitute.

Pimp somebody out: exploit, prostitute. E.g. He has been pimping her out for over 8 years.

Stranglehold: /ˈstræŋɡlhəʊld/

  a strong hold around somebody’s neck that makes it difficult for them to breathe. E.g. Both arms were around his neck in a stranglehold.

  stranglehold (on something) complete control over something that makes it impossible for it to grow or develop well. E.g. The company now had a stranglehold on the market. Attempts to break the US stranglehold on the industry.

work something up to develop or improve something with some effort. E.g. I can't work up any enthusiasm for his idea. She went for a long walk to work up an appetite. She finally worked up the courage to call the police.

Fall for something: to be tricked into believing something that is not true. E.g.  I'm surprised you fell for that trick.

jettison something/somebody to get rid of something/somebody that you no longer need or want. Discard. E.g.He was jettisoned as team coach after the defeat.

Charade: /ʃəˈrɑːd/ /ʃəˈreɪd/ a situation in which people pretend that something is true when it clearly is not. Pretence. E.g. Their whole marriage had been a charade—they had never loved each other.

Malevolent: /məˈlevələnt/ having or showing a desire to harm other people. Malicious. E.g. malevolent intentions/thoughts.

the high life a way of life that involves going to parties and spending a lot of money on food, clothes, etc. E.g. He was determined to live the high life.

put/throw somebody off the scent to do something to stop somebody from finding you or discovering something. E.g.  She changed taxis to throw her pursuers off the scent.

Counterfeiting /ˈkaʊntəfɪtɪŋ/ the crime of making an exact copy of something in order to trick people into thinking that it is the real thing. E.g. allegations of counterfeiting and money laundering. The growing problem of counterfeiting and piracy.

seize something to take illegal or stolen goods away from somebody. E.g. A large quantity of drugs was seized during the raid.

Corroborate: /kəˈrɒbəreɪt/ to provide evidence or information that supports a statement, theory, etc. Confirm. E.g. The evidence was corroborated by two independent witnesses.

ply somebody with something 1. to keep giving somebody large amounts of something, especially food and/or drink. E.g. She plied us with tea and cake. 2. to keep asking somebody questions. E.g. He plied me with questions from the moment he arrived.

scour something (for somebody/something): /ˈskaʊə(r)/ to search a place or thing thoroughly in order to find somebody/something. Sp. Rastrear. E.g. We scoured the area for somewhere to pitch our tent. He had been scouring the papers for weeks, looking for a job.

 

a figment of somebody’s imagination: something that somebody has imagined and that does not really exist. E.g. Are you telling me that these symptoms are just a figment of my imagination?

twee: very pretty, in a way that you find unpleasant and silly; appearing sentimental. E.g. The room was decorated with twee little pictures of animals.

rife (with something) full of something bad or unpleasant. E.g. Los Angeles is rife with gossip about the stars' private lives.

rebus: /ˈriːbəs/ a combination of pictures and letters which represent a word or phrase whose meaning has to be guessed. E.g.
Electronic communications are rife with rebuses like “m8” (mate) – not to mention emoticons formed with punctuation marks, such as “;-)” (winky face).

treasure trove: a collection of valuable, interesting, or useful things. E.g. His book is a treasure trove of information about music.

aim to do something They are aiming to reduce unemployment by 50%. We aim to be there around six.
aim at doing something They're aiming at training everybody by the end of the year.

hoaxer: /ˈhəʊksə(r)/ a person who tricks somebody by making them believe something that is not true, especially something unpleasant Bomb hoaxers brought chaos to the city yesterday.

insidious /ɪnˈsɪdiəs/ spreading gradually or without being noticed, but causing serious harm. E.g. the insidious effects of polluted water supplies.

be ahead of the pack​: to be more successful than other people who are trying to achieve the same things as you. E.g. At this stage in the campaign, the Democratic candidate is way ahead of the pack. The BBC helps you stay ahead of the pack by giving you 'must have' phrases that you can use in your everyday conversation.

Frenemy: a person or organization that you are friends with because it is useful or necessary to be their friend, in spite of the fact that you really dislike or disagree with themThe Internet giant is seen by many as a frenemy, a company they cannot afford not to work with.

punch above your weight

to be or try to be more successful than others in doing something that normally requires more skill, experience, money, etc. than you haveThis player seems to be able to constantly punch above his weight.He punched above his weight as the party’s foreign affairs spokesman.

ostensibly: according to what seems or is stated to be real or true, when this is perhaps not the case synonym apparentlyTroops were sent in, ostensibly to protect the civilian population.

livid: extremely angry synonym furious E.g. Dad will be livid when he finds out.

Tape measure, measuring tape: a long narrow strip of plastic, cloth or flexible metal that has measurements marked on it and is used for measuring the length of something

Remiss /rɪˈmɪs/ not giving something enough care and attention. Negligent. E.g. remiss (of somebody) (to do something) It was remiss of them not to inform us of these changes sooner. remiss (in something/in doing something) She had clearly been remiss in her duty. We have been very remiss in studying since we last saw you and will need some revision.

DVD: the abbreviation for ‘digital versatile disc’ or ‘digital videodisc’ (a disk on which large amounts of information, especially photographs and video, can be stored, for use on a computer or DVD player)

Revenant: /ˈrevənənt/ a person who has returned, especially one who is thought to have come back from the dead. E.g. The stories focus on unnatural death, revenants and vampires.

splurge (something) (on something) (informal) to spend a lot of money on something that you do not really need. E.g. He splurged his whole week’s wages on a champagne dinner. She splurged out more than she could afford on loads of new clothes.

Kook: /kuːk/ a person who acts in a strange or crazy way. E.g. He was dismissed as a kook for saying what he thought.

under wraps (informal) being kept secret until some time in the future. E.g. Next year's collection is still being kept under wraps.

to be as pleased as punch: to be very happy about something. Usage notes: Punch is a character in a traditional children's entertainment who is always happy and excited. E.g. 'How does Stella feel about becoming a granny?' 'She's as pleased as Punch.'

as guilty/miserable/ugly as sin very guilty, miserable, or ugly. E.g. he was as miserable as sin.

Downhearted: feeling depressed or sad. E.g. We're disappointed by these results but we're not downhearted.

browned off (with somebody/something) (British English, informal) bored, unhappy and/or annoyed. Fed up. E.g. By now the passengers were getting browned off with the delay.

cheesed off (with/about somebody/something) (British English, informal) annoyed or bored. E.g. He’s cheesed off with his job.

(pull, wear, etc.) a long face (to have) an unhappy or disappointed expression. E.g. He took one look at her long face and said ‘What’s wrong?’

Cold sweat: a state when you have sweat on your face or body but still feel cold, usually because you are very frightened or anxious. E.g. to break out into a cold sweat. I woke up in a cold sweat about the interview. I break out in a cold sweat (= become extremely worried) just thinking about public speaking. I was in a cold sweat while they counted the ballots.

be at sea  also be all at sea if someone is at sea, they are completely confused. E.g. I'm all at sea with this computer manual.

at sixes and sevens: (informal) in confusion; not well organized. E.g. I haven't had time to clear up, so I'm all at sixes and sevens. We've been at sixes and sevens in the office this week.

rooted to the spot so frightened or shocked that you cannot move. E.g. She was rooted to the spot with fear/amazement.

ring/sound alarm bells​ If something rings/sounds alarm bells, it makes you start to worry because it is a sign that there may be a problem: E.g. The name rang alarm bells in her mind. The government’s proposal has set alarm bells ringing for people on low incomes.

Feckless: having a weak character; not behaving in a responsible way. E.g. Her husband was a charming, but lazy and feckless man. A feckless politician.

Shear sheared (past) sheared/shorn (pp) It was time for the sheep to be shorn.

Cowboy a dishonest person in business, especially somebody who produces work of bad quality or charges too high a price. Those builders are a bunch of cowboys - they made a terrible job of our extension.

Know-it-all also know-all: a person who behaves as if they know everything. E.g. Jim's new boyfriend is such a know-it-all. I can't stand having a conversation with him about anything!

shaken but not stirred: If you say that someone has been shaken but not stirred by an experience, you mean that they have been slightly disturbed or emotionally affected by it, but not deeply enough to change their behaviour or way of thinking. E.g. A clash with America over farm subsidies had left the Europeans and their common agricultural policy shaken but not stirred.

rise through the ranks: E.g. He rose through the ranks to become managing director.

honeycomb: /ˈhʌnikəʊm/
(N) a structure of cells with six sides, made by bees for holding their honey and their eggs. Sp. panal,  (fig) laberinto

(adj) honeycombed (with something) filled with holes, tunnels, etc. E.g. The cliffs are honeycombed with caves. ‘whole hillsides were honeycombed with mines’

dowdy: /ˈdaʊdi/
(of a woman) not attractive or fashionable. E.g. He had a rather dowdy wife and several children.
(of a thing) dull or boring and not attractive. E.g. a dowdy dress.

racket: /ˈrækɪt/ a dishonest or illegal way of getting money a protection/extortion/drugs, etc. racket. Sp. chanchullo, fraude.

reel in: to pull (eg a fish out of the water) by winding the line to which it is attached on to a reel (Sp. carrete). Sp. sacar del agua, fig. atraer. E.g.    Once the fish is hooked, reel it in as quick as you can. The new neon sign in our window is really reeling in the customers.


dupe: /djuːp/ to trick or cheat somebody E.g. dupe somebody They soon realized they had been duped. dupe somebody into doing something He was duped into giving them his credit card.

bid: an effort to do something or to obtain something. E.g. bid for something a bid for power. bid to do something a desperate bid to escape from his attackers.

punter: a person who buys or uses a particular product or service. Customer. E.g. It's important to keep the punters happy. Your average punter won’t notice the difference.

tosh: nonsense. Rubbish. E.g. It's just a lot of tosh.

hold your nose: to press your nose tightly between thumb and finger in order to close it. E.g. I have to hold my nose when I jump into water.
Fig. to attempt to ignore something unpleasant, illegal, or "rotten." He hated doing it, but he held his nose and made the announcement everyone dreaded.

Mortal coil is a poetic term that means the troubles of daily life and the strife and suffering of the world. It is used in the sense of a burden to be carried or abandoned, such as in the phrase "shuffle[d] off this mortal coil"

shuffle + adv./prep. to walk slowly without lifting your feet completely off the ground. He shuffled across the room to the window. The line shuffled forward a little.

coil: a series of circles formed by winding up a length of rope, wire, etc. a coil of wire

"Those who feared U.S.-Russian collusion will now have to fear their collision."

Collusion: /kəˈluːʒn/ secret agreement especially in order to do something dishonest or to trick people. E.g. The police were corrupt and were operating in collusion with the drug dealers. There was collusion between the two witnesses (= they gave the same false evidence).

Collude: to work together secretly or illegally in order to trick other people. Collude (with somebody) (in something/in doing something) Several people had colluded in the murder. Collude (with somebody) (to do something) They colluded with terrorists to overthrow the government. The president accused his opponents of colluding with foreigners.

collision /kəˈlɪʒn/

1.               an accident in which two vehicles or people crash into each other. E.g. a collision between two trains.

2.               a strong disagreement between two people or between opposing ideas, opinions, etc.; the meeting of two things that are very different. E.g. a collision between two opposing points of view. In his work we see the collision of two different traditions.

bottle something up: to not allow other people to see that you are unhappy, angry, etc., especially when this happens over a long period of time. E.g. Try not to bottle up your emotions.

up sticks (British English) (North American English pull up stakes): (informal) to suddenly move from your house and go to live somewhere else. E.g. He upped sticks and went back to France.

Impeach: impeach somebody (for something) (of a court or other official body, especially in the US) to charge an important public figure with a serious crime. E.g. The President was impeached by Congress for lying. He may well be impeached by Congress for lying.

Packaging /ˈpækɪdʒɪŋ/ materials used to wrap or protect goods that are sold in shops/stores. E.g. Attractive packaging can help to sell products.

Gallantry: /ˈɡæləntri/

1.               courage, especially in a battle. E.g. a medal for gallantry. She praised the gallantry of the servicemen and women who had given their lives for their country.

2.               polite attention given by men to women.E.g. ‘I like to think that gallantry isn’t dead,’ he said, kissing her hand.

at a low ebb: in a poor state; worse than usual. E.g. Morale among teachers is at a low ebb.

Pastures /ˈpɑːstʃə(r)s/ [plural] the circumstances of your life, work, etc. E.g. I felt we were off to greener pastures (= a better way of life). (British English) She decided it was time to move on to pastures new (= a new job, place to live, etc.).

Ragtag: (of a group of people or an organization) not well organized; giving a bad impression. E.g.a ragtag band of rebels.

heavy going: used to describe somebody/something that is difficult to deal with or understand. E.g. She's a bit heavy going. I found the course rather heavy going.

a handful [singular] (informal) a person or an animal that is difficult to control. E.g. Her children can be a real handful.

Belligerent: unfriendly and aggressive. E.g. a belligerent attitude. He is always very belligerent towards me.

Pugnacious: /pʌɡˈneɪʃəs/ having a strong desire to argue or fight with other people. Bellicose /ˈbelɪkəʊs/

Obnoxious: /əbˈnɒkʃəs/ extremely unpleasant, especially in a way that offends people. Offensive. E.g.  obnoxious behaviour. A thoroughly obnoxious little man. Obnoxious odours.

Pimp: (V) to add things to something to make it look or sound better, especially by making it more individual. E.g. pimp something. Pimp your car with stylish custom wheels! Pimp something up I would love to pimp the songs up. He had pimped his truck with new lights and chrome accessories.

hail from…

(formal) to come from or have been born in a particular place. E.g. His father hailed from Italy.

rafter: /ˈrɑːftə(r)/ one of the sloping pieces of wood that support a roof. Sp. viga.

Continuing our occasional series on idioms that relate to the world of business, we look this week at phrases that express something about money.

There are a number of phrases relating to making money (and not all are admiring). A(1) cash cow is a product or an area of a business that a company can rely on because it always makes money. The money made is often used to support other business activities: The credit card had become the bank’s (1) cash cow. A person or company’s main way of earning money may be described as their bread and (2) butter: They provide legal advice for companies – that’s their bread and (2) butter. In UK English, a way of earning money that is very easy, needing little effort, may be referred to as money for old (3) rope or money for (4) jam. A lot of people assume that buying and selling property is money for old (3) rope. Similarly, on hearing about an easy job that earns a lot of money for someone else, someone might say humorously, Nice (5) work if you can (6) get it! Eighty pounds an hour for rubbing someone’s shoulders? Nice (5) work if you can (6) get it!

Other phrases simply mean ‘to earn a lot of money’ –  for example, the expression to rake it (7) in (informal): They’ve started selling ice cream in the main square and they’re raking it (7) in. Another informal phrase meaning the same is to make money hand over (8) fist: Business was good and we were making money hand over (8) fist.

A company or person in business that keeps their head above (9) water only just earns enough money to keep going: At the moment, we’re only just managing to keep our head above (9) water. A business that is in the (10) black has money in its account whereas a business that is in the (11) red owes money to the bank: Three years later, we’re finally in the (10) black, I’m happy to report.

A company that (12) cuts corners, meanwhile, does something in the cheapest and fastest way, usually resulting in a product or service of poor quality: They certainly don’t (13) cut any corners – only the best materials go into making the products. Finally, if a company’s profits suddenly fall very badly, they may be said to (14) take a nosedive: The company has just announced its final results: pre-tax profits have (15) taken a nosedive.

Related vocabulary:
gold mine: a business or an activity that makes a large profit. E.g. This restaurant is a potential gold mine.

kill the goose that lays the golden egg/eggs: (saying) to destroy something that would make you rich, successful, etc. E.g. If you sell your shares now, you could be killing the goose that lays the golden egg. Fred's wife knew he wasn't happy in his job, even though it paid well; still, she felt that advising him to leave it would be killing the goose that laid the golden eggs.

easy money: money that you get without having to work very hard for it. E.g. This business provides quick and relatively easy money.

next to no money: E.g. good food and beer for next to no money. This guy travelled the world with next to no money.  All of these projects are being made with little or next to no money at all. 

for a song: very cheaply; at a low price. E.g. She bought the painting for a song. The property is going for a song because they need to sell it fast.

pay, earn, charge, etc. top dollar: (informal) pay, earn, charge, etc. a lot of money. E.g. If you want the best, you have to pay top dollar. We can help you get top dollar when you sell your house. fetch top dollar (the painting fetched top dollar at auction).

bit on the side: money earned outside one's normal job. ‘I'd like to make a bit on the side.’

moonlight: to have a second job that you do secretly, usually without paying tax on the extra money that you earn. E.g. He spent years moonlighting as a cab driver.

infirm /ɪnˈfɜːm/

1.               ill/sick and weak, especially over a long period or as a result of being old. E.g. to grow old and infirm. Father was becoming increasingly infirm.

2.               the infirm noun [plural] people who are weak and ill/sick for a long period. E.g. care for the elderly and infirm

languid: /ˈlæŋɡwɪd/ moving slowly in an elegant manner, not needing energy or effort. E.g. a languid wave of the hand. A languid afternoon in the sun. A languid manner/voice.

lip-smacking: tasting extremely good. E.g. a restaurant famous for its lip-smacking steaks.

risk life and limb: to do something very dangerous where you might get hurt. E.g. These skiers risk life and limb every day for the thrill of speed.
Also, risk one's neck. Take dangerous chances, as in There he was on the roof, risking life and limb to rescue the kitten, or I don't want to risk my neck contradicting him.

be steeped in something (formal) to have a lot of a particular quality. If something or someone is steeped in something, they are completely surrounded by or involved in it, or know a lot about it. E.g. The college is steeped in history/tradition.These ancient scholars were steeped in poetry and painting, as well as maths and astronomy. A city steeped in history.
Inca is a town steeped in my family's history.

doddering: (also doddery) weak, slow and not able to walk in a steady way, especially because you are old. E.g. a doddering old fool. A doddery old man

twaddle:/ˈtwɒdl/ something that has been said or written that you think is stupid and not true. Nonsense. E.g. She dismissed the findings as utter twaddle/a load of old twaddle.


doodle: a line, shape, etc. that you have drawn when you are bored or thinking about something else. E.g. The paper was covered in doodles.

doodle: to draw lines, shapes, etc., especially when you are bored or thinking about something else. E.g. I often doodle when I'm on the phone. She had doodled all over her class notes.

breathe down sb's neck to stay close to someone, watching everything that they do. E.g. It's awful having a boss who breathes down your neck all the time.

turn something on its head: to change something completely. E.g. I really hope that doctors and nurses can pull together and turn the system on its head.

get ahead of oneself Fig. [for someone] to do or say something sooner than it ought to be done so that the proper explanation or preparations have not been made. E.g. I have to stick to my notes or I will get ahead of myself in my lecture. When he bought a new little bicycle before the baby was born, he was getting ahead of himself.

disarray: a state of confusion and lack of organization in a situation or a place The peace talks broke up in disarray. Our plans were thrown into disarray by her arrival. We’re decorating, so everything’s in complete disarray at home.

woodpecker: pájaro carpintero.


starry-eyed: full of emotion, hopes or dreams about somebody/something in a way that is not realistic. E.g. a starry-eyed plan. I remember when you were all starry-eyed about Rob.

coax: to persuade somebody to do something by talking to them in a kind and gentle way. E.g. coax somebody/something (into doing something) She coaxed the horse into coming a little closer. coax somebody/something (into/out of something) He was coaxed out of retirement to help the failing company. Police managed to coax the man down from the ledge.

trundle (something) + adv./prep. to move or roll somewhere slowly and noisily; to move something slowly and noisily, especially something heavy, with wheels. E.g. A train trundled across the bridge.

mind-boggling: very difficult to imagine or to understand; extremely surprising. E.g. a problem of mind-boggling complexity. It’s mind-boggling to me that this is allowed to happen.

be in for something (informal) to be going to experience something soon, especially something unpleasant. E.g. He's in for a shock! I'm afraid we're in for a storm.

cameo: /ˈkæmiəʊ/ (pl. cameos) a small part in a film/movie or play for a famous actor. E.g. a cameo role/appearance.

incidentally: /ˌɪnsɪˈdentli/

1.               used to introduce a new topic, or some extra information, or a question that you have just thought of. Synonym by the way. Sp. a propósito. E.g. Incidentally, have you heard the news about Sue?
Incidentally, I still owe you ten dollars from last week.

2.               in a way that was not planned but that is connected with something else. Sp. por casualidad. E.g. The information was only discovered incidentally.

sturdy: (of an object) strong and not easily damaged. Robust. E.g. a sturdy pair of boots a sturdy table The vehicle is sturdy enough to withstand rough terrain.

be taken with somebody/ be taken with something: to find somebody/something attractive or interesting. E.g.We were all very taken with his girlfriend. I think he's quite taken with the idea.

sobriety: /səˈbraɪəti/

1.               the state of being sober (= not being drunk) opposite: insobriety. E.g. The police said his car had been weaving all over the road, so they pulled him over and gave him a sobriety test.

2.               the fact of being sensible and serious. E.g. She was a model of sobriety and honesty. We had the priest sitting at our table, which instilled a little sobriety into the occasion.

lag (behind somebody/something) | lag (behind) to move or develop slowly or more slowly than other people, organizations, etc. E.g. The little boy lagged behind his parents. We still lag far behind many of our competitors in using modern technology.

 

Hone: /həʊn/ to develop and improve something, especially a skill, over a period of time. E.g. hone something She honed her debating skills at college. It was a finely honed piece of writing. I honed my technique. Hone something to something His body was honed to perfection.

buster: (usually in compounds; often used in newspapers) a person or thing that stops or gets rid of something. E.g. crime-busters, stress buster.

alarm bells ring/start ringing

if you say that alarm bells are ringing, you mean that people are starting to feel worried and suspicious The government’s proposal has set alarm bells ringing for people on low incomes.

the big time great success in a profession, especially the entertainment business. E.g. a bit-part actor who finally made/hit the big time.
bit part: a small part in a film/movie
small-time: (often of criminals) not very important or successful. E.g. a small-time crook.

hard-hearted: giving no importance to the feelings or problems of other people

(be) on tenterhooks (North American English also be on pins and needles) (to be) very anxious or excited while you are waiting to find out something or see what will happen. E.g. I've been on tenterhooks all week waiting for the results.

smut:1. [uncountable] (informal) stories, pictures or comments about sex that deal with it in a way that some people find offensive. Sp. obscenidad. E.g. He can entertain audiences without resorting to smut. 2. [uncountable, countable] dirt, ash, etc. that causes a black mark on something; a black mark made by this. Sp. carbonilla, hollín. E.g. His face was covered with smuts from the engine.

strike up something (with somebody)

to begin a friendship, a relationship, a conversation, etc. E.g. He would often strike up conversations with complete strangers.

pick up/get up/build up/gather steam: to become more active, powerful, important, or full of energy. E.g. It looks like the economy is picking up steam again. His election campaign is beginning to get up steam.

stint (as something) a period of time that you spend working somewhere or doing a particular activity. E.g. He did a stint abroad early in his career. A two-year stint in the Navy. I’ve done my stint in the kitchen for today.

antisyzygy (ˌæntɪˈsɪzɪdʒɪ): the joining together of opposites. E.g. Caledonian Antisyzygy (the "idea of dueling polarities within one entity", thought of as typical for the Scottish psyche and literature. It describes the strange tension that sits at the heart of the Scottish psyche, slaloming between various poles: Catholic and Protestant, morally uptight but the life of the party, down to earth but prone to mythologising. We’re like our weather. Don’t like our personality? Wait five minutes.)

oxymoron /ˌɒksɪˈmɔːrɒn/
a phrase that combines two words that seem to be the opposite of each other, for example a deafening silence. E.g. This has made many Americans conclude that business ethics is an oxymoron.

mugwump: /ˈmʌɡwʌmp/ a person who cannot decide how to vote or who refuses to support a political party. E.g. That silence speaks volumes about where many American farmers now sit on free trade; they are fence-sitting mugwumps

Origin

Mid 19th century: from Algonquian mugquomp ‘great chief’.

pang: a sudden strong feeling of physical or emotional pain. E.g.  hunger pangs/pangs of hunger. A sudden pang of jealousy. She looked at Susan and saw with a pang how tired and frail she seemed.

balancing act

a process in which somebody tries to please two or more people or groups who want different things. E.g. The UN must perform a delicate balancing act between the different sides in the conflict. I found myself having to do a balancing act between work and family.

strike a balance (between A and B)

to manage to find a way of being fair to two opposing things; to find an acceptable position which is between two things. E.g. A balance must be struck between meeting housing needs and preserving the environment.

tread/walk a tightrope

to be in a difficult situation in which you do not have much freedom of action and need to be extremely careful about what you do. E.g. The government is walking a difficult tightrope in wanting to reduce interest rates without pushing up inflation. Many manufacturers have to walk a tightrope between pricing their goods too high and not selling them, and pricing them low and losing money. He was walking a tightrope trying to keep everybody happy.

schmuck: a stupid person. E.g. He's such a schmuck!
The actor Harrison Ford described himself as a ‘schmuck‘ last week after he mistakenly landed his plane on a taxiway (the hard path that a plane uses as it moves to and from the runway) at John Wayne Airport.

dog ear: A dog ear is a folded down corner of a book page.

Dog-eared: (of a book) used so much that the corners of many of the pages are turned down.

swivel (something) (+ adv./prep.) to turn or make something turn around a fixed central point. E.g.
She swivelled the chair around to face them.

mammoth: /ˈmæməθ/

(N) an animal like a large elephant covered with hair, that lived thousands of years ago and is now extinct.

(Adj) [usually before noun] extremely large. Huge. E.g. a mammoth task. A financial crisis of mammoth proportions. The actress recalls her mammoth journey across Russia.

reminisce (about something/somebody) /ˌremɪˈnɪs/ to think, talk or write about a happy time in your past. E.g. We spent a happy evening reminiscing about the past.

animosity: /ˌænɪˈmɒsəti/ a strong feeling of opposition, anger or hatred. Hostility. E.g. animosity (toward(s) somebody/something) He felt no animosity towards his critics. Animosity (between A and B) personal animosities between members of the two groups.

wilt (something) 1. if a plant or flower wilts, or something wilts it, it bends towards the ground because of the heat or a lack of water. 2. to become weak or tired or less confident. E.g. The spectators were wilting visibly in the hot sun. He was wilting under the pressure of work.

 

lurid: /ˈlʊərɪd/ /ˈljʊərɪd/

1.               too bright in colour, in a way that is not attractive. E.g. She was wearing a lurid orange and green blouse.

2.               (especially of a story or piece of writing) shocking and violent in a way that is deliberate. E.g.  lurid headlines The paper gave all the lurid details of the murder.

topiary/ˈtəʊpiəri/ the art of cutting bushes into shapes such as birds or animals.

meet with something

1.               to be received or treated by somebody in a particular way. E.g. Her proposal met with resistance from the Left. to meet with success/failure

2.               to experience something unpleasant. E.g. She was worried that he might have met with an accident.

the crux (of something) the most important or difficult part of a problem or an issue. E.g.
Now we come to the crux of the matter.

swathe: /sweɪð/ (also swath /swɒθ/): 1. a long strip of land, especially one on which the plants or crops have been cut. Sp. franja. E.g. The combine had cut a swathe around the edge of the field. Development has affected vast swathes of our countryside. Huge swathes of the countryside.2. a large strip or area of something. Sp. franja. E.g. The mountains rose above a swathe of thick cloud.

port of call: 1. a port where a ship stops during a journey. E.g. Las Palmas has become the traditional port of call for yachts on their way to the Caribbean. 2. (informal) a place where you go or stop for a short time, especially when you are going to several places. E.g. My first port of call in town was the bank.


purport to be/have something (formal) to claim to be something or to have done something, when this may not be true. Sp. pretender ser/tener. E.g. The book does not purport to be a complete history of the period.

inspirational: /ˌɪnspəˈreɪʃənl/ providing inspiration. E.g. an inspirational leader.

twofer: /ˈtuːfə/ An item or offer that comprises two items but is sold for the price of one. E.g. They are offering a twofer today.

complicit (in/with somebody/something) involved with other people in something wrong or illegal. E.g. Several officers were complicit in the cover-up.

fig leaf: 1. a leaf of a fig tree, traditionally used for covering the sex organs of naked bodies in paintings and on statues. 2. a thing that is used to hide an embarrassing or dishonest fact or situation. E.g. The spokesperson said the information campaign was a fig leaf to hide the most regressive tax in history.

fallout: 1. the radioactive dust in the air after a nuclear explosion. E.g. cancer deaths caused by fallout from weapons testing. 2. the bad results of a situation or an action. Sp. efectos colaterales. E.g. the political fallout of the current crisis.  The political fallout of the revelations has been immense.

disarray: a state of confusion and lack of organization in a situation or a place. E.g. The peace talks broke up in disarray. Our plans were thrown into disarray by her arrival. We’re decorating, so everything’s in complete disarray at home.

plangent: /ˈplændʒənt/ 1. (of sounds) loud, with a strong beat. Sp. resonante. 2.
(of sounds or images) low, deep and expressing sadness. E.g. the plangent tones of the baritone sax.

yay: /jeɪ/ used to show that you are very pleased about something. E.g. I won! Yay!

callback: (N) 1. a telephone call which you make to somebody who has just called you. E.g.
Callers often forget to leave contact information for a callback. 2. an occasion when you are asked to return somewhere, for example for a second interview when you are trying to get a job. E.g. he was one of only twelve applicants to receive a callback.

call back: (V) 1. to telephone somebody again or to telephone somebody who telephoned you earlier E.g. She said she'd call back. I'm waiting for someone to call me back with a price.

take a dim view of somebody/something: to disapprove of somebody/something; to not have a good opinion of somebody/something. E.g.  She took a dim view of my suggestion.

choral: /ˈkɔːrəl/ connected with, written for or sung by a choir (= a group of singers). E.g. choral music.

in-depth: /ˌɪn ˈdepθ/ very thorough and detailed. E.g. an in-depth discussion/study.

somebody’s pet peeve (North American English) (British English somebody’s pet hate)

something that you particularly dislike. E.g. Weak coffee is one of my pet peeves.

flicker:

  [intransitive] (of a light or a flame) to keep going on and off as it shines or burns. E.g. The lights flickered and went out. The flickering screen of the television

  [intransitive] + adv./prep. (of an emotion, a thought, etc.) to be expressed or appear somewhere for a short time. E.g. Anger flickered in his eyes. A smile flickered across her face.

  [intransitive] to move with small quick movements. E.g. Her eyelids flickered as she slep

outlandish: strange or extremely unusual. E.g. outlandish costumes/ideas. As the show progressed, it got ever more outlandish.

chit-chat: conversation about things that are not important. E.g. We spent the afternoon in idle chit-chat.

hubby: /ˈhʌbi/ husband. E.g. She and her hubby are both doctors. She went out, leaving hubby to put the kids to bed.

 

melee: /ˈmeleɪ/ a situation in which a crowd of people are rushing or pushing each other in a confused way. E.g. Several people were hurt in the melee. I lost hold of her hand in the melee of people rushing towards the entrance.

window dressing:

1.               the art of arranging goods in shop/store windows in an attractive way

2.               (disapproving) the fact of doing or saying something in a way that creates a good impression but does not show the real facts. E.g. The reforms are seen as window dressing.

play ball: (informal) to be willing to work with other people in a helpful way, especially so that somebody can get what they want. Sp. trabajar juntos, cooperar. E.g. We contacted the airline about a refund but they wouldn’t play ball.

streak: a part of a person’s character, especially an unpleasant part. Sp. vena, rasgo, característica. E.g.  a ruthless/vicious/mean streak. A streak of cruelty. A streak of defiance. Don't get on the wrong side of Neil; he's got a nasty streak.

get on the right/wrong side of somebody: to make somebody pleased with you/annoyed with you.

slick: done or made in a way that is clever and efficient but often does not seem to be sincere or lacks important ideas. Sp. hábil. Logrado. E.g. a slick advertising campaign. A slick performance. You had to admire the slick presentation of last night’s awards ceremony. A slick promotional video.


jar (with something) 1. to be different from something in a strange or unpleasant way. E.g. Her brown shoes jarred with the rest of the outfit. The only jarring note was the cheap modern furniture.
2. jar (on something) | jar (something) to have an unpleasant or annoying effect. E.g. It was jarring for me to hear. His constant moaning was beginning to jar on her nerves. There was a jarring note of triumph in his voice.

a chip off the old block (informal) a person who is very similar to their mother or father in the way that they look or behave. John looks like his father—a real chip off the old block. Bill Jones, Jr., is a chip off the old block. He's a banker just like his father.  Like her mother, Karen has very little patience-a chip off the old block.

pad: the place where somebody lives, especially a flat/apartment. E.g. He moved back into his old bachelor pad. Obama's new pad.


hotbed of something a place where a lot of a particular activity, especially something bad or violent, is happening. E.g. The area was a hotbed of crime. The police department was a hotbed of corruption.In the 60s the city was a hotbed of crime.

well-heeled: having a lot of money. E.g. His family was very well-heeled.

emblazon: to decorate something with a design, a symbol or words so that people will notice it easily. Sp. engalanar, adornar. E.g. emblazon A with B baseball caps emblazoned with the team’s logo. emblazon B on, across, etc. A The team's logo was emblazoned on the baseball caps. Emblazoned on the facade /fəˈsɑːd/.

berth (something) to put a ship in a berth or keep it there; to sail into a berth. E.g. The ship is berthed at Southampton. The Royal Yacht Britannia is now permanently berthed in Edinburgh.

My non-identical twin brother

My identical twin brother

stronghold: an area in which there is a lot of support for a particular belief or group of people, especially a political party. E.g. a Republican stronghold/a stronghold of Republicanism. The Labour Party retained its traditional stronghold in the north. The college is a stronghold of the child-centred approach to teaching.

foundation course: a general course at a college that prepares students for longer or more difficult courses. E.g. an arts foundation course.

foundation stone: a large block of stone that is put at the base of an important new public building in a special ceremony to lay the foundation stone of the new museum.

floor show: a series of performances by singers, dancers, etc. at a restaurant or club. The floor show was great.

hit/miss the mark: to succeed/fail in achieving or guessing something. Be  a ccurate/inaccurate. Sp. dar/no dar en el blanco. E.g. He blushed furiously and Robyn knew she had hit the mark. The writer hit the mark in saying that the military contributes $400,000 a month to the local economy. If you're looking for a word to describe Dave, 'urbane' would probably hit the mark. She had a good voice, but her songs never quite hit the mark. I believe your statements about the city's homelessness problem have rather missed the mark. The film tries to be a commentary on the middle class in this country, but it ends up missing the mark.

quick/slow off the mark fast/slow in reacting to a situation. Sp. ser rápido/lento. E.g. If you’re quick off the mark in answering these questions, you could win a prize.

nefarious: /nɪˈfeəriəs/ criminal; immoral. E.g. nefarious activities. The Mafia kidnapped the kid for nefarious purposes. All this does is make celebrities out of these crooks and encourages them to continue with their nefarious activities.

Bullseye: the centre of the target that you shoot or throw at in shooting, archery or darts; a shot or throw that hits this. E.g. He scored a bullseye.

walk somebody off their feet: (informal) to make somebody walk so far or so fast that they are very tired. E.g. I hope I haven’t walked you off your feet.

Yam: boniato

well-wisher: a person who wants to show that they support somebody and want them to be happy, successful, etc. Thousands of well-wishers have sent cards and letters.

nut job: a mad or crazy person. He is a real nut job

leverage: (U) /ˈliːvərɪdʒ/ the ability to influence what people do. Power to influence people and get the results you want. E.g. diplomatic leverage. Retailers can exert leverage over producers by threatening to take their business elsewhere. If the United Nations had more troops in the area, it would have greater leverage.

brassed off: annoyed. Fed up. E.g. I'm getting a bit brassed off with his attitude.

(be) on tenterhooks /ˈtentəhʊks/ (North American English also be on pins and needles): (to be) very anxious or excited while you are waiting to find out something or see what will happen. E.g. I've been on tenterhooks all week waiting for the results.

belt and braces: the use of two or more actions in order to be extra careful about something, although only one is really necessary. Using more than one method to make sure that something is safe or sure to happen. E.g. I wrote to them and phoned as well - belt and braces, I admit.  Our staff have identity cards and number codes to open doors - that's part of our belt and braces approach to security.

 

hard up: 1. having very little money, especially for a short period of time. E.g. They’re not really as hard up as they say they are. After he lost his job he was so hard up he couldn’t afford the price of a beer. 2. hard up (for something) lacking in something interesting to do, talk about, etc. ‘You could always go out with Steve.’ ‘I'm not that hard up!’ The newspapers must be hard up for news if they’ve got to publish stories like that (= they must have very little real news).

conversely: /ˈkɒnvɜːsli/ in a way that is the opposite or reverse of something. Sp. a la inversa, en cambio, al contrario. E.g. You can add the fluid to the powder, or, conversely, the powder to the fluid. Women suffering from anorexia are still convinced that their thin, frail bodies are fat and unsightly. Conversely, some people who are a great deal heavier than they should be can persuade themselves that they are ‘just right’.

lockdown: an official order to control the movement of people or vehicles because of a dangerous situation. E.g. The city schools were in lockdown.  A three-day lockdown of American airspace.

Mancunian /mænˈkjuːniən/ (N) a person from Manchester in NW England. (Adj) from or connected with the city of Manchester in NW England. E.g. a Mancunian singer.

set out 1. to leave a place and begin a journey. E.g. They set out on the last stage of their journey. 2. to begin a job, task, etc. with a particular aim or goal. E.g. She set out to break the world record. They succeeded in what they set out to do.

quest (for something) (formal or literary) a long search for something, especially for some quality such as happiness. E.g. the quest for happiness/knowledge/truth. He set off in quest of adventure. A quest narrative/novel/story

settle for something

to accept something that is not exactly what you want but is the best that is available In the end. E.g. they had to settle for a draw. I couldn't afford the house I really wanted, so I had to settle for second best. He didn’t see why he should settle for less.

gain: to obtain an advantage or benefit from something or from doing something. E.g. gain something (by/from something) There is nothing to be gained from delaying the decision. gain (by/from something) Who stands to gain from this decision?

indigent: /ˈɪndɪdʒənt/
very poor.

prowess: /ˈpraʊəs/ great skill at doing something. E.g. academic/sporting prowess. He was complimented on his prowess as an oarsman.

furrow /ˈfʌrəʊ/ (something) (formal) if your brows or eyebrows furrow or are furrowed, you pull them together, usually because you are worried, and so produce lines on your face. Sp. fruncir el ceño. E.g. Fred furrowed his brow and said, "I haven't got the money."

crinkle: /ˈkrɪŋkl/ to become covered with or to form a lot of thin folds or lines, especially in skin, cloth or paper. Sp. aruugarse. E.g. He smiled, his eyes crinkling. Her face crinkled up in a smile. The pages crinkled and curled and turned to ashes in the fire. crinkle something The binding had faded and the pages were crinkled.

boon (to/for somebody) something that is very helpful and makes life easier for you. Sp. bendición, beneficio, ayuda. E.g. The new software will prove a boon to Internet users.

chisel:

  [transitive, intransitive] chisel (something) (+ adv./prep.) to cut or shape wood or stone with a chisel. E.g. A name was chiselled into the stone. She was chiselling some marble.  A temple chiselled out of solid rock

  [transitive] chisel somebody (out of something) (informal, especially North American English) to get money or some advantage from somebody by cheating them. E.g. They chiseled him out of hundreds of dollars.

wither:

1.               [intransitive, transitive] wither (something) if a plant withers or something withers it, it dries up and dies. The grass had withered in the warm sun. Withered skin.

2.               [intransitive] wither (away) to become less or weaker, especially before disappearing completely E.g. All our hopes just withered away.

serum: /ˈsɪərəm/ pl. sera /ˈsɪərə/ or serums. Sp. suero

1.               [uncountable] (biology) the thin liquid that remains from blood when the rest has clotted

2.               [uncountable, countable] (medical) serum taken from the blood of an animal and given to people to protect them from disease, poison, etc. E.g. snakebite serum

3.               [uncountable] any liquid like water in body tissue

unforgiving : (of a place, situation, etc.) unpleasant and causing difficulties for people The island is an unforgiving place in winter.

starship: nave espacial.

wispy /ˈwɪspi/ consisting of small, thin pieces; not thick. E.g. wispy hair/clouds. A wispy beard.

bequest: money or property that you ask to be given to a particular person when you die. Sp. legado, herencia. E.g. He left a bequest to each of his grandchildren. It is quite normal for a close relative to receive a bequest in a will.

deluge: (N)
/ˈdeljuːdʒ/

  a sudden very heavy fall of rain synonym flood. When the snow melts, the mountain stream becomes a deluge.

  a large number of things that happen or arrive at the same time. E.g. a deluge of calls/complaints/letters

deluge: (V)
/ˈdeljuːdʒ/

  deluge somebody/something (with something) [usually passive] to send or give somebody/something a large number of things at the same time synonym flood, inundate. E.g. We have been deluged with applications for the job. He was deluged with phone calls from friends and colleagues. Applicants deluged the office with calls.

  [often passive] deluge something (formal) to flood a place with water The campsite was deluged by a flash flood.

signpost: a sign at the side of a road giving information about the direction and distance of places. E.g. Follow the signposts to the superstore. (figurative) The chapter headings are useful signposts to the content of the book.

inception: the start of an institution, an organization, etc. Sp. comienzo, principio. E.g. The club has grown rapidly since its inception in 2007.

intractable: (of a problem or a person) very difficult to deal with. E.g. Unemployment was proving to be an intractable problem. There was no pleasing this intractable man.

aggregate: /ˈæɡrɪɡeɪt/ aggregate something (with something) (formal or specialist) to put together different items, amounts, etc. into a single group or total. Sp. juntar, sumar, E.g. The scores were aggregated with the first round totals to decide the winner. The psychologists have aggregated the collective wisdom of past scholars to develop a new theory.

epitomize something to be a perfect example of something. E.g. The fighting qualities of the team are epitomized by the captain. These movies seem to epitomize the 1950s.

pantomime:Express or represent by exaggerated mime. E.g. they pantomimed picking up dropped food’

succumb: /səˈkʌm/ to not be able to fight an attack, an illness, a temptation, etc.E.g.  The town succumbed after a short siege. They were all offered bribes and some of them succumbed. Succumb to something His career was cut short when he succumbed to cancer.

cajole: /kəˈdʒəʊl/ to make somebody do something by talking to them and being very nice to them. Sp. engatusar.

spin something out (spin, spun, spun)

to make something last as long as possible

swarm: + adv./prep. (often disapproving) (of people, animals, etc.) to move around in a large group. E.g. Tourists were swarming all over the island.

hurtle: /ˈhɜːtl/ + adv./prep. to move very fast in a particular direction. E.g. A runaway car came hurtling towards us.

retract:
1. retract something (formal) to say that something you have said earlier is not true or correct or that you did not mean it. Sp. retractarse. E.g. He made a false confession which he later retracted. They tried to persuade me to retract my words. to retract a claim/an allegation/a confession

2. retract something (formal) to refuse to keep an agreement, a promise, etc. E.g. to retract an offer

regale: /rɪˈɡeɪl/ regale somebody with something

to amuse or entertain somebody with stories, jokes, etc. E.g. He regaled us with tales of his days as a jazz pianist.

redeem: redeem somebody/something to make somebody/something seem less bad. E.g. The excellent acting wasn't enough to redeem a weak plot. The only redeeming feature of the job (= good thing about it) is the salary. She seems to have no redeeming qualities (= good aspects of her character) at all.

kindle: 1. to start burning; to make a fire start burning. E.g We watched as the fire slowly kindled. kindle something to kindle a fire/flame. 2. kindle (something) to make something such as an interest, emotion, etc. start to grow in somebody; to start to be felt by somebody. E.g. It was her teacher who kindled her interest in music. Suspicion kindled within her.