Interesting Vocabulary for C2

cold call: (N) a telephone call made to somebody that you do not know, in order to sell them something.

cold call: (V) Make an unsolicited visit or telephone call to (someone), in an attempt to sell goods or services. E.g. ‘he has been cold-called a dozen times in the past two months’. 'there are severe new regulations against cold-calling’

cold-calling: the practice of telephoning somebody that you do not know, in order to sell them something.


jittery: anxious and nervous. Nervous or unable to relax. E.g. ‘caffeine makes me jittery. I felt jittery before going on stage. The election campaign got off to a jittery start. Just talking about it made her jittery. All this talk of war was making him jittery.

lose face

to be less respected or look stupid because of something you have done. E.g. Many leaders don't want to lose face by admitting failures. Also, asking for clarification may indicate lack of expertise and people don't want to lose face in doing that.

withdrawal: the period of time when somebody is getting used to not taking a drug that they have become addicted to, and the unpleasant effects of doing this. E.g. I got withdrawal symptoms after giving up smoking.

generation X:
the group of people who were born between the early 1960s and the middle of the 1970s, who seem to lack a sense of direction in life and to feel that they have no part to play in society.

xennial: (born between 1977 and 1983) refers to people who were born between Generation X ( born in the 1960s and 1970s,) and the millennials (born in the 1980s or 1990s).

generation Y: the group of people who were born between the early 1980s and the end of the 1990s, who are mainly the children of the baby boomers and who are regarded as being very familiar with computers and electronic technology.

Generation Z (also iGeneration, Post-Millennials) is the demographic cohort after Millennials. Currently, there are numerous additional competing names used in connection with them in the media. There are no precise dates for when this cohort starts or ends, but demographers and researchers typically use the mid-1990s to mid-2000s as starting birth years. At the present time, there is little consensus regarding ending birth years.Most of Generation Z have used the Internet since a young age, and they are generally comfortable with technology and with interacting on social media.

lose (one's) edgeTo lose the skills, conviction, or energy that helped make one a success before. If someone or something loses their edge, they no longer have the special skills, qualities or advantages that they had in the past. E.g. At one point I was considered one of the best tennis players in North America, but I lost my edge during college. As a company, they had lost their competitive edge. Its critics say the magazine is out of date and has lost its edge. Note: If a sword or knife has lost its edge, it is blunt.

Blotting paper, sometimes called bibulous paper, is a highly absorbent type of paper or other material. It is used to absorb an excess of liquid substances from the surface of writing paper or objects. Thick, soft paper for pressing onto a piece of paper you have just written on in ink, in order to dry it. E.g. he is like blotting paper. He reads, he looks up, he remembers!

bibulous: /ˈbɪbjʊləs/ Excessively fond of drinking alcohol. Liking to drink too much alcohol E.g. At a conference a decade or so ago he hosted a bibulous dinner, after which he embarked on a funny speech.

Origin

Late 17th century (in the sense ‘absorbent’): from Latin bibulus ‘freely or readily drinking’ (from bibere ‘to drink’) + -ous.

gimmick: an unusual trick or unnecessary device that is intended to attract attention or to persuade people to buy something. E.g. a promotional/publicity/sales gimmick. We don’t use gimmicks to sell our products. The promise of lower taxation may have been just an election gimmick to gain votes. a new gimmick to encourage people to go to the cinema

behind the curve Not up to date or current in some area. Often said of politicians. E.g. Can you believe he made that sexist remark about women in the workplace? Wow, he's really behind the curve! England is behind the curve in this field.
ahead of/behind the curve  in advance of or behind a particular trend. E.g. Our expert advice will help you stay ahead of the curve. ♢ We’ve fallen behind the curve when it comes to using the Internet.

squally: /ˈskwɔːli/ (of weather) involving sudden, violent and strong winds. E.g.  squally showers. And we've had some wind gusts and squally weather here but nothing has been damaged. Thunderstorms will be more frequent than in April accompanied by hail and violent squally winds.

predicament: /prɪˈdɪkəmənt/
a difficult or an unpleasant situation, especially one where it is difficult to know what to do. quandary. E.g. the club’s financial predicament. I'm in a terrible predicament.

call girl: /ˈkɔːl ɡɜːl/ a prostitute who makes her arrangements by telephone.

pull the rug (out) from under somebody/somebody’s feet (informal) to take help or support away from somebody suddenly. Or to suddenly do something that causes many problems for them. E.g. I felt like someone had pulled the rug out from under me when my health insurance said it was going to stop paying for my medical bills. I'd love to quit my job, but I just can't pull the rug from under my team like that. I felt like someone had pulled the rug out from under me when my health insurance said it was going to stop paying for my medical bills. I'd love to quit my job, but I just can't pull the rug from under my team like that. All of sudden they had the rug pulled from under their feet.

declutter: to remove things that you do not use so that you have more space and can easily find things when you need them. E.g. Moving is a good opportunity to declutter. declutter something a 7-step plan to help you declutter your home. Declutter one room at a time. She helps people declutter their schedules, houses, and minds.


regift: (V) /riːˈɡɪft/ Give (an unwanted gift that one has received) to someone else as a gift. E.g. ‘do you think she'll regift that horrendous vase?’ no object ‘the survey showed that 5 per cent of consumers plan to regift this Christmas’

regift: (N) /ˈriːɡɪft/ An unwanted gift used by its original recipient as a gift for someone else. E.g. ‘most of my regifts are more meaningful than the usual bouquet of flowers’.

trepidatious: Apprehensive or nervous; filled with trepidation. E.g. ‘if you're trepidatious about foreign travel, start with an English-speaking country’

go the extra mile: E.g. the staff go the extra mile in an attempt to win the employee of the month award.

high hopes: E.g. He has high hopes for his recently opened cafe bar offering fry-ups.

toil: hard unpleasant work that makes you very tired. E.g. a life of hardship and toil.

bum: of bad quality; wrong or useless. E.g. He didn't play one bum note. a bum deal (= a situation where you do not get what you deserve or have paid for). School uniforms strike a bum note. The captain worries about striking a bum note when one of the ship's horns goes out of tune.

(put something) on the line

(informal) at risk. E.g.  If we don't make a profit, my job is on the line.

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

forty winks:  a short sleep, especially during the day. E.g.  I'll feel much better when I've had forty winks. Catch forty winks.

cross somebody to oppose somebody or speak against them or their plans or wishes. E.g. She's really nice until you cross her. (literary) He had been crossed in love (= the person he loved was not faithful to him).


squabble (with somebody) (about/over something) to argue noisily about something that is not very important. E.g. My sisters were squabbling over what to watch on TV.  

otch: a level on a scale, often marking quality or achievement. E.g. The quality of the food here has dropped a notch recently. My spirits lifted a few notches when I heard the news.  The profile of the label jumped up a couple of notches over that period .  she has taken her performance up a notch for this round.’ the breeze picked up a notch .  We want to enhance our lending by a couple of notches during the coming years. They have ratcheted the performance up another few notches.  he needed to raise his game an extra notch to impose himself on the fifth set . Then of course, there were the school rivalries, when everything heated up an extra notch and bodies were put on the line . He  will have to step up his performance a couple of notches to win tomorrow. Nonetheless the threat level has gone up an extra notch. He  ratchet up his game several notches over the past six months

ratchet: (N)  a wheel or bar with teeth along the edge and a metal piece that fits between the teeth, allowing movement in one direction only

ratchet (something)up

to increase, or make something increase, repeatedly and by small amounts. E.g. Overuse of credit cards has ratcheted up consumer debt to unacceptable levels.

take a rain check (on something)

(informal, especially North American English) to refuse an offer or invitation but say that you might accept it later ‘Are you coming for a drink?’ ‘Can I take a rain check?—I must get this finished tonight.’ ‘they wanted me to come along for the ride but I took a rain check.

yogurt (also yoghurt, yoghourt) /ˈjɒɡət/

doughy  /ˈdəʊi/  (of food) having a thick, malleable consistency.

‘doughy white bread’

‘a soft, doughy pizza base’

(of a person) pale and rather fat.

‘a pasty, doughy, chubby white kid from the suburbs’

‘sagging, doughy skin’

pasty: /ˈpeɪsti/   pale and not looking healthy

fling (with somebody) a short sexual relationship with somebody. E.g. We had a brief fling, but it’s over now. We had a brief fling that ended badly. 

sagging:

1. Sinking or bulging downwards under weight or pressure or through lack of strength.

‘sagging shelves bearing rusty paint tins’

2. Hanging down loosely or unevenly.

‘a man in a white T-shirt and sagging jeans’

3.

Becoming weaker; declining.

‘a comprehensive overhaul meant to revive sagging sales’

downside: /ˈdaʊnsaɪd/

the disadvantages or less positive aspects of something

upside: the more positive aspect of a situation that is generally bad.

(also)

merits and demerits
benefits and drawbacks
swings and roundabouts
pros and cons

flux: flow. Sp. flujo. E.g. A steady flux of applicants came into the room. Un flujo estable de candidatos entró a la habitació. The regulations are in flux now, while lawmakers debate.Las leyes están en cambio constante ahora, mientras los legisladores debaten.

urge: (V) to advise or try hard to persuade somebody to do something. E.g. urge somebody to do something She urged him to stay.  The report urged that all children be taught to swim.

urge: (N) a strong desire to do something. E.g. sexual urges. urge to do something I had a sudden urge to hit him.

overwhelming: (adj) very great or very strong; so powerful that you cannot resist it or decide how to react. Sp. aplastante, arrollador, enorme. E.g. The evidence against him was overwhelming. The overwhelming majority of those present were in favour of the plan. an overwhelming sense of loss She had the almost overwhelming desire to tell him the truth. You may find it somewhat overwhelming at first. There was overwhelming support for our policies.

overwhelm:
1. overwhelm somebody to have such a strong emotional effect on somebody that it is difficult for them to resist or know how to react. overcome. E.g.  She was overwhelmed by feelings of guilt. The beauty of the landscape overwhelmed me.
2. overwhelm somebody to defeat somebody completely. Overpower. E.g.  The army was overwhelmed by the rebels.
3. overwhelm somebody to be so bad or so great that a person cannot deal with it; to give too much of a thing to a person. E.g. We were overwhelmed by requests for information.

locksmith: a person whose job is making, fitting and repairing locks.  Sp. cerrajero


overwhelmingly: in a way that is very great or very strong; in a way that is so powerful that you cannot resist it or decide how to react. E.g. They voted overwhelmingly against the proposal. they voted overwhelmingly for Blake Sp. una mayoría aplastante or arrolladora votó por Blake, la inmensa mayoría votó por Blake
the proposal was overwhelmingly defeated  Sp. la propuesta fue rechazada por una mayoría abrumadora or aplastante
the legal profession is overwhelmingly male Sp. en la abogacía la inmensa mayoría son hombres.

emerald n  Sp. esmeralda    /ˈemərəld/
1. (green gemstone) E.g. Is that an emerald in your necklace?¿Eso en tu collar es una esmeralda?
2. (also emerald green) brilliant green E.g. Her pale skin is highlighted by an outfit in emerald. Sp. Su pálida piel se ve realzada por un vestido esmeralda.     The cat was black with emerald eyes. Sp. El gato era negro con ojos esmeralda.

in agreement with

in disagreement with

in keeping with

in keeping (with something)

appropriate or expected in a particular situation; in agreement with something. E.g. The latest results are in keeping with our earlier findings.

out of keeping with

out of keeping (with something)

not appropriate or expected in a particular situation; not in agreement with something. E.g. The painting is out of keeping with the rest of the room.

at variance (with somebody/something)

(formal) disagreeing with or opposing somebody/something. E.g. These conclusions are totally at variance with the evidence. He uttered a string of oaths, so oddly at variance with his usual smooth and civilized manner.

in step with
in step with someone/something​. in agreement with someone or something. E.g. She is very much in step with the times.

out of step with
out of step with someone/something ​not having the same ideas or beliefs as other people, or not being aware of other people's beliefs. E.g. The governor's remarks show that she is seriously out of step with the voters.

in line with

in line with something

similar to something or so that one thing is closely connected with another. E.g. Annual pay increases will be in line with inflation

out of line with something: different from something. E.g. London prices are way out of line with the rest of the country

in harmony with
harmony: a state of peaceful existence and agreement. E.g. the need to be in harmony with our environment.

in accordance with something

(formal) according to a rule or the way that somebody says that something should be done. E.g. in accordance with legal requirements We acted in accordance with my parents’ wishes.


trail somebody/something to follow somebody/something by looking for signs that show you where they have been. E.g. The police trailed Dale for days. We could smell the scent of a fox as we trailed paw marks through the wood. 
tail somebody to follow somebody closely, especially in order to watch where they go and what they do. E.g.  A private detective had been tailing them for several weeks.

appeasement: /əˈpiːzmənt/ [uncountable] (formal, usually disapproving) 1. the practice of giving a country what it wants in order to avoid war. E.g.  a policy of appeasement. Sp. apaciguamiento. 2.  the act of making somebody calmer or less angry by giving them what they want. E.g. The statues were devoted to the glory and appeasement of the gods. If that is not appeasement, I'd like to know what you call it. our appeasements have only whetted their appetites for more concessions. I do not believe in vile acquittals, phoney appeasements, easy forgiveness.

whet something to increase your desire for or interest in something. E.g. The book will whet your appetite for more of her work.  

appease: /əˈpiːz/ 1. appease somebody to make somebody calmer or less angry by giving them what they want. Sp. calmar, apaciguar. E.g. The move was widely seen as an attempt to appease critics of the regime. By failing to condemn the march, she was appeasing left-wing elements in the party. 2. appease somebody/something to give a country what it wants in order to avoid war.

phoney:  (phonier, phoniest) (informal, disapproving) not real or true; false, and trying to trick people. fake. E.g. She spoke with a phoney Russian accent.

pleasure dome: /ˈplɛʒə dəʊm/ A large, often luxurious building used for leisure, especially as a venue for entertainment.

Origin

Early 19th century; earliest use found in Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772–1834), poet, critic, and philosopher. From pleasure + dome.

profligate: /ˈprɒflɪɡət/ using money, time, materials, etc. in a careless way. E.g. profligate spending the profligate use of resources. The opposition criticized the government’s profligate spending plans. The report dismisses claims that the US is profligate in its use of energy.

hubbub: /ˈhʌbʌb/

1. the loud sound made by a lot of people talking at the same time. E.g. It was difficult to hear what he was saying over the hubbub. It was some time before the hubbub of laughter died down.

2. a situation in which there is a lot of noise, excitement and activity. E.g. the hubbub of city life. He was left wondering what all the hubbub and expectancy had been about.

We live next door to the bank.

dog whistle:
1. A high-pitched whistle used to train dogs, typically having a sound inaudible to humans. E.g. do you know whether your dog whistle is working or not?
2. Figuratively, a 'dog whistle' is a coded message communicated through words or phrases commonly understood by a particular group of people, but not by others. A subtly aimed political message which is intended for, and can only be understood by, a particular demographic group.

‘dog-whistle issues such as immigration and crime’ But the hint that migrant workers are to blame looks like a dog whistle that risks playing into the hands of the far right.’ Equality of opportunity is the leftwing equivalent of a dog-whistle issue. dog-whistle racism is becoming an increasingly large part of conservative political strategy .

take somebody up on something

to question somebody about something, because you do not agree with them. E.g. I must take you up on that point. I’d like to take you up on what you said earlier.

number crunching: /ˈnʌmbə krʌntʃɪŋ/ the process of calculating numbers, especially when a large amount of data is involved and the data is processed in a short space of time. Sp. procesamiento de datos numéricos. Cálculo. E.g. the people who do the number crunching — la gente que hace los cálculos

equity: (finance) the value of a company’s shares; the value of a property after all charges and debts have been paid. Sp. patrimonio neto. E.g He plans to raise the company’s return on equity to 15%.

What is 'Short Selling'. Short selling is the sale of a security that is not owned by the seller or that the seller has borrowed. Short selling is motivated by the belief that a security's price will decline, enabling it to be bought back at a lower price to make a profit

polymath: a person who knows a lot about many different subjects.

Origin: early 17th cent.: from Greek polumathēs ‘having learned much’, from polu- ‘much’ + the stem of manthanein ‘learn’.

 

notwithstanding (also used following the noun it refers to) without being affected by something; despite something. E.g. Notwithstanding some major financial problems, the school has had a successful year. The bad weather notwithstanding, the event was a great success.

idiosyncrasy: /ˌɪdiəˈsɪŋkrəsi/ a person’s particular way of behaving, thinking, etc., especially when it is unusual; an unusual feature. eccentricity. E.g. Wearing a raincoat, even on a hot day, is one of her idiosyncrasies. The car has its little idiosyncrasies.

intricacies [plural] the intricacy of something the complicated parts or details of something. E.g. the intricacies of economic policy. I’ve never mastered the intricacies of ballroom dancing. We can guide investors through the intricacies of the cable industry.

erstwhile: /ˈɜːstwaɪl/
former; that until recently was the type of person or thing described but is not any more. E.g. an erstwhile opponent. His erstwhile friends turned against him. An erstwhile leader. 

put-upon: /ˈpʊt əpɒn/ treated in an unfair way by somebody because they take advantage of your kindness or willingness to do things. E.g. his much put-upon wife. Bob was always put upon by his friends, who knew he couldn't say no. We felt quite put upon because the entire family insisted on spending every holiday at our house . Maybe you feel put upon by certain people and need to say no more often. Doctors who feel put upon by information overload, patient demands, complaints and growing requirements from employers, colleges, medical boards and government, will be resistant to any additional regulation of their activity. she's feeling very put-upon. Sp. cree que los demás la están explotando

muck:
1. waste matter from farm animals. Manure. E.g.  to spread muck on the fields. The tractors are out spreading muck.
2.  dirt or mud. E.g. Can you wipe the muck off the windows? My face and hands were covered in muck.
3.  something very unpleasant. E.g. I can't eat this muck!

admonition: (also admonishment) A firm warning or reprimand. ‘he received numerous admonitions for his behaviour’

slushy:
1. (of snow) partly melted and usually dirty; covered in snow like this. E.g. slushy pavements.
2.  (informal, disapproving) (of a story, film/movie or feelings) silly and without value because it is too emotional and romantic. E.g. slushy romantic fiction

schmaltzy: /ˈʃmɔːltsi/ Causing extreme emotions of love or sadness, esp. in the arts. E.g.They spend a lot of time together listening to schmaltzy love songs. Gloria thought the film was too schmaltzy. Sp. Gloria opinó que la película era demasiado sensiblera.


Ostensibly /ɒˈstensəbli/ according to what seems or is stated to be real or true, when this is We were playing against a more experienced team, and we just couldn't cut itperhaps not the case. Apparently. E.g. Troops were sent in, ostensibly to protect the civilian population.

notwithstanding (also used following the noun it refers to) without being affected by something; despite something. E.g. Notwithstanding some major financial problems, the school has had a successful year. The bad weather notwithstanding, the event was a great success.

lest in order to prevent something from happening. Sp. no sea que. E.g. He gripped his brother's arm lest he be trampled by the mob. Lest anyone should doubt my story, I have brought documents to attest to its truth. I said naught lest they see my anger. Sp. No dije nada, no sea que se dieran cuenta de mi enojo. Lest anyone forget his name, we erect this monument to the late admiral. Sp. Para que no se olvide su nombre, hemos erigido este monumento para el difunto almirante.

Salad looser, or anti-social. E.g. A "I can't wait to go out on Saturday"B "Me neither, It's a shame Rob's being being such a salad" 

Broccoli Term used mostly by online gamers to express their skill in a videogame. 



2. ominous suggesting that something bad is going to happen in the future. Sp. amenazante. De mal agüero. E.g. Those clouds look very ominous; I think there's going to be a storm. that's ominous Sp. eso es una mala señal. it was an ominous sign Sp. era una señal de mal agüero. the silence was ominous Sp. el silencio no auguraba/ no presagiaba nada bueno. to look/sound ominous Sp. no augurar/presagiar nada bueno. 

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

rife:
1. if something bad or unpleasant is rife in a place, it is very common there. Widespread. E.g.  It is a country where corruption is rife. Rumours are rife that he is going to resign. Poverty was rife.
2. rife (with something) full of something bad or unpleasant Los Angeles is rife with gossip about the stars' private lives.

cripplingly /ˈkrɪplɪŋli/ To an extent that causes a severe or almost insuperable problem (used to emphasize the extreme degree of something) E.g. ‘it would be cripplingly expensive to buy replacements’‘I was cripplingly shy’ 

sneeringly: /ˈsnɪərɪŋli/ in a way that shows that you have no respect for somebody by the expression on your face or by the way that you speak. Mockingly. Sp. despectivamente. E.g. "I don't believe in these customs," he said sneeringly" 

boisterously: /ˈbɔɪstərəsli/ in a noisy way, full of life and energy. Sp. bulliciosamente, alborotadamente; [laugh] escandalosamente. E.g. they had to put up with a crowd of schoolchildren, boisterously playing football.

unceasingly: /ʌnˈsiːsɪŋli/ without stopping. Incessantly.  E.g. She talked unceasingly/ incessantly about the most trivial things. 



4. A fateful: having an important, often very bad, effect on future events. Sp. fatídico, catastrófico, funesto. E.g. She looked back now to that fateful day in December. his final fateful journey to Moscow. and so the fateful day arrived — y llegó el día fatídico (humorístico)

irascible: /ɪˈræsəbl/ becoming angry very easily. Irritable. E.g. to be tired and irascible/ irritable 

selfsame: exactly the same. E.g.‘he was standing in the selfsame spot you're filling now.

battered: old, used a lot, and not in very good condition. E.g. a battered old car. 





5 A jibe (at somebody/something) an unkind or insulting remark about somebody. Sp. mofa, burla, insulto.E.g. He made several cheap jibes at his opponent during the interview. Jibes about mothers-in-law were kept out of the script. The schoolboys' jibes tormented Bobby for years. Sp. Las burlas de los chicos de la escuela atormentó a Bobby durante años.

the upshot: (singular) the final result of a series of events. Outcome. E.g. The upshot of it all was that he left college and got a job. The upshot of the discussions is that the two companies have agreed to work together.

undoing: Someone's undoing is the thing that ruins their life or causes them to fail completely. Sp. perdición, ruina. E.g. That one mistake was his undoing. The writer is saying that the fact that Webb refused to give up swimming was disastrous for him in the end. 

somersault: /ˈsʌməsɔːlt/ a movement in which somebody turns over completely, with their feet over their head, on the ground or in the air. E.g. to do/ turn a somersault. He turned back somersaults. (figurative) Her heart did a complete somersault when she saw him. 

roll something back to turn or force something back or further away. Sp. echar para atrás. Hacer retroceder. E.g. to roll back the frontiers of space. the government's attempts to roll back the welfare state. Sp. los intentos por parte del gobierno de reducir el estado del bienestar. to roll back the years. Sp. retroceder en el tiempo, volver atrás en el tiempo. 

knuckle down (to something)(informal) to begin to work hard at something.  synonym get down to. E.g. I'm going to have to knuckle down to some serious study.

come over: suddenly feel sth. If a feeling comes over you, it suddenly affects you in a strong way. E.g. A wave of anger came over him.

thaw out 

1. If you thaw out, you gradually get warm again after being very cold. E.g. I'm just starting to thaw out after taking the dogs out this morning.

2.  become more friendly

hum: 

1. to make a low continuous sound. E.g. The computers were humming away. The overhead wires hummed with power.

2. to sing a tune with your lips closed. E.g. She was humming softly to herself. He began to hum along with the music. hum something What's that tune you're humming?  

3. to be full of activity. E.g. The streets were beginning to hum with life. The whole room was humming now. Things were beginning to hum. 

rant: speak or shout at length in a noisy, excited manner or in an angry, impassioned (showing strong feelings) way . E.g. she was still ranting on about the unfairness of it all. Stop ranting and raving for a minute and start being honest with yourself (rant and rave to show that you are angry by shouting or complaining loudly for a long time) 

chuck in: quit. E.g. The simple truth is, if you chuck in your job and decide to write full time, unless you're very lucky, you're going to run out of cash pretty soon. 

strew: / struː/ strewed, strewed or strewn / struːn/  to cover a surface with things. Scatter. Sp. esparcir. E.g. Clothes were strewn across the floor. 

8. A hamper

hamper somebody/something to prevent somebody from easily doing or achieving something. Hinder. Sp. dificultar, obstaculizar. E.g. Our efforts were severely hampered by a lack of money. the investigation was hampered by their lack of cooperation. Sp. la investigación se vio entorpecida por su falta de colaboración.

 graze: to eat grass that is growing in a field. E.g. There were cows grazing beside the river.

unwind /ˌʌnˈwaɪnd/ unwound, unwound /ˌʌnˈwaʊnd/ to begin to relax after you have been working hard or feeling nervous. To stop worrying or thinking about problems and start to relax. E.g. Music helps me unwind after a busy day. I need to sit down and unwind for half an hour. 

scramble: 

1. to move quickly, especially with difficulty, using your hands to help you. E.g. She managed to scramble over the wall. They finally scrambled ashore. He scrambled up the cliff and raced towards the car. 

2. (eggs) whisk during cooking. E.g. Tina cracked the eggs into the pan and scrambled them.Tina echó los huevos en la sartén y los revolvió.

 

 

 

9. D touch up 

touch something up to improve something by changing or adding to it slightly. E.g. She was busy touching up her make-up in the mirror.

bedeck something/somebody (with/in something) (literary) to decorate something/somebody with flowers, flags, precious stones, etc. E.g. The entrance hall was bedecked with trees and tropical plants. A flower-bedecked balcony. The subject of the portrait is richly bedecked with jewellery. The room was bedecked with flowers. The people of Costa Rica were bedecked in gold.

sniff at something to show no interest in or respect for something. E.g. He sniffed at my efforts at writing.  The fans sniffed at the choice of new manager for the club. Sp. Los aficionados desecharon la opción de una nueva administración para el club. 

badger: /ˈbædʒə(r)/ to put pressure on somebody by repeatedly asking them questions or asking them to do something. E.g. badger somebody (into doing something) I finally badgered him into coming with us. badger somebody about something Reporters constantly badger her about her private life. badger somebody to do something His daughter was always badgering him to let her join the club.

 

 

 spark: to cause something to start or develop, especially suddenly. E.g. spark something The proposal would spark a storm of protest around the country. Winds brought down power lines, sparking a fire. The organizers are hoping to spark some interest in young people. spark something off The riots were sparked off by the arrest of a local leader.

To cash in on: to gain an advantage for yourself from a situation, especially in a way that other people think is wrong or immoral. Sp. Aprovecharse de. E.g. The film studio is being accused of cashing in on the singer's death. To cash in on an idea. 

capitalize on/upon something: to gain a further advantage for yourself from a situation. Take advantage of. E.g. The team failed to capitalize on their early lead. 

Deem: to have a particular opinion about something. Consider. E.g. The evening was deemed a great success. I deem it an honour to be invited. She deemed it prudent not to say anything. They would take any action deemed necessary.
undermine something to make something, especially somebody’s confidence or authority, gradually weaker or less effective. E.g. Our confidence in the team has been seriously undermined by their recent defeats. This crisis has undermined his position. Recent changes have undermined teachers’ morale. 

Gesellschaft: Social relations based on impersonal ties, such as duty to a society or organization. Sp. sociedad. E.g. He has suggested that such communities preserve a residue of traditional Gemeinschaft amid the more individualistic and impersonal Gesellschaft of modernity.

gemeinschaft:  social relations between individuals, based on close personal and family ties; community. Sp. comunidad.

jaded: Bored or lacking enthusiasm, typically after having had too much of something. E.g. ‘meals to tempt the most jaded appetites’  I felt terribly jaded after working all weekend.

foreboding:  (adj)  /fɔːˈbəʊdɪŋ/ making you feel that something unpleasant or dangerous is going to happen. E.g. a foreboding feeling that something was wrong.

foreboding: (N) /fɔːˈbəʊdɪŋ/ a strong feeling that something unpleasant or dangerous is going to happen She had a sense of foreboding that the news would be bad. The letter filled him with foreboding. He knew from her face that his forebodings had been justified.  

efficacy: /ˈefɪkəsi/  the ability of something to produce the results that are wanted. Effectiveness. E.g.  to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the treatment

scanty: /ˈskænti/
1. too little in amount for what is needed. E.g. Details of his life are scanty. His theory is based on rather scanty evidence.
2. (of clothes) very small and not covering much of your body. E.g. a scanty bikini

dog fouling: the offence of being in charge of a dog and failing to remove the faeces after it defecates in a public place.
insight (into something) an understanding of what something is like. E.g. The book gives us fascinating insights into life in Mexico. I hope you have gained some insight into the difficulties we face.

mob:
1. [countable, singular + singular or plural verb] a large crowd of people, especially one that may become violent or cause trouble. E.g. an angry/unruly mob. The mob was/were preparing to storm the building. an excited mob of fans. mob rule (= a situation in which a mob has control, rather than people in authority).
2.  [countable, usually singular] (informal) a group of people who are similar in some way. Gang. E.g.  All the usual mob were there.
3. he Mob [singular] (informal) the people involved in organized crime; the Mafia
resolve:
1. resolve something/itself to find an acceptable solution to a problem or difficulty. E.g. to resolve an issue/a dispute/a conflict/a crisis. Attempts are being made to resolve the problem of security in schools. Both sides met in order to try to resolve their differences. Be patient and the situation may resolve itself.

2. to make a firm decision to do something. E.g. resolve to do something He resolved not to tell her the truth. resolve (that)… She resolved (that) she would never see him again. resolve on something/on doing something We had resolved on making an early start.
3. (of a committee, meeting, etc.) to reach a decision by means of a formal vote. E.g. it is resolved that… It was resolved that the matter be referred to a higher authority. resolve that… They resolved that the matter be referred to a higher authority. resolve to do something The Supreme Council resolved to resume control over the national press.