Interesting Vocabulary for C2

Domestic violence (also named domestic abuse or family violence)
It may be termed intimate partner violence when committed by a spouse or partner

direct debit payment: Sp. pago domiciliado

women-wise: In the manner of women; with regard to women. E.g. but women's-wise it's still difficult to find a team to play with.

finger food: pieces of food that you can easily eat with your fingers.

sit-in: a protest in which a group of workers, students, etc. refuse to leave their factory, college, etc. until people listen to their demands. E.g. to hold/stage a sit-in.

walk out

(informal) (of workers) to stop working in order to go on strike

walkout:  a sudden strike by workers. E.g. 200 employees staged a walkout in protest at the new pay deal.

placard:  a large written or printed notice that is put in a public place or carried on a stick in a march. E.g. They were carrying placards and banners demanding that he resign.  

banner: a long piece of cloth with a message on it that is carried between two poles or hung in a public place to show support for something. E.g. A huge banner over the street said ‘Welcome home’. Protesters carried a banner reading ‘Save our Wildlife’.

outlook: (also overlook (AmE) ) A place from which a view is possible; a vantage point. Sp. mirador. E.g. At the side of the highway, there's a lookout (or: an overlook) where you can see the whole valley.

vantage point: a position from which you watch something; a point in time or a situation from which you consider something, especially the past. E.g. The cafe was a good vantage point for watching the world go by. From the vantage point of the present, the war seems to have achieved nothing.

Bladed and edged weapons: Bladed weapons include swords, knives and, in more recent times, bayonets. Sp. armas blancas. 

defile something (formal or literary) to make something dirty or no longer pure, especially something that people consider important or holy. Sp. ensuciar, manchar, profanar. E.g. Many victims of burglary feel their homes have been defiled. The altar had been defiled by vandals.jolt:  /dʒəʊlt/
1. a sudden rough movement. E.g.  The plane landed with a jolt.
2. a sudden strong feeling, especially of shock or surprise. E.g. a jolt of dismay

evince something (formal) /ɪˈvɪns/  to show clearly that you have a feeling or quality. E.g. He evinced a strong desire to be reconciled with his family. She evinced little enthusiasm for the outdoor life. 

in the interim

during the period of time between two events; until a particular event happens. Sp. mientras tanto. E.g. Despite everything that had happened in the interim, they had remained good friends. Her new job does not start until May and she will continue in the old job in the interim.

thoroughfare: /ˈθʌrəfeə(r)/ a public road or street used by traffic, especially a main road in a city or town. E.g. no thoroughfare (​On road signs, no thoroughfare means no entry or do not go in) 

‘a scheme to stop the park being used as a thoroughfare’

‘the middle bedroom is a thoroughfare to the bathroom’

‘the teeming thoroughfares of central London’

‘the main thoroughfares are crowded with tourists’

hands down: Easily and decisively. E.g. ‘Swindon won hands down.’ They won hands down. It is hands down the best movie this year.

silver bullet (magic bullet) a fast and effective solution to a serious problem. E.g. Having a mentor is exciting but it's not a silver bullet for success. There is no silver bullet to address growing inequality in the population.

bickering: /ˈbɪkərɪŋ/  [uncountable] the activity of arguing about things that are not important. Sp. riñas, discusiones. E.g. I wish they would stop their constant bickering.

long-sighted:  (also far-sighted)  not able to see things that are close to you clearly. E.g. She’s long-sighted and needs glasses to read.

short-sighted: able to see things clearly only if they are very close to you. E.g. She wears glasses because she’s very short-sighted.

clobber:
1. clobber somebody to hit somebody very hard. E.g. If you do that again, I’ll clobber you! 
2. clobber somebody/something to affect somebody badly or to punish them, especially by making them lose money. E.g. The paper got clobbered with libel damages of half a million pounds.
3.  clobber somebody/something to defeat somebody completely. E.g. We got clobbered in the game on Saturday.

big mouth: a person who talks a lot, especially about him- or herself, and who cannot keep secrets.

concoct:
1.  concoct something to make something, especially food or drink, by mixing different things The soup was concocted from up to a dozen different kinds of fish.
2.  concoct something to invent a story, an excuse, etc. E.g.  She concocted some elaborate story to explain her absence.

(as) mad as a hatter/a March hare

(informal) (of a person) mentally ill; very silly.

a live wire

a person who is lively and full of energy 

a nasty piece of work

(British English, informal) a person who is unpleasant, unkind or dishonest. E.g. Don’t trust him; he’s a nasty piece of work. 

thick:
(of a person) slow to learn or understand things. E.g. Are you thick, or what?

(as) thick as two short planks

(British English, informal) (of a person) very stupid.

Plank: board

blog (also weblog)

vlog: a blog in which most of the content is in the form of videos. E.g. I just finished watching Bob’s vlog. Impressive!

blueprint: (N)
1. a photographic print of a plan for a building or a machine, with white lines on a blue background. E.g. blueprints of a new aircraft. Penelope designed the blueprints for this house. Sp. Penelope diseñó el plano de esta casa. Follow the blueprints [closely, exactly]., The blueprints need to be followed [closely]

2. blueprint (for something) a plan which shows what can be achieved and how it can be achieved. E.g. a blueprint for the privatization of health care. Roger will create the blueprint for the department's sales plan. Roger elaborará el proyecto para el plan de ventas del departamento. blueprints for a [house, building, tower]
3.  (specialist) the pattern in every living cell, which decides how the plant, animal or person will develop and what it will look like. E.g. DNA carries the genetic blueprint which tells any organism how to build itself.

Origin:  late 19th cent.: from the original process in which prints were composed of white lines on a blue ground or of blue lines on a white ground.

gnash /næʃ/
Grind (one's teeth) together as a sign of anger (often used hyperbolically)

‘no doubt he is gnashing his teeth in rage’

gnash your teeth 

to feel very angry and upset about something, especially because you cannot get what you want. E.g. He'll be gnashing his teeth when he hears that we lost the contract. The news caused great wailing and gnashing of teeth.

wailing
1. a long loud high cry made by somebody who is sad or in pain. E.g. a high-pitched wailing.
2. cries or complaints made in a loud high voice. E.g. There was a lot of wailing and complaining from the children.  
3. a long loud high sound. E.g. the wailing of sirens
asbestos:  /æsˈbestəs/ a soft grey mineral that does not burn, used especially in the past in building as a protection against fire or to prevent heat loss. Sp. amianto.

cultured: (of people) well educated and able to understand and enjoy art, literature, etc.  Cultivated. Opposite uncultured. E.g. Mrs Ramsay was a cultured woman who travelled a great deal. He spoke with a cultured accent.

accordingly in a way that is appropriate to what has been done or said in a particular situation. Sp. consecuentemente (de manera lógica).  E.g. We have to discover his plans and act accordingly. We will verify the complaint and act accordingly. Sp. Verificaremos la denuncia y actuaremos consecuentemente.

narcissistic: admiring yourself too much, especially your appearance.


consumerists:A person who is preoccupied with the acquisition of consumer goods.

‘self-indulgent consumerists’

heft:
1. the weight of somebody/something. E.g. She was surprised by the sheer heft of the package. he was buckle-kneed from the heft of his staggering load .
2. Ability or influence.

‘they lacked the political heft to get the formulation banned’

buckle: Bend and give way under pressure or strain. E.g. The steel frames began to buckle under the strain.  (figurative) A weaker man would have buckled under the pressure.

recorder: a musical instrument in the shape of a pipe that you blow into, with holes that you cover with your fingers.

varicose vein:  /ˌværɪkəʊs ˈveɪn/ a vein, especially one in the leg, which has become swollen and painful  

sluggish: moving, reacting or working more slowly than normal and in a way that seems lazy. E.g. sluggish traffic. a sluggish economy. the sluggish black waters of the canal. He felt very heavy and sluggish after the meal. The growth of the export market has helped to compensate for sluggish demand at home. Sales were sluggish.

brazen:  open and without shame, usually about something that people find shocking . Shameless. E.g.  She had become brazen about the whole affair. his brazen admission that he was cheating. She’s known for her own brand of brazen sexuality. There were several instances of brazen cheating.

be a tall order

(informal) to be very difficult to do  E.g.  Building the bridge in time for the Olympics will be a tall order. 

smug: (adj.) looking or feeling too pleased about something you have done or achieved. complacent. E.g. a smug expression/smile/face, etc. What are you looking so smug about?

giddy:
1.  feeling that everything is moving and that you are going to fall . Dizzy. E.g.  When I looked down from the top floor, I felt giddy.
2. giddy (with something) feeling silly, happy and excited  and showing this in your behaviour. E.g. She was giddy with excitement. She was giddy with happiness.

giddiness:
1. a silly, happy, excited feeling that shows in your behaviour.  E.g. His childlike excitement verged on giddiness.​  teenage giddiness and excitement.
2. a temporary feeling that your sense of balance is not good and that you may fall down. E.g. Inhalation of the gas can cause headache or giddiness. Symptoms include nausea and giddiness. 

nauseating:  /ˈnɔːzieɪtɪŋ/  making you feel that you want to vomit a nauseating smell.

slothful: /ˈsləʊθfl/   lazy. E.g. slothful adolescents.

sloth:  /sləʊθ/ 
1. an animal that lives in trees in tropical parts of America and moves very slowly. Sp. perezoso.
2. unwillingness to work or make any effort. E.g.The report criticizes the government's sloth in tackling environmental problems.

tie: (of two teams, etc.) to have the same number of points. Draw. Sp. empatar. E.g.The candidates were tied in the vote. Sp. Los candidatos quedaron empatados en la votación. tie (with somebody) England tied 2–2 with Germany in the first round. tie something The scores are tied at 3–3. Last night's vote was tied.

draw:
to finish a game without either team winning. E.g. England and France drew. England and France drew 3–3. draw with/against somebody England drew with/against France. draw something England drew their game against France.

shrub: a large plant that is smaller than a tree and that has several stems of wood coming from the ground . Bush. E.g. evergreen shrubs. shrub roses

panicky: anxious about something; feeling or showing panic. Hysterical. E.g. He was feeling panicky. a panicky voice. I got a panicky phone call from Emma yesterday.

stand-off (between A and B) /ˈstænd ɒf/ a situation in which no agreement can be reached. Deadlock. E.g. a stand-off between the union and the management.

stand-offish: /ˌstænd ˈɒfɪʃ/ not friendly towards other people. Aloof. E.g. he was an arrogant, stand-offish prig

prig: (disapproving)  a person who behaves in a morally correct way and who shows that they disapprove of what other people do. Sp. mojigato.

deadlock:  /ˈdedlɒk/ [singular, uncountable] a complete failure to reach agreement or settle an argument. Stalemate. E.g.  European agriculture ministers failed to break the deadlock over farm subsidies. (British English) The strike appeared to have reached deadlock. (North American English, British English) The strike has reached a deadlock.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary: adjective: political___. Verb + deadlock: reach, break, end … Preposition: in deadlock, deadlock between, deadlock in … Phrases: end in deadlock, end in a deadlock.

stalemate:  [uncountable, countable, usually singular] a disagreement or a situation in a competition in which neither side is able to win or make any progress. Impasse. E.g.  The talks ended in (a) stalemate. proposals aimed at breaking (= ending) the political stalemate The strike has once again reached stalemate.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary: adjective: political__ current___. Verb + stalemate: end in____, reach____, result in_____ … Stalemate + verb: ____continue. Preposition: stalemate between, stalemate in, stalemate on …impasse:  /ˈæmpɑːs/ a difficult situation in which no progress can be made because the people involved cannot agree what to do. E.g.  to break/end the impasse. Negotiations have reached an impasse. The Governor attempted to resolve Minnesota’s current budget impasse. The proposal offered both sides a way out of the diplomatic impasse.

Oxford Collocations Dictionary: adjective: current, present, diplomatic, … Verb + impasse: reach, break, end … Phrases: a way out of an impasse  

specially:
1. for a particular purpose, person, etc. E.g. The ring was specially made for her. A specially designed diet plan. We came specially to see you.
2.  (informal) more than usual or more than other things. E.g. It will be hard to work today—specially when it's so warm and sunny outside. I hate homework. Specially history.

especially / specially Especially usually means ‘particularly’: She loves all sports, especially swimming. It is not placed first in a sentence: I especially like sweet things. Specially usually means ‘for a particular purpose’ and is often followed by a past participle, such as  designed designed, developed desi developed or made made:a course specially designed to meet your needs. She has her clothes specially made in Paris.
In British English, especially and specially are often used in the same way and it can be hard to hear the difference when people speak. Specially is less formal:I bought this especially/​specially for you. It is especially/​specially important to remember this.
The adjective for both especially and specially is usually special.  especially: 
1. more with one person, thing, etc. than with others, or more in particular circumstances than in others synonym particularly E.g.The car is quite small, especially if you have children. Teenagers are very fashion conscious, especially girls. I love Rome, especially in the spring.
2. for a particular purpose, person, etc. E.g. I made it especially for you.
3. very much; to a particular degree. E.g. I wasn't feeling especially happy that day. ‘Do you like his novels?’ ‘Not especially.’dummy:  a model of a person, used especially when making clothes or for showing them in a shop window. E.g. a tailor’s dummy. a ventriloquist’s dummy.  

palindrome: a word or phrase that reads the same backwards as forwards e.g. madam or nurses run. nurses run This is our first edition for 2002 (which is a palindrome, by the way).

costume jewellery:  (or: imitation jewellery) large heavy jewellery that can look expensive but is made with cheap materials Sp. bisutería. E.g. Since I don't have money for jewelry, I buy costume jewellery (or: imitation jewellery); it's cheaper.

bling: (also bling-bling) used to describe shiny jewellery and bright fashionable clothes worn in order to attract attention to yourself . Sp. joyería ostentosa. E.g.  The young men showed off their gold chains, shiny rings, and other bling. E.g. women with big hair and bling jewellery. bling culture/lifestyles

1. august
/ɔːˈɡʌst/
impressive, making you feel respect. E.g. an august group of statesmen. He had dared to challenge the views of an august body of imperial historians.

scribble: /ˈskrɪbl/ to write something quickly and carelessly, especially because you do not have much time. E.g. scribble something He scribbled a note to his sister before leaving. There was a scribbled message on the back of the ticket. scribble something down She scribbled down her phone number and pushed it into his hand. scribble (away) Throughout the interview the journalists scribbled away furiously.

4. unease /ʌnˈiːz/ (also uneasiness /ʌnˈiːzinəs/) the feeling of being worried or unhappy about something. Anxiety. E.g. a deep feeling/sense of unease. There was a growing unease about their involvement in the war. He was unable to hide his unease at the way the situation was developing.

5. charlatan /ˈʃɑːlətən/ a person who claims to have knowledge or skills that they do not really have. E.g. He knows nothing about medicine—he’s a complete charlatan.

in the midst of something/of doing something

while something is happening or being done; while you are doing something. E.g. a country in the midst of a recession. She discovered it in the midst of sorting out her father's things. She alone remained calm in the midst of all the confusion.  

7. ordeal
/ɔːˈdiːl/ ordeal (of something/of doing something) a difficult or unpleasant experience. E:g. They are to be spared the ordeal of giving evidence in court. The hostages spoke openly about the terrible ordeal they had been through. The interview was less of an ordeal than she'd expected.  

8. compelled
compel: /kəmˈpel/
to force somebody to do something; to make something necessary. E.g. compel somebody to do something. The law can compel fathers to make regular payments for their children. I feel compelled to write and tell you how much I enjoyed your book. The court has powers to compel witnesses to attend. compel something Last year ill health compelled his retirement.   

9. helium /ˈhiːliəm/ a chemical element. Helium is a very light gas that does not burn, often used to fill balloons and to freeze food.

11. credit rating: a judgement made by a bank, etc. about how likely somebody is to pay back money that they borrow, and how safe it is to lend money to them. 

12. hungered for
hunger after/for Have a strong desire or craving for.

‘he hungered for a sense of self-worth’

13. locate
/ləʊˈkeɪt/

locate somebody/something to find the exact position of somebody/something. E.g. The mechanic located the fault immediately. Rescue planes are trying to locate the missing sailors. 

14. lament casually

lament: /ləˈment/ to feel or express great sadness or disappointment about somebody/something. E.g.  In the poem he laments the destruction of the countryside. She sat alone weeping, lamenting her fate.  

casually: without much care or thought. E.g. Many people casually dismiss these claims. She glanced casually out of the window. 

15. strict confines 

confines [plural]/ˈkɒnfaɪnz/ limits or borders. E.g. It is beyond the confines of human knowledge. the confines of family life.

bang:  to hit something in a way that makes a loud noise. E.g. bang on something She banged on the door angrily. bang something (with something) The baby was banging the table with his spoon.


18. broken
[only before noun] (of a language that is not your own) spoken slowly and with a lot of mistakes; not fluent. E.g. to speak in broken English   


20. tremolo /ˈtremələʊ/ (pl. tremolos) a special effect in singing or playing a musical instrument made by repeating the same note or two notes very quickly.

21. frets
one of the bars on the long thin part of a guitar, etc. Frets show you where to press the strings with your fingers to produce particular sounds. E.g. a rock guitar with a 24 fret neck.  

take your (own) life

to kill yourself

25. disclose: reveal

26. affix /əˈfɪks/
affix something (to something) (formal) to stick or attach something to something else. E.g. The label should be firmly affixed to the package.        

 
binder: a hard cover for holding sheets of paper, magazines, etc. together. E.g. a ring binder. Subscribe today and get a free binder with your first issue.

a song and dance (about something)

(British English, informal, disapproving) if you make a song and dance about something, you complain or talk about it too much when this is not necessary. E.g. She gives generously to charity without making a song and dance about it.

  

verve: / vɜːv /1. energy, excitement or enthusiasm. E.g. It was a performance of verve and vitality.

jumble (of something): an untidy or confused mixture of things. E.g. a jumble of books and paper. The essay was a meaningless jumble of ideas. 2. a collection of old or used clothes, etc. that are no longer wanted and are going to be taken to a jumble sale.

megalomaniac: /ˌmeɡələˈmeɪniæk/
showing a strong feeling that you want to have more and more power. E.g. The megalomaniac leader finally crowned himself Emperor. There was a megalomaniac streak in him that made him believe anything was possible.

rout:  /raʊt/ (N)  [singular] a situation in which somebody is defeated easily and completely in a battle or competition. Sp. derrota. E.g. Only the skill of the goalkeeper prevented the match from turning into a rout. The offensive into rebel-held territory had ended in a rout.

put somebody to rout

(literary) to defeat somebody easily and completely. E.g. They put the rebel army to rout.

rout somebody (V) to defeat somebody completely in a competition, a battle, etc. E.g. The Buffalo Bills routed the Atlanta Falcons 41–14. The enemy was routed (=defeated) Sp. el enemigo fue aplastado.  

slumber: /ˈslʌmbə(r)/ (N)

[uncountable, countable, usually plural] (literary) sleep; a time when somebody is asleep. Sp. sueño. E.g. She fell into a deep and peaceful slumber. The phone suddenly roused her from slumber. I don’t want to wake him from his slumbers. We could hear the breathing of someone in a deep slumber.

slumber: (V) to sleep. E.g. I wish I could slumber through the winter like a bear. Sp. Ojalá pudiera dormir todo el invierno como un oso.

idyll: /ˈɪdɪl/  ( NAmE /ˈaɪdl/) a happy and peaceful place, event or experience, especially one connected with the countryside. A very happy, peaceful, and simple situation or period of time, especially in the countryside, or a piece of music, literature, etc. that describes this. E.g. Every year thousands of people flee the big cities in search of the pastoral/rural idyll.  

smelliness: strong or unpleasant smell.

odours: /ˈəʊdə(r)/ a smell, especially one that is unpleasant. E.g. a foul/musty/pungent, etc. odour the stale odour of cigarette smoke. (Figurative) the odour of suspicion.

musty: smelling damp and unpleasant because of a lack of fresh air.

downright: used as a way of emphasizing something negative or unpleasant. Sp. realmente. E.g. She couldn't think of anything to say that wasn't downright rude. It's not just stupid—it's downright dangerous.

astronaut: /ˈæstrənɔːt/

sniffer: A person who sniffs something. E.g. a glue sniffer.

sniff: to breathe air in through the nose in order to discover or enjoy the smell of something.

stringent: /ˈstrɪndʒənt/ (of a law, rule, regulation, etc.) very strict and that must be obeyed. E.g. stringent air quality regulations. Licences are only granted under the most stringent conditions.

cramped: a cramped room, etc. does not have enough space for the people in it. E.g. working in cramped conditions. He lived for six months in a cold, cramped attic room.

circuit boards: /ˈsɜːkɪt/ a board that holds electrical circuits inside a piece of electrical equipment.

mascara /mæˈskɑːrə/ a substance that is put on eyelashes to make them look dark and thick. E.g. waterproof mascara. Don’t cry or your mascara will run. I wiped most of the mascara from under my eyes.

sealed: to close a container tightly. E.g. The organs are kept in sealed plastic bags.

aftertaste: a taste (usually an unpleasant one) that stays in your mouth after you have eaten or drunk something.

strap: a strip of leather, cloth or other material that is used to fasten something, keep something in place, carry something or hold onto something. E.g. the shoulder straps of her dress. A watch with a leather strap.

blister: to form blisters; to make something form blisters. E.g. His skin was beginning to blister. Blister something Her face had been blistered by the sun.

blister: (N) a swelling on the surface of the skin that is filled with liquid and is caused, for example, by rubbing or burning. Sp. ampolla. E.g. These shoes have given me blisters on my heels.

scrutiny: careful and thorough examination. E.g. Foreign policy has come under close scrutiny recently. The situation is bound to come under the scrutiny of the public health authorities.

hit the nail on the head: to say something that is exactly right.

abort: to end or cause something to end before it has been completed, especially because it is likely to fail. E.g. We had no option but to abort the mission.

co-opt somebody (onto/into something): to make somebody a member of a group, committee, etc. by the agreement of all the other members. E.g. She was co-opted onto the board.

cheesy: not very good or original, and without style, in a way that is embarrassing but amusing. Sp. cursi. E.g. a cheesy horror movie. That’s the cheesiest chat-up line I’ve ever heard.

PART TWO. MULTIPLE CHOICE.

Questions

Avidly: with a lot of enthusiasm. Keenly E.g. She reads avidly.

Avid: very enthusiastic about something (often a hobby). E.g. an avid reader/collector. She has taken an avid interest in the project (= she is extremely interested in it).

Voraciously: /vəˈreɪʃəsli/ in a way that involves wanting a lot of new information and knowledge. Avidly. E.g. Ever since her childhood she had read voraciously.

Read something out:  to read something using your voice, especially to other people. E.g. Shall I read this out to you?

Relish: great enjoyment or pleasure. E.g. She savoured the moment with obvious relish.

Timescale: the period of time that it takes for something to happen or be completed. Sp. Período de tiempo, plazo. E.g. What's the timescale for the project? A tight timescale. We hope the negotiations will be completed within a six-month timescale.

Ostracize: /ˈɒstrəsaɪz/ ostracize somebody (formal) to refuse to let somebody be a member of a social group; to refuse to meet or talk to somebody. E.g. He was ostracized by his colleagues for refusing to support the strike. The regime risks being ostracized by the international community.

on cloud nine extremely happy.

Under a cloud: if somebody is under a cloud, other people think that they have done something wrong and are suspicious of them. E.g.  She resigned under a cloud. The cabinet minister left office under a cloud after a fraud scandal. Someone stole some money at work, and now everyone is under a cloud of suspicion. Even the manager is under a cloud.

under the weather: (informal) if you are or feel under the weather, you feel slightly ill/sick and not as well as usual.

in character, out of character: typical/not typical of a person’s character. E.g. Her behaviour last night was completely out of character.

in character (with something): in the same style as something. E.g. The new wing of the museum was not really in character with the rest of the building.

Understatement: the practice of making things seem less impressive, important, serious, etc. than they really are. E.g. Typical English understatement. He always goes for subtlety and understatement in his movies.

rapture: a feeling of extreme pleasure and happiness. Delight. E.g. Charles listened with rapture to her singing. The children gazed at her in rapture. Never before had she known such rapture.

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

obnoxiousness: I am outraged at the degree of obnoxiousness with which students are treating the new teacher.

Rant and rave (disapproving) to show that you are angry by shouting or complaining loudly for a long time.

Acrimonious: /ˌækrɪˈməʊniəs/ (adj) (of an argument, etc.) angry and full of strong bitter feelings and words. Bitter. E.g. His parents went through an acrimonious divorce. The split-up was not acrimonious and Adam spent time with both his mother and father.

furore /fjuˈrɔːri/ /ˈfjʊərɔː(r)/ (also furor /ˈfjʊərɔː(r)/) [singular] great anger or excitement shown by a number of people, usually caused by a public event. Uproar. E.g. furore (among somebody) His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. Furore (about/over something) the recent furore over the tax increases. Such a major policy reversal is certain to spark a furore among conservatives. Cause, create, provoke a furore His choice of words created quite a furore. The furore which surrounded her appointment as chairman. His resignation passed almost unnoticed amid the furore of the elections. The furore about/over/surrounding the furore over the proposed introduction of tax on fuel. The sale of the two best players caused a furore among the fans.

zest: zest (for something) enjoyment and enthusiasm. E.g. He had a great zest for life.

despondency: a feeling of being sad and without much hope. E.g. a mood of despondency. Life's not all gloom and despondency. Despondency (about/over something) a situation of high unemployment and despondency about the future.

Unswerving: /ʌnˈswɜːvɪŋ/ strong and not changing or becoming weaker. Steady. Constant. Sp. Inquebrantable, a toda prueba. E.g. unswerving loyalty/ support, etc.

to be unswervingly loyal to sb Sp. ser totalmente leal a algn
to hold unswervingly to one's course Sp. no apartarse ni un ápice de su rumbo

she remained unswervingly loyal to him Sp. siguió totalmente fiel a él

he continued unswervingly on his chosen course Sp. continuó sin vacilar por el camino que había elegido.

Enlightened: educated, wise, open-minded.

Cantankerous: /kænˈtæŋkərəs/ bad-tempered and always complaining. E.g. a cantankerous old man.

Transcript

Avidly: with a lot of enthusiasm. Keenly E.g. She reads avidly.

Avid: very enthusiastic about something (often a hobby). E.g. an avid reader/collector. She has taken an avid interest in the project (= she is extremely interested in it).

Trepidation: great worry or fear about something unpleasant that may happen. Sp. Inquietud. E.g. He knocked on the door with some trepidation.

Sustain: /səˈsteɪn/ sustain something to make something continue for some time without becoming less. Maintain. E.g. a period of sustained economic growth. A sustained attack.  She managed to sustain everyone's interest until the end of her speech. Kangaroos can sustain high speeds over long distances.

Plough: /plaʊ/ plough (something) to dig and turn over a field or other area of land with a plough. Sp. Arar, labrar. E.g. ploughed fields.

Selection: the process of choosing somebody/something from a group of people or things, usually according to a system. E.g. The final team selection will be made tomorrow. The random selection of numbers. Selection criteria. The selection process.

Outset: at/from the outset (of something) at/from the beginning of something I made it clear right from the outset that I disapproved. You should have made that clear right at the outset.

Hooked: hooked (on something) (informal) enjoying something very much, so that you want to do it, see it, etc. as much as possible.

Brilliance: /ˈbrɪliəns/ the quality of being extremely impressive, intelligent or skilful. E.g. There were flashes of brilliance from the soloists, but generally the playing and singing lacked sparkle. The technical brilliance of his later films. Academic brilliance.

Doomed: doom somebody/something (to something) doom somebody/something to do something to make somebody/something certain to fail, suffer, die, etc.  Sp. Condenado al fracas. E.g. The plan was doomed to failure. The marriage was doomed from the start.

Havoc: /ˈhævək/ a situation in which there is a lot of damage, destruction or confusion. Sp. Devastación, confusion, caos. E.g. The floods caused havoc throughout the area. Continuing strikes are beginning to play havoc with the national economy. These insects can wreak havoc on crops.

Poignant: /ˈpɔɪnjənt/ having a strong effect on your feelings, especially in a way that makes you feel sad. Moving. E.g. a poignant image/moment/memory, etc. Her face was a poignant reminder of the passing of time.

Breathe: breathe something (formal) to be full of a particular feeling or quality. E.g. Her performance breathed wit and charm.

Breathe new life: Reinvent. Sp. Dar un nuevo aire, dar una nueva vida. E.g. Hiring Edie with her fresh new ideas will breathe new life into this company. Sp. Contratar a Edie, con su creatividad, infundirá nueva vida a esta empresa.

Fashion: to make or shape something, especially with your hands. Sp. Formar, moldear. E.g. She fashioned a pot from the clay.

Disaffected: /ˌdɪsəˈfektɪd/ no longer satisfied with your situation, organization, belief, etc. and therefore not loyal to it. Sp. Marginado. E.g. Some disaffected members left to form a new party.

Bitingly: in a cruel and critical way. E.g. ‘You're lying,’ he said bitingly. A bitingly funny show. Bitingly critical. A bitingly critical article. He was also bitingly critical of academic textbooks.

Stint: (usually used in negative sentences) to provide or use only a small amount of something. Sp. Escatimar. E.g. stint (on something) She never stints on the food at her parties. Stint yourself We don't need to stint ourselves—have some more!

Crunch: a noise like the sound of something firm being crushed. E.g. the crunch of feet on snow. The car drew up with a crunch of gravel.

cobblestones: (also cobbles) small stones used to make the surfaces of roads, especially in the past. E.g.  a cart clattering over the cobbles.

smear: an oily or dirty mark. E.g. a smear of jam.

Quill: (also quill pen) a pen made from a quill feather (a large feather from the wing or tail of a bird).

oblique: /əˈbliːk/ not expressed or done in a direct way. Indirect. E.g. an oblique reference/ approach/ comment.

deadpan: without any expression or emotion; often pretending to be serious when you are joking. E.g. deadpan humour. She looked up, completely deadpan.

ludicrous: unreasonable; that you cannot take seriously. Absurd. Ridiculous. E.g. a ludicrous suggestion. It was ludicrous to think that the plan could succeed. He is paid a ludicrous amount of money.

farce: /fɑːs/ a funny play for the theatre based on ridiculous and unlikely situations and events; this type of writing or performance. E.g. a bedroom farce (= a funny play about sex).

in-passing: done or said while you are giving your attention to something else. Said or mentioned as an aside.  Casually. E.g. He only mentioned it in passing and didn't give any details. I just heard your name in passing. I didn't hear more than that. The lecturer referred to George Washington in passing.

zestful: full of enjoyment and enthusiasm.

sobering: /ˈsəʊbərɪŋ/ making you feel serious and think carefully. E.g.  a sobering effect/ experience/ thought, etc. It is sobering to realize that this is not a new problem. It had a sobering effect on me (Sp. fue aleccionador). It's a sobering thought (Sp. da que pensar).

gusto: /ˈɡʌstəʊ/ enthusiasm and energy in doing something. E.g. They sang with gusto. She attacked the huge slice of chocolate cake with great gusto.

forlorn: /fəˈlɔːn/ (of a person) appearing lonely and unhappy. E.g. She looked so forlorn, standing there in the rain.

Rise to the challenge/ occasion: to show that you can deal with a difficult situation successfully. E.g. In the exam she rose to the occasion and wrote a brilliant essay. You can depend on Kelly to rise to the challenge. We were not able to rise to the challenge and we lost the contract.

gothic: (of a novel, etc) written in the style popular in the 18th and 19th centuries, which described romantic adventures in mysterious or frightening surroundings.

devastatingly: in a very impressive and powerful way. E.g. a devastatingly handsome man. The play was devastatingly funny.

prey: be/fall prey to something  1. (of an animal) to be killed and eaten by another animal or bird. E.g. Many small birds and rodents fall prey to the domestic cat. 2. (of a person) to be harmed or affected by something bad. Since the attack, she had fallen prey to irrational fears.

lurid: /ˈlʊərɪd/ /ˈljʊərɪd/ 1. too bright in colour, in a way that is not attractive. Sp. chillón, estridente. 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. Sp. morboso, escabroso, sensacionalista, horripilante, espeluznante. E.g. lurid headlines. The paper gave all the lurid details of the murder. In lurid detail (Sp. sin omitir los detalles más escabrosos).

totter: 1. to walk or move with weak unsteady steps, especially because you are drunk or ill/sick. Stagger. E.g. She managed to totter back to her seat. 2. to be weak and seem likely to fall. E.g. the tottering walls of the castle. (Figurative) a tottering dictatorship (Sp. tambaleante).

slant: slant (on something/somebody) a way of thinking about something, especially one that shows support for a particular opinion or side in a disagreement. Sp. punto de vista, enfoque. E.g. She put a new slant on the play. Her book looks at his writings from a feminist slant.

flippant:  /ˈflɪpənt/ showing that you do not take something as seriously as other people think you should. E.g. a flippant answer/attitude. Sorry, I didn't mean to sound flippant. You can’t afford to be flippant about such matters.

rebuff: /rɪˈbʌf/ rebuff something (formal) to refuse a friendly offer, request or suggestion in an unkind way . Reject. E.g. They rebuffed her request for help.

trigger warning
A statement at the start of a piece of writing, video, etc. alerting the reader or viewer to the fact that it contains potentially distressing material (often used to introduce a description of such content)

‘there probably should be a trigger warning for people dealing with grief’

‘trigger warning: sexual assault discussed very bluntly
‘This article should have a trigger warning.’
Trigger warning: this article deals with issues of rape and sexual assault. 

hovel: /ˈhɒvl/ a house or room that is not fit to live in because it is dirty or in very bad condition. E.g. Your house is a miserable hovel compared with my palace.

dashing: 
1. (usually of a man) attractive, confident and elegant. E.g. a dashing young officer. his dashing good looks. a dashing young soldier
2.  (of a thing) attractive and fashionable. E.g.  his dashing red waistcoat

riff-raff /ˈrɪf ræf/ [uncountable + singular or plural verb] (disapproving)
an insulting way of referring to people of low social class or people who are not considered socially acceptable. E.g. We don’t want to let all the riff-raff in. She says that charging high prices will keep the riff-raff out.toodle-oo  /ˌtuːdəˈluː/ (exclamation) goodbye. E.g. we'll see you later, toodle-oo!’  (perhaps an alteration of French à tout à l'heure ‘see you soon’).

siphon something (+ adv./prep.) (informal) /ˈsaɪfn/  (also syphon) to remove money from one place and move it to another, especially dishonestly or illegally . Divert. E.g. She has been accused of siphoning off thousands of pounds from the company into her own bank account.

herbaceous: /hɜːˈbeɪ.ʃəs/ (of plants) soft and not woody. E.g. The herbaceous vegetation was best developed at that time of year.’  a herbaceous plant

abhor something (formal)  /əbˈhɔː(r)/ to hate something, for example a way of behaving or thinking, especially for moral reasons.  synonym detest, loathe. E.g. Most decent people abhor corruption in government. She abhors any form of cruelty towards animals. I abhor all forms of racism.  she abhorred corruption in all forms.   

conundrum: /kəˈnʌndrəm/
1. a confusing problem or question that is very difficult to solve. A problem that is difficult to deal with. E.g. The role of clouds is one of the big conundrums of climatology. Arranging childcare over the school holidays can be a real conundrum for working parents. one of the most difficult conundrums for the experts
2.  a question, usually involving a trick with words, that you ask for fun. Riddle. a question that is a trick, often involving a humorous use of words that have two meanings. E.g.  The conundrum is simply stated, even though the answer is complex.

dilemma: /dɪˈlemə/ /daɪˈlemə/ a situation which makes problems, often one in which you have to make a very difficult choice between things of equal importance. Predicament. E.g.  to face a dilemma. to be in a dilemma.

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.

quandary : /ˈkwɒndəri/ the state of not being able to decide what to do in a difficult situation. E.g.  George was in a quandary—should he go or shouldn't he? This placed the government in something of a quandary.

It was not meant to be

It (just) wasn't meant to be derives from the idiom meant to be, which means "destined to exist"
People say that something (for example, an event) was "meant to be" when they want to attribute that thing to fate or destiny. It is a fatalistic expression.
To say that something (for example, an event) "wasn't meant to be" means that the thing was not destined to happen (or that it was destined to not happen). It attributes the thing's not happening to fate or destiny.
It has roughly the same meaning as the idiom it just wasn't in the cards.

sway:
power or influence over somebody. E.g. Rebel forces hold sway over much of the island. She was brought up under the sway of Communism. He was quick to exploit those who fell under his sway. Traditional attitudes still hold sway in the region.

smombie: smartphone zombie. A 'smombie' is a person who walks around with their head bowed down, writing messages or playing games on their phone and not paying any attention to the world around them! I'm too terrified to drive past the college these days. You never know when a smombie's going to step into the road in front of the car!
I was knocked flying the other day by a smombie as I was trying to get a bus. I don't even think she knew she'd bumped into me!
People don't know how to communicate with each other face-to-face any more. They are such smombies!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the-english-we-speak/ep-180402
knock someone flying

to send someone flying through the air

• The car hit him and knocked him flying.

tickle (someone's) funny bone To make someone laugh; to be humorous or amusing to someone. E.g. There's this silly statue on campus that never fails to tickle my funny bone when I walk past it. David has such wit that he can tickle the funny bone of anyone he meets.

freegan: /ˈfriːɡən/ a person who only eats food that they can get for free and that would otherwise be thrown out or wasted. someone who eats food that's been wasted – maybe thrown away by supermarkets or restaurants.
E.g. He is a freegan who claims to have subsisted on a largely Dumpster-based diet for a decade.
I'm trying to do my bit for the environment by reducing food that's thrown away – so I'm becoming a freegan. My brother was so annoyed when he saw loads of food dumped in a bin at the back of the supermarket that he decided to collect it and give it to the homeless – I suppose you could call him a freegan.
Thrown away food isn't rubbish, it's free food! That's why I'm a freegan.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the-english-we-speak/ep-180326
freeloader: /ˈfriːləʊdə(r)/
a person who is always accepting free food and accommodation from other people without giving them anything in exchange. E.g. Take your things and go: I’ve had enough of freeloaders.
cheapskate: /ˈtʃiːpskeɪt/
a person who does not like to spend money. E.g.  We really need a new heater, but the landlord’s such a cheapskate we’ll never get it.

gloss over something

to avoid talking about something unpleasant or embarrassing by not dealing with it in detail.  Try to conceal or disguise (something embarrassing or unfavourable) by treating it briefly or representing it misleadingly. to treat something in a way that fails to recognize its importance or its faults. E.g. to gloss over a problem. He glossed over any splits in the party. They gloss over what they don't like. Popular writing sometimes glosses over important facts.

‘the social costs of this growth are glossed over’

dalliance: /ˈdæliəns/ 
1. an interest or involvement in an activity or belief that only lasts for a very short period. E.g.The 1970s witnessed the first of the pop star's dalliances with communism.
2. a sexual relationship that is not serious
heart-wrenching: /ˈhɑːt rentʃɪŋ/ causing feelings of great sadness. Heart-rending. E.g.  Their stories are heart-wrenching. a heart-wrenching decision/experience/image

heart-rending /ˈhɑːt rendɪŋ/ causing feelings of great sadness. Heartbreaking. E.g.  a heart-rending story
ingratiate: /ɪnˈɡreɪʃieɪt/ ingratiate yourself (with somebody) (disapproving) to do things in order to make somebody like you, especially somebody who will be useful to you. E.g. The first part of his plan was to ingratiate himself with the members of the committee.

bamboozle somebody (informal) to confuse somebody, especially by tricking them. to trick or deceive someone, often by confusing them. Fool or cheat (someone). E.g. Karpov bamboozled his opponent with a series of brilliant unexpected moves. We all wondered how he had managed to bamboozle his way into such a cushy job. She was bamboozled into telling them her credit card number.  ‘Tom Sawyer bamboozled the neighbourhood boys into doing it for him’ .

dog somebody/something (of a problem or bad luck) to cause you trouble for a long time. to cause difficulties. E.g. He had been dogged by ill health all his life. Her career was dogged by misfortune. Technical problems dogged our trip from the outset. He was dogged by allegations of questionable business practices.

blight something to spoil or damage something, especially by causing a lot of problems. E.g. His career has been blighted by injuries. an area blighted by unemployment. A broken leg blighted her chances of winning the championship.

Through gritted teeth: If you do something through gritted teeth, you accept or agree with it against your will and it is obvious to others how you really feel. 

 grit one's teeth:
1. to bite your teeth tightly together. E.g. She gritted her teeth against the pain. ‘Stop it!’ he said through gritted teeth.
2. to be determined to continue to do something in a difficult or unpleasant situation. to show tenseness, anger, or determination. E.g. It started to rain harder, but we gritted our teeth and carried on. Congress must grit its teeth and take action. He gritted his teeth in silent fury. We had to grit our teeth and agree with their conditions because we wanted the contract.

lie through one's teeth: Tell an outright lie without remorse. E.g. The witness was clearly lying through his teeth.

oneness: /ˈwʌnnəs/ [uncountable]
1. the state of being completely united with somebody/something, or of being in complete agreement with somebody. E.g. a sense of oneness with the natural world. a sense of oneness with the moment. the oneness of all suffering people.  a strong sense of oneness is felt with all things
2. The fact or state of being one in number. E.g. ‘holding to the oneness of God the Father as the only God’

what goes around comes around
1 the way somebody behaves towards other people will affect the way those people behave towards them in the future.
2. something that is not fashionable now will become fashionable again in the future

a rolling stone gathers no moss

(saying) a person who moves from place to place, job to job, etc. does not have a lot of money, possessions or friends but is free from responsibilities. said to mean that a person who is always travelling and changing jobs has the advantage of having no responsibilities, but also has disadvantages such as having no permanent place to live. E.g.Hal was a bit of a rolling stone before he married and settled down.