p.17
poison-pen letter [countable]
a letter that is not signed and that says bad things about the person it has been sent to
crude
1 not exact or without any detail, but generally correct and useful [↪ approximate]:
a crude estimate of the population available for work
2 not developed to a high standard, or made with little skill: e.g.a crude wooden bridge
3 offensive or rude, especially in a sexual way [= vulgar]: e.g.crude pictures; His language was often crude.
4 [only before noun] crude oil, rubber etc is in its natural or raw condition before it is treated with chemicals
grudge [countable]
1 a feeling of dislike for someone because you cannot forget that they harmed you in the past
have/bear grudge against
Is there anyone who might have had a grudge against her?
Mr Gillis was not normally a man to bear grudges.
It could be the work of someone with a grudge against the company.
p.18
unnerve [transitive]
to upset or frighten someone so that they lose their confidence or their ability to think clearly:
He was unnerved by the way Sylvia kept staring at him.
unnerving adjective:
an unnerving experience
errand [countable]
a short journey in order to do something for someone, for example delivering or collecting something for them:
I seemed to spend my life running errands for people.
on an errand I couldn't stop because I was on an errand.
errand vs. chore
chore [countable]
1 a small job that you have to do regularly, especially work that you do to keep a house clean:
everyday chores like shopping and housework, We share the domestic chores.
2 something you have to do that is very boring and unpleasant: e.g.I find driving a real chore.
exploit [transitive] /ɪkˈsplɔɪt/
1 to treat someone unfairly by asking them to do things for you, but giving them very little in return - used to show
disapproval: Homeworkers can easily be exploited by employers.
2 to try to get as much as you can out of a situation, sometimes unfairly:
The violence was blamed on thugs exploiting the situation.
3 to use something fully and effectively:
The new TV companies are fully exploiting the potential of satellite transmission.
4 to develop and use minerals, forests, oil etc for business or industry:
the urgent need to exploit the resources of the Irish Sea
p.19
award [transitive], dodeliti
1 to officially give someone something such as a prize or money to reward them for something they have done:
Moodie has been awarded a golf scholarship at the University of Hawaii.
award somebody something ; award something to somebody
2 to officially decide that someone should receive a payment or a formal agreement
award somebody something The government awarded a German company the contract.
award something to somebody £45,000 was awarded to a typist with an injured hand.
BOOK He investigated the systems of awarding maintenance contracts for the buildings and machinery.
maintenance [uncountable]
1 the repairs, painting etc that are necessary to keep something in good condition:
The cost of repairs and maintenance
maintenance of The caretaker is responsible for the maintenance of the school buildings.
2 the act of making a state or situation continue
maintenance of , The purpose of the UN is the maintenance of international peace and security.
3 British English money paid by someone who is DIVORCED to their former wife or husband [= alimony]:
They have to find the fathers who abandon their children and make them pay maintenance.
BOOK He investigated the systems of awarding maintenance contracts for the buildings and machinery.
shady comparative shadier, superlative shadiest ˈ/ʃeɪ.di/
1 protected from the sun or producing shade: e.g.a shady street; It was nice and shady under the trees.
2 probably dishonest or illegal: e.g. a shady character; She's been involved in some shady deals.
BOOK It seemed that everywhere Dick looked there was something shady going on; that every stone he turned over
had a snake.
haze [singular, uncountable]
1 smoke, dust, or mist in the air which is difficult to see through
haze of e.g. a haze of cigarette smoke; The sun was surrounded by a golden haze.
2 the feeling of being very confused and unable to think clearly: e.g. a drunken haze
BOOK There was a wintry haze over Delhi, partly caused by traffic pollution and partly by the many fires on the
street corners.
haze vs. mist vs. fog
mist
1 [uncountable and countable] a light cloud low over the ground that makes it difficult for you to see very far [↪fog]:
We could just see the outline of the house through the mist.
Next morning, the whole town was shrouded in mist (=covered in mist).
2 lost in the mists of time if something such as a fact or secret is lost in the mists of time, no one remembers it
because it happened so long ago: e.g.The real reasons for the war are now lost in the mists of time.
3 see something through a mist of tears literary to see something while you are crying
fog
1 [u and c] cloudy air near the ground which is difficult to see through [= mist]
thick/dense/freezing fog
We got lost in the thick fog.
It will be a cold night, and there may be fog patches.
A blanket of fog covered the fields.
The fog lifted (=disappeared) in the afternoon.
2 [singular] informal a state in which you feel confused and cannot think clearly: My mind was in a fog.
fog of e.g.the fog of tiredness
huddle
1 [intransitive and transitive] also huddle together/up if a group of people huddle together, they stay very close to
each other, especially because they are cold or frightened: We lay huddled together for warmth.
huddle around People huddled around the radio, waiting for news.
2 [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to lie or sit with your arms and legs close to your body because you are
cold or frightened: She huddled under the blankets.
3 [intransitive] American English to sit or stand with a small group of people in order to discuss something privately:
The executive board huddled to discuss the issue.
4 [intransitive] if American football players huddle, they gather around one player who tells them the plan for the
next part of the game
BOOK Men wrapped in blankets and shawls huddled around these fires as his car passed.
bedraggled /bɪˈ
l /
looking untidy, wet, and dirty, especially because you have been out in the rain: Bedraggled men crawled into camp.
BOOK A group of bedraggled, red-uniformed bandsmen waited to be hired for a wedding.
snuffle [inransitive]
to breathe noisily through your nose, sometimes because you are crying:
The little boys snuffled in their sleep.
BOOK A sad-looking, white horse snuffled the dust, in search of glass to eat.
whisk [transitive]
1 to mix liquid, eggs etc very quickly so that air is mixed in, using a fork or a whisk
2 [always + adverb/preposition] to take someone or something quickly away from a place
whisk somebody/something away/off
The waitress whisked our coffee cups away before we'd had a chance to finish.
BOOK A turbaned porter took a hold of his bags and whisked him off to a comfortably old-fashioned, spacious, airy
room on the ground floor.
genuine
1 a genuine feeling, desire etc is one that you really feel, not one you pretend to feel [= sincere]
genuine interest/concern/desire etc The reforms are motivated by a genuine concern for the disabled.
2 something genuine really is what it seems to be [= real]: The strap is genuine leather
3 someone who is genuine is honest and friendly and you feel you can trust them [≠ false]:
She is the most genuine person I've ever met.
BOOK Dick would never understand the attraction of modern five-star hotels, when such genuine comfort was
available.
p.20
take something ↔ in
to understand and remember new facts and information [= absorb]: He watches the older kids, just taking it all in.
BOOK Dick sat down and read it quickly at first, and then more slowly, trying to take it in.
enclose [transitive]
1 to put something inside an envelope as well as a letter: Please enclose a cheque with your order.
please find enclosed (=used in business letters to say that you are sending something with a letter)
Please find enclosed an agenda for the meeting.
2 [usually passive] to surround something, especially with a fence or wall, in order to make it separate:
The pool area is enclosed by a six-foot wall.; an enclosed area
BOOK Plenty of issues to discuss, as you’ll see from the enclosed agenda.
issue SUBJECT/PROBLEM
[countable] a subject or problem that is often discussed or argued about, especially a social or political matter that
affects the interests of a lot of people
BOOK Plenty of issues to discuss, as you’ll see from the enclosed agenda.
appraisal
1 [uncountable and countable] a statement or opinion judging the worth, value, or condition of something
appraisal of
a critical appraisal of the existing facilities
2 [countable] a meeting between a manager and a worker to discuss the quality of the worker's work and how well
they do their job
BOOK I think we’d better organize our annual appraisal interview slightly differently this year.
conceal [transitive] formal
1 to hide something carefully: The path was concealed by long grass.; a concealed weapon
2 to hide your real feelings or the truth: She tried to conceal the fact that she was pregnant.
conceal something from somebody She was taking drugs and trying to conceal it from me.
BOOK The letter, with its combination of forced friendliness and concealed threat…
p.21
stagger
1 [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to walk or move unsteadily, almost falling over [= stumble]:
He managed to stagger home.
2 to make someone feel very surprised or shocked [= amaze]: What staggered us was the sheer size of her salary.
BOOK He excused himself and left staggering slightly as he made his way to car.
soar [intransitive]
1 AMOUNTS/PRICES ETC to increase quickly to a high level [≠ plummet]: Her temperature soared.
2 IN THE SKY
a) to fly, especially very high up in the sky, floating on air currents: She watched the dove soar above the trees.
b) to go quickly upwards to a great height: The ball soared to left field.
3 SPIRITS/HOPES
if your SPIRITs (=the way you are feeling, for example happy, sad etc) or hopes soar, you begin to feel very happy or
hopeful: Adam's smile sent her spirits soaring.
4 LOOK TALL[not in progressive] if buildings, trees, towers etc soar, they look very tall and impressive:
Here the cliffs soar a hundred feet above the sea.
a soaring skyscraper
BOOK All the factories had an exceptionally good year and the profits were soaring.
tomb
a stone structure above or below the ground where a dead person is buried: the family tomb
cancel something ↔ out phrasal verb
if two things cancel each other out, they are equally important and have an opposite effect to each other, so that
neither one has any effect: The losses in our overseas division have cancelled out the profits made in the home market
p.22
chill
1 [singular] a feeling of coldness: There was a slight chill in the air. morning/autumnal/January etc chill
Suddenly aware of the morning chill, she closed the window.
chill of He sat in the chill of the evening, staring out over the city below.
2 [countable] a sudden feeling of fear or worry, especially because of something cruel or violent:
The sound of his dark laugh sent a chill through her.
chill of fear/apprehension/disquiet etc Fay felt a chill of fear as she watched Max go off with her daughter.
3 a) [countable] an illness which causes a slight fever, headache, and SHIVERing (=slight shaking of the body):
Let's get these wet clothes off you before you catch a chill.
b) [countable usually plural] a feeling of being cold, caused by being ill
loom
[intransitive]
1 [always + adverb/preposition] to appear as a large unclear shape, especially in a threatening way
loom up/out/ahead etc Suddenly a mountain loomed up in front of them.
2 if a problem or difficulty looms, it is likely to happen very soon: An economic crisis is looming on the horizon.
3 loom large to seem important, worrying, and difficult to avoid: Fear of failure loomed large in his mind.
crumble
1 [intransitive] also crumble away if something, especially something made of stone or rock, is crumbling, small
pieces are breaking off it: The old stonework was crumbling away.
2 [intransitive and transitive] to break apart into lots of little pieces, or make something do this:
¼ cup crumbled goat's cheese
3 also crumble away to lose power, become weak, or fail: The Empire began to crumble in the 13th century.
dome [countable] /dəʊm/
1 a round roof on a building dome [countable]
2 a shape or building like a ball cut in half
mausoleum noun /ˌmɔː zəˈliː əm/ a building in which the bodies of dead people are buried
condemned [only before noun]
1 a condemned person is going to be punished by being killed
2 a condemned building is officially not safe to live in or use
p.23
state-of-the-art adj
using the most modern and recently developed methods, materials, or knowledge:
state-of-the-art technology; His new laptop is state-of-the-art
appreciate
1 [transitive not in progressive] to understand how serious or important a situation or problem is or what someone's
feelings are [= realize] appreciate the significance/importance/value of something
He did not fully appreciate the significance of signing the contract.
appreciate that We appreciate that caring for children is an important job.
appreciate what/how/why It is difficult to appreciate how bad the situation had become.
2 [transitive] used to thank someone in a polite way or to say that you are grateful for something they have done:
Thanks ever so much for your help, I really appreciate it.
3 to understand how good or useful someone or something is: I'm not an expert, but I appreciate fine works of art.
4 [intransitive] technical to gradually become more valuable over a period of time [≠ depreciate]:
Most investments are expected to appreciate at a steady rate.
undervalue [transitive]
to think that someone or something is less important or valuable than they really are:
Society undervalues staying home and looking after children.
friction
1 [uncountable and countable] disagreement, angry feelings, or unfriendliness between people [= tension]
cause/create friction Having my mother living with us causes friction at home.
friction between the usual frictions between parents and their teenage children
friction with His independent attitude was a constant source of friction with his boss.
2 technical the natural force that prevents one surface from sliding easily over another surface:
Putting oil on both surfaces reduces friction.
3 when one surface rubs against another: Check your rope frequently, as friction against the rock can wear it away.
p.24
scheme
[countable]
1 British English an official plan that is intended to help people in some way, for example by providing education or
training [= program American English] The money will be used for teacher training schemes.;a pension scheme
scheme for schemes for two new cross-city lines
scheme to do something a new scheme to boost exports
pilot scheme (=something that is done on a small scale in order to see if it is successful enough to be done on a larger
scale) The pilot scheme proved to be a great success.
scarce‧ly
1 almost not or almost none at all [= hardly]: The city had scarcely changed in 20 years.
can/could scarcely do something It was getting dark and she could scarcely see in front of her.
scarcely a day/year/moment etc Scarcely a day goes by when I don't think of him.
grim
1 making you feel worried or unhappy [= harsh]: When he lost his job, his future looked grim.
2 looking or sounding very serious: The police officers were silent and grim-faced.
3 British English informal very bad, ugly, or unpleasant: The weather forecast is pretty grim.
4 [not before noun] informal ill: Juliet felt grim through the early months of her pregnancy.
hold/hang on for/like grim death British English informal to hold something very tightly because you are afraid
grimly adverb: Arnold smiled grimly.
grim vs. grime
grime [uncountable] /graɪm/
a lot of dirt [= filth]:
The walls were black with grime.
sinister koban, zloban, mracan, zloslutan
making you feel that something evil, dangerous, or illegal is happening or will happen
there is something/nothing sinister about somebody/something
There was something sinister about Mr Scott's death.
notorious
famous or well-known for something bad [= infamous]: a notorious computer hacker
notorious for a judge notorious for his cruelty and corruption
p.25
stray [only before noun]
1 a stray animal, such as a dog or cat, is lost or has no home
2 accidentally separated from other things of the same kind: One man was hit by a stray bullet and taken to hospital.
appoint [transitive]
1 to choose someone for a position or a job: officials appointed by the government
appoint somebody to something He's been appointed to the State Supreme Court.
appoint somebody to do something A committee was appointed to consider the plans.
appoint (somebody) as something O'Connell was appointed as chairman.
2 formal to arrange or decide a time or place for something to happen:
The committee appointed a day in June for celebrations.
Everyone assembled in the hall at the appointed time (=at the time that had been arranged).