newsvocab2
Terms
-
very shocking and surprising
It costs a --------- $50 000 per week to keep the museum open to the public.
- staggering
-
the fame and public admiration that a person receives as a result of a particular achievement or position in society
Being an actor has a certain amount of ----- attached to it.
- kudos
-
If you have ------ eyes, your eyes are red and watery and you cannot see clearly, because you are tired or have just woken up
to be ------eyed
- bleary
-
strange or unnatural and making you feel frightened
a ----- film
- creepy
-
to cause something new, or many new things, to grow or start suddenly
the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster in 1986 ------ed an army of zombies bent on destroying humanity.
- spawn
-
doing particular pieces of work for different organizations, rather than working all the time for a single organization
Most of the journalists I know are/work -------.
- freelance
-
a soldier who fights for any country or group that pays them
- mercenary
-
loss of the ability to remember
In his later life he suffered periods of -------.
- amnesia
-
thick and like jelly
The liquid suddenly solidifies into a --------- mass.
- gelatinous
-
movement which is quiet and careful in order not to be seen or heard, or secret or indirect action
These thieves operate with terrifying ------- - they can easily st
- stealth
-
----- things have moved apart from similar things and are not in their expected or intended place
Several journalists have been killed or injured by ----- bullets wh
- stray
-
a person or thing that is different from what is usual, or not in agreement with something else and therefore not satisfactory
Statistical -------es can make it difficult to compare
- anomaly
-
frightening
The monument stands as a ------ reminder of man's inhumanity to man.
- chilling
-
the popularity and financial success of a film or actor
The superhero's latest adventure, "Spider-Man 3," smashed -------- records with $148 million in its first three days
- box-office
-
If someone will not budge, or you cannot budge them, they will not change their opinion
I've tried persuading her, but she won't -----.
- budge
-
If a business ------s -- its activity, it increases it
The company announced plans to ----- -- production to 10 000 units per month.
-
ramp up
-
to stop something bad from happening, or to keep an unwanted situation or person away, usually temporarily
We were hoping to ----- --- these difficult decisions until September.
-
stave off
-
a company which produces goods for sale, the goods themselves, or the company's name or symbol
Her favourite designer ----- (= make
- label
-
power to influence people and get the results you want
If the United Nations had more troops in the area, it would have greater ---------.
- leverage
-
to hold in your mind or to be willing to consider or accept
The General refused to -------- the possibility of defeat.
- entertain
-
to spread slowly
The news has begun to -------- through the staff.
- percolate
-
awkward because of being large, heavy or ineffective
----------- bureaucracy
- cumbersome
-
to accept something eagerly
She ------ed -- the chance of a trip to Paris.
-
jump at
-
to act in a less severe way towards someone and allow something that you had refused to allow before
Her parents eventually ------ed and let her go to the party.
- relent
-
to take a long time to leave or disappear
After the play had finished, we ---------ed for a while in the bar hoping to catch sight of the actors.
- linger
- on ------ --- in prison and waiting to be killed as a punishment for a crime
-
death row
- a person who helps someone else to commit a crime or to do something morally wrong
- accomplice
-
not large in size or amount, or not expensive
They live in a fairly ------- house, considering their wealth.
- modest
-
an increase or improvement
Many analysts are predicting an ------ in the economy.
- upswing
-
a small space with walls or curtains around it, that is separate from the rest of a room and where you can be private when taking clothes off, etc
I was getting undressed in on
- cubicle
-
to listen to someone until they have said everything they want to say
At least ----- me ----before making up your mind.
-
hear out
-
to persuade someone forcefully to do something which they are unwilling to do
The court heard that the six defendants had been ------ed into making a confession.
- coerce
-
material like very thick stiff paper, usually pale brown in colour, which is used especially for making boxes
-------- boxes
- cardboard
-
to lift and give support to something by putting something under it
Chinese prostitutes in Japanese kimonos ----- -- drunken office workers
-
prop up
-
to step awkwardly while walking or running and fall or begin to fall
Running along the beach, she ------ed on a log and fell on the sand.
- stumble
-
friendly and easy to talk to
She was quite ------- at the meeting.
- affable
-
to wear or be decorated with something
Back in the 1960s he -----ed bell-bottom trousers, platform heels and hair down past his shoulders.
- sport
-
to calculate an amount, especially by using a measuring device
I tried to ------ (= guess) the weight of the box.
- gauge
-
a short often amusing story, especially about something someone has done
He told one or two amusing --------s about his years as a policeman.
- anecdote
-
returning to older and worse conditions, methods, ideas, etc
He said it would be a --------- step to remove single parent benefit.
- retrograde
-
someone who helps another person to commit a crime but does not take part in it
an --------- to murder
- accessory
-
to close or hold something very tightly, often in a determined or angry way
The old man --------ed his fist and waved it angrily at us.
- clench
-
so obvious that it can easily be seen or known, or (of a feeling) so strong that it seems as if it can be touched or physically felt
Her joy was -------.
- palpable
-
to hit someone with your hand in a light, joking way
His brother -----ed him playfully round the head.
- cuff
-
a person who is kept in a prison or a hospital for people who are mentally ill
- inmate
-
an important positive development
The group has made ------s to expand internationally.
- stride
-
an amusing and ridiculous piece of writing, music, theatre, etc. that copies the style of an original work
They did a ----- on/of the Nine O'Clock News. <
- spoof
-
strange, surprising or uncontrolled in an amusing way
a ---- film
- zany
-
to cause great damage to something
The area has been -------ed by drought/floods/war.
- ravage
-
an unusually large number of events, especially unwanted ones, happening at about the same time
Police are investigating a ----- of burglaries in the Kingsland Road
- spate
-
to understand something completely, or to describe something correctly
We haven't been able to ---- ---- the cause of the fire yet.
-
nail down
-
a sudden strong wind
A sudden ----- of wind blew his umbrella inside out.
- gust
-
a piece of wood or coal, etc. which continues to burn after a fire has no more flames
We sat by the glowing/dying -----s of the fire.
- ember
- a main road for public use or a passage through somewhere
- thoroughfare
-
to feel positive about something or someone, or to treat them in a very positive way
The gods ------ed -- us and we had brilliant sunshine throughout the day.
-
smile on sth/sb
-
INFORMAL dirty
Don't wipe your ------- hands on my clean towel!
- grubby
-
(usually of a person or animal with short legs and a fat body) to walk with short steps, swinging the body from one side to the other
- waddle
-
a person who intentionally damages property belonging to other people
-------s smashed windows and overturned cars in the downtown shopping district.
- vandal
-
not damaged
It's difficult to emerge from such a scandal with your reputation still ------.
- intact
-
a black powder made mainly of carbon which is produced when coal, wood, etc. is burnt:
It can be dangerous to let too much ----- accumulate inside a chimney.
- soot
-
involving little exercise or physical activity
a -------- job/occupation
- sedentary
-
quick, energetic and active
a ----- walk
- brisk
-
--------s of sb large numbers of people
He failed to turn up for the concert, disappointing the ------s of fans waiting outside.
- legion
-
to make food or a meal very quickly and easily
I think I've just about got enough time to ---- -- an omelette.
-
whip up
-
a special meal with very good food or a large meal for many people
"What a ------!" she said, surveying all the dishes on the table.
- feast
-
strange or unusual
The place is stuffed with -------- memorabilia like a sculpture of the Seven Dwarfs that Walt Disney gave to Debbie Reynolds.
- wacky
- objects that are collected because they are connected with a person or event which is thought to be very interesting
- memorabilia
-
connected with cooking or kitchens
My ------ skills are rather limited, I'm afraid
- culinary
-
a brief interruption in a war or argument, or an agreement to stop fighting or arguing for a period of time
Following last month's riots, the two big gangs in Los Angeles have fi
- truce
-
a very unpleasant and painful or difficult experience
The hostages' ----- came to an end when soldiers stormed the building.
- ordeal
-
to come close together in a group, or to hold your arms and legs close to your body, especially because of cold or fear
Everyone ------ed round the fire to keep warm
- huddle
-
to put on a piece of clothing
Many of the journalists had -----ed helmets
- don
-
very large guns that are moved on wheels or metal tracks, or the part of the army which uses these
Naval gunfire and ground-based ------- are generally less accurate than many aircra
- artillery
-
to stop something, especially by using force
Police in riot gear were called in to ----- the disturbances/unrest.
- quell
-
a place, especially a small group of buildings or a town, which maintains the authority or business interests of a distant government or company
a police/military/colonial ------
- outpost
-
very large
a ---------- appetite
- gargantuan
-
a --------- ------of sth a place that is full of something good
a --------- ----- of information
-
treasure trove
-
to produce large amounts of something quickly, usually something of low quality
The factory -----s --- thousands of pairs of these shoes every week.
-
churn out
-
a piece of jewellery which is worn round the neck, consisting of a long chain with an object hanging from it, or the object itself
It was a beautiful necklace with a diamond --------
- pendant
-
to switch a feature on a computer on and off by pressing the same button or key
By -------ing this key, you can switch the italics on and off.
- toggle
-
If something is tactile, it has a surface which is pleasant or attractive to touch
Her paintings have a very ------- quality.
- tactile
-
a temporary difficulty which causes a short delay
We streamed a couple of songs from the VX9400 over to the headset without a ------.
- hitch
-
very thin, or easily broken or destroyed
You won't be warm enough in that -------dress.
- flimsy
-
(an act of) staying awake, especially at night, in order to be with an ill person, or to express especially political disagreement, or to pray
Supporters of the peace movement
- vigil
-
said when you are pleased that a bad or unwanted thing or person, or something of poor quality, has gone
We've got rid of the old computer system, and --- --- --- ---- ---- ----
- good riddance (to bad rubbish)
-
a detailed plan or route of a journey
The tour operator will arrange transport and plan your ---------.
- itinerary
-
a long and determined attempt to achieve something which you believe in strongly
They have long been involved in a ------ for racial equality.
&n
- crusade
-
not truthful
Some of these statements are misleading and some downright -----------.
- mendacious
- If a suggestion, plan, rule, etc. is ------ -- -----, it cannot be changed
-
carved in stone
-
a particular physical form or condition of something or someone that is changing or developing
This film is the latest ---------- of a fairy tale that dates back to the Middle Ages.<
- incarnation
-
hot liquid rock which comes out of the earth through a volcano, or the solid rock formed when it cools
molten ----
- lava
-
a very deep narrow opening in rock, earth or ice
They leaned over the rails and peered down into the dizzying ------ below.
- chasm
-
a difficult situation that brings trouble or destruction
The country is sinking/plunging into an ----- of violence and lawlessness.
- abyss
-
a place where a wild animal lives, often underground and hidden, or a place where a person hides
a fox's ----
the thieves' ----< - lair
- a person who lends money in exchange for items which they can sell if the person leaving them does not pay an agreed amount of money in an agreed time
- pawnbroker