indefinite article
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
5 minutes/an hour/20 years etc ago
▪
Her husband died 14 years ago.
a breach of an agreement (= an act of breaking an agreement )
▪
Both sides were accusing each other of breaches of the agreement.
a common/an everyday event
▪
The death of a child was a common event in those days.
a difficult/an awkward stage
▪
He was 13 and going through that awkward stage.
a hint/trace of an accent
▪
I could detect the hint of a German accent in her voice.
a means to an end (= a way of achieving what you want )
▪
To Joe, work was a means to an end, nothing more.
a means to an end (= something you do only to achieve a result, not because you want to do it or because it is important )
▪
Many of the students saw the course as a means to an end: a way of getting a good job.
a military rebellion/an army rebellion
▪
Marlborough considered leading a military rebellion against the new king.
a naked/an open flame (= not enclosed with a cover )
▪
Never use a naked flame near spray paint.
a name/an identity tag
▪
Every baby had a name tag on his or her wrist.
a parallel/an alternative universe
a party wins/loses an election
▪
Do you think the Labour Party can win the next election?
a plane accident/an airplane accident ( also a flying accident )
▪
Holly died in a plane accident.
(a) quarter of an hour (= fifteen minutes )
▪
Mum was gone for about a quarter of an hour.
a quarter of an hour
▪
I’ll meet you in a quarter of an hour .
a side of an equation (= the letters and numbers on one side of an equals sign )
▪
Find the square root of both sides of the equation.
a side of an equation
▪
We need to discuss the financial side of the equation.
a surprise announcement/an unexpected announcement
▪
The Senator made the surprise announcement that he will not be seeking re-election.
a test of ability/an ability test
▪
Examinations are not always a good test of ability.
▪
The class was given a verbal ability test.
abandon/give up an attempt
▪
They had to abandon their attempt to climb the mountain.
accept an application
▪
The college refused to accept my application.
accept an award
▪
Miller accepted the award for best comedy show.
accept an explanation (= believe that it is true or correct )
▪
The court accepted her explanation.
accept an invitation
▪
Are you going to accept their invitation to the wedding?
accept an invitation
▪
She accepted his invitation to dinner.
accept an offer
▪
In the end I had to accept his offer of £4,500.
accept an offer (= say yes to it )
▪
Are you going to accept their offer?
accept an opportunity
▪
I wish that I’d accepted the opportunity to retire when it was offered.
according to an estimate
▪
According to some estimates, an acre of forest is cleared every minute.
achieve/accomplish an objective ( also attain an objective formal )
▪
The policy should help us achieve our objective of reducing paper waste.
act as an incentive (= be an incentive )
▪
The chance of promotion acts as an incentive for many employees.
act on an impulse (= do something because you have a sudden desire to do it )
▪
Acting on an impulse, he decided to visit his sister.
administer an injection formal (= give sb an injection )
▪
She was taught how to administer an injection.
administer an oath (= be the official person who listens to it )
admit an offence
▪
He had admitted sex offences against children.
adopt/assume an identity (= give yourself a new identity )
▪
She assumed a false identity and went to live in South America.
afford (sb) an opportunity/chance
▪
It afforded her the opportunity to improve her tennis skills.
agree an agenda
▪
The meeting ended in chaos as representatives were unable to agree an agenda.
amend an act (= make small changes )
▪
In 1978 the act was amended to make the earliest mandatory retirement age 70.
an abandoned baby (= left somewhere by a mother who does not want it )
▪
The abandoned baby was found under a hedge.
an A/B/C student American English (= one who usually gets an A, B, or C for their work )
▪
He was an A student all the way through high school.
an abiding/enduring/lasting memory (= that you will always have )
▪
The children's abiding memory of their father is of his patience and gentleness.
an ability group (= a group that students are taught in, based on their level of ability )
▪
Children are divided into different ability groups.
an abject apology formal (= one that shows that you are very sorry )
▪
The BBC issued an abject apology for insulting the Queen.
an abortive attempt formal (= unsuccessful )
▪
They made an abortive attempt to keep the company going.
an abridged version (= one that is shortened from the original but not changed in any other way )
▪
Reader’s Digest published abridged versions of many popular novels.
an abrupt halt (= one that is sudden and unexpected )
▪
His career came to an abrupt halt when he was seriously injured in a road accident.
an absolute bargain
▪
£59.99 is an absolute bargain.
an absolute maximum
▪
Entries are limited to an absolute maximum of 100 words.
an absolute/bare minimum (= the very least amount )
▪
He paid in five pounds, the bare minimum needed to keep the bank account open.
an absolute/complete nightmare
▪
The whole day was an absolute nightmare.
an absolute/outright/clear majority (= a majority that has been won by more than half the votes )
▪
There was no party with an absolute majority in the House of Commons.
an abstract concept (= based on general ideas rather than on something that exists )
▪
He finds it hard to grasp abstract concepts.
an abstract notion
▪
In art, how can you represent abstract notions such as peace or justice?
an abstract sculpture
▪
an abstract sculpture of the universe
an absurd/ridiculous notion
▪
They had the ridiculous notion that they could make a living from singing.
an abuse of power (= a wrong or unfair use of power )
▪
This cover-up is a scandalous abuse of power.
an academic career
▪
She wanted to pursue an academic career.
an academic curriculum (= involving studying from books, not practical subjects )
▪
They unquestioningly accept the traditional academic curriculum.
an academic discipline (= a subject that is studied at university )
▪
the academic disciplines of linguistics, psychology and sociology
an academic essay
▪
Mature students often need practice writing academic essays.
an academic subject
▪
Children who are not good at academic subjects may excel in music or sport.
an academic/practical etc turn of mind
▪
youngsters with an independent turn of mind
an acceptable/reasonable/satisfactory compromise
▪
By 1982 an acceptable compromise had been reached.
an accepted convention
▪
Saying 'thank you' and 'please' is an accepted convention.
an accepted/received notion (= an idea that most people believe )
▪
These women challenged accepted notions of female roles in society.
an accessory before/after the fact (= someone who helps a criminal before or after the crime )
an accident happens ( also an accident occurs formal )
▪
No one saw the accident happen.
▪
Most road accidents occur in urban areas.
an accident inquiry
▪
The accident inquiry revealed that the accident had been caused by human error.
an accident investigation/inquiry
▪
The two deaths are the subject of an accident inquiry.
▪
Accident investigations often take months.
an accident investigator
▪
Accident investigators have been there all morning.
an accident victim
▪
One of the accident victims is still trapped in his vehicle.
an accidental hero (= someone who becomes a hero by chance )
▪
He became an accidental hero after discovering the injured child while out walking.
an accidental/chance discovery (= happening by chance )
▪
Some of the tombs were the result of chance discoveries.
an accident/crash victim
▪
The crash victims were rushed to hospital.
an accurate account
▪
Both newspapers gave fairly accurate accounts of what had happened.
an accurate record
▪
Many hospitals did not keep accurate records.
an accurate/exact translation
▪
The most accurate translation of the word would be ‘master’.
an accurate/reliable estimate (= fairly exact )
▪
It’s hard to put an accurate estimate on the number of people affected.
an accurate/true picture
▪
Our aim is to build an accurate picture of the needs of disabled people.
an accurate/true reflection
▪
These reports were not an accurate reflection of existing attitudes.
an acoustic/an electric/a classical guitar
an acoustic/an electric/a classical guitar
an acquired taste (= something that people do not like at first )
▪
This kind of tea is an acquired taste, but very refreshing.
an acre/hectare of land
▪
The family owned hundreds of acres of land.
an acrid smell (= strong and bitter )
▪
The acrid smell of smoke clung about the place.
an acrimonious exchange formal (= in which people show their anger and criticize each other )
▪
The newspaper article led to a series of acrimonious exchanges between leading scientists.
an act becomes law
▪
In the 40 years since the Abortion Act became law there have been repeated attempts to amend or repeal it.
an act comes into force
▪
Since the act came into force, all public buildings must have disabled access.
an act of courage/bravery
▪
The men were awarded the medals for acts of courage.
an act of defiance (= when you refuse to obey or respect someone )
▪
As an act of defiance Leigh dropped out of high school a month before graduation.
an act of faith (= when you do something that shows you trust someone completely )
▪
The signing of the treaty with Britain was an act of faith.
an act of kindness/love
▪
We were grateful for her act of kindness.
an act of parliament (= a law that has been passed by parliament )
▪
Their rights are guaranteed by Act of Parliament.
an act of revenge
▪
The men were shot dead in an act of revenge for Khan’s assassination.
an act of terrorism (= when someone kills people or bombs a place for political reasons )
▪
It was the worst act of terrorism in US history.
an act of terrorism
▪
The prosecution alleged that the men had been responsible for many acts of terrorism.
an act of vandalism (= when someone deliberately damages things, especially public property )
▪
These mindless acts of vandalism affect the whole community.
an act of violence
▪
Police warned that acts of violence would not be tolerated.
an act of violence/aggression
▪
Incidents of sexual harassment and acts of violence against women were on the increase.
an act prohibits sth
▪
Section 47 of the Act prohibits the making of misleading statements to the police.
an action plan
▪
My accountant developed a detailed action plan with specific targets.
an active imagination (= when someone is able to form pictures or ideas easily )
▪
Some of the children have an overactive imagination.
an active interest
▪
As a teenager he began to take an active interest in politics.
an active life
▪
He lived a full and active life.
an active lifestyle
▪
Studies show that an active lifestyle can reduce your chance of developing heart disease.
an active lifestyle (= in which you exercise )
▪
An active lifestyle has many health benefits.
an active member
▪
She became an active member of the Geological Society.
an active member (= one who takes part in many activities of an organization )
▪
She was an active member of the church.
an active mind (= when someone is able to think quickly and clearly )
▪
A fit body is crucial if you want an active mind.
an active part
▪
Our members take an active part in fund-raising.
an active participant
▪
The student must be an active participant in the learning process.
an active role
▪
Most men play a less active role in family life than women.
an active role (= when you do practical things to achieve particular aims )
▪
She took an active role in the community.
an active supporter
▪
The company is an active supporter of animal rights groups.
an active supporter
▪
He remained an active supporter of Greenpeace.
an acute embarrassment (= extremely severe and important )
▪
Her memoirs were an acute embarrassment to the president.
an acute shortage (= very bad )
▪
They were suffering because of an acute shortage of doctors and nurses.
an added advantage (= an extra advantage )
▪
Candidates with experience in Sales and Marketing would have an added advantage.
an address book (= a book or a file on your computer, where you keep people’s addresses )
an adequate supply
▪
The larger cities usually have more modern health facilities and an adequate supply of medicines.
an administrative chore (= a chore such as writing letters or paying bills )
▪
filling in forms and other administrative chores
an administrative post
▪
For the next twelve years, he held various administrative posts in Bombay.
an administrative/bureaucratic nightmare (= something that is very complicated and difficult to keep accurate records of )
▪
Dealing with so many new applications for asylum is an administrative nightmare.
an admission charge (= for being allowed to enter a place )
▪
There is no admission charge.
an admission of failure
▪
Dropping out of college would be an admission of failure.
an adopted child (= legally made part of a family that he or she was not born into )
▪
I didn’t find out that I was an adopted child until years later.
an adult learner
▪
Many adult learners also work full-time.
an advanced civilization
▪
Philosophy is a luxury of an advanced civilization.
an advanced country
▪
technologically advanced countries such as Japan
an advanced learner
▪
Mastering idioms and phrasal verbs is frequently the greatest challenge facing the advanced learner of English.
an advanced stage
▪
Negotiations are at an advanced stage.
an advanced state of sth
▪
The dead bird was in an advanced state of decay.
an advanced/modern society
▪
The Greeks formed the first advanced societies in the West.
▪
This kind of hatred and violence have no place in a modern society like ours.
an advancing army (= moving forward in order to attack )
▪
The advancing Roman army was almost upon them.
an adventure story
▪
an exciting adventure story for children
an adverse impact formal (= a bad effect )
▪
The loss of forests has had an adverse impact on bird populations.
an adverse reaction formal (= a bad reaction )
▪
The patient died after having an adverse reaction to the drug.
an adverse/unfortunate consequence (= that affects your life, a situation etc badly )
▪
Divorce often has unfortunate consequences for children.
an advertising ban
▪
Is an advertising ban a denial of freedom of speech?
an advertising slogan
▪
The company has dropped its original advertising slogan.
an advertising/employment/travel etc agency
▪
a local housing agency
an advertising/marketing/sales campaign
▪
The store ran a television advertising campaign just before Christmas.
an advice centre/service/desk/bureau
▪
They offer a 24-hour advice service to customers.
an advisory committee
▪
a government advisory committee
an advisory council (= for giving advice )
▪
The report was issued by the Advisory Council on Science and Technology.
an aerial photograph (= one taken from a plane )
▪
Aerial photographs can be used to locate archaeological sites.
an affluent society/area etc
▪
the affluent Côte d'Azur
an after-dinner speaker (= someone who makes speeches after formal meals )
▪
As every after-dinner speaker knows, a joke or two is always much appreciated.
an after-dinner speech (= after a formal dinner )
▪
He gets paid a lot for making after-dinner speeches.
an afternoon nap (= short sleep )
▪
Dad was having his Sunday afternoon nap.
an afternoon/morning nap
▪
She has her afternoon nap at about two.
an age gap (= a difference in age between two people )
▪
Despite the age gap, they became good friends.
an age group
▪
Older people are being affected by the economic downturn more than other age groups.
an age group/bracket/range
▪
Men in the 50–65 age group are most at risk from heart disease.
▪
The school takes in children from the seven to eleven age range.
an age limit
▪
There’s no upper age limit for drivers.
an age limit
▪
The lower age limit for entering the Royal Marines is sixteen.
an age restriction
▪
Employers can no longer place age restrictions on applicants.
an age-old tradition/practice/custom etc British English
▪
age-old customs
an ageing population (= gradually becoming older on average )
▪
The rapidly ageing population will put a strain on the country's health care system.
an agony column British English (= that gives advice to readers about personal problems )
▪
Romantic relationships are much discussed in all the agony columns.
an agreement breaks down (= it stops working )
an agricultural/a rural economy (= one that is based mainly on farming )
▪
The early 1920s saw a rapid expansion in the American agricultural economy.
an agricultural/secretarial/technical etc college
▪
I wanted a job in farm management so I went to agricultural college.
an aid programme/scheme/package
▪
The UN aid programme provided most of the finance.
an aid worker
▪
Aid workers warned of a worsening situation.
an aid/relief/humanitarian convoy (= taking food, clothes, medicine etc to people in disaster areas )
▪
The United Nations aid convoy finally reached the border.
an air of excitement (= a general feeling of excitement among a group of people )
▪
There was a real air of excitement before the game.
an air of mystery (= something that seems mysterious )
▪
There was an air of mystery about him.
an air raid (= when bombs are dropped from planes )
▪
His parents were killed in an air raid.
an air-conditioned coach
▪
Travel is by air-conditioned coach.
an air-conditioning system
▪
The building hasn’t got an air-conditioning system.
an air/bomb attack (= an attack from a plane using bombs )
▪
Malta was under heavy air attack.
an airing cupboard British English (= a warm cupboard for sheets and towels )
an airline flight
▪
domestic airline flights
an airline reservation
▪
Make sure you have an airline reservation before booking the hotel.
an airline/plane/air ticket
▪
You can pick up your airline tickets at the check-in desk.
an air/rail disaster (= an air or rail accident )
▪
The crash was the worst rail disaster in Pakistan’s history.
an airtight/watertight container (= not allowing air or water in )
▪
Seeds are best stored in airtight containers.
an alarm button
▪
He hit the alarm button under the desk.
an alarm clock goes off (= rings at a particular time )
▪
What time do you want the alarm clock to go off tomorrow?
an alarm clock (= that makes a noise to wake you up )
▪
He forgot to set his alarm clock.
an alarm goes off ( also an alarm sounds formal )
▪
The thieves fled when an alarm went off.
an alarm system
▪
an electronic burglar alarm system
an alarming rate
▪
The alarming rate of increase in pollution levels has concerned environmentalists.
an alarming/worrying/disturbing trend
▪
I have detected a worrying trend of late.
an alarm/security system
▪
A new alarm system has been installed.
an alcoholic drink (= containing alcohol )
▪
Beer, wine, and other alcoholic drinks will be available.
an alien concept (= an idea that is very strange or that does not exist )
▪
In many countries, queuing for a bus is an alien concept.
an all-inclusive price/package/holiday etc
▪
an all-inclusive vacation cruise
an all-out attack (= that is done with a lot of determination )
▪
General Smith was in favour of an all-out attack on the enemy.
an all-out strike (= in which all the workers have stopped working completely )
▪
The company faces an all-out strike next month.
an all-out strike British English (= when all the workers in a factory, industry etc strike )
▪
The dockers voted for an all-out strike.
an all-round education (= including a balance of lots of different subjects )
▪
The school offers a good all-round education.
an all-star/a star-studded/a stellar cast (= a lot of very famous actors )
▪
The movie features an all-star cast.
an all-time high/low
▪
The price of wheat had reached an all-time low.
an all-time record
▪
The price of oil has hit an all-time record.
an alleged conspiracy (= that people say exists but that is not yet proved to exist )
▪
The charges against him relate to an alleged conspiracy.
an alleged crime (= not proved to have happened )
▪
No evidence of the alleged crime was presented.
an allergic reaction
▪
If you develop an allergic reaction to your sunscreen, change it.
an almighty explosion old-fashioned (= extremely loud )
▪
There was an almighty explosion and I was knocked to the ground.
an alternative lifestyle (= one that is different from most people's )
▪
Is choosing to be green really an alternative lifestyle?
an alternative method (= a method that is different than the usual one )
▪
Try to use alternative methods of transport, such as cycling or taking the bus.
an alternative route (= one that you can use instead )
▪
Holiday-makers bound for South Wales are advised to find an alternative route.
an alternative solution
▪
We need to look for alternative solutions.
an alternative source
▪
The university is exploring alternative funding sources.
an amazing variety
▪
The market has an amazing variety of fresh fish.
an ambiguous/vague concept (= one that is not clear or is hard to define )
▪
Creativity is an ambiguous concept.
an ambitious goal (= an aim that will be difficult to achieve )
▪
The agreement set ambitious goals to cut greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.
an ambitious programme
▪
The European Community embarked on an ambitious programme of research.
an ambitious project
▪
Young people often enjoy the challenge of an ambitious project.
an ambulance crew
▪
The woman had to be rescued from her car by an ambulance crew.
an amendment to the constitution (= a change )
▪
the First Amendment to the American Constitution
an American/English etc expression
▪
She remembered the American expression her mother had always used: 'Life’s a breeze'.
an American/Japanese etc tourist
▪
She saw a crowd of Japanese tourists, cameras at the ready, wandering down the path.
an amicable settlement (= when people agree in a friendly way )
▪
Disputes were often taken to a village council, which attempted to bring about an amicable settlement.
an amount/a length of time
▪
Customers only have a limited amount of time to inspect the goods.
an amused smile/look/expression etc
an amusing story/anecdote/incident etc
▪
The book is full of amusing stories about his childhood.
an analysis shows sth
▪
DNA analysis shows that the blood and the saliva come from the same person.
an analysis suggests/indicates sth
▪
Our analysis suggests that these problems are widespread.
an ancient city
▪
the ancient city of Jerusalem
an ancient site
▪
The organization maintains and restores ancient sites, castles, monuments etc.
an angry denial
▪
There were angry denials of corruption in the police force.
an angry exchange
▪
His angry exchange with the referee earned him a yellow card.
an angry response
▪
His comments sparked an angry response from opposition politicians.
an angry/furious expression
▪
Her angry expression turned to one of utter despair.
an angry/threatening gesture
▪
One of the men made a threatening gesture, and I ran.
an anguished/agonised cry (= full of distress )
▪
She gave an anguished cry, calling his name.
an angular face (= so thin that you can see the bones )
▪
She stared at his dark, angular face.
an announcement comes (= it happens )
▪
His announcement came after two days of peace talks.
an annoying/unpleasant/nasty habit
▪
He had the unpleasant habit of eating with his mouth open.
an annual competition
▪
Last year he won the magazine’s annual photo competition.
an annual conference
▪
the biggest annual conference for teachers of English
an annual holiday (= a holiday you take every year )
▪
We were getting ready for our annual holiday in Cornwall.
an annual increase
▪
The company reported a 10% increase in pre-tax profits.
an annual inspection
▪
The aircraft was due for its annual inspection.
an annual meeting (= an important meeting held once a year )
▪
the annual meeting of the British Medical Association
an annual quota
▪
The US immigration laws imposed a strict annual quota for each country of origin.
an annual review
▪
There will be an annual review of your salary.
an annual survey
▪
Every council will be required to conduct an annual survey of residents.
an annual/a monthly fee
▪
An annual fee of £150 has been introduced.
an annual/monthly subscription
▪
An annual subscription to the magazine costs $20.
an annual/monthly/weekly budget
▪
The organization has an annual budget of $24 million.
an annual/monthly/weekly cycle (= the related events that repeat themselves every year, month etc )
▪
the annual cycle of planting and harvesting crops
an annual/monthly/weekly/daily total
▪
The Government plans to increase the annual total of 2,500 adoptions by up to 50%.
an anonymous call (= in which the caller does not give their name )
▪
The £10,000 demand was made in an anonymous call to his home.
an anonymous donation (= from someone who does not give their name )
▪
The charity confirmed it had received an anonymous donation of £100,000.
an answering machine (= for recording telephone messages )
▪
There’s a message on the answering machine.
an antenatal clinic British English (= giving medical care to pregnant women )
▪
The staff at the antenatal clinic will give you the results of your blood test.
an anthology of poems (= a book of poems by different people )
▪
She gave me an anthology of poems for children.
an anti-government protest
▪
Religious leaders continued to lead anti-government protests.
an anti-government/anti-war etc rally
▪
The peace groups made plans to hold an anti-war rally.
an anti-government/pro-democracy etc demonstration
▪
There have been further violent anti-government demonstrations this week.
an anti-smoking/anti-bullying etc campaign
▪
How effective has the anti-smoking campaign been?
an anti-virus program
▪
You should update your anti-virus program regularly.
an ants' nest
▪
a red ants' nest
an anxious/troubled/worried expression
▪
She stood looking at me with an anxious expression.
an apartment block
▪
I met him at his apartment block in Manhattan.
an apartment building ( also an apartment block British English apartment house American English )
▪
a five-storey apartment block
▪
Our apartment building is the last block on the right, opposite the bank.
an apartment complex (= a group of buildings containing apartments )
an apartment complex American English
▪
a luxury apartment complex on Fulton Street
an apocryphal story (= one that is well-known but probably not true )
▪
There are many apocryphal stories about him.
an apparent lack of sth (= one that seems to exist )
▪
Adam's apparent lack of concern angered his brother.
an apparent similarity (= one that seems similar but really is not )
▪
Many apparent similarities became less convincing on closer examination.
an appeal fails/succeeds
▪
If the appeal fails, he will serve his full sentence.
an appeal fund (= money collected to help people who are in a very bad situation )
▪
The appeal fund has now reached £65,000.
an appeal/request for aid
▪
International aid agencies launched an appeal for emergency aid.
an appeals court/court of appeal (= dealing with cases in which people are not satisfied with a decision )
▪
The appeals court rejected the defence’s argument.
an application form
▪
Simply fill in the application form and return it to your bank.
an appointment card (= one with your appointments on )
▪
The dentist gave me a new appointment card.
an appreciative comment (= showing that you think something is good or nice )
▪
Appreciative comments may improve your staff’s performance.
an approaching storm (= one that is coming closer )
▪
The horizon was dark with an approaching storm.
an appropriate measure (= a measure that is suitable for a particular situation )
▪
In the event of an assault, staff will need to take appropriate measures to defend themselves.
an appropriate response
▪
She laughed, which didn't really seem an appropriate response.
an appropriate/apt metaphor (= a very suitable one )
▪
Building on sand is an apt metaphor for the challenge we face.
an approval/popularity rating
▪
His popularity rating remains high.
an approving nod/glance/smile etc
an approximate/rough figure
▪
He gave us an approximate figure for the cost of the repairs.
an aptitude test (= a test that measures your natural abilities )
an arable farm (= a farm where crops are grown )
▪
Tractors represent the single biggest cost on most arable farms.
an arable field (= one used for growing crops )
▪
Barley was growing in the arable fields surrounding the castle.
an arable/agricultural crop (= grown on farm land )
▪
A lot of woodland has been cleared for arable crops.
an arch enemy (= main enemy, used for emphasis )
▪
The comic book character Lex Luthor is Superman’s arch enemy.
an archaeological site
▪
Archaeological sites are often discovered by accident.
an Arctic/Antarctic expedition
▪
I accompanied the explorer on one of his Arctic expeditions.
an ardent/fervent supporter (= very enthusiastic )
▪
She is an ardent supporter of the government's proposed tax reforms.
an arduous journey (= to a place that is difficult to reach )
▪
the arduous journey to the North Pole
an arduous task (= needing a lot of effort and hard work )
▪
We began the arduous task of carrying the furniture to the top floor.
an area of conflict (= a subject or matter that causes conflict )
▪
There may be many areas of conflict between parents and teenagers.
an area of disagreement (= an idea or subject that people disagree about )
▪
Substantial areas of disagreement still exist between scientists.
an area/field of research
▪
This is a very exciting area of research.
an argument breaks out (= it starts )
▪
The men were drunk and an argument soon broke out.
an argument erupts (= a big argument suddenly starts )
▪
A bitter argument erupted between the brothers over who should inherit the money.
an armed attack
▪
Armed attacks against Israeli settlements are on the increase.
an armed clash (= involving the use of weapons )
▪
The violence could soon become armed clashes and even a war.
an armed convoy (= carrying weapons )
▪
a heavily armed convoy of three vehicles
an armed gang (= with guns )
▪
An armed gang stole jewels worth more than five million pounds.
an armed terrorist
▪
They were gunned down by armed terrorists outside their hotel.
an arms embargo (= one that stops weapons being sold or sent to a country )
▪
Ministers knew that the arms embargo was being broken.
an arms/weapons deal (= one which involves selling weapons )
▪
A number of recent arms deals have embarrassed the government.
an army base/camp
▪
the local army base
an army officer
▪
Both daughters married army officers.
an army recruit
▪
The army recruits must undergo basic training.
an army unit
▪
The town was surrounded by army units.
an army/naval/military etc officer
an arranged marriage (= when your parents choose the person you will marry )
▪
In their culture, there is a tradition of arranged marriage.
an arrestable/indictable offence (= one that you can be arrested for or must go to court for )
▪
Indictable offences are tried by a jury in a Crown Court.
an arson attack (= intended to destroy a building by burning it )
▪
Ten classrooms were completely destroyed in the arson attack.
an art collection
▪
the National Gallery’s art collection
an art gallery
▪
a guide to the city's museums and art galleries
an article appears in a newspaper/magazine
▪
A couple of articles appeared in local papers, but nothing else.
an artificial environment
▪
Animals hate being confined in an artificial environment.
an artificial pitch British English
▪
The club is building a new artificial training pitch at its sports ground.
an artistic director (= person who controls which plays a theatre produces and how they are produced )
▪
The artistic director announced that a new play would be staged next month.
an art/music/drama college
▪
The Music College was founded in 1869.
an arts centre (= for art, music, theatre, film etc )
▪
Shall we go to the concert at the arts centre on Saturday?
an arts degree (= in a subject that is not science )
▪
She has an arts degree from Sussex University.
an assassination attempt (= an attempt to kill a leader )
▪
De Gaulle survived an assassination attempt in 1961.
an assassination plot
▪
The assassination plot to kill General de Gaulle was unsuccessful.
an assault case
▪
She had to attend court as a witness in an assault case.
an assault charge
▪
He’s in jail on an assault charge.
an assistant coach
▪
He took a job as an assistant coach at the college.
an associate member (= one who has fewer rights than a full member )
▪
Turkey is an associate member of the European Union.
an atmosphere of tension
▪
Voting took place in an atmosphere of tension.
an atom/atomic bomb
▪
Oppenheimer was the father of the atomic bomb.
an attack happens/takes place ( also an attack occurs formal )
▪
The attack took place at around 10 pm Thursday.
an attack of nerves (= a time when you feel very nervous )
▪
Harrison had an attack of nerves before the match.
an attempt fails/succeeds
▪
All attempts to find a cure have failed.
an attempted/abortive/failed coup (= one that did not succeed )
▪
There was an attempted coup against Togo’s military dictator.
an attitude exists
▪
This attitude no longer exists in the church.
an attitude of mind British English (= a way of thinking )
▪
Being young is simply an attitude of mind.
an attractive feature
▪
The house had many attractive features, notably the large garden.
an attractive option (= one that sounds or is good )
▪
If time is short, taking the car to northern France is an attractive option.
an attractive proposition
▪
Setting up your own business is a very attractive proposition.
an attractive/handsome/pleasing etc appearance
▪
Large blue eyes set in a long thin face give him a striking and attractive appearance.
an audible sigh (= a sigh that can be heard )
▪
Tonight she breathed an audible sigh of relief as the show ended.
an audience cheers
▪
The audience cheered loudly when he came on stage.
an audience claps
▪
Most of the audience clapped but a few people jeered.
an audience laughs
▪
He has the ability to make an audience laugh.
an audio commentary (= a recorded commentary that you listen to )
▪
The DVD extras include an audio commentary by the film director.
an auspicious/inauspicious start (= one that makes it seem likely that something will be good or bad )
▪
His second term in office has got off to an extremely inauspicious start.
an authoritarian regime (= with very strong control )
▪
The post-war authoritarian regimes of eastern Europe have been replaced by democratically elected governments.
an authority figure (= someone, such as a parent or teacher, who has the power to tell young people what they can do )
▪
The teacher is an authority figure, like the parent.
an automatic weapon (= an automatic gun )
▪
He was shot 120 times with automatic weapons.
an autonomous region/state/republic etc
▪
Galicia is an autonomous region of Spain.
an autopsy report ( also a post-mortem report British English ) (= that shows the results of an examination on a dead body to find the cause of death )
▪
The autopsy report gave the cause of death as alcohol poisoning.
an auxiliary verb (= a verb that is used with another verb to show its tense, person, etc. In English these are 'be', 'do', and 'have' )
an average length
▪
These worms grow to an average length of about 1 metre.
an average speed
▪
Our average speed was 88 mph.
an avid/voracious reader (= someone who eagerly reads a lot of books )
▪
She was an avid reader of historical novels.
an award scheme British English
▪
The league started a new award scheme for young players.
an award winner
▪
The award winners will be announced in December.
an awards ceremony (= to give people prizes for good achievements )
▪
the annual television awards ceremony
an awards ceremony
▪
My parents wanted to be at the awards ceremony.
▪
The stars are gathering for the annual awards ceremony.
an away game (= played at an opposing team's sports field )
▪
We didn't win any away games last season.
an away match (= played at the place where the opponent usually practises )
▪
This is their last away match of the season.
An awful lot of (= a large number of people )
▪
An awful lot of people died in the war.
an awful lot ( also a whole lot informal ) (= a very large amount or number )
▪
He spends an awful lot of time on the computer.
an awful/appalling tragedy (= very unpleasant and shocking )
▪
This is an appalling tragedy which will haunt us for the rest of our lives.
an awkward pause
▪
After an awkward pause, Ray began to answer my question.
an awkward position
▪
My foot was in an awkward position.
an awkward question (= one that someone does not want to answer )
▪
How can we keep the press from asking awkward questions?
an awkward/uncomfortable/embarrassed silence
▪
‘Fred tells me you like books,’ Steve said, after an awkward silence.
an ear/eye infection
▪
She was given antibiotics for an ear infection.
an earlier version
▪
The President vetoed an earlier version of the bill.
an early diagnosis (= at an early stage of a disease )
▪
Early diagnosis gives patients the best chance of recovery.
an early end
▪
Hopes of an early end to the conflict are fading.
an early frost (= one that happens before winter )
▪
I hoped the early frost wasn’t a sign of a bad winter to come.
an early lead (= a lead early in a game, election etc )
▪
Liverpool took an early lead with a goal from Steven Gerrard.
an early night (= when you go to bed early )
▪
I'm really tired - I need an early night.
an early sign (= a sign near the beginning of something that shows that it is happening, or that it exists )
▪
an early sign of spring
an early stage (= near the beginning of a process )
▪
Patients can be treated with drugs, especially at the early stage of the disease.
an early/earlier draft (= written before others )
▪
In earlier drafts of the speech, he criticized the pace of political progress.
an early/initial setback (= happening quite soon )
▪
The policy has been successful, despite some early setbacks.
an early/late breakfast
▪
We had an early breakfast and left before 7.30.
an early/late shift
▪
Nobody wants to do the late shift.
an early/late start
▪
It was long trip so we had planned an early start.
an earthquake destroys/damages sth
▪
The earthquake completely destroyed all the buildings on the island.
an earthquake happens ( also an earthquake occurs formal )
▪
Scientists cannot predict when an earthquake will occur.
an earthquake hits/strikes a place (= happens in a particular place )
▪
The region was struck by a major earthquake last year.
an earthquake measures 5/6.4 etc on the Richter Scale
▪
The earthquake, which measured 7.6 on the Richter scale, left more than 20,000 homeless.
an earthquake zone (= where earthquakes are quite likely to happen )
▪
It’s not advisable to build nuclear reactors in an earthquake zone.
an easterly/westerly etc breeze
▪
A gentle easterly breeze was blowing in from the Atlantic.
an easy mistake (to make)
▪
She looks like her sister, so it’s an easy mistake to make.
an easy movement (= without effort )
▪
She swung her legs off the bed in one easy movement.
an easy option ( also a soft option British English ) (= a choice which is not difficult, or which needs the least effort )
▪
For most people, divorce is never an easy option.
an easy victory
▪
Arsenal expected an easy victory.
an easy walk
▪
From here it is an easy walk to the summit.
an easy way
▪
Here’s an easy way to cut up a mango.
an easy win
▪
The Australian appeared to be heading for an easy win.
an easy/difficult child (= easy or difficult to deal with )
▪
Marcus was a very happy, easy child.
an easy/soft target
▪
Some criminals now regard churches as easy targets.
an eating disorder (= in which someone stops eating a normal amount of food )
▪
Eating disorders can be very difficult to treat.
an eating disorder (= a mental illness which causes you to eat too much or too little )
▪
She described her battle with the eating disorder bulimia.
an eating/dessert apple (= one which is sweet enough to eat )
▪
Use dessert apples for this recipe.
an ebb tide (= the flow of the sea away from the shore )
▪
We sailed out to sea on the ebb tide.
an ecological/environmental disaster (= causing great damage to nature )
▪
This region is facing an ecological disaster as a result of toxic waste.
an economic boom
▪
the postwar economic boom
an economic crisis (= a situation in which there are a lot of problems with the economy, that must be dealt with quickly so the situation does not get worse )
▪
The country’s economic crisis continues to deepen as workers demonstrated against rising food prices.
an economic embargo (= one that does not allow any trade or financial business with a country )
▪
He asked for an immediate end to the economic embargo imposed last year.
an economic enterprise (= one that is intended to make money )
▪
It's an economic enterprise, not a charity.
an economic forecast
▪
The Bank of England revised its economic forecast in the wake of the figures.
an economic impact
▪
It is difficult to measure the economic impact of the war.
an economic indicator (= something that shows how well the economy of a country is doing, and what is likely to happen to it in the future )
▪
The main economic indicators show that the economy is still in decline.
an economic migrant (= someone who goes to another country to find a better job )
▪
They are economic migrants, escaping terrible poverty in their home country.
an economic miracle
▪
Brazil seemed to be experiencing an economic miracle.
an economic motive
▪
Many people believed that there were economic motives to the decision to go to war.
an economic policy (= the way in which a government manages the economy of a country or area )
▪
Controlling inflation is the main aim of the government’s economic policy.
an economic programme
▪
The party did not have a clear economic programme.
an economic recession
▪
The economic recession of the '70s led to a fall in recruitment.
an economic recovery
▪
The U.S. is showing solid signs of an economic recovery.
an economic sector (= one part of the economy )
▪
The country is making efforts to expand such economic sectors as tourism and information technology.
an economic slowdown/downturn (= when businesses become less successful )
▪
Experts are predicting an economic slowdown at the beginning of next year.
an economic strategy
▪
The government has changed its economic strategy.
an economic theory
▪
His economic theory assumes that both labour and capital are perfectly mobile.
an economic zone (= an area with special trade or tax conditions )
▪
The area has been made a special economic zone.
an economic/military/business/political etc objective
▪
We have made good progress towards meeting our business objectives.
an economic/political/financial etc crisis
▪
The country was headed into an economic crisis.
an editorial column (= that expresses the opinion of a newspaper editor )
▪
the Financial Times editorial column
an educated/informed guess (= a guess based on things that you know are correct )
▪
Stockbrokers try to make educated guesses as to which stocks will do well.
an education authority (= a government organization that makes official decisions about education in one particular area )
▪
The school is funded by the local education authority.
an education centre
▪
Many elderly people come to the education centre to learn to use computers.
an educational aim
▪
the educational aims of the school
an educational establishment (= a school, college etc )
▪
It’s a large educational establishment with over 2,000 pupils.
an education/health/sports etc correspondent
▪
Here is our sports correspondent with all the details.
an eerie silence (= one that is strange and rather frightening )
▪
An eerie silence descended over the house.
an effect lasts (= continues )
▪
The effect of the drug lasts about six hours.
an effect wears off (= gradually stops )
▪
The effect of the anaesthetic was beginning to wear off.
an effective cure
▪
A few decades ago there was no effective cure for the disease.
an effective means
▪
Is reducing the speed limit an effective means of reducing accidents?
an effective method
▪
Exams are not the most effective method of assessing students’ abilities.
an effective partnership
▪
The agency tries to forge effective partnerships with communities and private businesses.
an effective solution
▪
The government has failed to come up with an effective solution.
an effective solution
▪
The most effective solution to traffic congestion is to build more roads.
an effective system
▪
The country has a simple but effective welfare system.
an effective technique
▪
This is an effective technique for removing unwanted hair.
an effective treatment
▪
Antibiotics are still the most effective treatment for this disease.
an effective way
▪
What’s the most effective way to control crime?
an effective/efficient means
▪
Speed bumps are an effective means of stopping cars from going too fast.
an effective/successful campaign
▪
The Conservatives failed to mount an effective campaign.
an efficient means
▪
The tram is a very efficient means of transport.
an efficient method
▪
The railways used to provide a cheap efficient method of travel.
an efficient service
▪
We aim to provide our clients with an efficient and friendly service.
an efficient system
▪
We need a more efficient system for collecting money.
an efficient way
▪
Email is an efficient way of contacting a large number of people.
an effort of will (= a big effort to do something that you find difficult because of the way you feel )
▪
It took a huge effort of will not to cry.
an effort of will (= a determined effort to do something you do not want to do )
▪
With a great effort of will, she resisted the temptation to look at the letter.
an elaborate lie
▪
Her parents didn’t realise that it was all an elaborate lie.
an elaborate pretence (= one that is carefully planned and done, but obviously not true or real )
▪
He made an elaborate pretence of yawning and said he was going to bed.
an elaborate system
▪
The proposal has to get through an elaborate system of committees.
an elected politician
▪
Are the country’s elected politicians trustworthy?
an election broadcast British English (= a programme by a party saying why people should vote for them in an election )
▪
a Conservative Party election broadcast
an election broadcast (= shown before an election to persuade people to vote for a party )
▪
a Labour party election broadcast
an election campaign
▪
The election campaign got off to a bad start.
an election candidate British English (= someone trying to be elected in an election )
▪
Local party members choose the election candidates.
an election promise/pledge (= one that is made while a person or party is trying to be elected )
▪
The government has broken all its election promises.
an election rally (= a public meeting to support a politician or party before an election )
▪
He drove to Paris to address an election rally.
an election rally
▪
The senator was due to address an election rally that evening.
an election victory/defeat
▪
He became prime minister after a decisive election victory.
an election year (= a year in which there is an election )
▪
The Chancellor won’t raise taxes in an election year.
an election/campaign/manifesto pledge
▪
The governor had kept her campaign pledge to slash taxes.
an election/electoral campaign
▪
He was candidate in the 2008 election campaign.
an election/electoral defeat
▪
It was their worst general election defeat since 1982.
an election/electoral victory
▪
The Democrats were celebrating their election victory.
an electoral alliance (= made between parties before an election )
▪
The weaker Liberal Democratic party was now considering an electoral alliance with Labour.
an electoral mandate (= gained by winning an election )
▪
Ford took over when Nixon resigned, and thus did not have an electoral mandate of his own.
an electoral/election contest
▪
What will be the outcome of the electoral contest?
an electrical storm (= one with lightning )
▪
Power supplies have been affected by severe electrical storms in some parts of the country.
an electric/electricity cable
▪
Be careful you don't cut through an electric cable.
an electricity bill (= a bill you have to pay for electricity you have used )
▪
I pay my electricity bill by direct debit.
an electricity company
▪
Some electricity companies may be able to offer you an environmentally friendly option.
an electricity/gas/phone etc bill
▪
I’ll have to pay the gas bill too next month.
an electronic calculator
▪
Candidates may use electronic calculators in the exam.
an electronic device
▪
The shops are always full of new electronic devices.
an electronic dictionary (= small electronic machine containing a dictionary )
▪
Electronic dictionaries are very popular in Japan.
an electronic instrument
▪
An electronic instrument requires no tuning and very little maintenance.
an element of doubt (= a slight doubt )
▪
There’s an element of doubt about his true age as he doesn’t have a birth certificate.
an element of luck (= an amount of luck that is involved in something )
▪
There is always an element of luck when hiring someone for a job.
an element of mystery (= part of something that seems mysterious )
▪
There is an element of mystery and miracle in the process.
an elementary/intermediate/advanced course
▪
an advanced course in art and design
an element/degree of risk (= some risk, but not much )
▪
There is always an element of risk in flying.
an email address
▪
What’s your email address?
an email attachment (= a computer file sent in an email )
▪
Don’t open an email attachment unless you know who sent it.
an email message
▪
I can send email messages on my phone.
an email/mail message (= a message that you receive by email )
▪
Just send me an email message to let me know what time.
an embarrassed silence
▪
There was an embarrassed silence, then Gina laughed loudly.
an embarrassed smile/laugh/grin
▪
Lucy gave an embarrassed smile and looked down at her feet.
an embarrassing incident
▪
He left after an embarrassing incident in the bar.
an embarrassing question
▪
The media began to ask embarrassing questions about MPs' expenses.
an emergency call (= to the police, fire service, or ambulance service )
▪
The police normally respond immediately to an emergency call.
an emergency meeting (= a meeting that is arranged quickly to discuss a very serious situation )
▪
The cabinet held an emergency meeting earlier today.
an emergency operation (= a medical operation that is carried out quickly when someone has been injured or become ill suddenly )
▪
He had an emergency operation to save his sight.
an emergency operation
▪
He had to have his spleen removed in an emergency operation.
an emergency session (= a political meeting that is arranged quickly to discuss a very serious situation )
▪
an emergency session of the UN Security Council
an emergency situation
▪
If an emergency situation arises, the pilot and crew must stay calm.
an emergency vehicle (= an ambulance or fire engine )
▪
Emergency vehicles rushed to the scene.
an emergency/urgent meeting
▪
The Council has called an emergency meeting to decide what action to take.
an emerging/fledgling democracy (= new )
▪
the emerging democracies of Eastern Europe
an emotional bond
▪
As soon as we met we felt an emotional bond.
an emotional reaction (= showing strong emotion, especially by crying )
▪
I was surprised by her emotional reaction to the news.
an emotional response
▪
When she died, the emotional response was extraordinary.
an emotional speech (= showing emotions, especially by crying )
▪
On retiring, she delivered an emotional farewell speech.
an emotional/psychological impact
▪
Their mother’s death had a huge emotional impact on the children.
an empire collapses (= fails and ends suddenly )
▪
When the business empire collapsed, thousands of employees lost their jobs.
an empire crumbles (= loses power gradually )
▪
The vast empire was beginning to crumble.
an empire falls/collapses (= loses power suddenly )
▪
In A.D.476, the western part of the Empire collapsed.
an empire grows
▪
As the empire grew, its new territories needed to be protected.
an employee joins a company/firm etc
▪
Employees who join the firm after April receive a percentage of the annual bonus.
an employee leaves
▪
When a senior employee leaves the company, we hold an exit interview.
an employment contract ( also a contract of employment ) (= an official document stating the details about someone’s employment )
▪
There is a clause in your employment contract covering holiday entitlement.
an empty chair (= with no one using it )
▪
She came and sat in an empty chair beside me.
an empty gesture (= something you do that does not achieve anything important )
▪
The President's attempt at negotiation was an empty gesture which failed to satisfy his critics.
an empty slogan (= a slogan that promises something which is not actually done )
▪
We want real progress, not just empty slogans.
an empty space
▪
Another day we returned to find an empty space where the TV should have been.
an empty/idle threat (= one that is not sincere )
▪
She was not a woman to make idle threats.
an empty/idle/vain boast (= a false statement that something is good or possible )
▪
‘Making knowledge work’ is the university’s phrase, and it is no idle boast not a boast, but true .
an empty/vacant seat
▪
Patrick spotted an empty seat near the back.
an end in itself (= the thing that you want to achieve )
▪
The programme is not an end in itself, but rather the first step the prisoner takes towards a new life.
an endless/inexhaustible supply (= one that does not end, or seems not to end )
▪
He has an endless supply of jokes.
an enduring myth (= that has continued for a long time )
▪
The idea that Kennedy was shot by the CIA is one of the enduring myths of our time.
an enemy force (= a military group that is your enemy )
▪
The town is occupied by enemy forces.
an enemy position (= a place controlled by an enemy army )
▪
General Hunt ordered an air strike on the enemy positions.
an enemy spy
▪
He gave information to enemy spies.
an energy bill
▪
We are looking at ways of cutting our energy bill.
an energy company
▪
a state-owned energy company
an energy crisis
▪
Europe could soon face an energy crisis.
an energy shortage
▪
California experienced energy shortages that in turn led to power outages.
an energy source
▪
We hope to see increased usage of renewable energy sources.
an energy/oil/fuel crisis
▪
There is an energy crisis here, with power cuts happening daily.
an engagement ring
▪
I noticed that she had an engagement ring on her finger.
an engaging personality (= pleasant, so that people like you )
▪
He is strikingly handsome with a very engaging personality.
an engine cuts out (= stops suddenly )
▪
The engine keeps cutting out.
an engine idles/ticks over (= runs slowly while the vehicle, machine etc is not moving )
▪
The taxi waited at the kerb, its engine idling noisily.
an engine runs
▪
He parked outside the bank and kept the engine running.
an engineering/building/electronics etc firm
▪
Fred worked for an electronics firm.
an English/a full breakfast (= a big breakfast with bacon, egg, toast etc - used especially in hotels )
▪
A lot of people like to have an English breakfast on holiday.
an English/American/French etc equivalent
▪
Savings and loan associations are the American equivalent of Britain’s building societies.
an English/French etc translation
▪
He wrote the first English translation of Homer’s 'Iliad'.
an English/history/politics etc essay
▪
He got a good grade for his English essay.
an enterprise economy (= an economic system in which there are many private businesses )
▪
An enterprise economy can generate wealth and reduce unemployment.
an enterprise zone (= an area created by the government to attract businesses )
▪
Many firms relocate to enterprise zones because of tax incentives.
an enterprise zone (= where businesses are encouraged )
▪
Small businesses predominated in the enterprise zone.
an entertainment complex (= with cinemas, restaurants and other places to go )
▪
There are plans for an entertainment complex with cinemas and a bowling alley.
an entertainment district (= where there are a lot of bars, clubs etc )
▪
Visitors to Roppongi, Tokyo’s entertainment district, come to experience the latest fashions and have fun.
an enthusiastic amateur (= someone with a fairly low level of skill who tries hard )
▪
There are a few professionals in the race, but most are enthusiastic amateurs.
an enthusiastic audience
▪
They drew enthusiastic audiences at Europe's biggest rock festival.
an enthusiastic response
▪
There has been an enthusiastic response to the introduction of soccer coaching for girls.
an enthusiastic/keen supporter
▪
Eisenhower had been an enthusiastic supporter of the regime.
an enthusiastic/rapturous/rousing reception (= in which people show a lot of approval in a noisy way )
▪
She received an enthusiastic reception.
an entrance exam (= in order to enter a school or university )
▪
Jane passed the entrance exam but decided not to go.
an entrance examination (= to enter a school or university )
▪
He had now failed the college entrance examination twice.
an entrance gate/door
▪
Soldiers were guarding the entrance gate.
an entrance hall (= a room at the entrance to a building )
▪
He walked through the front door into the entrance hall.
an entrance lobby/foyer (= an area at the entrance to a large building )
▪
There was no sign of her in the entrance foyer.
an entrance/entry fee (= a fee to enter a place )
▪
The gallery charges an entrance fee.
an entry point (= a place where people can enter a country )
▪
The 2,000 mile border is the main entry point into the country for illegal aliens.
an entry ticket (= a ticket that allows you to enter a place )
▪
The holiday includes a 2-day entry ticket to the Euro Disneyland Theme Park.
an entry visa (= a visa which allows you to enter a country )
▪
Visitors to the United States must first obtain an entry visa.
an entry/exit visa
▪
All foreigners need an entry visa.
an enviable position (= a situation that other people would like to be in )
▪
He is in the enviable position of not needing to work.
an enviable reputation (= a good one that others would like to have )
▪
The company has established an enviable reputation for quality.
an environmental group
▪
a campaign by environmental groups to protect the Antarctic
an environmental hazard (= a danger or problem in the environment )
▪
Oil from the tanker caused an environmental hazard.
an environmental impact
▪
The environmental impact of the construction project is being investigated.
an environmental problem
▪
Air pollution is our most serious environmental problem.
an epic journey (= a very long and eventful journey )
▪
Lewis and Clark made their epic journey across the continental United States in the early 1800s.
an equal number/amount
▪
Both candidates received an equal number of votes.
an equal partnership
▪
They regard marriage as an equal partnership.
an equal probability
▪
Each new baby has an approximately equal probability of inheriting maleness or femaleness.
an equalizing goal British English (= a goal that gives you the same number of points as your opponent )
▪
A loud cheer went up as he scored the equalizing goal.
an equestrian statue (= a statue of someone riding a horse )
▪
He presented the city with an equestrian statue of King William.
an era begins
▪
A new era began for Northern Ireland with the signing of the peace agreement.
an era ends
▪
The era of cheap oil has ended.
an error arises/occurs formal (= happens )
▪
If an error occurs, you will have two more chances to re-enter your password.
an escape attempt/bid
▪
She made several unsuccessful escape attempts before finally getting away.
an escape plan
▪
You should have an escape plan in the event of a fire.
an escape route
▪
All their escape routes had been blocked.
an escape route (= a way of leaving a building or place in an emergency such as a fire )
▪
Check that your escape route is clear.
an escaped prisoner
▪
Soldiers arrived, looking for escaped prisoners.
an essay question
▪
We practised essay questions from previous exam papers.
an essay title
▪
You will find a list of essay titles on the notice board.
an essay topic
▪
Students will be given six essay topics, from which they must choose two.
an essential component
▪
Controlling inflation is an essential component of the government’s economic strategy.
an essential difference
▪
The essential difference between the two boats lies in the design of the hull.
an essential feature
▪
A free press is an essential feature of a democracy.
an essential ingredient
▪
Most people believe that love is an essential ingredient in a marriage.
an essential requirement
▪
Confidence is an essential requirement for success.
an essential/fundamental difference (= a very basic one )
▪
The fundamental differences between the two sides slowly emerged.
an essential/important item
▪
Salt was an important item in the Roman economy.
an established convention (= one that has been used for a long time )
▪
There are established conventions for how you should end a letter.
an established custom
▪
He had criticized some of the school’s established customs.
an established fact (= a piece of information that has been tested and shown to be true )
▪
It is an established fact that 1 in 10 undergraduates leave university in their first year.
an established institution (= an official organization that has existed for a long time )
▪
The incoming prime minister was critical of many established government institutions.
an estate car British English (= one with a door at the back and folding seats )
▪
Once you have children, an estate car is very useful.
an estimate puts sth at sth
▪
Independent estimates put the number of refugees at 50,000.
an eternity ring (= a ring given as a sign of lasting love, especially one with stones all round it )
an ethical minefield
▪
The issue of animal testing is an ethical minefield.
an ethnic clash (= between people of different races )
▪
20 people died in ethnic clashes before Christmas.
an ethnic community (= people of a particular race, usually one that is not white or not the majority in a country )
▪
Most members of ethnic communities in Britain were born here.
an ethnic group (= one whose members belong to a particular race or nation )
▪
The university welcomes enquiries and applications from all ethnic groups.
an ethnic group
▪
People of Ukrainian descent are Canada’s fifth largest ethnic group.
an ethnic identity (= the feeling of belonging to one race or national group )
▪
These small tribal communities share a common ethnic identity.
an ethnic minority (= a small ethnic group living within a much larger group )
▪
Ethnic minorities have tended to live together in the same areas of the city.
an ethnic mix (= a mixture of people from different ethnic groups who live in the same place )
▪
The city has a wonderful ethnic mix.
an ethnic Russian/Albanian etc (= someone whose family is Russian etc, but who is living in another country )
▪
Romania’s 1.6 million ethnic Hungarians make up about 7 percent of the country’s population.
an etymological dictionary (= showing the origin and history of words )
▪
Etymological dictionaries show how languages borrow words from each other.
an even number (= 2, 4, 6, 8 etc )
▪
All even numbers can be divided by 2.
an evening bag (= a small bag that a woman takes out with her in the evening )
▪
She put her lipstick in a black velvet evening bag.
an evening breeze
▪
People were out walking, enjoying the evening breeze.
an evening class
▪
Mum goes to an evening class on Tuesdays.
an evening dress (= a formal dress to wear in the evening )
▪
She arrived in a red evening dress.
an evening meal
▪
I was just preparing the evening meal when the phone rang.
an evening newspaper/paper
▪
I bought an evening newspaper to read on my way home.
an evening paper
▪
Ian usually buys an evening paper on his way home.
an evening suit (= a formal suit that men wear to social events in the evening )
▪
He put on a black evening suit.
an evening/midday meal
▪
The evening meal is served at 7.30.
an event happens/takes place ( also an event occurs formal )
▪
The event took place last year.
an everyday/commonplace experience (= one that is typical of normal life )
▪
The sound of gunfire is an everyday experience in the city.
an evil spell
▪
The people still believe in evil spells.
an exact copy/replica (= something which has been made, that is exactly like another thing )
▪
The vessel is an exact replica of a Viking longboat.
an exact equivalent (= something that has exactly the same meaning, purpose, value etc as something else )
▪
There is no exact equivalent in English for the phrase.
an exact match (= something that is exactly the same as something else )
▪
The two DNA samples were an exact match.
an exam essay/script (= that someone has written during an exam )
▪
I’ve brought in some old exam scripts for us to look at.
an exam paper
▪
I’ve still got dozens of exam papers to mark.
an exam question
▪
Read the exam questions carefully before writing your answers.
an exam/a test question
▪
You have to answer twenty exam questions.
an examination paper
▪
There will be a choice of questions on the examination paper.
an examination pass
▪
To apply, you need at least two A-level examination passes.
an examination question
▪
Read the examination questions carefully before writing your answers.
an examination script (= everything that someone writes in an examination )
▪
I've just finished marking 200 examination scripts.
an examination shows ( also an examination reveals formal )
▪
A second examination showed a small growth in his stomach.
an example shows/illustrates sth
▪
These examples show how the disease can be passed on to humans.
an exceptional case
▪
In the 1950s, some working class students went on to university, but these were exceptional cases.
an exceptional event
▪
If an exceptional event occurs, such as the death of a family member, you can ask for the court case to be postponed.
an excessive use of sth
▪
Farmers have been criticized for their excessive use of chemical fertilizers.
an exchange market (= a financial market where different currencies are bought and sold )
▪
The pound rose against the dollar on the world foreign currency exchange markets.
an exchange of views (= when people say what they think, especially when they disagree )
▪
There was a frank exchange of views at the meeting.
an exciting development (= a change that makes a product, situation etc better )
▪
This exciting development could mark the end of the long-running conflict.
an exciting discovery
▪
The existence of the new solar system was a very exciting discovery.
an exciting new sth
▪
There are many exciting new developments in cancer research.
an exciting opportunity
▪
The job offers an exciting career opportunity for the right individual.
an exciting possibility
▪
Penny allowed herself to consider the exciting possibility that Jack might be at the party.
an exciting prospect (= an event in the future, about which you feel excited )
▪
For the team, there’s the exciting prospect of travelling to many major cities.
an exciting prospect (= a person who has a good chance of success in the future )
▪
His pace and skill mark him as one of the most exciting prospects in Super League.
an exciting time
▪
It was the most exciting time of my life.
an exclusive club (= only open to particular people )
▪
Unfortunately, I’m not a member of the exclusive club of millionaires.
an exclusive deal/contract (= one that says that no other person or company can do the same job )
▪
Our firm has an exclusive contract to handle the company’s legal affairs.
an exclusive hotel
▪
With its marble columns and crystal chandeliers, the Crillon is one of the most exclusive hotels in Paris.
an exclusive neighbourhood British English , an exclusive neighborhood AmE:
▪
Some of these kids are from the most exclusive neighbourhoods.
an exclusive report/interview/picture (= appearing in only one newspaper or magazine )
▪
The newspaper featured exclusive pictures of the couple’s new baby.
an exclusive school
▪
Marjorie went to an exclusive girls’ school.
an exclusive shop ( also an exclusive store American English )
▪
I walked along Bond Street, past all the exclusive shops.
an exclusive suburb/area
▪
They live in an exclusive suburb on the north side of the city.
an execution takes place (= it happens )
▪
In Elizabethan times, the execution of traitors took place on Tower Hill.
an executive committee (= that manages an organization and makes decisions for it )
▪
He sat on the firm's Executive Committee.
an executive order (= an order from a president )
▪
President Grant issued an executive order establishing a reservation for the Nex Perce Indians.
an exercise bike (= used for exercising indoors )
▪
I usually go on the exercise bike and the rowing machine.
an exercise class
▪
I usually go to my exercise class on Wednesdays.
an exercise programme/routine/regime British English , an exercise program American English (= a plan that includes different types of exercise )
▪
The athletes follow an intensive exercise programme.
▪
I’m finding it quite hard to stick to my exercise routine.
an exhausted sleep (= because you were very tired )
▪
He finally woke from an exhausted sleep.
an exhibition centre
▪
The exhibition centre has an interesting display of contemporary art.
an exhibition centre British English , an exhibition center American English (= a large building for holding exhibitions )
▪
The exhibition will be held in the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham.
an exhibition hall
▪
There’s a large exhibition hall on the ground floor.
an exhibition of sculpture
▪
a large exhibition of modern sculpture
an exhibition stand (= a stand for showing things at an exhibition )
▪
He took up his position at the exhibition stand.
an exhibition venue (= a place where exhibitions can be held )
▪
We are still looking for suitable exhibition venues.
an existing client (= one that you already have )
▪
We are very keen to keep our existing clients happy.
an exit door
▪
Exit doors shouldn’t be blocked at any time.
an exit poll (= when people are asked how they have just voted )
▪
The exit polls said that 46 percent of women had voted for Obama.
an exit route (= a way out of a building, plane etc, used in an emergency or a fire )
▪
Staff must become familiar with the building’s exit routes.
an exit sign (= one showing where an exit is )
▪
There was a red glowing exit sign over the door.
an exit sign (= one showing the names of places or roads near an exit )
▪
Stay on the same road until you see an exit sign for Rhode Island.
an exotic flower
▪
We grow exotic flowers from all over the world.
an exotic pet (= from a foreign country and not seen or found very often )
▪
Often the owners do not know how to care for these exotic pets.
an exotic/far-off destination (= far away from where you are, and exciting )
▪
The company arranges tours to exotic destinations such as Nepal.
an expansion plan
▪
The city’s ambitious expansion plans will require major investment.
an expansion programme
▪
The company’s aggressive expansion program will double the size of the chain in the next four years.
an expansion programme
▪
Such an aggressive expansion programme could double the business in five years.
an expensive commodity
▪
Consumers began to find that they could afford more expensive commodities.
an expensive gift
▪
He was always showering Louise with expensive gifts.
an expensive mistake (= a mistake which results in someone having to spend a lot of money )
▪
Choosing the wrong builder turned out to be an expensive mistake.
an expensive/cheap restaurant
▪
He took her out to an expensive restaurant.
an experienced driver (= who has a lot of experience of driving )
▪
Young drivers are ten times more likely to be killed on the road than experienced drivers.
an experiment shows/proves/demonstrates sth
▪
His experiment showed that lightning was a kind of electricity.
▪
The experiment proved that fabrics treated with the chemical are much less likely to catch fire.
an experiment to test/measure/find out sth
▪
We did an experiment to test the acidity of the soil.
an expert witness (= someone who has special knowledge, for example of medicine, and who talks about it in court )
▪
The jury had to choose between the conflicting testimonies of expert witnesses.
an explosion destroys sth
▪
Seven people died when the explosion destroyed the bus.
an explosion kills sb
▪
Last year, an underground explosion killed 82 miners.
an explosion occurs formal
▪
The explosion occurred just off the coast of Greece.
an explosion of anger
▪
The verdict was greeted by an explosion of public anger.
an explosion of colour literary
▪
After the rain, the desert bloomed in an explosion of color.
an explosion of interest in something
▪
There has been an explosion of interest in networking websites in the last few years.
an explosion of violence
▪
The army had to cope with the explosion of violence that followed the elections.
an explosion shakes sth
▪
A series of explosions shook the building.
an explosion takes place/happens
▪
The largest explosion took place at the main post office.
an explosive bullet
▪
An explosive bullet is a very unpleasant weapon.
an export ban ( also a ban on exports )
▪
During the crisis, France imposed an export ban on British beef.
▪
The ban on exports was lifted in June.
an export crop (= grown to be exported )
▪
Cocoa is the country's main export crop.
an export licence (= an official document giving you permission to sell something to another country )
▪
You will have to submit an application for an export licence.
an export market
▪
The US is Scotland’s second largest export market after France.
an export permit
▪
An export permit is required for the export of this timber.
an export/import ban
▪
The export ban on live cattle was brought in some years ago.
an express coach (= travelling quickly without stopping much )
▪
Express coach services run throughout the day.
an express train/a fast train (= one that does not stop at many places )
▪
He boarded the express train to London.
an expression of anger
▪
She tried to protect the children from his expressions of anger.
an expression of concern
▪
His release from prison provoked expressions of concern from members of the public.
an expression of regret
▪
The military has not offered any expression of regret over the civilian loss of life.
an expression of surprise (= one showing that you are surprised )
▪
He looked at me with an expression of surprise.
an expression of sympathy
▪
There was no apology, no expression of sympathy for what Anna had suffered.
an expression of sympathy
▪
I murmured an expression of sympathy.
an extensive range
▪
The winner will receive a brand-new kitchen from Magnet’s extensive range.
an extensive survey
▪
We conducted an extensive survey asking patients to suggest ways in which the service could be improved.
an extensive/wide-ranging review
▪
He is currently conducting a wide-ranging review of public spending.
an extra ten minutes/three metres etc
▪
I asked for an extra two weeks to finish the work.
an extra/added incentive
▪
The cash prize gives contestants an added incentive to do well.
an extra/added/additional/further dimension
▪
Movies soon had the added dimension of sound.
an extra/additional charge
▪
Breakfast may be served in your bedroom at no extra charge.
an extra/additional cost
▪
At the campsite, many activities are available at no extra cost.
an extradition treaty (= one which says that people can be brought back to a country for trial )
▪
The United States has had an extradition treaty with Mexico since 1978.
an extreme emergency (= a situation that is very worrying or dangerous )
▪
These weapons should be used only in an extreme emergency.
an extreme example
▪
To give you an extreme example, one lady called the police fifteen times in a single evening.
an extreme position
▪
Few people hold this extreme position today.
an extreme sport (= one that is dangerous )
▪
Many teenagers are attracted to extreme sports such as snowboarding.
an eye for detail (= skill at noticing all the small features )
▪
He's a brilliant photographer with a fantastic eye for detail.
an eye test ( also an eye exam American English ) (= to find out how well you can see )
▪
You should have an eye test every couple of years.
an eye test/a sight test
▪
All children starting school are given a sight test.
an eye-witness account (= an account of an event, given by the person who saw it happen )
▪
an eye-witness account of the attack
an eyesight examination/test
▪
The cost of the eyesight examination may be refunded.
an eyewitness/first-hand report (= from someone who saw what happened )
▪
Some were beaten and tortured according to first-hand reports from former prisoners.
an honest mistake (= a mistake, and not a deliberate action )
▪
Thomas admitted he had broken the law, but said that it had been an honest mistake.
an honest/straight answer
▪
The honest answer is that I don’t know.
an honorary member (= one who has been given membership as an honour )
▪
He was made an honorary member of the Botanical Society.
an honoured guest (= one who is given special respect and treatment )
▪
They were the honoured guests of the Queen at the Royal Garden Party.
an honours degree (= a British university degree that is above pass level )
▪
The ideal candidate will have an honours degree.
an hour/three hours etc ago
▪
He left an hour ago.
an hour/three hours etc earlier/before
▪
I had just seen him a few hours earlier.
an hour/three hours etc later
▪
An hour later she arrived home.
an hour’s walk/drive etc
▪
It’s about an hour’s drive away.
an hour’s/a two hour etc drive
▪
It’s a two hour drive from Calais to Thiepval.
an hour’s/six hours' etc work (= work that it took you an hour/six hours etc to do )
▪
I did two hours’ work before breakfast.
an ice cube (= a small square piece of ice that you add to a drink )
▪
She put a couple of ice cubes in her glass.
an icy/biting/bitter wind (= very cold )
▪
She shivered in the icy wind.
an idea comes to sb (= someone suddenly thinks of an idea )
▪
The idea came to me while I was having a bath.
an identity parade British English (= when someone looks at a line of people to see if they recognize a criminal )
▪
The victim identified her attacker from an identity parade.
an identity/ID card (= one that proves who you are )
▪
All US citizens must carry an identity card.
an idiomatic expression (= an idiom )
▪
Try to avoid using idiomatic expressions in an essay.
an idyllic setting (= a very beautiful and peaceful place )
▪
Three artists have come together to paint and teach in an idyllic setting in West Sussex.
an illegal act
▪
Driving without insurance is an illegal act.
an illegal immigrant
▪
Large numbers of illegal immigrants have found their way into the country.
an illegal migrant
▪
Thousands of illegal migrants were caught trying to cross the sea to England.
an illegal substance (= an illegal drug )
▪
Customs officials found an illegal substance in Smith’s luggage.
an illegal weapon
▪
He was charged with carrying an illegal weapon.
an illegal/banned/prohibited substance (= used mainly to refer to illegal drugs )
▪
Any player found guilty of using banned substances faces the prospect of a lengthy suspension.
an illegitimate baby (= born to an unmarried mother )
▪
The number of illegitimate babies is rising.
an illustrated lecture (= a lecture with pictures such as slides )
▪
Mrs Robinson gave a fascinating illustrated lecture on Spanish history.
an image consultant (= one who advises people how to improve their style or appearance )
▪
The new Prime Minister was advised to see an image consultant.
an image problem
▪
Politicians have an image problem as far as many young people are concerned.
an immediate ban
▪
The group has called for an immediate ban on fur farming.
an immediate goal (= that you need to achieve very soon )
▪
Our immediate goal is to cut costs.
an immediate halt
▪
The government called for an immediate halt to the fighting.
an immediate threat (= the possibility that something bad will happen very soon )
▪
The volcano erupted on Thursday but there is no immediate threat to nearby towns.
an immigrant community
▪
There are shops catering for the various immigrant communities.
an immigrant family
▪
A quarter of the school’s students are from immigrant families.
an impending disaster (= one that is going to happen soon )
▪
She had a sense of impending disaster.
an impertinent question (= one which you have no right to ask )
▪
She did not answer the maid’s impertinent question.
an import ban
▪
The US imposed an import ban on several types of fish.
an important commodity
▪
Crude oil is the world’s most important commodity.
an important consequence
▪
This discovery was an important consequence of his research.
an important constraint
▪
Their religious beliefs were an important constraint on their behaviour.
an important decision
▪
My father made all the important decisions.
an important element
▪
This one fact is the most important element of the theory.
an important engagement
▪
He had an important engagement with his solicitor.
an important exhibition
▪
an important exhibition of twentieth century art
an important factor
▪
Human influence has been an important factor as regards climate change.
an important feature
▪
The final-year project is an important feature of all undergraduate courses.
an important habitat
▪
The island is an important habitat for exotic animals.
an important issue
▪
The committee met several times to discuss this important issue.
an important means
▪
Surveys are an important means of gathering information.
an important moment
▪
This was probably the most important moment in his life.
an important move
▪
I cannot decide on such an important move on my own.
an important part
▪
Fresh fruit is an important part of our diet.
an important point
▪
That’s an important point to bear in mind.
an important precedent
▪
By doing this, an important precedent was established.
an important principle
▪
One important principle is that you should give yourself plenty of reward for your success.
an important sector
▪
Sport is now recognized as an important sector of economic activity.
an important topic
▪
The legal team will discuss a number of important topics.
an important/big question
▪
The book raises important questions about nationality and the role of a citizen.
an important/crucial distinction
▪
There is an important distinction between these two types of cancer.
an important/crucial match
▪
Luckily, all their players are fit for such an important match.
an important/essential characteristic
▪
An essential characteristic of good teaching is that it must create interest in the learner.
an important/major industry
▪
Agriculture is still a major industry in Scotland.
an important/major role
▪
She played an important role in her husband’s political career.
an important/major/big step
▪
The move is seen as a major step forward for UK firms.
an important/significant aspect
▪
A person’s nationality is an important aspect of their identity.
an important/significant event
▪
It’s natural to be nervous before such an important event.
an important/significant exception
▪
The treaty was ratified by all the EU member countries, with one significant exception, Britain.
an important/significant/crucial difference
▪
A study of the two groups of students showed a significant difference.
an important/significant/major influence
▪
Parents have an important influence on children's development.
▪
He was a major influence on my musical tastes.
an important/useful/valuable clue
▪
The car used in the robbery may provide important clues.
an import/export business
▪
Kingwell had an export business in New Zealand.
an import/export licence
▪
An export licence was issued in August last year.
an impossible dream (= about something that cannot happen )
▪
Having a number one record had seemed an impossible dream.
an impossible dream (= something you want, but will never happen )
▪
For a small club, winning the cup final will always be the impossible dream.
an impossible feat (= something that is impossible to do )
▪
She achieved the seemingly impossible feat of breaking the world record.
an impossible job/task
▪
He faced the impossible task of paying back huge debts.
an impossible position (= a very difficult situation )
▪
She was furious with Guy for putting her in such an impossible position.
an impressive/imposing building
▪
the impressive buildings around the town’s central square
an improved version
▪
The manufacturers come up with new, improved versions each year.
an improvement/rise in standards
▪
There has been an improvement in living standards.
an impulse buy (= buying something without having planned it )
▪
She admitted that the necklace had been an impulse buy.
an in-depth analysis (= detailed analysis) )
▪
an in-depth analysis of global warming
an in-depth article (= one that is detailed )
▪
Each issue contains in-depth articles and photographs.
an inauguration ceremony (= when someone becomes President, Chancellor etc )
▪
It was the nation's 53rd inauguration ceremony.
an incentive scheme (= in which people receive money to persuade them to work harder )
▪
There is a generous incentive scheme for the sales force.
an incentive scheme/system
▪
The incentive scheme was introduced to encourage companies to use renewable energy sources.
an inch/25mm etc of rain
▪
Two inches of rain fell in twelve hours.
an incident happens
▪
The incident happened as Mrs Edwards was walking her dog.
an incident occurs formal:
▪
The tragic incident occurred just after midnight.
an income bracket (= income level )
▪
In general, people in higher income brackets live longer.
an income group
▪
The budget will affect people differently, according to their income group.
an income level/group
▪
The tax rate rises with the individual’s income level.
an incorrect/wrong diagnosis
▪
The doctors apparently made an incorrect diagnosis.
an incorrigible liar/rogue etc
an increased/reduced risk
▪
Those who smoke have an increased risk of heart disease.
an increase/growth in sales
▪
The company is expecting a 20% increase in sales next year.
an increase/rise in expenditure
▪
The government has announced a planned 4.4% increase in public expenditure.
an increase/rise in salary
▪
They were offered a 10% increase in salary.
an indefinite period (= with no fixed end )
▪
The painting had been loaned to the gallery for an indefinite period.
an indefinite strike (= with no end planned )
▪
Workers at the processing plant have begun an indefinite strike.
an indelible impression formal (= lasting for ever )
▪
Alan’s wartime experiences had left an indelible impression on him.
an independent commission
▪
The plan requires approval by an independent commission.
an independent country (= not controlled by another country )
▪
Malaysia has been an independent country since 1963.
an independent expert (= someone who is not controlled by, or does not receive money from, an organization or the government )
▪
The authorities called in an independent expert to advise them.
an independent film (= a film made by a small film company )
▪
Young directors began making small independent films.
an independent inquiry (= one that is organized by people who are not involved in a situation )
▪
The Labour Party is calling for an independent inquiry into the conduct of the police.
an independent review
▪
Their findings have been confirmed by a recent independent review.
an independent state ( also a sovereign state formal )
▪
Croatia became an independent state in 1991.
an independent/sovereign nation (= one that rules itself, rather than being run by another country )
▪
Countries that were once colonies of Britain are now independent nations.
an Indian/Thai etc curry (= made from Indian, Thai etc recipes )
an indirect result
▪
Some job losses were the indirect result of cheap imports.
an indirect tax (= a tax on things you buy )
▪
The effect of indirect taxes is to raise the prices of goods.
an individual sport
▪
You have to be mentally tough to compete in individual sports.
an indomitable will (= a strong will which means you do not give in )
▪
The indomitable will of the people remains the core strength of democracy.
an indoor game
▪
There is a hall for indoor games and social functions.
an indoor toilet
▪
Many cottages lacked a bathroom or indoor toilet.
an induction course (= that you do when you start a new job or position )
an industrial area
▪
People living in industrial areas are exposed to these types of chemicals.
an industrial belt (= where there are a lot of factories etc )
▪
the northern industrial belt of the United States
an industrial city
▪
Sheffield is an industrial city in the north of England.
an industrial dispute BrE, a labor dispute American English (= between workers and employers )
▪
A lot of working days are lost through industrial disputes.
an industrial economy (= one that is based mainly on industries producing goods or materials )
▪
Expectations for growth in the main industrial economies remain low.
an industrial injury (= one that happens at work )
▪
He was the victim of an industrial injury.
an industrial site (= where factories are )
▪
The area is to be redeveloped as an industrial site.
an industrial society
▪
In complex industrial societies, different groups specialize in particular activities.
an industrial town
▪
Thousands moved to the newly forming industrial towns to work in the mills.
an industrial/industrialized nation
▪
The rich industrial nations dominate the global economy.
an industrialized country
▪
America and other industrialized countries
an industry declines (= becomes less successful )
▪
The shipping industry declined after World War II.
an industry grows/expands
▪
The clothing industry grew rapidly during the 1960s.
an industry leader (= one of the most successful companies in a particular industry )
▪
We are now a mature company and an industry leader.
an inevitable consequence (= that you cannot avoid )
▪
Loss of mobility is not an inevitable consequence of old age.
an inexperienced driver (= who does not have much experience of driving )
▪
Many accidents are caused by young or inexperienced drivers.
an infant school British English (= for children aged 5 to 7 )
an infection clears up (= goes away )
▪
Although the infection cleared up, he still felt weak.
an infection spreads
▪
The infection spread to her chest.
an inferior position
▪
He argued that capitalism requires some people to be kept in an inferior position in society.
an infinite number/variety of sth
▪
There was an infinite variety of drinks to choose from.
an infinite/endless variety
▪
There is a seemingly infinite variety of beers to choose from.
an influential position
▪
It's useful if you have friends in influential positions.
an influx of migrants (= the arrival of people in a particular place )
▪
The growth of towns was due to an influx of migrants from the villages.
an informal chat
▪
Come and see me any time if you want an informal chat about jobs.
an informal/formal interview
▪
Applicants will normally have an informal interview with the manager.
▪
One out of every six candidates reached the formal interview.
an information centre
▪
For further details contact the Tourist Information Centre.
an informed choice (= a choice based on knowledge of the facts about something )
▪
The patient should have enough information to make an informed choice.
an inherent/innate tendency (= one that you are born with, which will not change )
▪
When attacked, some people have an inherent tendency to fight back.
an inherited characteristic
▪
Intelligence is an inherited characteristic.
an inhospitable desert (= not easy to live or stay in )
▪
The interior of the country is an inhospitable desert.
an inhospitable/harsh environment (= one where the conditions make life difficult )
▪
The freezing climate makes this one of the most inhospitable environments on the planet.
an initiation ceremony (= in which someone officially becomes an adult, a member of a group etc )
▪
tribal initiation ceremonies
an injection against sth
▪
You may need to be given an injection against tetanus.
an injury happens/occurs
▪
The injury occurred five minutes into the game.
an inner-city area (= the central part of a city, where many poor people live )
▪
When will something be done to improve our inner-city areas?
an innocent expression
▪
‘It was so late,’ she continued with an innocent expression, ‘I had to stay the night.’
an innocent victim
▪
Children are the innocent victims of war.
an innovative scheme (= using new ideas )
▪
an innovative scheme to help the unemployed get back to work
an inorganic compound (= not containing carbon )
an inquest jury (= one that decides the cause of someone's death )
▪
The inquest jury decided that he died accidentally by falling out of a train door.
an insatiable desire (= a desire that cannot be satisfied )
▪
She had an insatiable desire for publicity.
an insect bite
▪
He was worried about a large red insect bite on his back.
an insect buzzes (= makes a continuous sound )
▪
Insects were buzzing around our heads as we walked through the forest.
an insect crawls (= moves along the ground )
▪
A tiny insect was crawling up his arm.
an insect flies
▪
Insects were flying around the food on the counter.
an insect species
▪
Large numbers of insect species are becoming extinct.
an insect sting (= a hole in your skin made by an insect )
▪
This cream is good for treating insect stings.
an inside pocket (= on the inside of a coat, jacket etc )
▪
Gregson pulled a photo from the inside pocket of his jacket.
an inside/a private joke (= that only a few people who are involved in something will understand )
▪
After I’d worked there a while, I started to understand some of the inside jokes.
an inspection reveals sth
▪
The inspection revealed several lapses in safety standards.
an inspection team
▪
The inspection team described the 1,688 pupil school as ‘outstanding’.
an inspection visit
▪
To date no inspection visit has been made.
an inspired guess (= a very good guess that you make suddenly )
▪
It’s hard to believe he got that right with just an inspired guess.
an inspiring example (= someone who makes other people want to do something great or good )
▪
Jenny’s story is an inspiring example of courage in the face of adversity.
an instinct tells sb sth
▪
Every instinct told her that he was telling the truth.
an instruction booklet/leaflet/sheet
▪
The washing machine comes with an instruction leaflet.
an instruction book/manual
▪
The instruction manual for the camera is over 150 pages long.
an insuperable/insurmountable obstacle (= one that it is impossible to find a solution to )
▪
The problem does not present an insurmountable obstacle.
▪
There are no insuperable obstacles to the purchase of the company.
an insurance broker (= a company or person that arranges and sells insurance to people )
▪
Bellingham practised as an insurance broker.
an insurance certificate/a certificate of insurance
▪
The courts recognize the insurance certificate as evidence of being insured.
an insurance claim
▪
She filed an insurance claim for the missing jewellery.
an insurance company
▪
Rachel works for an insurance company.
an insurance payment
▪
He'd fallen behind with his insurance payments.
an insurance policy
▪
Is the damage covered by your insurance policy?
an insurance policy (= an insurance agreement )
▪
This insurance policy represents excellent value for money.
an insurance premium (= money that you pay regularly to an insurance company )
▪
Your insurance premium is payable when you make your holiday booking.
an insurance salesman
▪
He offered me a post as a life insurance salesman.
an insurance scheme
▪
The costs involved in private medical insurance schemes have risen steeply.
an intake of breath (= when you breathe in very quickly and suddenly, especially because you are surprised )
▪
He gave a sharp intake of breath.
▪
His first response was a sharp intake of breath.
an integral garage (= part of a house and not a separate building )
▪
The house has huge gardens and an integral garage.
an integral part (= a necessary part of the whole thing )
▪
These workshops are an integral part of the course.
an intellectual/physical/technical etc challenge
▪
I love the physical challenge of climbing.
an intelligent guess
▪
Analysis of the archaeological site will help us make an intelligent guess as to what it was used for.
an intense desire
▪
Fred felt an intense desire to punch Max in the face.
an intense gaze (= when someone looks at someone or something with concentration )
▪
His intense gaze never left Delaney.
an intense interest in sth
▪
The police are aware of the intense interest in the case.
an intensive course (= in which you learn a lot in a short time )
▪
An intensive course in Russian is provided for those who do not already know the language.
an intercontinental flight (= a flight that goes from one continent to another, for example from Europe to Asia )
▪
Passengers on intercontinental flights can reserve seats with extra legroom.
an interest payment (= a payment of interest on a loan )
an interest-free loan (= on which you pay no interest )
▪
They offer an interest-free loan for two years.
an interesting comparison
▪
The exhibition provides an interesting comparison of the artists’ works.
an interesting contrast
▪
the interesting contrast between his early and later paintings
an interesting fact
▪
The research revealed some interesting facts about the behaviour of cats.
an interesting point
▪
He has made an interesting point.
an interesting proposition
▪
A further study focussing on older people is an interesting proposition.
an interesting/fascinating subject
▪
Fame is a fascinating subject.
an interim payment (= a payment that is made before something is finished or settled )
▪
It may be reasonable for the builder to ask for interim payments as the work progresses.
an interior designer (= for the colours, materials etc inside people's homes )
▪
The apartment's previous owners had hired an expensive interior designer.
an intermediate learner
▪
These exercises are designed for intermediate learners.
an internal review (= one that an organization carries out on itself )
▪
The Army is conducting an internal review.
an international agreement
▪
an international agreement on combating climate change
an international appeal
▪
The organization has now launched an international appeal for volunteers.
an international call
an international centre for/of sth
▪
Zurich is an international centre of finance.
an international championship
▪
It was the final game of the international championship.
an international charity (= one that operates all over the world )
▪
The Red Cross is a well-known international charity.
an international commission
▪
an international commission on climate change
an international company (= with offices in different countries )
▪
She works for a major international company.
an international dimension
▪
The foreign players bring an international dimension to the English Premier League.
an international embargo (= one that a group of countries agree to impose together )
▪
Under the terms of the international embargo, medical aid can still be flown into the capital.
an international festival
▪
an international festival of drama and dance
an international flight (= a flight between one country and another )
▪
The number of international flights increased by over 5% last year.
an international star (= a star who is famous in many countries )
▪
His performance in 'The Titanic' made him an international star.
an international terrorist
▪
The kidnap was carried out by a group of international terrorists.
an international treaty
▪
The US refused to sign any international treaty on cutting carbon emissions.
an international/European/British etc context
▪
We study the work of these artists in their European context.
an international/worldwide reputation
▪
The department has a worldwide reputation for its research.
an international/worldwide/global ban
▪
an international ban on trade in endangered species
an international/worldwide/global conspiracy
▪
Hitler believed there was a worldwide conspiracy to enslave Germany.
an Internet address (= the address of a website )
▪
The company charges $100 to register a new internet address.
an Internet broadcast
▪
An Internet broadcast can reach a truly global audience.
an Internet café (= a café with computers, where people can pay to use the Internet )
▪
The message had been sent from an Internet café in Leeds.
an Internet connection
▪
a high-speed Internet connection
an Internet service provider (= a company that allows you to connect to the Internet )
▪
Your Internet service provider should be able to solve the problem.
an Internet user
▪
The number of Internet users is doubling every six months.
an interracial marriage (= between people of different races )
▪
Interracial marriage is more common than it used to be.
an interview question
▪
Some of the interview questions were quite difficult to answer.
an intimate connection (= a very close connection )
▪
There is an intimate connection between political liberty and economic freedom.
an intolerable burden (= very hard to bear )
▪
Too many exams can place an intolerable burden on young people.
an intolerable strain (= too great to bear )
▪
The cost of these wars put an intolerable strain on the economy.
an intravenous injection (= into a vein )
▪
He had given the patient an intravenous injection to calm her down.
an introductory course (= for people who have never done a particular subject or activity before )
an intruder/a security alarm
▪
The house has a system of security alarms.
an invading army
▪
The towns were looted by the invading army.
an invaluable/outstanding contribution (= extremely useful )
▪
He won the award for his outstanding contribution over many years.
an invasion of privacy
▪
Random drug testing of employees is an invasion of privacy.
an inverse relationship technical (= so that when one is great, the other is small )
▪
We concluded that there will be an inverse relationship between the market price of the bond and its true yield.
an investigative reporter (= one that tries to find out about something important )
▪
Two investigative reporters wrote an article linking the CIA to cocaine trafficking in Los Angeles.
an investigative/investigating commission
▪
An investigative commission was set up immediately after the incident.
an investment adviser
▪
He has served as an investment adviser for several major banks.
an investment banker
▪
He is an investment banker at a prestigious Wall Street firm.
an investment boom
▪
the investment boom of the past few years
an investment fund (= for buying shares, property, etc in order to make a profit )
▪
The building is currently owned by Argo Partnership, a Toronto-based investment fund.
an investment opportunity
▪
She took advantage of a unique investment opportunity.
an investment scheme British English , an investment program AmE:
▪
Most investment schemes are subject to tax.
an investment/merchant bank (= one that buys and sells stocks and shares etc )
▪
Goldman Sachs, the US investment bank
an invitation card (= a card with an invitation printed on it )
▪
Everyone entering will have to show an invitation card.
an iron will ( also a will of iron ) (= an extremely strong will )
▪
Her unassuming manner concealed an iron will.
an ironic twist
▪
In an ironic twist , the most trustworthy character in the film turned out to be the thief.
an iron/vice-like grip (= a very strong grip )
▪
Victor took hold of her wrist in an iron grip.
an irrational fear (= one that is not reasonable )
▪
He grew up with an irrational fear of insects.
an irresistible/uncontrollable/overwhelming urge (= very strong )
▪
I was overcome by an irresistible urge to laugh.
an irreversible coma (= a permanent one )
▪
He had been in an irreversible coma since the disaster.
an irrigation ditch (= taking water to fields, crops etc )
▪
The fields were separated by irrigation ditches.
an island chain
▪
the island chain from Asia to Australasia
an island paradise
▪
She had booked a beach house on the island paradise of Phuket.
an isolated incident (= one that happens on its own, not together with others )
▪
Luckily the attack turned out to be an isolated incident.
an issue comes up ( also an issue arises formal ) (= people started to discuss it )
▪
The issue arose during a meeting of the Budget Committee.
an item of clothing
▪
She’d bought a few items of clothing for her trip.
an item of expenditure (= something a government or person spends money on )
▪
Housing is the biggest single item of expenditure in the budgets of most households.
an item of food/a food item
▪
Ice cream was probably her favourite item of food.
an item of furniture
▪
A few items of furniture had not yet been delivered.
an item of jewellery British English , an item of jewelry American English
▪
Expensive items of jewellery should be insured.
an item of vocabulary/a vocabulary item (= a word or expression )
▪
Students are encouraged to write down useful vocabulary items in their notebooks.
an item on the agenda/list/menu
▪
The next item on the agenda is next month’s sales conference.
an item/article of clothing formal (= a piece of clothing )
▪
All items of clothing should be clearly labelled.
an item/piece of baggage
▪
How many pieces of baggage do you have?
an oak/vine/spinach etc leaf (= a leaf from a specific plant or tree )
▪
Vine leaves stuffed with rice is a typical Greek dish.
an oasis of calm/serenity/tranquillity etc
▪
The park was an oasis of peace.
an oath of loyalty (= a promise to be loyal )
▪
They swore an oath of loyalty to their king.
an oath of loyalty/allegiance/obedience
▪
They swore an oath of allegiance to the crown.
an oath of secrecy
▪
Anyone who joined had to swear an oath of secrecy.
an obituary column (= about the life of someone who has just died )
▪
I spotted Stephenson's name in the obituary column.
an object of desire (= someone or something you want very much )
▪
The store provides cheese lovers with the object of their desire.
an object of pity (= someone who people feel sorry for )
▪
He was a proud man and he didn't want to be treated as an object of pity.
an object of veneration
▪
The sun was an object of veneration .
an objective assessment (= that is based on facts, not on feelings or beliefs )
▪
The test results will provide an objective assessment of how much you have improved.
an objective criterion (= that is based on fact and not opinion )
▪
The label of 'carer' was defined by the objective criterion of someone who spends more than seven hours looking after someone.
an objective measurement (= one that is not influenced by your opinions or feelings )
▪
The test provides an objective measurement of the student’s listening skills.
an obligation arises formal (= starts to exist )
▪
the obligations arising out of the treaty
an obligation to obey (= to have a duty to do something )
▪
Citizens have an obligation to obey the law.
an oblique reference (= not direct )
▪
He added, in an oblique reference to the US, that ‘some countries could do more’.
an obscene gesture (= extremely rude )
▪
The player was fined for making an obscene gesture at the referee.
an observation deck/platform/tower (= a structure that is built in order to observe something )
▪
The army built an observation tower on the top of the building.
an observation post/point (= a place from where you can observe something )
▪
The peak of the mountain was a natural location for an observation post.
an obstacle in the way/path
▪
There were still a number of obstacles in the way of an agreement.
an obvious conclusion
▪
All her symptoms led to the obvious conclusion – she was pregnant.
an obvious example
▪
Our climate is changing at an alarming rate. The melting of the polar ice caps is an obvious example of this.
an obvious example
▪
This case is an obvious example of what can go wrong.
an obvious exception
▪
The earliest historical records, with the obvious exception of Chinese, are written in Indo-European languages.
an obvious explanation (= one that is easy to see or notice )
▪
There is no obvious explanation for his strange behaviour.
an obvious question
▪
The obvious question is: why?
an obvious reason
▪
The plan, for obvious reasons, was being kept secret.
an obvious successor
▪
He doesn't have an obvious successor as leader.
an occasional reference
▪
During the interview, he made only occasional references to his forthcoming autobiography.
an occupational hazard (= a risk that always exists in a particular job or activity )
▪
Getting injured is an occupational hazard of the sport.
an occupied country (= controlled by an army from another country )
▪
For many years, Egypt was an occupied country.
an occupying army (= one that is in a foreign country which they control by force )
▪
There was constant resistance to the occupying army.
an ocean/sea/river current
▪
Ocean currents carry young fish out to sea.
an odd number (= 1, 3, 5, 7 etc )
▪
You can’t work in pairs if you’ve got an odd number of people.
an offence punishable by/with sth
▪
Possession of the drug is an offence punishable by up to one year’s imprisonment.
an offensive weapon (= one that can be used to attack someone illegally )
▪
He was charged with carrying an offensive weapon.
an offer of friendship
▪
He turned down the King's offer of friendship.
an offer of help/support/friendship etc
▪
Any offers of help would be appreciated.
an office block
▪
She works in a 27-storey office block.
an office desk
▪
I got back from holiday to find piles of papers on my office desk.
an office party
▪
I danced with my boss at the office party.
an office/museum/hospital etc complex
▪
a 120-acre office complex near Las Vegas
an office/school/hospital etc building
▪
Our office building is just ten minutes’ walk from where I live.
an official announcement
▪
No official announcement is expected until next year.
an official apology
▪
The company has made an official apology and is offering compensation.
an official denial
▪
The Army has consistently issued official denials of involvement.
an official engagement
▪
This is the Prime Minister's first official engagement since the elections.
an official estimate (= accepted by people in authority )
▪
According to official army estimates, more than 500 rebels had been killed.
an official inquiry
▪
The outcome of the official inquiry will be eagerly awaited.
an official inspection
▪
Preparations were made in advance of the official inspection.
an official language (= the language used for official business in a country )
▪
Canada has two official languages: English and French.
an official letter
▪
I received an official letter thanking me for my enquiry.
an official position
▪
He has no official position in the government.
an official position (= one that a government or organization says officially that it has )
▪
This was the French government’s official position.
an official reception
▪
After an official reception at the Embassy, they visited the White House.
an official residence (= a house someone is able to use as part of their important job )
▪
the ambassador's official residence in London
an official statement
▪
The company is expected to make an official statement tomorrow.
an official visit/engagement etc (= one that relates to an important job or position )
▪
The Prime Minister was on an official visit to China.
an official website
▪
The International Olympic Committee’s official website has a lot of interesting information.
an official/administrative receiver
an official/formal report
▪
Black graduates still face discrimination from employers, according to an official report.
an official/state visit
▪
The president made an official visit to France this week.
an offshore island
▪
The turtles lay their eggs on the beaches of offshore islands.
an oil company
▪
YPF was the state oil company in Argentina.
an oil crisis (= situation in which there is not enough oil, and the price of oil is very high )
▪
The world is facing an oil crisis.
an oil producer (= a country which produces oil )
▪
The Soviet Union is the world's largest oil producer.
an oil refinery (= a place where oil is treated by an industrial process )
▪
an oil refinery in Perth
an oil rig (= structure on land or in the sea with equipment for getting oil out of the ground )
▪
an oil rig in the North Sea
an oil spill (= situation in which oil comes out of a ship or other container into the sea )
▪
a terrible oil spill near the Shetland Islands
an oil/kerosene/paraffin lamp (= lamps that you light with a flame )
▪
The large room was lit by a paraffin lamp on a table.
an old age pension
▪
State old age pensions were introduced in 1908.
an old cliché
▪
He seemed to believe that old cliché about a woman’s place being in the home.
an old friend (= someone who has been your friend for a long time )
▪
We went to see some old friends who had moved to Harlow.
an old grievance (= one that you have felt unhappy about for a long time )
▪
Years later, we became friends again and sorted out our old grievances.
an old joke
▪
It reminded me of the old joke about the chicken crossing the road.
an old movie
▪
She was watching an old movie on television.
an old quarrel (= one that has existed for a long time )
▪
Now is the time to patch up old quarrels.
an old rival
▪
Hindhead had a convincing victory over their old rivals, Frensham.
an old-fashioned/outdated expression
▪
The old-fashioned expression 'in the family way' means to be pregnant.
an old/ancient legend
▪
You will have heard the old legend about how the rocks were formed.
an old/ancient tradition
▪
In rural Wales, the old traditions persisted.
an old/ancient/age-old custom
▪
Here on the island, many of the old customs have survived.
an old/ancient/long-standing grudge
▪
He said they should celebrate their achievements, not nurse old grudges.
an older audience
▪
The programme mainly appeals to an older audience.
an older sister ( also an elder sister especially BrE )
▪
He had two older sisters, Karen and Jacqueline.
an older/elder brother
▪
I have two older brothers.
an old/firm/particular favourite
▪
a sweater that’s an old favorite
an old/traditional enemy (= one you have had a long time )
▪
In 1548, Scotland moved towards an alliance with her traditional enemy, England.
an old/traditional stereotype
▪
Many people still believe that old stereotype.
an olive complexion (= the skin colour that is typical of Greek, Italian, Turkish etc people )
▪
These colours complement an olive complexion.
an Olympic champion
▪
She's a top international athlete and an Olympic champion.
an Olympic record
▪
He won a gold medal and broke the Olympic record by 44 records.
an ominous silence (= one that makes you feel that something bad is going to happen )
▪
‘How long will she be ill?’ There was a short, ominous silence.
an on-off relationship (= happening sometimes and not at other times )
▪
Their on-off relationship seemed to have come to an end two years ago.
an on-off switch
▪
I couldn’t find the on-off switch.
an online chat (= one had with someone over the internet )
▪
With MSN you can have an online chat with your friends.
an online dictionary (= one you can use on the Internet )
▪
There are plenty of online dictionaries available free on the Internet.
an open competition (= that everyone can take part in )
▪
An open competition is to be held at the tennis club.
an open container (= that has been opened or that does not have a lid )
▪
Don't keep food in open containers in the fridge.
an open ditch (= not covered )
▪
The horse had to jump over an open ditch.
an open evening (= an evening when an institution invites the public to come in and see the work that is done there )
▪
We went to the open evening to find out more about the course.
an open field
▪
I saw a fox run across the open field.
an open fire (= a fire in a room that is not inside a stove etc )
▪
Sophie warmed herself by the open fire.
an open grave (= one that has not yet been covered in earth )
▪
He wept by her open grave.
an open prison (= one where prisoners are not restricted as much as usual )
▪
He was transferred to an open prison.
an open question
▪
The matter remains an open question .
an open secret (= something that a lot of people know, but do not talk about because it is supposed to be a secret )
▪
It was an open secret that he was having an affair.
an open secret (= it is supposed to be secret, but most people know about it )
▪
It is an open secret that she is having an affair with another man.
an open verdict British English (= stating that the facts about someone’s death are not known )
▪
The inquest jury recorded an open verdict because of conflicting evidence.
an open wound (= one where the skin has not yet healed )
▪
Sports players should not continue to play with open wounds.
an open-air/outdoor concert
▪
Clapton thrilled fans at a huge outdoor concert in New York.
an open-topped bus (= one without a roof, used for showing tourists a town etc )
▪
We took a tour on an open-topped bus.
an opening bid (= the first bid )
▪
The opening bid was only $10.
an opening/closing ceremony (= at the beginning or end of a special event )
▪
I stayed for the closing ceremony.
an open/standing invitation (= an invitation to do something at any time you like )
▪
Phillip kindly gave me an open invitation to stay at his villa in Tuscany.
an opinion poll (= that measures what people think about something )
▪
A recent opinion poll showed strong support for the government.
an opinion survey
▪
Opinion surveys showed consistently that unemployment remained a matter of concern.
an opportune moment (= a good time to do something )
▪
I was waiting for an opportune moment to leave.
an opportunity arises
▪
Perhaps she would explain later, if the opportunity arose.
an opportunity comes (along/up)
▪
We had outgrown our house when the opportunity came up to buy one with more land.
an opposition leader
▪
The opposition leader accused the government of not being able to control unemployment.
an opposition party (= a party that is not in power )
▪
The tax increase was criticized by opposition parties.
an opposition politician (= belonging to the party that is not in power – used in some political systems )
▪
Opposition politicians argued that there was not enough reason to go to war.
an oppressive/repressive regime (= powerful, cruel, and unfair )
▪
That country was held fast in the grip of an oppressive regime.
an option is open/available to sb (= a particular choice is available to someone )
▪
Giving a prison sentence is only one of the options open to the judge.
an oral exam (= in which you answer questions by speaking )
▪
I have my French oral exams next week.
an oral test
▪
The oral test will consist of a conversation of about 10 minutes in German.
an orchestral concert/a symphony concert (= one in which an orchestra plays )
▪
Tickets for orchestral concerts range from $15 to $35.
an orchestrated campaign disapproving (= organized secretly to make political events happen in the way you want )
▪
This resulted in an orchestrated campaign of civil disorder.
an ordeal at the hands of sb (= used to say who has made someone go through something painful or difficult )
▪
She has only just revealed her ordeal at the hands of her stepfather.
an orderly queue (= with no bad behaviour or pushing in front of other people )
▪
She told the children to form an orderly queue.
an ordinal number (= a number such as 1st, 2nd, or 3rd that shows where something comes in a series or list )
▪
The children learn about position and ordinal numbers when they stand in a line.
an ordinary citizen ( also a regular citizen American English )
▪
The government is not aware of the views of ordinary citizens.
an ordinary individual
▪
Ordinary individuals need no more than 3–5 grams of salt per day.
an Ordnance Survey map British English (= a map showing the roads, paths, hills etc of an area in detail )
an organ donor
▪
There are not nearly enough organ donors.
an organ donor (= someone who gives an organ for an organ transplant )
▪
Not all patients who die are suitable as organ donors.
an organ transplant (= an operation to put an organ from one person’s body into another person’s body )
▪
Up to 5,000 people are waiting for an organ transplant.
an organic compound (= containing carbon )
▪
the organic compounds of which living things are made
an organic farm (= a farm where artificial chemicals are not used )
▪
Organic farms can be as productive as industrial farming.
an organic substance (= from a living thing )
▪
Despite being an organic substance, ivory is remarkably durable.
an ornamental pond (= a pond made to look pretty, rather than a natural one )
▪
They are ideal fish for the ornamental pond.
an Oscar/Emmy/Grammy etc nomination (= a nomination for a particular prize or award )
▪
The novel has received a National Book Award nomination.
an ounce of common sense (= a very small amount )
▪
Anyone with an ounce of common sense would have realised that was a silly thing to do.
an out-of-court settlement (= an agreement made to avoid a court case )
▪
The army denied liability but agreed on an out-of-court settlement.
an outbreak of a disease (= when a disease appears in a number of people or animals )
▪
There has been an outbreak of the disease in Wales.
an outbreak of unrest
▪
Troops usually respond to outbreaks of unrest with force.
an outbreak of violence
▪
There was a fresh outbreak of violence on March 24.
an outcrop of rock (= a mass of rock that sticks up above the ground )
▪
The gulls nested on a outcrop of rock.
an outdoor café
▪
The central square was full of outdoor cafés.
an outdoor game
▪
Outdoor games are affected by the weather.
an outgoing/extrovert personality (= liking to talk to people )
▪
The job requires someone with an outgoing personality.
an outline drawing/sketch
▪
Once I am happy with the outline sketch, I start painting.
an outline map
▪
an outline map of the island
an outpatient clinic (= for someone who does not need to stay in hospital )
▪
There's an outpatient clinic for people with diabetes.
an outright ban (= a complete ban )
▪
an outright ban on gun ownership
an outside toilet (= one that is outside a house, not in it )
▪
The house was small, with no hot water and an outside toilet.
an outside/a remote chance (= a very small chance )
▪
He still has an outside chance of winning the championship.
an outside/independent consultant (= one who does not belong to your organization )
▪
An educational programme was planned by outside consultants.
an outspoken/vocal opponent (= one who publicly expresses disagreement with something )
▪
He was a vocal opponent of closer relations with the United States.
an outstanding achievement (= an extremely impressive achievement )
▪
Eisenhower' s outstanding achievement was to avoid war.
an outstanding bill (= still unpaid )
▪
He still didn’t have enough to pay his outstanding bills.
an outstanding example (= extremely good )
▪
The garden is one of the most outstanding examples of traditional Japanese garden design.
an outstanding individual (= with unusually good qualities )
▪
We need a few outstanding individuals to act as leaders.
an outstretched hand (= stretched out towards someone or something )
▪
She took her father's outstretched hand and began to walk from the room.
an outward/visible sign (= one that people can see clearly )
▪
Kim received the news without showing any visible sign of emotion.
an oven glove BrE:
▪
Paul used the oven glove to take the hot tray out of the oven.
an overactive/fevered imagination (= a mind that imagines strange things that are not real )
▪
These stories are the product of an overactive imagination.
an overall budget (= total )
▪
There has been an increase in the overall budget made available by the Government for training.
an overall majority (= more votes than anyone else )
▪
What happens if no candidate receives an overall majority?
an overall/general picture
▪
The study is intended to provide an overall picture of political activity in the nation.
an overhead cable (= attached to high posts )
▪
Overhead cables can be dangerous for birds.
an overnight bag (= a small suitcase or bag for a short stay somewhere )
▪
All you need to take is an overnight bag.
an overnight stay
▪
Business trips may involve an overnight stay.
an overwhelming majority (= a large majority )
▪
The resolution was passed by an overwhelming majority.
an own brand British English , a store brand American English (= sold by a particular store under its own name )
▪
A supermarket’s own brand should cost less than the nationally advertised brands.
an own goal (= when a player accidentally puts the ball into his/her own net )
▪
Dixon scored an unfortunate own goal against West Ham.
an ugly/nasty rumour (= a rumour about something bad )
▪
Ugly rumours persisted that there had been a cover-up.
an ugly/unsightly scar (= unattractive )
▪
The ugly scar spoiled and distorted his face.
an ulterior motive (= a hidden motive )
▪
Did you think I had an ulterior motive for coming here?
an unannounced visit (= one that someone makes without first telling the person that they are going to visit )
▪
The social worker made an unannounced visit.
an unborn baby (= not yet born )
▪
Drinking alcohol is bad for your unborn baby.
an unborn child (= a baby that is still inside its mother )
▪
Smoking can damage your unborn child.
an unborn infant
▪
Unborn infants can hear certain sounds while still in the mother’s womb.
an unbridgeable gap (= a gap that cannot be closed )
▪
He felt that there was an unbridgeable gap between the negotiating positions of the two sides.
an uncanny knack (= an ability that seems surprising or strange )
▪
She has an uncanny knack for knowing what you're really thinking.
an uncanny resemblance (= noticeable and difficult to explain )
▪
I'd always thought that Jo and Freddie had an uncanny resemblance.
an uncertain fate (= not clear, definite, or decided )
▪
The Bill faces an uncertain fate in the Senate.
an unconfirmed report (= not yet supported by official information )
▪
There are unconfirmed reports that up to 2,000 people have been killed.
an underdeveloped country (= poor and developing more slowly than others )
▪
The disease still exists, mainly in underdeveloped countries.
an undergraduate student (= one who is studying for a first degree )
▪
Most undergraduate students rely on student loans for finance.
an underground tunnel
▪
The prisoners escaped through an underground tunnel.
an underground/subterranean passage
▪
The air in these underground passages is cold and damp.
an underground/undersea cable
▪
The electricity will be transmitted by undersea cables.
an underlying assumption (= a belief that is used as the basis for an idea, but which may not be correct )
▪
There seems to be an underlying assumption in what he says that women are weaker than men.
an underlying assumption
▪
There is an underlying assumption that new technology is always a good thing.
an underlying message
▪
The underlying message of his speech was that the economic good times are over.
an underlying motive (= a motive that is not directly stated )
▪
The treaty’s underlying motive was to make Japan a strong ally of the US.
an underlying principle
▪
Their actions, he argued, went against the underlying principles of Christian morality.
an underlying problem
▪
Little is being done to correct the system's underlying problems.
an underlying theme
▪
Death and rebirth are underlying themes in all of his novels.
an underlying theme (= one that is important but not very noticeable )
▪
One of the book’s underlying themes is the struggle for human rights.
an undeserved reputation
▪
She has an undeserved reputation for being difficult, but really it's just her manner.
an undignified exit (= when someone leaves in a way that is embarrassing or makes them look silly )
▪
She made a rather undignified exit, tripping down the step.
an undisclosed sum (= an amount that is being kept secret )
▪
He sold the company for an undisclosed sum.
an uneasy alliance/relationship
▪
The government is based on an uneasy alliance between Christian Democrats and Socialists.
an uneasy calm
▪
Things seemed quiet enough, but it was an uneasy calm.
an uneasy compromise (= one that people are not very happy with )
▪
The deal represented an uneasy compromise.
an uneasy compromise
▪
The result was an uneasy compromise which no-one liked.
an uneasy peace (= when people have agreed to stop fighting, but the situation is not really calm )
▪
An uneasy peace prevails in the region.
an uneasy peace
▪
There was an uneasy peace in the region for nearly three years before the conflict flared up again.
an uneasy truce
▪
It was an uneasy truce, however, and tension was never far from the surface.
an unemployment blackspot British English (= an area where there is higher unemployment than in other places )
▪
The town became an unemployment blackspot after the factory closure.
an unenviable task (= unpleasant or difficult )
▪
He has the unenviable task of telling hungry people that there is no food.
an unexpected compliment
▪
John blushed at the unexpected compliment.
an unexplained absence
▪
Did he give a reason for his unexplained absence?
an unexploded bomb
▪
The workmen found an unexploded bomb.
an unfair advantage
▪
Companies that receive government subsidies have an unfair advantage.
an unfair/undue burden
▪
The new legislation put an unfair burden on employers.
an unfilled vacancy (= a job for which no one has been hired )
▪
The teaching unions estimate there are some 10,000 unfilled vacancies.
an unfortunate coincidence
▪
By a very unfortunate coincidence, she didn’t get either of his emails.
an unfortunate error
▪
An unfortunate error resulted in confidential information being released to the press.
an unfortunate incident (= involving an accident or argument )
▪
Disciplinary action may be taken over this unfortunate incident.
an unfortunate victim
▪
If you are the unfortunate victim of a tragic accident, this card will tell doctors that you are willing to donate your organs.
an unhappy childhood
▪
Stevens had a unhappy childhood in Manchester.
an unhappy knack (= a knack that you would not want )
▪
He had the unhappy knack of making enemies.
an unhappy marriage
▪
Her parents had had an unhappy marriage.
an unhealthy obsession (= an obsession that is not normal )
▪
Our society seems to have an unhealthy obsession with staying young.
an unholy row informal (= a very angry row )
▪
An unholy row broke out between two of the men drinking in the bar.
an uninvited guest
▪
She was surprised when an uninvited guest turned up at the door.
An unknown number of
▪
An unknown number of people were killed.
an unlikely alliance/coalition
▪
Once he resigned as president, the unlikely coalition of former enemies fell apart.
an unlikely hero (= someone who you did not expect to be brave or did not expect to admire )
▪
Baxter was the unlikely hero of the game.
an unlikely possibility/prospect
▪
The most unlikely possibility was that she might resign.
an unlikely scenario
▪
I might get the job, but it is an unlikely scenario.
an unlikely scenario/occurrence
▪
They should build a new road, but that’s an unlikely scenario.
an unlikely setting
▪
This quiet suburb may seem an unlikely setting for a top restaurant.
an unmarked grave (= one that does not have anything to show where it is or who is in it )
▪
Until 1855, poor people here were buried in unmarked graves.
an unmarried couple
▪
She rented the room to a young, unmarried couple.
an unmitigated disaster (= a complete failure )
▪
The $24,000,000 movie was an unmitigated disaster.
an unnecessary expense
▪
Paying extra for leather seats seemed like an unnecessary expense.
an unnecessary expense/cost
▪
He thinks advertising is an unnecessary expense.
an unnecessary extravagance (= something that costs more than is necessary or more than you can afford )
▪
The chairman called first-class airline travel an unnecessary extravagance.
an unnecessary risk
▪
Neither team is likely to take any unnecessary risks, so the result will probably be a draw.
an unofficial report
▪
According to unofficial reports, the president had talks with Palestinian leaders.
an unofficial strike (= not organized by a trade union )
▪
Some workers had been sacked for taking part in unofficial strikes.
an unorthodox approach (= not the same as people usually use )
▪
It’s an unorthodox approach that her doctor doesn’t recommend for everyone.
an unpaid bill
▪
She had unpaid bills amounting to £3,000.
an unpleasant/nasty surprise
▪
We don’t want any unpleasant surprises.
an unprecedented move (= never having happened before )
▪
Barcelona began the unprecedented move of shipping in drinking water.
an unprecedented rate (= a rate that is faster than ever before )
▪
We are losing species at an unprecedented rate.
an unprovoked attack (= in which the victim did nothing to cause the attack )
▪
Their teenage son was knocked to the ground, kicked and punched in an unprovoked attack.
an unqualified success
▪
The experiment had not been an unqualified success.
an unresolved issue (= that has not been dealt with )
▪
A number of unresolved issues remain before the treaty can be signed.
an unshaven chin (= with short hairs on because a man has not shaved )
▪
His combed hair looked oddly neat against his unshaven chin.
an unskilled worker
▪
Some ex-miners now had jobs as unskilled workers in factories.
an unsolved murder (= for which the killer has never been found )
▪
Police questioned the man about two unsolved murders.
an unsolved mystery
▪
What happened to her is still an unsolved mystery.
an unsubstantiated rumour (= one that has not been proved to be true )
▪
These are only unsubstantiated rumours.
an unsuccessful attempt/bid/effort
▪
We made several unsuccessful attempts to tackle the problem.
an unsuccessful campaign
▪
He quit politics following his unsuccessful presidential campaign.
an unsuccessful/a successful attempt
▪
an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the government
an unsung hero (= someone whose bravery or effort is not noticed or recognized )
▪
These volunteers are the unsung heroes of the campaign.
an untenable position
▪
The scandal put the President in an untenable position .
an unusual feature
▪
The church’s most unusual feature is this window.
an unusual/unprecedented step (= something that is not usually done/has never been done before )
▪
Police last night took the unusual step of releasing photographs of him.
an unveiling ceremony (= to show the public something new, for example a work of art )
▪
He attended the statue's unveiling ceremony.
an unwanted baby
▪
Unwanted babies were frequently abandoned in the streets.
an unwanted gift
▪
You can take any unwanted gifts to charity shops.
an unwelcome guest (= someone who is not really a guest, and whom you do not want at an event )
▪
Security guards were employed to keep out unwelcome guests.
an unwritten constitution (= a constitution that is not formally written down as a separate document )
▪
Britain's unwritten constitution allows for flexibility when circumstances change.
an unwritten rule (= a rule of behaviour that everyone in a group understands )
▪
There’s an unwritten rule that you never call an actor before 10 a.m.
an updated version
▪
an updated version of the 'Best Pub' guide
an uphill battle (= one that is very difficult )
▪
For most people losing weight is an uphill battle.
an uphill slope
▪
It is harder to land on an uphill slope.
an upmarket image British English , an upscale image American English (= expensive and good quality )
▪
The company is trying to promote an upmarket image.
an upper-class/middle-class/working-class accent
▪
Sebastian spoke with an upper-class accent.
an upper/lower limit (= the highest/lowest amount allowed )
▪
There is no upper limit on the amount you can borrow.
▪
Ensure the temperature in the aquarium does not fall below the lower limit.
an upright posture/stance (= a straight body position )
▪
He appears big because of his powerful shoulders and upright posture.
an upscale restaurant American English (= where richer people go )
▪
It's interesting that rabbit has become so popular at upscale restaurants.
an upset stomach (= a stomach affected by illness )
▪
Debbie was at home because she had an upset stomach.
an upstanding/upright citizen (= honest and responsible )
▪
The rest of his family are honest upright citizens.
an upward/downward curve
▪
She stood watching the upward curve of the bird's flight.
an urban area (= in a town or city )
▪
90% of the English population live in urban areas.
an urban district (= in a town )
▪
In 1911 over three-quarters of the British people lived in urban districts.
an urgent appeal
▪
The fire service has made an urgent appeal for more part-time firefighters.
an urgent appointment
▪
I can’t talk now – I have an urgent appointment to get to.
an urgent matter (= something that needs to be dealt with quickly )
an urgent meeting
▪
Health chiefs have called an urgent meeting to discuss the problem.
an urgent message
▪
I have an urgent message for Sam – where is he?
an urgent need (= one that must be dealt with quickly )
▪
The most urgent need was for more teachers.
an urgent need
▪
There is an urgent need for stricter regulation.
an urgent priority
▪
He sees these negotiations as an urgent priority.
an urgent problem
▪
It’s an urgent problem, and needs tackling straight away.
an urgent request
▪
The family made an urgent request on television for help in finding their daughter.
an urgent task/job
▪
I’ve got some urgent tasks to finish before I leave tonight.
an urgent whisper
▪
‘Daddy!’ he said in an urgent whisper.
an urgent/important message
▪
an urgent message for the commanding officer
an à la carte menu (= a menu listing many separate dishes which you choose from )
▪
In the evening there is a full à la carte menu.
answer an advertisement
▪
I answered an advertisement in the paper for volunteers.
answer an inquiry ( also respond to an inquiry formal )
▪
The government has not yet answered our inquiry.
answer/reply to an email
▪
She did not bother replying to his email.
appeal to an audience (= be interesting to them )
▪
They brought new fashions into their designs to appeal to a wider audience.
arrange/organize an exhibition
▪
The trust arranged an exhibition of his drawings in New York.
ask for an explanation
▪
When he asked for an explanation, no one could give him an answer.
ask for/demand an explanation
▪
When I asked for an explanation, the people at the office said they didn't know.
▪
Furious parents are demanding an explanation from the school.
at an alarming rate
▪
The rainforest is disappearing at an alarming rate.
at an early/late stage
▪
I can’t change my plans at this late stage.
at an early/young age
▪
Kids can start learning a second language at a young age.
at an ungodly hour (= very early in the morning or very late at night )
▪
Why did you wake me up at such an ungodly hour?
attract an audience (= make people want to watch )
▪
The first show attracted a television audience of more than 2 million.
avoid an argument
▪
I was anxious to avoid an argument.
avoid/evade an issue ( also dodge/duck an issue informal ) (= avoid discussing an issue )
▪
There is no point in evading the issue any longer.
base an estimate on sth (= use something as information to give an estimate )
▪
The government based its estimate on data from the 2008 census.
be a bit of an exaggeration informal (= be a slight exaggeration )
▪
It's a bit of an exaggeration to say he's handsome.
Be an angel
▪
Be an angel and get me my glasses, will you?
be an improvement (on sth)
▪
This version of the software is a clear improvement on its predecessor.
be an object/a subject of curiosity (= be something or someone that makes people curious )
▪
Anyone new was always the object of our curiosity.
be an obstacle
▪
This issue is a major obstacle to a successful peace treaty.
be based on an analysis of sth
▪
This work has been based entirely on an analysis of large mammals.
be based on/rest on an assumption
▪
Our plans were based on the assumption that everyone would be willing to help.
be bound by an agreement (= have to obey the conditions of an official agreement )
▪
India is bound by the agreements signed under the World Trade Organisation.
be bound by an oath (= have sworn an oath )
▪
These chiefs were bound to him by oaths of loyalty.
be called/invited for (an) interview
▪
Applicants who are called for interview may be asked to have a medical exam.
be close to an agreement (= have almost reached an agreement )
▪
Management and unions are close to an agreement about pay.
be committed to an ideal (= believe in it strongly )
▪
Everyone in the party is committed to the same socialist ideals.
be considered an embarrassment (= be thought of as embarrassing )
▪
He may be popular abroad, but he's considered an embarrassment at home.
be diagnosed with an illness (= be found by doctors to have an illness )
▪
Her husband had just been diagnosed with a terminal illness.
be exposed to an infection
▪
He was exposed to the infection while he was travelling in India.
be glad of an opportunity/chance/excuse to do sth
▪
They were glad of the chance to finally get some sleep.
be in (an) uproar
▪
The house was in an uproar, with babies crying and people shouting.
be in the grip of an obsession (= have extreme feelings of interest in something or someone )
▪
At 15 I met Heather and instantly fell into the grip of an obsession.
be involved in an accident formal:
▪
Your son has been involved in a car accident.
be involved in an activity
▪
The men were involved in terrorist activities.
be involved in an incident
▪
All those involved in the incident were sacked.
be nominated for an award ( also be up for an award informal ) (= to be chosen as one of the people, films etc that could receive an award )
▪
Four films have been nominated for the award.
▪
The book is up for an award.
be quite an achievement (= be an impressive achievement )
▪
Working and bringing up kids on your own is quite an achievement.
be something of an obsession (= be almost as strong as an obsession )
▪
The case became something of an obsession with him.
be under an obligation (= have an obligation )
▪
The landlord is under an obligation to repair the house.
be/become an embarrassment
▪
Your behaviour is becoming an embarrassment to the school.
be/become/prove an attraction
▪
The organisers hope the event will become an annual attraction.
become an obsession
▪
For Rosie, losing weight had become an obsession.
becoming an uncle (= your sister or your brother’s wife has a child )
▪
I was very excited about becoming an uncle .
believe in an ideal
▪
We believe in the ideal of justice for all.
believe/accept an excuse
▪
She didn’t believe his excuse for one minute.
be/mark the end of an era (= be the end of a period of time in history that is known for a particular event, or for particular qualities )
▪
The principal’s death marked the end of an era at the college.
bite into an apple
▪
Sue bit into her apple with a loud crunch.
block an entrance
▪
A large stone blocked the entrance to the tomb.
book an appointment British English , schedule an appointment American English (= make an appointment )
▪
Have you booked another appointment at the clinic?
▪
I’ve scheduled your appointment for 9.30.
boycott an election (= refuse to take part in an election as a protest )
▪
Opposition parties have threatened to boycott the elections.
boycott an event (= refuse to go to an event as a protest )
▪
The games went ahead despite threats to boycott the event.
break an agreement
▪
This action broke the international agreement of 1925.
break an embargo (= trade with a country illegally when there is an embargo )
▪
It has been almost impossible to stop countries breaking the embargo.
break (off) an alliance (= end it )
▪
The Athenians broke off the alliance with Sparta and made alliances with Argos and Thessaly.
break/violate an agreement
▪
The UN accused the country's leaders of breaking international agreements.
bring an accusation against sb
▪
The accusations against him were brought by two 18-year-old women.
bring an end to sth/bring sth to an end (= make something end )
▪
They began peace talks aimed at bringing an end to the civil war.
bring an end to sth/bring sth to an end (= make something end )
▪
They began peace talks aimed at bringing an end to the civil war.
bring sth to an end/halt (= especially sth bad )
▪
It is our resonsibility to discuss how this conflict can be brought to an end.
broker an agreement (= arrange an agreement between two or more opposing groups )
▪
The US has been trying to broker an agreement between the Israelis and the Palestinians.
budge an inch
▪
The horse refused to budge an inch .
build (up) an empire
▪
She built her clothing empire from one small shop to an international chain.
buy/rent an apartment
▪
Tom rented an apartment at the top of the building.
call an ambulance (= phone to ask an ambulance to come )
▪
Do you think we need to call an ambulance ?
call an election (= arrange for an election to happen )
▪
The Prime Minister would be unwise to call an election now.
call for an end to sth
▪
Demonstrators have called for an end to the fighting.
call for an inquiry/investigation
▪
Relatives have called for an inquiry into the causes of the plane crash.
call for/demand an end to sth (= publicly ask for something to happen or be done )
▪
The union is calling for an end to discrimination.
came within an ace of
▪
The team came within an ace of winning the championship.
cancel an appointment
▪
He had to cancel all his afternoon appointments.
cancel an engagement
▪
He instructed his secretary to cancel all his engagements.
carry out an assessment
▪
The company is carrying out an assessment of staff training needs.
carry out an assessment
▪
The company is carrying out an assessment of staff training needs.
carry out an attack
▪
It became clear that terrorists had carried out the attack.
carry out an attack
▪
The man who carried out the attack has been described as white and 25 to 32 years old.
carry out an attack
▪
It became clear that terrorists had carried out the attack.
carry out an engagement
▪
Last year, the princess carried out over 300 official engagements.
carry out an examination ( also conduct an examination formal ) (= examine sth )
▪
The police are carrying out an examination of the crime scene.
carry out an execution
▪
The order to carry out his execution was sent to the prison.
carry out an experiment
▪
Many schools need better facilities for carrying out scientific experiments.
carry out an experiment
▪
Many schools need better facilities for carrying out scientific experiments.
carry out an explosion (= cause one deliberately )
▪
By 1942, the United States had carried out test explosions with nuclear bombs.
carry out an inquiry
▪
A formal inquiry into the cause of death will be carried out.
carry out an inquiry
▪
A formal inquiry into the cause of death will be carried out.
carry out an inspection
▪
Engineers had carried out an inspection on the plane.
carry out an investigation
▪
The police will carry out an investigation into what actually happened.
carry out an investigation
▪
The police will carry out an investigation into what actually happened.
carry out/commit an assault
▪
She admitted to committing the assault.
cause an accident
▪
75% of accidents are caused by speeding.
cause an explosion
▪
The police do not yet know what caused the explosion.
cause an incident
▪
His carelessness caused a major incident.
cause an injury
▪
The injury was caused by flying glass from the car windscreen.
cause/bring about an increase
▪
The heatwave brought about a massive increase in water consumption.
causing an obstruction
▪
Police can remove a vehicle that is causing an obstruction .
celebrate an occasion
▪
To celebrate the occasion, a small party was held at his home.
celebrate/commemorate/mark an event (= do something to show that you remember it )
▪
Fans observed a minute’s silence to commemorate the tragic event.
challenge a view/an idea/an assumption etc
▪
Viewpoints such as these are strongly challenged by environmentalists.
challenge a view/an idea/an assumption etc
▪
Viewpoints such as these are strongly challenged by environmentalists.
charge sb with an offence
▪
In that year, 367 people were charged with terrorist offences.
cheat in an exam British English , cheat on an exam AmE:
▪
She was caught cheating in the exam.
cheat in an examination
▪
Any student caught cheating in an examination will be suspended.
cherish a hope/an idea/a dream etc
▪
willingness to re-examine cherished beliefs
choose an occupation
▪
Young people need help with choosing a suitable occupation.
choose an option
▪
Fewer women are choosing the option of motherhood.
cite an example (= mention an example )
▪
The report cites the example of Sweden, where there is a complete ban on advertising on children's television.
come to an abrupt end/halt etc
▪
The bus came to an abrupt halt.
come to an end (= end )
▪
Arsenal’s ten-match unbeaten run came to an end with a 3–2 defeat at United.
come up with an answer (= find a way of dealing with a problem )
▪
The government is struggling to come up with answers to our economic problems.
come up with an idea (= think of an idea )
▪
He’s always coming up with interesting ideas.
come/go/pass etc through an entrance
▪
People passed in single file through the narrow entrance.
commit an act of violence/terrorism/aggression etc
▪
Anyone committing an act of terrorism will be severely punished.
commit an act formal (= do something wrong or illegal )
▪
Anyone committing an illegal act deserves to be punished.
commit an atrocity (= commit a terrible and violent act )
▪
During the civil war both sides committed numerous atrocities.
commit an error formal (= make an error, especially a serious one )
▪
He knew he had committed a grave error of judgement.
commit an offence (= do something that is against the law )
▪
He had committed the offence of dangerous driving.
complete/finish an inspection
▪
The inspection was completed and the relevant forms filled in.
compound a crime/an offence etc
▪
He compounded the offence by calling his opponents liars.
compound an error (= make it worse )
▪
He refused to listen to our advice, which compounded the error.
concentrate/focus on an aspect
▪
Accountants often concentrate on one aspect of accounting.
conduct an inspection formal (= carry out an inspection )
▪
He was conducting an inspection in the factory.
conduct an interview
▪
Here are a few guidelines on how to conduct an interview.
conduct an investigation/inquiry
▪
Experts conducted an investigation into the causes of the crash.
conduct/perform an examination
▪
The doctor will perform an examination in order to assess the problem.
consider an appeal
▪
The US Supreme Court could refuse to consider the appeal.
consider an application (= think carefully about it before making a decision )
▪
All applications will be considered on their own merits.
contain/include an example
▪
The exhibition also contains some examples of his book illustrations.
contract an illness formal (= get an illness by catching it from another person )
▪
He contracted the illness while he was working abroad.
convey a sense/an impression of sth
▪
The music conveys a senses of sadness and despair.
convey an idea
▪
Art can be used to convey an idea.
convey an image
▪
At an interview, make sure your clothes convey the right image.
convict sb of an offence (= say officially that they are guilty )
▪
The number of women convicted of serious offences is fairly small.
cope with an emergency (= succeed in dealing with an emergency )
▪
Do you think that you could cope with an emergency?
core an apple (= remove the middle part containing the seeds )
▪
Core the apples and cut into quarters.
correct an error ( also rectify an error formal )
▪
We will rectify the error as soon as possible.
cost an arm and a leg (= have a price that is much too high )
▪
A skiing holiday needn’t cost you an arm and a leg.
counter an argument/an allegation/a criticism etc
▪
He was determined to counter the bribery allegations.
counter an argument/an allegation/a criticism etc
▪
He was determined to counter the bribery allegations.
create an image
▪
The company is trying to create an image of quality and reliability.
create an impression ( also convey an impression formal )
▪
Arriving late won’t create a very good impression.
create an incentive
▪
We need to create an incentive for people to recycle their rubbish.
cultivate an image (= try to encourage or develop an image )
▪
He was trying to cultivate an image of himself as an intellectual.
damage an industry
▪
Financial scandals have damaged the industry in recent years.
deal with an aspect
▪
International banks have departments to deal with this aspect of trade.
deal with an emergency
▪
All our ambulance drivers are trained to deal with emergencies.
deal with an emergency
▪
Several fire crews were called to deal with the emergency at the power plant.
deal with an enquiry
▪
Our staff will be able to deal with any enquiries.
deal with an issue/matter/question
▪
New laws were introduced to deal with the issue.
deal with/handle an incident
▪
The police were criticized for the way in which they handled the incident.
deal with/tackle an issue ( also address an issue formal )
▪
The government must deal with the issue of gun crime.
▪
The company said that it will address the issue at the next scheduled board meeting.
decide/settle/resolve an issue (= solve it )
▪
The issue was settled after some tough negotiations.
▪
No deadline has been set to resolve the issue.
decline an offer/invitation etc
▪
Mary declined Jay’s invitation to dinner.
deepen/broaden an understanding
▪
It is hoped that the research will broaden our understanding of the disease.
defeat an opponent
▪
She came within three points of defeating her opponent.
delete an email
▪
I accidentally deleted your email.
demand an apology
▪
China continued to demand a full apology from the US.
deny/dismiss an accusation
▪
The government denied accusations of corruption.
describe an incident
▪
Police asked the victim to describe the incident.
develop an industry
▪
More investment is needed to develop new industries such as tourism.
devise an experiment/test
▪
He devised a series of experiments to test his theory.
discuss an aspect
▪
Police are reluctant to discuss any aspect of the investigation.
discuss/debate an issue
▪
They met to discuss the issue of working conditions at the factory.
dismiss an allegation/charge
▪
She claimed that she was honest and dismissed the allegations against her.
dismiss an idea/suggestion
▪
Both actors dismissed any idea of a romantic relationship between them.
dismiss/sack an employee (= stop employing them because they have behaved badly or broken a rule )
▪
Seven employees were dismissed for misconduct.
dismiss/throw out/turn down an appeal (= not give permission for a decision to be changed )
▪
The taxpayer's appeal was dismissed and the penalty upheld.
disobey/ignore an order
▪
Anyone who disobeys these orders will be severely punished.
do an activity
▪
He doesn't do a lot of physical activity.
do an exercise ( also perform an exercise formal )
▪
Try to do these exercises at least three days a week.
do an inspection informal:
▪
We did the inspection last Friday.
do an interview ( also conduct an interview formal )
▪
The interview was conducted in French.
do well/badly in an exam British English , do well/badly on an exam AmEː
▪
Maria always did well in her exams at school.
do well/badly in an examination
▪
He did well in his examinations, and went on to study at MIT.
do yourself an injury British English informal (= accidentally hurt yourself )
▪
Be careful with that knife or you’ll do yourself an injury.
do/carry out an assessment
▪
A teacher does a yearly assessment of each child’s progress.
do/carry out an experiment
▪
They carried out a series of experiments to test the theory.
▪
He did some experiments with bats.
do/carry out an operation ( also perform an operation formal )
▪
The operation was carried out by a team of surgeons at Papworth Hospital.
▪
I’ve done this operation hundreds of times.
do/carry out/perform/conduct an analysis
▪
No similar analysis has been done in this country.
dodge an issue/question
▪
Senator O'Brian skilfully dodged the crucial question.
do/have an MBA
done an honest day’s work
▪
I bet he’s never done an honest day’s work in his life!
draft an agreement (= write the conditions of an agreement, which may be changed )
▪
The legal team will draft a second agreement incorporating these changes.
draw an outline
▪
First, I draw out the outline of the leaf onto paper, and start adding areas of colour.
draw to an end (= to reach the end )
▪
My holiday was drawing to an end.
draw/make an analogy (= make a comparison )
▪
She drew an analogy between childbirth and the creative process.
earn an honest living
▪
I’m just trying to earn an honest living .
earn £30,000 a year/$200 a week/£5 an hour etc
▪
Newly qualified teachers earn a minimum of £24,000 a year.
eat an apple
▪
Some people say that you should eat an apple every day.
encounter an obstacle (= find that there is an obstacle )
▪
People should not encounter obstacles because of their age, sex, race, or religion.
endorse a proposal/an idea/a candidate etc
▪
The Prime Minister is unlikely to endorse this view.
endure an ordeal
▪
In his book, he describes how he endured the ordeal of prison life.
enforce an agreement
▪
The president called for UN action to enforce the agreement.
engage in an activity formal (= take part )
▪
Police suspect he may have engaged in criminal activities.
enter an era
▪
We have entered an era of instant global communication.
enter into an agreement formal (= make an official agreement, which has legal responsibilities )
▪
In 2006 the city authorities entered into an agreement with a private firm to operate the gardens.
establish/create/provide an agenda (= begin to have an agenda )
▪
We need to establish an agenda for future research.
exert an influence formal (= have an influence )
▪
Technology exerts a powerful influence over our lives.
express an emotion (= show or talk about )
▪
He had always found it difficult to express his emotions.
express an interest in sth (= say that you are interested in something )
▪
A number of well-known film directors have expressed interest in the script.
express an interest in sth
▪
Many property developers have expressed an interest in buying the land.
face an accusation (= have an accusation made about you )
▪
The police faced accusations of using excessive force.
face an issue (= accept that an issue exists and deal with it )
▪
Politicians seem to be reluctant to face the issue.
face an obstacle (= have to deal with an obstacle )
▪
The investigation has faced numerous obstacles.
face an opponent
▪
The team were facing their final opponent of the season.
face an ordeal
▪
He faced the ordeal of caring for his dying wife.
face an uncertain/difficult future
▪
The company is facing an uncertain future.
fail an exam
▪
If you fail the exam, you can retake it.
fail an examination
▪
Michael had never yet failed an examination.
fail an inspection
▪
He couldn’t join the army because he failed the medical inspection.
feel an effect (= notice it )
▪
Small companies will feel the effect of the recession first.
feel an obligation
▪
When his mother died, he felt an obligation to continue her work.
feel/experience an emotion
▪
Seeing him with his new wife, she felt emotions that she did not want to feel again.
feel/have an urge
▪
I still sometimes feel an urge to have a cigarette.
fight an election British English ( also contest an election British English formal ) (= take part in it and try to win )
▪
Three independent candidates are also planning to contest the election.
fight an election/a campaign
▪
The prime minister decided to fight an early general election.
fight/combat an infection
▪
A new drug is being developed to combat the infection.
fill out/fill in an application (= write all the necessary information on it )
▪
I would like to fill out an application for the position.
▪
You can fill in the application form online.
finalize an agreement (= agree the last part )
▪
The developer hopes to finalise an agreement this week with the local authority.
find an alternative
▪
The program is directed to finding alternatives to oil and natural gas.
find an answer
▪
The aim is to find a long-term answer to poverty.
find an example
▪
We found examples of people being overcharged by as much as 50%.
find/spot/notice an error
▪
His accountant spotted several errors in his tax return.
find/think of/come up with an explanation
▪
Scientists have been unable to find an explanation for this phenomenon.
fire off an email informal (= send it quickly, especially because you are angry about something )
▪
I fired off an email to the hotel, saying how disgusted I was with their level of service.
five minutes/an hour etc fast
▪
I always keep my watch 15 minutes fast.
flunk an exam American English informal (= fail it )
▪
I flunked all my first year exams.
flying at an altitude
▪
We’re flying at an altitude of 40,000 feet.
foil/thwart an attempt formal (= make it fail )
▪
Troops loyal to the general foiled the assassination attempt.
follow an occupation formal (= do one )
▪
The third son followed his father’s occupation.
for an instant
▪
She caught his eye for an instant .
force an entry (= get into a building by breaking a door, window etc )
▪
The church was locked, but he managed to force an entry.
forge an alliance (= develop a new or strong alliance )
▪
They won the election by forging an alliance with the Social Democrats.
form an opinion (= gradually decide what your opinion is )
▪
Olson had not yet formed an opinion as to Mark’s reliability.
formulate an idea/theory
▪
Darwin formulated the theory of natural selection.
forward an email (= send an email you have received to someone else )
▪
Can you please forward this email on to Chris?
found an empire (= start an empire )
▪
The Persian empire was founded by Cyrus the Great.
from an early/young age
▪
She’d been playing the piano from a very early age.
from an economic/financial/business point of view
▪
From a financial point of view, the concert was a disaster.
fulfil an aim/a goal/an objective
▪
an analysis of how different countries are attempting to fulfill their political goals
fulfil an aim/a goal/an objective
▪
an analysis of how different countries are attempting to fulfill their political goals
gain an insight (into sth) (= get a chance to understand more about something )
▪
You can gain an insight into horses’ feelings by the physical signs they give out.
gain an understanding (= get knowledge based on learning and experience )
▪
Drama is one of the key ways in which children can gain an understanding of themselves and of others.
gain/get/develop an understanding
▪
Scientists continued to gain a greater understanding of the effects of radiation.
generate an income (= provide one )
▪
He decided to invest the money to generate an income for the future.
get an allowance
▪
Do you get an allowance for clothes?
get an appointment (= succeed in arranging one )
▪
It’s difficult to get an appointment on Monday morning.
get an idea
▪
She got the idea from an article in a magazine.
get an impression
▪
What sort of impression did you get of the city?
get an injury informal (= suffer an injury )
▪
He couldn’t take the chance of getting an injury.
get an interview
▪
He was one of only five people to get an interview out of more than 100 people who applied.
get an opportunity
▪
I decided to go, as I might never get this opportunity again.
get an overview
▪
I wanted to get an overview of the main environmental concerns.
get into an argument/become involved in an argument
▪
She didn’t want to get into another argument about money.
▪
I left to avoid becoming involved in an argument.
get into an argument/become involved in an argument
▪
She didn’t want to get into another argument about money.
▪
I left to avoid becoming involved in an argument.
get/be given an airing
▪
an issue that wasn’t given an airing during the campaign
get/develop an illness
▪
She developed the illness when she was in her 50s.
get/develop an infection
▪
She got a nasty throat infection which meant she couldn’t sing.
get/gain an advantage
▪
Both teams tried to get an advantage.
get/gain an edge over sb/sth (= gain a small advantage over someone or something else )
▪
A well trained workforce is a key factor in gaining a competitive edge over our rivals.
get/have an inquiry (= receive it )
▪
We’ve already had a lot of inquiries about membership of the new sports centre.
get/obtain/seek advice from an expert (= ask an expert for information or advice )
▪
Don’t make big financial decisions without first seeking advice from an expert.
get/receive an answer
▪
She wrote to him but she never got an answer.
get/receive an apology
▪
He received a formal apology from the company.
get/receive an award
▪
He is the youngest person ever to receive the award.
get/receive an education
▪
Some children grow up without receiving any education.
get/receive an email
▪
Within seconds, I got an email confirming the booking.
get/receive an invitation
▪
Did you get an invitation to Janet's party?
get/receive an offer
▪
He received the offer of a place at Cambridge University.
give an account
▪
Marshall gave the police his account of how the fight started.
give an account/description
▪
He gave a disturbing account of the murder.
give an estimate
▪
The builder gave me an estimate of £10,000.
give an excuse
▪
I'll have to give my boss some kind of excuse.
give an explanation
▪
The police gave no explanation for their actions.
give an impression
▪
Her speech definitely gave the impression that she was enthusiastic about the project.
give in to an urge (= do what you feel you want to do, when this is wrong )
▪
I try not to give in to the urge to gossip.
give in/hand in an essay
▪
Half the class failed to hand in their essay on time.
give sb an advantage
▪
His height gives him a big advantage.
give sb an answer
▪
I’ll give you an answer tomorrow.
give sb an appetite ( also stimulate your appetite formal )
▪
The exercise and fresh air had given us an appetite.
▪
The aroma of the herbs and spices helps stimulate the appetite.
give sb an award
▪
The award is given each year to the best new artist.
give (sb) an example
▪
Let me give you an example of how this might happen.
give sb an idea
▪
What gave you the idea for the book?
give sb an injection
▪
The nurse gave him an injection.
give sb an interview (= interview someone )
▪
We gave her an interview, but decided not to offer her the job.
give sb an invitation ( also issue/extend an invitation formal )
▪
He has issued an invitation to the Chinese president to come to Washington.
give sb an outline
▪
The leaflet gives you an outline of the Party's main policies.
give sb an outlook
▪
June's new job gave her a fresh outlook.
give sb an ultimatum
▪
My boss gave me an ultimatum: get better results or find another job.
give...an airing
▪
Put your houseplants outside to give them an airing.
give/create an illusion
▪
The mirrors in the room gave an illusion of greater space.
give/express an opinion (= say what your opinion is )
▪
He gave his opinion only when asked.
give/issue an order
▪
Do not fire until I give the order.
give/offer sb an incentive
▪
If you want people to change their behaviour, it's a good idea to offer them some kind of incentive.
give/offer sb an option
▪
Some employees were given the option of retiring early.
▪
Buyers will usually be offered the option of paying in instalments.
give/provide an education
▪
The school aims to provide a good general education.
give/provide/offer an overview
▪
The report provides an overview of the recent policy changes.
give/seek/receive an assurance (that)
▪
He gave an assurance that the work would be completed by Wednesday.
go back on an agreement ( also renege on an agreement formal ) (= not do what you agreed to do )
▪
Republican leaders accused Democrats of trying to renege on an agreement to have a House vote.
go for an interview ( also attend an interview formal )
▪
I went for an interview at a software company yesterday.
go for an option (= choose an option )
▪
Which option do you think they'll go for?
go into/enter into an alliance with sb
▪
Spain then entered into an alliance with France.
go on an expedition
▪
We decided to go on a shopping expedition to London.
go on an expedition
▪
After the war, Swainson went on an expedition to Patagonia.
go through an ordeal ( also undergo an ordeal formal ) (= experience something that is very bad or difficult )
▪
I'd already gone through the ordeal of a divorce once.
▪
The girl will not have to ungergo the ordeal of giving evidence in court.
go to an event ( also attend an event formal )
▪
Unfortunately, the prime minister will not be able to attend the event.
go to an exhibition ( also attend/visit an exhibition formal )
▪
We went to an exhibition of Russian art at the National Gallery.
gone on an outing
▪
They had gone on an outing to the pool for Robert’s birthday.
grant/approve an application (= give permission to do or have sth )
▪
What are the reasons for not granting this application?
granted an amnesty
▪
The government granted an amnesty for all former terrorists.
greet an announcement formal (= react to it in a particular way )
▪
The announcement was. greeted with cheers on both sides of the House.
grounds for an appeal (= reasons for making an appeal )
▪
You need to have reasonable grounds for your appeal.
had an inkling
▪
I had an inkling that she was pregnant.
had an orgasm
▪
women who have never had an orgasm
half an hour ( also a half hour ) (= thirty minutes )
▪
I’ll meet you in half an hour.
hammer out an agreement informal (= decide on an agreement after a lot of discussion and disagreement )
▪
Traders are focused on Washington, where Republicans and Democrats are hammering out an agreement to balance the federal budget.
handle an emergency (= deal with and make decisions about an emergency )
▪
There is always a doctor on call to handle emergencies.
handle/deal with an inquiry
▪
Staff will be available to deal with inquiries.
have an accent
▪
The man had a Spanish accent.
have an accident
▪
I had an accident on my way to work.
have an advantage ( also enjoy an advantage formal )
▪
Our parents didn’t have all the advantages that we have.
▪
Western countries enjoyed considerable advantages in terms of technology.
have an agenda
▪
Brown has an agenda for the university’s future.
have an agreement
▪
They have an agreement that all workers should be union members.
have an aim
▪
His trip to Milan, his third in two weeks, had a precise aim.
have an air of authority approving (= look like you have authority, in a way that makes people obey you )
▪
The commander had an unmistakeable air of authority.
have an allergy
▪
I have an allergy to cats.
have an alternative
▪
You have a few alternatives to choose from.
have an ambition
▪
He had an ambition to be a top cello player.
have an answer
▪
Doctors are supposed to have all the answers.
have an appetite
▪
There’s lots of food – I hope you have a good appetite.
have an appointment
▪
She has an appointment with the dentist at 5 o'clock.
have an approach
▪
In the US they have a somewhat different approach.
have an argument
▪
I could hear my parents having an argument downstairs.
have an audience
▪
The programme has a massive audience, ranging from children to grandparents.
have an easy time of it
▪
You can have an easy time of it now that the kids have all left home.
have an education
▪
The women have had little education.
have an effect on sth/sb
▪
Eating junk food will eventually have an effect on your health.
have an engagement
▪
I don't have any engagements tomorrow.
have an equivalent
▪
This institution has no equivalent in any other European country.
have an even chance
▪
I think we have an even chance of winning.
have an examination
▪
He was examined by Dr Bower yesterday and will have another examination today.
have an excuse
▪
Companies have no excuse for breaking the law.
have an exhibition
▪
The college is having an exhibition of the students’ work in April.
have an explanation
▪
Does the hospital have any explanation for why he died?
have an expression on your face
▪
He had a very serious expression on his face.
have an expression
▪
His face had a puzzled expression.
have an idea
▪
I’ve had an idea. Why don’t we walk into town?
have an illness
▪
When did you first find out that you had the illness?
have an image
▪
The product has a rather downmarket image.
have (an) imagination
▪
Her poems show that she has a lot of imagination.
have an impact
▪
New technology has had a massive impact on our lives.
have an incentive
▪
Companies have an incentive to maximize efficiency.
have an income ( also receive an income formal )
▪
We have an income of over $100,000 a year.
have an infection
▪
I think you’ve got an infection, so you need to rest.
have an influence on sb/sth
▪
His works have had an influence on many modern writers.
have an injection
▪
He had to have an injection to relieve the pain.
have an injury
▪
Tom was OK, and had just a few minor injuries.
have an inspiration (= suddenly have an idea )
▪
He had an inspiration while he was taking a walk in the countryside.
have an interest in sth
▪
Steve has a keen interest in bird-watching.
have an interview
▪
She has an interview next week for a teaching job in Paris.
have an invitation
▪
The following week, I had an invitation to give a talk in Cambridge.
have an objection
▪
Does anyone have any objections to the proposal?
have an objective
▪
Our main objective is to reduce road accidents.
have an obligation
▪
Citizens have an obligation to obey the law.
have an obsession
▪
The poet seems to have an obsession with death.
have an occupation
▪
The people in the region have a variety of occupations.
have an operation ( also undergo an operation formal )
▪
Harris had a hip operation in October.
▪
She has undergone 50 operations since birth.
have an option
▪
At the moment, children have the option of leaving school at 16.
▪
In a situation like this, you have two options.
have an outcome
▪
The meeting had a very satisfactory outcome.
have an outlook
▪
He has quite a conventional outlook.
have an overview
▪
We need someone who will have an overview of the whole system.
have an understanding
▪
The authorities don’t seem to have a clear understanding of the problem.
have/contain an error
▪
If the data contains errors, the results will be wrong.
have/feel an impulse to
▪
Rosa had an impulse to tell Henry the truth.
have/get an erection
have/hold an election
▪
The government plans to hold an election in November.
have/hold an evening (= organize an event in the evening )
▪
The college is holding an open evening on May 6th for year 9 to 11 pupils.
have/hold an opinion
▪
Everyone seemed to have a different opinion.
▪
He holds strong opinions on these issues.
have/take/adopt an attitude
▪
Not everyone takes a positive attitude towards modern art.
having an off day
▪
Brian never usually loses his temper – he must be having an off day .
having an open house
▪
We’re having an open house Sunday, noon to 5 pm.
hear an announcement
▪
Everyone was shocked when they heard the announcement.
hear an appeal (= listen to all the facts )
▪
The FA will hear Chelsea's appeal against the fine next week.
hear an explosion
▪
Marie was reading in bed when she heard the explosion.
highlight an issue (= bring attention to it )
▪
The minister used his speech to highlight the issue of global warming.
hire an instrument
▪
You could hire an instrument from a music shop.
hit a peak/an all-time high etc
▪
Earnings hit a peak in the early 1980s.
hit on an idea informal (= suddenly think of an idea )
▪
Then we hit on the idea of renting a cottage.
hit rock-bottom/an all-time low etc
▪
Oil prices have hit rock-bottom.
hold an execution (= carry one out )
▪
The executions will be held later today.
hold an inquiry
▪
The government has refused to hold an inquiry into the incident.
hold sb up as an example (= use someone as a good example of something )
▪
He was held up as an example to the younger athletes.
hold/mount/stage an exhibition formal (= have an exhibition )
▪
Hayward Gallery is mounting an impressive exhibition of new British artists.
hold/stage an event (= organize a public event )
▪
The charity plans to stage several fund-raising events this year.
host an exhibition formal (= provide the place for an exhibition )
▪
Boston’s Museum of Fine Art hosts temporary exhibitions alongside its permanent collection.
impose an obligation formal (= put someone in the position of having an obligation )
▪
A contract imposes certain obligations on employees and employers.
in an easterly direction
▪
We drove off in an easterly direction .
In an ideal world
▪
In an ideal world there would be no need for a police force.
in an instant (= immediately )
▪
When the rain started, the crowd vanished in an instant .
in an orderly fashion
▪
The elections were conducted in an orderly fashion .
in case of emergency/in the event of an emergency (= if there is an emergency )
▪
The fire-exit doors should only be opened in case of emergency.
incur an expense formal (= have to pay for something )
▪
Potential buyers incur the expense of a survey and legal fees.
inflict an injury on sb formal (= make someone have an injury )
▪
Jenkins was accused of inflicting a head injury on one of his former colleagues.
introduce an act
▪
In 1961, before the Divorce Law Reform Act was introduced, the divorce rate was only 2.1%.
involved in an accident (= he is one of the people in an accident )
▪
I’m afraid your son’s been involved in an accident .
is an understatement
▪
To say the movie was bad is an understatement .
is quite an art (= it is difficult to do )
▪
Writing advertisements is quite an art .
issue an apology (= make an official public apology )
▪
North Korea issued an official apology for the incident.
issue/deliver an ultimatum (= officially give someone an ultimatum )
▪
The authorities issued an ultimatum to the students to end their protest or face arrest.
It is an illusion that
▪
It is an illusion that the Arctic is dark in winter.
it is an offence to do sth
▪
It is an offence to carry a weapon in a public place.
keep an appointment (= go to an appointment that you have arranged )
▪
Please let us know if you cannot keep your appointment.
keep an open mind
▪
It’s important to keep an open mind as you study the topic.
keep sth/get sth back on an even keel
▪
Now that the crisis is over, we must try to get things back on an even keel.
keep/honour an agreement ( also stick to an agreement informal ) (= do what you have agreed )
▪
It’s important to keep to your student loan agreement.
keep/stay away from an area
▪
The police ordered people to stay away from the area.
last an hour/ten minutes etc
▪
Each lesson lasts an hour.
▪
The ceasefire didn’t last long.
last (for) an hour
▪
The meeting lasted almost two hours.
launch an attack
▪
In April the French army launched an attack.
launch an attack/assault/offensive
▪
The press launched a vicious attack on the President.
launch/set up an inquiry (= start it )
▪
Police launched an inquiry yesterday after a man was killed by a patrol car.
lead an attack/assault
▪
Nelson preferred to lead the attack himself from the front.
lead an investigation/inquiry/campaign
▪
The investigation will be led by Inspector Scarfe.
▪
They are leading a campaign to warn teenagers about the dangers of drug abuse.
lead to an increase
▪
They argue that the abolition of the death penalty has led to an increase in the number of murders.
lead/mount an attack
▪
The King now prepared to mount an attack on Granada.
learn to play an instrument ( also learn an instrument )
▪
All students at the school have the opportunity to learn an instrument.
leave an impression on sb (= make someone remember a person, place, or thing )
▪
Janet certainly left an impression on him.
lessen/reduce an effect (= make an effect smaller or less severe )
▪
The government must take action to reduce the effects of pollution.
level an accusation against/at sb (= bring an accusation against someone )
▪
As a result, some outrageous accusations were levelled at her.
lift a restriction/an embargo/sanctions etc
▪
The government plans to lift its ban on cigar imports.
lift/end an embargo (= stop an embargo )
▪
Britain favours lifting the embargo on humanitarian grounds.
live in an apartment
▪
He lived in a small apartment on the third floor.
locked in an embrace (= holding each other very tightly in a loving or friendly way )
▪
A moment later they were locked in an embrace .
lodge an objection (= formally make an objection )
▪
Residents have lodged an objection to the new development.
lodge/file/bring an appeal (= make an appeal )
▪
Mr Sarhadi, who has lived here for three years, has lodged an appeal against extradition.
look at an option (= consider an option )
▪
You have to look at every option as your business develops.
look at/consider/examine an aspect
▪
Managers were asked to look at every aspect of their work.
look for an excuse
▪
I began to look for excuses to avoid seeing him.
lose an arm/leg/eye etc
▪
He lost his leg in a motorcycle accident.
lose an election
▪
If the party loses the election, they may decide they need a new leader.
lose/shed an image (= get rid of it )
▪
The party struggled to lose its image of being somewhat old-fashioned.
make an accusation
▪
You’ve made a lot of accusations but you haven’t got any evidence.
make an agreement
▪
We made an agreement not to tell anyone.
make (an) allowance/make allowances (for sth)
▪
The budget makes allowances for extra staff when needed.
make an apology
▪
I hope you are going to make an apology.
make an appeal
▪
My client is planning to make an appeal.
make an appearance
▪
The President made a dramatic appearance on nationwide television to announce a fresh peace initiative.
make an application
▪
Candidates are advised to make an early application to the university.
make an ass of yourself (= do something stupid or embarrassing )
make an assessment
▪
I had to make a quick assessment of the situation and act accordingly.
make an assumption
▪
You’re making a lot of assumptions for which you have no proof.
make an attempt
▪
She made several attempts to escape.
make an effort (= try )
▪
She made an effort to change the subject of the conversation.
make an error
▪
We made too many errors, and that cost us the game.
make an estimate
▪
Insurers have to make an estimate of the risk involved.
make an exception (= deal with someone or something in a different way from usual on a particular occasion )
▪
We usually require a 10% deposit, but I'll make an exception in this case.
make an expedition (= go on an expedition )
▪
The men made expeditions to Spain, Greece and Asia Minor to find fossils.
make an impact
▪
The product quickly made an impact on the market.
make an impression
▪
Think about what sort of impression you want to make.
make an inquiry
▪
The police are making inquiries to discover the cause of the accident.
make an investment (in sth)
▪
We have made a huge investment in our website.
make an objection (= say what your objection is )
▪
The Parish Council made several objections to the changes.
make an order (= used of a court )
▪
The court made an adoption order.
make sth an offence/make it an offence to do sth
▪
The Act made it an offence to sell cigarettes to children under 16.
make sth an offence/make it an offence to do sth
▪
The Act made it an offence to sell cigarettes to children under 16.
make up/think up/invent an excuse
▪
I made up some excuse about my car breaking down.
▪
We’d better think up an excuse, fast.
make/arrange an appointment
▪
Can you phone the hairdresser and make an appointment?
make/form an alliance
▪
In 1902, Japan made an alliance with Britain.
make/issue an announcement
▪
The next day an announcement was issued to staff, saying the company would be closing.
▪
The government issued an announcement saying that it was not prepared to negotiate with terrorists.
make/issue/launch an appeal
▪
Detectives are making an urgent appeal for information.
▪
The hospital has launched an appeal to raise money for new equipment.
mark an essay British English , grade an essay AmE:
▪
I went home knowing that I still had a pile of essays to mark.
mark an occasion (= do something special to celebrate an event )
▪
The bells were rung to mark the occasion.
meet/fulfil/honour an obligation (= do something that you have a duty to do )
▪
The company has been unable to meet its financial obligations.
▪
All member states must fulfil their obligations according to the EC treaty.
▪
The government failed to honour its obligations under the terms of the agreement.
miles/kilometres an hour (= used in speeds )
▪
The speed limit is 65 miles an hour.
miss an appointment (= not go to an appointment you have arranged )
▪
The train was late so I missed my appointment.
miss/lose an opportunity (= not do something you have a chance to do )
▪
Dwyer never missed an opportunity to criticize her.
mount an assault/attack
▪
Guerrillas have mounted an attack on the capital.
mount/launch an expedition (= plan, organize, and begin an expedition )
▪
Ornithologists are mounting an expedition to the island in order to study the birds.
move an amendment British English (= suggest a change )
▪
They want to move an amendment to the bill.
move into/out of an apartment (= start living in a new apartment, or leave an apartment in order to live somewhere else )
▪
They moved into the apartment last Easter.
move into/out of an area
▪
She had just moved into the area and knew very few people.
▪
Many young people are moving out of rural areas.
mumble/mutter an apology (= say it quietly, especially because you are embarrassed )
▪
He bumped into me and mumbled an apology.
munch on an apple (= eat it )
▪
He was munching on an apple.
nationalize an industry (= make it owned by the state )
▪
The rail industry was nationalized in the 1950s, with disastrous results.
need/require an explanation
▪
We think the minister’s decision requires an explanation.
negotiate an agreement (= discuss particular things in order to reach an agreement )
▪
They have been trying to negotiate an agreement with a Chinese company.
negotiate an agreement/contract etc
▪
Union leaders have negotiated an agreement for a shorter working week.
not trust sb an inch/not trust sb as far as you can throw them (= not trust someone at all )
nurse/harbour/cherish an ambition (= have it for a long time, especially secretly )
▪
He had nursed an ambition to become a writer for many years.
obey an impulse formal ( also yield to an impulse literary ) (= do something because you have a sudden very strong desire to do it )
▪
Yielding to an impulse, she called him on her mobile phone.
obey an order
▪
He refused to obey this order.
obey an order/command/instruction
▪
The first duty of a soldier is to obey orders.
offer an apology
▪
We would like to offer our sincere apologies for the delay.
offer an opportunity/chance/possibility
▪
The course offers the opportunity to specialize in the final year.
offer/provide an alternative
▪
If your first choice is not available, we always have alternatives to offer.
on an ad hoc basis
▪
decisions made on an ad hoc basis
on an equal footing (with sb/sth)/on the same footing (as sb/sth) (= in the same state or condition as other people or things )
▪
The new law puts women on an equal legal footing with men.
▪
Many of the old polytechnics are now on the same footing as universities.
on an international scale (= involving more than one country )
▪
Preparations to deal with an outbreak of the disease are being made on an international scale.
on an unprecedented scale (= more than ever before )
▪
Propaganda techniques were used on an unprecedented scale.
on an unprecedented scale
▪
Crime has increased on an unprecedented scale.
on the back of an envelope (= used to describe a calculation or plan that is written down quickly on any available small piece of paper )
▪
She scribbled a few ideas on the back of an envelope.
open an envelope
▪
I opened the envelope, pulled out the document and read it.
outfox/outwit/outmanoeuvre an opponent (= gain an advantage over an opponent by being more intelligent or skilful than they are )
▪
Football is all about outwitting your opponents.
overcome an obstacle ( also surmount an obstacle formal ) (= find a solution to an obstacle )
▪
We need to help young people overcome the obstacles that poverty puts in their way.
owe an obligation to sb formal (= have an obligation to support, help etc someone )
▪
He owed an obligation of loyalty to his king.
owe sb an apology
▪
I’m afraid I owe you an apology.
owe (sb) an explanation
▪
I think you owe me some kind of explanation.
own an apartment
▪
My parents own an apartment in Madrid.
pass an act
▪
Once Parliament has passed an act, it becomes the law of the land.
pass an exam (= succeed in it )
▪
Did you pass your final exam?
pass an examination (= succeed in it )
▪
I really hope that Suzie passes the examination.
pass an inspection
▪
The supermarket can only trade if it passes the cleanliness inspection.
peel an apple (= remove the skin )
▪
Peel the apples and slice them finely.
perform an act (= do something, especially something difficult or useful )
▪
The nurses performed many small acts of kindness.
perform an action
▪
The children sing and perform the actions to nursery songs.
perform an experiment/study etc
▪
Part of the Chemistry exam involves performing an experiment.
perform an operation
▪
The surgeon who performed the operation said it had gone well.
perform/conduct an experiment formal (= do an experiment )
▪
The laboratory began conducting experiments on rats.
perform/play to an audience
▪
The band played to huge audiences in Mexico City and Buenos Aires.
pick up an accent
▪
During his stay in England, he had picked up an English accent.
pick up/scoop up an award (= to get an award – used especially in news reports )
▪
Angelina Jolie scooped up the award for best actress.
place/impose an embargo on sth (= start an embargo )
▪
The UN imposed an embargo on trade with the military regime.
plan an escape
▪
We planned our escape carefully and waited for just the right moment.
plank of an argument/policy/campaign etc
▪
the main plank of their argument
▪
a central plank of our policy
play an active role in sth
▪
Do you play an active role in your community?
play an instrument
▪
Can you play a musical instrument?
play/perform an essential role in sth
▪
Antibiotics play an essential role in controlling infection.
post an advertisement (= put it on a website )
▪
The agency has posted an advertisement on its website for graduates to work overseas.
prefer/favour an approach
▪
I prefer a traditional approach.
present an obstacle (= cause a problem that is difficult to deal with or solve )
▪
The lack of money presented a massive obstacle.
present sb with an award (= give someone an award at a formal ceremony )
▪
She cried when she was presented with her award.
present sb with an ultimatum
▪
Iraq was presented with an ultimatum by the UN to cease the invasion of Kuwait.
present/pose an obstacle (= cause an obstacle to exist )
▪
Serious differences continue to present obstacles to an agreement.
▪
Our reliance on fossil fuels poses an obstacle to achieving these targets.
present/project/promote an image (= behave in a way that creates a particular image )
▪
He presented an image of himself as an energetic young leader.
prevent an accident
▪
Steps have been taken to prevent a similar accident happening again.
prevent an escape ( also foil an escape formal ) (= stop an escape )
▪
Walker grabbed her firmly by the wrist, preventing any chance of escape.
privatize an industry (= make it privately owned, rather than owned by the state )
▪
The water industry was privatized in the 1980s.
process an application (= officially deal with it )
▪
Your application for British citizenship will be processed by the Immigration Service.
process an application/claim/transaction etc
▪
All university applications are processed through this system.
produce an effect formal
▪
If we combine these sounds, they produce an effect that is almost jazzy.
produce/bring out an edition (= of a book, newspaper, or other product )
▪
This special edition of the VW Beetle was produced in the 1970s.
promote an exhibition (= tell the public about it )
▪
Our press officer contacted the local radio and TV stations to promote the exhibition.
prove an embarrassment (= be an embarrassment )
▪
The publication of the documents proved a severe embarrassment to the company.
prove an obstacle (= be an obstacle )
▪
The weather proved an obstacle, with nonstop rains flooding the field.
prove/support an accusation
▪
There were very few facts to support the accusation against him.
provide an account
▪
Freud has provided an account of the human psyche’s stages of development.
provide an example
▪
Our brochure provides examples of the different villas on offer.
provide an income
▪
The properties he rented out provided him with an income.
provide an outline
▪
The first chapter provides an outline of the theory of evolution.
provide (sb with) an estimate
▪
Could you ask him if he can provide us with an estimate?
provide sb with an incentive
▪
Good teachers provide their students with incentives to learn.
provide/offer an explanation
▪
This theory may provide an explanation for the origins of the universe.
provide/present/open up an opportunity
▪
The course also provides an opportunity to study Japanese.
provide/produce an analysis
▪
The report provided an analysis of the problems we need to address.
provoke protest(s)/an outcry
▪
Not surprisingly, the new rules have provoked protests from gun owners.
▪
The crackdown provoked an international outcry.
provoke/spark off an incident (= cause it to happen suddenly )
▪
It is claimed that the police provoked the incident.
publish an apology (= print it in a newspaper )
▪
The newspaper group was forced to publish a full apology.
publish an edition (= of a book or newspaper )
▪
The first edition of the book was published in 1982.
publish/carry/run an article (= print it in a newspaper or magazine )
▪
The magazine carried an article on the dangers of being overweight.
pursue an interest
▪
Always encourage children to pursue their interests.
pursue an objective (= try to achieve something you want )
▪
War has always been a means of pursuing national objectives.
put an end to sth (= make something end )
▪
A shoulder injury put an end to his baseball career.
put an estimate on sth (= say the amount that you think something is )
▪
It is impossible to put an estimate on the value of the manuscript.
put forward an argument
▪
He rejected the arguments put forward by the company’s lawyers.
put forward an idea
▪
In 1829 he put forward the idea that the Earth is contracting.
put in/submit an application
▪
The company has submitted a planning application.
put on an accent (= deliberately speak with a different accent from your usual one )
▪
When mum’s on the phone, she puts on a funny accent.
put on an exhibition (= have an exhibition )
▪
Last summer the museum put on some wonderful exhibitions for children.
put...in an awkward position (= made it difficult for her to know what to do )
▪
Philip’s remarks put her in an awkward position .
put/place an advertisement in a paper/newspaper
▪
I tried putting an advertisement for lodgers in the local paper.
quoted as an example of
▪
The nurses’ union was quoted as an example of a responsible trade union.
raise an issue/bring up an issue (= say an issue should be discussed )
▪
Some important issues were raised at the meeting.
raise an issue/bring up an issue (= say an issue should be discussed )
▪
Some important issues were raised at the meeting.
raise/voice an objection (= make an objection )
▪
His father raised no objections when John told him that he wanted to become a dancer.
ratify a treaty/an agreement/a decision etc
▪
We hope that the republics will be willing to ratify the treaty.
reach an age
▪
The payments will be made until the child reaches college age.
reach an agreement/compromise/settlement (= decide on an arrangement that is acceptable to both groups )
▪
Substantial progress was made toward reaching an agreement.
reach an audience
▪
For an advertiser who wants to reach a large audience, television news easily surpasses other news media.
reach/come to an agreement ( also conclude an agreement formal )
▪
It took the two sides several weeks to reach an agreement.
▪
The two sides failed to come to an agreement.
reach/meet an objective (= achieve an objective )
▪
We need to control spending in order to meet our financial objectives.
read an account
▪
Have you read his account of the journey?
read an email
▪
It took most of the morning to read my emails.
read an essay
▪
Did you read her essay on ‘The Waste Land’?
read/see an article
▪
It was good to see such an intelligent article on censorship.
receive an injection formal
▪
The boxer received an injection of the drug before the fight.
receive an inquiry formal:
▪
The television station has received several inquiries from viewers requesting a repeat of the programme.
receive an order
▪
The general says he received no order to withdraw.
receive an ultimatum
▪
We received an ultimatum from the army demanding our surrender.
record an event (= write down or photograph what happened )
▪
Two photographers recorded the events.
recorded an open verdict
▪
He said there was some doubt over the way Grant had died, and recorded an open verdict .
recover from an illness
▪
It took several months for him to recover from his illness.
recover from an injury
▪
It took her six months to recover from the injury.
recover from an operation
▪
A man is recovering from an emergency operation after his pet dog attacked him.
recover from an ordeal
▪
She is recovering from her ordeal after a bomb went off on the train she was on.
refuse/reject/turn down an application (= say no to an application )
▪
Their planning application was rejected because of a lack of parking facilities.
refuse/turn down an invitation ( also decline an invitation formal )
▪
She turned down an invitation to take part in a televised debate.
refute a hypothesis/a claim/an idea etc
▪
an attempt to refute Darwin’s theories
refute an allegation/a suggestion etc
▪
She refuted any allegations of malpractice.
regulate an industry (= control an industry so that it does not make unfair profits )
▪
A new agency was created to regulate the telecommunications industry.
remove an obstacle
▪
Opening the border removed all obstacles to trade and travel between the two countries.
renew an appeal (= make an appeal again )
▪
Detectives renewed their appeal for help from the public.
repeal an act (= officially end it )
▪
The Act was repealed by the incoming Labour government.
represent a change/an advance/an increase etc
▪
This treatment represents a significant advance in the field of cancer research.
represent a change/an advance/an increase etc
▪
This treatment represents a significant advance in the field of cancer research.
represent an improvement (= be an improvement )
▪
A pre-tax profit of 4.3 million pounds represents a 5% improvement on last year.
resist an attempt to do sth
▪
The rest of the board resisted his attempts to change the way things were done.
resist/control an impulse (= not do something, even though you have an impulse to do it )
▪
Derek resisted the impulse to eat any more cake.
resist/fight/suppress an urge
▪
She had to resist a constant urge to look back over her shoulder.
resolve an issue/matter/question
▪
Has the issue been resolved yet?
retake an exam ( also resit an exam British English ) (= take it again because you did not do well the first time )
▪
If you don’t do well, you’ll have to resit the exam in January.
returned an open verdict
▪
The jury returned an open verdict .
rev (up) an engine British English , gun an engine American English (= make an engine go very fast )
▪
As the lights turned green, Chris gunned the engine and we surged forward.
rig an election (= dishonestly arrange the result )
▪
He accused the ruling party of rigging the elections.
run an empire (= be in charge of it )
▪
She now runs a whole media empire.
run/carry an advertisement (= print or broadcast an advertisement )
▪
Broadcasters are no longer allowed to run cigarette advertisements.
sail though an exam (= pass it easily )
▪
Don’t worry - I'm sure you’ll sail through all your exams.
satisfy an urge
▪
Her urge to travel had never been satisfied.
satisfy an urge (= do want you feel you want to do )
▪
He satisfied his urge to travel by going to India.
sb has an attitude problem (= someone is not helpful or pleasant to be with )
▪
Some of the male students have a real attitude problem.
scrape through an exam (= only just pass it )
▪
He managed to scrape through the exam and stay on the course.
seal an envelope (= close it )
▪
She sealed the envelope and stuck on a stamp.
see an exhibition
▪
We also saw an exhibition of paintings by Sydney Lough Thompson, a New Zealand artist.
seek an alternative
▪
People are seeking alternatives to meat-based dishes.
see/notice an improvement
▪
After taking the tablets, he noticed some improvement in his energy levels.
seize/grasp an opportunity (= do something very eagerly when you have the chance )
▪
She saw an opportunity to speak to him, and seized it.
send (sb) an email
▪
Can you send me an email with all the details?
send (sb) an invitation
▪
We sent out the invitations last week.
set an agenda (= decide on the problems you want to deal with )
▪
The new government set an agenda for constitutional reform.
set an example (= show by your own behaviour how other people should behave )
▪
You should be setting an example for your little brother.
set an example (= behave well in a way that other people can copy )
▪
Parents should try to set a good example to their teenagers.
set an objective (= decide what you are trying to achieve )
▪
Pupils should be encouraged to set their own objectives.
set off on an expedition ( also embark on an expedition formal ) (= leave at the start of an expedition )
▪
Trent set off on an expedition to collect plants with fellow botanical students.
set off/trigger an explosion (= cause an explosion )
▪
Investigators believe a fuel leak may have triggered the explosion.
share an apartment
▪
I’m sharing the apartment with a group of friends.
shatter an image (= make people realise the idea they have about something is wrong )
▪
The book shattered the image of the contented American housewife.
shed an image (= change people's opinion about someone or something )
▪
Has the industry finally shed its negative image?
show an improvement
▪
The sales figures show a major improvement.
sign an agreement
▪
The two countries have signed an agreement on military co-operation.
slit open an envelope (= open it by cutting it )
▪
I quickly slit open the envelope.
solve an equation
▪
For homework, solve the equations on page 56.
solve an equation
▪
At the age of six, he could solve complicated mathematical equations.
spare sb ten minutes/an hour etc
▪
Could you possibly spare me a few moments in private used to ask someone if they have time to quickly talk to you ?
speak with an accent
▪
She spoke with an accent that I couldn’t understand.
spend an evening (= use an evening doing a particular thing )
▪
He spent many evenings alone in his room.
spend an hour
▪
I spent an hour reading.
sponsor an event (= give money to an event, especially in exchange for the right to advertise )
▪
The event is sponsored by the Royal Bank of Scotland.
spread an infection ( also transmit an infection formal )
▪
Pregnant women can transmit the infection to their unborn child.
start/cause an argument
▪
He was deliberately trying to start an argument.
▪
Money often causes arguments.
sth is not an easy task sth is no easy task (= something is difficult )
▪
Recruiting experienced people is no easy task nowadays.
sth represents an achievement (= something is an achievement )
▪
Few people realised what an enormous achievement Concorde represented.
study for an exam ( also revise for an exam British English )
▪
She has to study for her exams.
study for an exam/diploma etc
▪
I’ve only got three weeks left to study for my exams.
study for an examination ( also revise for an examination British English )
▪
I have been studying all week for the examination.
stumped for words/an answer/a reply
▪
Travis seemed absolutely stumped for words.
subject sb to an ordeal (= make someone suffer something very painful or frightening )
▪
Simon Collier was subjected to a horrifying ordeal at gunpoint.
subject sb to an ordeal/abuse/harassment
▪
Barker subjected his victim to awful abuse.
submit an application/claim/proposal etc
▪
All applications must be submitted by Monday.
suffer an assault
▪
The lawyer claimed she was drunk when she suffered the assault.
suffer an injury
▪
He suffered a serious leg injury in a motorcycle accident.
suffer an injury
▪
Ten people suffered minor injuries.
suffer from an illness
▪
She suffers from a rare illness.
suffer from an infection
▪
He was suffering from an infection of the lungs.
suggest an alternative
▪
Do you have an alternative you can suggest?
support an event (= pay to attend a charity event in order to encourage it )
▪
I’d like to thank everyone who came tonight for supporting the event.
survive an operation
▪
Only one person has survived an operation to implant an artificial heart.
survive an ordeal
▪
The woman survived her ordeal and identified her attacker.
sustain/receive an injury formal (= suffer an injury )
▪
She sustained an injury to her hip.
swear/take an oath
▪
As children, they took an oath of friendship.
switch off/turn off/stop an engine
▪
Maggie pulled over and switched off the engine.
switch on/turn on/start an engine
▪
I fastened my seat belt and turned on the engine.
sworn an oath
▪
Remember that you have sworn an oath and so must tell the truth.
take an active interest in sth
▪
Not many young people take an active interest in gardening.
take an active part in sth
▪
Most of the students take an active part in sports.
take an examination ( also sit an examination British English )
▪
Do you have to take an examination in every subject?
take an example (= consider it or talk about it )
▪
Let’s take the example of a family with two school-age children.
take an exit/turn off at an exit
▪
Take the next exit, junction 15.
take an exit/turn off at an exit
▪
Take the next exit, junction 15.
take an hour (= something needs an hour to do )
▪
It took about three hours to paint the whole room.
take an interest in sth (= be interested in something )
▪
Jacky first took an interest in golf when he was about six years old.
take an overview
▪
In business, you take an overview of a problem and then think of the best solutions.
take out an advertisement (= arrange for an advertisement to be in a newspaper or magazine )
▪
Their record company took out full-page advertisements in the music press to promote the album.
take part in an activity ( also participate in an activity formal )
▪
The children were encouraged to take part in several different activities.
take sb up on an offer/a promise/a suggestion etc
▪
I’ll take you up on that offer of a drink, if it still stands.
take someone on an expedition
▪
He’s taking the boys on a camping expedition next weekend.
take up an occupation ( also enter an occupation formal ) (= start doing one )
▪
Many of his colleagues have taken up another occupation.
▪
Our recent graduates have entered a wide range of occupations.
take up an offer/take sb up on their offer British English (= accept someone's offer )
▪
I might take him up on his offer.
take (up) an option (= choose an option )
▪
America was persuaded not to take up the option of military action.
take/adopt an approach (= use an approach )
▪
There were concerns that Beijing would take a tougher approach.
take/do an exam ( also sit an exam British English )
▪
We have to take exams at the end of each year.
takes an...approach
▪
This book takes an unorthodox approach to art criticism.
talk to/consult an expert (= ask an expert for information or advice )
▪
If cracks appear in your house, you should consult an expert to find out what is causing the problem.
tarnish an image (= damage it slightly )
▪
His behaviour has tarnished the image of the sport.
tear/rip open an envelope (= open it quickly and roughly )
▪
My fingers trembled as I tore open the envelope.
thank sb for an invitation
▪
I'll have to write a letter thanking Martha for the invitation to her wedding.
the beginning/end of an era
▪
The closure of the last coal mine marked the end of an era in Wales.
the collapse of an empire
▪
He left the country after the collapse of his construction empire.
the decline of an empire (= the gradual decrease in an empire's power )
▪
The next two hundred years saw the gradual decline of the Roman empire.
the depth of an emotion (= how strong an emotion is )
▪
She was surprised by the depth of her emotions.
the edge of an abyss
▪
At that time Bosnia was standing on the edge of an abyss .
the fall/collapse of an empire (= the sudden end of an empire )
▪
After the battle of Waterloo, the collapse of Napoleon's empire was inevitable.
the left-hand/right-hand side of an equation
▪
Add up what you've got on the right-hand side of the equation.
the magnitude of an earthquake (= how powerful it is )
▪
Measuring stations identify the location and magnitude of an earthquake within a few minutes of the event.
the police arrest sb/make an arrest
▪
The police arrested Mr Fox as he tried to leave the country.
▪
Officer Singer said the police have made no arrests in the robbery.
the (rate of) return on an investment (= profit from an investment )
▪
We expect a high return on our investment.
the scene of an accident (= the place where it happened )
▪
Police were at the scene of the accident within minutes.
the source of an infection
▪
Doctors are trying to locate the source of the infection.
the symptoms of an illness
▪
Symptoms of the illness include vomiting and severe headaches.
the terms of an agreement (= the conditions that people agree on )
▪
Under the terms of the agreement, the debt would be repaid over a 20-year period.
the terms of an ultimatum
▪
The terms of the ultimatum required them to withdraw by noon.
the tip of an island (= the thin pointed end of an island )
▪
We live on the northernmost tip of the island of Barbados.
the victim of an attack
▪
She was the victim of an attack in her own home.
think of an answer
▪
She couldn’t think of a suitable answer to his question.
three quarters of an hour (= forty-five minutes )
▪
The journey takes three quarters of an hour.
three quarters of an hour (= 45 minutes )
▪
She arrived three quarters of an hour late.
through an interpreter (= using an interpreter )
▪
Speaking through an interpreter , Ahmed said, ‘I’m very worried about my wife and children.’
tighten an embargo (= make an embargo stricter and more difficult to break )
▪
We are taking further action to tighten the embargo.
to such an extent that/to the extent that (= so much that )
▪
He annoyed her to such an extent that she had to leave the room.
to such an extent/degree that
▪
Her condition deteriorated to such an extent that a blood transfusion was considered necessary.
took an instant dislike to (= they disliked each other immediately )
▪
They took an instant dislike to each other .
took an overdose
▪
She took an overdose and died two days later.
took...as an insult (= thought it was meant to be an insult )
▪
Their offer was so low I took it as an insult .
toy with an idea informal (= think about using an idea, but not very seriously )
▪
I’m toying with the idea of going back to college.
trace an outline (= draw the outline of something, usually with your finger or toe )
▪
She traced the outline of his lips with her fingers.
treat an infection
▪
Antibiotics are used to treat the infection.
treat an injury
▪
The injury was treated at the local hospital.
treat sb as an individual
▪
Each student must be treated as an individual.
try an approach
▪
Some scientists have been trying an alternative approach.
tune an instrument (= make it play at the right pitch )
▪
The musicians were tuning their instruments before the concert began.
turn down/refuse/reject/decline an offer (= say no to it )
▪
She declined the offer of a lift.
undergo an examination (= have one )
▪
All new employees are required to undergo a medical examination.
undergo treatment/surgery/an operation
▪
The cyclist underwent emergency surgery yesterday after a collision with a car.
uphold/allow an appeal (= give permission for a decision to be changed )
▪
Judge Gabriel Hutton upheld Smith's appeal against a £250 fine.
use an approach
▪
This approach has been used for a number of major investigations.
use an entrance
▪
It's quicker to use the side entrance.
use an example
▪
He used several examples to illustrate his point.
use an exit
▪
In the event of a fire, please use the emergency exit nearest to you.
use sth as an excuse
▪
She never complained or used her illness as an excuse.
usher in an era (= to be the start of a new era )
▪
His death ushered in an era of political instability.
venture an opinion/question/word etc
▪
If we had more information, it would be easier to venture a firm opinion.
▪
Roy ventured a tentative smile.
view a house/an apartment/a property (= go to see a house etc that you are interested in buying )
violate/break an oath (= do something you promised not to do )
▪
I do not expect you to violate your oath.
voice/state an opinion written (= give your opinion, especially in a formal situation )
▪
She has every right to voice her opinion.
wait for an answer
▪
Kate was looking at me, waiting for an answer.
wait for an explanation (= expect an explanation )
▪
She continued to stare at him in silence, waiting for an explanation.
wear an expression
▪
Their pilot wore an expression of extreme relief.
wear sth to a party/a dance/an interview etc
▪
I’m wearing a scarlet dress to the party.
welcome an announcement (= say that you are pleased about it )
▪
Environmental groups welcomed the announcement.
what seemed like an eternity
▪
Here she waited for what seemed like an eternity .
win an award
▪
Caprio won the award for best actor.
▪
an award-winning novel
win an election
▪
Who do you think will win the election?
win an election
▪
Which party is likely to win the election?
win/lose an appeal
▪
Unless she wins her appeal she will be imprisoned.
win/lose an argument
▪
The party hopes to win the argument about how to reform the health system.
▪
The first one who resorts to violence is usually the one who’s lost the argument.
with an easy mind
▪
I can leave the children with my mother with an easy mind .
withdraw an objection (= stop objecting to something )
▪
The FBI withdrew its objections to publishing the information.
withdraw an offer
▪
They suddenly withdrew their offer at the last minute.
witness an event (= see it happen )
▪
Luckily, a film crew were on the spot to witness the event.
work on an assumption (= act according to something that may not be true )
▪
The police seemed to be working on the assumption that he was guilty.
work out an equation
▪
I spent over an hour trying to work out the equation.
write an account
▪
He later wrote an account of his experiences during the war.
write an email
▪
Jack spent the evening writing emails and surfing the Internet.
write/do an article
▪
The Times have asked me if I will do an article on the election.
write/do an essay
▪
I’ve got a 3,000 word essay to write before Friday.
you’re an angel
▪
Thanks for mailing those letters, you’re an angel .
£10/$7 etc an hour (= used to say how much someone is paid or how much you pay to use something )
▪
The babysitter charges £5 an hour.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
There'll always be an England
a harsh/a cross/an angry etc word
a means to an end
▪
Technology is not a magic wand, but only a means to an end.
▪
Admittedly, policy is important: but it is only a means to an end.
▪
All in all, everything I did was a means to an end -- my own.
▪
Don't think of computers as a daunting modern technology; they're only a means to an end.
▪
Protection is vital: but as a means to an end, not as an end in itself.
▪
Showbiz was a means to an end.
▪
The separation into sequential categories of response is merely a means to an end.
▪
The young man was merely a means to an end and, in both cases, that end had now been served.
▪
These should be viewed as a means to an end, rather than as ends in themselves.
a year/a week/a moment/an hour etc or two
adopt an approach/policy/attitude etc
▪
Can a school board adopt a policy prohibiting dancing at school?
▪
He also agreed to adopt policies on affirmative action and ethics.
▪
It is essential that these countries, too, adopt policies that will help to protect the Ozone Layer.
▪
It is very hard convincing powers like the World Bank to adopt policies that truly help the poorest.
▪
No-Layoff Policies Perhaps the best way to secure union cooperation is to adopt a policy of no layoffs.
▪
Their purpose is to influence government to adopt policies favourable to them.
▪
This structure can neither impose law upon its members nor force one of them to adopt a policy with which it disagrees.
▪
Ultimately, planners adopted a policy of non-violence.
an A student
▪
I was an A student, on my way to medical school.
an Aladdin's Cave
an Englishman's home is his castle
an accident waiting to happen
▪
A student helicopter pilot wallowing around in a hover in a tight clearing is an accident waiting to happen.
▪
Another way of putting it would be that the dollar is an accident waiting to happen.
▪
Mr Stewart said that there was an accident waiting to happen and he feared lives would be lost.
▪
People living near the site say it was an accident waiting to happen.
▪
Unless, of course, it was an accident waiting to happen.
an accomplished fact
▪
At first, the Soviets refused to accept Lithuania's secession as an accomplished fact.
an acquired taste
▪
For many people, her dry humor is an acquired taste.
▪
But the Moodies, propelled by pseudo-symphonic arrangements and mysticism, always were and always will be an acquired taste.
▪
Curry is an acquired taste and heavily spiced food is surely not suitable for the stomachs of very young children.
▪
It is an acquired taste but very refreshing.
▪
It is an acquired taste for sensitive palates but a lot of hungry people are only too happy to tuck in.
▪
Much of this is actually linguistics, however - something of an acquired taste.
▪
Protective poison, an acquired taste.
▪
They are like sushi, maybe an acquired taste.
▪
They are rich in proteins and vitamins of the B group, but they are an acquired taste.
an act of faith
▪
Allowing Ken to be in charge of the project was a total act of faith .
▪
It is, even, a bit of an act of faith comparing two concurrent campaigns' performance.
▪
It was an act of faith to open up and know that we might not have any money two weeks later.
▪
It was by an act of faith in his science that a trim Shepelev crawled into the chamber and sealed the door.
▪
Six were at sea, on the business of trade - an act of faith that he might have cause to regret.
▪
The objection to the claim is that it is mere assertion or, more kindly, an act of faith .
▪
There is no continuous evolution towards it; it requires, somewhere along the line, an act of faith on the part of management.
▪
This is where boating turns into an act of faith .
▪
To conclude that the universe exists because it permits us to exist is an act of faith , not reason.
an actor turned politician/a housewife turned author etc
an affiliated organization/club/member etc
an albatross (around your neck)
▪
The project became a financial albatross for the city.
▪
But what began as an enlightened innovation has become an albatross around the neck of the free enterprise system.
▪
Their wingspan exceeds that of an albatross .
an apology for sth
▪
A taxi brought us to a boarding house she knew, and we're shown into an apology for a bedroom.
▪
Dear Maggie, I feel I owe you an apology for abandoning your esteemed Victorian values.
▪
Proponents of such a view owe us an apology for three avoidable Tory victories.
▪
Rawls's work is an apology for the weak, atomistic and relativistic culture which we see all around us.
▪
Then he gave a little nod, an apology for interrupting, and leaned the bike against the back porch.
▪
Thornton included an apology for Blake's designs.
▪
Yet again, it is an apology for failure.
▪
You owe him an apology for misjudging him and suspecting his motives at every turn.
an apt pupil/student
▪
But once at university I was an apt student.
▪
With every move she gave a little gasp, as her body, previous experience or not, proved an apt pupil.
an article of faith
▪
But the idea is practically an article of faith among Republicans elected in the 1990s.
▪
It was an article of faith to Be There, with or without the goods.
▪
It would be an article of faith with him to believe that.
▪
One must accept it as an article of faith, sufficient unto itself, for all time.
▪
That is an article of faith for him.
▪
When only seeing is believing the unseen reproductive anatomy of the female can not be an article of faith.
an attempt on sb's life
an avalanche of sth
▪
A milestone on the way was the onset at Pirelli in the summer of 1968 of an avalanche of wildcat strikes.
▪
Neighborbood filling stations, laundries, and print shops suddenly find themselves facing an avalanche of rules and reporting requirements.
▪
Nevertheless, the article provoked an avalanche of reaction.
▪
Often the right stuff is buried under an avalanche of garbage.
▪
Once an avalanche of bills has you buried, it seems impossible to dig your way out again.
▪
The wave had had its ropes cut and was erupting in an avalanche of fury that would bury everything in its path.
▪
Watching the television for mindless comfort, trying to blot out loneliness with an avalanche of distraction.
▪
Whatever it was precipitated an avalanche of other objects which thundered down around him as Charles fell sprawling to the ground.
an early night
▪
Below once more, with everything as secure as she could make it, she decided she might as well have an early night.
▪
Cancel any evening plans - have an early night.
▪
Everyone is contemplating an early night - it has been a long day, one of the busiest for a while.
▪
He himself had drunk one quick light beer before excusing himself for an early night.
▪
I should have left you to fix your light snack and have an early night.
▪
I was planning on an early night.
▪
In any case, after dinner you will need an early night.
▪
She tidied up the sitting-room, promising herself an early night with a book.
an early start
▪
After an early start we were soon out of the city and climbing.
▪
Dennis excused himself, saying he had to make an early start the following morning.
▪
Everything must be ready for an early start tomorrow.
▪
Good judgement of conditions, an early start and a fast, efficient ascent are essential to avoid such torrid descent.
▪
Have you got an early start?
▪
Or get an early start on that long weekend commute, then catch up from home.
▪
Surely an early start on atoms and molecules must somehow be brought about.
▪
We had an earlier start than I expected and now we are taking more time to turn the corner.
an either-or situation
an embarrassment of riches
▪
I look forward to having the letter you wrote tonight before you called-altogether an embarrassment of riches!
▪
If there is not quite an embarrassment of riches, there is enough to make the small investor blush at the choice.
▪
The Prado's problem is an embarrassment of riches, with nowhere to put most of them.
▪
They eventually suffered from an embarrassment of riches: they laughingly killed all their enemies and created their worst nightmare.
▪
We have an embarrassment of riches here!
an eternity
▪
We only waited five minutes, but it seemed like an eternity .
an even chance
▪
There is a suggestion that offspring do not have an even chance of inheriting a trait from either parent.
▪
There was always better than an even chance of something like this happening.
an extra pair of hands
▪
But an extra pair of hands is still needed, especially during busy periods.
▪
The clinical teacher should be part of the ward team, but must resist becoming an extra pair of hands.
▪
We could visit a theatre, and there would be an extra pair of hands in the garden.
an eye for an eye
▪
The government's eye-for-an-eye justice could lead to further human rights abuses.
▪
The Old Testament ideal of an eye for an eye speaks to that need.
an eye for/on/to the main chance
an eyeful
an independent/a positive/a free etc thinker
an inquiring mind
an object of pity/desire/ridicule etc
▪
A spendthrift with a regular, secure income is an object of desire among bankers.
▪
Because of this, a household obliged to sponsor many feasts gains no prestige, but becomes rather an object of pity.
▪
He left Downing Street in 1963 almost an object of ridicule, condemned in Gibbonian terms as the symbol of national decay.
▪
Mitch's image alone does not make clear that he will be mocked rather than taken seriously as an object of desire.
▪
She became an object of ridicule.
▪
Unfortunately Piggy had been demoted to an object of ridicule by this point in the book so nobody listened to him.
▪
Yet he is held up as an object of ridicule and loathing throughout the land.
an old chestnut
an old head on young shoulders
an old soak
▪
She doesn ` t want to end up an old soak .
▪
The father's nice enough, but a bit of an old soak and the grandmother was a dragon.
an only child
▪
And I was an only child.
▪
E is for Ethel For most of my life I was an only child.
▪
I was brought up by adoptive parents as an only child.
▪
It must be terrible to lose an only child; to lose any child.
▪
Maman had given the impression she was an only child, she thought, but was that the truth?
▪
Shared nannies are becoming more popular and other children can provide stimulation and company if yours is an only child.
▪
Sometimes I think I was intended to be an only child, and got born into a large family by a mistake.
▪
The princess grew up thinking she was an only child but one day discovered she had twelve brothers.
an open invitation
▪
An unlocked car is an open invitation to thieves.
▪
I extend to the hon. Gentleman an open invitation to join me on any subsequent occasion.
▪
If a thief steals it, you could be giving him an open invitation to your home!
▪
In my opinion, a skip should be regarded as an open invitation to selective plundering.
▪
Is there an open invitation to abuse even in some of the innocent parts?
▪
It would also have been an open invitation to civic disturbance.
▪
The Carter team feared that the remark and the attitude it conveyed would be an open invitation to execute Kim.
▪
The latter is not an open invitation to intervention or a threat to sovereignty.
▪
The wizards designing Macintosh considered it an open invitation to childlike play, and judged that ability among its chief attributes.
an open mind
▪
And later she was going to try to get herself to that meeting with an open mind.
▪
Before he resolves a problem, he keeps an open mind on how that problem might be resolved.
▪
But officially as least the police are still keeping an open mind.
▪
He insists he has an open mind on the players he wants to keep.
▪
In interviews after their inaugural meeting last Thursday, all vowed to keep an open mind on whoever comes before the panel.
▪
Police say they're keeping an open mind.
▪
Until the Profitboss makes a decision, he keeps an open mind as to what that decision might be.
▪
While keeping an open mind, most archaeologists remain extremely doubtful.
an opportune moment/time
▪
For those who are waiting for the most opportune time to invest in a home, this is an excellent time to do that.
▪
This seemed like an opportune moment to ask the government to mount a tree-planting program.
▪
His work - and his mission - comes at an opportune time.
▪
I waited, hoping for an opportune moment to discuss the possibility of my earning a little money.
▪
Meanwhile, he would take up the matter with Archbishop Perier at an opportune time.
▪
Porter bought Goat Island and Preserved it at an opportune moment.
▪
The announcement Tuesday may have come at an opportune time.
▪
To her now he was just a young fellow who happened to be in the house at an opportune time.
▪
Would this be an opportune time to suggest a move to help reduce the fragmentation of the industry?
an orgy of sth
▪
a orgy of violence and looting
an ounce of prevention (is worth a pound of cure)
an ounce of sense/truth/decency etc
▪
Anyone with an ounce of sense knows that results depend on factors other than staff efficiency. - T. Baines, Oxford.
an outside chance
▪
Here are two more from the downs with an outside chance and one from Wendover in Buckinghamshire.
▪
Norman pitched his into the heart of the green and had an outside chance for birdie.
▪
Some shrewd Iowa pols also see an outside chance for former Gov.
▪
There is also an outside chance Cadbury may itself be a bid target.
an outside figure/estimate etc
an undischarged bankrupt
▪
On his release from prison as an undischarged bankrupt, he changed his name from Bowesfield to Sinclair.
an unfilled order
an unguarded moment
▪
In an unguarded moment, he admitted taking the file.
▪
As he stepped to one side, Christina had a clear view of Stephen's face in an unguarded moment.
▪
Had his anti-female attitude been weakened during an unguarded moment?
▪
The only human explanation was that one of us had said something in an unguarded moment.
▪
You caught him at an unguarded moment.
an unholy alliance
an unmitigated disaster/failure/pleasure etc
▪
On health and safety issues, however, deregulation has been an unmitigated disaster.
▪
She had to admit that he would almost certainly not see the situation as an unmitigated disaster.
▪
So far, the tour had been an unmitigated disaster.
▪
The raid itself was an unmitigated disaster.
▪
What is happening in Assam is an unmitigated disaster.
an uphill struggle/battle/task etc
▪
However, each parlor faces an uphill battle because the city hired a financial consulting firm to review the applications.
▪
It proved to be an uphill struggle, and was far from successful.
▪
Kopp said he faced an uphill battle in winning approval for the bill.
▪
Rehabilitation will be an uphill struggle.
▪
Smith said gay-rights advocates still believe they are fighting an uphill battle in opposing the bill.
▪
Unless you have a goal your learning will be an uphill struggle.
▪
Voice over Police are hoping to trace original owners but admit it's an uphill task.
▪
While critics of his decision gained momentum Thursday, the record shows they face an uphill battle.
an/the answer to sb's prayers
▪
Excel 4 has the answer to my prayers in the Scenario Manager.
▪
If so, a 100 per cent mortgage may look like the answer to your prayers .
▪
If so, Lands' End may have the answer to your prayers .
▪
She, she is the answer to my prayers .
▪
The letter seemed to be the answer to her prayers .
▪
To Jacqueline this was the answer to her prayers .
at an angle
▪
The portrait was hanging at an slight angle .
▪
He was sitting at an angle which allowed him to watch the door.
▪
Inch by inch we tilted the cabin on its side until it leaned at an angle .
▪
Papers are missing from each and the sheets inside have been turned back to front, and at angles .
▪
Planes of soap solution have the property that only three can intersect along an edge at an angle between them of 120°.
▪
She draws a man in a tuxedo, places him at an angle on the page.
▪
They stood at angles , not quite facing each other.
▪
This could result in the blind and pleats falling at an angle to the window.
▪
We took the left-hand cut, which runs into the Thames at an angle .
at/from an early age
▪
Both Maddy and Patrick were professionally successful at an early age, secure, and surrounded by helpful family.
▪
But what about alteration of brain chemistry at an early age?
▪
Did you start painting at an early age?
▪
I worry about cholesterol, because my father died of a heart attack at an early age.
▪
If you get to know about these things at an early age you lose your shame and shyness.
▪
Robin adds that as a boy he saw both the Graf Zeppelin and R-101, obviously an enthusiast from an early age.
▪
Spong does not advocate marriage at an early age.
▪
Women learn at an early age that most men do not like angry women living in the same house.
be an advertisement for sth
▪
Ben is a walking advertisement for the benefits of regular exercise.
▪
This is an advertisement for handguns.
be an effort
▪
I was so weak that even standing up was an effort .
▪
Congress's effort to ban indecent materials on the Internet comes to the court March 19.
▪
There will be efforts at the maintenance of the house or apartment, but not much interest in improvement of housing level.
be an honour to sb/sth
▪
And one which, don't get me wrong, I was honoured to stand against.
▪
It would be an honour to have a memorial on the site.
▪
She also felt it would be an honour to have custody of the machine.
▪
Sir Walter Scott once said he was honoured to be a mere twig on the Swinton family tree.
▪
We should be honoured to see you at dinner one evening soon.
be an indictment of sth
▪
Steinbeck's novel "The Grapes of Wrath" was an indictment of agricultural labor relations.
▪
Every adult illiterate... is an indictment of us all...
▪
That in itself is an indictment of the Government.
▪
The fact that, for the past four weeks, Ireland has barely been mentioned is an indictment of them all.
▪
This list, by no means complete, is an indictment of a careless society.
be an inspiration to sb
▪
He is an inspiration to writers everywhere.
▪
Karen Woolley, 20, was an inspiration to many.
▪
Secondly, our Gift Day in September was an inspiration to us all.
be an institution
▪
The Sea Dolphin Café is not just a restaurant; it's an institution .
▪
Cattle stealing was an institution which provided benefits to different groups.
▪
Punch is an institution as it will probably be so remembered.
▪
The biggest things in the normative order are institutions .
▪
The results of such changes are institutions which concentrate very largely on advanced vocational and general courses.
▪
The Salvation Army is an institution that performs good works, and it is entitled to its views of homosexuality.
▪
Think-tanks, sitting uneasily half-way between government and universities, are institutions that embody this ambiguity.
▪
Until this month, they were an institution , just like the White House.
▪
What Brown inherited when he became speaker in December 1980 was an institution well down the road toward gridlock.
be an insult to sb's intelligence
▪
It is an insult to our intelligence.
be an item
▪
They're not an item any more.
▪
All of the solos are items from original Sousa programs.
▪
Assets A financial institution's assets are items it owns and its claims on others.
▪
Here is an item he told me today.
▪
Specials are items that are priced less than their regular price for a period of time, perhaps only one day.
▪
The motivation issue is not an easy one to discuss, since it is an item which is seldom adequately defined.
▪
Third, there are items that are not measured because of shortcomings of the data sources.
▪
This is an item which should not be used.
be an old hand (at sth)
▪
Helms is an old hand at backroom politics.
▪
Blue is an old hand at such compositions and has never had any trouble with them.
▪
Habitat is an old hand at changing habits of a lifetime.
▪
Pete Zimmerman is an old hand at water initiatives.
▪
These were old hands, and Dawn Run was effectively still a novice.
▪
We are old hands in the public-school system.
be an open book
▪
I'd always thought of Jeff as an open book.
▪
Our foreign dealings are an open book generally a check book.
▪
To them my future was an open book.
be an open invitation for/to sb
▪
Leaving the car unlocked is just an open invitation to thieves.
▪
The Carter team feared that the remark and the attitude it conveyed would be an open invitation to execute Kim.
be an overture
be an unknown quantity
▪
Barnes was an unknown quantity, without any clear prejudice on the nuclear issue.
▪
Swales said he had a lot of flair, but admitted he was an unknown quantity.
▪
These arrangements are an unknown quantity and the administration may not turn out to be up to scratch.
▪
Whatever it was they were after, it was an unknown quantity, unknown, that is, except for a lethal ferocity.
be something of a gardener/an expert etc
▪
Alfred Walter is something of an expert on Viennese music particularly that of the Johann Strauss era.
▪
In his own way he is something of an expert on the private lives of actresses.
▪
Richard Holmes was something of an expert at the game, but he ended up as a down-and-out by the end.
beat/thrash etc sb to within an inch of their life
cast an eye on/over sth
▪
Since marrying her he hadn't cast an eye on anyone else.
▪
The professor shrugged, casting an eye over Davide's good jacket, to inform him that his information was unnecessary.
close an account
cock an ear/eye
▪
She cocked an eye at Léonie, grunted.
conclude an agreement/treaty/contract etc
▪
As an alternative to this bloc policy Khrushchev offered to conclude treaties of non-aggression and friendship with the states concerned.
▪
States which did not consider a customs union to be necessary could conclude agreements with the customs union on a free-trade zone.
cop an attitude
declare an interest
▪
If you have strong feelings about a situation declare an interest and suggest that some one else temporarily takes the chair.
▪
It's probably best to declare an interest.
▪
Leeds manager Howard Wilkinson has already declared an interest in him after he spent a week training at Elland Road.
▪
Mr. Adley: I have already declared an interest.
▪
Mr. Adley: I thank my right Hon. Friend for that reply and declare an interest in the industry.
declare an interest (in sth)
▪
If you have strong feelings about a situation declare an interest and suggest that some one else temporarily takes the chair.
▪
It's probably best to declare an interest .
▪
Leeds manager Howard Wilkinson has already declared an interest in him after he spent a week training at Elland Road.
▪
Mr. Adley: I have already declared an interest .
▪
Mr. Adley: I thank my right Hon. Friend for that reply and declare an interest in the industry.
describe a circle/an arc etc
▪
Chen saw the knife describe an arc through the air and felt himself flinch.
do sb an injustice
▪
Cutting the benefits of war veterans would be doing them a great injustice .
▪
But they do themselves an injustice .
▪
Indeed, it may well serve to do some injustice and violence to the integrity of the substantive phenomena.
do sth on an empty stomach
▪
I overslept and had to go to class on an empty stomach.
▪
You shouldn't take the pills on an empty stomach.
▪
Alendronate must be taken only with a full glass of plain water, first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.
▪
I mean, neither of us had eaten since the early hours, and drinking on an empty stomach is dodgy.
▪
I tend to be very short-tempered on an empty stomach.
▪
No use mourning on an empty stomach.
▪
The next two got off more lightly: two spoonfuls of vinegar three times a day, also on an empty stomach.
▪
The sensation of nausea on an empty stomach was peculiarly unpleasant.
▪
There was little point, Manville decided, on a man eating on an empty stomach.
▪
They report to work at 8.30am on an empty stomach.
do sth on an empty stomach
▪
Alendronate must be taken only with a full glass of plain water, first thing in the morning on an empty stomach .
▪
I mean, neither of us had eaten since the early hours, and drinking on an empty stomach is dodgy.
▪
I tend to be very short-tempered on an empty stomach .
▪
No use mourning on an empty stomach .
▪
The next two got off more lightly: two spoonfuls of vinegar three times a day, also on an empty stomach .
▪
The sensation of nausea on an empty stomach was peculiarly unpleasant.
▪
There was little point, Manville decided, on a man eating on an empty stomach .
▪
They report to work at 8.30am on an empty stomach .
enter into an agreement/contract etc
▪
Brunell and the team will enter into contract negotiations next week.
▪
David Holton and Hughes already have entered into an agreement with the local state attorney to settle criminal charges.
▪
How different it might have been if Edelman had proposed that politicians enter into a Contract With Children.
▪
It will be entering into contracts to both buy and sell specific currencies on or between specific dates.
▪
Similarly, business has to enter into agreements.
▪
Traders must consider domestic and foreign exchange control regulations when entering into contracts and seeking settlement.
▪
We have entered into agreements in good faith.
entertain an idea/hope/thought etc
▪
He had entertained thoughts of marrying her and raising a family, but he entered the Society instead.
▪
Most significantly on my sense of a distant but still valid national identity-until then I had entertained hopes of return.
extend/offer/hold out etc an olive branch (to sb)
feed an addiction/need etc
▪
The feed needs to be as iron-free as possible in order that the eventual meat will be the light colour preferred by consumers.
fill an order
form an opinion/impression/idea
▪
Members of the jury must not have formed opinions from publicity before the trial.
▪
Among those who have formed an opinion, more say public projects should go on the ballot than not.
▪
He conceded to Franceschelli that actually being present during the autopsy might have given him better information to form an opinion.
▪
He was in no state to form an idea of what we were talking about.
▪
It is the auditor's responsibility to form an opinion on the truth and fairness of the accounts.
▪
Nor that we should not form opinions or make evaluations.
▪
So gather information about your child, rather than forming opinions and judgments.
▪
Yet, along with journalists, poets, literary figures, and agitators, they do help form opinions.
▪
You should try to form an impression of the person the adjectives describe.
gain an understanding/insight/impression etc
▪
By analysing simple situations, with essential features in common, we can gain insight into the behaviour of these complicated beams.
▪
It is difficult to see how avoiding teaching about what is distinctive of religion can help people gain an understanding of it!
▪
One way to gain insight into these issues is to view them through the work of some of the main protagonists.
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Pupils use drama to gain insights into moral and social issues in works of literature.
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Self-assessment Building self-esteem is about appreciating strengths and developing them as much as it is about gaining an understanding of weaknesses.
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The trust wants to gain an insight into the county's butterfly population.
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This guidance helped them gain insight into the characteristics that inhibited their own ability to persist and to complete schoolwork.
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To visit them is to gain an insight into what many of our own wetlands must have been like.
get hold of an idea/an impression/a story etc
give (sb) an impression/a sense/an idea
give sb an earful
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The chancellor got an earful when he asked the students for feedback.
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Clairvoyantes distress me, Commuters depress me - Met Stetson and gave him an earful .
give sb an inch and they'll take a yard/mile
grasp an opportunity
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One person will grasp an opportunity with enthusiasm, whereas another will recoil from the same chance with anxiety and fear.
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Perhaps only Chandos boss Brian Couzens would grasp an opportunity like that.
half an eye/ear
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Allen kept half an eye on the path as he worked.
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Always half an ear, half a mind.
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Anyone with half an eye could see Susan's antagonism towards her.
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He has half an eye on where the gun went.
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He told me this and that, but I listened with only half an ear.
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Of course, no government with half an eye on re-election would ever legalise anything it didn't have to.
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She always had half an eye for him; sometimes I thought she watched him as a tamer does a tiger.
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With only half an ear for Grigoriev's response, Rostov stared across the room.
have an ace up your sleeve
have an axe to grind
have an easy time (of it)
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She hasn't had an easy time of it since Jack left.
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Hu did not have an easy time of it at first.
have an eye/a good eye for sth
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Greene has an eye for detail.
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Confidence men always have an eye for extra exits.
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She says women have an eye for minutiae, they see the curtain hasn't been drawn or the untied shoelace.
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They also have an eye for a catchy phrase.
have an idea (that)
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But whenever I have an idea , I need to act on it as soon as possible.
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I have an idea of her.
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Now that we have an idea how hyperinflation gets started we can look at the causes of run-of-the-mill inflation.
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Some have ideas for lyrical language.
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This is because I have ideas .
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We can have ideas of things we have not experienced.
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We need to have an idea of what perceptions we are triggering. 141 selling Selling is one stage further than communication.
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We write the first two chapters together so we have an idea of the characters.
have an off day
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His work isn't usually this bad - he must have had an off day .
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They must now get a result against free scoring Glenavon next Saturday and hope Bangor have an off day at Comrades.
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You will have off days when you are tired or a bit under the weather.
in a good/an ill/a bad humour
in the blink of an eye
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A full volley will rip through the toughest regiment causing immense casualties in the blink of an eye.
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He went from frozen stillness to liquid and menacing movement in the blink of an eye.
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He would be up and after them in the blink of an eye.
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How often does it lose a week's work in the blink of an eye?
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I had read somewhere that all the greatest discoveries had been made in the blink of an eye.
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It was the uncertainty, the thought that all my happiness could be smashed in the blink of an eye.
in the twinkling of an eye
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But in the supernatural universe the Great Battle was won in the twinkling of an eye.
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But stop pushing me, stop expecting me to change in the twinkling of an eye.
it's an ill wind (that blows nobody any good)
keep an eye on sth/sb
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But they can still learn a remarkable amount by keeping an eye on the east.
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He said Kaczynski would keep an eye on his property.
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I decided that I would keep an eye on Tom after that.
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Mark: No, but the doctor is keeping an eye on her.&.
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Meanwhile we shall keep an eye on him.
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The doctor thought it best if she checked into a small, private facility where he could keep an eye on her.
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Those with Internet access should keep an eye on a series of Usenet discussion groups that cater to Windows 95 issues.
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You keep an eye on her, and me or Nanny Ogg will drop in when we can.
keep an eye open/out (for sb/sth)
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Always keeping an eye out in case of thieves.
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And we had to keep an eye open for police patrols.
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For months, he kept an eye out.
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He will keep an eye out, but he can not promise anything.
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Male speaker All you got to do is keep an eye open and watch the break lights.
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Though he works hard with all the kids, he keeps an eye out for the special ones.
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Valueoriented consumers should keep an eye out for the name FabreMontmayou.
keep your/an ear to the ground
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I haven't heard any more news, but I'll keep my ear to the ground.
keep/have one eye/half an eye on sb/sth
kill time/an hour etc
lay an egg
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The first episode of the series laid an egg .
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A few species laid eggs beneath mounds of rotten vegetation that warmed as it decayed.
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Adults grow to varying sizes, depending on food available, and lay eggs in late summer.
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Female brush turkeys visit the males' mounds, lay eggs in them, and depart.
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Gravid female fig wasps enter figs, lay eggs and die.
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In turn the later reptiles could diversify on land when they could lay eggs away from a watery environment.
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The wasp lays eggs inside the eggs laid by the whitefly, thereby destroying the whitefly eggs.
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These mate, fly away and the females find new plants to lay eggs on.
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Within it, they copulate and lay eggs .
lend an ear
like an oven
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I wish they'd turn off the heat. It's like an oven in here.
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It's like an oven in here. Let's open some windows.
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The heat of the day made the gymnasium feel like an oven .
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Makes it like an oven , spoiling the negatives.
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The room is like an oven already.
make an example of sb
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But because of the publicity they had to make an example of Corey.
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By making an example of Holy Trinity he could punish his Jesuit adversaries and demonstrate his orthodoxy in a single swoop.
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Campbell believed he could strengthen his hand by making an example of a council member in order to demonstrate where power lay.
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Canine, on the other hand, was strongly in favor of making an example of Petersen.
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He had to make an example of the old man's insubordination, and make others fear to follow in his footsteps.
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He makes examples of a few to scare the rest.
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I think they wanted to make an example of me.
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If muggers can be deterred by punitive sentencing, then some of them must be made an example of.
make an exhibition of yourself
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Sam got drunk and made an exhibition of himself as usual.
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Even the mouse and the cynic are constantly making an exhibition of themselves.
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I didn't want you making an exhibition of yourself.
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It would be dreadful if one ran out while the children were present and she made an exhibition of herself by screaming!
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Somehow or other he must surely be making an exhibition of himself.
make an honest woman (out) of sb
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If dishonoured her, must then make an honest woman of her?
make an issue (out) of sth
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There's nothing wrong with your hair, so stop making an issue out of it.
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For example, the government might make an issue of 100,000 ninety-one-day bills, each at a discount of 1,000.
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He would make an issue of his right to certain beliefs.
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However, do not make an issue of refusing a drink.
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I have not chosen to make an issue of such distinctions here.
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The secretary of state occasionally complains in public about this; no other official makes an issue of it.
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Try not to make an issue of it, Dubner said.
make your/an entrance
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The hero doesn't make his entrance until Act II, Scene 2.
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With her long fur coat, she always made a dramatic entrance .
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Dominic used to love making an entrance .
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Drunk or crazy, the tall man had made an entrance worthy of Henry Irving.
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Frankie tells the audience how the Producers had wanted him to make an entrance by sliding down a fireman's pole!
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With the separation and distinction, light and life can make an entrance .
make/turn sth into an art form
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Ronald Reagan turned it into an art form.
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To avoid simultaneous borrowing and depositing you should monitor how accurate your forecasting is, without turning this into an art form.
meet with an accident
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You're going to meet with an accident, Mr Chan, and so is your son.
not an ounce of fat (on sb)
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He was surprised, there was not an ounce of fat on him, but he had shed five pounds.
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Under their chestnut coats there was not an ounce of fat and their muscles moved without effort.
not bat an eye/eyelid
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He used to tell the worst lies without batting an eye.
not give/budge an inch
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And even with his size he didn't know what to do with Braden standing over him and not giving an inch .
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I was just a novice and he was fairly frightening, not giving an inch until he had sounded you out.
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Once on the ground again she tried pulling the horse, but still it would not budge an inch .
not one/an iota
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It was none of her business and it mattered to her not one iota .
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There is not an iota of evidence that such standardised testing has improved education anywhere in the world.
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We have heard not one iota of evidence or heard any defense the suspect may have in this case.
of an evening/of a weekend etc
on an even keel
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Confusion seems to reign in many areas of your life at present, so try to get on an even keel .
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I was supposed to be a caretaker, charged with setting the branch back on an even keel .
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In Chapter 11, companies' management usually remains in place while the company tries to get back on an even keel .
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So when we got up here, I was really enjoying sort of keeping things on an even keel at home.
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That Nigel was on an even keel again was a double comfort.
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Then maybe they are on an even keel .
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These two kept her on an even keel .
on equal terms/on an equal footing
open an account
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A similar procedure is followed for all other open accounts.
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Instead, they buy these items on open account from their suppliers on whatever credit terms are available.
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Now such sales are on open account and paid mainly by cheque.
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Only £1 is needed to open an account.
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Only those people who live near by are allowed to open accounts.
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Our friend Joan strolls into the bank and plops down $ 100 to open an account.
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Roosevelt Principal Mike Price opened an account, and the checks went directly to the bank.
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To open an account, children need just £1.
owe sb an explanation/apology
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At the same time I felt I was owed an explanation.
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At the very least a clear case is owed a clear explanation if it is rejected.
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I guess I owe her an apology.
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I think these people who said those hateful things about him owe him an apology.
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I think you owe an apology to Clegg.
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In light of this, do you feel you owe the world an apology?
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Of course, a decision not to have children is a legitimate choice, and whoever makes it owes no explanation.
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You owe him an apology for misjudging him and suspecting his motives at every turn.
pay/settle an old score
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Oh, I heard plenty of rumours, but they were nearly all based on settling old scores.
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There was no place like the thick of battle for settling an old score.
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With the championship having been decided, this was likely to be their last chance to settle old scores.
plant an idea/doubt/suspicion (in sb's mind)
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Their conversation had planted doubts in Dennis' mind about the partnership.
put a figure on it/give an exact figure
put a stop/an end to sth
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It's time the community worked together to put an end to the violence.
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Her old feeling for him had returned; she was determined to put an end to his sufferings and bring him home.
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It was Gloucester who chose to put an end to it.
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Judge Frossard, it seems, wanted to put an end to the inertia.
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Swiftly introduce new legislation to put an end to the trauma and misery suffered by child witnesses in court proceedings.
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That put an end to any stunt deemed risky, Weiss says.
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This trite communication put an end to Emma's overtures and she began to fade from their lives.
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Thus the event of her puberty puts an end to her pure childhood.
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To put an end to such exalted talk, I asked Mendl to tell me about Spats-making machinery.
put down a motion/an amendment
put in an appearance
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A few more attempts convinced him that nobody was going to put in an appearance.
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He always had their maid squeeze some fresh juice when Lorna Lewis was scheduled to put in an appearance.
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He wondered what time Howarth usually put in an appearance.
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Napkins and old cigarette packets did not, sadly, put in an appearance.
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Others, semi-sightseers, put in an appearance.
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She always tried to put in an appearance at the funerals of patients who had the misfortune to die.
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There was an hour yet before she need put in an appearance in the restaurant for the evening meal.
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We tour a lot in late winter and early spring, too, when sleet likes to put in an appearance.
put in an appearance/make an appearance
realize an asset
receive an injury/blow
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Agnes went to pick her up and received a blow from an elbow that sent her across the room.
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As they straighten, curve the spine and pull in the tummy, as if you have just received a blow.
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Ben stood transfixed with disbelief, his mouth open, as if he had received a blow across it.
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For his outspokenness, he received a blow to the skull which sent him reeling.
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He went down to protest and himself began to receive blows.
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His adventure began during a practice game against the Minnesota Vikings when he received a blow to the head.
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It was almost as if I had received a blow to the heart.
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Wilson received an injury in the third minute, but that didn't hamper his stand on the game.
renege on an agreement/deal/promise etc
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Amid an increasingly hostile war of words, Finley has criticized Racicot for reneging on a promise to cooperate with federal authorities.
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They had been bitten too often by Congress reneging on agreements negotiated in good faith by the White House.
rule sb with an iron fist/hand
scramble an egg
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He makes the best grilled cheese sandwiches and scrambled eggs because of his fearless use of butter.
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I am the one scrambling eggs for dinner and sitting on porches with friends while the kids roam the neighborhood on bikes.
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Instant scrambled eggs, frozen fried eggs, canned eggnog, and many other convenient egg foods are being market tested.
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Precooked and frozen scrambled eggs with sausage are one combination of ready-to-eat breakfasts being marketed.
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The year before he'd had scrambled eggs for Christmas dinner and no presents.
seize a chance/an opportunity/the initiative
serve an apprenticeship
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I served an apprenticeship, worked hard and now I am in the wrong and it is not my fault.
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When he was older, Taylor did serve an apprenticeship and did work as a laborer and machinist.
sign an agreement/contract/treaty etc
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Clients sign contracts to become participants and agree to adhere to a rigorous schedule.
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It took more than a month to find and sign a contract with another company to complete the remaining work.
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Kiptanui rushed off, saying he was going to make Kimeli sign a contract.
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Paup had wanted to sign a contract extension with Green Bay during the 1994 season, but the Packers never approached him.
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Pre-season David Campese signed a contract with commercial broadcaster Channel Ten.
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The lead police detective signed a contract with a television movie production company.
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You must stop your ears whenever you are asked to sign a treaty selling your home.
stay an order/ruling/execution etc
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Rivals got a stay order from the courts, though after a backroom deal in mid-March the government got its way.
sth is not an exact science
▪
Opinion polling is hardly an exact science.
▪
Therapy is not an exact science because everyone responds differently.
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Diagnosing power in organizations is not an exact science.
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The truth is that eating is not an exact science and never will be.
sth is not an exact science
▪
Diagnosing power in organizations is not an exact science .
▪
The truth is that eating is not an exact science and never will be.
tear up an agreement/a contract etc
that is not an option
that's/there's an idea
the germ of an idea/theory/feeling etc
▪
It represents the germ of an idea which someday might explode into a national objective.
the/an anatomy of sth
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Elkind's book is an anatomy of one man's discussion with his son about life.
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For the first time, we have a chance to examine the anatomy of a secret government operation.
▪
First, the anatomy of an ice dam; how it happens and why.
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Her best-known work concerned the anatomy of seedlings.
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It is hard to work out the anatomy of the brain.
▪
Many such debatable questions raised by the anatomy of these creatures still await universally agreed answers.
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These high rates reflect the anatomy of the cervical spine and the dynamic forces that act on it.
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This is now widely accepted, but Mr.X, strangely, never pursued it further with reference to the anatomy of the individual golfer.
the/an incarnation of sth
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De Gaulle was perceived and perceived himself as the incarnation of both revolution and restoration.
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I can not remember all the incarnations of this place, but the current one is offering up some terrific food.
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Once again we are reminded most powerfully of the significance of this Christmas event, the incarnation of the eternal word.
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She was the incarnation of everything that had gone amiss in Sylvie's own life.
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The Lone Ranger, the incarnation of the individual problem solver, is dead.
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Yet the artists engaged in these works were in no mood to present the barbarians as the incarnation of evil forces.
the/an obvious choice
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Duncan Sandys was the obvious choice.
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Given the nature of the project, Pontus Hulten was an obvious choice to direct the artistic activities of the new Kunsthalle.
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Mentheus of Caledor, the obvious choice, was dead.
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Most frequently the group had several alternative plants to consider for closure rather than an obvious choice.
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No problem, Mr Hinds had said, the obvious choice was Renie LaChance.
▪
Says Ted: My father was the obvious choice.
▪
That they have everybody back, another year bigger, stronger and smarter, makes them the obvious choice.
top an offer/a bid etc
with an eye to (doing) sth
▪
Departments with an eye to the ratings tend to appoint established researchers with proven records, rather than younger, unpublished candidates.
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Each side was building its forces with an eye to gaining military supremacy.
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He had the personality for it, strong, aggressive and with an eye to a bargain.
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He recently shed a number of pounds, which even some friends say he lost with an eye to a national race.
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Lord Taylor's main point is to suggest that judges should pass sentence with an eye to the public's expectations.
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So she works with an eye to adjusting the Outside world too.
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These are also designed with an eye to reassuring those who did well out of the switch from rates to poll tax.
within an ace of (doing) sth
▪
I came within an ace of slapping her around.
won't take no for an answer
work up an appetite/a thirst/a sweat
you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs
you can't teach an old dog new tricks