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Question		Answer
so attracted by someone or something that you are always thinking about them (estar enamorado de alguien o algo) Está absolutamente enamorado de Yulia: hará todo lo que ella quiera. start learning		besotted with (someone/something) He's absolutely besotted with Yulia - he'll do anything she wants.
very pleased about something (sentirse orgulloso) Nos sentimos muy orgullosos cuando Sam ganó el premio del curso. start learning		chuffed to bits We were chuffed to bits when Sam won the course prize.
very unhappy because you do not believe that an unpleasant situation will improve (abatido) Cada vez me siento más desanimado acerca de si estoy en el trabajo adecuado. start learning		despondent I'm becoming increasingly despondent about whether I'm in the right job.
idiom. unhappy or without hope (sentirse deprimida) Ella se siente un poco deprimida, así que estoy tratando de animarla. start learning		down in the dumps She's feeling a bit down in the dumps, so I'm trying to cheer her up.
so surprised that you do not know what to do or say (estupefacta) Les contamos la noticia de Eva y se quedaron completamente estupefactos. start learning		dumbfounded We told them the news about Eva and they were completely dumbfounded.
extremely happy and excited (emocionado) La capitana del equipo estaba visiblemente emocionada al recoger el trofeo. start learning		elated The team captain was visibly elated as she collected the trophy.
so interested or involved in something that you think about nothing else (absorto en algo) Pat no estaba escuchando en absoluto y pasó todo el tiempo totalmente absorto en su teléfono móvil. start learning		engrossed in (something) Pat wasn't listening at all and spent the entire time totally engrossed in his mobile phone.
very surprised or shocked (estupefacto) Nos quedamos absolutamente estupefactos cuando Marvin renunció. start learning		flabbergasted We were absolutely flabbergasted when Marvin resigned.
looking at something and not paying attention to anything else (pegado a algo) Max tenía los ojos pegados a la pantalla de la computadora. start learning		glued to (something) Max had his eyes glued to the computer screen.
(Idiom) to show a very, very strong feeling of anger (enfadado) Al oír la decisión del juez se puso furioso. start learning		go apoplectic with rage On hearing the judge's decision he went apoplectic with rage.
to become extremely angry (ponerse furioso) Una clienta se puso furiosa cuando no le quise devolver el dinero. start learning		go ballistic A customer went ballistic when I wouldn't give her a refund.
if something grosses you out, it is so unpleasant that it makes you feel ill (dar asco) La visión de sangre me da muchísimo asco. start learning		gross out The sight of blood totally grosses me out.
(idiom) loving someone very much [Perdidamente enamorado (de alguien)] Nos conocimos en 2015 y desde entonces estamos perdidamente enamorados el uno del otro. start learning		head over heels in love (with someone) We met in 2015, and have been head over heels in love with each other ever since.
extremely frightened, especially so that you cannot move or decide what to do (estar petrificado) No podía ver a dónde iba y estaba absolutamente petrificado. start learning		petrified I couldn't see where I was going and I was absolutely petrified.
if someone or something repulses you, they are so unpleasant that you feel slightly ill when you see them or think about them (estar repugnado)) Nos repugnaba el desagradable olor. start learning		repulse We were repulsed by the disgusting smell.
(idiom) extremely frightened (asustado de tu ingenio) Fue una gran película de terror, pero me asusté muchísimo. start learning		scared out of your wits It was a great horror film but I was scared out of my wits.
showing that you think you are not very good or important (ser modesto) Xavier intentaba ser modesto e hizo uno o dos comentarios autocríticos sobre su carrera. start learning		self-deprecating Xavier was trying to be modest and made one or two self-deprecating remarks about his career.
allowing yourself to have or to do something special that you like very much, often something that you should not have or do (autocomplaciente) No gastan mucho en lujos y nunca han tenido un estilo de vida particularmente autocomplaciente. start learning		self-indulgent They don't spend much on luxuries and have never had a particularly self-indulgent lifestyle.
a self-made man or woman has become successful without help from other people (salir adelante por sí mismo) Ella es una millonaria que se hizo a sí misma y construyó la empresa desde absolutamente nada. start learning		self-made She's a self-made millionaire and built up the company from absolutely nothing.
someone who behaves in a calm and confident way in difficult situations (confianza en sí mismo) Aborda los problemas con una confianza tranquila y serena. start learning		self-possessed He tackles problems with a calm, self-possessed confidence.
used for talking about people who have the qualities that a particular type of person should have (apreciarse a sí mismo) Ningún cocinero que se precie utilizaría jamás salsa de paquete. start learning		self-respecting No self-respecting cook would ever use gravy from a packet.
choosing not to have or to do something that you want in order to help other people (abnegada devoción, autosacrificio) Pippa fue elogiada con razón por su abnegada devoción a las causas comunitarias. start learning		self-sacrificing Pippa was rightfully praised for her self-sacrificing devotion to community causes.
showing how pleased you are about your own situation in a way that annoys other people (satisfacción de sí mismo) 'Somos los primeros', dijo Karl con una sonrisa de satisfacción. start learning		self-satisfied We've just come first,' Karl said with a self-satisfied smile.
when you make yourself believe something good that is not true, especially something about yourself (acto de autoengaño) Poner excusas para su comportamiento no era más que un acto de autoengaño. start learning		act of self-deception Making excuses for her behaviour was nothing more than an act of self-deception.
to help someone to become able to do things for themself and not depend on other people (Fomentar la autosuficiencia) Fue un intento de fomentar la autosuficiencia en sus hijos y alentarlos a ser independientes. start learning		foster self-reliance It was an attempt to foster self-reliance in their children and encourage them to be independent.
to have doubts about whether you are as important as other people and deserve to be respected and treated well (cuestionar tu autoestima) Me había deprimido mucho y estaba empezando a cuestionar genuinamente mi propia autoestima. start learning		question your self-worth I had become very depressed and was genuinely beginning to question my own self-worth.
(idiom) to spend a lot of time feeling that your situation is worse than other people’s and that people should feel sad for you (revolcarse en la autocompasión) Las cosas no son tan malas como parecen, Blaise simplemente se está regodeando en la autocompasión. start learning		wallow in self-pity Things aren't really as bad as they sound, Blaise is just wallowing in self-pity.
to be always talking about yourself or your achievements in a way that annoys other people (Estar lleno de ti mismo) Christian siempre piensa que sus ideas son las mejores, pero está tan lleno de sí mismo. start learning		be full of yourself Christian always thinks his ideas are the best, he's just so full of himself.
(idiom) correctly, following all the rules or systems for doing something in a strict way (por el libro) Probablemente deberíamos seguir las instrucciones y hacer todo según el libro. start learning		by the book We probably ought to follow the instructions and do everything by the book.
(idiom) to stop being shy and begin to confidently show your real character and feelings (salir del caparazón) Derek realmente ha salido de su caparazón desde que empezó a trabajar aquí. start learning		come out of your shell Derek has really come out of his shell since he started working here.
(idiom) someone who likes to do the same thing at the same time every day (criatura de costumbres)) Mi papá siempre quería cenar a las 7 de la tarde. Era un hombre de costumbres. start learning		creature of habit My Dad always wanted dinner at 7pm. He was a real creature of habit.
someone who is determined to succeed and who works hard to achieve this (emprendedor) Patty es una verdadera emprendedora y está decidida a conseguir el puesto más alto. start learning		go-getter Patty is a real go-getter, she's determined to land the top job.
(idiom) to be likely to become angry or offended very easily, especially about something that other people think should not upset you (ser rencoroso) Lo siento, pero nadie lo ha tratado injustamente. Siempre ha sido rencoroso. start learning		have a chip on your shoulder I'm sorry, but no one has treated him unfairly. He's always had a chip on his shoulder.
to be very enthusiastic about a particular activity and spend all the time you can doing it or talking about it Nadia lives and breathes tennis - she spends every weekend either playing or watching it. start learning		live and breathe (something)
someone who is unkind or unpleasant Don't pay attention to anything Roger says, he's such a nasty piece of work. start learning		nasty piece of work
someone who enjoys being with other people and easily becomes friends with them Karin is really enjoying making new friends, but then she's always been a people person. start learning		people person
someone who spoils other people’s fun by being negative and complaining What's the matter - why are you being such a wet blanket? start learning		wet blanket
a difficult journey involving a lot of effort It was a long and arduous journey across the desert. start learning		arduous journey
a different way of travelling to a place There's a lot of traffic so I'm looking for an alternative route. start learning		alternative route
a quiet village which is not near to places where most things happen Yarthorpe is a pretty backwater village about three miles from the coast. start learning		backwater village
A bumpy flight is uncomfortable because of bad weather. It might be a bit of a bumpy flight because of the strong winds. start learning		bumpy flight
large groups of people with lots of noise and activity Bustling crowds filled the market square. start learning		bustling crowds
a way of travelling to a place that is longer than it needs to be because it is not direct He took a circuitous route to the park, to avoid passing her house. start learning		circuitous route
the nervous or confused feeling that people sometimes get when they arrive in a place that has a very different culture from their own Studying here is very different to my home country so it was a bit of a culture shock at first. start learning		culture shock
a person who shows good judgement and is able to tell whether something is good when they travel The discerning traveller will appreciate the attention to detail in this hotel. start learning		discerning traveller
a place you travel to that is far away from your home Viajar a destinos tan lejanos puede resultar muy caro. start learning		far-flung destination Travelling to such far-flung destinations can prove very expensive.
a very short visit It was only a fleeting visit so we didn't see as much as we would have liked. start learning		fleeting visit
a very short visit It's ok, I'm not stopping – it's just a flying visit. start learning		flying visit
the best place to travel to in order to do something Cyprus has always been my go-to destination when I want to relax. start learning		go-to destination
a very famous and well-known building or object that you can recognise easily and is often believed to represent a particular idea (monumento emblemático) La Estatua de la Libertad es un monumento emblemático. start learning		iconic landmark The Statue of Liberty is an iconic landmark.
a visit that is not planned We had a couple of hours before the train left so we made an impromptu visit to the art gallery. start learning		impromptu visit
a slow and relaxed walk (paseo tranquilo) Después del almuerzo di un tranquilo paseo por la playa. start learning		leisurely stroll After lunch I took a leisurely stroll along the beach.
a flight which travels a long distance (vuelos de larga distancia) A Tom a menudo le resulta difícil dormir en vuelos de larga distancia. start learning		long-haul flight Tom often finds it difficult to sleep on long-haul flights.
travel to a country across the sea from your country (viaje al extranjero) ¿Le gustaría un trabajo que implicara viajar al extranjero? start learning		overseas travel Would you enjoy a job involving overseas travel?
a very dangerous journey (viaje peligroso) Tuvieron que soportar un peligroso viaje a través del tormentoso océano. start learning		perilous journey They had to endure a perilous journey across the stormy ocean.
a way of travelling to a place which provides beautiful views of nature We decided to take the scenic route along the coast road. start learning		scenic route
work for a customer that is of a very low standard The food was delicious but I wouldn't recommend the place because of the incredibly shoddy service. start learning		shoddy service
A smooth flight does not shake or frighten you. Condtions are good and we're expecting a smooth flight down to Pensacola today. start learning		smooth flight
a bad situation in which a plane, train, etc. leaves or arrives late and this should not have been allowed I am writing to request a refund because of the unacceptable delay to my journey. start learning		unacceptable delay
a situation in which a plane, train, etc. leaves or arrives late but it was impossible to stop this happening We want to apologise to customers for this unavoidable delay. start learning		unavoidable delay
(idiom) a journey without any problems or anything unusual or exciting happening (viaje sin incidentes) They arrived in Liverpool after an uneventful journey. start learning		uneventful journey Ellos llegaron a Liverpool después de un viaje sin incidentes.
a situation in which a plane, train, etc. leaves or arrives late but no one expected this After an unforeseen delay of over five hours, the ferry eventually left. start learning		unforeseen delay
one of the best places in the world to travel to Hawaii is often considered a world-class destination. start learning		world-class destination
used for telling someone that you do not believe what they have just said He claims he can’t go because he has to catch up on work – a likely story. start learning		a likely story
used when you are telling someone something that you do not want anyone else to know about Between you and me, I think she’s got problems with her boyfriend. start learning		between you and me
used when you want to make sure that someone understands your comments correctly, especially when you are criticizing something Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good school, but sometimes their ideas are a bit old-fashioned. start learning		don't get me wrong
for an extremely small amount of time For a split second I thought he had left. start learning		for a split second
without any doubt Leslie is hands down the nicest person I know. start learning		hands down
to make someone feel extremely frightened The film scared the wits out of us. start learning		scare the wits out of (someone)
something that happens by chance and that helps you to achieve something By a stroke of luck, Mia was travelling on the same train. start learning		stroke of luck
used for saying that there are many advantages in doing something There's a lot to be said for using public transport. start learning		there's a lot to be said for (something)
used for saying that you will know in the future whether something is true or right Time will tell whether he made the right choice. start learning		time will tell
used for saying that the words you have chosen are not as extreme as they could have been We were frustrated about the delay, to put it mildly. start learning		to put it mildly
to reduce the rate, level, or amount of something Our main responsibility is to bring down the rate of unemployment. start learning		bring down (the cost/number/rate of ...)
to change your opinion or decision because someone has persuaded you to agree with them We were sure she’d come round to our way of thinking in the end. start learning		come round to (a way of thinking / the idea)
to think of something such as an idea or a plan Is this the best solution you can come up with? start learning		come up with (a solution/strategy)
to use something that you have gradually gained or saved As an actor, you often draw on your own life experience. start learning		draw on (your experience/observations)
to turn the pages of a book, magazine, newspaper, etc. very quickly looking at some of the pages for a very short time Recently, I was flicking through the pages of a book on scientific discoveries. start learning		flick through (something)
to stop something from progressing or developing as it should Long-term water shortages can hold back economic progress. start learning		hold back (something)
to not have much hope that something will happen He held out little hope that his idea would ever be accepted. start learning		hold out little hope
to get a particular result or reaction The new proposal met with strong opposition from students. start learning		meet with (criticism/opposition/resistance)
to invest a lot of money in something in order to improve it or make it successful Last year the government ploughed more than £80 million into road repairs. start learning		plough (money) into (something)
to offer an idea, opinion, reason etc, especially so that people can discuss it and make a decision He rejected all the proposals put forward by the committee. start learning		put forward (an explanation / an idea / a proposal)
if you run up against problems, difficulties etc, you have to deal with them We ran up against a few problems at the start of the project. start learning		run up against (a difficulty/problem)
to find something by accident I stumbled across a really interesting article about wild swimming yesterday. start learning		stumble across (something)
if someone in authority throws out a plan, proposal etc, they refuse to accept it The judge threw out their claim. start learning		throw out (charges / claims / a suggestion)
confused and not knowing what to do I was at a loss to understand what had happened. start learning		at a loss
used for showing that something is not very good by emphasising that your description of it is the best thing you can say about it The government’s response seems to have been at best confused and at worst dishonest. start learning		at best
if things are at odds with each other, they are different or opposite when they should be the same What parts of our lifestyle are fundamentally at odds with achieving a sustainable future? start learning		at odds with (something)
used about important issues that are involved in a situation or could be decided by it Few voters had any idea of the issues at stake. start learning		at stake
if one thing exists or happens at the expense of another, the second thing suffers or is not done properly because of the first Patrick was doing great things in the job, but at the expense of his health. start learning		at the expense of (something)
in a leading or important position in something These environmental issues are cuurrently at the forefront of public debate. start learning		at the forefront of (something)
to be watching carefully in order to find, obtain, or avoid something or someone Police in Brighton are on the lookout for a gang of car thieves. start learning		be on the lookout for (something/someone)
if someone does something in a big way, they do it a lot, or they think it is important Sports coaches have come to depend on video analysis in a big way. start learning		in a big way
almost certainly In all likelihood the vase was made in the seventeenth century. start learning		in all likelihood
feeling great respect and admiration for someone or something Jeff has always been totally in awe of his father. start learning		in awe of (someone/something)
if a law or rule is in force, it is being applied and people must obey it The ban on oil exports remains in force. start learning		in force
likely to be damaged or destroyed The crisis put thousands of jobs in jeopardy. start learning		in jeopardy
rude and not at all appropriate His joke about her divorce was in very poor taste. start learning		in poor taste
considering something that happened in the past, using knowledge or information that you did not have at that time In retrospect, we should never have allowed that to happen. start learning		in retrospect
of the same quality as or at the same level as Profits should be on a par with last year. start learning		on a par with (something/someone)
in a place that is able to be seen by many people Her work is on display at the gallery. start learning		on display
nervous and unable to relax because you are worried The events of the past few days had left her feeling tense and on edge. start learning		on edge
available to buy Machines as powerful as this are not yet on the market. start learning		on the market
at that exact moment or place Any workers found breaking these rules will be sacked on the spot. start learning		on the spot
strongly criticized or damaged Both candidates have come under attack for their health-care proposals. start learning		under attack
having formally promised to tell the truth in a court of law Lying under oath is an extremely serious offence. start learning		under oath
carefully examined The diet industry comes under scrutiny in tonight’s programme. start learning		under scrutiny
if a place is under siege, it is surrounded by soldiers in order to attack those defending it The town had been under siege for weeks and food was in short supply. start learning		under siege
likely to be harmed or damaged An ancient religious custom is under threat. start learning		under threat
being kept secret Lee decided to keep her plans under wraps for a while. start learning		under wraps
an attempt or guess that is not likely to be successful but that is worth trying It’s a long shot, but I’ll ask her. start learning		a long shot
at the most modern and advanced point in the development of something These models are at the leading edge of computer design. start learning		at the leading edge
a situation in which no further progress is possible Have the trade negotiations really come to a dead end? start learning		dead end
from the beginning again, not using all the work that you have done before We’ll have to do the whole thing again from scratch. start learning		from scratch
to do something for a long time without achieving any results because you always return to the same problem that you cannot solve We talked for hours, but we were just going round in circles. start learning		go round in circles
being planned or prepared in order to happen or be available soon Have you got any new projects in the pipeline? start learning		in the pipeline
doing or thinking the right things The figures show we are on the right track. start learning		on the right track
a difficulty that causes mistakes or prevents progress A problem with a supplier has become a major stumbling block. start learning		stumbling block
minor problems that a new company, project, product etc may have in the beginning We've been having a few teething problems, but generally things are going well. start learning		teething problems
to find new ways of doing things, especially of solving problems Employees are encouraged to think outside the box and develop creative solutions. start learning		think outside the box
someone or something that is new, interesting, and exciting It's great having Flavia with us - she's a real breath of fresh air. start learning		a breath of fresh air
a small amount of truth There was more than a grain of truth in what he’d said. start learning		a grain of truth
short periods when you feel very anxious I occasionally suffer from bouts of anxiety at work. start learning		bouts of anxiety
a sudden strong feeling of anger that you cannot control Just leave!' he shouted, in a fit of anger. start learning		fit of anger
a sudden strong reaction of laughing Everyone collapsed in fits of laughter. start learning		fits of laughter
a very small sign that something might improve or succeed The transplant offers Lucy and her parents a new glimmer of hope. start learning		glimmer of hope
a soft weak light that is not steady Ahead of us we suddenly saw a faint glimmer of light. start learning		glimmer of light
a slight feeling of anger and unhappiness about something Yes, he has.', she nodded, with a hint of bitterness in her voice. start learning		hint of bitterness
a small amount of irony (= a form of humour in which you use words to express the opposite of what the words really mean) His writing contains a cheerful hint of irony. start learning		hint of irony
a very strong, sudden feeling of regret I felt a pang of regret that I hadn't made time to visit her. start learning		pang of regret
a very strong, sudden feeling of guilt You can eat these without a pang of guilt as they're very healthy. start learning		pang of guilt
a period of time when an audience reacts by clapping their hands I want you all to give her a big round of applause. start learning		round of applause
a way of thinking about a particular subject or idea that is shared by a group of people There are at least three schools of thought on that subject. start learning		school of thought
a small amount of information that helps to prove something Every scrap of evidence has to be investigated. start learning		scrap of evidence
a very intelligent act or idea At the time, giving Juan the job seemed like a stroke of genius. start learning		stroke of genius
something that happens by chance and that helps you to achieve something By a stroke of luck, Felix was going there on the same day. start learning		stroke of luck
to be blamed for something that is not your fault, especially because someone else wants to avoid being blamed You don't want to become a scapegoat for everything that has gone wrong. start learning		become a scapegoat
to understand the way that another person thinks because you often have the same ideas and opinions as they do I feel like you and I are really on the same wavelength. start learning		be on the same wavelength
to stop or end a situation in which progress is impossible because the people or groups involved cannot agree Management and unions need to talk in order to break the stalemate. start learning		break the stalemate
a small object that you like very much and keep in order to remind you of someone or something That silver bracelet was a cherished keepsake from her grandmother. start learning		cherished keepsake
the rate at which employees leave an organization and new employees arrive High employee turnover is not surprising when the hours are so long. start learning		employee turnover
faults and problems in something or someone that make them useless or less effective It’s better to look past these flaws and shortcomings rather than dwell on them. start learning		flaws and shortcomings
to carefully read something written or printed and mark any mistakes so that they can be corrected Proofread all professional correspondence carefully before it goes out. start learning		proofread carefully
when you only use the ability to control your thoughts and behaviour in order to achieve something I've no idea how Katja managed to finish the race - it must have been sheer willpower. start learning		sheer willpower
to cause a strong, negative, and often angry reaction to something that has happened, especially a political or social change An insensitive comment by the lead singer sparked an angry backlash from fans. start learning		spark a backlash
a time when an event causes an important change to take place It was a watershed moment in the history of our country. start learning		watershed moment
to accept that someone else does not have the same opinion as you and agree not to argue about it any more On that point, we’ll have to agree to differ. start learning		agree to differ
to discuss a problem or difficult situation with someone in order to make it better I think it’s time we cleared the air, don’t you? start learning		clear the air
to say that you will definitely not allow or accept something You certainly deserve an increase, but I have to draw the line at 4%. start learning		draw the line at (something)
to find something that people can agree about, especially when they disagree about other things Despite their differences, they found common ground when it came to this issue. start learning		find common ground
to immediately establish a bad relationship with someone when you first meet them or first start working with them Unfortunately I got off on the wrong foot with the project manager. start learning		get off on the wrong foot
a situation in which the rules are not clear, or in which you are not sure what is right or wrong Exactly what this means in practice is still a bit of a grey area. start learning		grey area
to agree to do something that someone wants, if they do something that you want The deal depends heavily on you agreeing to meet them halfway. start learning		meet (someone) halfway
to definitely decide the details of something Does that give us enough time to nail down the finer points in the contract? start learning		nail down the finer points
something that people cannot agree on and that stops them from continuing with a discussion It's now a major sticking point in the negotiations. start learning		sticking point
the most basic fact or issue in a situation The bottom line is that we need to come up with another ten thousand pounds of funding. start learning		the bottom line
to close a business, stop providing a service, or get rid of workers that you do not need Almost 1,000 jobs were axed. start learning		axe
to argue very angrily with someone Angry students clashed with riot police in Miami yesterday. start learning		clash
to say publicly that you think someone or something is bad or wrong Politicians have condemned the attacks. start learning		condemn
to say that something such as a fact is not true or correct He disputed claims that the drug had not been adequately tested. start learning		dispute
to give information about something, especially something that should be kept secret The newspaper refused to divulge its sources. start learning		divulge
to praise someone or something The headteacher was lauded for her bravery in such a dangerous situation. start learning		laud
to tell private or secret information to journalists or to the public Staff were interviewed to find out who leaked the story. start learning		leak
to remove someone from a position of power, especially in order to take that position The chairman was ousted from the committee last month. start learning		oust
to promise seriously and publicly to do something Recently the minister had pledged his support to the organisation. start learning		pledge
to express strong approval or admiration for someone or something, especially in public Mayor Dixon praised the efforts of those involved in the rescue. start learning		praise
to cause a reaction, especially an angry one Her speech provoked a furious response from protestors. start learning		provoke
to stop something from continuing They acted quickly to quash the rumours. start learning		quash
to decide not to continue with something such as a plan or an event Plans had to be scrapped because of a lack of funding. start learning		scrap
to criticise someone or something severely The film has been slammed by critics. start learning		slam
to make something happen, especially something involving violence or angry feelings His visit to the city sparked mass demonstrations. start learning		spark
to praise someone or something because you want other people to think they are good or important She’s being touted as a possible challenger for the title. start learning		tout
to promise that you will do something They have vowed to provide compensation for those affected. start learning		vow
from one place to another and back again many times A good journalist goes back and forth between different sources to check their facts. start learning		back and forth
involving one idea that is clearly right and another that is clearly wrong, so that it is not difficult for you to make a moral decision Sadly it’s not a simple black and white issue. start learning		black and white
used for saying that something is generally true, but not completely By and large the book was well received, although it was criticised for its accuracy. start learning		by and large
used for saying that two people or things are completely different from each other Even though they’re twins, their personalities are chalk and cheese. start learning		chalk and cheese
already clearly decided or settled The final decision is unlikely to be cut and dried. start learning		cut and dried
instructions and warnings about what you should and should not do in a particular situation Here is a list of do’s and don’ts for anyone planning to start a business. start learning		dos and don’ts
used for emphasising the main point or the most important reason for something First and foremost, it's your communication skills that will help you succeed. start learning		first and foremost
if there is give and take between people, each person allows the other to get something that they want They said the secret of a happy marriage was a little bit of give and take. start learning		give and take
stopping and starting again many times, rather than progressing steadily I've been so busy that I've only been able to work on it in fits and starts. start learning		in fits and starts
all the details or facts that you need to know in order to deal with a complicated situation, process, etc. Understanding all the ins and outs of the story is very important. start learning		the ins and outs
not certain and with a risk of death or serious failure It had been touch and go for him in the hospital, but he had eventually recovered. start learning		touch and go
a way of finding a good method that involves trying several possibilities and learning from your mistakes I've figured out how to use it through trial and error. start learning		trial and error
known to be good and effective It's a tried and tested method of getting food stains out of clothing. start learning		tried and tested
to not belong to a group that has information and makes decisions about something Sorry but I've no idea what's happening, I'm out of the loop. start learning		be out of the loop
to spend a long time getting to the main point of what you are saying, especially because it is embarrassing Stop beating around the bush and tell me the truth. start learning		beat around the bush
to understand the basic meaning that someone is trying to express So that's the main diffculty. Do you catch my drift? start learning		catch (someone's) drift
to talk to someone about something that has been worrying you, so that you feel better about it He came to see me because he wanted to get a few things off his chest. start learning		get (something) off your chest
to understand something completely wrongly I tried explaining it to my parents, but they got the wrong end of the stick. start learning		get the wrong end of the stick
if two people get their wires crossed, they become confused because they each think that the other one is talking about something else We got our wires crossed about what time we were supposed to meet. start learning		get your wires crossed
used for saying that you did not know about something, especially when you are annoyed about this ‘Ria says she’s going to borrow your car.’ ‘It’s news to me!’ start learning		it's news to me
to be very quiet and shy Paola is incredibly nervous, she wouldn't say boo to a goose. start learning		not say boo to a goose
to tell someone something, often something that should be kept secret Come on, spill the beans - what did he say? start learning		spill the beans
to communicate with someone that you have not seen for some time in order to find out how they are, what is happening etc It'll be great to touch base with Sara and Karl again. start learning		touch base with (someone)
to say something nice about someone or to someone Paying someone a compliment about their work can be really motivating for them. start learning		pay (someone) a compliment
to bring you a lot of benefit Thorough lesson planning always pays dividends. start learning		pay dividends
to do something kind for someone because another person has done something kind for you Thanks for your generosity and I promise to pay it forward by helping when I can. start learning		pay it forward
to say that you support something although you do not really, especially when you do nothing to prove your support Most people only paid lip service to the rules. start learning		pay lip service to (something)
to accept responsibility for your actions and deal with what happens because of them Either we do something about this now or we pay the consequences later. start learning		pay the consequences
to have to deal with the bad effects of something that you have done One day you'll pay the price for your selfish behaviour. start learning		pay the price
to pay much too much for something You pay through the nose for drinks in city centre restaurants. start learning		pay through the nose
to praise someone or something publicly The town paid tribute to the firefighters who died. start learning		pay tribute to (someone/something)
to pay for everything that you need or use yourself, rather than allowing or expecting other people to pay for you He's an adult now, he should be able to pay his own way. start learning		pay your own way
to show respect for someone by visiting them, sending them a message, or attending their funeral Thousands turned up to pay their respects to a great leader. start learning		pay your respects
to happen or make something happen at a faster rate The increased capital could greatly accelerate economic development. start learning		accelerate
to become less or make something become less Rain forest habitats are slowly diminishing. start learning		diminish
to become gradually less or smaller over a period of time until almost nothing remains Water supplies have dwindled to their lowest level in ten years. start learning		dwindle
to increase, especially at a fast rate that causes problems The company is in debt and its costs are rapidly escalating. start learning		escalate
to suddenly increase the amount or level of something When they hiked up the tax rates, I was forced to close down my business. start learning		hike up
to get larger or stronger over a period of time Discontent continues to mount among the younger population. start learning		mount
if something such as an amount, rate, or value plummets, it suddenly becomes much lower Following a massive reduction in customer spending, profits plummeted dramatically. start learning		plummet
if an amount or level plunges, it suddenly becomes much lower The temperature is expected to plunge below zero degrees overnight. start learning		plunge
to become less strong or likely His pain had receded a little. start learning		recede
if an amount, value, or cost skyrockets, it rises quickly to a very high level It's a reflection of the skyrocketing cost of healthcare. start learning		skyrocket
to be suddenly reduced to a much lower level Profits slumped to under $250 million. start learning		slump
to quickly increase to a high level Unemployment has soared in the past few months. start learning		soar
to continuously become worse, more, or less As oil prices rise, consumers have been hit by spiralling energy costs. start learning		spiral
to increase a lot very quickly The value of exports surged last year, recording an all-time high. start learning		surge
to increase in amount or number Attendance figures have swollen to 37,000 this season. start learning		swell
to become weaker or less important By the end of the year their popularity was beginning to wane. start learning		wane
to have a lot of money Her family must be made of money judging by her lavish lifestyle. start learning		be made of money
to be having a lot of success or good luck Sales figures were climbing and they were sure they were on a roll. start learning		be on a roll
to have a lot of money Don’t worry about Ed buying the food, he’s rolling in it. start learning		be rolling in it
to be something that provides your main income Tourism is the island’s bread and butter. start learning		be your bread and butter
to have less money than you need With rising interest rates, many homeowners are beginning to feel the pinch. start learning		feel the pinch
not having much money Tavia is so hard up that she can't afford to put the heating on. start learning		hard up
to manage to live or keep a business working even though you are not earning much money It's been a difficult year for the business but we're just about managing to keep our head above water. start learning		keep your head above water
money that you earn very easily without much work or effort They're charging £6.50 for this? It's money for old rope. start learning		money for old rope
used for emphasising that something is not available or possible, or that you will not do it They're more expensive than other firms but I wouldn't change them for love nor money. start learning		not for love nor money
used for saying that someone should do something, especially spend money, to show that they mean what they say instead of just talking about it The company claims to care about the environment, but it should put its money where its mouth is. start learning		put your money where your mouth is
to begin to have an effect on someone His mistakes in the past are finally beginning to catch up with him. start learning		catch up with (someone)
to suddenly have an idea An officer hit upon the idea of analysing the garage's CCTV footage. start learning		hit upon (an idea / a solution)
to not tell someone something, or to not show how you feel He said everything was OK, but I knew he was keeping something back. start learning		keep (something) back
to think carefully about something over a period of time They’ll need time to mull over the proposals. start learning		mull over (something)
to try to find out information about someone or something I found two men nosing around the boat. start learning		nose around (something)
to find something bad or illegal and get rid of it The mayor said his first commitment was to root out corruption in the city. start learning		root out (corruption / discrimination / a problem)
to think carefully and form an opinion about a person or a situation It was hard to size up whether people were really telling the truth. start learning		size up (someone/something)
to try to find out someone’s opinions, ideas, feelings etc. by talking to them He decided to go back to the station and sound out the other detectives there. start learning		sound out (someone)
to explain your opinion clearly and defend it in a determined way Political leaders are busy staking out their positions on this issue. start learning		stake out (a claim / position)
to wait outside a building and watch it, especially because something exciting or illegal is happening The police are staking out her home in case she returns. start learning		stake out (a house / building)
to mark an area with fences or posts to show that it belongs to someone The settlers would arrive in a place and immediately stake out their territory. start learning		stake out (territory)
to find something by accident I've recently stumbled across one of her old journals, which is fascinating. start learning		stumble across (something)
to find someone or something after a long search We finally managed to track him down in Barcelona. start learning		track down (someone/something)
if a problem, someone’s behaviour etc. baffles you, you cannot understand it or solve it Detectives remain baffled by these crimes. start learning		baffle
to make someone give you money or do what you want by threatening to give information about them Someone was trying to blackmail him with pictures showing them together. start learning		blackmail
to deliberately give a false idea to someone about what you intend to do, or about the facts of a situation, especially in order to gain an advantage She managed to bluff her way through the interview, and was given the job. start learning		bluff your way through (something)
to make someone believe something that is not true in order to persuade them to do something Thieves dressed as security staff conned the guard into unlocking the building. start learning		con (someone) into (doing something)
to make someone feel confused or surprised, especially by not behaving in the way they expect She confounded her critics by winning the race. start learning		confound
to choose to believe something that is not true You're deluding yourself if you think we'll win this easily. start learning		delude yourself
to cheat someone, usually when you and this person are doing something illegal together or planning to cheat someone else together The getaway driver double-crossed them by hiding some of the money and talking to the police. start learning		double-cross
to trick someone into believing something that is not true or into doing something that is stupid or illegal Henson duped the couple into letting him into their home. start learning		dupe (someone) into (doing something)
to make someone believe something that is not true If he told you this painting is genuine, then you've been hoodwinked. start learning		hoodwink
to make someone do what you want them to do, especially buy something, before they are sure or ready She’d been hustled into selling the house too quickly. start learning		hustle
to make someone feel confused Doctors were perplexed by her condition. start learning		perplex
to trick someone in order to get money or something from them I was scammed by a young woman who said she was fundraising. start learning		scam
if you are stumped by something, you cannot explain or answer it Even the experts are stumped by this strange weather. start learning		stump
to cheat someone in order to get their money The landlord tried to swindle us out of our deposit. start learning		swindle (someone/something) out of (something/someone)
to be doing something that will not get the result that you want They’re barking up the wrong tree by questioning her, she clearly doesn't know anything. start learning		be barking up the wrong tree
to be caught doing something wrong He was caught red-handed with the money in his bag. start learning		be caught red-handed
to keep something secret I've got an idea but I'm going to keep it under wraps for a few weeks. start learning		keep (something) under wraps
to tell someone something that was intended to be secret Kim let the cat out of the bag about her true intentions. start learning		let the cat out of the bag
to discover or understand exactly why a situation is the way it is, especially when something is wrong There's something strange about this but I can't quite put my finger on it. start learning		put your finger on (something)
something that is not relevant that makes you confused or takes your attention away from what you should be concentrating on I don't think that information is useful at all – it's just a red herring. start learning		red herring
something that rings a bell sounds familiar to you, although you cannot remember the exact details The name rings a bell. Isn’t he an architect? start learning		ring a bell
an embarrassing secret about your past that you do not want anyone to know The press were desperately trying to find a few skeletons in her cupboard. start learning		skeleton in the/your cupboard
to believe that something dishonest, illegal, or wrong has happened When I saw the look they gave each other I smelled a rat. start learning		smell a rat
used for saying that someone or something is more interesting, impressive, complicated etc. than they seem to be From the outside it's just an ordinary cupboard, but there's more to it than meets the eye. start learning		there's more to (someone/something) than meets the eye
an extreme event caused by weather, for example a flood, that causes a lot of damage and serious problems for the people who live where it happens The devastating wildfires last year were the worst climate catastrophe in our country's history. start learning		climate catastrophe
the process by which the surface of land or rock near the sea is gradually damaged by the sea and begins to disappear Coastal erosion has led to some roads on the island being rebuilt. start learning		coastal erosion
an event which causes a lot of damage to the natural world and serious problems for people or animals living there The removal of such large areas of rainforest is nothing short of an ecological catastrophe. start learning		ecological catastrophe
an event which causes a lot of damage to the natural world and serious problems for people or animals living there The collapse of the dam has been described as an environmental catastrophe. start learning		environmental catastrophe
the process of the natural word changing into a worse condition We cannot ignore the impact of environmental degradation on human health. start learning		environmental degradation
the process by which the surface of land or rock is gradually damaged by water, wind etc. and slowly begins to disappear A number of communities have been affected by the gradual erosion of the country's coastline. start learning		gradual erosion
the process of working to protect the places that particular animals or plants usually live or grow in so that these places are not damaged or destroyed Habitat preservation, especially forests and jungles, has been described as the most important issue facing humanity today. start learning		habitat preservation
waste that is dangerous to people's health or safety The dust produced has to be disposed of as hazardous waste. start learning		hazardous waste
used food, packaging or other things that people throw away from their homes The strikes will have an impact on the collection of household waste. start learning		household waste
an event that causes a very large amount of people to die, suffer or live in very bad conditions Unless more countries offer support, these droughts will result in a humanitarian catastrophe. start learning		humanitarian catastrophe
useless materials, substances, or parts that are left after the production of goods in factories This process is able to recycle certain kinds of industrial waste. start learning		industrial waste
the type of place that particular sea creatures or plants usually live or grow in Sunlit coral reefs are one of the most famous marine habitats. start learning		marine habitat
the type of place that a particular animal or plant usually lives or grows in, for example a desert, forest or lake It's a rare bird that is in danger of losing its natural habitat. start learning		natural habitat
a place in the sea where wind turbines are used for producing electricity from the power of the wind (parque eólico marino) Un nuevo parque eólico marino es una propuesta para el futuro suministro de energía. start learning		offshore windfarm A new offshore windfarm is one proposal for a future energy supply.
waste that decays naturally and does not harm the environment The restaurant composts all organic waste and uses recycled takeaway packaging. start learning		organic waste
when the type of place that a particular animal or plant usually lives or grows in is becoming smaller This species is threatened by shrinking habitat, hunting, and other human activity. start learning		shrinking habitat
the process by which soil is gradually removed by the rain, wind, or sea Planting trees and shrubs can help prevent soil erosion and reduce the risk of flooding. start learning		soil erosion
the development of a country or region that does not use more natural resources than can be replaced and so does not harm the environment Agriculture should be more focused on sustainable devlopment irrespective of the costs involved. start learning		sustainable development
tourism that does not harm the environment As well as supporting local economies, these farms serve as models for sustainable tourism. start learning		sustainable tourism
when used food, packaging or other things that people have thrown away is removed from homes or public buildings Check our website for details of waste collection times over the holiday period. start learning		waste collection
the process of getting rid of waste It's an opportunity to tackle pollution and adopt responsible waste disposal practices. start learning		waste disposal
the process by which the surface of land or rock is gradually damaged by wind and begins to disappear Trees store nutrients and water in the ground and protect soil against wind erosion. start learning		wind erosion
an area of land filled with trees that particular animals or plants usually live or grow in Their short wings enable them to twist and turn as they hunt in their woodland habitat. start learning		woodland habitat
to be in a position in which you have to choose between two things that are not good Either someone loses their job or everyone takes a pay cut. We’re stuck between a rock and a hard place on this. start learning		be stuck between a rock and a hard place
in a difficult situation Louis helped me when I was in a tight spot financially. start learning		in a tight spot
no longer believed to be guilty of something bad or illegal They’ve arrested someone else so it looks like Dylan’s in the clear. start learning		in the clear
to make someone feel suddenly very frightened or worried Just hearing his name made Alice's blood run cold. start learning		make (someone's) blood run cold
to cause problems by making suggestions or criticisms Laura’s been making waves with her comments about the lack of resources and budget. start learning		make waves
to make you feel very angry Knowing that they could have avoided this makes my blood boil. start learning		make your blood boil
used for saying that a situation is still difficult although it has improved With several other charges pending, the company is not out of the woods yet. start learning		not be out of the woods yet
not well controlled We decided to leave before things got out of hand. start learning		out of hand
behaving in a way that other people do not approve of That comment was totally out of line. start learning		out of line
to cause problems by changing a situation that is considered satisfactory It’s important that no one says anything to rock the boat at this stage in the negotiations. start learning		rock the boat
using any method that is needed to do or achieve something We’re going to need to meet the deadline by any means necessary. start learning		by any means necessary
compared to any level of quality or achievement used for judging someone or something What the programmers have created is simply incredible by any standard. start learning		by any standard
available only to people who have been formally invited Membership of the club was by invitation only. start learning		by invitation only
appropriate and not at all rude Only jokes that are in good taste should be incorporated into your speech. start learning		in good taste
something that is in its infancy has only just started to develop Tourism on the island is still very much in its infancy. start learning		in its infancy
if you can see someone or something in your mind’s eye, you can imagine or remember what they look like Did you have a clear vision of the painting in your mind’s eye before you started? start learning		in your mind's eye
if something looks out of place, it is in a position where it does not belong or look good It’s a lovely table but it would look out of place with all our antique furniture. start learning		out of place
unusual or different It was just another uneventful day at work; nothing out of the ordinary happened. start learning		out of the ordinary
used for saying that something is definitely not a possibility Taking a holiday then is out of the question. start learning		out of the question
designed to attract a lot of attention, often by being brightly coloured or decorated Her room had been decorated with flamboyant patterned wallpaper. start learning		flamboyant
very bright and colourful in an ugly way Bright, garish colours were the height of fashion in the 1980s. start learning		garish
large and impressive We pulled up outside an imposing building with steps up to the main entrance. start learning		imposing
using a style of design in architecture or interior decorating that is extremely simple and avoids using decoration or crowding an area with unnecessary objects The offices are stark and minimalistic, with white walls and very little furniture. start learning		minimalistic
intended to impress people or attract their admiration, in a way that you think is extreme and unnecessary It's just a timeless piece of furniture – not something ostentatious intended to impress. start learning		ostentatious
famous and admired for a special skill or achievement The fabric was designed by a renowned artist. start learning		renowned
fashionable and expensive Pedro has just moved into a swanky new apartment next to the river. start learning		swanky
not wanting to attract attention or appear better or more important than others The cottage's décor matched her personality - gentle and unassuming. start learning		unassuming
not trying to impress people or to attract their attention, and therefore attractive or effective She dressed with understated elegance. start learning		understated
designed to be useful rather than attractive The dining chairs had a utilitarian feel and weren't particularly comfortable. start learning		utilitarian
showing a lack of ability to judge what is attractive, suitable, etc. Professional designers often proclaim this as vulgar and inappropriate for a contemporary home. start learning		vulgar
made or done for fun, not seriously Her whimsical designs appeal to all ages. start learning		whimsical
something that can be developed or changed in many different ways There’s no fixed job specification so you can do what you feel is best. It’s a blank canvas. start learning		a blank canvas
someone or something that is new, interesting, and exciting Having Chloe on the team was like a breath of fresh air. start learning		a breath of fresh air
a thing that slowly develops into something interesting or powerful The film's a bit of a slow burner, not much happens in the first half hour. start learning		a slow burner
to look completely different to someone or something Portraits are not my strong point; this last one of my mother bears no resemblance to her. start learning		bear no resemblance to (someone/something)
to change a situation completely, or to do something in a completely new way Mo broke the mould by becoming an artist rather than a doctor like everyone else in the family. start learning		break the mould
if something catches your eye, you suddenly notice it As I came round the corner, an unusual building caught my eye. start learning		catch (someone's) eye
a rare or valuable object that collectors want to own Don't sell that old video game console - it could be a collector's item. start learning		collector's item
to become very good at doing something, especially something difficult He’s managed to get his cake decorating skills down to a fine art. start learning		get (something) down to a fine art
to try to think of a completely new idea because the one that you tried before was not successful My plan didn’t work, so we went back to the drawing board. start learning		go back to the drawing board
to be very popular That new vegan café is going down a storm with students. start learning		go down a storm
to have a very strong and noticeable effect on someone or something, usually a bad one that lasts for a long time A steady influx of tourists has left its mark on this pretty island. start learning		leave your mark
to waste time and effort trying to do something that someone else has already done well What's the point in doing that? You're just reinventing the wheel. start learning		reinvent the wheel
a film that is very successful and earns a lot of money because of the number of tickets that are sold The film was a box office hit and launched the actor's career. start learning		box office hit
admired by people whose job is to give their opinion of things such as new books, plays, or films Her critically acclaimed novel set in Shetland was a bestseller last year. start learning		critically acclaimed
a book, film, television programme etc. that is very good and has been popular and had a lot of influence for a long time There can't be many people who haven't seen this cult classic. start learning		cult classic
difficult to believe because it is very unlikely (inverosimil) Los efectos especiales son geniales, pero la trama es increíblemente inverosímil. start learning		far-fetched The special effects are great but the plot is incredibly far-fetched.
making criticisms in a very strong, honest, and direct way. This word usually shows that you approve of this type of criticism. This is a hard-hitting drama about the realities of the pandemic. start learning		hard-hitting
making you feel very sad or emotional It's difficult to watch this heart-wrenching story about human tragedy. start learning		heart-wrenching
a long-awaited event has been expected for a long time She's now making her long-awaited return as the fearless explorer. start learning		long-awaited
a book that is very interesting or exciting I couldn't put that book down - it's a real page-turner. start learning		page-turner
so interesting that it holds your attention completely Murphy’s portrayal of the character is utterly spellbinding. start learning		spellbinding
very exciting or frightening in a way that you enjoy This spine-tingling thriller is bound to keep you on the edge of your seat. start learning		spine-tingling
including a lot of famous people Featuring a star-studded cast, director Christopher Nolan's latest film is nothing short of a masterpiece. start learning		star-studded
a sad film or story that makes you cry Take some tissues with you – I'm afraid it's a bit of a tearjerker. start learning		tearjerker
very difficult to understand. Sorry but your explanation is as clear as mud. start learning		as clear as mud
very boring Her last book was as dull as ditchwater – I didn't finish it. start learning		as dull as ditchwater
if someone is as mad as a box of frogs, they are extremely silly or strange There’s a fine line between being called eccentric or as mad as a box of frogs! start learning		as mad as a box of frogs
if someone is as sly as a fox, they are very clever and sometimes dishonest She's as sly as a fox and I'm not sure I entirely trust her in these negotiations. start learning		as sly as a fox
very strong and able to deal with difficult situations or pain easily Oh don't worry about Marvin, he's as tough as old boots. start learning		as tough as old boots
to fight or argue often or with a lot of anger My twin daughters fought like cat and dog when they were kids. start learning		fight like cat and dog
to become good friends very quickly and have a lot to talk to each other about It was a bit awkward at first but now we get on like a house on fire. start learning		get on like a house on fire
to sleep very well The bed was really comfortable – I slept like a log last night. start learning		sleep like a log
to be very noticeable because of being different If you wear those you're going to stick out like a sore thumb. start learning		stick out like a sore thumb
to watch someone very carefully, especially in order to make sure that they do not do something bad You need to watch Sam like a hawk or he'll eat all the biscuits. start learning		watch (someone) like a hawk
someone or something that you are very pleased to see The cabin was a sight for sore eyes for the exhausted climbers. start learning		a sight for sore eyes
a weak feature of someone or something that is otherwise strong, which makes them open to attack or failure She's a great writer but accurate research has always been her Achilles heel. start learning		Achilles heel
completely dead or not working They didn't water the plants and now they're as dead as a doornail. start learning		as dead as a doornail
a set of problems that is impossible to escape from because each problem must be solved first before you can solve any of the others The company wants to hire new people to expand, but it can’t afford to pay them – it’s a Catch 22 situation. start learning		Catch 22 situation
an exciting end to part of a book or television programme that makes you want to read or watch the next part Season 1 ended on such a cliff-hanger, I can't wait for season 2! start learning		cliff-hanger
used for referrring to a situation in which you become so interested in something that you cannot stop trying to find out about it or doing it I only meant to have a quick look online, but before I knew it I’d gone down the rabbit hole and had more than twenty tabs open. start learning		down the rabbit hole
freelance work is done by a person who is not permanently employed by a particular company but who sells their services to more than one company Lizzie is an excellent freelance editor, I can highly recommend her. start learning		freelance
to make someone feel nervous or frightened That big old house at the end of the lane really gives me the creeps. start learning		give (someone) the creeps
used for saying that when you love someone, it is difficult to see their faults Max stood by Isabel even though she'd treated him so badly, but then love is blind. start learning		love is blind
used for saying that someone is criticizing another person for a fault that they also have You're saying I'm lazy when you don't even have a job? Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. start learning		the pot calling the kettle black
used for emphasising that you can go anywhere or do anything that you want to Now that you've finished university the world is your oyster. start learning		the world is your oyster
an attempt to find something that does not exist or that you are very unlikely to discover By planting false evidence, Harrison had managed to lead the detectives on a wild goose chase. start learning		wild goose chase
an area in a city or town where people have a lot of money and there are very nice houses This affluent neighbourhood largely consists of luxurious beachfront homes. start learning		affluent neighbourhood
homes for which people on low incomes can afford the rent or mortgage costs Definitions of what constitutes affordable housing vary in different places. start learning		affordable housing
behaving in a way which shows a lack of care for other people or for society in general I feel really safe in this rural community, where we don’t have to worry about crime or antisocial behaviour. start learning		antisocial behaviour
an area surrounding a large city where many people who work in that city live Some staff prefer to live in the commuter belt and just travel in for work. start learning		commuter belt
an unpleasant part of a city where there are a lot of ugly buildings close together People are very unlikely to want to live in this crowded, hot and polluted concrete jungle. start learning		concrete jungle
a system of making payments each day for the right to drive into a city centre, introduced as a way of reducing traffic Congestion charging for vehicles has now been introduced in many cities to try to reduce carbon emissions. start learning		congestion charging
a building that is empty, not used and in bad condition This wasn't a nice part of town, all derelict buildings and empty streets. start learning		derelict building
an area of a city that vehicles producing more than a low level of waste gases must pay to drive into The area is now a low-emissions zone but not everyone is convinced this has genuinely reduced the health risks. start learning		low-emissions zone
the quality of being pleasant, attractive and typical of the simple style of the countryside Even though the place was very small, we loved the rustic charm of living in an old cottage. start learning		rustic charm
a group of people living in an area who know each other very well and support each other It's a coastal town with a tight-knit community linked to the fishing industry. start learning		tight-knit community
a street which has a row of trees on each side Their house is in a very pretty tree-lined street in the suburbs. start learning		tree-lined street
care provided by the state or another organization for people in need A large proportion of elderly people is putting an enormous strain on the welfare system there. start learning		welfare system
to be sent something in large numbers The TV station was flooded with complaints about the programme. start learning		be flooded with (something)
to say publicly that something must happen Protestors are calling for a ban on the production of these kinds of foods. start learning		call for (something)
to reduce the number of possibilities or choices We've narrowed down the list to just five options. start learning		narrow down (something)
to accept that something unpleasant must happen and that you cannot change it He has resigned himself to the fact that his marriage is over. start learning		resign yourself to (something)
to do something extreme or unpleasant in order to solve a problem I think we can solve this problem without resorting to legal action. start learning		resort to (something)
to return to a previous state or way of behaving, often one that is not good If you just revert back to your old eating habits, you’ll gain weight really quickly. start learning		revert (back) to (something)
to stop considering something as a possibility We haven't completely ruled out the use of a more expensive material. start learning		rule out (something)
if you run up against problems, difficulties etc, you have to deal with them Unfortunately we ran up against a major difficulty right at the beginning. start learning		run up against (something)
to give someone something that is difficult to deal with Buying that expensive car has saddled him with a huge debt. start learning		saddle (someone) with (something)
to speak in support of a person or an idea, belief, or plan, especially when no one else will I admire Kirsten for sticking up for what she believes is right. start learning		stick up for (someone/something)
to persuade someone not to do something We're so glad we talked her out of buying a flat in the city centre. start learning		talk (someone) out of (something)
used for saying what you think is true when you think that there may be facts that you or others do not know Share prices plummeted last week, but as far as anyone can tell, there is no danger of the company folding. start learning		as far as anyone can tell
used for saying that someone does not listen or react to you when you talk to them I've tried to explain it to him, but it's like talking to a brick wall. start learning		like talking to a brick wall
informal conversation about things that are not important I hate those kind of events because I've never been particularly good at making small talk. start learning		small talk
to talk to someone for a long time, often in a loud or boring way He talked my ear off during the entire meal. start learning		talk (someone's) ear off
to talk about your work, especially in a way that is boring for other people Stop talking shop, you two, and let’s eat and relax. start learning		talk shop
to talk confidently about something in a way that makes people think you are good at it, know a lot about it, etc. I had no idea what they were looking for when I applied, but I just talked the talk and got offered the job. start learning		talk the talk
used for saying in a slightly angry way that you do not want to listen to what someone is saying That dress looks terrible on you!' 'Talk to the hand! You’ve got no idea about fashion.' start learning		talk to the hand
to tell someone some useful or interesting information about someone or something Rafi can tell you a thing or two about canal boats, he used to live on one. start learning		tell (someone) a thing or two
used for saying in a slightly angry way that you already know about something that a person is talking to you about, often because it is obvious This project is pretty difficult.' 'Yeah, tell me something I don't know – I’ve been working on it for weeks!' start learning		tell me something I don't know
to tell someone very rudely that you are not interested in them or in what they are saying I'd had enough of his constant criticism so I told him where to get off. start learning		tell (someone) where to get off
to give the real facts about something, even if they are unpleasant You can always rely on Mum to tell it like it is. start learning		tell it like it is
used for saying that you already know about something unpleasant that someone has just described because you have experienced it yourself ‘I’ve got so much work to do.’ ‘Tell me about it!’ start learning		tell me about it
very strong pain This condition leads to acute pain in the lower back. start learning		acute pain
the continuous movement of air inside a system or area The disease is much more likely to spread in areas with poor air circulation. start learning		air circulation
a different way of thinking about something Professor Simkins sees the issue from an alternative perspective. start learning		alternative perspective
a form of treatment for an illness or medical condition that is used instead of or together with treatments based on science Nothing the doctor gave her was working, so she's trying some alternative therapies. start learning		alternative therapy
when the continuous movement of blood around your body is not efficient and sometimes causes problems My feet often feel cold. It's probably bad circulation. start learning		bad circulation
the correct types and amounts of different foods which help a person or animal to stay healthy A balanced diet contains lots of fruit and green vegetables. start learning		balanced diet
a way of thinking about something which considers all arguments, opinions, or aspects fairly and equally Pat's always been a sensible person with a balanced perspective on life. start learning		balanced perspective
the continuous movement of blood around your body Cycling enhances blood circulation to all the vital parts of the body. start learning		blood circulation
great physical strength It's a a sporting competition that relies on fine skills and not just brute strength. start learning		brute strength
pain in the upper front part of your body between your neck and your stomach If you've had chest pains then you should get yourself checked over. start learning		chest pain
serious pain that lasts for a long time Surgery had finally freed her from chronic pain in her right hip. start learning		chronic pain
a form of treatment for an illness or medical condition that is used together with treatments based on science Complementary therapies include acupuncture and yoga. start learning		complementary therapy
continuous or regular pain over a long period of time If I don't take the medication, I'm in constant pain. start learning		constant pain
the strength of the muscles in the upper part of your body, not including your head, arms or legs These daily exercises are designed to improve core strength. start learning		core strength
the system of organs and processes in the body of humans and animals that deals with the digestion of food Exercise plays an important role in maintaining a healthy digestive system. start learning		digestive system
help from God to change a situation We've tried everything, so all we can do now is hope for divine intervention. start learning		divine intervention
an effective way of doing something Medical staff must meet standards of safe and effective practice throughout their careers. start learning		effective practice
someone’s ability to feel happy again after an illness, disappointment, or other problem She showed astonishing emotional resilience after her partner's unexpected death. start learning		emotional resilience
a way of doing something that has existed for a long time, and is therefore recognised as good or successful This is now established practice when treating the disease. start learning		established practice
a new and different way of thinking about something Her advice helped me to see things from a fresh perspective. start learning		fresh perspective
the combination of genes (= patterns of chemicals within a cell that carry information about the qualities passed to a living thing from its parents) belonging to a particular person Sadly it seems that Fi's genetic makeup makes her more susceptible to the illness. start learning		genetic makeup
the services that look after people's health Urgent investment is needed in the country's struggling healthcare system. start learning		healthcare system
a way of thinking about something from the point of view of history or the past The book is not particularly accurate from an historical perspective. start learning		historical perspective
the system in your body that protects you against diseases The virus can have a long-term effect on your immune system. start learning		immune system
when the continuous movement of blood around your body becomes more efficient Eat green vegetables on a regular basis to ensure increased circulation and blood pressure regulation. start learning		increased circulation
if a person has inner strength, they have the ability to achieve something despite what they feel, especially something difficult We need someone who has the inner strength to take on a difficult job. start learning		inner strength
when medicine is used to treat an illness or injury This condition is not going to go away without medical intervention. start learning		medical intervention
someone’s ability to feel happy again after an illness, disappointment, or other problem She's going to need mental resilience in order to overcome this. start learning		mental resilience
the system of nerves that sends and receives the signals that control your body and mind These drugs can have a significant effect on the nervous system. start learning		nervous system
damage done to a part of a person's body that lasts for a long time or that they do not recover from A persistent injury has seriously affected his ability to play. start learning		persistent injury
a way of thinking about something based on your own opinions, feelings, or experiences in your life From a personal perspective, I think the hospital could have done more. start learning		personal perspective
the qualities and features of a particular person's body Despite her physical make up, she'd had a successful career in professional sport. start learning		physical makeup
the physical energy that someone has to lift or move things I didn't even have the physical strength to sit up in bed. start learning		physical strength
when the continuous movement of blood around your body is not efficient and sometimes causes problems She's always suffered from poor circulation. start learning		poor circulation
a way of doing something that people have said should be used Surprisingly this has become recommended practice as part of the treatment plan. start learning		recommended practice
when a person or animal only eats certain foods and not others, often for health reasons Pepe's allergies mean he has a very restricted diet. start learning		restricted diet
serious damage done to a part of a person's body Not wearing a seatbelt runs the risk of severe injury, or even death. start learning		severe injury
sudden and severe pain As I stood up I felt a sharp pain in my chest. start learning		sharp pain
a particular combination of foods that a person eats for a certain purpose or situation The players have a special diet rich in carbohydrates and fibre. start learning		special diet
the most basic and important foods eaten in a particular place or by a particular group of people Potatoes and meat are their staple diet. start learning		staple diet
when a medical operation is used to treat an illness or injury It doesn't look like her condition will improve without surgical intervention. start learning		surgical intervention
when a person or animal eats a wide range of different foods You'd probably feel better and be healthier if you had a more varied diet. start learning		varied diet
to stop yourself from showing negative emotions like anger and disappointment, especially over a long period, so that these feelings develop in a harmful way Continually bottling up your emotions can lead to serious mental health issues. start learning		bottle up (something)
to become popular or fashionable Dairy-free alternatives have caught on as consumers have become more health-conscious. start learning		catch on
to begin to have an effect on someone All his days of sitting in front of the TV eating processed food had finally caught up with him. start learning		catch up with (someone)
to try very hard to keep something I'm clinging on to the hope that her resilience will help her survive. start learning		cling on to (something)
to include someone in your plans If you're playing tennis next Saturday then count me in. start learning		count (someone) in
to manage to deal with a difficult situation or to stay alive until it is over You just have to get through the first five minutes of your speech, and then you’ll be fine. start learning		get through (something)
to annoy or upset someone After a while his comments really started to get to me. start learning		get to (someone)
to do something that you have planned or agreed to do, especially after not being sure you want to do it I can't believe Jamie went through with the wedding. start learning		go through with (something)
to be completely obvious or true Of course we'll be there – that goes without saying. start learning		go without saying
to continue doing something even if you want to stop If you want to succeed then you just have to keep at it. start learning		keep at it
to gradually get larger Costs are really beginning to mount up. start learning		mount up
to encourage someone to put more effort into something or to not stop trying to do something Murray's fans were urging him on from the side of the court. start learning		urge (someone) on
to surprise someone by being very beautiful, impressive, unexpected, etc. Bev was bowled over by the generosity of her colleagues. start learning		bowl (someone) over
to give someone control or an advantage over a person or situation Johan’s resolve and determination are what give him the upper hand when negotiating deals. start learning		give (someone) the upper hand
to have an advantage over other people in the same situation as you, especially in a competition Ensuring your child’s diet is healthy means they’ll have a head start in life. start learning		have a head start
not calculated exactly but within a similar general range We've received three estimates for the building costs and they're all in the same ballpark. start learning		in the same ballpark
to do or say something too soon, before you know that it is suitable or correct Make sure you train gently at first – don’t jump the gun and sign up for a marathon! start learning		jump the gun
to learn how to do something, especially a job Once you’ve learned the ropes and settled in, you’ll feel far less anxious about your new job. start learning		learn the ropes
to change the rules and make it difficult for people to achieve something or to know what to do Problems arise when people are shifting the goalposts and objectives aren't clear. start learning		move the goalposts
without any limit on what you are allowed to do Her autobiography was quite shocking and there were no holds barred when describing her teammates. start learning		no holds barred
likely to get the result that you are trying to achieve We're on target to complete the work by the end of the month. start learning		on target
to accept something unpleasant in a brave way without complaining Zak knew he was partly to blame so he took the criticism on the chin. start learning		take (something) on the chin
to stop trying to do something because you lack determination or because you think you cannot win Sara threw in the towel halfway through the race because she pulled a muscle. start learning		throw in the towel
(adj) (of a person) enjoying spending time outdoors, especially doing activities like walking and cycling start learning		outdoorsy
(adj, adv) leading to a higher place on a slope start learning		uphill
(idiom) mentally confused or unable to act in a reasonable way start learning		around the bend
(adverb) after the time mentioned start learning		afterwards
(adj) covered by a containing mud start learning		muddy
(vb) to make continuous, small movements, especially if they do not have a particular purpose and you make them without meaning to, for example because you are nervous or bored start learning		fidget
(adv) with only a small number or amount of people or things (escasamente) start learning		sparsely
a small amount of money that you have to pay to use a road, cross a bridge, etc. (peaje) En la actualidad, los peajes se cobran electrónicamente en la mayoría de las autopistas start learning		toll Tolls are now collected electronically on most motorways.
badly and carelessly made, using low quality materials (de pacotilla) productos de mala calidad start learning		shoddy shoddy goods
showing good judgment, especially about style and quality (de criterio, exigente) Un cliente exigente start learning		discerning a discerning customer
never having happened or existed in the past (sin precedentes) Este siglo ha sido testigo de una destrucción ambiental a una escala sin precedentes. start learning		unprecedented This century has witnessed environmental destruction on an unprecedented scale.
to avoid something, especially cleverly or illegally (elude) Los barcos fueron registrados en el extranjero para eludir las normas laborales y de seguridad. start learning		circumvents Ships were registered abroad to circumvent employment and safety regulations.
(especially of a place) attractive in appearance, especially in an old-fashioned way (pintoresco) Las pintorescas calles estrechas del casco antiguo start learning		picturesque the picturesque narrow streets of the old city
Always (invariablemente) El tren llega invariablemente tarde start learning		invariably The train is invariably late.
to collect information from different places and arrange it in a book, report, or list (compilar) Estamos recopilando algunos datos y cifras para un documental sobre el tema start learning		compile We're compiling some facts and figures for a documentary on the subject.
in a way that is repeated after a particular period of time (periódicamente) El equipo debe probarse periódicamente. start learning		periodically The equipment should be tested periodically.
to stay with a series of different friends or relatives, sleeping somewhere temporary such as a sofa, because you do not have your own place to live (surf en el sofá) start learning		couch surf
Idiom. El tiempo lo dirá start learning		time will tell
Idiom. said when you think someone might not understand what you say, or be upset by it: (no me entiendas mal start learning		don't get me wrong!
something that happens or succeeds suddenly because of luck, intelligence, etc. (idiom. golpe de suerte) start learning		stroke of good luck
Idiom. esto queda entre tu y yo start learning		between you and me
Idiom. said to mean that something has advantages (hay algo de pedir sobre eso) start learning		There's a lot to be said for it
Idiom. said when you do not believe something start learning		that's a likely story
Idiom. a very short moment of time (por un segundo) start learning		for a split second

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