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The principal is caught in a double bind because whether she expels the student or lets him off, she still gets blamed. start learning
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a difficult situation in which, whatever action you decide to take, you cannot escape unpleasant results
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His sister had been bound to secrecy.; We are bound to the original contract. start learning
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to force someone to keep a promise
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I was sitting in the garden when suddenly my neighbour's head bobbed up from behind the hedge. start learning
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żywopłot - a line of bushes or small trees planted very close together, especially along the edge of a garden, field, or road
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hedge - noun (PROTECTION) She'd made some overseas investments as a hedge against rising inflation in this country. start learning
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a way of protecting, controlling, or limiting something
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start learning
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a word or phrase that makes what you say less strong
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We've got permission, but it's hedged about/around with strict conditions.; Congressmen were warned against hedging their support for the missile program. start learning
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to limit something severely
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hedge - verb (AVOID ANSWER) Stop hedging and tell me what you really think.; Officials continued to hedge on exactly when the program would begin. start learning
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to try to avoid giving an answer or taking any action
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hedge - noun, verb (INVESTMENT) These formulas are devised to tell the bank what kind of hedges to purchase to provide the best possible protection of its assets.; We don't tend to hedge at all - in either stock or bond funds. start learning
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an investment made in order to reduce the risk of losing money on shares, bonds, etc. that you own, for example, by buying futures or options a hedge against sth: In recent years, investors have also bought gold as a hedge against US dollar weakness.
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Some business leaders hedged their bets by donating money to both parties.; They're hedging their bets and keeping up contacts with both companies. start learning
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to protect yourself against loss by supporting more than one possible result or both sides in a competition The weather forecasters were hedging their bets, saying the storm might come into land or go out to sea.
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hedge fund investors/managers; Managers of the first hedge funds invented ways to make money no matter which way the stock market was moving. start learning
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a type of investment that can make a lot of profit but involves a large risk an investment fund that trades large amounts of shares, currencies, etc. to take advantage of both rising and falling prices, for example by shorting (= borrowing shares, etc., selling them, and buying them back at a lower price)
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The currency hedge had been intended to protect the company against a sharp rise in the value of the pound against the euro. start learning
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an agreement to buy a currency at a particular rate in the future. Companies that export goods use currency hedges to be certain about the amount they will receive for particular goods when they deliver them
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start learning
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a tool with which you cut a garden hedge to keep it tidy
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macro hedge fund - noun (also macro fund, macro) According to one analyst, the era of the classic macro hedge fund is drawing to a close. start learning
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a large hedge fund that invests in stock and bond markets, currencies, etc. with the aim of making a profit from large changes, for example in world interest rates
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start learning
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mare - noun (WOMAN) UK very informal start learning
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a way of talking to or about a woman that shows a lack of respect
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mare - noun (SITUATION) UK informal I had a real mare trying to get the printer working again. start learning
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a difficult or unpleasant situation or experience
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start learning
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Mare is the Latin word for "sea".
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start learning
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The lunar maria (singular: mare) are large, dark, basaltic plains on Earth's Moon, formed by ancient volcanic eruptions.
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brood mare - noun [HORSE] start learning
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a female horse kept especially for breeding
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start learning
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a group of young birds all born at the same time
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brood - noun [CHILDREN] humorous Ann was at the party with her brood. start learning
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a person's young children
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He brooded over the insult.; I wish she wouldn't sit brooding in her room all day. start learning
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to think silently for a long time about things that make you sad, worried, or angry
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brood patch - noun [BIRDS] start learning
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A brood patch is a patch of featherless skin that is visible on the underside of birds during the nesting season.
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Incubation lasts 10 to 15 days and the altricial chicks are brooded for about 5 to 6 days after hatching. start learning
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(of a bird) sit on (eggs) to hatch them
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brood - verb [SILENCE; STORM] A sulphurous cloud broods over the ground; vapors float; the air curls round anti round in dizzying waves; wreaths of smoke entwine us. start learning
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(of silence, a storm, etc.) hang or hover closely
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Clark said biologists will do another steelhead count this week, which may determine if there are enough wild fish in the river to allow the hatchery to catch brood stock. start learning
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(of an animal) kept to be used for breeding
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duster - noun - UK; (US dustcloth) start learning
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a piece of cloth that is used for removing dust from furniture, books, surfaces, etc.
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duster - noun - US (UK feather duster) Crop dusters dip and dive and fly just above the ground, leaving signatures in chemicals over fields and orchards. start learning
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a stick with feathers at one end, or a similar object with cloth attached to one end, used for cleaning
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start learning
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a small aircraft used for covering crops with chemicals in order to kill harmful insects and diseases
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start learning
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Gas duster, also known as canned air, is a product used for cleaning or dusting electronic equipment and other sensitive devices that cannot be cleaned using water.
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duster - US informal [DUST STORM] also dust storm start learning
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a storm during which a very strong wind blows a lot of dry soil around
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start learning
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A person who is absolutely garbage at a sport, game or anything really. This person is considered a "duster"
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duster chalk - noun - also - blackboard duster also - A chalkboard eraser start learning
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A block of felt strips, shaped ergonomically, used to remove chalk from a blackboard.
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tackle - verb (DEAL WITH) There are many ways of tackling this problem. start learning
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to try to deal with something or someone
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tackle - verb, noun (SPORT) also - to catch and knock down someone who is running, esp. in the game of football start learning
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(especially in football or hockey) to try to take the ball from a player in the other team, or (in rugby or American football) to do this by taking hold of the player and making them fall also - an act of knocking someone down, or a football player who is supposed to do this
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tackle - noun (EQUIPMENT) start learning
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all the objects needed for a particular activity
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tackle - noun (SEXUAL ORGANS) UK slang humorous start learning
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I tackled him about his careless work.; I was determined to tackle my boss on the way I had been treated. start learning
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to talk to someone about a difficult situation, usually because you disagree with them
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slide tackle - noun (also sliding tackle) start learning
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in football, a type of tackle in which a player slides along the ground with one leg stretched out in order to push the ball away from the opposing player
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a device for raising objects off the ground, consisting of one or more small wheels with a rope or chain going around them, connected to a high part of a building start learning
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A block and tackle or only tackle is a system of two or more pulleys with a rope or cable threaded between them, usually used to lift heavy loads.
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two-footed tackle - noun (also two-footed challenge) start learning
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in football, an illegal tackle in which a player jumps or slides forwards with both legs stretched towards an opposing player
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goalmouth - noun (also goal area) start learning
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the area exactly in front of the goal
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goalmouth scramble - noun start learning
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used, especially in sports reports, to refer to a situation in a football or hockey game in which several attacking players are trying hard to score a goal and several defending players are trying hard to prevent it, directly in front of the goal
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Quebec is at the mouth of the St Lawrence River.; We looked down into the mouth of the volcano. start learning
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the opening of a narrow container, the opening of a hole or cave, or the place where a river flows into the sea The opening of a bottle or jar is also called a mouth.
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mouth - verb [FORM WORDS WITH LIPS] It looks to me as if the singers are only mouthing the words.; "Can we go?" mouthed Mary. start learning
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to form words with the lips without making any sound
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mouth - verb [NOT SINCERE] I don't want to stand here listening to you mouthing apologies. start learning
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to say something in a way that is not sincere
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bad-mouth - verb - informal [CRITICIZE] Stop bad-mouthing him all the time. start learning
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to criticize someone or something in a very unpleasant manner
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leave a bad taste in sb's mouth I think we all felt he'd been treated very unfairly and it left a bad taste in our mouths. start learning
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If an experience leaves a bad taste in your mouth, you have an unpleasant memory of it
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big mouth - noun - informal disapproving start learning
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If someone is or has a big mouth, they often say things that are meant to be kept secret
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start learning
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potty mouth - noun - informal; potty-mouthed - adj. also - a habit of using a lot of rude language start learning
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someone who uses a lot of rude language When did he become such a potty mouth?; She can't help it. She has a potty mouth.
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potty - adj. - UK informal; pottiness - noun She must have been potty to sell that car so cheaply.; I'd go potty if I had to work here all the time. start learning
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He's potty about old cars. start learning
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to like something or someone very much
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potty - noun - mainly UK (also pot) [TOILET] Don't forget to sit Jamie on the potty before you take him to the zoo. start learning
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a bowl, sometimes with a handle, that young children sit on and use as a toilet a small toilet used by children when they are being trained to use a toilet
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The noise from our next-door neighbours is driving us potty. start learning
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potty chair - noun [TOILET] start learning
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a small chair with a hole in the seat and a bowl attached under it for teaching young children to use the toilet
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potty-trained (also toilet-trained) By what age are children usually potty-trained? start learning
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Potty-trained children know how to use a potty or toilet and no longer need to wear nappies
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potty-training (also toilet-training) start learning
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the process of teaching a child to use a potty or toilet
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smart mouth - noun - US informal; smart-mouthed - adj. a smart-mouthed little brat; She is working-classblue-collar, smart-mouthed, and mischievous. start learning
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If someone has or is a smart mouth, they speak to other people in a way that shows little respect
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brat - noun [CHILD] informal disapproving She's behaving like a spoilt brat. start learning
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a child, especially one who behaves badly a child who behaves badly or one you do not like
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Beef and veal are usual in halal and kosher bratwurst, which never include pork for religious reasons. start learning
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is a type of German sausage made from veal, beef, or most commonly pork
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mouth-watering - adj. also - mouthwatering Look at those mouthwatering desserts.; Also - make sb's mouth water; The smell of that bacon cooking is making my mouth water. start learning
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(of food) having a very good appearance or smell that makes you want to eat Meaning of mouthwatering in English mouthwatering adjective UK /ˈmaʊθˌwɔː. tə. rɪŋ/ US /ˈmaʊθˌwɑː. t̬ɚ.ɪŋ/ Mouthwatering food looks as if it will taste good
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Low wages mean a hand-to-mouth existence for many people. start learning
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having only just enough money to live also - live (from) hand to mouth - My father earned very little and there were four kids, so we lived from hand to mouth.
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We get most of our work through word-of-mouth recommendations.; word-of-mouth publicity; by/through word of mouth: We get most of our clients by word of mouth.; word-of-mouth advertising/recommendation; in speech but not in writing start learning
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given or done by people talking about something or telling people about something the process of telling people you know about a particular product or service, usually because you think it is good and want to encourage them to try it; All the orders were given by word of mouth so that no written evidence could be discovered later.
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foot-and-mouth (UK also foot-and-mouth disease); (US hoof-and-mouth) start learning
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chyba pryszczyca - an infectious disease of cattle, sheep, pigs, and goats that causes painful areas in the mouth and on the feet
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Clark was mouthing off in the locker room after we lost, and he started a fight. start learning
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to express your opinions or complain, esp. loudly and in a way that shows no consideration or respect mouth off (about sth) - to express your opinions too loudly and publicly - I had to listen to Michael mouthing off about the government all through lunch.
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They've got three kids and her husband just lost his job - the last thing they need is another mouth to feed. start learning
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someone, especially a new baby, who you must provide food for
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be all mouth informal (UK also be all mouth and no trousers) He says he's going to complain to the manager, but he's all mouth. start learning
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to talk a lot about doing something but never do it
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be down in the mouth - informal start learning
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To be visibly sad or depressed
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The pie crust just melts in your mouth. start learning
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(of food) to be prepared well and taste good
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a plum in your mouth UK (also plums in your mouth) She had elocution lessons as a child and as a result now speaks with a plum in her mouth. start learning
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a way of speaking that is typical of people of a high social class
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shoot your mouth off - informal to talk loudly and boastfully about yourself or your opinions - He'd been shooting his mouth off saying he could sing, when of course, he couldn't. start learning
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to talk about something that you should not talk about or that you know nothing about to talk publicly about something which is secret; to annoy people by talking too much about how good you are - They’ve been shooting their mouths off about how they’re going to beat us.
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shut your mouth/faceslang (UK also shut your gob) start learning
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a rude and angry way of telling someone to stop talking
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zazwyczaj pieniądze - He's got gobs of money. start learning
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large amounts of something We're getting input from gobs of sources.
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a gob of butter; verb - To gather into a lump.; Bangs can be secured with a light layer of hair spray or a gob of hair wax. start learning
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A lump of soft or sticky material. Also - A lump or clot of a slimy or viscous substance; ALso - a small piece or lump of something; Gobs of an inflammable gel are thrown into the pond and continue to burn.
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gob - noun [MOUTH] UK very informal He′s always stuffing his gob with fast food.; Oi, you, shut your gob!; She's got such a gob on her – she′s always gossiping about someone or other. start learning
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gob - noun, verb [SALIVA] - slang He spat a big ball of gob on to the pavement. start learning
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Verb - to spit, especially to spit phlegm
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gob - noun [SAILOR] US, military, slang) start learning
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a sailor, especially a seaman in the U.S. Navy.
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gob - noun [MINING] uncountable, mining waste material produced in coal mining, consisting of clay, shale, etc. start learning
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Waste material in old mine workings, goaf. Another: waste or barren material.
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start learning
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put your foot in it UK (US put your foot in your mouth) I really put my foot in my mouth – I asked her if Jane was her mother, but she said Jane is her sister. start learning
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to say something by accident that embarrasses or upsets someone
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shovel sth into your mouth (also shovel sth down) He was sitting in front of the TV shovelling down a pizza. start learning
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to put large quantities of food into your mouth very quickly
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(straight) from the horse's mouth I know it's true, because I got it straight from the horse's mouth – Katie told me herself. start learning
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If you hear something (straight) from the horse's mouth, you hear it from the person who has direct personal knowledge of it.
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butter wouldn't melt in sb's mouth this metaphoric expression alleges that one is literally so cool that butter inside the mouth would not melt.; Be overly coy or demure; be insincere; start learning
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used when someone looks as if they would never do anything wrong, although you feel they might The identified person appears to be benign, mild-mannered, or calm (but with an integral suggestion that, to the contrary, he or she really is untrustworthy, disagreeable, or mean-spirited).
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sb's heart is in his/her mouth My heart was in my mouth when I opened the letter. start learning
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If someone's heart is in their mouth, they are feeling extremely nervous If your heart is in your mouth, you feel very excited, worried, or frightened.
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never look a gift horse in the mouth - saying start learning
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said to advise someone not to refuse something good that is being offered
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take the words out of sb's mouth "What a rude and obnoxious man!" "You took the words right out of my mouth!" start learning
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to say something that another person was just about to say or was thinking
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put your money where your mouth is - informal start learning
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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.; If you are really interested in helping the homeless you should put your money where your mouth is.
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wash your mouth out (with soap/soapy water) - humorous start learning
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an expression used humorously when someone has used a rude or offensive word
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be laughing on the other side of your face UK (US laugh out of the other side of your mouth) e discomfited after feeling satisfaction or confidence about something; She's pleased with her promotion but she'll be laughing on the other side of her face when she sees the extra work.c start learning
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To experience a drastic change in one's emotions, often in a short span of time someone will be laughing on the other side of their face - someone will be laughing on the other side of their face
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out of the mouths of babes (and sucklings) - literary saying "It's OK, Mommy. I know you're just upset because you're tired." B: "Thank you, sweetheart. Out of the mouths of babes." start learning
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Children, though inexperienced, are capable of saying wise, insightful, or mature things.
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suckling - noun old-fashioned start learning
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(an animal that is) still young enough to be drinking milk from its mother
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We watched the cow suckling her calves.; The puppies went back to their mother to suckle. start learning
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to feed a baby or young animal with milk from a breast or udder to suck at the breast or udder.; To take milk from (the mother, a breast, or a teat): a baby suckling its mother's breast.
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start learning
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To nourish as if with the milk of the breast; nurture: suckled on video games and comic books.
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start learning
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an animal that suckles its young; mammal
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start learning
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A suckling pig is a piglet fed on its mother's milk (i.e., a piglet which is still a "suckling"). In culinary contexts, a suckling pig is slaughtered between the ages of two and six weeks. It is traditionally cooked whole, often roasted, in various cuisines. It is usually prepared for special occasions and gatherings.
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