unit 8 vocabulary development

 0    102 flashcards    martaszczechowska
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Question English Answer English
arson
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the crime of deliberately setting fire to something, especially a building
assault
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the crime of attacking sb physically
bigamy
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the crime of marrying somebody while already being legally married
blackmail
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the crime of demanding money from a person by threatening them
bribery
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the giving or taking of bribes
burglary
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the crime of entering a building illegally and stealing things from it
conspiracy
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a secret plan by a group of people to do something harmful or illegal
drug-trafficking
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the activity of buying and selling drugs illegally
embezzlement
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the act of stealing money that you are responsible for or that belongs to your employer
forgery
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the crime of copying money, documents, etc. in order to cheat ppl
fraud
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the crime of cheating sb in order to get money or goods illegally
gambling
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the activity of playing games of chance for money and of betting on horses, etc.
housebreaking
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the crime of entering a house illegally by using force, in order to steal from it
joyriding
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the crime of stealing a car and driving it for pleasure, usually in a fast and dangerous way
kidnapping
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the crime of taking sb away illegally and keeping them as a prisoner, especially in order to get money or sth else for returning them
libel
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the act of printing a statement about somebody that is not true and that gives p
manslaughter
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the crime of killing sb illegally but not deliberately
mugging
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the crime of attacking sb, or threatening to do so, in order to steal from them
petty theft/crime
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that is not very serious
pick-pocketing
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stealing money, etc. from ppl’s pockets, esp. in crowded places
poaching
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the crime of illegally hunting animals on sb else’s property or without permission
racism
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the unfair treatment of ppl who belong to a different race
shoplifting
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the crime of stealing goods from a shop/store by deliberately leaving without paying for them
stalking
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the crime of following and watching someone over a period of time in a way that is annoying or frightening
treason
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the crime of doing sth that could cause danger to your country, such as helping its enemies during a war
trespass
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to enter land or building that you don't have permission or the right to enter
a tip-off
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secret information that sb gives, for ex. to the police, to warn them about an illegal activity that is going to happen
to arrest sb for sth
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to seize (someone) by legal authority and take them into custody
to ban sb from doing sth
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to forbid (someone) from doing or being part of something
to be involved in sth
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someone who is involved in something takes part in it
to be suspected of sth
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to be believed to have committed a particular crime, or a crime that people believe may have been committed
to be tried for sth
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to be put on trial
to charge sb with sth
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to make a formal statement saying that someone is accused of a crime
to be convicted of sth
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to be officially decided and stated to be guilty of sth
to fine sb for sth
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to make someone pay an amount of money as a punishment for not obeying a law or rule
to impose a sentence on sb
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to establish or apply a sentence by authority
to reach/return a verdict
The jury reached/returned a verdict of not guilty after six hours of deliberation.
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to say whether someone is guilty or not guilty of a crime in a court of law
to sentence sb to sth
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to order someone to suffer confinement, death, or labor for committing a crime
to sue sb for sth
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to use a legal process by which you try to get a court of law to force a person, company, or organization that has treated you unfairly or hurt you in some way to give you something or to do something
a besetting sin
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a main or constant problem or fault
a near miss
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a situation when a serious accident or a disaster very nearly happens
a marked man
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a person who is in danger bc their enemies want to harm them
foul play
also: dishonest or unfair behaviour, esp. during a sports game
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criminal or violent activity that causes sb’s death
a spot check
I made a spot check on each engine.
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a check that is made suddenly and without warning on a few things or ppl chosen from a group to see that everything is as it should be
ill-gotten gains
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money that was not obtained failry
anything can be ill-gotten
a rough diamond
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a person who has many good qualities even though they do not seem to be very polite, educated, etc.
a put-up job
The hotel looked like a good investment, but it turned out that the whole thing was a put-up job.
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a plan or an event that has been arranged secretly in order to trick or cheat sb
sharp practice
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clever but possibly illegal or dishonest practice
funny business
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suspicious and probably illegal or dishonest business
to discard
Hilary bundled up the clothes she had discarded.
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to get rid of (someone or something) as no longer useful or desirable
to resort
The duke was prepared to resort to force if negotiation failed.
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to turn to and adopt (a course of action, especially an extreme or undesirable one) so as to resolve a difficult situation
recourse
It is hoped that the dispute will be settled without recourse to litigation.
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using something or someone as a way of getting help, especially in a difficult or dangerous situation
resort
He got hold of the money legally, without resort to violence.
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the fact that you have to do something because there is no other way of achieving something
to disperse
Storms can disperse seeds via high altitudes.
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distribute or spread over a wide area
to dispose
The waste is disposed of in the North Sea.
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get rid of by throwing away or giving or selling to someone else
to reprieve
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to officially cancel or delay a punishment for a prisoner who is condemned to death
to liberate
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to set (someone) free from imprisonment, slavery, or oppression
a fugitive
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a person who has escaped from captivity or is in hiding
to mount
The children's excitement is mounting as Christmas gets nearer.
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to gradually increase, rise, or get bigger
to hover
A waiter hovered at the table, ready to take our order.
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to stand somewhere, especially near another person, eagerly or nervously waiting for their attention
to loiter
A gang of youths were loitering outside the cinema.
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to move slowly around or stand in a public place without an obvious reason
alleged
It took 15 years for the alleged criminals (= people thought to be criminals) to prove their innocence.
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said or thought by some people to be the stated bad or illegal thing, although you have no proof
the slippery slope
You're on a slippery slope once you start lying about your age!
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a course of action that is difficult to stop once it has begun, and can lead to serious problems or disasters
the crime wave
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a situation in which there is a sudden increase in the number of crimes that are commited
to be under a cloud (of suspicion)
The cabinet minister left office under a cloud after a fraud scandal.
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to not be trusted or popular because people think you have done something bad
by/from the look(s) of it/things
By the look of things, we won't finish till next week.
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judging from the way things seem to be
to be up to scratch
Your last essay wasn't up to scratch/didn't come up to scratch.
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reaching an acceptable standard
behind bars
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in prison
for kicks
There's a group of kids who go around smashing car windows for kicks.
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only for the sake of fun, excitement, or distraction
to be at large
Twelve prisoners are at large following a series of escapes.
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if someone dangerous is at large, that person is free when they should not be
to be on tenterhooks
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to be very anxious or excited while you are waiting to find out sth or see what will happen
from scratch
Ben built the shed from scratch.
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from the beginning, without using anything that already exists
to be in the clear
also: to have no problems after being in a difficult situation
The police breathalysed Andy last night, but he was in the clear.
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to be not guilty of a crime, or not involved in doing sth illegal
to go off the rails
He went off the rails in his first year at university.
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to start behaving in a way that is not generally acceptable, especially dishonestly or illegally
to be out of the woods
The project has been given funding for another year, but it's not out of the woods yet.
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to no longer be in danger or difficulty
to get round sth
We can get round the problem of space by building an extension.
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to succeed in avoiding or solving a problem
to get sb off (with sth)
She was charged with fraud, but her lawyer got her off.
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to escape legal punishment, or to help someone escape legal punishment
If you get off with a particular punishment, or if someone gets you off, it means that the punishment could have been much more severe
to get up to sth
She's been getting up to all sorts of mischief lately.
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to do something, often something that other people would disapprove of
to get out of sth
I think her backache was just a way of getting out of the housework.
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to avoid doing something that you do not want to do, especially by giving an excuse
to get along
I don't really get along with my sister's husband.
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If two or more people get along, they like each other and are friendly to each other
to get at sth
also: When someone is getting at something, they mean it or are trying to express it
I've put the cake on a high shelf where he can't get at it.
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to reach or obtain something, especially something that is difficult to get
to get down to sth
I've got a lot of work to do, but I can't seem to get down to it.
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to start to direct your efforts and attention towards something
to get away with sth
If I thought I could get away with it, I wouldn't pay my taxes at all.
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to succeed in avoiding punishment for something
a close shave
I had a close shave this morning - some idiot almost knocked me off my bike.
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a situation in which you come very close to a dangerous situation
a shot in the dark
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an attempt to guess something when you have no information or knowledge about the subject and therefore cannot possibly know what the answer is
a pack of lies
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a story that has nothing true in it
a blessing in disguise
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something that seems bad or unlucky at first, but results in something good happening later
to keep a low profile
He's been in a little trouble recently so he's trying to keep a low profile.
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to avoid attracting attention to yourself
a rough guess
At a rough guess, I’d say there were twenty people in the room.
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a guess that is not expected to be accurate
safe and sound
Three days later, the hikers were found safe and sound.
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not hurt or damaged
by and large
There are a few small things that I don't like about my job, but by and large it's very enjoyable.
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when everything about a situation is considered together
to be on the run
After a month on the run, the prisoners were finally recaptured by the police.
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to be trying to avoid being caught, especially by the police
crime doesn’t pay
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said to emphasize that you believe criminals are always punished for their crimes
as thick as thieves
I'm sure she tells Ruth everything we say - they're as thick as thieves, those two.
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to be very close friends and share secrets, etc.
usually in a way that makes other ppl suspicious
to get away with murder
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to do whatever you want without being stopped or punished
to scream blue murder
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to scream loudly and for a long time, esp. in order to protest about sth
daylight robbery
£6 for an orange juice? That's just daylight robbery!
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a situation in which you have to pay far too much money for something
the law of the jungle
We hope for a world where the rule of law, not the law of the jungle, governs the conduct of nations.
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the idea that people who care only about themselves will be most likely to succeed in a society or organization
to lay down the law
She can't just come into this office and start laying down the law.
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to forcefully make known what you think should happen
to take the law into one's own hands
One day, after years of violent abuse from her husband, she took the law into her own hands.
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to do something illegal and often violent in order to punish someone because you know the law will not punish that person
the letter of the law
Since it was the first time he'd broken the rules, the school decided to ignore the letter of the law and just give him a warning.
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the precise wording rather than the spirit or intent
You usually use this expression to show disapproval.
as sober as a judge
Even after three drinks he was sober as a judge.
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completely sober

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