English words

to influence something or cause it to make progress

*This is the main factor driving investment in the area

informal if something happens out of the blue, it is very unexpected

To allow someone not to do something that they are supposed to do

to be pleased because someone has made you feel important or special

based on feelings and emotions rather than thought and reason

*Trust your gut

1) to make use of something well; to make use of an opportunity
She took advantage of the children's absence to clean their rooms.
We took full advantage of the hotel facilities.
2) to make use of someone or something in a way that is unfair or dishonest
synonym exploit
He took advantage of my generosity (= for example, by taking more than I had intended to give)

to say or do no more about something
I don't entirely agree, but I'll let it go at that.
I thought she was hinting at something, but I let it go

(informal) an offensive word used to describe people that you do not respect

used instead of “yes” to emphasize that someone has guessed something correctly or made a good suggestion
“Are you nervous?” “You bet!”

a person who shoots at someone from a hidden position

*Two soldiers were shot by snipers.
*sniper fire

used to ask someone to stop or go more slowly so that you can join them

*Wait up — you're walking too fast for me.

This means that life is unfair and people can do or try to do good things and still end up in a lot of trouble

a situation in which someone tricks you or makes it seem as if you have done something wrong

*He didn't steal the goods. It was a setup.

a person who has a mental illness and who behaves in an aggressive or dangerous way toward other people

having ideas or beliefs that are not based in reality

*Delusional thinking led him to believe they were plotting against him.
*Her plan to become a famous movie star turned out to be completely delusional.

to complete something such as an agreement or a meeting in an acceptable way-- to finish a job, meeting etc

*We’re hoping to wrap up the negotiations this week.
*That just about wraps it up for today.

to show in a silly or exaggerated way that you want or admire someone or something very much

*Did I droll?
*teenagers drooling over photos of movie stars

(also formal vibrations) (also vibe [singular])(informal)
a mood or an atmosphere produced by a particular person, thing, or place
*good/bad vibes
*The vibe of the place just wasn't right.

a person who is mentally ill and who behaves in a very strange violent way

*In his new film, he plays the part of a crazed psycho.
*Don't let him drive—he's a complete psycho behind the wheel!

to illegally follow and watch someone over a long period of time, in a way that is annoying or frightening

*She claimed that he had been stalking her over a period of three years.

a short form of ‘have got to’, ‘has got to’, ‘have got a’, or ‘has got a’, which most people think is incorrect

*He's gotta go.
*We gotta go now.

to let yourself do or have something that you enjoy, especially something that is considered bad for you
indulge in

*Most of us were too busy to indulge in heavy lunchtime drinking.
*Eva had never been one to indulge in self-pity.
indulge yourself
*Even if you’re dieting, you can indulge yourself (= eat what you want ) once in a while.
*Ray has enough money to indulge his taste for expensive wines.

2 [ transitive ] to let someone have or do whatever they want, even if it is bad for them :

*She did not believe in indulging the children with presents.
*His questions were annoying but it was easier to indulge him than to try and protest.
*His mother spoiled him, indulging his every whim.

1 showing that you really mean the opposite of what you are saying; expressing irony

*an ironic comment

2 (of a situation) strange or amusing because it is very different from what you expect

*It's ironic that she became a teacher—she used to hate school.

military weapons, ammunition, and equipment

*a shortage of munitions
*a munitions factory

This means that good things always have something bad as well; like the thorns on the stem of a rose.

A person regarded as highly unpleasant, especially a male

a type of strong material with a hard shiny surface, used for covering floors

a feature that makes a place pleasant, comfortable, or easy to live in

*The campsite is close to all the local amenities.
*Many of the houses lacked even basic amenities (= for example, bathrooms, showers, hot water).

a way of saying or writing “going to” in informal speech, when it refers to the future

What's she gonna do now?

when he came late

to Driver rest of the money

inviting him to stay

(slang) strongly affected by alcohol or drugs

Asking when he came from the trip.

a disease of the sexual organs, caught by having sex with an infected person

to think that someone or something is good, bad, etc.

*Scott has a very high opinion of you
*The boss has a very high opinion of her.

a small S. American freshwater fish that attacks and eats live animals

the quality of saying what you think openly and honestly
synonym frankness

permanently

*This time she's leaving for good (= she will never return).
*I'd like an excuse to get rid of him for good.

....+ adverb/preposition
to send someone, especially from one of the armed forces, to work in a place for a period of time

*troops stationed abroad

to move into a new home, job, etc. and start to feel comfortable there
*How are the kids settling into their new school?
*It's not always easy for a new player to settle in.
*If there is anything I can do to help you settle in, let me know

to start doing something that is new for you
At that time he was a young actor, just getting his feet wet
I'm just getting my feet wet, trying to catch up.

Skillfully

*I threw her a towel which she deftly caught.
*They deftly avoided answering my questions.

(of a person or their behavior) behaving in a smart and skillful way, and using indirect methods, in order to achieve something

*I decided to try a more subtle approach.

something or someone that causes trouble; a source of unhappiness
All right , I am a pain in the ass.

(saying) you can give someone the opportunity to do something, but you cannot force them to do it if they do not want to

to be able to be present at a place
I'm sorry I won't be able to make it (= for example, to a party) on Saturday.

a period of time between two events during which something different happens

*a romantic interlude (= a short romantic relationship)
*Apart from a brief interlude of peace, the war lasted nine years.

to go or be somewhere where you are not wanted or are not supposed to be

*I'm sorry to intrude, but I need to talk to someone.
*intrude into/on/upon someone/something
*legislation to stop newspapers from intruding on people's private lives

extremely unpleasant
synonym revolting
*The kitchen was in a disgusting state when she left.
*What a disgusting smell!

(of the wind) to suddenly blow very hard

*winds gusting up to 60 mph
*The wind gusted through the branches.

to find the answer to something
synonym solve

to work out a problem

a sexually exciting dream that a man has that results in an orgasm

existing or done for a good reason

*We'll invent an excuse for the search that can be justified.

to end or cause something to end before it has been completed, especially because it is likely to fail

*The important thing is to abort an investigation of Susan's death.
*(computing)If the wrong password is given the program will abort.

a plan, an organization, etc. that is so badly arranged that it could easily fail

*The enormous national debt amassed in the last eight years makes all this apparent prosperity nothing but a house of cards.

a person who works within an organization and secretly passes important information to another organization or country

to succeed in doing something difficult
synonym pull off
It was a difficult task but we brought it off.
The goalie brought off an amazing save.

to explain or understand something exactly
*The cause of the disease is difficult to pin down precisely.
*There's a chance we might pin down where she ate her last day.

not strict, severe, or careful enough about work, rules, or standards of behavior
synonym slack, careless

*So my people have been a little lax in following it up
*lax security/discipline
*a lax attitude to health and safety regulations

I am surprised
used to show that you are very surprised about something

*Well, I'll be damned, he said when he saw that a thousand people had come to hear him speak.

to accept responsibility or punishment for something that you did not do, or did not do alone

*So he can take the fall in case anything goes wrong
*He took the fall for his boss and resigned.
*Who will take the fall for the scandal?
*Someone has to take the fall.

a conversation in which two people talk honestly about their feelings and personal problems
to have a heart-to-heart with someone

an important and often unpleasant situation

*The crunch came when she returned from England.
*He always says he'll help but when it comes to the crunch (= when it is time for action) he does nothing.

the quality of being patient and sympathetic toward other people, especially when they have done something wrong

*The mortgage company had acted with forebearance, only taking them to court as a last resort.

to make someone less angry or more friendly, especially by being kind and pleasant or by giving them something
*A conciliation service helps to settle disputes between employers and workers.

[no passive] if something dawns on you, you begin to realize it for the first time [+ that]

*Suddenly it dawned on me that they couldn't possibly have met before.

a mistake in the way a law, contract, etc. has been written that enables people to legally avoid doing something that the law, contract, etc. had intended them to do

*a legal loophole
*to close existing loopholes

to find yourself in a place or situation that you did not intend or expect to be in
end doing something
I ended up doing all the work myself.
+ adverb/preposition
If you go on like this, you'll end up in prison.
+ adjective
If he continues driving like that, he'll end up dead.

used to describe someone who is the same as you in some way, or in the same situation

*fellow members/citizens/workers
*my fellow passengers on the train
*I recognized a fellow sufferer, waiting nervously outside the exam room.

more than you think is reasonable or necessary
synonym excessive

*They are taking undue advantage of the situation.
*The work should be carried out without undue delay.
*We did not want to put any undue pressure on them.
*Repayments can be made over a long period, without putting undue strain on your finances.

a person who joins an organization, a company, etc.

*attempts to attract new recruits to the nursing profession

to obey a rule, law, etc.
synonym comply
The building does not conform with safety regulations.

to watch someone or something and make sure that a job or an activity is done correctly
synonym supervise
*United Nations observers oversaw the elections.

to tell someone about something, especially in an official way
*Please inform us of any changes of address.
*The leaflet informs customers about healthy eating.
*He went to inform them of his decision.
*Inform me at once if there are any changes in her condition.
*Have the police been informed?

to fill something with goods, food, etc.

*We need to stock up the freezer.

to fill something with piles of things
*They were busy stacking the shelves with goods.

to have a meeting, competition, conversation, etc.
*The meeting will be held in the community center.
*It's impossible to hold a conversation with all this noise.
*The country is holding its first free elections for 20 years.

a way of behaving toward or dealing with a person or thing

*the brutal treatment of political prisoners
*Certain areas of the city have been singled out for special treatment.
*The treatment he received from your staff was absolutely appalling.

to get or have again something or someone that you had before

*You want to win back this customer's loyalty, if possible.
*The party is struggling to win back voters who have been alienated by recent scandals.

the activity of selling a different extra product to a customer who is already buying a product from a company

to persuade a customer to buy more products or a more expensive product than they originally intended
*You can usually upsell to about half the customers.
*You decide that cross-selling may be more successful than upselling.
*Sales staff get bonuses based on the ability to upsell.

relaxed and happy to accept things without worrying or getting angry
*I wish I had such easygoing parents!

to make someone less friendly or sympathetic toward you
*His comments have alienated a lot of young voters.

a long, light, narrow sled (= a vehicle that slides over snow), sometimes curved up in front, used for sliding down slopes

lug something + adverb / preposition (informal)
to carry or drag something heavy with a lot of effort

*I had to lug my bags up to the fourth floor.

fiancee, (a woman who is engaged to be married)

escort someone (+ adverb / preposition) to go with someone to protect or guard them or to show them the way
*The president was escorted by twelve soldiers.
*Guards escorted me back to my cell.
*The referee was escorted from the field by police.
*Let me escort you home.

to give instructions about something or make a request for something to happen

*to place a bet / an order
*We placed an advertisement for a housekeeper in the local paper.
*How should you place this special order?

a small statue of a person or an animal, used as a decorative object

to wait for something to happen
*I haven't heard about the new job yet—they've kept me hanging on for days.

to behave according to a particular law, rule, set of instructions, etc.; to follow a particular set of beliefs or a fixed way of doing something

*For ten months he adhered to a strict no-fat low-salt diet.
*She adheres to teaching methods she learned over 30 years ago.
*Staff should adhere strictly to the safety guidelines.
*The diet will work if it is adhered to.

a well-known phrase or statement that expresses something about life that most people believe is wise and true

*“Accidents will happen,” as the saying goes.

Used before or after saying an apt proverb, adage, cliché etc

a well-known phrase expressing a general truth about people or the world
synonym saying

*According to the old adage, a picture is worth a thousand words.

care in what you say or do, in order to keep something secret or to avoid causing embarrassment to, or difficulty for, someone; the quality of being discreet

*This is confidential, but I know that I can rely on your discretion.
*Jane is the soul of discretion (= you can trust her).
*Use the utmost discretion when you talk to her.

to repeat or give a summary of what has already been said, decided, etc.

*Let me just recap what we've decided on so far.

a quality that makes someone or something attractive or interesting
*mass/wide/popular appeal
*The Beatles have never really lost their appeal.
*The prospect of living in a city holds little appeal for me.

a thing bought for less than the usual price

*I picked up a few good bargains at the sale.
*The car was a bargain at that price.
*bargain prices

to arrive somewhere, especially when someone is waiting for you.

*I’d arranged to meet Tom, but he never turned up.
*It was getting late when she finally showed up.

a friendly relationship in which people understand each other very well

*She understood the importance of establishing a close rapport with clients.
*Honesty is essential if there is to be good rapport between patient and therapist.
*There was little rapport between the two women.

not permanent; not done regularly; not doing something regularly
casual workers/labor
*Students sometimes do casual work in the tourist business.
*They are employed on a casual basis (= they do not have a permanent job with the company).

a practice of what to do in an emergency, for example if there is a fire

*a fire drill

an estimate or a statement of what figures, amounts, or events will be in the future, or what they were in the past, based on what is happening now
*to make forward/backward projections of population figures
*Sales have exceeded our projections.
*Calculations are based on a projection of existing trends.

to make someone feel relaxed and confident, not nervous or embarrassed
*Try to put the candidate at ease by being friendly and informal.

formally or officially tell someone about something
notify someone
*Competition winners will be notified by mail.
*You must notify us in writing if you wish to cancel your subscription.

notify someone of something
*The police must be notified of the date of the demonstration.

notify someone that…
*Members have been notified that there will be a small increase in the fee.

general health and happiness

*emotional / physical / psychological well-being
*to have a sense of well-being
*We try to ensure the well-being of our employees.

to give comfort or sympathy to someone who is unhappy or disappointed
console someone/yourself
*Dutch footballer’s young daughter consoles him after relegation
*Nothing could console him when his wife died.
*She put a consoling arm around his shoulders.

console someone/yourself with something
*Console yourself with the thought that you did your best.

console someone/yourself that…
*I didn't like lying but I consoled myself that it was for a good cause.

console someone + speech
*“Never mind,” Anne consoled her.

to tell or arrange for someone to do something for you

*Have the employee sign the notice
*He had the bouncers throw them out of the club.
*(informal)I'll have you know (= I'm telling you) I'm a black belt in judo.

a person who has no home or job, and who asks other people for money or food

*You are a bum.

very dirty and unpleasant

filthy rags/streets
It's filthy in here!

(old-fashioned, slang)
to approve of or like something very much

*I don't dig on swine.

pigs (old use or technical)

*Swine are filthy.
*a herd of swine
*swine fever (= a disease of pigs)

a stupid or boring person that other people laugh at

*They are like dorks.

[usually before noun] coming from or connected with God or a god

*divine intervention (= help from God to change a situation)
*divine law/love/will

[countable] a type of motorcycle with a long piece of metal connecting the front wheel to the handlebars

used when you want to encourage someone or show your admiration of them, especially a boy or man
for girls: attagirl

*“Yes, Barack, you've won an "attaboy" from RedState!”
*“I have to give a big "attaboy" to Don for telling it straight.”
“It would have been nice to have had an "attaboy" or, you know, thanks for service or whatever, but I'm not asking for that.”

[singular] (old-fashioned, informal)
used to refer to a lazy person

*Come on, lazybones, get up!

[countable] (informal)
a large stomach that sticks out; a potbelly

to be noticeable or easily seen
synonym stand out

*a large stomach that sticks out
*They wrote the notice in big red letters so that it would stick out.

a period of time when the supply of electricity, etc. is not working

*Responds to equipment outages and emergencies by contacting and coordinating correct resources

OTRS, an initialism for Open-source Ticket Request System, is a free and open-source trouble ticket system software package that a company, organization, or other entity can use to assign tickets to incoming queries and track further communications about them. It is a means of managing incoming inquiries, complaints, support requests, defect reports, and other communications.

a plan for actively doing something

to break something

*My knee, you practically busted my damn kneecap!
*I busted my camera.
*The lights are busted.
*Come out, or I'll bust the door down!

to act, work, etc. together with other people in an organized way and without fighting

*I believe much more work can be accomplished when everyone else is pulling together.

to help someone to improve their situation

*What would give you a leg up?
*The loan from his father gave him a leg up when he needed it.

to make sure that someone is ready to deal with anything that might happen by doing things that they are not expecting

*If you are looking to move towards a position that is going to “stretch and utilize” you for all your skills and competencies, keep you on your toes, and have you highly engaged and excited to come to work, then this is definitely the job for you!
*Surprise visits help to keep the staff on their toes.

used to introduce the most important fact after everything has been considered

*At the end of the day, he'll still have to make his own decision.

a weak person who is easily cheated or tricked, or who is forced to take the blame for something that someone else has done wrong

*Nobody likes feeling like a patsy

a gun that can be carried

*Deceased, (firearm suicide)
*The police were issued with firearms

take your time to do something/doing something
to use as much time as you need without hurrying

*That's OK, Take your time.
*There's no rush—take your time.

[countable] a legal document that is signed by a judge and gives the police authority to do something

*an arrest warrant

warrant for something

*They issued a warrant for her arrest.

warrant to do something

*They had a warrant to search the house.

before anything else

first, first of all, firstly, foremost

*first we must consider the garter snake

to have something that is impressive and that you can be proud of

*Alberta boasts a high standard of living.
*The hotel also boasts two swimming pools and a golf course.
*Phoenix boasts more than 300 days of sunshine a year.

general health and happiness

*Alberta has been the nation’s leader in economic well-being since 1993
*emotional/physical/psychological well-being

to have a sense of well-being

*We try to ensure the well-being of our employees.

Ambivalence is a state of having simultaneous, conflicting feelings toward a person or thing.[1] Stated another way, ambivalence is the experience of having thoughts and/or emotions of both positive and negative valence toward someone or something. A common example of ambivalence is the feeling of both love and hate for a person. The term also refers to situations where "mixed feelings" of a more general sort are experienced, or where a person experiences uncertainty or indecisiveness concerning something. The expressions "cold feet" and "sitting on the fence" are often used to describe the feeling of ambivalence.

Ambivalence is experienced as psychologically unpleasant when the positive and negative aspects of a subject are both present in a person's mind at the same time. This state can lead to avoidance or procrastination, or to deliberate attempts to resolve the ambivalence. When the situation does not require a decision to be made, people experience less discomfort even when feeling ambivalent.