RF C2 SB Wordlist English

C2 Proficiency Student’s Book – Unit 1 Wordlist
Word/Phrase Part of speech *** IPA (UK) Definition Sample sentence

Feelings and emotions
besotted with adjective phrase /bɪˈsɒtɪd wɪð/ so attracted by someone or something that you He’s absolutely besotted with Yulia - he’ll do anything
(someone/something) are always thinking about them she wants.
chuffed to bits phrase /tʃʌft tə bɪts/ very pleased about something We were chuffed to bits when Sam won the course prize.
despondent adjective /dɪˈspɒndənt/ very unhappy because you do not believe that I’m becoming increasingly despondent about whether
an unpleasant situation will improve I’m in the right job.
down in the dumps phrase /daʊn ɪn ðə dʌmps/ unhappy or without hope She’s feeling a bit down in the dumps, so I’m trying to
cheer her up.
dumbfounded adjective /dʌmˈfaʊndɪd/ so surprised that you do not know what to do We told them the news about Eva and they were
or say completely dumbfounded.
elated adjective /ɪˈleɪtɪd/ extremely happy and excited The team captain was visibly elated as she collected
the trophy.
engrossed in adjective /ɪnˈɡrəʊst ɪn/ so interested or involved in something that you Pat wasn’t listening at all and spent the entire time totally
(something) think about nothing else engrossed in his mobile phone.
flabbergasted adjective /ˈflæbə(r)ˌɡɑːstɪd/ very surprised or shocked We were absolutely flabbergasted when Marvin resigned.
glued to (something) phrase /ˈɡluːd tuː/ looking at something and not paying attention Max had his eyes glued to the computer screen.
to anything else
go apoplectic with verb phrase /ɡəʊ æpəˈplektɪk wɪθ ˌreɪdʒ/ to show a very, very strong feeling of anger On hearing the judge’s decision he went apoplectic
rage with rage.
go ballistic verb phrase /ɡəʊ bəˈlɪstɪk/ to become extremely angry A customer went ballistic when I wouldn’t give her
a refund.
gross out phrasal verb /ɡrəʊs aʊt / if something grosses you out, it is so unpleasant The sight of blood totally grosses me out.
that it makes you feel ill
head over heels in love phrase /hed ˈəʊvə(r) hiːlz/ loving someone very much We met in 2015, and have been head over heels in love
(with someone) with each other ever since.
petrified adjective /ˈpetrɪfaɪd/ extremely frightened, especially so that you I couldn’t see where I was going and I was
cannot move or decide what to do absolutely petrified.
repulse verb /rɪˈpʌls/ if someone or something repulses you, they are We were repulsed by the disgusting smell.
so unpleasant that you feel slightly ill when you
see them or think about them
scared out of your wits phrase /skeə(r)d aʊt əv jɔː wɪts/ extremely frightened It was a great horror film but I was scared out of my wits.
Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

1
Adjectives with self
self-deprecating adjective /self ˈdeprɪˌkeɪtɪŋ/ showing that you think you are not very good or Xavier was trying to be modest and made one or two
important self-deprecating remarks about his career.
self-indulgent adjective /self ɪnˈdʌldʒ(ə)nt/ allowing yourself to have or to do something They don’t spend much on luxuries and have never had a
special that you like very much, often something particularly self-indulgent lifestyle.
that you should not have or do
self-made adjective /self ˈmeɪd/ a self-made man or woman has become She’s a self-made millionaire and built up the company
successful without help from other people from absolutely nothing.
self-possessed adjective /self pəˈzest/ someone who is self-possessed behaves in a He tackles problems with a calm,
calm and confident way in difficult situations self-possessed confidence.
self-respecting adjective /self rɪˈspektɪŋ/ used for talking about people who have No self-respecting cook would ever use gravy from
the qualities that a particular type of person a packet.
should have
self-sacrificing adjective /self ˈsækrɪˌfaɪsɪŋ/ choosing not to have or to do something that Pippa was rightfully praised for her self-sacrificing
you want in order to help other people devotion to community causes.
self-satisfied adjective /self ˈsætɪsfaɪd/ showing how pleased you are about your own ‘We’ve just come first,’ Karl said with a self-satisfied smile.
situation in a way that annoys other people
act of self-deception phrase /ækt əv self dɪˈsepʃ(ə)n/ when you make yourself believe something Making excuses for her behaviour was nothing more than
good that is not true, especially something an act of self-deception.
about yourself
foster self-reliance verb phrase /fɒstə self rɪˈlaɪəns/ to help someone to become able to do things for It was an attempt to foster self-reliance in their children
themself and not depend on other people and encourage them to be independent.
question your self- verb phrase /kwestʃ(ə)n jɔː selfˈwɜː(r)θ/ to have doubts about whether you are as I had become very depressed and was genuinely
worth important as other people and deserve to be beginning to question my own self-worth.
respected and treated well
wallow in self-pity verb phrase /wɒləʊ ɪn selfˈpɪti/ to spend a lot of time feeling that your situation Things aren’t really as bad as they sound, Blaise is just
is worse than other people’s and that people wallowing in self-pity.
should feel sad for you

2
Idioms: Personality
be full of yourself verb phrase /biː fʊl əv jə(r)ˈself/ to be always talking about yourself or your Christian always thinks his ideas are the best, he’s just so
achievements in a way that annoys other people full of himself.
by the book phrase /baɪ ðə ˈbʊk/ correctly, following all the rules or systems for We probably ought to follow the instructions and do
doing something in a strict way everything by the book.
come out of your shell verb phrase /kʌm aʊt əv jɔː(r) ˈʃel/ to stop being shy and begin to confidently show It’s taken a while for Fi to come out of her shell, but now
your real character and feelings she seems to enjoy class discussions.
creature of habit phrase /ˌkriːtʃə(r) əv ˈhæbɪt someone who likes to do the same thing at the My Dad always wanted dinner at 7pm. He was a real
same time every day creature of habit.
go-getter noun /ˌɡəʊ ˈɡetə(r)/ someone who is determined to succeed and Patty is a real go-getter, she’s determined to land the
who works hard to achieve this top job.
have a chip on your verb phrase /hæv ə ˈtʃɪp ɒn jɔː(r) ˌʃəʊldə(r)/ to be likely to become angry or offended very I’m sorry, but no one has treated him unfairly. He’s always
shoulder easily, especially about something that other had a chip on his shoulder.
people think should not upset you
live and breathe verb phrase /ˌlɪv ən ˈbriːð/ to be very enthusiastic about a particular activity Nadia lives and breathes tennis - she spends every
(something) and spend all the time you can doing it or talking weekend either playing or watching it.
about it
nasty piece of work phrase /ˈnɑːsti piːs əvˌwɜː(r)k/ someone who is unkind or unpleasant Don’t pay attention to anything Roger says, he’s such a
nasty piece of work.
people person phrase /ˈpiːp(ə)l ˌpɜː(r)s(ə)n/ someone who enjoys being with other people Karin is really enjoying making new friends, but then she’s
and easily becomes friends with them always been a people person.
wet blanket phrase /ˌwet ˈblæŋkɪt/ someone who spoils other people’s fun by being What’s the matter - why are you being such a
negative and complaining wet blanket?

3
Travel
arduous journey phrase /ˈɑː(r)djuəs ˈdʒɜː(r)ni/ a difficult journey involving a lot of effort It was a long and arduous journey across the desert.
alternative route phrase /ɔːlˈtɜː(r)nətɪv ruːt/ a different way of travelling to a place There’s a lot of traffic so I’m looking for an
alternative route.
backwater village phrase /ˈbækˌwɔːtə(r) ˈvɪlɪdʒ/ a quiet village which is not near to places where Yarthorpe is a pretty backwater village about three miles
most things happen from the coast.
bumpy flight phrase /ˈbʌmpi flaɪt/ A bumpy flight is uncomfortable because of It might be a bit of a bumpy flight because of the
bad weather. strong winds.
bustling crowds phrase /ˈbʌs(ə)lɪŋ kraʊdz/ large groups of people with lots of noise Bustling crowds filled the market square.
and activity
circuitous route phrase /sɜː(r)ˈkjuːɪtəs ruːt/ a way of travelling to a place that is longer than it He took a circuitous route to the park, to avoid passing
needs to be because it is not direct her house.
culture shock phrase /ˈkʌltʃə(r) ʃɒk/ the nervous or confused feeling that people Studying here is very different to my home country so it
sometimes get when they arrive in a place that was a bit of a culture shock at first.
has a very different culture from their own
discerning traveller phrase /dɪˈsɜː(r)nɪŋ ˈtræv(ə)lə(r)/ a person who shows good judgement and is The discerning traveller will appreciate the attention to
able to tell whether something is good when detail in this hotel.
they travel
far-flung destination phrase /fɑː(r) flʌŋ ˌdestɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n/ a place you travel to that is far away from Travelling to such far-flung destinations can prove
your home very expensive.
fleeting visit phrase /ˈfliːtɪŋˈvɪzɪt/ a very short visit It was only a fleeting visit so we didn’t see as much as
we would have liked.
flying visit phrase /ˈflaɪɪŋˈvɪzɪt/ a very short visit It’s ok, I’m not stopping – it’s just a flying visit.
go-to destination phrase /ˈɡəʊ ˌtuː ˌdestɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n/ the best place to travel to in order to do something Cyprus has always been my go-to destination when I
want to relax.
iconic landmark phrase /aɪˈkɒnɪk ˈlæn(d)ˌmɑː(r)k/ a very famous and well-known building or The Statue of Liberty is an iconic landmark.
object that you can recognise easily and is often
believed to represent a particular idea
impromptu visit phrase /ɪmˈprɒmptju ˈvɪzɪt/ 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.
leisurely stroll phrase /ˈleʒə(r)li strəʊl/ a slow and relaxed walk After lunch I took a leisurely stroll along the beach.
long-haul flight phrase /lɒŋ hɔːl flaɪt/ a flight which travels a long distance Tom often finds it difficult to sleep on long-haul flights.
overseas travel phrase /ˈəʊvə(r)siːz ˈtræv(ə)l/ travel to a country across the sea from Would you enjoy a job involving overseas travel?
your country

1
perilous journey phrase /ˈperələs ˈdʒɜː(r)ni/ a very dangerous journey They had to endure a perilous journey across the
stormy ocean.
scenic route phrase /ˈsiːnɪk ruːt/ a way of travelling to a place which provides We decided to take the scenic route along the
beautiful views of nature coast road.
shoddy service phrase /ˈʃɒdi ˈsɜː(r)vɪs/ 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.
smooth flight phrase /smuːð flaɪt/ A smooth flight does not shake or frighten you. Condtions are good and we’re expecting a smooth flight
down to Pensacola today.
unacceptable delay phrase /ˌʌnəkˈseptəb(ə)l dɪˈleɪ/ a bad situation in which a plane, train, etc. I am writing to request a refund because of the
leaves or arrives late and this should not have unacceptable delay to my journey.
been allowed
unavoidable delay phrase /ˌʌnəˈvɔɪdəb(ə)l dɪˈleɪ/ a situation in which a plane, train, etc. leaves We want to apologise to customers for this
or arrives late but it was impossible to stop unavoidable delay.
this happening
uneventful journey phrase /ˌʌnɪˈventf(ə)l ˈdʒɜː(r)ni/ a journey without any problems or anything They arrived in Liverpool after an uneventful journey.
unusual or exciting happening
unforeseen delay phrase /ˌʌnfɔː(r)ˈsiːn dɪˈleɪ/ a situation in which a plane, train, etc. leaves or After an unforeseen delay of over five hours, the ferry
arrives late but no one expected this eventually left.
world-class destination phrase /wɜː(r)ld klɑːs ˌdestɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n/ one of the best places in the world to travel to Hawaii is often considered a world-class destination.
Idioms: Making stories interesting
a likely story phrase /ə ˈlaɪkli ˈstɔːri/ used for telling someone that you do not believe He claims he can’t go because he has to catch up on
what they have just said work – a likely story.
between you and me phrase /bɪˈtwiːn juː ən mi/ used when you are telling someone something Between you and me, I think she’s got problems with
that you do not want anyone else to know about her boyfriend.
don’t get me wrong phrase /dəʊnt get mi rɒŋ/ used when you want to make sure that someone Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good school, but sometimes
understands your comments correctly, especially their ideas are a bit old-fashioned.
when you are criticizing something
for a split second phrase /fɔː(r) ə splɪt ˈsekənd/ for an extremely small amount of time For a split second I thought he had left.
hands down phrase /hændz daʊn/ without any doubt Leslie is hands down the nicest person I know.
scare the wits out of verb phrase /skeə(r) ðə wɪts aʊt ɒv/ to make someone feel extremely frightened The film scared the wits out of us.
(someone)
stroke of luck phrase /strəʊk əv lʌk/ something that happens by chance and that By a stroke of luck, Mia was travelling on the same train.
helps you to achieve something

2
there’s a lot to be said phrase /ðeə(r)z ə lɒt tʊ biː sed fɔː(r)/ used for saying that there are many advantages There’s a lot to be said for using public transport.
for (something) in doing something
time will tell phrase /taɪm wɪl tel/ used for saying that you will know in the future Time will tell whether he made the right choice.
whether something is true or right
to put it mildly phrase /tə pʊt ɪt ˈmaɪldli/ used for saying that the words you have chosen We were frustrated about the delay, to put it mildly.
are not as extreme as they could have been

3
Phrasal verbs and noun collocations
bring down (the cost/ phrasal verb /brɪŋ daʊn/ to reduce the rate, level, or amount of something Our main responsibility is to bring down the rate
number/rate of …) of unemployment.
come round to (a way phrasal verb /kʌm raʊnd tʊ/ to change your opinion or decision because We were sure she’d come round to our way of thinking
of thinking / the idea) someone has persuaded you to agree with them in the end.
come up with (a phrasal verb /kʌm ˈʌp wɪð/ to think of something such as an idea or a plan Is this the best solution you can come up with?
solution/strategy)
draw on (your phrasal verb /drɔ ɒn/ to use something that you have gradually gained As an actor, you often draw on your own life experience.
experience/ or saved
observations)
flick through phrasal verb /flɪk θruː/ to turn the pages of a book, magazine, Recently, I was flicking through the pages of a book on
(something) newspaper, etc. very quickly looking at some of scientific discoveries.
the pages for a very short time
hold back (something) phrasal verb /həʊld bæk/ to stop something from progressing or Long-term water shortages can hold back
developing as it should economic progress.
hold out little hope verb phrase /həʊld aʊt ˈlɪt(ə)l həʊp/ to not have much hope that something He held out little hope that his idea would ever
will happen be accepted.
meet with (criticism/ phrasal verb /miːt wɪð/ to get a particular result or reaction The new proposal met with strong opposition
opposition/resistance) from students.
plough (money) into phrasal verb /plaʊ ... ˈɪntuː/ to invest a lot of money in something in order to Last year the government ploughed more than
(something) improve it or make it successful £80 million into road repairs.
put forward (an phrasal verb /pʊt ˈfɔː(r)wə(r)d/ to offer an idea, opinion, reason etc, especially so He rejected all the proposals put forward by
explanation / an idea / that people can discuss it and make a decision the committee.
a proposal)
run up against (a phrasal verb /rʌn ʌp əˈɡenst/ if you run up against problems, difficulties etc, We ran up against a few problems at the start of
difficulty/problem) you have to deal with them the project.
stumble across phrasal verb /ˈstʌmb(ə)l əˈkrɒs/ to find something by accident I stumbled across a really interesting article about wild
(something) swimming yesterday.
throw out (charges / phrasal verb /θrəʊ aʊt/ if someone in authority throws out a plan, The judge threw out their claim.
claims / a suggestion) proposal etc, they refuse to accept it

1
Prepositional phrases (at, in, on, under)
at a loss phrase /æt ə lɒs/ confused and not knowing what to do I was at a loss to understand what had happened.
at best phrase /æt best/ used for showing that something is not very The government’s response seems to have been at best
good by emphasising that your description of it confused and at worst dishonest.
is the best thing you can say about it
at odds with phrase /æt ɒdz wɪθ/ if things are at odds with each other, they are What parts of our lifestyle are fundamentally at odds
(something) different or opposite when they should be with achieving a sustainable future?
the same
at stake phrase /æt steɪk/ used about important issues that are involved in Few voters had any idea of the issues at stake.
a situation or could be decided by it
at the expense of phrase /æt ðiː ɪkˈspens əv/ if one thing exists or happens at the expense of Patrick was doing great things in the job, but at the
(something) another, the second thing suffers or is not done expense of his health.
properly because of the first
at the forefront of phrase /æt ðə ˈfɔː(r)ˌfrʌnt əv/ in a leading or important position in something These environmental issues are cuurrently at the
(something) forefront of public debate.
be on the lookout for verb phrase /biː ɒn ðəˈlʊkaʊt fɔː(r)/ to be watching carefully in order to find, obtain, Police in Brighton are on the lookout for a gang of
(something/someone) or avoid something or someone car thieves.
in a big way phrase /ɪn ə bɪɡ weɪ/ if someone does something in a big way, they do Sports coaches have come to depend on video analysis
it a lot, or they think it is important in a big way.
in all likelihood phrase /ɪn ɔːl ˈlaɪklihʊd/ almost certainly In all likelihood the vase was made in the
seventeenth century.
in awe of (someone/ phrase /ɪn ɔː əv/ feeling great respect and admiration for Jeff has always been totally in awe of his father.
something) someone or something
in force phrase /ɪn fɔː(r)s/ if a law or rule is in force, it is being applied and The ban on oil exports remains in force.
people must obey it
in jeopardy phrase /ɪn ˈdʒepə(r)di/ likely to be damaged or destroyed The crisis put thousands of jobs in jeopardy.
in poor taste phrase /ɪn pɔː(r) teɪst/ rude and not at all appropriate His joke about her divorce was in very poor taste.
in retrospect phrase /ɪn ˈretrəʊˌspekt/ considering something that happened in the In retrospect, we should never have allowed that
past, using knowledge or information that you to happen.
did not have at that time
on a par with phrase /ɒn ə pɑː(r) wɪθ/ of the same quality as or at the same level as Profits should be on a par with last year.
(something/someone)
on display phrase /ɒn dɪˈspleɪ/ in a place that is able to be seen by many people Her work is on display at the gallery.
on edge phrase /ɒn edʒ/ nervous and unable to relax because you The events of the past few days had left her feeling tense
are worried and on edge.

2
on the market phrase /ɒn ðə ˈmɑː(r)kɪt/ available to buy Machines as powerful as this are not yet on the market.
on the spot phrase /ɒn ðə spɒt/ at that exact moment or place Any workers found breaking these rules will be sacked on
the spot.
under attack phrase /ˈʌndə(r) əˈtæk/ strongly criticized or damaged Both candidates have come under attack for their
health-care proposals.
under oath phrase /ˈʌndə(r) əʊθ/ having formally promised to tell the truth in a Lying under oath is an extremely serious offence.
court of law
under scrutiny phrase /ˈʌndə(r) ˈskruːtɪni/ carefully examined The diet industry comes under scrutiny in
tonight’s programme.
under siege phrase /ˈʌndə(r) ˈsiːdʒ/ if a place is under siege, it is surrounded by The town had been under siege for weeks and food was
soldiers in order to attack those defending it in short supply.
under threat phrase /ˈʌndə(r) θret/ likely to be harmed or damaged An ancient religious custom is under threat.
under wraps phrase /ˈʌndə(r) ræps/ being kept secret Lee decided to keep her plans under wraps for a while.
Idioms: Innovation
a long shot phrase /ə lɒŋ ʃɒt/ an attempt or guess that is not likely to be It’s a long shot, but I’ll ask her.
successful but that is worth trying
at the leading edge phrase /æt ðə liːdɪŋ edʒ/ at the most modern and advanced point in the These models are at the leading edge of
development of something computer design.
dead end noun /ded end/ a situation in which no further progress Have the trade negotiations really come to a dead end?
is possible
from scratch phrase /frəm skrætʃ/ from the beginning again, not using all the work We’ll have to do the whole thing again from scratch.
that you have done before
go round in circles verb phrase /ɡəʊ raʊnd ɪn ˈsɜː(r)k(ə)lz/ to do something for a long time without We talked for hours, but we were just going round
achieving any results because you always return in circles.
to the same problem that you cannot solve
in the pipeline phrase /ɪn ðə ˈpaɪpˌlaɪn/ being planned or prepared in order to happen or Have you got any new projects in the pipeline?
be available soon
on the right track phrase /ɒn ðə raɪt træk/ doing or thinking the right things The figures show we are on the right track.
stumbling block noun /ˈstʌmblɪŋ ˌblɒk/ a difficulty that causes mistakes or A problem with a supplier has become a major
prevents progress stumbling block.
teething problems noun /ˈtiːðɪŋ ˈprɒbləmz/ minor problems that a new company, project, We’ve been having a few teething problems, but
product etc may have in the beginning generally things are going well.
think outside the box verb phrase /θɪŋk aʊtˈsaɪd ðə bɒks/ to find new ways of doing things, especially of Employees are encouraged to think outside the box
solving problems and develop creative solutions.

3
Partitive expressions with uncountable nouns
a breath of fresh air phrase /ə breθ əv freʃ eə(r)/ someone or something that is new, interesting, It’s great having Flavia with us - she’s a real breath of
and exciting fresh air.
a grain of truth phrase /ə ɡreɪn əv truːθ/ a small amount of truth There was more than a grain of truth in what he’d said.
bouts of anxiety phrase /baʊts əv æŋˈzaɪəti/ short periods when you feel very anxious I occasionally suffer from bouts of anxiety at work.
fit of anger phrase /fɪt əv ˈæŋɡə(r)/ a sudden strong feeling of anger that you ‘Just leave!’ he shouted, in a fit of anger.
cannot control
fits of laughter phrase /fɪts əv ˈlɑːftə(r)/ a sudden strong reaction of laughing Everyone collapsed in fits of laughter.
glimmer of hope phrase /ˈɡlɪmə(r) əv həʊp/ a very small sign that something might improve The transplant offers Lucy and her parents a new
or succeed glimmer of hope.
glimmer of light phrase /ˈɡlɪmə(r) əv laɪt/ a soft weak light that is not steady Ahead of us we suddenly saw a faint glimmer of light.
hint of bitterness phrase /hɪnt əv ˈbɪtə(r)nəs/ a slight feeling of anger and unhappiness ‘Yes, he has.’, she nodded, with a hint of bitterness in
about something her voice.
hint of irony phrase /hɪnt əv ˈaɪrəni/ a small amount of irony (= a form of humour in His writing contains a cheerful hint of irony.
which you use words to express the opposite of
what the words really mean)
pang of regret phrase /pæŋ əv rɪˈɡret/ a very strong, sudden feeling of regret I felt a pang of regret that I hadn’t made time to visit her.
pang of guilt phrase /pæŋ əv ɡɪlt/ a very strong, sudden feeling of guilt You can eat these without a pang of guilt as they’re
very healthy.
round of applause phrase /ə raʊnd əv əˈplɔːz/ a period of time when an audience reacts by I want you all to give her a big round of applause.
clapping their hands
school of thought phrase /skuːl əv θɔːt/ a way of thinking about a particular subject or There are at least three schools of thought on
idea that is shared by a group of people that subject.
scrap of evidence phrase /skræp əv ˈevɪd(ə)ns/ a small amount of information that helps to Every scrap of evidence has to be investigated.
prove something
stroke of genius phrase /strəʊk əv ˈdʒiːniəs/ a very intelligent act or idea At the time, giving Juan the job seemed like a stroke
of genius.
stroke of luck phrase /strəʊk əv lʌk/ something that happens by chance and that By a stroke of luck , Felix was going there on the
helps you to achieve something same day.

1
Closed compounds
become a scapegoat verb phrase /bɪˈkʌm ə ˈskeɪpˌɡəʊt/ to be blamed for something that is not your fault, You don’t want to become a scapegoat for everything
especially because someone else wants to avoid that has gone wrong.
being blamed
be on the same verb phrase /biː ɒn ðə seɪm ˈweɪvˌleŋθ/ to understand the way that another person I feel like you and I are really on the same wavelength.
wavelength thinks because you often have the same ideas
and opinions as they do
break the stalemate verb phrase /breɪk ðə ˈsteɪlˌmeɪt/ to stop or end a situation in which progress Management and unions need to talk in order to break
is impossible because the people or groups the stalemate.
involved cannot agree
cherished keepsake phrase /ˈtʃerɪʃt ˈkiːpˌseɪk/ a small object that you like very much and keep That silver bracelet was a cherished keepsake from
in order to remind you of someone or something her grandmother.
employee turnover phrase /ˌemplɔɪˈiː ˈtɜː(r)nˌəʊvə(r) the rate at which employees leave an High employee turnover is not surprising when the
organization and new employees arrive hours are so long.
flaws and phrase /flɔːz ənd ˈʃɔː(r)tˌkʌmɪŋz/ faults and problems in something or someone It’s better to look past these flaws and shortcomings
shortcomings that make them useless or less effective rather than dwell on them.
proofread carefully verb phrase /ˈpruːfˌriːd keə(r)f(ə)li/ to carefully read something written or printed Proofread all professional correspondence carefully
and mark any mistakes so that they can before it goes out.
be corrected
sheer willpower phrase /ʃɪə(r) ˈwɪlˌpaʊə(r)/ when you only use the ability to control I’ve no idea how Katja managed to finish the race - it must
your thoughts and behaviour in order to have been sheer willpower.
achieve something
spark a backlash verb phrase /spɑː(r)k ə ˈbækˌlæʃ/ to cause a strong, negative, and often angry An insensitive comment by the lead singer sparked an
reaction to something that has happened, angry backlash from fans.
especially a political or social change
watershed moment phrase /ˈwɔːtə(r)ˌʃed ˈməʊmənt/ a time when an event causes an important It was a watershed moment in the history of our country.
change to take place

2
Idioms: Negotiation
agree to differ verb phrase /əˈɡriː tə ˈdɪfə(r)/ to accept that someone else does not have the On that point, we’ll have to agree to differ.
same opinion as you and agree not to argue
about it any more
clear the air verb phrase /klɪə(r) ði eə(r)/ to discuss a problem or difficult situation with I think it’s time we cleared the air, don’t you?
someone in order to make it better
draw the line at verb phrase /drɔː ðə laɪn æt/ to say that you will definitely not allow or You certainly deserve an increase, but I have to draw the
(something) accept something line at 4%.
find common ground verb phrase /faɪnd kɒmən ɡraʊnd/ to find something that people can agree about, Despite their differences, they found common ground
especially when they disagree about other things when it came to this issue.
get off on the verb phrase /get ɒf ɒn ðə rɒŋ fʊt/ to immediately establish a bad relationship with Unfortunately I got off on the wrong foot with the
wrong foot someone when you first meet them or first start project manager.
working with them
grey area phrase /ˈɡreɪ ˈeəriə/ a situation in which the rules are not clear, or in Exactly what this means in practice is still a bit of a
which you are not sure what is right or wrong grey area.
meet (someone) verb phrase /miːt ˌhɑːfˈweɪ/ to agree to do something that someone wants, The deal depends heavily on you agreeing to meet
halfway if they do something that you want them halfway.
nail down the verb phrase /neɪl daʊn ðə ˈfaɪnə pɔɪnts/ to definitely decide the details of something Does that give us enough time to nail down the finer
finer points points in the contract?
sticking point phrase /ˈstɪkɪŋ ˌpɔɪnt/ something that people cannot agree on and that It’s now a major sticking point in the negotiations.
stops them from continuing with a discussion
the bottom line phrase /ðə ˈbɒtəm laɪn/ 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.

3
Neutral and sensationalist language
axe verb /æks/ to close a business, stop providing a service, or Almost 1,000 jobs were axed.
get rid of workers that you do not need
clash verb * /klæʃ / to argue very angrily with someone Angry students clashed with riot police in
Miami yesterday.
condemn verb ** /kənˈdem/ to say publicly that you think someone or Politicians have condemned the attacks.
something is bad or wrong
dispute verb * /dɪˈspjuːt/ to say that something such as a fact is not true He disputed claims that the drug had not been
or correct adequately tested.
divulge verb /daɪˈvʌldʒ/ to give information about something, especially The newspaper refused to divulge its sources.
something that should be kept secret
laud verb /lɔːd/ to praise someone or something The headteacher was lauded for her bravery in such a
dangerous situation.
leak verb * /liːk/ to tell private or secret information to journalists Staff were interviewed to find out who leaked the story.
or to the public
oust verb /aʊst/ to remove someone from a position of power, The chairman was ousted from the committee
especially in order to take that position last month.
pledge verb /pledʒ/ to promise seriously and publicly to do Recently the minister had pledged his support to
something the organisation.
praise verb ** /preɪz/ to express strong approval or admiration for Mayor Dixon praised the efforts of those involved in
someone or something, especially in public the rescue.
provoke verb ** /prəˈvəʊk/ to cause a reaction, especially an angry one Her speech provoked a furious response from protestors.
quash verb /kwɒʃ/ to stop something from continuing They acted quickly to quash the rumours.
scrap verb /skræp/ to decide not to continue with something such Plans had to be scrapped because of a lack of funding.
as a plan or an event
slam verb ** /slæm/ to criticise someone or something severely The film has been slammed by critics.
spark verb * /spɑː(r)k/ to make something happen, especially His visit to the city sparked mass demonstrations.
something involving violence or angry feelings
tout verb /taʊt/ to praise someone or something because She’s being touted as a possible challenger for the title.
you want other people to think they are good
or important
vow verb /vaʊ/ to promise that you will do something They have vowed to provide compensation for
those affected.

1
Binomials
back and forth phrase /bæk ən fɔː(r)θ/ from one place to another and back again A good journalist goes back and forth between different
many times sources to check their facts.
black and white phrase /blæk ən waɪt/ involving one idea that is clearly right and Sadly it’s not a simple black and white issue.
another that is clearly wrong, so that it is not
difficult for you to make a moral decision
by and large phrase /baɪ ən lɑː(r)dʒ/ used for saying that something is generally true, By and large the book was well received, although it was
but not completely criticised for its accuracy.
chalk and cheese phrase /tʃɔːk ən tʃiːz/ used for saying that two people or things are Even though they’re twins, their personalities are chalk
completely different from each other and cheese.
cut and dried phrase /kʌt ən draɪd/ already clearly decided or settled The final decision is unlikely to be cut and dried.
dos and don’ts phrase /duːz ən dəʊnts/ instructions and warnings about what you Here is a list of do’s and don’ts for anyone planning to
should and should not do in a particular situation start a business.
first and foremost phrase /fɜː(r)st ən ˈfɔː(r)məʊst/ used for emphasising the main point or the most First and foremost, it’s your communication skills that
important reason for something will help you succeed.
give and take phrase /ɡɪv ən teɪk/ if there is give and take between people, each They said the secret of a happy marriage was a little bit of
person allows the other to get something that give and take.
they want
in fits and starts phrase /ɪn fɪts ən stɑː(r)ts/ stopping and starting again many times, rather I’ve been so busy that I’ve only been able to work on it in
than progressing steadily fits and starts.
the ins and outs noun /ðiː ɪnz ən aʊts/ all the details or facts that you need to know Understanding all the ins and outs of the story is
in order to deal with a complicated situation, very important.
process, etc.
touch and go phrase /tʌtʃ ən ɡəʊ/ not certain and with a risk of death or It had been touch and go for him in the hospital, but he
serious failure had eventually recovered.
trial and error phrase /ˈtraɪəl ən ˈerə(r)/ a way of finding a good method that involves I’ve figured out how to use it through trial and error.
trying several possibilities and learning from
your mistakes
tried and tested phrase /traɪd ən ˈtestɪd/ known to be good and effective It’s a tried and tested method of getting food stains out
of clothing.

2
Idioms: Communication
be out of the loop verb phrase /biː aʊt əv ðə luːp/ to not belong to a group that has information Sorry but I’ve no idea what’s happening, I’m out of
and makes decisions about something the loop.
beat around the bush verb phrase /biːt əˈraʊnd ðə bʊʃ/ to spend a long time getting to the main point Stop beating around the bush and tell me the truth.
of what you are saying, especially because it is
embarrassing
catch (someone’s) drift verb phrase /kætʃ … drɪft/ to understand the basic meaning that someone So that’s the main diffculty. Do you catch my drift?
is trying to express
get (something) off verb phrase /get … ɒf jɔː(r) tʃest/ to talk to someone about something that has He came to see me because he wanted to get a few
your chest been worrying you, so that you feel better things off his chest.
about it
get the wrong end of verb phrase /get ðə rɒŋ end əv ðə stɪk/ to understand something completely wrongly I tried explaining it to my parents, but they got the
the stick wrong end of the stick.
get your wires crossed verb phrase /get jɔː(r) ˈwaɪə(r)z krɒst/ if two people get their wires crossed, they We got our wires crossed about what time we were
become confused because they each think that supposed to meet.
the other one is talking about something else
it’s news to me phrase /ɪts njuːz tə miː/ used for saying that you did not know about ‘Ria says she’s going to borrow your car.’ ‘It’s news to me!’
something, especially when you are annoyed
about this
not say boo to a goose verb phrase /nɒt seɪ buː tʊ ə ɡuːs/ to be very quiet and shy Paola is incredibly nervous, she wouldn’t say boo to
a goose.
spill the beans verb phrase /spɪl ðə biːnz/ to tell someone something, often something that Come on, spill the beans - what did he say?
should be kept secret
touch base with verb phrase /tʌtʃ beɪs wɪθ/ to communicate with someone that you have It’ll be great to touch base with Sara and Karl again.
(someone) not seen for some time in order to find out how
they are, what is happening etc

3
Expressions and phrases with pay
pay (someone) a verb phrase /peɪ … ə ˈkɒmplɪmənt/ to say something nice about someone or Paying someone a compliment about their work can be
compliment to someone really motivating for them.
pay dividends verb phrase /peɪ ˈdɪvɪdendz/ to bring you a lot of benefit Thorough lesson planning always pays dividends.
pay it forward verb phrase /peɪ ɪt ˈfɔː(r)wə(r)d/ to do something kind for someone because Thanks for your generosity and I promise to pay it
another person has done something kind for you forward by helping when I can.
pay lip service to verb phrase /peɪ lɪp ˈsɜː(r)vɪs tʊ/ to say that you support something although you Most people only paid lip service to the rules.
(something) do not really, especially when you do nothing to
prove your support
pay the consequences verb phrase /peɪ ðə ˈkɒnsɪkwənsəz/ to accept responsibility for your actions and deal Either we do something about this now or we pay the
with what happens because of them consequences later.
pay the price verb phrase /peɪ ðə praɪs/ to have to deal with the bad effects of something One day you’ll pay the price for your selfish behaviour.
that you have done
pay through the nose verb phrase /peɪ θruː ðə nəʊz/ to pay much too much for something You pay through the nose for drinks in city
centre restaurants.
pay tribute to verb phrase /peɪ ˈtrɪbjuːt tʊ/ to praise someone or something publicly The town paid tribute to the firefighters who died.
(someone/something)
pay your own way verb phrase /peɪ jə(r) əʊn weɪ/ to pay for everything that you need or use He’s an adult now, he should be able to pay his own way.
yourself, rather than allowing or expecting other
people to pay for you
pay your respects verb phrase /peɪ jə(r) rɪˈspekts/ to show respect for someone by visiting Thousands turned up to pay their respects to a
them, sending them a message, or attending great leader.
their funeral
Rise and fall
accelerate verb * /əkˈseləreɪt/ to happen or make something happen at a The increased capital could greatly accelerate
faster rate economic development.
diminish verb ** /dɪˈmɪnɪʃ/ to become less or make something become less Rain forest habitats are slowly diminishing.
dwindle verb /ˈdwɪnd(ə)l/ to become gradually less or smaller over a period Water supplies have dwindled to their lowest level in
of time until almost nothing remains ten years.
escalate verb /ˈeskəleɪt/ to increase, especially at a fast rate that The company is in debt and its costs are
causes problems rapidly escalating.
hike up phrasal verb /haɪk ʌp/ to suddenly increase the amount or level When they hiked up the tax rates, I was forced to close
of something down my business.

1
mount verb ** /maʊnt/ to get larger or stronger over a period of time Discontent continues to mount among the
younger population.
plummet verb /ˈplʌmɪt/ if something such as an amount, rate, or value Following a massive reduction in customer spending,
plummets, it suddenly becomes much lower profits plummeted dramatically.
plunge verb ** /plʌndʒ/ if an amount or level plunges, it suddenly The temperature is expected to plunge below zero
becomes much lower degrees overnight.
recede verb * /rɪˈsiːd/ to become less strong or likely His pain had receded a little.
skyrocket verb /ˈskaɪˌrɒkɪt/ if an amount, value, or cost skyrockets, it rises It’s a reflection of the skyrocketing cost of healthcare.
quickly to a very high level
slump verb /slʌmp/ to be suddenly reduced to a much lower level Profits slumped to under $250 million.
soar verb * /sɔː(r)/ to quickly increase to a high level Unemployment has soared in the past few months.
spiral verb /ˈspaɪrəl/ to continuously become worse, more, or less As oil prices rise, consumers have been hit by spiralling
energy costs.
surge verb /sɜː(r)dʒ/ to increase a lot very quickly The value of exports surged last year, recording an all-
time high.
swell verb * /swel/ to increase in amount or number Attendance figures have swollen to 37,000 this season.
wane verb /weɪn/ to become weaker or less important By the end of the year their popularity was beginning
to wane.
Idioms: Money and wealth
be made of money verb phrase /biː meɪd əv ˈmʌni/ to have a lot of money Her family must be made of money judging by her
lavish lifestyle.
be on a roll verb phrase /biː ɒn ə rəʊl/ to be having a lot of success or good luck Sales figures were climbing and they were sure they were
on a roll.
be rolling in it verb phrase /biː ˈrəʊlɪŋ ɪn ɪt/ to have a lot of money Don’t worry about Ed buying the food, he’s rolling in it.
be your bread verb phrase /biː jɔː(r) bred ən ˈbʌtə(r)/ to be something that provides your main income Tourism is the island’s bread and butter.
and butter
feel the pinch verb phrase /fiːl ðə pɪntʃ/ to have less money than you need With rising interest rates, many homeowners are
beginning to feel the pinch.
hard up adjective /hɑː(r)d ʌp/ not having much money Tavia is so hard up that she can’t afford to put the
heating on.
keep your head verb phrase /kiːp jɔː(r) hed əˈbʌv ˈwɔːtə(r)/ to manage to live or keep a business working It’s been a difficult year for the business but we’re just about
above water even though you are not earning much money managing to keep our head above water.

2
money for old rope phrase /ˈmʌni fə(r) əʊld rəʊp/ money that you earn very easily without much They’re charging £6.50 for this? It’s money for old rope.
work or effort
not for love nor money phrase /nɒt fə(r) lʌv nɔː(r) ˈmʌni/ used for emphasising that something is not They’re more expensive than other firms but I wouldn’t
available or possible, or that you will not do it change them for love nor money.
put your money where verb phrase /pʊt jɔː(r) ˈmʌni weə(r) jɔː(r) used for saying that someone should do The company claims to care about the environment, but
your mouth is maʊθ ɪz/ something, especially spend money, to show that it should put its money where its mouth is.
they mean what they say instead of just talking
about it

3
Phrasal verbs of deduction and investigation
catch up phrasal verb /kætʃ ʌp wɪθ/ to begin to have an effect on someone His mistakes in the past are finally beginning to catch up
with (someone) with him.
hit upon (an idea / phrasal verb /hɪt əˈpɒn/ to suddenly have an idea An officer hit upon the idea of analysing the garage’s
a solution) CCTV footage.
keep (something) back phrasal verb /kiːp … bæk/ to not tell someone something, or to not show He said everything was OK, but I knew he was keeping
how you feel something back.
mull over (something) phrasal verb /mʌl ˈəʊvə(r)/ to think carefully about something over a period They’ll need time to mull over the proposals.
of time
nose around phrasal verb /nəʊz əˈraʊnd/ to try to find out information about someone I found two men nosing around the boat.
(something) or something
root out (corruption / phrasal verb /ruːt aʊt/ to find something bad or illegal and get rid of it The mayor said his first commitment was to root out
discrimination / corruption in the city.
a problem)
size up (someone/ phrasal verb /saɪz ʌp/ to think carefully and form an opinion about a It was hard to size up whether people were really telling
something) person or a situation the truth.
sound out (someone) phrasal verb /saʊnd aʊt/ to try to find out someone’s opinions, ideas, He decided to go back to the station and sound out the
feelings etc. by talking to them other detectives there.
stake out phrasal verb /steɪk aʊt/ to explain your opinion clearly and defend it in a Political leaders are busy staking out their positions on
(a claim / position) determined way this issue.
stake out phrasal verb /steɪk aʊt/ to wait outside a building and watch it, especially The police are staking out her home in case she returns.
(a house / building) because something exciting or illegal is
happening
stake out (territory) phrasal verb /steɪk aʊt/ to mark an area with fences or posts to show that The settlers would arrive in a place and immediately
it belongs to someone stake out their territory.
stumble across phrasal verb /ˈstʌmb(ə)l əˈkrɒs/ to find something by accident I’ve recently stumbled across one of her old journals,
(something) which is fascinating.
track down phrasal verb /træk daʊn/ to find someone or something after a long search We finally managed to track him down in Barcelona.
(someone/something)

1
Verbs of confusion and deceipt
baffle verb /ˈbæf(ə)l/ if a problem, someone’s behaviour etc. baffles Detectives remain baffled by these crimes.
you, you cannot understand it or solve it
blackmail verb * /ˈblækˌmeɪl/ to make someone give you money or do what Someone was trying to blackmail him with pictures
you want by threatening to give information showing them together.
about them
bluff your way through verb /blʌf jɔː(r) weɪ θruː/ to deliberately give a false idea to someone She managed to bluff her way through the interview,
(something) about what you intend to do, or about the and was given the job.
facts of a situation, especially in order to gain
an advantage
con (someone) into verb /kɒn ... ˈɪntuː/ to make someone believe something that is not Thieves dressed as security staff conned the guard into
(doing something) true in order to persuade them to do something unlocking the building.
confound verb /kənˈfaʊnd/ to make someone feel confused or surprised, She confounded her critics by winning the race.
especially by not behaving in the way
they expect
delude yourself verb phrase /dɪˈluːd jə(r)ˈself/ to choose to believe something that is not true You’re deluding yourself if you think we’ll win this easily.
double-cross verb /ˌdʌb(ə)l ˈkrɒs/ to cheat someone, usually when you and this The getaway driver double-crossed them by hiding
person are doing something illegal together or some of the money and talking to the police.
planning to cheat someone else together
dupe (someone) into verb /djuːp … ˈɪntuː/ to trick someone into believing something that Henson duped the couple into letting him into
(doing something) is not true or into doing something that is stupid their home.
or illegal
hoodwink verb /ˈhʊdˌwɪŋk/ to make someone believe something that is If he told you this painting is genuine, then you’ve
not true been hoodwinked.
hustle verb /ˈhʌs(ə)l/ to make someone do what you want them to do, She’d been hustled into selling the house too quickly.
especially buy something, before they are sure
or ready
perplex verb /pə(r)ˈpleks/ to make someone feel confused Doctors were perplexed by her condition.
scam verb /skæm/ to trick someone in order to get money or I was scammed by a young woman who said she
something from them was fundraising.
stump verb /stʌmp/ if you are stumped by something, you cannot Even the experts are stumped by this strange weather.
explain or answer it
swindle (someone/ verb /ˈswɪnd(ə)l … aʊt əv/ to cheat someone in order to get their money The landlord tried to swindle us out of our deposit.
something) out of
(something/someone)

2
Idioms: Mystery
be barking up the verb phrase /biː bɑː(r)kɪŋ ʌp ðə rɒŋ triː/ to be doing something that will not get the They’re barking up the wrong tree by questioning her,
wrong tree result that you want she clearly doesn’t know anything.
be caught red-handed verb phrase /biː kɔːt ˌred ˈhændɪd/ to be caught doing something wrong He was caught red-handed with the money in his bag.
keep (something) verb phrase /kiːp ... ˈʌndə(r) ræps/ to keep something secret I’ve got an idea but I’m going to keep it under wraps for
under wraps a few weeks.
let the cat out of verb phrase /let ðə kæt aʊt əv ðə bæɡ/ to tell someone something that was intended to Kim let the cat out of the bag about her true intentions.
the bag be secret
put your finger on verb phrase /pʊt jɔː(r) ˈfɪŋɡə(r) ɒn/ to discover or understand exactly why a situation There’s something strange about this but I can’t quite put
(something) is the way it is, especially when something my finger on it.
is wrong
red herring phrase /red ˈherɪŋ/ something that is not relevant that makes you I don’t think that information is useful at all – it’s just a
confused or takes your attention away from what red herring.
you should be concentrating on
ring a bell verb phrase /rɪŋ ə bel/ something that rings a bell sounds familiar The name rings a bell. Isn’t he an architect?
to you, although you cannot remember the
exact details
skeleton in the/your phrase /ˈskelɪt(ə)n ɪn ðə ˈkʌbə(r)d/ an embarrassing secret about your past that you The press were desperately trying to find a few skeletons
cupboard do not want anyone to know in her cupboard.
smell a rat verb phrase /smel ə ræt/ to believe that something dishonest, illegal, or When I saw the look they gave each other I smelled a rat.
wrong has happened
there’s more to phrase /ðeə(r)z mɔː(r) tə ... ðən miːts used for saying that someone or something is From the outside it’s just an ordinary cupboard, but
(someone/something) ðiː aɪ/ more interesting, impressive, complicated etc. there’s more to it than meets the eye.
than meets the eye than they seem to be

3
The environment
climate catastrophe phrase /ˈklaɪmət kəˈtæstrəfi/ an extreme event caused by weather, for The devastating wildfires last year were the worst climate
example a flood, that causes a lot of damage and catastrophe in our country’s history.
serious problems for the people who live where
it happens
coastal erosion phrase /ˈkəʊst(ə)l ɪˈrəʊʒ(ə)n/ the process by which the surface of land or rock Coastal erosion has led to some roads on the island
near the sea is gradually damaged by the sea and being rebuilt.
begins to disappear
ecological catastrophe phrase /ˌiːkəˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)l kəˈtæstrəfi/ an event which causes a lot of damage to the The removal of such large areas of rainforest is nothing
natural world and serious problems for people or short of an ecological catastrophe.
animals living there
environmental phrase /ɪnˌvaɪrənˈment(ə)l kəˈtæstrəfi/ an event which causes a lot of damage to the The collapse of the dam has been described as an
catastrophe natural world and serious problems for people or environmental catastrophe.
animals living there
environmental phrase /ɪnˌvaɪrənˈment(ə)l the process of the natural word changing into a We cannot ignore the impact of environmental
degradation ˌdeɡrəˈdeɪʃ(ə)n/ worse condition degradation on human health.
gradual erosion phrase /ˈɡrædʒuəl ɪˈrəʊʒ(ə)n/ the process by which the surface of land or rock A number of communities have been affected by the
is gradually damaged by water, wind etc. and gradual erosion of the country’s coastline.
slowly begins to disappear
habitat preservation phrase /ˈhæbɪtæt prezə(r)ˈveɪʃ(ə)n/ the process of working to protect the places Habitat preservation, especially forests and jungles,
that particular animals or plants usually live or has been described as the most important issue facing
grow in so that these places are not damaged humanity today.
or destroyed
hazardous waste phrase /ˈhæzə(r)dəs weɪst/ waste that is dangerous to people’s health The dust produced has to be disposed of as
or safety hazardous waste.
household waste phrase /ˈhaʊsˌhəʊld weɪst/ used food, packaging or other things that people The strikes will have an impact on the collection of
throw away from their homes household waste.
humanitarian phrase /hjuːˌmænɪˈteəriən kəˈtæstrəfi/ an event that causes a very large amount of Unless more countries offer support, these droughts will
catastrophe people to die, suffer or live in very bad conditions result in a humanitarian catastrophe.
industrial waste phrase /ɪnˈdʌstriəl weɪst/ useless materials, substances, or parts that are left This process is able to recycle certain kinds of
after the production of goods in factories industrial waste.
marine habitat phrase /məˈriːn ˈhæbɪtæt/ the type of place that particular sea creatures or Sunlit coral reefs are one of the most famous
plants usually live or grow in marine habitats.
natural habitat phrase /ˈnætʃ(ə)rəl ˈhæbɪtæt/ the type of place that a particular animal or plant It’s a rare bird that is in danger of losing its
usually lives or grows in, for example a desert, natural habitat.
forest or lake

1
offshore windfarm phrase /ˌɒfˈʃɔː(r) ˈwɪnd ˌfɑː(r)m/ a place in the sea where wind turbines are used A new offshore windfarm is one proposal for a future
for producing electricity from the power of energy supply.
the wind
organic waste phrase /ɔː(r)ˈɡænɪk weɪst/ waste that decays naturally and does not harm The restaurant composts all organic waste and uses
the environment recycled takeaway packaging.
shrinking habitat phrase /ʃrɪŋkɪŋ ˈhæbɪtæt/ when the type of place that a particular This species is threatened by shrinking habitat, hunting,
animal or plant usually lives or grows in is and other human activity.
becoming smaller
soil erosion phrase /sɔɪl ɪˈrəʊʒ(ə)n/ the process by which soil is gradually removed by Planting trees and shrubs can help prevent soil erosion
the rain, wind, or sea and reduce the risk of flooding.
sustainable phrase /səˈsteɪnəb(ə)l dɪˈveləpmənt/ the development of a country or region that Agriculture should be more focused on sustainable
development does not use more natural resources than can be devlopment irrespective of the costs involved.
replaced and so does not harm the environment
sustainable tourism phrase /səˈsteɪnəb(ə)l ˈtʊərɪz(ə)m/ tourism that does not harm the environment As well as supporting local economies, these farms serve
as models for sustainable tourism.
waste collection phrase /weɪst /kəˈlekʃ(ə)n/ when used food, packaging or other things that Check our website for details of waste collection times
people have thrown away is removed from homes over the holiday period.
or public buildings
waste disposal phrase /weɪst dɪˈspəʊz(ə)l/ the process of getting rid of waste It’s an opportunity to tackle pollution and adopt
responsible waste disposal practices.
wind erosion phrase /wɪnd ɪˈrəʊʒ(ə)n/ the process by which the surface of land or Trees store nutrients and water in the ground and protect
rock is gradually damaged by wind and begins soil against wind erosion.
to disappear
woodland habitat phrase /ˈwʊdlənd ˈhæbɪtæt/ an area of land filled with trees that particular Their short wings enable them to twist and turn as they
animals or plants usually live or grow in hunt in their woodland habitat.
Idioms: Noticing similarities and differences
be stuck between a verb phrase /biː stʌk bɪˈtwiːn ə rɒk ənd ə to be in a position in which you have to choose Either someone loses their job or everyone takes a pay cut.
rock and a hard place hɑː(r)d pleɪs/ between two things that are not good We’re stuck between a rock and a hard place on this.
in a tight spot phrase /ɪn ə taɪt spɒt/ in a difficult situation Louis helped me when I was in a tight spot financially.
in the clear phrase /ɪn ðə klɪə(r)/ no longer believed to be guilty of something bad They’ve arrested someone else so it looks like Dylan’s in
or illegal the clear.
make (someone’s) verb phrase /meɪk … blʌd rʌn kəʊld/ to make someone feel suddenly very frightened Just hearing his name made Alice’s blood run cold.
blood run cold or worried
make waves verb phrase /meɪk weɪvz/ to cause problems by making suggestions Laura’s been making waves with her comments about
or criticisms the lack of resources and budget.

2
make your blood boil verb phrase /meɪk jɔː(r) blʌd bɔɪl/ to make you feel very angry Knowing that they could have avoided this makes my
blood boil.
not be out of the phrase /nɒt biː aʊt əv ðə wʊdz jet/ used for saying that a situation is still difficult With several other charges pending, the company is not
woods yet although it has improved out of the woods yet.
out of hand phrase /aʊt əv hænd/ not well controlled We decided to leave before things got out of hand.
out of line phrase /aʊt əv laɪn/ behaving in a way that other people do not That comment was totally out of line.
approve of
rock the boat verb phrase /rɒk ðə bəʊt/ to cause problems by changing a situation that is It’s important that no one says anything to rock the boat
considered satisfactory at this stage in the negotiations.

3
Prepositional phrases with out, by and in
by any means phrase /baɪ ˈeni miːnz ˈnesəs(ə)ri/ using any method that is needed to do or We’re going to need to meet the deadline by any
necessary achieve something means necessary.
by any standard phrase /baɪ ˈeni ˈstændə(r)d/ compared to any level of quality or achievement What the programmers have created is simply incredible
used for judging someone or something by any standard.
by invitation only phrase /baɪ ˌɪnvɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n ˈəʊnli/ available only to people who have been Membership of the club was by invitation only.
formally invited
in good taste phrase /ɪn ɡʊd teɪst/ appropriate and not at all rude Only jokes that are in good taste should be incorporated
into your speech.
in its infancy phrase /ɪn ɪtsˈɪnfənsi/ something that is in its infancy has only just Tourism on the island is still very much in its infancy.
started to develop
in your mind’s eye phrase /ɪn jɔː(r) maɪndz aɪ/ if you can see someone or something in your Did you have a clear vision of the painting in your mind’s
mind’s eye, you can imagine or remember what eye before you started?
they look like
out of place phrase /aʊt əv pleɪs/ if something looks out of place, it is in a position It’s a lovely table but it would look out of place with all
where it does not belong or look good our antique furniture.
out of the ordinary phrase /aʊt əv ðə ˈɔː(r)d(ə)n(ə)ri/ unusual or different It was just another uneventful day at work; nothing out
of the ordinary happened.
out of the question phrase /aʊt əv ðə ˈkwestʃ(ə)n/ used for saying that something is definitely not Taking a holiday then is out of the question.
a possibility
Describing art and architecture
flamboyant adjective /flæmˈbɔɪənt/ designed to attract a lot of attention, often by Her room had been decorated with flamboyant
being brightly coloured or decorated patterned wallpaper.
garish adjective /ˈɡeərɪʃ/ very bright and colourful in an ugly way Bright, garish colours were the height of fashion in the 1980s.
imposing adjective /ɪmˈpəʊzɪŋ/ large and impressive We pulled up outside an imposing building with steps
up to the main entrance.
minimalistic adjective /ˌmɪnɪm(ə)ˈlɪstɪk/ using a style of design in architecture or interior The offices are stark and minimalistic, with white walls
decorating that is extremely simple and avoids and very little furniture.
using decoration or crowding an area with
unnecessary objects
ostentatious adjective /ˌɒstenˈteɪʃəs/ intended to impress people or attract their It’s just a timeless piece of furniture – not something
admiration, in a way that you think is extreme ostentatious intended to impress.
and unnecessary
renowned adjective /rɪˈnaʊnd/ famous and admired for a special skill or achievement The fabric was designed by a renowned artist.
swanky adjective /ˈswæŋki/ fashionable and expensive Pedro has just moved into a swanky new apartment next
to the river.
1
unassuming adjective /ˌʌnəˈsjuːmɪŋ/ not wanting to attract attention or appear better The cottage’s décor matched her personality - gentle
or more important than others and unassuming.
understated adjective /ˌʌndə(r)ˈsteɪtɪd/ not trying to impress people or to attract their She dressed with understated elegance.
attention, and therefore attractive or effective
utilitarian adjective /juːˌtɪlɪˈteəriən/ designed to be useful rather than attractive The dining chairs had a utilitarian feel and weren’t
particularly comfortable.
vulgar adjective /ˈvʌlɡə(r)/ showing a lack of ability to judge what is Professional designers often proclaim this as vulgar and
attractive, suitable, etc. inappropriate for a contemporary home.
whimsical adjective /ˈwɪmzɪk(ə)l/ made or done for fun, not seriously Her whimsical designs appeal to all ages.
Idioms: Art and creativity
a blank canvas phrase /ə blæŋk ˈkænvəs/ something that can be developed or changed in There’s no fixed job specification so you can do what you
many different ways feel is best. It’s a blank canvas.
a breath of fresh air phrase /ə breθ əv freʃ eə(r)/ someone or something that is new, interesting, Having Chloe on the team was like a breath of fresh air.
and exciting
a slow burner phrase /ə sləʊ ˈbɜː(r)nə(r)/ a thing that slowly develops into something The film’s a bit of a slow burner, not much happens in
interesting or powerful the first half hour.
bear no resemblance verb phrase /beə(r) nəʊ rɪˈzembləns tʊ/ to look completely different to someone Portraits are not my strong point; this last one of my
to (someone/ or something mother bears no resemblance to her.
something)
break the mould verb phrase /breɪk ðə məʊld/ to change a situation completely, or to do Mo broke the mould by becoming an artist rather than a
something in a completely new way doctor like everyone else in the family.
catch (someone’s) eye verb phrase /kætʃ … aɪ/ if something catches your eye, you suddenly As I came round the corner, an unusual building caught
notice it my eye.
collector’s item noun /kəˈlektə(r)z ˈaɪtəm/ a rare or valuable object that collectors want Don’t sell that old video game console - it could be a
to own collector’s item.
get (something) down verb phrase /get ... daʊn tʊ ə faɪn ɑː(r)t/ to become very good at doing something, He’s managed to get his cake decorating skills down to a
to a fine art especially something difficult fine art.
go back to the verb phrase /ɡəʊ bæk tə ðə ˈdrɔːɪŋ bɔː(r)d/ to try to think of a completely new idea because My plan didn’t work, so we went back to the
drawing board the one that you tried before was not successful drawing board.
go down a storm verb phrase /ɡəʊ daʊn ə stɔː(r)m/ to be very popular That new vegan café is going down a storm with students.
leave your mark verb phrase /liːv jɔː(r) mɑː(r)k/ to have a very strong and noticeable effect on A steady influx of tourists has left its mark on this
someone or something, usually a bad one that pretty island.
lasts for a long time
reinvent the wheel verb phrase /ˌriːɪnˈvent ðə wiːl/ to waste time and effort trying to do something What’s the point in doing that? You’re just reinventing
that someone else has already done well the wheel.

2
Describing books and films
box office hit phrase /bɒks ˈɒfɪs hɪt/ a film that is very successful and earns a lot of The film was a box office hit and launched the
money because of the number of tickets that actor’s career.
are sold
critically acclaimed phrase /ˈkrɪtɪkli əˈkleɪmd/ admired by people whose job is to give their Her critically acclaimed novel set in Shetland was a
opinion of things such as new books, plays, bestseller last year.
or films
cult classic phrase /kʌlt ˈklæsɪk/ a book, film, television programme etc. that is There can’t be many people who haven’t seen this
very good and has been popular and had a lot of cult classic.
influence for a long time
far-fetched adjective /ˌfɑː(r) ˈfetʃt/ difficult to believe because it is very unlikely The special effects are great but the plot is incredibly
far-fetched.
hard-hitting adjective /ˌhɑː(r)d ˈhɪtɪŋ/ making criticisms in a very strong, honest, and This is a hard-hitting drama about the realities of
direct way. This word usually shows that you the pandemic.
approve of this type of criticism.
heart-wrenching adjective /ˈhɑ(r)t ˌrentʃɪŋ/ making you feel very sad or emotional It’s difficult to watch this heart-wrenching story about
human tragedy.
long-awaited adjective /ˌlɒŋ əˈweɪtɪd/ a long-awaited event has been expected for a She’s now making her long-awaited return as the
long time fearless explorer.
page-turner noun /peɪdʒ ˈtɜː(r)nə(r)/ a book that is very interesting or exciting I couldn’t put that book down - it’s a real
page-turner.
spellbinding adjective /ˈspelˌbaɪndɪŋ/ so interesting that it holds your Murphy’s portrayal of the character is
attention completely utterly spellbinding.
spine-tingling adjective /ˈspaɪn ˌtɪŋɡ(ə)lɪŋ/ very exciting or frightening in a way that This spine-tingling thriller is bound to keep you on the
you enjoy edge of your seat.
star-studded adjective /ˈstɑː(r) ˌstʌdɪd/ including a lot of famous people Featuring a star-studded cast, director Christopher
Nolan’s latest film is nothing short of a masterpiece.
tearjerker noun /ˈtɪə(r)ˌdʒɜː(r)kə(r)/ a sad film or story that makes you cry Take some tissues with you – I’m afraid it’s a bit of
a tearjerker.

1
Similes
as clear as mud phrase /əz klɪə(r) əz mʌd/ very difficult to understand. Sorry but your explanation is as clear as mud.
as dull as ditchwater phrase /əz dʌl əz ˈdɪtʃˌwɔːtə(r)/ very boring Her last book was as dull as ditchwater – I didn’t finish it.
as mad as a box phrase /əz mæd əz ə bɒks əv frɒɡz/ if someone is as mad as a box of frogs, they are There’s a fine line between being called eccentric or as
of frogs extremely silly or strange mad as a box of frogs!
as sly as a fox phrase /əz slaɪ əz ə fɒks/ if someone is as sly as a fox, they are very clever She’s as sly as a fox and I’m not sure I entirely trust her in
and sometimes dishonest these negotiations.
as tough as old boots phrase /əz tʌf əz əʊld buːts/ very strong and able to deal with difficult Oh don’t worry about Marvin, he’s as tough as old boots.
situations or pain easily
fight like cat and dog verb phrase /faɪt laɪk kæt ən dɒɡ/ to fight or argue often or with a lot of anger My twin daughters fought like cat and dog when they
were kids.
get on like a house verb phrase /get ɒn laɪk ə haʊs ɒn ˈfaɪə(r)/ to become good friends very quickly and have a It was a bit awkward at first but now we get on like a
on fire lot to talk to each other about house on fire.
sleep like a log verb phrase /sliːp laɪk ə lɒɡ/ to sleep very well The bed was really comfortable – I slept like a log
last night.
stick out like a sore verb phrase /stɪk aʊt laɪk ə sɔː(r) θʌm/ to be very noticeable because of being different If you wear those you’re going to stick out like a
thumb sore thumb.
watch (someone) like verb phrase /wɒtʃ ... laɪk ə hɔːk/ to watch someone very carefully, especially You need to watch Sam like a hawk or he’ll eat all
a hawk in order to make sure that they do not do the biscuits.
something bad
Idioms: From literature
a sight for sore eyes phrase /ə saɪt fə sɔː(r) aɪz/ someone or something that you are very pleased The cabin was a sight for sore eyes for the
to see exhausted climbers.
Achilles heel noun /əˌkɪliːz ˈhiːl/ a weak feature of someone or something that She’s a great writer but accurate research has always been
is otherwise strong, which makes them open to her Achilles heel.
attack or failure
as dead as a doornail phrase /əz ded əz ə ˈdɔː(r)ˌneɪl/ completely dead or not working They didn’t water the plants and now they’re as dead as
a doornail.
Catch 22 situation noun /ˌkætʃ twentiˈtu ˌsɪtʃueɪʃ(ə)n/ a set of problems that is impossible to escape The company wants to hire new people to expand, but it
from because each problem must be solved first can’t afford to pay them – it’s a Catch 22 situation.
before you can solve any of the others
cliff-hanger noun /ˈklɪfˌhæŋə(r)/ an exciting end to part of a book or television Season 1 ended on such a cliff-hanger, I can’t wait for
programme that makes you want to read or season 2!
watch the next part

2
down the rabbit hole phrase /daʊn ðə ˈræbɪt ˌhəʊl/ used for referrring to a situation in which you I only meant to have a quick look online, but before I
become so interested in something that you knew it I’d gone down the rabbit hole and had more
cannot stop trying to find out about it or doing it than twenty tabs open.
freelance adjective /ˈfriːlɑːns/ freelance work is done by a person who is not Lizzie is an excellent freelance editor, I can highly
permanently employed by a particular company recommend her.
but who sells their services to more than
one company
give (someone) the verb phrase /ɡɪv … ðə kriːps/ to make someone feel nervous or frightened That big old house at the end of the lane really gives me
creeps the creeps.
love is blind phrase /lʌv ɪz blaɪnd/ used for saying that when you love someone, it is Max stood by Isabel even though she’d treated him so
difficult to see their faults badly, but then love is blind.
the pot calling the phrase /ðə pɒt ˈkɔːlɪŋ ðə ˈket(ə)l blæk/ used for saying that someone is criticizing You’re saying I’m lazy when you don’t even have a job?
kettle black another person for a fault that they also have Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.
the world is your phrase /ðə wɜː(r)ld ɪz jɔː(r) ˈɔɪstə(r)/ used for emphasising that you can go anywhere Now that you’ve finished university the world is
oyster or do anything that you want to your oyster.
wild goose chase noun /waɪld ɡuːs tʃeɪs/ an attempt to find something that does not exist By planting false evidence, Harrison had managed to lead
or that you are very unlikely to discover the detectives on a wild goose chase.

3
City dwelling
affluent phrase /ˈæfluːənt ˈneɪbə(r)ˌhʊd/ an area in a city or town where people have a lot This affluent neighbourhood largely consists of
neighbourhood of money and there are very nice houses luxurious beachfront homes.
affordable housing noun /əˈfɔː(r)dəb(ə)l ˈhaʊzɪŋ/ homes for which people on low incomes can Definitions of what constitutes affordable housing vary
afford the rent or mortgage costs in different places.
antisocial behaviour phrase /ˌæntiˈsəʊʃ(ə)l bɪˈheɪvjə(r)/ behaving in a way which shows a lack of care for I feel really safe in this rural community, where we don’t
other people or for society in general have to worry about crime or antisocial behaviour.
commuter belt noun /kəˈmjuːtə(r) belt/ an area surrounding a large city where many Some staff prefer to live in the commuter belt and just
people who work in that city live travel in for work.
concrete jungle noun /ˈkɒŋkriːt ˈdʒʌŋɡ(ə)l/ an unpleasant part of a city where there are a lot People are very unlikely to want to live in this crowded,
of ugly buildings close together hot and polluted concrete jungle.
congestion charging phrase /kənˈdʒestʃ(ə)n tʃɑː(r)dʒɪŋ/ a system of making payments each day for the Congestion charging for vehicles has now
right to drive into a city centre, introduced as a been introduced in many cities to try to reduce
way of reducing traffic carbon emissions.
derelict building phrase /ˈderəlɪktˈbɪldɪŋ/ a building that is empty, not used and in This wasn’t a nice part of town, all derelict buildings and
bad condition empty streets.
low-emissions zone phrase /ləʊ ɪˈmɪʃ(ə)n(s) zəʊn/ an area of a city that vehicles producing more The area is now a low-emissions zone but not everyone
than a low level of waste gases must pay to is convinced this has genuinely reduced the health risks.
drive into
rustic charm phrase /ˈrʌstɪk tʃɑː(r)m/ the quality of being pleasant, attractive and Even though the place was very small, we loved the
typical of the simple style of the countryside rustic charm of living in an old cottage.
tight-knit community phrase /taɪtnɪt kəˈmjuːnəti/ a group of people living in an area who know It’s a coastal town with a tight-knit community linked to
each other very well and support each other the fishing industry.
tree-lined street phrase /triːlaɪnd striːt/ a street which has a row of trees on each side Their house is in a very pretty tree-lined street in
the suburbs.
welfare system phrase /ˈwelfeə(r) ˈsɪstəm/ care provided by the state or another A large proportion of elderly people is putting an
organization for people in need enormous strain on the welfare system there.
Phrasal verbs for problems and solutions
be flooded with phrasal verb /bi ˈflʌdɪd wɪθ/ to be sent something in large numbers The TV station was flooded with complaints about
(something) the programme.
call for (something) phrasal verb /kɔːl fɔː(r)/ to say publicly that something must happen Protestors are calling for a ban on the production of
these kinds of foods.
narrow down phrasal verb /ˈnærəʊ daʊn/ to reduce the number of possibilities or choices We’ve narrowed down the list to just five options.
(something)

1
resign yourself to phrasal verb /rɪˈzaɪn jə(r)ˈself tʊ/ to accept that something unpleasant must He has resigned himself to the fact that his marriage
(something) happen and that you cannot change it is over.
resort to (something) phrasal verb /rɪˈzɔː(r)t tʊ/ to do something extreme or unpleasant in order I think we can solve this problem without resorting to
to solve a problem legal action.
revert (back) to phrasal verb /rɪˈvɜː(r)t bæk tʊ/ to return to a previous state or way of behaving, If you just revert back to your old eating habits, you’ll
(something) often one that is not good gain weight really quickly.
rule out (something) phrasal verb /ruːl aʊt/ to stop considering something as a possibility We haven’t completely ruled out the use of a more
expensive material.
run up against phrasal verb /rʌn ʌp əˈɡenst/ if you run up against problems, difficulties etc, Unfortunately we ran up against a major difficulty right
(something) you have to deal with them at the beginning.
saddle (someone) with phrasal verb /ˈsæd(ə)l … wɪθ/ to give someone something that is difficult to Buying that expensive car has saddled him with a
(something) deal with huge debt.
stick up for (someone/ phrasal verb /stɪk ʌp fɔː(r)/ to speak in support of a person or an idea, belief, I admire Kirsten for sticking up for what she believes
something) or plan, especially when no one else will is right.
talk (someone) out of phrasal verb /tɔːk … aʊt əv/ to persuade someone not to do something We’re so glad we talked her out of buying a flat in the
(something) city centre.
Idioms with talk and tell
as far as anyone can tell phrase /æz fɑː(r) æz ˈeniˌwʌn kən tel/ used for saying what you think is true when you Share prices plummeted last week, but as far as anyone
think that there may be facts that you or others can tell, there is no danger of the company folding.
do not know
like talking to a phrase /laɪk tɔːkɪŋ tʊ ə brɪk wɔːl/ used for saying that someone does not listen or I’ve tried to explain it to him, but it’s like talking to a
brick wall react to you when you talk to them brick wall.
small talk noun /smɔːl tɔːk/ informal conversation about things that are I hate those kind of events because I’ve never been
not important particularly good at making small talk.
talk (someone’s) ear off verb phrase /tɔːk ... ɪə(r) ɒf/ to talk to someone for a long time, often in a loud He talked my ear off during the entire meal.
or boring way
talk shop verb phrase /tɔːk ʃɒp/ to talk about your work, especially in a way that is Stop talking shop, you two, and let’s eat and relax.
boring for other people
talk the talk verb phrase /tɔːk ðə tɔːk/ to talk confidently about something in a way that I had no idea what they were looking for when I applied,
makes people think you are good at it, know a lot but I just talked the talk and got offered the job.
about it, etc.
talk to the hand phrase /tɔːk tə ðə hænd/ used for saying in a slightly angry way that you ‘That dress looks terrible on you!’ ‘Talk to the hand!
do not want to listen to what someone is saying You’ve got no idea about fashion.’
tell (someone) a thing verb phrase /tel … ə θɪŋ ɔː(r) tuː/ to tell someone some useful or interesting Rafi can tell you a thing or two about canal boats, he
or two information about someone or something used to live on one.

2
tell me something I phrase /tel miː ˈsʌmθɪŋ aɪ dəʊnt nəʊ/ used for saying in a slightly angry way that you ‘This project is pretty difficult.’ ‘Yeah, tell me something I
don’t know already know about something that a person is don’t know – I’ve been working on it for weeks!’
talking to you about, often because it is obvious
tell (someone) where verb phrase /tel … weə(r) tə get ɒf/ to tell someone very rudely that you are not I’d had enough of his constant criticism so I told him
to get off interested in them or in what they are saying where to get off.
tell it like it is verb phrase /tel ɪt laɪk ɪt ɪz/ to give the real facts about something, even if You can always rely on Mum to tell it like it is.
they are unpleasant
tell me about it phrase /tel miː əˈbaʊt ɪt/ used for saying that you already know about ‘I’ve got so much work to do.’ ‘Tell me about it!’
something unpleasant that someone has just
described because you have experienced it yourself

3
Health and fitness
acute pain phrase /əˈkjuːt peɪn/ very strong pain This condition leads to acute pain in the lower back.
air circulation phrase /eə(r) ˌsɜː(r)kjʊˈleɪʃ(ə)n/ the continuous movement of air inside a system The disease is much more likely to spread in areas with
or area poor air circulation.
alternative perspective phrase /ɔːlˈtɜː(r)nətɪv pə(r)ˈspektɪv/ a different way of thinking about something Professor Simkins sees the issue from an
alternative perspective.
alternative therapy phrase /ɔːlˈtɜː(r)nətɪv ˈθerəpi/ a form of treatment for an illness or medical Nothing the doctor gave her was working, so she’s trying
condition that is used instead of or together with some alternative therapies.
treatments based on science
bad circulation phrase /bæd ˌsɜː(r)kjʊˈleɪʃ(ə)n/ when the continuous movement of blood My feet often feel cold. It’s probably bad circulation.
around your body is not efficient and sometimes
causes problems
balanced diet phrase /ˈbælənst ˈdaɪət/ the correct types and amounts of different foods A balanced diet contains lots of fruit and
which help a person or animal to stay healthy green vegetables.
balanced perspective phrase /ˈbælənst pə(r)ˈspektɪv/ a way of thinking about something which Pat’s always been a sensible person with a balanced
considers all arguments, opinions, or aspects perspective on life.
fairly and equally
blood circulation phrase /blʌd ˌsɜː(r)kjʊˈleɪʃ(ə)n the continuous movement of blood around Cycling enhances blood circulation to all the vital parts
your body of the body.
brute strength phrase /bruːt streŋθ/ great physical strength It’s a a sporting competition that relies on fine skills and
not just brute strength.
chest pain phrase /tʃest peɪn/ pain in the upper front part of your body If you’ve had chest pains then you should get yourself
between your neck and your stomach checked over.
chronic pain phrase /ˈkrɒnɪk peɪn/ serious pain that lasts for a long time Surgery had finally freed her from chronic pain in her
right hip.
complementary phrase /kɒmplɪˈment(ə)ri ˈθerəpi/ a form of treatment for an illness or medical Complementary therapies include acupuncture
therapy condition that is used together with treatments and yoga.
based on science
constant pain phrase /ˈkɒnstənt peɪn/ continuous or regular pain over a long period If I don’t take the medication, I’m in constant pain.
of time
core strength phrase /kɔː(r) streŋθ/ the strength of the muscles in the upper part of These daily exercises are designed to improve
your body, not including your head, arms or legs core strength.
digestive system noun /daɪˈdʒestɪv ˈsɪstəm/ the system of organs and processes in the body Exercise plays an important role in maintaining a healthy
of humans and animals that deals with the digestive system.
digestion of food

1
divine intervention phrase /dɪˈvaɪn ɪntə(r)ˈvenʃ(ə)n/ help from God to change a situation We’ve tried everything, so all we can do now is hope for
divine intervention.
effective practice phrase /ɪˈfektɪv ˈpræktɪs/ an effective way of doing something Medical staff must meet standards of safe and effective
practice throughout their careers.
emotional resilience phrase /ɪˈməʊʃ(ə)nəl rɪˈzɪliəns/ someone’s ability to feel happy again after an She showed astonishing emotional resilience after her
illness, disappointment, or other problem partner’s unexpected death.
established practice phrase /ɪˈstæblɪʃt ˈpræktɪs/ a way of doing something that has existed for a This is now established practice when treating
long time, and is therefore recognised as good the disease.
or successful
fresh perspective phrase /freʃ pə(r)ˈspektɪv/ a new and different way of thinking Her advice helped me to see things from a
about something fresh perspective.
genetic makeup phrase /dʒəˈnetɪk ˈmeɪk ʌp/ the combination of genes (= patterns of Sadly it seems that Fi’s genetic makeup makes her more
chemicals within a cell that carry information susceptible to the illness.
about the qualities passed to a living thing from
its parents) belonging to a particular person
healthcare system phrase /helθkeə(r) ˈsɪstəm/ the services that look after people’s health Urgent investment is needed in the country’s struggling
healthcare system.
historical perspective phrase /hɪˈstɒrɪk(ə)l pə(r)ˈspektɪv/ a way of thinking about something from the The book is not particularly accurate from an
point of view of history or the past historical perspective.
immune system noun /ɪˈmjuːn ˈsɪstəm/ the system in your body that protects you The virus can have a long-term effect on your
against diseases immune system.
increased circulation phrase /ɪnˈkriːst ˌsɜː(r)kjʊˈleɪʃ(ə)n when the continuous movement of blood Eat green vegetables on a regular basis to ensure
around your body becomes more efficient increased circulation and blood pressure regulation.
inner strength phrase /ˈɪnə(r)/ streŋθ/ if a person has inner strength, they have the We need someone who has the inner strength to take
ability to achieve something despite what they on a difficult job.
feel, especially something difficult
medical intervention phrase /ˈmedɪk(ə)l ɪntə(r)ˈvenʃ(ə)n/ when medicine is used to treat an illness or injury This condition is not going to go away without
medical intervention.
mental resilience phrase /ˈment(ə)l rɪˈzɪliəns/ someone’s ability to feel happy again after an She’s going to need mental resilience in order to
illness, disappointment, or other problem overcome this.
nervous system noun /ˈnɜː(r)vəs ˈsɪstəm/ the system of nerves that sends and receives the These drugs can have a significant effect on the
signals that control your body and mind nervous system.
persistent injury phrase /pə(r)ˈsɪstənt ˈɪndʒəri/ damage done to a part of a person’s body A persistent injury has seriously affected his ability
that lasts for a long time or that they do not to play.
recover from

2
personal perspective phrase /ˈpɜː(r)s(ə)nəl pə(r)ˈspektɪv/ a way of thinking about something based on From a personal perspective, I think the hospital could
your own opinions, feelings, or experiences in have done more.
your life
physical makeup phrase /ˈfɪzɪk(ə)l ˈmeɪk ʌp/ the qualities and features of a particular Despite her physical make up, she’d had a successful
person’s body career in professional sport.
physical strength phrase /ˈfɪzɪk(ə)l streŋθ/ the physical energy that someone has to lift or I didn’t even have the physical strength to sit up in bed.
move things
poor circulation phrase /pɔː(r) ˌsɜː(r)kjʊˈleɪʃ(ə)n when the continuous movement of blood She’s always suffered from poor circulation.
around your body is not efficient and sometimes
causes problems
recommended phrase /ˌrekəˈmendɪd ˈpræktɪs/ a way of doing something that people have said Surprisingly this has become recommended practice as
practice should be used part of the treatment plan.
restricted diet phrase /rɪˈstrɪktɪd ˈdaɪət/ when a person or animal only eats certain foods Pepe’s allergies mean he has a very restricted diet.
and not others, often for health reasons
severe injury phrase /sɪˈvɪə(r) ˈɪndʒəri/ serious damage done to a part of a person’s body Not wearing a seatbelt runs the risk of severe injury, or
even death.
sharp pain phrase /ʃɑː(r)p peɪn/ sudden and severe pain As I stood up I felt a sharp pain in my chest.
special diet phrase /ˈspeʃ(ə)l ˈdaɪət/ a particular combination of foods that a person The players have a special diet rich in carbohydrates
eats for a certain purpose or situation and fibre.
staple diet phrase /ˈsteɪp(ə)l ˈdaɪət/ the most basic and important foods eaten Potatoes and meat are their staple diet.
in a particular place or by a particular group
of people
surgical intervention phrase /ˈsɜː(r)dʒɪk(ə)l ɪntə(r)ˈvenʃ(ə)n/ when a medical operation is used to treat an It doesn’t look like her condition will improve without
illness or injury surgical intervention.
varied diet phrase /ˈveərɪd ˈdaɪət/ when a person or animal eats a wide range of You’d probably feel better and be healthier if you had a
different foods more varied diet.
Multi-word verbs
bottle up (something) phrasal verb /ˈbɒt(ə)l ʌp/ to stop yourself from showing negative emotions Continually bottling up your emotions can lead to
like anger and disappointment, especially over a serious mental health issues.
long period, so that these feelings develop in a
harmful way
catch on phrasal verb /kætʃ ɒn/ to become popular or fashionable Dairy-free alternatives have caught on as consumers
have become more health-conscious.
catch up with phrasal verb /kætʃ ʌp wɪθ/ to begin to have an effect on someone All his days of sitting in front of the TV eating processed
(someone) food had finally caught up with him.

3
cling on to phrasal verb /klɪŋ ɒn tʊ/ to try very hard to keep something I’m clinging on to the hope that her resilience will help
(something) her survive.
count (someone) in phrasal verb /kaʊnt … ɪn/ to include someone in your plans If you’re playing tennis next Saturday then count me in.
get through phrasal verb /get θruː/ to manage to deal with a difficult situation or to You just have to get through the first five minutes of your
(something) stay alive until it is over speech, and then you’ll be fine.
get to (someone) phrasal verb /get tʊ/ to annoy or upset someone After a while his comments really started to get to me.
go through with phrasal verb /ɡəʊ θruː wɪθ/ to do something that you have planned or I can’t believe Jamie went through with the wedding.
(something) agreed to do, especially after not being sure you
want to do it
go without saying verb phrase /ɡəʊ wɪðˈaʊt ˈseɪɪŋ/ to be completely obvious or true Of course we’ll be there – that goes without saying.
keep at it verb phrase /kiːp æt ɪt/ to continue doing something even if you want If you want to succeed then you just have to keep at it.
to stop
mount up phrasal verb /maʊnt ʌp/ to gradually get larger Costs are really beginning to mount up.
urge (someone) on phrasal verb /ɜː(r)dʒ … ɒn/ to encourage someone to put more effort into Murray’s fans were urging him on from the side of
something or to not stop trying to do something the court.
Idioms: Sports
bowl (someone) over phrasal verb /bəʊl .. ˈəʊvə(r)/ to surprise someone by being very beautiful, Bev was bowled over by the generosity of
impressive, unexpected, etc. her colleagues.
give (someone) the verb phrase /ɡɪv … ði ˈʌpə(r) hænd/ to give someone control or an advantage over a Johan’s resolve and determination are what give him the
upper hand person or situation upper hand when negotiating deals.
have a head start verb phrase /hæv ə hed stɑː(r)t/ to have an advantage over other people in the Ensuring your child’s diet is healthy means they’ll have a
same situation as you, especially in a competition head start in life.
in the same ballpark phrase /ɪn ðə seɪm ˈbɔːlˌpɑː(r)k/ not calculated exactly but within a similar We’ve received three estimates for the building costs and
general range they’re all in the same ballpark.
jump the gun verb phrase /dʒʌmp ðə ɡʌn/ to do or say something too soon, before you Make sure you train gently at first – don’t jump the gun
know that it is suitable or correct and sign up for a marathon!
learn the ropes verb phrase /lɜː(r)n ðə rəʊps/ 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.
move the goalposts verb phrase /muːv ðə ˈɡəʊlˌpəʊsts/ to change the rules and make it difficult for Problems arise when people are shifting the goalposts
people to achieve something or to know what and objectives aren’t clear.
to do
no holds barred phrase /nəʊ həʊldz bɑː(r)d/ 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.

4
on target phrase /ɒn ˈtɑː(r)ɡɪt/ likely to get the result that you are trying We’re on target to complete the work by the end of
to achieve the month.
take (something) on verb phrase /teɪk … ɒn ðə tʃɪn/ to accept something unpleasant in a brave way Zak knew he was partly to blame so he took the criticism
the chin without complaining on the chin.
throw in the towel verb phrase /θrəʊ ɪn ðə ˈtaʊəl/ to stop trying to do something because you Sara threw in the towel halfway through the race
lack determination or because you think you because she pulled a muscle.
cannot win

5

RF C2 SB Wordlist English

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

RF C2 SB Wordlist English

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

RF C2 SB Wordlist English

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

C2 Proficiency Student’s Book – Unit 1 Wordlist

Word/Phrase Part of speech *** IPA (UK) Definition Sample sentence

Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

Photocopiable © Macmillan Education Limited 2024

You might also like