Spiral (v) | If a situation spirals, it quickly get worse in a way that becomes more more difficult to control
EX: Violence in this city is threatening to spiral out of control.
He spiraled into a drug addiction that costs him his life. |
Drain (n/v) | To make someone feel tired
EX: The long journey completely drained me.
I think taking care of her grandmother is a big drain on her energy. |
Drain* (n/v) | To reduce or cause something to reduce
EX; The long war virtually drained all the resources of both countries.
Having a big mortgage is a real drain on your earnings. |
Culinary (a) | Connected with cooking or kitchens
EX: My culinary skills are limited to boiling water. |
Downright (a) | Actually or completely
EX: Their working conditions are downright unhealthy. |
Evaporate (v) | If something such as a feeling or problem evaporates, it disappears
EX: The issue of global warming is not just evaborating. |
Mood swings (n) | A sharp and inexplicable change in mood
EX: He'd felt a relief at not having to deal with her mood swing. |
Ration (n) | A limited amount of something you are allowed to have when there is not much of it available
EX: During the war, no one was allowed more than their ration of food. |
Ration (v)
Ration sth to sth
Ration sb to sth | To control the supply of something when there is not much of it available
EX: The garage was forced ration gas to 20l per person.
During the war, people was rationed to just 50g of meat a week. |
Rational (a)
Irrational (a) | Based on clear thought and reason: sáng suốt
EX: There must be some rational explanation of what happened. |
Play into (phr) | To hep support sth
EX: Her method plays into the stereotype that lawyers are dishonest. |
Anarchy (n) | A situation in which there is no organization and control, esp in society, as their is no effective government: tình trạng vô chủ
EX: The country has been in the state of anarchy since the inclusive election. |
Paramount (a) | More important than anything else
EX: There are many priorities, but reducing the budget deficit is of paramount importance. |
Delicate (a) | Pleasantly soft and light: nhẹ nhàng, mềm mại
EX: A rose with delicate scent.
We chose a floral pattern for our bedrooms curtains. |
Delicate* (a) | Needing very careful treatment
EX: Repairing damaged nerves is a very delicate operation/process. |
Disquiet (n) | Worry
EX: The leader's decline in popularity is triggering disquiet among supporters. |
In a bid to do sth (phr) | In an attempt to do sth
EX: He campaigned in a bid to get more voters. |
Out of the way (phr) | Completed
EX: I can let my hair down when term paper is out of the day. |
Reflexive (a) | Done because of a physical reaction that you can't control: phản xạ
EX: I hadn't meant to answer her, it was simply reflexive. |
In a rut (phr) | To not have changed what you do or how you do it for a very long time so that it is not interesting anymore
EX: I was in a rut I couldn't get out of it. |
Like-minded (a) | Sharing the same ideas, opinions, or interests
EX: She is a big fan of football, which she started a magazine for like-minded women. |
Toss (v) | To throw sth carelessly
EX: Andrew tossed him the ball.
I tossed some new clothes into the suitcase. |
Toss and turn (phr) | To move around restlessly while sleeping or trying to sleep: trằn trọc
EX: I was tossing and turning all night in anticipation of the subsequent exam. |
Funk (n) | The state of being unhappy and without hope
EX: The team's been in a funk, losing 3 successive games. |
A pat on the back (phr) | Praise
EX: You've done a great job, and you deserve a pat on the back. |
Baggage (n) | The beliefs or feelings which influence how you think and behave
EX: We all carry a lot of emotional baggage around us. |
Void (n) | A large hole or empty space
EX: Before Einstein, space was regarded as formless void. |
Void* (n) | A feeling of unhappiness because someone or something is missing
EX: They attempted to fill the void left by their children's deaths. |
Void of (phr) | Without, lacking in
EX; He's completely void of charm as far as I see. |
Wallow (v) | The act of lying in deep, wet earth, sand or water: đầm mình
EX: Buffaloes like wallowing in the mud. |
Wallow* (v) | To indulge in an unrestrained way in sth that triggers pleasurable sensation
EX: She was wallowing in the luxury of the hotel. |
Inculcate (v) | To fix beliefs or ideas in someone's mind, esp by repeating them: khắc sâu, in sâu
EX: Our coach has worked hard to inculcate the team's spirit into the players. |
Resonate (v) | To produce, increase or fill with sound by vibrating objects that are near: vang dội
EX: His voice resonated in the empty church. |
Resonate* (v) | To be filled with a particular quality
EX: The building resonates with historic significance. |
Resonate** (v) | To continue to have a strong effect or value
EX: The significance of those great stories resonates down the whole nation. |
Resonate*** (v) | If an experience or situation resonates, it makes you think of another similar one
EX: Her great experiences strongly resonate with me. |
Incorporate (v) | To conclude sth as part of sth larger: kết hợp, sát nhập
EX: The airplane incorporated several new safety features.
The program incorporated a whole host of graphic tools. |
Mind-boggling (a) | Extremely surprising and difficult to understand or imagine
EX: The amount of paperwork involved is mind-boggling. |
Amplify (v) | To increase the size of effect of something
EX: A funeral can amplify the feeling of regret and loss for all the relatives. |
Give vent to sth (phr) | To express negative feeling in a forceful and unfair way
EX: The meeting will be an opportunity to give vent to their feelings. |
Do wonders for sth (phr) | To trigger improvement or have a very good effect
EX: The new guy is talented - He's done wonders for the firm. |
Overtake (v) | To go beyond sth by being a greater amount, degree or to come from behind and move in front of: vượt qua
EX: Our US sales now have overtaken sales in Europe. |
Overtake (v) | To happen suddenly and unexpectedly
EX: The family was overtaken by tragedy several years ago. |
Breakneck (a) | Carelessly fast and dangerous
EX: They are riding a long at breakneck speed.
Research is carrying out at breakneck pace. |
Viral (a)
Go viral
Viral video/advertising | Quickly becoming very popular or renowned by being published on the Internet or sent from people to people
EX: Within days, the film clip went viral. |
Attain (v) | To reach or succeed in getting something
EX: He has attained the highest grade in his music exam. |
Attainment (n) | The act of achieving something
EX: A person's educational attainment.
The attainment of a goal. |
Limbo (phr) | An uncertain situation that you can't control and in which there's no progress or improvement: tiến thoái lưỡng nan
EX: After graduating from the college, he was in limbo, trying to decide what to do next |
Grounded (a) | Making good decision, not saying or doing stupid things
EX: He's very grounded even though he's so affluent. |
Outpouring (n) | An expression of strong feeling that is difficult to control
EX: His death of the age of 35 has occasioned an outpouring of grief. |
Outpouring* (n) | A very large number of things produced at the same time
EX: Last year saw an outpouring of cookery books. |
Full-on (a) | Very great or to the greatest degree
EX: The hotel specializes in full-on luxury. |
Intact (a) | Not damaged, complete and in the original stage
EX: It's difficult to emerge from such a scandal with your reputation still intact. |
Entity (n) | Something that exists apart from other things, having tis own independent existence: thực thể
EX: He regarded the north of a country as a separate cultural entity. |
Discern (v) | Able to see, recognize, understand or decide things
EX: I could just discern a figure in darkness. |
In tune/out of tune with sth (phr) | If you are in tune with people or ideas, you understand or agree with them, and if you are out of tune with them, you do not
EX: Most of his successes come from being in tune with what his customers want. |
Impede (v) | To make it more difficult for something to happen or more difficult for someone to do sth
EX: Shortages of medications were impeding the endeavor to control the disease. |
Retain (v)
Retain control/ownership/possession
Retain the right | To keep or continue to have sth: giữ lại
EX: The group will retain control of the business. |
Retention (n) | To continued use, existence or possession of something or someone
EX: The retention of obsolete technology has restrained the company's growth. |
Detention (n) | The act of officially detaining someone
EX: Concern has been expressed about death in detention of political prisoners. |
Adamant (a) | Impossible to persuade or unwilling to change an opinion or idea: cương quyết, cứng rắn
EX: I've told her she should stay at home and rest, but she's adamant that she's coming.
The mayor adamantly refused to consider a tax increase. |
Retaliate (v) | To hurt someone or do something harmful to someone because they've done or said something harmful to you: trả đũa
EX: The terrorists retaliated against the government with a bomb attack. |
Nostalgia (n) | A feeling of pleasure and also slight sadness when you think about what happened in the past: hoài niệm
EX: Some people feel nostalgia for their schooldays. |
Discombobulation (n)
Discombobulate (v)
Discombobulated (a) | The act of being made to feel confused or uncomfortable by sth
EX: We feel discombobulation for the future and nostalgia for the past. |
Potent (a) - Impotent (a) | Very powerful, forceful and effective: hiệu lực, uy lực
EX: This is a very potent drug which can have acute side effects. |
Potency (n) | Strength, influence or effectiveness
EX: This new drug's potency is not yet known. |
Inherent (a) = Inbuilt (a) = Built-in (a) | Existing as a natural or basic part of sth: vốn có
EX: I have an inherent mistrust of lawyer.
There are risks/dangers inherent in almost every sport. |
Inhere in sth (phr) | Existing as a natural or basic part of sth
EX: He believes that the power to alter things inheres in human nature.
The sense of movement doesn't inhere in sculpture itself. |
Grim (a) | Unpleasant, not good or very bad and serious
EX: The future for factory-floor workers looks grim. |
Nag (v) = Harp (v) | To criticize or complain often in an annoying way: cằn nhằn
EX: My mom always nagging me to get my hair cut.
I'm always nagging about his diet. |
Exasperate = Infuriate (v) | To trigger extreme anger or annoyance
EX: His assistant's carelessness is exasperating him.
His racist behavior infuriates me. |
Pull one's weight (phr) | To work as hard as people did in a group
EX: The others complained that Sarah wasn't pulling her weight. |
Oblivious (a)
Obliviousness (n) | Not conscious of something, esp what is happening to you: quên lãng
EX: Absorbed in her work, she was virtually oblivious of surroundings. |
Belittle (v) | To make a person or an action seem less important
EX: Stop belittle yourself - your work is highly valued. |
Stark (a) | Completely and extremely
EX: It was a stark room with a chair as the only furniture.
The stark reality is that we are operating a huge loss. |
Steward (n) | A person who is responsible for an event or for the management of a place
EX: He's been a careful steward of our park. |
Stance (n) | A way of thinking about something, esp expressed in a publicly stated opinion: lập trường, quan điểm
EX: The doctor stance on issue of absorption is well known. |
Scuffle (n/v) | To have a sudden short fight
EX: The youth scuffled with the policeman, then escaped down the valley.
Two police officers were injured in scuffles with demonstrators. |
Asylum (n)
To seek/apply for asylum | Protection or safety, especially that given by a government to people who have been forced to leave their own countries for their safety or because of war
EX: The refugees have asked for political asylum. |
Meager (a) | Very small or not enough
EX: The prisoners existed on a meager diet. |
Reside (v) | To live, have your home or stay in a place
EX: The family now resides in northern France. |
Blind spot (phr) | An area that you are not able to see, esp the part of the road that you cannot see when you are driving
EX: It can be very dangerous if there's a vehicle in your blind spot. |
Blind spot* (phr) | A subject or area in which someone's ability to understand is weak or lacking
EX: I am pretty fluent at English, but I have a blind spot where spelling is concerned. |
Replenish (v) | To fill something up again
EX: Does your class need replenishing? |
Replenish* (v) | To restore to former level or condition
EX: All creatures need sleep to replenish their energies. |
Inadvertent (a) = Accidental (a) | Not international
EX: Authors must be wary of inadvertent copying of other people's ideas. |
Reciprocate (v) | To do something for someone because the person has done the similar thing to you: đền đáp, trả ơn
EX: We gave them information, but they didn't reciprocate.
He loved Sarah, and she reciprocated his love. |
Waylay (v) | To wait and then stop someone, esp either to attack or talk to someone: mai phục, chặn lại bắt chuyện
EX: I meant to leave early, but I was waylaid by my manager. |
Reflex (n)
Reflex action/response | A physical reaction to something that you cannot control: phản xạ
EX: I'm sorry I punched him, it was a reflex action. |
Blood vessels (n) | Any of tubes through which blood flows in your body
EX: These hormones in our blood stream prepare the body by increasing blood vessels. |
Dilate (v) | To become wider or further open: giãn nở
EX: The pupils(con ngươi) of the eyes as darkness increases. |
Take a chill pill (phr) | To calm down, relax
EX: Stop shouting! Take a chill pill! |
Carve out (phr) | To create or obtain something that helps you by skillful activities
EX: She carved out a reputation for herself as high-powered lawyer. |
Project (v) | To throw or direct something forward with force
EX: This involved accurately projecting your emotions. |
Miscellaneous (a) | Consisting of a mixture of various things that are not necessarily connected with each other: hỗn tạp
EX: His bedroom is full of miscellaneous things. |
Grudge (n) | A strong feeling of anger or dislike for a person who you feel has treated you badly, esp one that lasts for a long time: hận thù
EX: I don't bear any grudge against you. |
Sabotage (v) | To damage or destroy equipment, weapons, or buildings in order to prevent the success of an enemy or competitor
EX: The rebels had tried to sabotage the oil pipeline. |
Sabotage* (v) | To intentionally prevent the success of a plan or action
EX: This was a deliberate attempt to sabotage the ceasefire. |
Repel (v) | To force someone or to stop moving towards you or attacking you: đẩy lùi
EX: It's not true that eating garlics repels mosquitoes. |
Sentient (a) | Able to experience feelings: có cảm giác
EX: It is hard for a sentient person to understand how any parents could treat their child so badly. |