Ready for C2 Wordlist - Unit 5

axe

to close a business, stop providing a service, or get rid of workers that you do not need

clash

to argue very angrily with someone

condemn

to say publicly that you think someone or sth is bad or wrong

dispute

to say that something such as a fact is not true or correct

divulge

to give information about something, especially something that should be kept secret

laud

to praise someone or something

leak

to tell private or secret information to journalists or to the public

oust

to remove someone from a position of power, especially in order to take that position

pledge

to promise seriously and publicly to do something

praise

to express strong approval or admiration for someone or something, especially in public

provoke

to cause a reaction, especially an angry one

quash

to stop something from continuing

scrap

to decide not to continue with something such as a plan or an event

slam

to criticise someone or something severely

spark

to make something happen, especially something involving violence or angry feelings

tout

to praise someone or something because you want other people to think they are good or important

vow

to promise that you will do something

back and forth

from one place to another and back again many times

black and white

involving one idea that is clearly right and another that is clearly wrong, so that it is not difficult for you to make a moral decision

by and large

used for saying that something is generally true, but not completely

chalk and cheese

used for saying that two people or things are completely different from each other

cut and dried

already clearly decided or settled

dos and don’ts

instructions and warnings about what you should and should not do in a particular situation

first and foremost

used for emphasising the main point or the most important reason for something

give and take

if there is ____ ____ ____ between people, each person allows the other to get something that they want

in fits and starts

stopping and starting again many times, rather than progressing steadily

the ins and outs

all the details or facts that you need to know in order to deal with a complicated situation, process, etc.

touch and go

not certain and with a risk of death or serious failure

trial and error

a way of finding a good method that involves trying several possibilities and learning from your mistakes

tried and tested

known to be good and effective

be out of the loop

to not belong to a group that has information and makes decisions about something

beat around the bush

to spend a long time getting to the main point of what you are saying, especially because it is embarrassing

catch the drift

to understand the basic meaning that someone is trying to express

get it off your chest

to talk to someone about something that has been worrying you, so that you feel better about it

get the wrong end of the stick

to understand something completely wrongly

get your wires crossed

if two people ____ their ____ ____, they become confused because they each think that the other one is talking about sth else

it's news to me

used for saying that you did not know about something, especially when you are annoyed about this

not say boo to a goose

to be very quiet and shy

spill the beans

to tell someone sth, often something that should be kept secret

touch base with

to communicate with someone that you have not seen for some time in order to find out how they are, what is happening etc