PTNK ts vào 10 năm 2023-2024

not causing any harm or offence

inoffensive

an inoffensive article

He seemed like a quiet, inoffensive sort of a guy.

willing or eager to help

obliging (approving)

He found an obliging doctor who gave him the drugs he needed.

behaving as if you are better than other people, and that their opinions, beliefs, or ideas are not important

supercilious (disapproving)

He spoke in a haughty, supercilious voice.

praise, or an official statement that praises someone

an honour such as a prize given to someone because they have done something that people admire

commendation (formal)

Several of the firefighters received commendation for their bravery.

He was very proud when his daughter received a commendation for her achievement.

to not demand something you have a right to, or not cause a rule to be obeyed

waive (v) (formal)

The bank manager waived the charge (= said we didn't have to pay), as we were old and valued customers.

If they waive (= remove) the time limit, many more applications will come in.

He persuaded the delegates to waive (= give up) their objections.

Something that is porous has many small holes, so liquid or air can pass through, especially slowly

porous (a)

porous soil with good drainage

porous brick walls

a porous polymer membrane

→porosity (n)

a chemical that is used in farming to help grow crops or kill insects

agrochemical(N)

to complete a journey quickly

make good time

• We left early in the morning and made good time, so we arrived before noon.

• If we don't stop for too long, we should make good time and reach the airport by 6 p.m.

• The traffic was surprisingly light, so we made good time on the way to the coast.

someone who has a strong wish to have money and hates to spend it

miser (N) (disapproving)

to watch or examine something carefully

scope (V)

They think their house is being scoped by burglars.

Fire investigators scoped the area for any evidence that someone had set the fires on purpose.

While retailers hoped, bargain-hunters scoped.

If doubts or worries nag (away) at you, you think about them all the time

nag at someone

The same thought has been nagging away at me since last week.

a situation in which an advantage that is won by one of two sides is lost by the other

zero-sum game

Free trade benefits everyone in the end because trade is never a zero-sum game.

to admit that you have done something wrong

own up (c2)

own up to No one has owned up to stealing the money.

Rocco immediately owned up, saying: "It's all my fault."

to support or improve an organization, agreement, or system that is not working effectively or that is likely to fail

to stop a wall or a building from falling down by supporting it with building materials such as wood or metal

shore something up

The new public relations manager has the difficult task of shoring up the company's troubled image.

Boundary walls have had to be shored up.

the fact that someone is legally responsible for something

liability (c1)

liability for He denies any liability for the damage caused.

most important, because of including or affecting all other areas

overarching (formal)

a grand overarching strategy

The overarching theme of the election campaign was tax cuts.

belief that is not based on human reason or scientific knowledge, but is connected with old ideas about magic, etc.

superstition

According to superstition, if you walk under a ladder it brings you bad luck.

I don't believe in the old superstition that the number 13 is unlucky.

to start to do something different from what you usually do, especially in your job

branch out

branch out into something/doing something This designer has recently branched out into children's wear.

After a couple of years working for other people, she branched out on her own (= started her own business).

to be hiding in a safe place

be holed up

The robbers were holed up in a deserted warehouse.

If a place is deserted, there are no people in it

deserted (c1)

a deserted building/street

The coastal resorts are deserted in winter.

to show that you do not support a plan or idea any longer and do not want to be involved with it

back away

The government has backed away from plans to increase taxes.

a subject that is important to people and about which they have strong opinions

hot button (n) (US informal)

Gender issues have become something of a hot button.

Several election hot buttons fall into the category of civil rights.

→hot-button issue

Immigration has become a hot-button issue.

Religion is often a hot-button topic in presidential elections.

a list of matters to be discussed at a meeting

agenda (c1)

→on the agenda

here were several important items on the agenda.

The question of security is high on the agenda for this afternoon's meeting.

a list of aims or possible future achievements

agenda (c2)

on the agenda Women's rights have been put back on the agenda (= are being discussed publicly again).

The subject of safety needs to be placed high on the agenda (= must be discussed because it is very important).

political agenda Education was placed firmly on the political agenda in the prime minister's weekend speech.

a place where something that is not wanted is left

dumping ground

dumping ground for Most people do not want this country to become a dumping ground for toxic waste.

The property became a dumping ground for piles of debris.

Why should our region become a national nuclear dumping ground?

to praise someone or something in a speech or piece of writing

eulogize (v) (formal)

Critics everywhere have eulogized her new novel.

eulogize over They eulogized over the breathtaking views.

organized for the good of a few people who have special interests or abilities

elitist (mainly disapproving) (a)

Many remember sport at school as elitist, focusing only on those who were good at it.

believing that all people are equally important and should have the same rights and opportunities in life

egalitarian (a) (formal)

an egalitarian society

The party's principles are basically egalitarian.

behaviour that shows little care, attention, or control

laxity (n) -laxness

The laxity of prison officers made it easy for the men to get away.

An atmosphere of laxity by some lab workers in following procedures needs to change.

or more exactly

that is to say.. (idiom)

Our friends, that is to say our son's friends, will meet us at the airport.

used when you want to emphasize something that you are adding to a list

not to mention (b2)

He's one of the kindest and most intelligent, not to mention handsome, men I know.

a simple solution to a complicated problem

silver bullet (N)

There was no silver bullet that could have prevented the atrocities.

the quality of being unhappy, with no hope or enthusiasm

despondency (n)

→despondent (A)

She started to feel despondent about ever finding a job.

A mood of despondency had set in.

despondency about There is a general air of despondency about the state of our democracy.

to try to deal with or understand a difficult problem or subject

grapple with something

Today, many Americans are still grappling with the issue of race.

a target for someone who intends to catch, arrest, stop, or harm you

in someone's crosshairs/ in the crosshairs (idiom)

He's in the law's crosshairs now.

People who say critical things about him find themselves in his crosshairs.

She never expected to be in the crosshairs of the FBI.

If something is teetering on the brink/edge of a bad situation, it is likely that the situation will happen soon

teeter on the brink/edge of something
What we are seeing now is a country teetering on the brink of civil war.

If something strikes a chord, it causes people to approve of it or agree with it

If something strikes a chord, it causes people to remember something else because it is similar to it.

strike a chord

strike a chord with Their policy on childcare has struck a responsive chord with women voters.

strike a chord among Her speech struck a sympathetic chord among business leaders.

having fallen to the bottom of the sea

sunken (A)

They're diving for sunken treasure.

lasting for only a short time; temporary

transient (formal)
A glass of whisky has only a transient warming effect.

The city has a large transient population (= many people who are living in it only temporarily).

• The novel explores the transient nature of beauty and the permanence of character.

• While social media trends are inherently transient, the influence they exert on consumer behavior can be surprisingly enduring.

causing or having a very sharp feeling of sadness

poignant

The photograph awakens poignant memories of happier days.

it is poignant that It is especially poignant that he died on the day before the wedding.

to get something, usually something good, as a result of your actions or other people's actions

reap (c2)

She studied every evening and reaped the benefit at exam time.

This investment in the athletes' training is already reaping dividends.

Do poorer countries reap the rewards of technology developed in richer nations?

one of the separate areas inside a vehicle, especially a train

compartment→khoang

a first-class compartment

a separate part of a piece of furniture, equipment, or a container with a particular purpose

compartment (n)

a fridge with a small freezer compartment

the sleeping/inner compartment in a tent

someone who gives financial support to something

backer (N)

We need financial backers for the project.

unwilling to speak about your thoughts or feelings

reticent

He is very reticent about his past.

Most of the students were reticent about answering questions.

to find and correct mistakes in text before it is printed or put online

proofread

to feel extremely worried or frightened about something that is going to happen or that might happen

dread (c2)

He's dreading the exam - he's sure he's going to fail.

[ + -ing verb ] I'm dreading having to meet his parents.

used to say that you do not want to think about something because it is too worrying

dread to think (c2)

I dread to think what would happen if he was left to cope on his own.

a situation in which neither group involved in an argument can win or get an advantage and no action can be taken

stalemate

Tomorrow's meeting between the two leaders is expected to break a diplomatic stalemate that has lasted for ten years.

Despite long discussions, the workers and the management remain locked in stalemate.

not supporting any of the sides involved in an argument

impartial

impartial advice

A trial must be fair and impartial.

~disinterested

a disinterested observer/judgment

a piece of disinterested advice

the quality of being legal

legitimacy

The lawyers expressed serious doubts about the legitimacy of military action.