Language III Vocab Portfolio

to be on the dole

For someone to be unemployed and receiving regular government financial assistance in the form of unemployment benefits

gig

A job that is temporary, does not offer many hours, or may end at any time, usually involving working for yourself rather than for an employer.

dodgy

Not sound, good or reliable; questionable, suspicious.

raw

For a situation to be extremely vulnerable, sensitive, or emotionally overloaded, often after a stressful, painful, or life-changing event.

to glean

To gather, collect, or learn something slowly and bit by bit, often through careful effort or from various scattered sources.

to upbraid somebody

To forcefully or angrily tell someone they should not have done a particular thing and criticize them for having done it.

upheaval

A great change, especially causing or involving much difficulty, activity, or trouble.

grilling

An occasion when someone is asked a lot of questions for a long time

to coax somebody

To persuade someone gently to do something or go somewhere, by being kind and patient, or by appearing to be.

to be in a fluster

To be in a state of nervous excitement, confusion, agitation, or hurried anxiety, often because something unexpected or stressful has happened.

to undermine

To weaken, damage, or make something less effective, successful, or stable, often gradually or secretly.

to baulk

To hesitate, refuse, or be unwilling to do something / To stop short or prevent something from happening.

To lull somebody into something

To make someone feel safe in order to trick them.

to give somebody lip

To speak to someone in a rude, disrespectful, or impudent manner.

to blow things out of proportion

To treat a situation far more seriously. negatively, or more importantly than it actually deserves.

to throw a spanner in the works

To do or say something that disrupts a plan, prevents a process from succeeding, or causes an unexpected problem.

overbearing

Too confident and too determined to tell other people what to do, in a way that is unpleasant.

woefully

To a very bad or serious degree.

conundrum

A problem or a question that is tricky to solve.

to dress something up

To try to make something better, more interesting or more attractive than it is.

together

In control, confiudent and sure of what you want.

shorthand

A short or quick way of referring to sth.

to ride on something

To depend on something in order to succeed.

to let it all out

To express your thoughts with full emotion.

to hang in there

Not to give up, despite difficulties.

to go the whole log

To do something as completely/thoroughly as possible.

to be struck dumb

To suddenly be unable to talk, usually because you are very surprised or shocked.

to chasten somebody

To make someone feel more subdued, humble, or obedient after being reprimanded, punished, or experiencing a setback.

out of order

Unpleasant or not suitable, and it is likely to upset or offend people.

to have none of something

To refuse to accept, agree with, or support something.

to take a nosedive

For someting to suddenly very fall largely in the condition, price or value.

to double down

To continue to do something in an even more determined way than before.

to take exception

To be angry or upset because of something or someone.

smooth-talking

Speaking in a very persuasive, charming, and confident way, often to convince someone to do something or to gain an advantage.

to steel oneself

To mentally or emotionally prepare yourself to face something difficult, unpleasant, painful, or challenging with courage and determination.

to rake over the past

To keep bringing up, discussing, or thinking about unpleasant, embarrassing, or painful events that happened in the past, especially when doing so serves little useful purpose.

to hang by a thread

Situation in which even a slight change can decide what will happen and that a bad result such as death, failure, etc. is likely.

to mouth off

To express your opinions or complain, esp. loudly and in a way that shows no consideration or respect.

to have it coming

To deserve what happens to you, especially something bad.

momentum

If a process or movement gains momentum, it keeps developing or happening more quickly and keeps becoming less likely to stop.

to let rip

To speak, act, or react with great force and without holding back.

in one fell swoop

To do, achieve, remove, or affect many things at the same time through a single action. It often implies a sudden, decisive, and sometimes dramatic result.

to float an idea

To suggest a plan or an idea to be considered.

argy-bargy

Loud argument or disagreement that is not usually serious.

to speak out of turn

To say something that one should not have.

to wobble

To (cause sth to) shake or move from side to side in a way that shows poor balance.

To probe

To attempt to discover information by asking a lot of questions.

to guilt somebody into something

To make someone feel guilty, so they will do what you want.

to pick up on something

To notice something and perhaps react to it.

no-nonsense

Practical and serious, and only interested in doing what is necessary or achieving what is intended, without silly ideas or method