CPE_Unit 9

a pressing problem

an urgent or important issue that needs immediate attention

affluent

having a lot of money or wealth; rich

an unknown quantity

person or thing that one has no experience of

as a last resort

when all else has failed

at close quarters

from a short distance

at the border

located at or near the boundary between two places

be full to the brim

to be completely full

be in a quandary

be confused; undecided

be in close contact with

to communicate or interact frequently with someone

be not so cut and dried

not simple or straightforward; open to interpretation or debate

be on the short list

to be among the final candidates for a job, prize, or opportunity

be on the throne

to be ruling as a monarch

be on the verge of

to be very close to doing or experiencing something

be out of bounds

not allowed to enter or access

be put into force

to become officially active or legally effective

be shamefaced

to look or feel embarrassed or guilty

be supplanted by

to be replaced by something else

be susceptible to

to be easily affected or influenced by something

bear a close resemblance to

to look or seem very similar to something or someone

call it quits

give up/stop

capricious delicacy

a rare and unpredictable treat or luxury

clutch

to grasp something tightly

come into effect

to start being used or enforced officially

come naturally to somebody

be very easy for somebody to do

cut somebody to the quick

deeply hurt somebody’s feelings

deprive of

to take something away from someone, especially something necessary or valued

disseminating

spreading information or ideas widely

fit

to be the right size or shape for something

give somebody their marching orders

dismiss somebody

give something a miss

decide not to do something or go to a place

hand/give in one’s notice

resign

have a row

to argue or fight, usually verbally

hit the roof

get very angry

in a row

consecutively, one after another

in a rut

be stuck in a monotonous routine

in the long run

after a long period of time

irrevocable

impossible to change or reverse

it stands to reason

it is logical

jubilation

great joy or celebration

keep something quiet

keep something secret

know the ropes

know all the details of something

living beyond one’s means

spending more than you can afford

make do with something

use/have something not as acceptable as original

match

to go well with something or be equal in quality or style

mean well

try to be kind/helpful

meet one’s match

compete with somebody as good as/better than you

mend one’s way

begin to behave well

miles away

deep in thought

mint condition

perfect condition

name names

identify somebody who has done something (usually immoral or illegal)

name of the game

the most important aspect

nearest and dearest

close relatives/friends

neglect

failure to care for something properly

nest egg

sum of money saved for a particular purpose

no one but yourself to

only you are responsible (often followed by “blame” or similar)

none the wiser

know nothing more than before

off the record

unofficial/unofficially

on no account

under no circumstances; never

on the beach

located or taking place on the shore of a body of water

on the mend

recover from (illness/injury)

on the quiet

secretly

open to debate

undecided/unsettled

out of the question

impossible

poke one’s nose into something

try to interfere in something

put down roots

settle down

rack your brains

think very hard about something

reluctance

unwillingness or hesitation to do something

risk one’s neck

put oneself in danger (physically or metaphorically)

river bank

the land alongside a river

slip through the net

avoid being caught by a system/trap set up to catch somebody

somebody gets their money’s worth

somebody gets something which is worth its price/the effort put in it

something begs the question

makes people want to ask a particular question

suit

to be appropriate or acceptable for someone

take precedence over

to be more important than something else

to put it mildly

to understate something in an ironic way

touch a nerve

mention a sensitive subject

upkeep

the maintenance or care of something to keep it in good condition

withstand

to resist or endure something difficult or harsh

work to rule

adhere strictly to the regulations as a form of protest

be short of money

to not have enough money

it is best to

the most advisable or wise thing to do is…

it is rare for

it does not happen often; it is uncommon

make another attempt

to try again after failing or not succeeding the first time

pass away

to die (a more gentle or polite expression)

rejuvenate

to make someone or something feel or look younger, fresher, or more lively