The Tortured Poets Department

nuisance (noun)

/ˈnuː.səns/

something or someone that annoys you or causes trouble for you:

I've forgotten my umbrella - what a nuisance!

[ + -ing verb ] It's such a nuisance having to rewrite those letters.

I hate to be a nuisance, but could you help me?

make a nuisance of yourself

to cause trouble or to annoy other people:

The officer reported that he was obviously very drunk and making a nuisance of himself.

priest (noun)

/priːst/

a person, usually a man, who has been trained to perform religious duties in the Christian Church, especially the Roman Catholic Church, or a person with particular duties in some other religions: linh mục

Father O'Dooley was ordained a priest in 1949.

There is still a ban on women priests in the Catholic Church.

flat tyre (noun)

/ˌflæt ˈtaɪər/

a tyre that does not have any or enough air in it

tasteful (adjective)

/ˈteɪst.fəl/

attractive and chosen for style and quality:

Their house is very tasteful, but it doesn't have any soul.

reputed (adjective)

/rɪˈpjuː.t̬ɪd/

said to be the true situation although this is not known to be certain and may not be likely:

She is reputed to be 25 years younger than her husband.

They employed him because of his reputed skill in dealing with the press.

confer (verb)

/kənˈfɝː/

to exchange ideas on a particular subject, often in order to reach a decision on what action to take:

I need some time to confer with my lawyer.

entrust (verb)

/ɪnˈtrʌst/

to give someone a thing or a duty for which they are responsible:

entrust something to someone He didn't look like the sort of man you should entrust your luggage to.

be entrusted with Two senior officials have been entrusted with organizing the auction.

allot (verb)

/əˈlɑːt/

to give something, especially a share of something available, for a particular purpose:

[ + two objects ] They allotted everyone a separate desk.

They allotted a separate desk to everyone.

The Defense Department will be allotted about 15% less this year.

slump (noun)

/slʌmp/

a period when an industry or the economy is in a bad state and there is a lot of unemployment:

an economic slump

The airline industry is currently in a slump.

slump (noun)

/slʌmp/

a period when someone is tired and does not have much energy:

The body's desire for a nap is strongest in the afternoon slump.

sag (noun)

/sæɡ/

a reduction in something:

a sag in sales

submerge (verb)

/səbˈmɝːdʒ/

to go below or make something go below the surface of the sea or a river or lake:

The submarine submerged when enemy planes were sighted.

She was taken to the hospital after being submerged in an icy river for 45 minutes.

submerge (verb)

/səbˈmɝːdʒ/

(formal) to cover or hide something completely:

She has submerged her identity in the role of photographer's wife and muse.

submerge yourself in something

to put all your effort into doing a particular activity:

She is an actress who always tries to submerge herself completely in a role.

grip (verb)

/ɡrɪp/

to keep someone's attention completely:

This trial has gripped the whole nation.

I was gripped throughout the entire two hours of the film.

grip (verb)

/ɡrɪp/

When an emotion such as fear grips you, you feel it strongly:

be gripped by Then he turned toward me, and I was suddenly gripped by fear.

engross (verb)

/ɪnˈɡroʊs/

If something engrosses you, it is so interesting that you give it all your attention:

What is it about Harry Potter that so engrosses children?

specify (verb)

/ˈspes.ə.faɪ/

to explain or describe something clearly and exactly:

He said we should meet but didn't specify a time.

The peace treaty clearly specifies the terms for the withdrawal of troops.

devise (verb)

/dɪˈvaɪz/

to invent a plan, system, object, etc., usually using your intelligence or imagination:

He's good at devising language games that you can play with students in class.

The cartoon characters Snoopy and Charlie Brown were devised by Charles M. Schultz.

officiate (verb)

/əˈfɪʃ.i.eɪt/

(formal) to be in charge of or to lead a ceremony or other public event:

A priest officiated at the wedding.

chair (verb)

/tʃer/

to be the person in charge of a meeting, etc.:

Would you like to chair tomorrow's meeting?

deprive (verb)

/dɪˈpraɪv/

to prevent someone from having something, especially something that they need:

be deprived of He claimed that he had been deprived of his freedom.

It is very damaging to deprive a child of affection.

You can't function well when you're deprived of sleep.

spare (verb)

/sper/

to not hurt or destroy something or someone:

They asked him to spare the women and children.

spare (verb)

/sper/

to prevent someone from having to experience something unpleasant:

Luckily, I was spared the embarrassment of having to sing in front of everyone.

It was a nasty accident - but I'll spare you (= I won't tell you) the gruesome details.

spare (verb)

/sper/

to give time, money, or space to someone, especially when it is difficult for you:

[ + two objects ] Could you spare me $20?

I'd love to come, but I can't spare the time.

to spare

left over or more than you need:

If you have any yarn to spare when you've finished the sweater, can you make me some gloves?

I caught the plane with only two minutes to spare.

spare a thought for someone

to think about someone who is in a difficult or unpleasant situation:

Spare a thought for me tomorrow, when you're lying on a beach, because I'll still be here in the office!

not spare yourself

(formal) to try as hard as you can to achieve something:

She never spared herself in the pursuit of excellence.

spare no effort/expense

to use a lot of effort, expense, etc. to do something:

[ + to infinitive ] We will spare no effort to find out who did this.

outcome (noun)

/ˈaʊt.kʌm/

a result or effect of an action, situation, etc.:

It's too early to predict the outcome of the meeting.

boycott (verb)

/ˈbɔɪ.kɑːt/

to refuse to buy a product or take part in an activity as a way of expressing strong disapproval:

People were urged to boycott the country's products.

The union called on its members to boycott the meeting.

expedient (adjective)

/ɪkˈspiː.di.ənt/

(formal) helpful or useful in a particular situation, but sometimes not morally acceptable:

It might be expedient not to pay him until the work is finished.

The management has taken a series of expedient measures to improve the company's financial situation.

sanction (noun)

/ˈsæŋk.ʃən/

an official order, such as the stopping of trade, that is taken against a country in order to make it obey international law:

Many nations have imposed sanctions on the country because of its attacks on its own people.

Trade/economic sanctions will only be lifted (= stopped) when the aggressor nation withdraws its troops.

sanction (noun)

/ˈsæŋk.ʃən/

a strong action taken in order to make people obey a law or rule, or a punishment given when they do not obey:

Without realistic sanctions, some teachers have difficulty keeping order in the classroom.

compensate (verb)

/ˈkɑmpənˌseɪt/

to provide something good or useful in place of something or to make someone feel better about something that has failed or been lost or missed:

compensate for Nothing will ever compensate for his lost childhood.

more than compensate His enthusiasm more than compensates for his lack of experience.

I took her swimming to compensate for having missed out on going to the movies.

We were late and I was driving fast to compensate.

alibi (noun)

/ˈæləˌbaɪ/

proof that someone who is thought to have committed a crime could not have done it, especially the fact or statement that they were in another place at the time it happened:

He has a cast-iron (= very strong) alibi - he was in the hospital the week of the murder.

alibi (noun)

/ˈæləˌbaɪ/

an excuse for something bad or for a failure:

After eight years in power, the government can no longer use the previous government's policy as an alibi for its own failure.

cellar (noun)

/ˈsel.ɚ/

a room under the first floor of a building, usually used for storing things: tầng hầm, hầm rượu

in the cellar

at the lowest possible position or level:

Women make up a large part of the work force, but their wages and salaries are in the cellar.

We all have moments when we're in the cellar, but there's a lot of satisfaction in getting back up.

loft (noun)

/lɑːft/

a space at the top of a building under the roof used for storing things and usually entered by a ladder, or sometimes made into a room for living in: tầng lửng, gáp xép

The firm specializes in loft conversions (= making lofts into rooms).

sober (adjective)

/ˈsoʊ.bɚ/

serious and calm:

In fact the whole wedding was a sober affair - no dancing, just people standing around in groups chatting politely.

Anthony was in a very sober mood - I scarcely heard him laugh all night.

assimilate (verb)

/əˈsɪm.ə.leɪt/

to become part of a group, country, society, etc., or to make someone or something become part of a group, country, society, etc.:

The European Union should remain flexible enough to assimilate more countries quickly.

You shouldn't expect immigrants to assimilate into an alien culture immediately.

assimilate (verb)

/əˈsɪm.ə.leɪt/

to understand and remember new information and make it part of your basic knowledge so that you can use it as your own:

It's hard to assimilate so much information.

requite (verb)

/rɪˈkwaɪt/

(formal) to give or do something in return for something given to you or done for you:

Requited love is not enough to sustain a long-term relationship.

unrequited (adjective)

/ˌʌn.rɪˈkwaɪ.t̬ɪd/

If love that you feel for someone is unrequited, it is not felt in the same way by the other person:

It's just another poem on the pain of unrequited love.

unrepresentative (adjective)

/ˌʌn.rep.rɪˈzen.ə.t̬ɪv/

not typical of a larger group of people or things; not representative

enticement (noun)

/ɪnˈtaɪs.mənt/

the act of persuading someone to do something by offering them something pleasant:

One of the enticements of the job is the company car.

Foreign investors were offered every imaginable free-market enticement.

failing that

used for saying that if something you have mentioned is not possible, there is another thing you can try:

Buy her some flowers, or failing that, just send her a card.

Try quitting the application you're in; failing that, restart your computer.

appeal (verb)

/əˈpiːl/

to make a serious or formal request, especially to the public, for money, information, or help: kêu gọi

They're appealing for clothes and blankets to send to the devastated region.

The police are appealing to the public for any information about the missing girl.

obsolete (adjective)

/ˌɑːb.səlˈiːt/

not in use anymore, having been replaced by something newer and better or more fashionable:

Gas lamps became obsolete when electric lighting was invented.

archaic (adjective)

/ɑːrˈkeɪ.ɪk/

of or belonging to an ancient period in history: cổ xưa, lỗi thời

an archaic system of government

an archaic law/rule/language

stale (adjective)

/steɪl/

no longer new or fresh, usually as a result of being kept for too long:

The bread/cookies/cake had gone stale.

stale (adjective)

/steɪl/

used to describe someone who has lost interest in what they are doing because of being bored or working too hard:

They had been working together for over five years and they had both become a little stale.

deaden (verb)

/ˈded.ən/

to make something less painful or less strong:

Morphine is often used to deaden the pain of serious injuries.

Double glazing has helped to deaden the noise from the road.

blunt (verb)

/blʌnt/

to make a feeling less strong:

My recent bad experience has blunted my enthusiasm for travel.

restrain (verb)

/rɪˈstreɪn/

to control the actions or behavior of someone by force, especially in order to stop them from doing something, or to limit the growth or force of something:

When he started fighting, it took four police officers to restrain him.

She was so angry that she could hardly restrain herself.

curb (verb)

/kɝːb/

to control or limit something that is not wanted:

The government should act to curb tax evasion.

fur (noun)

/fɝː/

the thick hair that covers the bodies of some animals, or the hair-covered skin(s) of animals, removed from their bodies: lông thú

She stroked the rabbit's soft fur.

fake fur "Is that real fur on your collar?" "Certainly not - I only wear fake fur."

fur coat She was wearing a fur coat and black leather boots.

lining (noun)

/ˈlaɪ.nɪŋ/

a material or substance that covers the inside surface of something: lớp lót

a coat/jacket lining

the lining of the stomach

predecessor (noun)

/ˈpred.ə.ses.ɚ/

someone who had a job or a position before someone else, or something that comes before another thing in time or in a series: người tiền nhiệm

My predecessor held this job for twelve years.

The latest Ferrari is not only faster than its predecessors but also more comfortable.

propound (verb)

/prəˈpaʊnd/

(formal) to suggest a theory, belief, or opinion for other people to consider:

It was Ptolemy who propounded the theory that the earth was at the center of the universe.

toast (noun)

/toʊst/

an expression of good wishes or respect for someone that involves holding up and then drinking from a glass of alcohol, especially wine, after a short speech:

Now, if you'd all please raise your glasses, I'd like to propose a toast to the bride and groom.

Champagne corks popped and the guests drank a toast to the happy couple.

exchange rate (noun)

/ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒ ˌreɪt/

the rate at which the money of one country can be changed for the money of another country

chiefly (adverb)

/ˈtʃifli/

mainly:

The island chiefly attracts upmarket tourists.

magazines intended chiefly for teenagers

bearably (adverb)

/ˈber.ə.bli/

in a way that is bearable (= that you can accept and deal with):

For the rest of the afternoon it remained bearably hot, so we were able to finish our work in the garden.

The film had a dull plot but enough funny parts to be bearably watchable.

conceited (adjective)

/kənˈsiː.t̬ɪd/

too proud of yourself and your actions and abilities:

Without wishing to sound conceited, I am the best salesperson in the company.

bigoted (adjective)

/ˈbɪɡ.ə.t̬ɪd/

having strong, unreasonable beliefs and disliking other people who have different beliefs or a different way of life:

She's so bigoted that she refuses to accept anyone who doesn't think like her.

advertise (verb)

/ˈæd.vɚ.taɪz/

to show or tell something about yourself to other people:

She coughed to advertise her presence.

condemn (verb)

/kənˈdem/

to criticize something or someone strongly, usually for moral reasons:

The terrorist action has been condemned as an act of barbarism and cowardice.

The film was condemned for its sexism.

dreary (adjective)

/ˈdrɪr.i/

boring and making you feel unhappy:

a dreary little town

She had spent another dreary day in the office.

sophisticated (adjective)

/səˈfɪs.tə.keɪ.t̬ɪd/

having a good understanding of the way people behave and/or a good knowledge of culture and fashion:

She was slim, svelte, and sophisticated.

I don't think I have any books that would suit your sophisticated tastes.

spectacle (noun)

/ˈspek.tə.kəl/

an unusual or unexpected event or situation that attracts attention, interest, or disapproval:

It was a strange spectacle to see the two former enemies shaking hands and slapping each other on the back.

spectacle of We witnessed the extraordinary spectacle of an elderly lady climbing a tree to rescue her cat.

make a spectacle of yourself

to do something that makes you look stupid and attracts other people's attention:

I wasn't going to make a spectacle of myself just to give you a laugh!

spectator sport (noun)

/spekˈteɪ.t̬ɚ ˌspɔːrt/

a sport that people go to watch:

Soccer is certainly the biggest spectator sport in Britain.

on (the) condition that

only if:

I'll come to the party on the condition that you don't wear those ridiculous pants!

advise against doing something

to give someone advice not to do something:

I'd strongly advise against making a sudden decision.

Many Western countries, including the United States, advise against travel to the area.

lay claim to something

to say that you own something:

Two companies have laid claim to the design.

He laid claim to land in Minnesota because he saw it as an opportunity.

fall out

(informal) to argue with someone and stop being friendly with them:

fall out with He left home after falling out with his parents.

fall out over She'd fallen out with her boyfriend over his ex-girlfriend.

cloud over

If the sky clouds over, it becomes covered with clouds.

cloud over

If a person's face clouds over, they suddenly look unhappy or worried:

At the mention of her dead husband, her face clouded over.

get your own way

to persuade other people to allow you to do what you want:

My little brother always gets his own way.

make your way

to be successful and make progress in your life and work:

He will teach you how to build a career and make your way in the world.

make your way

to move to a different situation or state:

By following these four easy steps, you can make your way to financial freedom!

More women are making their way into politics.

make your way

to travel or move to a place:

We slowly made our way down the river.

It's getting late - we should make our way home soon.

at a loss

not knowing what to do:

I’m at a loss to explain what happened.

I was so embarrassed that I was at a loss for words (= I didn’t know what to say).

there's no telling

it is not possible to know:

There’s no telling how her parents will react to the news.

what’s the matter (with someone)

used for asking someone if there is a problem:

You look worried – what’s the matter?

know someone by sight

If you know someone by sight, that person looks familiar to you, but is not a friend of yours:

Mike spends a lot of time in this area, so you'd probably know him by sight.

I knew Jo's husband by sight, but I'd never really met him.

He walked up to Rose, whom he knew by sight.