MCQ 04

light and shade (idiom)

ifferent parts of the character of a person or the quality of a thing

eviscerate (v)

to remove one or all of the organs from the inside of a body

inculcation (n)

the process of fixing beliefs or ideas in someone's mind, especially by repeating them often

blaze a trail (idiom)

to do something that has never been done before

be (all) sweetness and light (idiom)

to be very peaceful and friendly

dissemination (n)

 to spread or give out something, especially news, information, ideas, etc., to a lot of people

extirpation (n)

the act of removing or destroying something completely

introspection (n)

 examination of and attention to your own ideas, thoughts, and feelings

be (as) thick as thieves (idiom)

to be very close friends and share secrets, etc.

open the door to something (idiom)

to allow something new to start

the exception that proves the rule (idiom)

something that emphasizes the general truth of a statement by disagreeing with it

(a) penny for your thoughts (idiom)

said when you want to know what another person is thinking, usually because they have been quiet for a while

beauty is only skin deep (idiom)

used to say that a person's character is more important than how they look

veracious (adj)

honest and not telling or containing any lies

intransigent (adj)

refusing to change your opinions or behaviour

make for somewhere/something (phrasal verb)

to go in the direction of a place or thing

at your fingertips (idiom)

if you have information at your fingertips, you can get it and use it very easily

 the cut of someone's jib (idiom)

the typical way that someone behaves

come home to someone (idiom)

if something comes home to someone, they understand it clearly

pernicious (adj)

having a very harmful effect or influence

connect the dots (idiom)

to understand the relationships between different facts or events so that you fully understand a situation

on everyone's lips (idiom)

being talked about by a lot of people

your ears must be burning (idiom)

 something that you say to someone who is being talked about

have the inside track (idiom)

to have a special position within an organization, or a special relationship with a person that gives you advantages that other people do not have

at the coalface (idiom)

doing the work involved in a job, in real working conditions, rather than planning or talking about it

pull the wool over someone's eyes (idiom)

to deceive someone in order to prevent them from discovering something

be (caught) between a rock and a hard place (idiom)

to be in a very difficult situation and to have to make a hard decision

on the same wavelength (idiom)

thinking in the same way as someone else

perambulate (v)

to continue making an effort to do or achieve something, even when this is difficult or takes a long time

expound (v)

to give a detailed explanation of something

in the wilderness (idiom)

if someone, such as a politician, is in the wilderness, they no longer have a position of authority, fame, or success and are not now in the news

the witching hour (noun phrase)

the time when witches are said to appear, usually twelve o'clock at night

in the dead of night/winter (idiom)

in the middle of night/winter

let the cat out of the bag (idiom)

 to allow a secret to be known, usually without intending to

fink on someone (phrasal verb)

to tell other people secret and damaging information about someone

glitz and glamour (collocation)

the quality of being exciting and attractive, but often in a way that has no real worth

bite off more than you can chew (idiom)

to try to do something that is too difficult for you

 raise (a few) eyebrows (idiom)

to cause surprise or shock

rusticate (v)

to make something rustic in style (= make it simple or old-fashioned in a way typical of the countryside)

ingratiating (adj)

ingratiating behaviour is intended to make people like you

prognostication (n)

a judgment or the act of making a judgment about what is likely to happen in the future

enervate (v)

to make someone feel weak and without energy

under the auspices of someone/something (idiom)

with the protection or support of someone or something, especially an organization

demarcation dispute (noun phrase)

a disagreement between trade unions (= organizations of workers) about what types of work should be done by the members of each of them

coerce someone into something/doing something (collocation)

to persuade someone forcefully to do something that they are unwilling to do

imbue something/someone with something (phrasal verb)

to fill something or someone with a particular feeling, quality, or idea

be in a tight corner (idiom)

to be in a difficult situation

come to/meet a sticky end (idiom)

to die in an unpleasant way

bear up (phrasal verb)

to deal with a very sad or difficult situation in a brave and determined way

grasp the nettle (idiom)

to force yourself to be brave and do something that is difficult or unpleasant