PRO-LEXICO 16-20

renege on a contract/promise (v)

Thất hứa/bội tín - To fail to keep a promise or agreement - He ____ his promise to help me at the last minute.

shun (v)

Tránh xa/xa lánh - To persistently avoid, ignore, or reject someone - She has ____ all social activities since the tragedy.

snap (v)

Gắt gỏng - To speak in a sudden, angry way - Don't ____ at me just because you're tired.

impugn (v)

Công kích/nghi ngờ - To express doubts about whether someone is honest - How dare you ____ my motives!

pine for sb/sth (phr.v)

Nhớ nhung/khao khát - To want or miss someone or something very much - She spent years ____ her lost home.

quell (v)

Dập tắt/trấn áp - To stop or reduce strong feelings or a violent situation - Police were called to ____ the riots.

fall for (phr.v)

Bị lừa / Phải lòng ai - To be tricked into believing something or to fall in love - I ____ his fake story immediately.

sully a reputation (v.phr)

Làm hoen ố thanh danh - To damage the good opinion that people have of someone - The scandal did much to ____ his once-pristine reputation.

rue (v)

Hối hận - To feel sorrow or regret about something - He will ____ the day he decided to cheat.

taunt (v)

Chế nhạo - To intentionally annoy and upset someone by teasing them - The bullies continued to ____ him about his grades.

tender (v)

Đưa ra/đề nghị - To offer or present something formally - He decided to ____ his resignation yesterday.

not mince one's words (idiom)

Nói thẳng thừng - To speak in a direct and honest way - She ____ when describing the team's failure.

milk sb of their money (v.phr)

Moi tiền của ai - To get as much money as possible from someone - He ____ his own parents of their life savings.

falter in one's belief (v.phr)

Lung lay niềm tin - To lose strength or determination in what one believes - She never once ____ in her belief that he was innocent.

gouge (v)

Chặt chém (giá) - To force someone to pay an unfairly high price - The hotel tried to ____ tourists during the festival.

vindication of sth (n.phr)

Sự minh oan/chứng minh là đúng - Proof that someone or something is justified - The court's decision was a complete ____ her claims.

testimonial (n)

Lời chứng thực - A formal statement testifying to someone's character - She received a glowing ____ from her former boss.

a testament to sth (n.phr)

Minh chứng cho điều gì - Proof that something exists or is true - Their long marriage is ____ their dedication.

tried and trusted (adj)

Đã được tin dùng - Proven to be effective or reliable - This is a ____ method for solving the problem.

concoct a story/excuse (v.phr)

Bịa đặt - To invent a story or explanation, usually to deceive - He had to ____ to explain his absence.

contrive (v)

Xoay xở/bày mưu - To arrange a situation or event, or to invent something - They ____ a way to escape from the building.

malign (v)

Nói xấu/phỉ báng - To say unpleasant and untrue things about someone - He felt he had been ____ by the local press.

chastise (v)

Khiển trách nghiêm khắc - To criticize someone severely - The coach ____ the team for their lack of discipline.

vilify (v)

Bôi nhọ - To say or write unpleasant things about someone - The candidate was ____ by his political opponents.

genteel poverty (n.phr)

Nghèo nhưng lịch sự - Being poor but maintaining the appearance of higher class - They lived in ____ in a small, tidy apartment.

the future looks bleak (idiom)

Tương lai ảm đạm - The future seems hopeless or unpromising - With the factory closing, ____ for the town.

have no dog in the fight (idiom)

Không liên quan/không lợi ích - To have no interest in the outcome of a dispute - I’m not taking sides; I ____.

a fly in the ointment (idiom)

Hạt sạn/điều không hay - A small thing that spoils a situation - Everything was perfect, but the bad weather was ____.

airs and graces (idiom)

Điệu bộ kiểu cách - Behavior intended to impress others - She puts on such ____ when guests are around.

ultrasound scan (n)

Siêu âm - A medical test using sound waves to see inside the body - She went for her routine ____ yesterday.

diminutive (adj)

Nhỏ bé - Very small - He is a ____ man with a big personality.

fortitude (n)

Sự kiên cường - Courage in pain or adversity - She showed great ____ during her illness.

condescending (adj)

Kẻ cả/ban ơn - Treating someone as if you are more important - I dislike his ____ tone of voice.

abstention (n)

Sự bỏ phiếu trắng - The act of not voting or not doing something - There were three ____ in the final vote.

of your own volition (idiom)

Tự nguyện - By your own choice - He left the job ____.

virtuoso performance (n.phr)

Màn trình diễn điêu luyện - A brilliant performance by someone with great skill - The pianist gave a ____ at the concert.

nullify the effects (v.phr)

Làm mất tác dụng - To make something have no effect - The new law should ____ of the previous tax hike.

abrogate (v)

Hủy bỏ (luật) - To officially end a law, agreement, or right - The government voted to ____ the treaty.

stamp out (phr.v)

Dập tắt (cái xấu) - To get rid of something that is harmful - We must work together to ____ corruption.

walk a tightrope (idiom)

Đi trên dây (cân bằng) - To be in a difficult situation where you must be very careful - The manager is ____ between keeping costs low and quality high.

tread on sb's toes (idiom)

Đụng chạm/làm mất lòng - To offend someone by interfering in their responsibility - I don't want to ____, so I'll ask for permission first.

in gestation (idiom)

Trong giai đoạn hình thành - Developing or being created - The new project has been ____ for months.

cull sth from sth (v.phr)

Tuyển chọn/thu thập - To select from a large group - Many interesting facts were ____ old books.

doleful expression (n.phr)

Vẻ mặt buồn bã - A very sad look - She looked at him with a ____.

brazen it out (idiom)

Mặt dày chối cãi - To behave as if you are not ashamed despite wrongdoing - He lied, and then tried to ____ when caught.

gaudy (adj)

Lòe loẹt - Too bright and showy - She wore a ____ dress to the gala.

munificent (adj)

Hào phóng - Very generous - He is known for his ____ donations to charity.

a dearth of sth (n.phr)

Sự khan hiếm - A lack of something - There is ____ evidence to support his theory.

savour of sth (v)

Phảng phất/có vẻ - To have a suggestion of something - His speech ____ arrogance.

shrewd (adj)

Khôn ngoan/sắc sảo - Having good judgment - He is a ____ businessman.

moviemaking (n)

Việc làm phim - The process of making movies - He has spent his life in ____.

a self-fulfilling prophecy (n.phr)

Lời tiên tri tự ứng nghiệm - A belief that causes itself to become true - Believing you will fail can become ____.

telltale (adj)

Tiết lộ bí mật - Revealing information - The ____ signs of nervousness were visible on her face.

reactionary (adj)

Phản động - Opposed to political or social change - His views are seen as ____ by the younger generation.

a ticklish problem (n.phr)

Vấn đề nan giải - A difficult or delicate situation - That is a ____ to deal with.

furtive behaviour (n.phr)

Hành vi lén lút - Secretive and guilty-looking behavior - His ____ made the guards suspicious.

the acid test (n.phr)

Phép thử quan trọng nhất - The ultimate test of value or truth - Success in this project will be ____ of our new strategy.

an inauspicious start (n.phr)

Khởi đầu không tốt - A beginning that shows signs of failure - It was ____, but the project improved later.

mighty oaks from tiny acorns grow (proverb)

Cây sồi lớn từ hạt nhỏ - Great things have small beginnings - Never give up; remember, ____.

exultant feeling (n.phr)

Cảm giác hân hoan - A feeling of great joy or triumph - She had an ____ after winning.

muddle along (phr.v)

Xoay xở lúng túng - To manage without a clear plan - We just ____ until we found a solution.

tack on (phr.v)

Thêm vào miễn cưỡng - To add something to the end of something else - They ____ an extra fee to the bill.

pitch into sth (phr.v)

Nhào vào làm/tấn công - To start doing something with energy or to attack - Everyone ____ and helped clean the room.

profiteering (n)

Sự trục lợi - Making unfair profits, especially on essential goods - The company was accused of ____ during the crisis.

crusade (n)

Chiến dịch/cuộc vận động - A vigorous campaign for political or social change - She is on a ____ to improve local schools.

be treated with scorn (v.phr)

Bị đối xử khinh miệt - To be treated without respect - His suggestions were ____.

a pittance (n)

Tiền lương ít ỏi - A very small amount of money - They are paid ____ for hard work.

go out in a blaze of glory (idiom)

Ra đi rực rỡ - To end a career/life in an impressive way - He wants to ____.

injurious to sth (adj)

Có hại - Harmful - Smoking is ____ health.

socialite (n)

Người thượng lưu - A person well-known in fashionable society - She is a popular ____.

entwin (v)

Quấn lấy nhau - To twist or twine together - Ivy ____ the old walls.

daybreak (n)

Bình minh - The time in the morning when daylight appears - We left at ____.

pleasantries (n)

Lời xã giao - Polite, friendly conversation - They exchanged a few ____ before the meeting.

make a meal of sth (idiom)

Làm quá lên - To spend more effort than necessary - It was a minor mistake; don't ____.

brain addled by love (idiom)

Đầu óc quay cuồng vì yêu - Confused because of love - He is ____; he can't think straight.

vociferous (adj)

Ồn ào (bày tỏ ý kiến) - Expressing opinions loudly and strongly - There were ____ protests against the plan.

cast covetous looks at sth (v.phr)

Thèm khát cái gì - To look at something others have with desire - He ____ my new watch.

monkey with sth (phr.v)

Nghịch ngợm gây hỏng - To handle something causing damage - Stop ____ the wires!

discharge from the army/hospital (v)

Xuất ngũ/viện - To officially allow someone to leave - He was ____ after a week of treatment.

ooze confidence (v.phr)

Tràn đầy tự tin - To show a lot of confidence - She ____ in every meeting.

fob sb off with sth (phr.v)

Đánh lừa cho qua chuyện - To give something of low quality to stop complaining - Don't try to ____ excuses.

forsake (v)

Từ bỏ/ruồng bỏ - To abandon - She decided to ____ her old life.

siege (n)

Cuộc bao vây - A military operation surrounding a place - The city was under ____ for months.

erudite (adj)

Uyên bác - Having great knowledge - He is an ____ scholar.

hoots of laughter (n.phr)

Tiếng cười lớn - Loud, laughing sounds - Her story was met with ____.

atrocious habit (n.phr)

Thói quen tồi tệ - A very bad habit - Smoking is an ____.

nail down (phr.v)

Chốt lại/xác định - To reach a firm decision - We need to ____ the final dates.

the law of the jungle (idiom)

Luật rừng - Where the strongest survive without rules - In that market, it's ____.

surcharge (n)

Phí phụ thu - An additional charge - There is a ____ for credit card payments.

liquefy (v)

Làm hóa lỏng - To turn into a liquid - Heat causes the wax to ____.

liquidate (v)

Thanh lý - To close a business and sell assets - The company had to ____ its assets.

tonnage (n)

Trọng tải - The capacity of a ship or total shipping - The port handles heavy ____.

missionary (n)

Nhà truyền giáo - Someone sent to teach a religion - He spent years working as a ____.

farcical (adj)

Lố bịch - Relating to or resembling a farce - The whole trial was ____.

have sway over sb (v.phr)

Có quyền lực lên ai - To have power or influence over someone - The leader ____ his followers.

reel off (phr.v)

Đọc vanh vách - To say a list of things quickly - He ____ all the names of the winners.

in collusion with (idiom)

Cấu kết - Working secretly with someone dishonest - He was acting ____ the bank manager.

transitory nature (n.phr)

Bản chất ngắn ngủi - Lasting for a short time - Life is of a ____.

keel over (phr.v)

Ngã lăn ra - To fall over, usually from illness - He ____ from the heat.

take the rap for sth (idiom)

Chịu tội thay - To be punished for something you didn't do - He refused to ____ his brother.