english vocabulary in use advanced unit 75

fish for

​to try to get something, or to find out something, although you are pretending not to

• She's always _ compliments about her work.

• They'll _ information but be careful what you tell them.

take sth as a compliment

to be pleased about what someone says about you, even though they may not mean to be nice 

They all seem to think that I ask rather cheeky questions, which I’ll _.

a backhanded compliment

1. a remark that seems to say something pleasant about a person but could also be an insult:

• I say this unironically, and not as _.

• She was insulted by his _.

2. behaviour or an action that seems to suggest something good about someone or something but could also be an insult:

• It was _ that the worst criminals sought him out to represent them.

• The appearance of Hollywood stars in British ads is something of _.

double-edged

Something that is ~ acts in two ways, often with one negative and one positive effect:

• She paid me the _ compliment of saying my work was "excellent for a beginner."

• The government's programme to grow cash crops for export is a _ sword because it has created a local food shortage.

praiseworthy

(formal)

1. ​deserving praise

   synonym commendable

   • a _ achievement

praise somebody/something to the skies

to praise somebody/something a lot

• Her manager _.

damn somebody/something with faint praise

to praise someone or something so little or with so little enthusiasm that it suggests you do not really admire them:

• Of course, to say a restaurant isn't as bad as you thought it would be is to _.

• Some critics, while respecting his previous work, will _ his new ideas _.

pay tribute to someone/something

to praise someone or something:

• The minister _ the men who had fought the blaze.

• In the preface to her book, she _ Reeves as a pioneer in his field.

standing ovation

an occasion when the people in an audience stand up to clap at the end of a performance or speech because they liked it very much:

She received a _ at the end of her speech.

extol the virtues of someone/something

to praise something or someone very much:

• He was _ the single life only months ago, and now he is engaged to be married.

• She is forever _ her children.

~ tán dương, nhấn mạnh những điểm tích cực, điểm mạnh của ai hay cái gì đó

the toast of something

~ a particular place is a person who is very much admired there for something they have recently done:

Not so long ago Diana was a little-known actress playing in a provincial theatre - these days she's _ New York/the town.

a pat on the back

praise:

• I got _ from (= was praised by) my boss.

• You’ve done a great job, and you deserve _.

plaudit /ˈplɑː.dɪt/

praise:

• She's received _ for her work with homeless people.

• The quality of his photography earned/won him _ from the experts.

make up to

to be too friendly to someone or to praise them in order to get advantages for yourself:

Have you seen the disgusting way she _ the boss?

crawl (to somebody)

(informal, disapproving) to be too friendly or helpful to somebody in authority, in a way that is not sincere, especially in order to get an advantage from them

• She's always _ to the boss.

lick somebody’s boots

to try very hard to please someone in authority, usually in order to get an advantage:

He needn't expect me to go _!

smarmy /ˈsmɑːrmi/

​too polite in a way that is not sincere

synonym smooth

• a _ salesman

• To be honest I found the hotel staff rather _.

slimy /ˈslaɪmi/

1. ​(informal, disapproving) (of a person or their manner) polite and extremely friendly in a way that is not sincere or honest

   He was the very worst kind of _ salesman.

servile /ˈsɜːrvaɪl/

(disapproving)

1. ​wanting too much to please somebody and obey them

   • Parents have no right to demand _ obedience from their children.

obsequious /əbˈsiːkwiəs/

(formal, disapproving)

1. ​trying too hard to please somebody, especially somebody who is important

   synonym servile

   • an _ manner

   • The waiters came hurrying forward with _ smiles on their faces.

flatter

to make somebody look attractive; to make somebody seem more attractive or better than they really are

• That colour doesn't _ many people.

• The scoreline _ England (= they did not deserve to get such a high score).

• He agreed to do the interview because it _ his ego (= made him feel important).

flattery will get you everywhere/nowhere

1. ​(informal, humorous) praise that is not sincere will/will not get you what you want