Class 35. Homeschooling

techie /ˈtek.i/

a person who is expert in or enthusiastic about technology, especially computing; SYN technofile

to run a successful IT team, you need to be more than just a ~

shambling

characterized by slow awkward movement;

He was a strange, ~ figure.

scribble

to write or draw something quickly or carelessly;

The baby's just ~d all over my new dictionary!

She could barely make out the doctor's ~

She hastily ~d out a note.

the air of

give off a feeling that they are a certain way;

I always really enjoy this film festival, but ~ pretension in the place is so thick you could cut it with a knife.

Gloria always maintains ~ humility, despite all the success she's had.

Even though she has written so many award-winning books, she has no ~ superiority about her whatsoever.

scrub

to remove dirt from something by rubbing it hard with something rough;

She ~ed (at) the mark on the wall for a long time, but it wouldn't come off.

He ~bed the mud from his shoes.

adenoidal

if someone's voice is ~, some of the sound seems to come through their nose;

He sings in a slightly ~ voice.

a high-pitched, ~ voice

lilt

a pleasant gentle accent

He's got that lovely Irish ~ in his voice.

There was a charming ~ to her voice.

He speaks with Hispanic ~.

smear

to spread a liquid or a thick substance over a surface;

The children ~ed peanut butter all over the sofa.

The children ~ed the window with fingerprints.

She ~ed jam on her toast.

Butter was ~ed all over the counter.

Her mascara ~ed when she cried.

pounding

the action or the sound of something hitting a surface very hard many times;

the ~ of his heart

We were awoken by a ~ at the door.

There was a ~ in his head.

opt /ɑːpt/

to make a choice, especially of one thing or possibility instead of others

Mike ~ed for early retirement.

Most people ~ to have the operation.

After graduating she ~ed for a career in music.

After a lot of thought, I ~ed against buying a motorbike.

fiddle

to move things about or touch things with no particular purpose;

Put your papers down and stop ~ing with them!

the executive ~d with a pen as she impatiently waited for the meeting to begin

He was ~ing with his keys while he talked to me.

drop out

to leave an educational establishment without completing the year

He'd ~ of high school at the age of 16.

The ~ rate among students is currently one in three.

pay off

result in success;

All her hard work ~ in the end, and she finally passed the exam.

Sandra was determined to become a doctor and her persistence ~

slot into

to find a place for (someone or something) in a schedule, plan, etc

I can ~ you ~ between 3 and 4.

We ~ some extra lessons before the exam.

credo /ˈkree.doʊ/

a set of beliefs that influences the way you live;

we must abide by the simple ~ that "The customer is always right"

run through

be present in every part of

A deep melancholy ~ her poetry.

I ~ the options with him.

could you give me a quick ~ of what the referendum question is all about?

attribute sth to sth

if you ~ something to an event or situation, you think that it was caused by that event or situation;

Her success can be ~ed to three main factors.

She ~s her success to hard work and a little luck.

The power failure was ~d to the recent storms and high winds.

This play is usually ~d to Shakespeare.

broadside /ˈbrɔːd.saɪd/

a fierce verbal attack;

The candidate fired/launched yet another ~ at the president.

The prime minister fired a ~ at his critics.

strain

a state of tension or exhaustion resulting from severe demands

He's been under a lot of ... recently.

the family's constant moving is putting a real ~ on the children

Their marriage is under great ~ at the moment.

secular

not having any connection with religion;

We live in an increasingly ~ society, in which religion has less and less influence on our daily lives.

~ culture/education/institution

no stranger to

to be familiar with a particular experience or activity;

He is ~ hard work.

We were both ~ diplomatic life.

helm/ at the helm

direct or control; officially controlling an organization or company;

With Steve Lewis ~, we are certain of success.

Lucenti took over the ~ when the previous director retired.

He has been ~ for 31 years.

worlds apart

ALSO poles apart

to be completely opposed or different;

They ~ in their political views.

Intellectually, this man and I are ~.

Although they are twins, they are ~ in their attitude to life.

inherently /ɪnˈherəntli/

existing as a natural or basic part of something;

There's nothing ~ wrong with his ideas.

the judge's observation that women are not ~ better at parenting than men

~ bad/corrupt/dangerous/flawed/risky

maddening ˈmad-niŋ

extremely irritating; SYN infuriating

She has a ~ habit of interrupting me when I'm talking to her.

Shopping in the January sales can be ~.

He found her behaviour maddening.

presumption

something that is accepted as true but is not certain to be true;

The ~ of innocence is central to American law.

I'm having to make a lot of ~s since I don't really know anything about the case.

There is a general ~ that the doctor knows best.

harbor

hold especially persistently in the mind

He's been ~ing a grudge against her ever since his promotion was refused.

She began to ~ doubts about the decision.

to ~ thoughts of revenge

He still ~ ambitions of playing professional soccer.

misgiving /ˌmɪsˈɡɪvɪŋ/

a feeling of doubt or worry about a future event;

Many teachers expressed serious ~s about the new tests.

She had some ~s about what she was about to do.

The first words of the text filled us with ~.

She decided to go despite her ~s.

withstand

to be able to successfully cope with something or to be able to resist or remain unaffected by something;

a bridge designed to ~ earthquakes

cookware that can ~ high temperatures

I couldn't ~ the rigors of army life.

They ~ attacks from many critics.

overturn

to (cause to) turn over, change, turn upside down;

The car skidded off the road, hit a tree and ~ed.

~ a decision/conviction/verdict

This argument seems convincing, but is easily ~ed.

sift through

to make a close examination of all the parts of something in order to find something or to separate what is useful from what is not;

After my father's death, I had to ~ all his papers.

paramour /ˈpær.ə.mɔːr/

Paramour came to English from French (a language based on Latin), though the modern French don't use the word. Since par amour meant "through love", it implies a relationship based solely on love, often physical love, rather than on social custom or ceremony. So today it tends to refer to the lover of a married man or woman, but may be used for any lover who isn't obeying the social rules.

the person you are having a romantic or sexual relationship with, but are not married to; old use or literary

His wife suspected that he had a ~

To avoid being discovered, Jason often met his ~ at a hotel on the outside of town.

empowering

something that is ~ makes you more confident and makes you feel that you are in control;

For me, learning to drive was an ~ experience.

Such experiences can be ~

at your disposal

able to be used by you; able to help you;

I don't have a car ~

He will have a car at his ~ for the whole month.

Well, I'm at your ~

whine

to utter a high-pitched plaintive or distressed cry; complain; Alice, if you keep ...ing I won't take you - do you understand?

lucrative /ˈluː.krə.tɪv/

producing a lot of money, wealth; profitable;

The merger proved to be very ~ for both companies.

a ~ business/contract/market

Had the plan worked it would have proved highly ~.

up to snuff

of sufficient quality : meeting an applicable standard

The phone system just wasn't ~

gear

to prepare something or make it suitable for a particular situation, group, or use;

Our program is ~ed to the needs of children.

The course had been ~ed towards the specific needs of its members.

They ~ the workouts to your specific needs.

Our training program are ~ed specifically to the needs of older workers.

acumen /ˈæk.jə.mən/

skill in making correct decisions and judgments in a particular subject;

She has considerable business/financial ~

He had demonstrated considerable business ~.

commercial/financial/political ~

She has an ~ for handling finances that far exceeds what one typically finds in our industry.

a far cry from

very different from; a long way;

This flat is ~ the house they had before.

All this luxury was ~ the poverty of his childhood.

in droves

in large quantities;

Local reporters arrived ~

came/leave ~

people flocked to the annual festival ~

deviation

the action of doing something that is different from the usual or common way of behaving;

Any ~ from the party philosophy is seen as betrayal.

Having juice instead of coffee was a ~ from his usual routine.

The pattern's ~ from the norm is significant.

proffer SYN offer

A more formal word than its plainer relation, proffer often emphasizes courteousness on the part of the one doing the tendering.

to offer advice or an opinion;

I didn't think it wise to ~ an opinion.

The army has not yet ~ed an explanation of how and why the accident happened.

He ~ed advice on how best to proceed.

~ed his assistance in helping the two sides reach a compromise

confines

the borders or boundaries of a place, especially with regard to their restricting freedom of movement;

within/beyond the ~ of the city

It is beyond the ~ of human knowledge.

It is a story that must not escape the ~ of this room.

She wanted to experience things outside the close ~ of family life.

minefield

a situation or subject that is very complicated and full of hidden problems and dangers;

a legal ~;

a ~ of ethical problems

Tax can be a ~ for the unwary.

You will first have to pick your way through the ~ of professional advice.

resent

to feel angry because you have been forced to accept someone or something that you do not like;

She bitterly ~ed her father's new wife.

I deeply ~ed her criticism.

The children ~ed the new woman in their father's life.

He bitterly ~s being treated like a child.

animosity

a strong feeling of dislike and anger;

Of course we're competitive, but there's no personal ~between us.

They managed to discuss their past disagreements without ~.

worsened ~ between the rivals

ire

anger; formal; more frequent in literary contexts

Petty restrictions easily raised/aroused the ~ of such a creative artist.

Their ~ was leveled mainly at the government.

cheeks flushed with ~

He directed his ~ at the coworkers who reported the incident.

the patronizing comment from the snooty waiter roused her ~

decipher

to discover the meaning of something written badly or in a difficult or hidden way;

Can you ~ the writing on this envelope?

~ a secret message

I couldn't ~ his sloppy handwriting

compelling

attractive, or irresistible, or really, really convincing; ... evidence; very exciting and interesting and making you want to watch or listen;

I found the whole film very ~

Her latest book makes ~ reading.

There is no ~ reason to believe him.

The new studies provide ~ evidence in support of these concepts.