english collocations advanced in use unit 47

trace

a very slight amount:

• _s of drugs were found in his blood.

• There is just a _ of grey in his hair.

• She speaks English without any _ of an accent.

booming

making a deep and loud hollow sound:

• a _ voice

• The van turns up, fully equipped with a _ sound system.

under your breath

1. ​to say something quietly so that people cannot hear

   • ‘Rubbish!’ she muttered _.

   • He was whispering rude remarks about her _.

stony

​showing a lack of feeling or sympathy

synonym cold

• They listened to him in _ silence.

• She met Luke’s hard, _ eyes.

slur

to pronounce words in a way that is not clear so that they run into each other, usually because you are drunk or tired

• She had drunk too much and her speech was _.

muffled

​(of sounds) not heard clearly because something is in the way that stops the sound from travelling easily

• _ voices from the next room

a clap of thunder

a sudden loud noise made by thunder:

There was a _ and then it started to pour with rain.

hush

[intransitive]

(used especially in orders)

to be quiet; to stop talking or crying

• _ now and try to sleep.

incessant /ɪnˈsesnt/

(usually disapproving)

1. ​never stopping

   synonym constant

   • _ noise/rain/chatter

   • _ meetings

   • There was _ traffic noise in the narrow streets.

reign

​[intransitive] (literary) (of an idea, a feeling or an atmosphere) to be the most obvious feature of a place or moment

• At last silence _ (= there was complete silence).

• For a while, chaos and confusion _.

dull thud

the sound that is made when something heavy falls or hits something else

• The bomb landed with a _.

• His head hit the floor with a _.

let out a cry

cause the sadest feeling out:

As soon as hearing about her health condition, she _.