unit 7

handicraft	noun	ˈhændikrɑːft	an activity such as sewing or making baskets, in which you use your hands in a skilful way to make things	a shop selling handicrafts
bazaar	noun	bəˈzɑː	a market or area where there are a lot of small shops, especially in India or the Middle East	I bought a lovely leather bag at the bazaar in Delhi.
boutique	noun	/buːˈtiːk/	a small shop that sells fashionable clothes or expensive gifts
kasbah	noun	ˈkæz bɑː	the area surrounging a North African citadel	He took me to a flat in the kasbah.
archetypal	adj	ˌɑːkɪˈtaɪpəl	being a perfect example of sth, because it has all the most important qualities of things that belong to that type	Byron was the archetypal Romantic hero.
pushy	adj	/ˈpʊʃi/	trying hard to get what you want, especially in a way that seems rude	a pushy salesman
humility	noun	/hjuːˈmɪləti/	the quality of not thinking that you are better than other people; the quality of being humble	Her first defeat was an early lesson in humility.
fickle	adj	/ˈfɪkl/	changing often and suddenly	The weather here is notoriously fickle.
trinket	noun	/ˈtrɪŋkɪt/	a piece of jewellery or small attractive object that is not worth much money	On her dressing table there was a comb, a mirror and a few trinkets.
haggle (over/about sth)	verb	/ˈhæɡl/	to argue with somebody in order to reach an agreement, especially about the price of something	I left him in the market haggling over the price of a shirt.
hassle	verb	/ˈhæsl/	to annoy somebody or cause them trouble, especially by asking them to do something many times	Your brother’s been hassling me for cash.
categorise	verb	/ˈkætəɡəraɪz/	to put people or things into groups according to what type they are; classify	Participants were categorized according to age.
tailor sth to/for sb/sth	verb	/ˈteɪlə(r)/	to make or adapt something for a particular purpose, a particular person, etc.	Special programmes of study are tailored to the needs of specific groups.
tricky	adj	/ˈtrɪki/	difficult to do or deal with	The equipment can be tricky to install.
merchandise	noun [U]	/ˈmɜːtʃəndaɪs/	goods that are for sale in a shop	a wide selection of merchandise
convert	verb	kənˈvɜːt	to change sth into a different form, or to change sth so that it can be used for a different purpose	They converted the spare bedroom into an office.
akin to sth	adj	/əˈkɪn/	similar to something	This game is closely akin to hockey.
lay out	phrv		to plan how something should look and arrange it in this way	a well-laid-out magazine
try out	phrv		to test or use somebody/something in order to see how good or effective they are	They're trying out a new presenter for the show.
soulless	adj	/ˈsəʊlləs/	not having any attractive or interesting qualities that make people feel happy; depressing	They live in soulless concrete blocks.
cut-throat	adj	/ˈkʌt θrəʊt/	in which people compete with each other in aggressive and unfair ways	the cut-throat world of politics
shark-like	adj	ʃɑːk laɪk	something that has the quality of a shark: someone who cheats other people out of money	a shark-like determination
competition	noun	/ˌkɒmpəˈtɪʃn/	singular or plural verb] the people who are competing against somebody	The competition is/are bringing out a new model.
out of (e.g. enthusiasm)	phrase		used to show the reason why someone does something	I took the job out of necessity because we had no money left.
gullible	adj	ˈɡʌlɪbəl	too ready to believe what other people tell you, so that you are easily tricked	Plastic replicas of the Greek pottery are sold to gullible tourists.
virtually	adv	ˈvɜːtʃuəli	being made, done, seen, etc., on the Internet or on a computer, rather than in the real world	The website allows you to take a tour of the art gallery virtually.
staggering	adj	ˈstæɡərɪŋ	extremely great or surprising	The cost was a staggering $10 million.
retail	noun	/ˈriːteɪl/	the selling of goods to the public, usually through shops	department stores and other retail outlets
campaign	noun	/kæmˈpeɪn/	a series of planned activities that are intended to achieve a particular social, commercial or political aim	an advertising/a marketing campaign
wholeheartedly	adv	ˌhəʊl ˈhɑːtɪdli	involving all your feelings, interests, etc.	I agree whole-heartedly with the mayor on this issue.
technique	noun	/tekˈniːk/	a particular way of doing something	sales techniques
payoff	noun	ˈpeɪɒf	an advantage or profit that you get as a result of doing something	With electric cars there is a big environmental payoff.
rapport	noun	ræˈpɔː	friendly agreement and understanding between people	He had an excellent rapport with his patients.
evoke (e.g. memories)	verb	/ɪˈvəʊk/	to bring a feeling, a memory or an image into your mind	The music evoked memories of her youth. His case is unlikely to evoke public sympathy.
coincidentally	adv	/kəʊˌɪnsɪˈdentəli/	in a way that is not planned, but happens by chance	Coincidentally, they had both studied in Paris.
out of order	phrase		behaving in a way that is not acceptable or right (US: out of line)	You were well out of order taking it without asking.
far-fetched	adj	/ˌfɑː ˈfetʃt/	extremely unlikely to be true or to happen	The whole story sounds very far-fetched.
enhance	verb	/ɪnˈhɑːns/	to increase or further improve the good quality, value or status of somebody/something	things that can significantly enhance the quality of your life
incentive	noun	/ɪnˈsentɪv/	(for/to somebody/something) (to do something) something that encourages you to do something	There is no incentive for people to save fuel.
pump	phrv	/pʌmp/	to make water, air, gas, etc. flow in a particular direction by using a pump or something that works like a pump	The lungs pump oxygen into the bloodstream.
sinister	adj	/ˈsɪnɪstə(r)/	seeming evil or dangerous; making you think something bad will happen	We needn’t assume that there was a sinister motive for what she did.
pose	noun	pəʊz	the position in which someone stands or sits, especially in a painting, photograph, etc.	a painting of the Duchess in a dramatic pose
scent	noun	sent	a pleasant smell that something has	a yellow rose with a lovely scent
aroma	noun	/əˈrəʊmə/	a pleasant smell that is easy to notice	A delicious aroma was coming from the kitchen.
justified	adj	ˈdʒʌstɪfaɪd	having an acceptable explanation or reason	In the Chief Constable’s view, the use of force was fully justified.
overpowering	adj	ˌəʊvəˈpaʊərɪŋ	very strong	an overpowering smell of rotten flesh
accentuate	verb	əkˈsentʃueɪt	to make something more noticeable	The photograph seemed to accentuate his large nose.
occurring	adj	əˈkɜːrɪŋ	something that happens	a naturally occuring sound
undetectable	adj	ˌʌn di ˈtektəbl	when something isn't noticeable or discovered, espcially something that is not easy to see, hear, etc.	The smoke from the fire was undetectable at first.
manipulate	verb	məˈnɪpjəleɪt	to make someone think and behave exactly as you want them to, by skilfully deceiving or influencing them	He was one of those men who manipulated people.
heart and soul	noun	hɑːt ənd səʊl	the whole of one's energy and passion	She put her heart and soul into her dance classes.
to good/great/dramatic etc. effect	phrase		producing a good, successful, dramatic, etc. result or impression	The air conditioning came on, to little effect.
be into sth	phrase		to be interested in something in an active way	He's into surfing in a big way.
entice	verb	ɪnˈtaɪs	to persuade someone to do something or go somewhere, usually by offering them something that they want	The birds were enticed back into Britain 40 years ago.
fair enough	phrase		used to say that an idea or suggestion seems reasonable	‘We'll meet at 8.’ ‘Fair enough.’
remind sb of sth	phrv	/rɪˈmaɪnd/	make somebody remember or think about something	You remind me of your father when you say that.
cheer up	phrv		to become more cheerful; to make somebody/something more cheerful	I cheered her up with a trip to the zoo.
drowsy	adj	/ˈdraʊzi/	sleepy	The tablets may make you feel drowsy.
get to sleep	phrase		to succeed in starting to sleep	I couldn't get to sleep at all last night, I was so worried.
cinnamon	noun	ˈsɪnəmən	a sweet-smelling brown substance used for giving a special taste to cakes and other sweet foods	a cinnamon roll
lavender	noun	ˈlævəndə	a plant that has grey-green leaves and purple flowers with a strong pleasant smell	a lavender bush
sour	adj	saʊə	having a sharp acid taste, like the taste of a lemon or a fruit that is not ready to be eaten	Rachel sampled the wine. It was sour.
acknowledge	verb	/əkˈnɒlɪdʒ/	to accept that something is true	I have to acknowledge the fact that I am partly responsible.
umami	adj	uːˈmɑːmi	having a strong pleasant taste that is not sweet, sour, salty, or bitter, esp. like the tastes found in meat, strong cheeses, tomatoes, etc.	Western scientists are just starting to recognise umami as an official taste.
asparagus	noun	əˈspærəɡəs	a long thin green vegetable with a point at one end	The crop of aspagarus was better than ever this year.
detect	verb	dɪˈtekt	to notice or discover something, especially something that is not easy to see, hear, etc.	Many forms of cancer can be cured if detected early.
go for sth	phrase		to like or prefer somebody/something	I don't really go for modern art.
in a big way	phrase		on a large scale; very much	He fell for her in a big way (= was very attracted to her).
avant-garde	adj	ˌævɒŋ ˈɡɑːd	avant-garde music, literature, etc., is extremely modern and often seems strange or slightly shocking	an avant-garde play
make one's mark	phrase		to become famous and successful in a particular area	She quickly made her mark as a film director.
unalike	adj	/ˌʌn.əˈlaɪk/	not similar	The political views of the two women could hardly be more unalike.
texture	noun	/ˈtekstʃə(r)/	the way food or drink tastes or feels in your mouth, for example whether it is rough, smooth, light, heavy, etc.	The two cheeses were very different in both taste and texture.
deteriorate	verb	/dɪˈtɪəriəreɪt/	to become worse	They had to cope with deteriorating weather conditions.
humble	adj	ˈhʌmbəl	not considering yourself or things to be as important as other people’s	a modest and humble man
consciousness	noun	ˈkɒnʃəsnəs	when you know that something exists or is true	This will increase public consciousness of the pollution issue.
quiz	verb	kwɪz	to ask someone a lot of questions	Four men have been quizzed about the burglary, but no one has yet been charged.
grant	verb	ɡrɑːnt	to give someone something or allow them to have something that they have asked for	I would love to be able to grant her wish.
diverse	adj	daɪˈvɜːs	very different from each other	subjects as diverse as pop music and archaeology
incompetent	adj	ɪnˈkɒmpɪtənt	not having the ability or skill to do a job properly	an incompetent manager
assumed	adj	əˈsjuːmd	when something is thought to be true, although you do not have definite proof	the assumed differences between the two states
hysterical	adj	hɪˈsterɪkəl	unable to control your behaviour or emotions because you are very upset, afraid, excited, etc.	Janet became hysterical and began screaming.
mouldy	adj	ˈməʊldi	covered with mould (a soft green, grey, or black substance that grows on food which has been kept too long)	mouldy cheese
plummet	verb	ˈplʌmət	to suddenly and quickly decrease in value or amount	Profits plummeted from £49 million to £11 million.
impair	verb	ɪmˈpeə	to damage something or make it not as good as it should be	The illness had impaired his ability to think and concentrate.
agitated	adj	ˈædʒɪteɪtəd	so nervous or upset that you are unable to keep still or think calmly	Amanda was getting visibly agitated.
sheer	adj	ʃɪə	used to emphasise the amount, size, or degree of something	The sheer size of some files caused problems.
translucent	adj	trænzˈluːsənt	not transparent, but clear enough to allow light to pass through	Blue veins showed through her translucent skin.
multitude	noun	ˈmʌltɪtjuːd	a very large number of people or things	I had never seen such a multitude of stars before.
intrinsic	adj	ɪnˈtrɪnsɪk, -zɪk	being part of the nature or character of someone or something	the intrinsic interest of the subject
hackles	noun	ˈhækəlz	if someone’s hackles rise, they begin to feel very angry, because someone’s behaviour or attitude offends them	Laura heard his remark, and felt her hackles rising.
luminous	adj	ˈluːmɪnəs	shining in the dark	luminous paint
glitter	noun	ˈɡlɪtə	brightness consisting of many flashing points of light	the glitter of her gold necklace
glow	noun	ɡləʊ	a soft steady light	the glow from the dying fire
glimmer	noun	ˈɡlɪmə	a small sign of something such as hope or understanding	a glimmer of hope for the future
registration	noun	ˌredʒɪˈstreɪʃən	the act of recording names and details on an official list	the registration of motor vehicles
juggle	verb	ˈdʒʌɡəl	to try to fit two or more jobs, activities, etc., into your life, especially with difficulty	It’s hard trying to juggle a job with kids and the housework.
competing	adj	kəmˈpiːtɪŋ	competing stories, ideas, etc., cannot all be right or accepted	Several people gave competing accounts of the accident.
concern	noun	kən ˈsɜːn	something that is important to a person, an organization, etc.	What are your biggest concerns as a writer?
notorious	adj	nəʊˈtɔːriəs, nə-	famous or well known for something bad	a notorious computer hacker
demise	noun	dɪˈmaɪz	the end of something that used to exist	the imminent demise of the local newspaper
creamy	adj	ˈkriːmɪ	thick and smooth like cream	A soft cheese has a creamier texture than a hard cheese.
zippy	adj	ˈzɪpɪ	fast and exciting	My car is zippier than the one I had before.
submissiveness	noun	səb ˈmɪs ɪvnəs	a willingness to obey someone and never disagree with them, even if they are unkind to you	Submissiveness is sometimes seen as a sign of weakness.
convey	verb	/kənˈveɪ/	to make ideas, feelings, etc. known to somebody; communicate	Colours like red convey a sense of energy and strength.
resilience	noun	rɪˈzɪliəns	the ability to become strong, happy, or successful again after a difficult situation or event	Their courage and resilience inspired us all.
gutsiness	noun	ˈgʌtsɪnɪs	the strong and interesting nature of something	You have to admire her sheer gutsiness for entering the competition.
steer clear of	phrv	stɪə klɪə əv	to avoid someone or something unpleasant or difficult	Jo tried to steer clear of political issues.
marketer	noun	/ˈmɑːkɪtə(r)/	a person or business whose job is to present, advertise and sell a company's products in the best possible way	a company that is a developer and marketer of software
disastrous	adj	/dɪˈzɑːstrəs/	very bad, harmful or unsuccessful; catastrophic	It was a disastrous start to the season for the team.
notorious	adj	/nəʊˈtɔːriəs/	well known for being bad	a location made notorious by battles between local gangs
bring about	phrv		to make something happen; cause	What brought about the change in his attitude?
debacle	noun	deɪˈbɑːkəl, dɪ-	an event or situation that is a complete failure	the debacle of the 1994 elections
come up with sth	phrv		to find or produce an answer, a sum of money, etc.	She came up with a new idea for increasing sales.
dismally	adv	ˈdɪzməli	in a way that is so bad it makes you feel very unhappy and hopeless	The first half was disappointing with both teams performing dismally.
a host of sb/sth	noun	/həʊst/	a large number of people or things	Lavender oil can relieve a whole host of ailments.
brand name	phrase	/ˈbrænd neɪm/	the name given to a product by the company that produces it; trade name	Coca-Cola's global brand name recognition
linguist	noun	ˈlɪŋɡwɪst	someone who is good at foreign languages, especially someone who speaks several	a brilliant linguist at the university
symbolism	noun	ˈsɪmbəlɪzəm	the use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities	religious symbolism
symbolise	verb	ˈsɪmbəlaɪz	if something symbolises a quality, feeling, etc., it represents it	Crime often symbolises a wider social problem.
correspondence	noun	/ˌkɒrəˈspɒndəns/	(between A and B) a connection between two things; the fact of two things being similar	a close correspondence between theory and practice
amphibian	noun	æmˈfɪbiən	an animal such as a frog that can live both on land and in water	She was surprised at how many amphibians were surviving in this lake.
whining	adj	ˈwaɪnɪŋ	making a long high sound because something or someone is in pain or unhappy	He could hear the dog whining behind the door.
whimpering	noun	ˈwɪmpərɪŋ	making low crying sounds	He could hear the dog whimper.
inevitably	adv	/ɪnˈevɪtəbli/	as is certain to happen	Their arguments inevitably end in tears.
pick up	phrv		to receive an electronic signal, sound or picture	The survivors were rescued after their sounds were picked up by a television crew's microphone.
partial	adj	ˈpɑːʃəl	not complete	The exhibition was only a partial success.
word-of-mouth	adj		given or done by people telling people about something	We get most of our work through word-of-mouth recommendations.
stealth	noun	stelθ	when you do something very quietly, slowly, or secretly, so that no one notices you	Cats rely on stealth to catch their prey.
let slip sth	phrase		to give somebody information that is supposed to be secret	I happened to let it slip that he had given me £1 000 for the car.
smell a rat	phrase		to suspect that something is wrong about a situation	He's been working late with her every night this week - I smell a rat!
in passing	phrase		done or said when your main focus is something different; casually	He only mentioned it in passing and didn't give any details.
catch on (to something)	phrv		to understand something	He is very quick to catch on to things.
fob off	phrv		to try to stop somebody asking questions or complaining by telling them something that is not true	Don't let him fob you off with any more excuses.
insult sb's intelligence	phrase		(or: be an insult to sb's intelligence) to treat someone as though he or she is stupid	You're saying those photos are real? Don't insult my intelligence.
live up to	phrv		to do as well as or be as good as other people expect you to	He failed to live up to his parents' expectations.
pop-up	noun	/ˈpɒp ʌp/	a computer window, esp. one containing an ad, which appears on the screen although it has not been requested	an advertising pop-up
imposition	noun	ˌɪmpəˈzɪʃən	the introduction of something such as a rule, punishment, tax, etc.	the imposition of martial law
telemarketing	noun	ˌteliˈmɑːkətɪŋ	a way of selling products to people in which you telephone people to see if they want to buy something	telemarketing companies
patronised	adj	ˈpætrənaɪzd	when you are talked to by someone in a way which seems friendly but shows that they think you are not as intelligent as them	It's nice to work in a job where I don't feel I'm being patronised.
commission	verb	kəˈmɪʃən	to formally ask someone to write an official report, produce a work of art for you, etc.	The report was commissioned by the Welsh Office.
hoarding	noun	ˈhɔːdɪŋ	a large board fixed high on a wall outside on which large advertisements are shown	advertising hoardings
giveaway	noun	ˈɡɪvəweɪ	something that is given away free, especially something that a shop gives you when you buy a product	Comic books were first published in the US in 1933, for use as advertising giveaways.
overload	noun	ˌəʊvəˈləʊd	to put too many things or people on or into something	the modern day information overload
downturn	noun	ˈdaʊntɜːn	a period or process in which business activity, production, etc., is reduced and conditions become worse	America’s current economic downturn
downhill	adv	ˌdaʊnˈhɪl	if something that was successful is going downhill, it is starting to fail, and is getting gradually worse	Sales had peaked in 2005 at $3.8 million but had gone steadily downhill.
empathy	noun	ˈempəθi	the ability to understand other people’s feelings and problems	She had great empathy with people.
bankrupt	adj	ˈbæŋkrʌpt	without enough money to pay what you owe	The firm went bankrupt before the building work was completed.
tackle	verb	ˈtækəl	to try to deal with a difficult problem	There is more than one way to tackle the problem.
mounting	adj	ˈmaʊntɪŋ	gradually increasing – often used about things that cause problems or trouble	There was mounting pressure on him to resign.
on (special) offer	phrase		on sale at a lower price than normal for a short period of time	Italian wines are on (special) offer this week.
alter	verb	/ˈɔːltə(r)/	to become different; to make somebody/something different	He had altered so much I scarcely recognized him.
overindulgence	noun	/ˌəʊvərɪnˈdʌldʒəns/	the fact of having too much of something nice, especially food or drink	The holidays are always a time of overindulgence.
head-on	adv	/ˌhed ˈɒn/	by expressing strong views and dealing with something in a direct way	to tackle a problem head-on (= without trying to avoid it)
fast	noun	/fɑːst/	a period during which you do not eat food, especially for religious or health reasons	He observes the fast of Ramadan.
swap	verb	/swɒp/	to give something to somebody and receive something in exchange	I've finished this magazine. Can I swap with you? I swapped my red scarf for her blue one.