off the beaten track: far away from other people, houses, etc. E.g. They live miles off the beaten track.
chill out:
to spend time relaxing; to relax and stop feeling angry or nervous about something. E.g. They sometimes meet up to chill out and watch a movie. Sit down and chill out!
unwind /ˌʌnˈwaɪnd/, unwound /ˌʌnˈwaʊnd/, unwound /ˌʌnˈwaʊnd/
to stop worrying or thinking about problems and start to relax. E.g. Music helps me unwind after a busy day.
wind down: /waɪnd/ wound /waʊnd/ wound /waʊnd/ (of a person) to rest or relax after a period of activity or excitement. E.g. When he goes on holiday, it takes him the first couple of days just to wind down.
kick back: to relax. E.g. Kick back and enjoy the summer.
de-stress (somebody/yourself) to relax after working hard or experiencing stress; to reduce the amount of stress that you experience. E.g. De-stress yourself with a relaxing bath.
switch off (informal) to stop thinking about something or paying attention to something. E.g. When I hear the word ‘football’ I switch off (= because I am not interested in it). The only time he really switches off (= stops thinking about work, etc.) is when we're on vacation.
take a rest e.g. to have/take a rest from all your hard work. He took a short rest in the afternoon.
while something away: to spend time in a pleasant lazy way. E.g. We whiled away the time reading and playing cards. We whiled away the Saturday afternoon sitting by the lake. Commuters while away the time they are stuck in traffic by listening to their favourite radio station.
take time out to spend some time away from your usual work or activity in order to rest or do something else instead. E.g. She is taking time out from her music career for a year. It's very beneficial to take time out to relax each day. He's taking time out between high school and
starting at the university. Mary's taking time out from her job to work
abroad for a year.
take your mind off something to make you forget about something unpleasant for a short time. Distract. E.g. Painting helped take her mind off her troubles. A good night out will help you take your mind off exams.
let your hair down (informal) to relax and enjoy yourself, especially in a lively way. E.g. It's
about time you let your hair down and had some fun! We need a place
where young folk can let their hair down and enjoy themselves.
put your feet up: to sit down and relax, especially with your feet raised and supported. E.g. After a hard day's work, it's nice to get home and put your feet up.
slow down live or work less actively or intensely. e.g. You must slow down (= work less hard) or you'll make yourself ill. I wasn’t feeling well and had to slow down
take it/things easy to relax and avoid working too hard or doing too much. E.g. The doctor told me to take it easy for a few weeks. I like to take things easy when I'm on holiday.
kick up your heels: to do things that you enjoy. E.g. After final exams we kicked up our heels and had a really good party.
rough it (informal) to live in a way that is not very comfortable for a short time. E.g. We can sleep on the beach. I don't mind roughing it for a night or two.
live/sleep rough
spend a fortune: E.g. You don't have to spend a fortune to give your family tasty, healthy meals.
over the odds: more than something is really worth. E.g. It's a nice enough car but I'm sure she paid over the odds for it.
take somebody to the cleaners (informal): to steal all of somebody’s money, etc., or to get it using a trick. to get a lot of money from someone, especially by cheating them. E.g They got taken to the cleaners by a dishonest contractor.
fleece: /fliːs/
fleece somebody (informal) to take a lot of money from somebody by charging them too much. E.g. Some local shops have been fleecing tourists.
fleece: (N) the wool coat of a sheep.
skin: to cheat or overcharge someone. E.g. The guy who sold me this car really skinned me.
take somebody for a ride
trustworthy
untrustworthy
trusting: tending to believe that other people are good, honest, etc. E.g. If you're too trusting, other people will take advantage of you. There is a need for a trusting relationship between client and consultant.
trustful: Having or marked by a total belief in the reliability, truth, or ability of someone.‘a trustful acceptance of authority’.trusty: that you have had a long time and have always been able to rely on. E.g. a trusty friend She spent years touring Europe with her trusty old camera.mistrustful: having no confidence in somebody/something because you think they may be harmful; not trusting somebody/something E.g. mistrustful (of somebody/something) Some people are very mistrustful of computers. Since the accident he has become withdrawn and mistrustful.
mistrust somebody/something to have no confidence in somebody/something because you think they may be harmful; to not trust somebody/something. Distrust. E.g. She mistrusts anyone in a position of authority.distrust somebody/something to feel that you cannot trust or believe somebody/something. E.g. She distrusted his motives for wanting to see her again.distrustful unwilling to trust somebody/something. E.g. He has always been distrustful of authority.
gullible: /ˈɡʌləbl/ too willing to believe or accept what other people tell you and therefore easily tricked. E.g. The advertisement is aimed at gullible young women worried about their weight.
on a shoestring (informal) using very little money. E.g. In the early years, the business was run on a shoestring. Some people get by on a shoestring budget.
culture vulture: a person who is very interested in serious art, music, literature, etc. E.g. He enjoys being a culture vulture.
in the lap of luxury in easy, comfortable conditions, and enjoying the advantages of being rich. E.g. We spent two weeks in the hotel living in the lap of luxury.
2002 edition vocabulary:
- Landmark: /ˈlændmɑːk/ something, such as a large building, that you can see clearly from a distance and that will help you to know where you are. Sp. Punto de referencia, lugar muy conocido. E.g. The Empire State Building is a familiar landmark on the New York skyline.
- Evocative: /ɪˈvɒkətɪv/ making you think of or remember a strong image or feeling, in a pleasant way. E.g. evocative smells/sounds/music. Her new book is wonderfully evocative of village life. The Taj Mahal /ˌtɑːdʒ mə ˈhɑːl/ is evocative of a past era of romance and elegance.
- Mausoleum: /ˌmɔːsəˈliːəm/ a special building made to hold the dead body of an important person or the dead bodies of a family. E.g. The royal mausoleum.
- Inlaid: decorated with designs of wood, metal, etc. that are set into the surface. Sp. Incrustado. E.g. An inlaid wooden box. A box inlaid with gold. The Taj Mahal is built of white marble and inlaid with semi-precious stones and mosaic / məʊ ˈzeɪ ɪk/ work.
- Mast: /mɑːst/ 1. a tall pole on a boat or ship that supports the sails. Sp. Mástil 2. A tall metal tower with an aerial /ˈeəriəl/ that sends and receives radio or television signals. Repetidor. E.g. The Empire State Building is 449 metres high, including a 68 metre high TV mast added in 1951. 3. A tall pole that is used for holding a flag.
A
prospect: an idea of what might or will happen in the future. Sp. posibilidad. E.g. an exciting prospect. Travelling alone around the world is a daunting prospect. Prospect (of something/ of doing something) E.g. The prospect of becoming a father filled him with alarm.
liable to do something: likely to do something. E.g. We're all liable to make mistakes when we're tired. The bridge is liable to collapse at any moment.
downcast: sad or depressed. Dejected. E.g. A group of downcast men stood waiting for food.
anticipate (doing) something| anticipate (something doing) something to think with pleasure and excitement about something that is going to happen. E.g. We eagerly anticipated the day we would leave school. The more I anticipated arriving somewhere, the more disappointed I was.
eagerly: in a very interested and excited way. E.g. the band's eagerly awaited new CD. They eagerly accepted my offer of hospitality.
constraint: /kənˈstreɪnt/ a thing that limits or restricts something, or your freedom to do something. E.g. constraints of time/ money/ space. Financial/ economic/ legal/ political constraints. Constraint on something This decision will impose serious constraints on all schools.
embody: to express or represent an idea or a quality. E.g. embody something a politician who embodied the hopes of black youth. Be embodied in something the principles embodied in the Declaration of Human Rights.
unknowingly: not aware of what you are doing or what is happening. E.g. She had unknowingly broken the rules.
staple (of something) a large or important part of something. E.g. Royal gossip is a staple of the tabloid press.
dreary: /ˈdrɪəri/ that makes you feel sad; dull and not interesting. E.g. a dreary winter's day. A dreary film. A long and dreary journey on the train.
lethargy: /ˈleθədʒi/ the state of not having any energy or enthusiasm for doing things. E.g. The report criticizes the lethargy shown by employers when it comes to job creation.
B
temperamental: /ˌtemprəˈmentl/ having a tendency to become angry, excited or upset easily, and to behave in an unreasonable way. E.g. You never know what to expect with her. She's so temperamental. (Figurative) The printer's being temperamental this morning. He's a temperamental player (= he plays well or badly according to his mood).
deckchair: a folding chair with a seat made from a long strip of material on a wooden or metal frame, used for example on a beach.
enervating somebody /ˈenəveɪtɪŋ/ (formal) to make somebody feel weak and tired. E.g. an enervating disease/ climate.
lodge: to become fixed or stuck somewhere; to make something become fixed or stuck somewhere. Lodge in something One of the bullets lodged in his chest. Lodge something in something She lodged the number firmly in her mind.
cloud something: to make something less pleasant or enjoyable. E.g. His last years were clouded by financial worries. Her political future was clouded by allegations of misconduct.
self-disgust: shame resulting from strong dislike of yourself or your actions.
pore over something: to look at or read something very carefully. Examine. E.g. His lawyers are poring over the small print in the contract.
oblivious: /əˈblɪviəs/ not aware of something.
oblivious (of something) He drove off, oblivious of the damage he had caused.
oblivious (to something) You eventually become oblivious to the noise. The couple seemed oblivious to what was going on around them.
bedfellow: /ˈbedfeləʊ/ a person or thing that is connected with or related to another, often in a way that you would not expect. E.g. strange/ unlikely bedfellows. Politics can create some strange bedfellows.
pane: a single sheet of glass in a window. E.g. a pane of glass. A windowpane
distort something to change the shape, appearance or sound of something so that it is strange or not clear. E.g. a fairground mirror that distorts your shape. The loudspeaker seemed to distort his voice.
C
sublime: /səˈblaɪm/ of very high quality and causing great admiration. E.g. sublime beauty. A sublime combination of flavours. The location of the hotel is sublime.
flawless: without flaws (mistakes) and therefore perfect. E.g. flawless complexion/ performance. Her English is almost flawless.
row: /raʊ/ A noisy acrimonious (angry and full of strong bitter feelings and words) quarrel. E.g. they had a row and she stormed out of the house.
may/might (just) as well do something used for saying that it would not make any difference if you did something else. E.g. The meeting was a complete waste of time. I might just as well have stayed at home.
unforgiving: /ˌʌnfəˈɡɪvɪŋ/ Not willing to forgive or excuse people’s faults or wrongdoings. E.g. he was always a proud and unforgiving man.
do something at your (own) peril: used to warn somebody that if they do something, it may be dangerous or cause them problems. E.g. Teachers ignore the importance of these results at their peril.
draw: to produce a reaction or response. E.g. draw something The plan has drawn a lot of criticism. Draw something from somebody The announcement drew loud applause from the audience. Our capacity to draw happiness from aesthetic or material goods.
D
as yet: until now or until a particular time in the past. E.g. an as yet unpublished report. As yet little was known of the causes of the disease.
itinerary: /aɪˈtɪnərəri/ a plan of a journey, including the route and the places that you visit. E.g. a detailed itinerary. Visits to four different countries are included in your itinerary.
frame: to put or make a frame or border around something. E.g. The photograph had been framed.
line something (with something) to cover the inside of something with a layer of another material to keep it clean, make it stronger, etc. E.g. Line the pan with greaseproof paper.
seaweed: a plant that grows in the sea or ocean, or on rocks at the edge of the sea or ocean. E.g. There are many different types of seaweed, some of which are eaten as food.
rigging: the ropes that support the masts and sails of a boat or ship.
tar: a thick black sticky liquid that becomes hard when cold. Tar is obtained from coal and is used especially in making roads.
uncongenial: /ˌʌnkənˈdʒiːniəl/ (of a person) not pleasant or friendly; not like yourself. E.g. uncongenial company
- Live up to: to do as well as or be as good as other people expect you to. Estar a la altura. E.g. He failed to live up to his parents' expectations. The team called ‘The No-Hopers’ certainly lived up to its name.
- Thoughtful: 1. showing that you think about and care for other people. Considerado. E.g. It was very thoughtful of you to send the flowers. 2. Showing signs of careful thought. E.g. A player who has a thoughtful approach to the game.
- Rhapsody: /ˈræpsədi/ 1. a piece of music that is full of feeling and is not regular in form. E.g. Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsodies. 2. the expression of great enthusiasm or happiness in speech or writing. E.g. Many rhapsodies have been written about the Taj Mahal.
- Take sth on: to begin to have a particular quality, appearance, etc. E.g. The chameleon can take on the colours of its background. His voice took on a more serious tone.
- Venusian: /və ˈnjuːz i‿ən/ a Venusian is a native inhabitant of the planet Venus.
- Conviction: /kənˈvɪkʃn/ 1. the act of finding somebody guilty of a crime in court; the fact of having been found guilty. Condena. E.g. She has six previous convictions for theft. 2. a strong opinion or belief. Convicción. E.g. Strong political/moral convictions. She was motivated by deep religious conviction. A conviction that all would be well in the end.
- Set out: 1. to leave a place and begin a journey. Salir. E.g. They set out on the last stage of their journey. 2. to begin a job, task, etc. with a particular aim or goal. Proponerse. E.g. She set out to break the world record. They succeeded in what they set out to do.
- Some: used to express a positive or negative opinion about somebody/something. Vaya. E.g. That was some party! Some expert you are! You know even less than me. It is some sight.
- Chrysler: /ˈkraɪz lə/ The Chrysler Building is a skyscraper (= very tall building) on East 42nd Street in New York. It was completed in 1930 and was then the tallest building in the world. Its design has been greatly admired.
- The General Electric Building: The GE Building is an Art Deco skyscraper that forms the centerpiece of Rockefeller Center in the midtown Manhattan section of New York City.
- Jammed: very full; crowded. Abarrotado. E.g. Hundreds more people were waiting outside the jammed stadium.
- Wink: 1. to close one eye and open it again quickly, especially as a private signal to somebody, or to show something is a joke. E.g. He winked at her and she knew he was thinking the same thing that she was. 2. to shine with an unsteady light; to flash on and off. Parpadear. E.g. We could see the lights of the ship winking in the distance.
- Huddle: to gather closely together, usually because of cold or fear. Huddled (adj): gathered closely together, usually because of cold or fear. Amontonado, apiñado. E.g. People were huddled together around the fire. Huddled figures in shop doorways.
- Chaos: /ˈkeɪɒs/ a state of complete confusion and lack of order. E.g. Economic/political/domestic chaos.
- Lyrical: /ˈlɪrɪkl/ expressing strong emotion in a way that is beautiful and shows imagination. E.g. a lyrical melody.
- Forcibly: /ˈfɔːsəbli/ 1. In a way that involves the use of physical force. E.g. Supporters were forcibly removed from the court. 2. In a way that makes something very clear. E.g. It struck me forcibly how honest he'd been. What aspect of the traffic in New York strikes the writer most forcibly?
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