Close up C1&C2
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convoluted
The plot of the movie was so convoluted that I had trouble following it.
traction
The car lost traction on the wet road and skidded.
Her new business idea is gaining traction among investors.
implausible
The idea that a cat could fly is implausible...(for now)
cornerstone
Trust is the cornerstone of any strong relationship.
tasteful
The restaurant had a tasteful decor that made everyone feel comfortable.
perfunctory
Meaning: done with little care or interest
EX: The teacher gave a perfunctory nod to the students, showing she was not really paying attention.
esoteric
Meaning: intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people
Ex: The professor's lecture on quantum physics was so esoteric that only a handful of students could follow along.
cacophony
The relentless cacophony of honking horns and shouting vendors made it difficult for residents to enjoy their city and many people are looking to a simple, rustic charm, the rural idyll of the countryside.
viable
Meaning: capable of working successfully or is feasible
Ex: This plan is not viable due to lack of funding.
substantiate
The scientist needed to substantiate her findings with more data.
concur
I concur with your assessment of the situation
The committee members concurred on the new policy changes.
After discussing the matter, we all concurred that it was the best course of action.
deteriorate
The patient's health began to deteriorate after the surgery.
As the weather deteriorated, we decided to stay indoors.
The old building has deteriorated over the years.
delineate
Meaning: describe or portray something precisely
Ex: The teacher asked the students to delineate the main points of the story.
surreptitious
They made a surreptitious plan to surprise their friend on her birthday.
unfathomable
Her grief was unfathomable after the loss of her friend.
fastidious
She is so fastidious about her work that she checks every detail twice.
backlash
The new policy received a significant backlash from the community
After the controversial statement, there was a backlash on social media
The company faced backlash for its environmental practices.
crafty
The crafty fox outsmarted the hunters by hiding in the bushes.
vex
The constant noise from the construction site began to vex the residents.
pertain
Her comments pertain to the project we are working on.
sanctify
The priest will sanctify the altar before the ceremony begins.
inchoate
The artist's inchoate ideas for the painting were scattered in her sketchbook.
capricious
The capricious weather made it hard to plan the picnic.
adept
She is adept at playing the piano.
clammy
The clammy air made it hard to breathe during the summer.
After the rain, the ground felt clammy under my feet.
She wiped her clammy hands on her jeans before shaking hands.
balmy
The balmy breeze made the evening perfect for a picnic
We enjoyed a balmy day at the beach, soaking up the sun
She loved the balmy scent of the flowers in the garden
nippy
The morning air was quite nippy, so I wore my warm jacket.
After the nippy wind blew through the park, everyone hurried inside.
She took a nippy sip of her cold drink and shivered a little.
sweltering
The sweltering heat made it hard to play outside.
i second that
After Sarah suggested we should have a picnic, John said, "I second that!
you took the words right out of my mouth
When Sarah said she loved the new movie, I replied, "You took the words right out of my mouth!
grubby
The old, grubby sofa in the corner needs to be thrown away.
charisma
Her charisma made her the perfect leader for the team.
dearth
There was a dearth of food during the drought, causing many people to go hungry.
accrete
Over the years, the small savings in her bank account started to accrete into a significant amount.
caprice
The artist's work often reflects the caprice of his imagination, changing styles from one piece to another.
interstice
He found a small interstice in the wall where a tiny insect had made its home.
wheedle
He managed to wheedle his way into the party by complimenting the host.
ingratiate
She tried to ingratiate herself with the new teacher by bringing him coffee every morning.
Lugubrious
She had a lugubrious expression on her face after hearing the bad news.
Obfuscate
Politicians sometimes obfuscate their true intentions with complicated language.
get you down
Don't let your mistakes get you down; everyone makes them!
make a recovery
The team worked hard to make a recovery after their last loss.
vouchsafe
The teacher vouchsafed her students the opportunity to ask questions after class.
He vouchsafed his wisdom to the young apprentice, hoping to guide him on his journey.
I can vouchsafe that i love u
acrophobia
She couldn't enjoy the view from the top of the skyscraper because of her acrophobia.
agoraphobia
After years of struggling with agoraphobia, she finally decided to seek help.
claustrophobia
His claustrophobia made it difficult for him to enjoy the concert in the crowded venue.
propound
The scientist decided to propound a new theory about climate change during the conference.
expound
In her presentation, she will expound the benefits of recycling for the environment.
The teacher asked the student to expound on his ideas during the class discussion.
She uses her newspaper column to expound her views on environmental issues.
forsake (v)
"Some argue that modern technology has led many to forsake their traditional cultural practices for new forms of entertainment
forbearance
He showed great forbearance when dealing with the difficult customer.
expedient
While a government might view cutting environmental regulations as an expedient way to stimulate industrial growth, such short-sighted measures often lead to more severe ecological and economic problems in the long run."
dissuade
His friends dissuaded him from buying the expensive car.
cynosure
The young artist became the cynosure of the gallery with her stunning paintings.
demure
The demure smile on her face made her look even more charming.
flounder
After losing his map, he began to flounder in the unfamiliar city.
After moving abroad, she initially floundered with the language and cultural differences.
Many small businesses are floundering due to rising costs. (figurative)
fall ill
Many people fall ill during the winter months due to the cold weather.
fly by
The summer holidays always seem to fly by.
head off
We should head off to the park before it gets too late.
clambering
She saw the cat clambering up the tree to escape the dog.
return fare
Can you tell me the return fare for a flight to New York?
final destination
In life, it's important to know your final destination to stay focused on your goals.
fly open
My backpack's fly is open, and I might lose my books.
skosh
"the car could do with a skosh more room in the back"
a brace
he score a brace
make my point
She raised her hand to make her point about the importance of teamwork.
let on
Don't let on to anyone that we are going on vacation next week.
dry up
After talking for hours, she suddenly dried up and didn't know what to say next.
unspoken
There was an unspoken agreement between them to always support each other.
printing
The printing of the new book will start next week.
answer back
She always answers back when her parents try to give her advice.
tell on someone
The long hours are starting to tell on her health.
Years of stress have told on him.
Lack of sleep soon told on their performance.
placards
The protesters carried colorful placards to express their demands.
indictment
Her indictment shocked the community, as she was a well-respected teacher.
trust to luck
She didn't prepare for the interview and just trusted to luck that everything would go well.
break the curse
After years of bad luck, she finally found a way to break the curse and live a happier life.
jinxed
He always jokes that he is jinxed when it comes to finding a parking spot.
at a guess
At a guess, I would say the book was published in 2010.
as it happens
She loves to travel, and as it happens, she is going to Paris next week.
varnish
After sanding the surface, she decided to varnish it for a shiny finish.
store up problems
If you keep ignoring your homework, you will store up problems for the exam.
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