Olympica
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ail
Many people ail from stress during busy times at work.
impeach
The House of Representatives voted to impeach the president for abuse of power.
causative
smoking is a causative factor in diseases
reimburse
I need to submit my receipts to be reimbursed for my travel expenses.
selective
The school is very selective about which students it admits.
bloodcurdling
The bloodcurdling scream echoed through the night.
rampant
The disease spread rampant across the region.
keep in check
She tries to keep her excitement in check during the surprise party.
in essence
In essence, the project aims to improve community health.
monopolize
The large company tried to monopolize the market by buying out all its competitors.
collateral
The bank required collateral for the loan.
competitive spirit
Her competitive spirit helped her win the championship last year.
canister
The kitchen has a canister for storing sugar.
on the brain
I have that new song on the brain; I can't stop humming it!
in your heart of hearts
In your heart of hearts, you know that you made the right choice.
febrile
The doctor noted that the patient was in a febrile state, indicating a possible infection.
tick
Be careful of ticks when you go hiking in the woods.
prophylactic
The doctor recommended a prophylactic treatment to avoid the spread of the disease.
all in one piece
When I checked on my little brother after the game, I was relieved to find him all in one piece.
impregnate
The scientist used a special solution to impregnate the fabric with water resistance.
tweezer
I used a tweezer to pluck my eyebrows before the party.
antiseptic
The doctor applied an antiseptic to the cut to prevent infection.
engorged
The river was engorged with water after the heavy rain, overflowing its banks.
endemic
Many plants in the rainforest are endemic, thriving only in that specific environment.
broad spectrum
The new vaccine offers broad spectrum protection against various strains of the virus.
crude
They used crude tools to build the shelter.
circumlocation
Instead of saying "I don't know," she used circumlocation to explain her uncertainty.
fluid
Her dance movements were fluid and captivating.
promotional
The company created a promotional video to showcase their new product.
handsomely
The artist was handsomely rewarded for his beautiful painting.
on my own merits
I got the promotion on my own merits, not because of my friend's influence.
purpose built
The new library is purpose built to accommodate large groups of students for study sessions.
converge
Scientists from different fields converge to solve the complex problem.
watershed
The invention of the internet was a watershed moment in human communication, completely reshaping how we interact and share information.
luxuriate
After a long week, I love to luxuriate in a warm bath with candles and soft music.
incessant
The incessant noise from the construction site made it hard to concentrate.
continuum
In science, temperature is often treated as a continuum rather than distinct categories.
footwork
Her footwork on the dance floor was amazing, making her the center of attention.
precedence
In this project, safety should take precedence over speed.
vortex
The tornado created a powerful vortex that lifted debris into the sky.
restitution
The court ordered restitution to the victims of the fraud.
niche
She found her niche in graphic design.
munificent
The munificent donation from the billionaire helped build a new library in the town.
audit
The company will conduct an audit of its financial statements.
raucous
The raucous laughter of the children filled the park.
incumbent
The incumbent president is running for re-election.
imminent
The deadline for the project is imminent, and we need to finish it soon.
chunky
The soup was chunky, filled with large pieces of vegetables and meat.
uplifting
This song has an uplifting melody that makes everyone feel happy.
rime
The trees were covered in a beautiful layer of rime after the cold night.
acclaim
The movie received critical acclaim for its stunning visuals.
plaudit
After the presentation, the team was met with plaudits from the audience.
facet
We need to consider every facet of the problem before making a decision.
a knight in shining armor
When the school was in trouble, the new principal was like a knight in shining armor, saving the day.
see fit
The teacher will see fit to give extra homework if the students need more practice.
descent
She claims descent from the royal family
descend
Can't believe he descended into crimes
stricken
The stricken town struggled to recover after the hurricane.
penurious
The penurious family struggled to make ends meet each month.
strike him dumb
When she revealed the secret, it struck him dumb.
undertaking
Constructing Phong Chau bridge is a complex undertaking
solemn undertaking
The politician made a solemn undertaking to improve the education system.
nautical mile
The pilot reported that they were flying at an altitude of 10,000 nautical miles.
continental shelf
The fishing industry relies heavily on the resources found in the continental shelf.
spark
It's just the spark that sparks off riots later on
no mean feat
Winning the championship after so many years was no mean feat of hard work for the team.
at the helm
The new CEO is at the helm of the company, guiding it through changes.
doldrums
After the holidays, I often feel like I'm in the doldrums.
plaintive
She sang a plaintive song that made everyone feel the weight of her sorrow.
composedly
She spoke composedly, even when faced with tough questions.
savor
I like to savor every bite of my favorite dessert.
savor of
Her story had a savor of adventure that kept everyone interested.
mast
The sailor climbed up the mast to fix the sail.
step down
After the election, she chose to step down from her position in the committee.
ingenuity
The engineer showed great ingenuity in designing a bridge that could withstand strong winds.
earthling
I virtually disbelieve those earthlings
fake a laugh
Even though the joke wasn't funny, I had to fake a laugh to make my friend feel good.
bear
She will bear the responsibility for the project.
churn out
The factory can churn out thousands of toys every day.
abysmal
Terrible
Awful
Dreadful
Appalling
Atrocious
Ex:His performance in the exam was abysmal.
statistically
The results of the survey were statistically significant, showing a clear trend in people's preferences.
quest
She is on a quest for knowledge and self-improvement.
far fetched
The plot of the movie was so far-fetched that I couldn't take it seriously.
counterfactual
If I had studied harder, I might have passed the exam; that's a counterfactual thought.
self made
She is a self made entrepreneur who started her own business from scratch.
disagreeable
The weather today is quite disagreeable; it's cold and rainy.
overdose
He was rushed to the hospital after an accidental overdose of painkillers.
den
He has a den where he keeps all his books and his henchmen
involuntary
Meaning: not done by choice but unwillingly
Ez: The doctor explained that the muscle spasms were involuntary and could not be controlled
skim
I like to skim through the newspaper in the morning.
skim off
After boiling the soup, you should skim off the fat that rises to the top.
prodigious
Meaning: impressive or amazing
EX: She has a prodigious talent for music.
wiggle
Meaning: move or cause to move up and down or from side to side with small, quick movements
Ex: The puppy likes to wiggle its tail when it's happy.
squirm
Meaning: move in a twisting or contorted motion
EX; The worm began to squirm when I touched it.
anything like
I have never seen anything like that before!
mind the store
He always minds the store when his boss is out for meetings.
packed like sardines
The bus was so full that we were packed like sardines during the rush hour.
on the up and up
She is always on the up and up, so I trust her advice completely.
stew in your own juice
After skipping class all week, he had to stew in his own juice when he failed the test.
screech
The tires screeched as the car came to a sudden stop.
She let out a screech when she saw the spider on the wall.
The owl's screech echoed through the dark forest.
squeak
The mouse made a tiny squeak when it ran across the floor.
squeal
The children squealed with joy when they saw the puppy.
a rung of the ladder
She just got a promotion, which is another rung of the ladder in her career.
obstruct
The fallen tree obstructed the road.
His actions obstructed the progress of the project.
Don't obstruct the view of others at the concert.
mete out
The teacher decided to mete out extra homework to the students who did not complete their assignments.
coronation
The coronation of the new king was celebrated with a grand parade.
a law unto yourself
She is a law unto herself, always making decisions that others might not understand.
hammer away at
The team is hammering away at the project to meet the deadline.
He keeps hammering away at the importance of recycling in his speeches.
in earnest
After the meeting, we will start working on the project in earnest.
rub off on
Her positive attitude really rubs off on everyone around her.
slip out
He didn't mean to slip out that secret during the meeting.
After the party, I slipped out before anyone noticed I was gone.
draw on
She decided to draw on her past experiences to solve the problem.
harbinger
The first snowflakes of winter are a harbinger of the cold months ahead.
premonition
/ˌprɛm.əˈnɪʃ.ən/.
His premonition about the storm made him cancel the picnic.
hoi polloi
At the gala, the wealthy guests mingled, while the hoi polloi waited outside.
milieu
The artist's work reflects the vibrant milieu of the city where she grew up.
In a corporate milieu, teamwork and collaboration are essential for success.
The novel is set in a historical milieu that captures the essence of the time period.
underwrite
The bank decided to underwrite the new housing project to help families
She was thrilled when a local business agreed to underwrite the costs of the community event.
The insurance company will underwrite your policy after reviewing your app
upholstered
The living room has a beautiful upholstered sofa that matches the curtains.
underpin
The research findings underpin the theory of climate change.
Strong community ties underpin the success of the project.
His arguments are underpinned by solid evidence.
indict
The grand jury decided to indict the suspect for robbery.
in line with
The new policy is in line with our company's values.
Her actions were in line with the instructions given by the teacher.
The project was developed in line with the latest technology trends.
animosity
The animosity between the neighbors escalated over time.
prudish
She was so prudish that she left the room when the movie got a little too romantic.
due dilligence
The company performed due diligence before buying the new property.
oversee
The manager will oversee the project to ensure it is completed on time.
overdrive
During the final exam week, I went into overdrive to study for all my subjects.
ascribe
Many people ascribe the success of the project to teamwork.
en masse
The students left the classroom en masse when the bell rang.
cement
The university's exchange scheme has cemented its links with many other academic institutions.
ostracize
The students decided to ostracize him because he was different from them.
bemuse
The magician's tricks always bemuse the audience, leaving them wondering how he did it.
disperse
When the rain started, the children dispersed to find shelter.
gleeful
The children were gleeful as they played in the park on a sunny day.
pander
The politician was accused of trying to pander to the crowd by making unrealistic promises.
capacious
Her capacious imagination helped her create wonderful stories that captivated everyone.
compendium
The library has a compendium of famous poems that students can read for inspiration.
tussle
The two kids had a playful tussle in the backyard.
rock bottom
After losing his job and going through a breakup, he felt like he had hit rock bottom.
The company reached rock bottom when it had to close several stores due to financial issues.
high margin
By focusing on high margin products, the store increased its overall profits.
litmus
The scientist used litmus paper to check if the solution was acidic.
virulent
The virulent strain of the virus spread quickly through the population.
keystone
In the project, communication was the keystone that held the team together.
collation
The librarian performed a collation of the new books to ensure they were all in the correct order.
sidesplitting
The comedian's sidesplitting routine had the entire audience in stitches.
happenstance
It was pure happenstance that I ran into my old friend at the market.
insatiable
The insatiable demand for new technology keeps driving innovation.
festoon
The children decided to festoon the classroom with colorful balloons for the party.
more often than not
I more often than not go for a walk in the evening.
in the affirmative
The committee responded in the affirmative to the proposal for a new playground.
abrasive
The worker used an abrasive sponge to clean the dirty surface.
the spitting image of
She is the spitting image of her mother when she was young.
retract
abjure
recant
After realizing his mistake, he decided to retract his statement.
rebound
She took some time to rebound from her disappointment and felt better.
sitting pretty
After winning the lottery, she is really sitting pretty now.
take it up with
If you have a problem with your order, you should take it up with the manager.
sit in on
I decided to sit in on the lecture to learn more about the topic.
throw up problems
The new software update threw up problems that the team had to fix quickly.
immemorial
The immemorial traditions of the village are still celebrated today.
give a free hand
The manager decided to give the team a free hand to come up with new ideas for the project.
fling
She decided to fling the ball across the yard.
They had a summer fling that ended when school started.
throw down the gauntlet
The coach threw down the gauntlet to the rival team, promising a tough match ahead.
jump the shark
The series was great until it jumped the shark with that ridiculous storyline about aliens.
off hand
I can't remember the exact number off hand, but I think it's around twenty.
outstrip
The runner managed to outstrip all his competitors in the final lap of the race.
rip up the rulebook
The team decided to rip up the rulebook and try a completely new strategy for the game.
mutiny
The sailors staged a mutiny against their captain due to harsh conditions.
predilection
/ˌpriː.dɪˈlɛk.ʃən/
His predilection for adventure sports led him to travel the world.
proclivity
She has a proclivity for painting, often spending hours creating beautiful artwork.
penchant
She has a penchant for classical music.
affinity
His affinity for animals makes him a great veterinarian.
propensity
[proclivity]
His propensity to procrastinate often leads to last-minute stress.
imprint
Her experiences in the city made a lasting imprint on her life.
unrest
The city experienced unrest after the announcement of the new law.
silver screen
The actor made his debut on the silver screen at a young age.
the soul of discretion
She is the soul of discretion; I can always trust her to keep my secrets safe.
discretion is the better part of valour
During the storm, the captain chose to delay the trip, reminding the crew that discretion is the better part of valour.
tied to your mother's apron strings
Even at 30 years old, he is still tied to his mother's apron strings and can't make decisions without her advice.
put your shoulder to the wheel
To finish the project on time, we all need to put our shoulders to the wheel.
synonymous
For many people, the term "freedom" is synonymous with "happiness.
moped
I rode my moped to school every day.
handlebar
The cyclist adjusted the height of the handlebar for a more comfortable ride.
put your shirt on something
I would put my shirt on the team winning the championship this year.
hereabouts
There are many nice parks hereabouts where we can play.
Do you know any good restaurants hereabouts?
I've seen a lot of wildlife hereabouts during my walks.
or thereabouts
We will meet at 3 PM, or thereabouts.
hither and thither
The children ran hither and thither in the park, playing games and laughing.
thereafter
She graduated from college; thereafter, she started her own business.
vogue
The new fashion line is in vogue this season.
gen up
She decided to gen up on the history of the city for her school project.
unveil
The company will unveil its new product next week.
curtail
The school decided to curtail the number of field trips this year.
vagrant
The city has programs to help vagrants find shelter and food.
put your mind to
I know you can do well in school if you really put your mind to it.
on the lookout
The teacher is on the lookout for students who need help.
exaggerated
The movie's special effects were grossly exaggerated to make it more exciting.
open house
Everyone is invited to the open house at my friend's apartment this weekend.
more to this than meets the eye
At first, the story seemed boring, but there is more to this than meets the eye.
wash your hands of
He washed his hands of the argument, saying it was not his problem anymore.
catatonic
The patient remained catatonic for several hours, not reacting to any sounds or movements around them.
accredit
The university was accredited by a national education board.
proclaim from the rooftops
After winning the championship, the team wanted to proclaim from the rooftops their victory.
credence
/ˈkriːdəns/
Many people give credence to the idea that hard work leads to success.
His experience in the field lends credence to his opinions on the matter.
scoff
She scoffed at the idea of going to the party.
inscribe
The artist decided to inscribe her name on the sculpture she created.
hub
The city is a hub for technology and innovation.
presupposition
When she said she was late, her presupposition was that everyone would understand why.
lucky guess
When I picked the right answer on the quiz, I knew it was just a lucky guess.
not take no for an answer
She really wanted to go to the concert, so she decided to not take no for an answer and asked her parents again.
touche
/tuːˈʃeɪ/.
When my friend pointed out my mistake in the game, I had to say, "Touche!
leastways
We didn't win the game, but leastways we had fun playing together.
backwater
The small town felt like a backwater, far away from the busy city life.
stagnant
The water in the pond was stagnant and smelled bad
The economy has been stagnant for several years
Stagnant air can make a room feel uncomfortable
froth
The ocean waves created froth as they crashed on the shore.
pavilion
The children played in the pavilion at the park during the summer festival.
foyer
The guests waited in the foyer before the ceremony started.
finalize
After many discussions, they finally decided to finalize the contract.
in any case
We might not have enough time, but in any case, we should try to finish the project.
automaton
ɔːˈtɒmətən/
In the story, the main character felt like an automaton, going through the motions of life without joy.
strike up
She decided to strike up a conversation with the new student in class
They struck up a friendship during the summer camp
The band struck up a lively tune that got everyone dancing
ascertain
I need to ascertain the facts before making a decision.
get down to brass tacks
After discussing the project for an hour, the manager said, "Let's get down to brass tacks and talk about the budget.
envisage
She envisages a world where everyone has access to clean water.
coax
He coaxed his friend into going to the party with him.
retributive
The retributive justice system focuses on punishing offenders rather than rehabilitating them.
take the reins
It's time for you to take the reins and make your own decisions.
palm off
My gut feeling tells that she palmed off the ugliest and most wicked boyfriend on her daughter.
peppered
The sky was peppered with stars on a clear night.
tot up
After the game, we need to tot up the scores to see who won.
penned up
After being penned up for too long, she felt the need to express her feelings.
rabbit on
She tends to rabbit on about her favorite TV shows, even when no one is interested.
buoyed
After receiving praise from her teacher, she felt buoyed up by the encouragement.
cleave to sth
People in the remote mountain villages still cleave to their old traditions, namely, sacrificing young girls every year, a stupid one.
creep up
Over the last year, the rate of inflation has crept up to almost seven percent.
all wrong
"You've got your facts all wrong; the meeting is next week, not tomorrow".
"His explanation for why the car wouldn't start was all wrong".
"You've got it all wrong! It wasn't me she was upset with, it was your boss".
it was said of
It was said of Churchill that he could turn defeat into victory with his words.
It was said of her that she never raised her voice, yet always got her way.
It was said of Napoleon that he had a photographic memory.
gape open
Her mouth gaped open when she heard the news.
The children’s mouths gaped open in awe as the magician performed.
take one's measure
The coach took the players' measure during practice to see who would start in the game.
hold true
The rules of the game hold true regardless of who is playing.
seethe with
The streets were seething (= busy and crowded) with tourists.
rough edges
He's a great player, but his game still has a few rough edges.
Age and experience have softened his rough edges (= have made him a more polite or gentle person).
incommensurate
The rapid growth of urban populations is often incommensurate with the development of infrastructure, leading to traffic congestion and pollution.
The financial rewards in some industries are incommensurate with the effort and risk required.
heterogeneous
The class was heterogeneous, with students from a variety of cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
The data set was too heterogeneous to yield a clear conclusion.
Modern societies are becoming increasingly heterogeneous in terms of ethnicity and rel
dispossessed
The dispossessed families were given temporary shelter after the natural disaster.
The financial aid was incommensurate to the number of dispossessed people following the aftermath of the doomsday.
fulfilment
In contemporary society, individuals often equate career success with personal fulfilment; however, this perspective is misleading, as studies suggest that work-life balance and meaningful leisure activities play a far greater role in the long-term.
epic grandeur
The epic grandeur of ancient architectural wonders such as the Pyramids of Giza not only reflects the technological advancements of their era but also symbolizes the cultural and spiritual aspirations of entire civilizations.
your budget doesn't quite stretch to
I’d love to buy a new laptop, but my budget doesn’t quite stretch to the latest MacBook.
Their budget didn’t quite stretch to a five-star hotel, so they booked a three-star instead.
Our budget doesn’t quite stretch to hiring another employee this y
lull to sleep
The sound of the rain lulled me to sleep.
She lulled the baby to sleep with a sweet lullaby.
leg of the journey
The second leg of the journey took us through the mountains.
unerring
Her unerring sense of direction helped us find our way in the unfamiliar city.
small fry
He thought he could impress everyone, but he was just small fry in the industry.
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