lingo

two words condensed into the single one that stands for sheepskin coat.

traits that are invariant throughout all mammals

The two states are contiguous with/to each other, but the laws are quite different. contiguity

The company has relied on government support, but the government is now threatening to cut the apron strings.

Will you two stop bickering! They're always bickering with each other about/over their personal problems. I'm tired of their constant bickering.

The exit leads through an enticingly stocked gift shop. The aroma of grilled beef lingered enticingly in the air.

an incorrigible liar/rogue

She was completely baffled by his strange behaviour.

She's in the enviable position of being able to choose who she works for.

He name-called me as quote-unquote: "gormless twat"

The prime minister convened (a meeting of) his cabinet to discuss the matter. The council will be convening on the morning of the 25th.

The window slides along a deep metal groove to open and close. Move to the groove till the music stops. There was a groove in the road

Sometimes taboo words are written with asterisks to avoid causing offence.

a talent-spotter

All the candidates had excellent academic credentials. She was asked to show her press credentials.

the engine won't work. it won't work.

The cathedral was full of goggling tourists.

She gobbled her dinner (down/up).

as a matter of course

I enjoyed the film, but I couldn't follow all the intricacies of the plot.

an unremarkable town

Our polity had to endure many hardships to even exist. The backbone of any democratic polity: a well-functioning civil society is essentially absent in all of our eastern neighbours.

Both groups are wholeheartedly in favour of the changes. I hear what you say and I wholeheartedly agree.

an equitable tax system

We sell pots, gloves, seeds and other gardening paraphernalia. Bags of cocaine and all sorts of drug paraphernalia were seized at the airport.

I stayed at home on the night in question.

She sported a pair of beautiful earrings. Let your children sport in the garden, it's so warm today

"It's very difficult," I said. "Impossible," she chimed in. Andy chimed in with his view of the situation.

Many treasures were brought back to Britain because its upper crust was wealthy and liked travelling abroad.

coffee laced with brandy. Their story is laced with irony. They sat next to each other and laced their fingers.

When someone brings up politics at a party, a casual conversation can quickly morph into an ugly argument. She claims the media and society make a person try to morph their body into an unnatural size or weight.

It used the catch phrase "plays the music you grew up with"

Some mushrooms look innocuous but are in fact poisonous.

She stutters a little, so be patient and let her finish what she's saying."C-c-can we g-go now?" stuttered Jenkins.

Many volumes with such a coverage remit fail to go much beyond the standard canonical playwrights and texts.

Her dress was tightly belted, accentuating the slimness of her waist. The new policy only serves to accentuate the inadequacy of help for the homeless

reproachful looks/words

The expression "boy band" is a 1990s coinage. Only when their local coinage disappears will they develop a euro mindset.

A child has a male progenitor and a female progenitor. A series of several persons descended from a common progenitor is called a line.

a belt on the jaw. The car was belting along/down the road. the corn belt (= area known for growing corn). He belts his children whenever they behave badly. You don't have to belt, we have plenty of time. She belted her dress in the waist.

he couldn't make head or tail of the case

He was known for his conviviality as a host. Eating should take place in an atmosphere of conviviality. a convivial atmosphere/host

exasperate, His sexist attitude infuriates me.

Jeggings" is a portmanteau word formed from "jeans" and "leggings".

If three people in four no longer support the government, isn't this an untenable situation? inexcusable tenacious

to a nicety. They spent a lot of time arguing about legal niceties.

Invoices must be submitted by the 24th of every month. In case of trouble, invoke me. Invoke invoice whenever you need.

The police negotiated with the gunman through an intermediary. The former president has agreed to act as an intermediary between the government and the rebels.

Powerful global institutions drive the diffusion of new technologies. Modern communications make the diffusion of ideas extremely rapid. Oxygen diffuses from the lungs into the bloodstream.

I find her poetry a little too opaque. opaque glass

international merger. merge

crux of the matter

I've had two job offers, and I'm in a real quandary about/over which one to accept.

a blatant lie The whole episode was a blatant attempt to gain publicity. I've never seen such flagrant disregard for the law.

Anything that goes awry (= goes wrong) in the office is blamed on Pete. The strike has sent the plans for investment seriously awry. She rushed in, her face red and sweaty and her hat awry.

I won’t bother returning it – it isn’t worth the aggravation. It’s so aggravating to have an injury like that, when you can’t lift anything or bend down and tie your shoelaces.

He was sorely wounded. I'll miss you sorely.

He was sorely wounded. I'll miss you sorely.

ironclad rules. The new contract provides employees with ironclad job security.

I once pinched some strawberries when I was 4 or 5 years old. These shoes are too tight, they pinch (my feet). I keep having to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming.

The prime minister, he said, had the party's unequivocal support.

She is deaf, you need to use the sign language to communicate with her.

We christened him "Slowcoach" because he took so long to do anything.

Federer has a wide repertoire of clever shots that befuddle even the best of his opponents.

an amorphous mass of jelly

Would it be too much of an imposition to ask you to pick my parents up from the airport? the imposition of the death penalty/martial law/sanctions. Pardon my imposition, but I need to speak with you urgently.

One of the organization's aims is to disseminate information about the disease. the dissemination of information Anything that stands in the way of the dissemination of knowledge is a real problem.

She groped for her glasses on the bedside table. I had to grope my way up the dark stairs. He groped me as I was going to the bar. scrabble

You know how everyone feigns surprise when you tell them how old you are. The prosecution claimed that the defendant had feigned the injury. She responded to his remarks with feigned amusement.

He tried to paint the president as he really was, warts and all.

The difference between the two products is negligible. My knowledge of German is negligible.

The company received a substantial government subsidy. The government is planning to abolish subsidies to farmers.

a bottom-up approach to building a successful company

scathing criticism He was very scathing about the report, saying it was inaccurate. families scathed by war

Success remains elusive for lazy people. The definition of love is elusive for me. All I have are elusive memories from my childhood.

The government has conceded (that) the new tax policy has been a disaster. He kept on arguing and wouldn't concede defeat. The president is not expected to concede these reforms. He is not willing to concede any of his power/authority.

insurmountable difficulties This small country is faced with an insurmountable debt. surmount an obstacle

a crisp layer of snow

This new building foxed me and I got lost. We have to fox them, they can't find us! My son is a fox, so I'm sure he'll be alright.

I've never shied away from hard work.

sth thorny. We are facing an intractable problem.

I'm afraid the members won't find all these changes very palatable. a very palatable wine The meal was barely palatable.

All she gave him to eat was two minuscule pieces of toast.

His books don't sell well. He's definitely past his prime.

They were born in the noughties and grew up completely at ease with computer technology.

The sheriff’s department polices a wide swath of the county. They are policing on this event. Who polices in this house?

a penchant for melodrama/skiing/exotic clothes Her penchant for disappearing for days at a time worries her family. predilection

a charter of rights Education is one of the basic human rights written into the United Nations Charter

assiduous research/efforts an assiduous student The government has been assiduous in the fight against inflation.

subversive elements/groups in society subversive ideas/influences The book describes the techniques that Hitler used to subvert democracy in the Weimar Republic.

The people in front of us began to file out of the auditorium and we followed suit.

The last hour dragged mercilessly.

The song was banned on the grounds that it might foment racial tension. was accused of fomenting a riot

In this country, half of all violent crime is perpetrated by people who have been drinking alcohol. Federal soldiers have been accused of perpetrating atrocities against innocent people.

The players pointed the proverbial finger at themselves as the ones needing to improve. his proverbial good humour

an Australian river mammal with a wide beak whose young are born from eggs

The garden was a haven from the noise and bustle of the city. They wanted to provide safe havens for the refugees. He sailed the boat straight to the nearest pirate haven to recruit a real crew.

a sizeable amount/area/house

She majored in philosophy at Harvard. Entry to this bar is for majors only. He's a biology major. Major issues were brought up during this meeting.

She wanged the ball to the ground in disgust.

Involvement with terrorist groups brought the political party into disrepute. This theory has fallen into disrepute.

About 23 percent of men and women aged 25 to 34 told researchers they had previously cohabited with a partner without it leading to marriage. Cohabitation has been praised as a test drive for marriage.

an irresistible offer She gave me one of those irresistible smiles and I just had to agree

It's an offshoot of a much larger company based in Sydney. outgrowth

a deep mellifluous voice the mellifluous sound of the cello

a benign old lady. a benign lung tumor. environmentally benign. benign

Was it just a figment of my imagination or did I hear John's voice in the other room?

I really must assert myself more in meetings. She very rarely asserts her authority over the children.

He was the only person who understood all the arcane details of the agreement. This argument may seem arcane to those not closely involved in the world of finance.

A lot of viewers complained that there was too much gratuitous sex and violence in the film. We mistake the gratuitous blessings of Heaven for the fruits of our own industry.

The book features simple, cartoonish drawings and fold-over flaps that the child can lift. He was a much more complex character than your cartoonish description suggested.

The answer's obvious - or are you being deliberately obtuse?

an erroneous belief/impression

The challenges should all be surmountable. These are major but surmountable obstacles. They managed to surmount all opposition/objections to their plans.

We watched the cow suckling her calves. The puppies went back to their mother to suckle.

Annie was an indefatigable campaigner for better community services.

There is little doubt that poor medical treatment hastened her death. These recent poor results have hastened the manager's departure. The president hastened to reassure his people that he was in perfect health.

The Queen may have privilege but she has no real political clout. gave the stubborn handle a solid clout to make it turn

He looked ludicrous in that suit!

the Hollywood stars of yesteryear

If you'll just bear with me for a moment, I'll find you a copy of the drawings.

an entry in a diary. The entry for this word gives you many example sentences

an entry in a diary. The entry for this word gives you many example sentences

It's been a terrible week and now, to cap it all, I've got a cold.