reading and lexis unit 7

die out

to disappear or stop existing completely

dispose of

to get rid of something

draw on

to use something to achieve a particular result

go into

to be put into or utilised

keep from

to prevent someone from doing something or prevent something from happening

kick in

to start or to begin to have an effect

make up

to combine together to form a particular total or result

map out

to plan carefully how something will happen

smooth out

to get rid of problems or difficulties

speed up

to happen more quickly, or to make something happen more quickly

tap into

to manage to use something in a way that brings good results

track down

to find someone or something by searching for a long time

decompression sickness

a serious medical condition caused by returning too quickly to the surface of the sea when diving with breathing equipment

element

a simple chemical substance that consists of only one kind of atom

fluctuations in pressure

changes in the level of pressure

high-voltage

relating to or containing large amounts of electricity

oxidise

to combine with oxygen, or make something combine with oxygen, especially in a way that causes rust

pharmacological

relating to the branch of medicine concerned with the uses, effects, and modes of action of drugs

pollutant

a substance that makes air, water, soil etc dangerously dirty, and is caused by cars, factories etc

specimen

a small amount or piece that is taken from something, so that it can be tested or examined

stable atmosphere

a maintaned or steady atmosphere

vapour

a mass of very small drops of a liquid which float in the air, for example because the liquid has been heated

ventilated

made pleasant by having fresh air inside it

accolade

praise given to someone because people think they are very good, or a prize given to them for their work

bring to life

(with reference to a fictional character or inanimate object) cause to be alive or real

enrapture

to give someone very great pleasure

fatal flaw

a weakness that makes something certain to fail

narrative structure

a literary element generally described as the structural framework that underlies the order and manner in which a narrative is presented to a reader, listener, or viewer

personify

to think of or represent something as a person

pitch at

to aim a product at a particular type of organisation, group of people etc, or to describe it in a particular way, in order to sell it

recount

to tell someone a story or describe a series of events

yarn

a story of adventures, travels etc, usually made more exciting and interesting by adding things that never really happened

applicable

if something is applicable to a particular person, group, or situation, it affects them or is related to them

classy

fashionable and expensive

convivial

friendly and pleasantly cheerful

duplicitous

deceptive in words or action; deceitful

formative

having an important influence on the way someone or something develops

harmonious

harmonious relationships are ones in which people are friendly and helpful to one another

life-threatening

a life-threatening situation, illness, or injury could cause a person to die

lifelong

continuing or existing all through your life

near-perfect

almost perfect

patronising

speaking or behaving towards someone as if they are stupid or not important

sceptical

doubting whether something is true or right

sought-after

wanted by a lot of people but rare or difficult to get

speechless

unable to speak because you feel very angry, upset etc

allusion

something said or written that mentions a subject, person etc indirectly

asphyxiation

when someone is prevented from breathing

categorisation

the process of putting people or things into categories (= groups with the same features)

clarification

the act of making something clearer or easier to understand, or an explanation that makes something clearer

defection

the act of leaving your own country or group in order to go to or join an opposing one

displacement

when a group of people or animals are forced to leave the place where they usually live

diversity

the fact of including many different types of people or things

espionage

the activity of secretly finding out secret information and giving it to a country’s enemies or a company’s competitors

ignorance

lack of knowledge or information about something

incarnation

a particular physical form or condition of something or someone that is changing or developing

infiltration

the process of secretly becoming part of a group in order to get information or to influence the way that a group thinks or behaves

jingle

a short song used in advertisements

mortality

the number of deaths during a particular period of time among a particular type or group of people

onslaught

strong criticism of someone

premise

a statement or idea that you consider to be true and use to develop other ideas

principal

someone who is in charge of a school

principle

a moral rule or belief about what is right and wrong, that influences how you behave

sentiment

an opinion or feeling you have about something

sophistication

the quality of being complicated or made with great skill

upbringing

the way that your parents care for you and teach you to behave when you are growing up

wisdom

whether something is sensible

adhere to

to behave according to a rule, agreement etc

amend

to correct or make small changes to something that is written or spoken

ascribe

to claim that something is caused by a particular person, situation etc

complement

to make a good combination with someone or something else

deter

to stop someone from doing something, by making them realize it will be difficult or have bad results

ensure

to make certain that something will happen properly

fulfil

to do or provide what is necessary or needed

hone

to improve your skill at doing something, especially when you are already very good at it

outrun

to develop more quickly than something else

proscribe

to officially say that something is not allowed to exist or be done

face head on

to confront a problem directly and openly

fall into a category

to belong to or be part of a particular group, area of responsibility, range of things, or type of things

fulfil a need

to do or provide what is necessary or needed

hazard a guess

to say something that is only a guess

make an assumption

to think something is true although you have no definite proof

(be) under no illusion

to be fully aware of the true state of affairs

be in operation

to be functioning, operating or being active

have time to kill

to have nothing to do for a particular period

in pursuit of

when someone tries to get, achieve, or find something in a determined way

in some circles

in certain social or professional groups

(second) night running

if something happens for the second night running, it happens two nights in a row

solitude

when you are alone, especially when this is what you enjoy

sympathy

the feeling of being sorry for someone who is in a bad situation

discrete

clearly separate

discreet

careful about what you say or do, so that you do not offend, upset, or embarrass people or tell secrets

illicit

not allowed by laws or rules, or strongly disapproved of by society

elicit

to get or produce something, especially information or a reaction

alternately

happening in a regular way, first one thing and then the other thing

grumpy

bad-tempered and easily annoyed

(be) in the mood (to)

to feel that you would like to do something

cringe

to feel embarrassed by something

mend

to repair a tear or hole in a piece of clothing

reticent

unwilling to talk about what you feel or what you know

detrimental (effect on)

causing harm or damage

pane

a piece of glass used in a window or door

rattle

if you rattle something, or if it rattles, it shakes and makes a quick series of short sounds

rogue

a person who behaves badly, but who you like in spite of this – often used humorously

unpick

to examine the different parts of a subject, deal etc, especially in order to find faults

account for

to be the reason for something, or to explain the reason for something

arrive at

to reach a decision, solution etc after a lot of effort

be on to something

to have an idea or information that is likely to lead to an important discovery

bring about

to make something happen

boil down to

if a situation or statement boils down to something, that is the most important fact or the basic meaning

buy into

to accept or believe an idea

give off

to produce a smell, light, heat etc

narrow down

to reduce the number of people or things that you can choose from