A

(124 words)

able

adjective

intelligent or good at what you do:

an able child/student/secretary
This problem is now being looked at by some of the ablest minds/scientists in the country.

above

adverb, preposition

too good or important for something:

No one is above suspicion in this matter.
He’s not above lying (= he sometimes lies) to protect himself.

abrupt

SUDDEN

adjective

sudden and unexpected, and often unpleasant:

an abrupt change/movement
Our conversation came to an abrupt end when George burst into the room.
The party came to rather an abrupt ending when Tom’s parents came home.
The road ended in an abrupt (= sudden and very steep) slope down to the sea.
The car juddered and came to an abrupt halt in the middle of the road.
There was an abrupt change in her attitude towards me when she heard that I was Alan’s girlfriend.
There was an abrupt fall in our sales figures following the adverse/bad publicity.
As you step into the air-conditioned office, there is an abrupt change in temperature.

UNFRIENDLY

adjective

using too few words when talking, in a way that seems rude and unfriendly:

an abrupt manner/reply
He is sometimes very abrupt with clients.

absolutely not

used as a strong way of saying “no”:

“Are you too tired to continue?” “Absolutely not!”

abuse

noun

[ U ] rude and offensive words said to another person:

He had apparently experienced a lot of verbal abuse from his co-workers.
He hurled (a stream/torrent of) abuse at her (= he said a lot of rude and offensive things to her).
“Idiot!” is a term of abuse (= an insulting expression).

abusive

adjective

using rude and offensive words:

an abusive letter/phone call
He was apparently abusive to the flight attendants.
Her husband’s violent and abusive behaviour drove her to despair.
She turned around and made an abusive gesture at me.
What do you do if a customer starts getting abusive and angry?
The film contains violence and abusive language and is unsuitable for children.
She left because the boss was very unpleasant and abusive towards her.

academic

adjective /ˌæk.əˈdem.ɪk/

used to describe someone who is clever and enjoys studying:

I was never a particularly academic child.

accelerate

verb /əkˈsel.ə.reɪt/

[ I ] When a vehicle or its driver accelerates, the speed of the vehicle increases:

I accelerated to overtake the bus.
The driver accelerated on the bend and appeared to lose control of the vehicle.
We watched as the motorbike accelerated away into the distance.
The van driver accelerated every time I tried to overtake him.
Anne gripped my hand as the plane began accelerating along the runway.
You have to accelerate gradually as you run down the track, and then take a big jump.

[ I ] If a person or object accelerates, he, she, or it goes faster.

accessible

adjective /əkˈses.ə.b^əl/

easy to understand:

Covent Garden has made some attempt to make opera accessible to a wider public.
The annotation of literary texts makes them more accessible.
The book has succeeded in making philosophy accessible to a wider audience.

accompany

verb

[ T ] to sing or play an instrument with another musician or singer:

Miss Jessop accompanied Mr Bentley on the piano.

of your own accord

If you do something of your own accord, you do it without being asked to do it:

She came of her own accord. No one asked her to come.

on no account

If something must on no account/not on any account be done, it must not be done at any time or for any reason:

在任何情况下都不能

Employees must on no account make personal phone calls from the office.
These records must not on any account be changed.

account (to sb) for sth

formal

to explain the reason for something or the cause of something:

Can you account for your absence last Friday?
He has to account to his manager for (= tell his manager about and explain) all his movements.
Sarah was bullied at school, which might account for her behaviour now.
It’s difficult to account for the recent increase in violent crime.
The prime minister will have to account to the whole nation for his decision.

accountable

adjective

Someone who is accountable is completely responsible for what they do and must be able to give a satisfactory reason for it:

She is accountable only to the managing director.
The recent tax reforms have made government more accountable for its spending.
Politicians should be accountable to the public who elected them.

accumulate

verb

[ T ] to collect a large number of things over a long period of time:

As people accumulate more wealth, they tend to spend a greater proportion of their incomes.
During a successful business career, she accumulated a great amount of wealth.
After a long career in the antiques trade, Harry had accumulated many rare treasures.
The company said the debt was accumulated during its acquisition of nine individual businesses.
We’ve accumulated so much rubbish over the years.
During our six years in this house, we seem to have accumulated an awful lot of junk.

[ I ] to gradually increase in number or amount:

A thick layer of dust had accumulated in the room.
If you don’t go through the papers on your desk on a regular basis, they just keep on accumulating.
It can be dangerous to let too much soot accumulate inside a chimney.
Why don’t you just do a little ironing every now and then, instead of letting it accumulate?

accumulation

noun

[ U or C ]

an amount of something that has been collected:

Despite this accumulation of evidence, the government persisted in doing nothing.
Accumulations of sand can be formed by the action of waves on coastal beaches.

act

noun

[ S ] behaviour that hides your real feelings or intentions:

Was she really upset or was that just an act?

get your act together

informal

to start to organize yourself so that you do things in an effective way:

She’s so disorganized – I wish she’d get her act together.

action

SOMETHING DONE

noun

[ C ] a physical movement:

I’ll say the words and you can mime the actions.
It only needs a small wrist action (= movement of the wrist) to start the process.
I’m sorry I punched him, it was a reflex action.

WAR

noun

[ U ] fighting in a war:

Her younger son was killed in action.
He was reported missing in action.
He saw action (= fought as a soldier) in the trenches.

WAY THING WORKS

noun

[ U or C ] the way something moves or works:

We studied the action of the digestive system.
The car has a very smooth braking action.

address

SPEAK TO

verb

formal

[ T ] to speak or write to someone:

He addressed a few introductory remarks to the audience.
He likes to be addressed as “Sir” or “Mr Partridge”.
It’s incorrect to address people by their first names at these formal events.

WRITE DETAILS

[ T ] to write a name or address on an envelope or parcel:

The parcel was wrongly addressed.
So why did you open a letter that was addressed to me?

adjacent

adjective /əˈdʒeɪ.s^ənt/ formal

very near, next to, or touching:

They lived in a house adjacent to the railway.
They took a boat trip and toured the southern coastline and adjacent islands.
They found a lovely hotel adjacent to the sea front.

administration

noun

MANAGEMENT

[ C ] the people in an organization who manage its business and operations:

The decision to cancel the trip was made by the school administration.

GOVERNMENT

[ C ] a period of government, or the people who are in government:

the Obama administration/the last Republican administration

adolescent

noun

[ C ] a young person who is developing into an adult

He looked uncomfortable, like a self-conscious adolescent who’s gone to the wrong party.
She doesn’t understand the emotional problems of adolescents.

adverse

adjective [ before noun ] /ˈæd.vɜːs/

having a negative or harmful effect on something:

负面的，不好的

The match has been cancelled because of adverse weather conditions.
So far the drug is thought not to have any adverse effects.
It is clear that these violent films have an adverse effect on children.
Reactions to the proposal so far have been adverse, but we may convince people in time.

advocate

verb

[ T ] to publicly support or suggest an idea, development, or way of doing something:

[ + -ing verb ] She advocates taking a more long-term view.
He advocates the return of capital punishment.
Heart disease specialists advocate a diet low in cholesterol.
His doctor advocated early retirement.
The author denied that his new book advocated violence.

SUPPORTER

noun

[ C ] someone who publicly supports something:

He’s a strong advocate of state ownership of the railways.

affectionate

adjective

showing feelings of liking or love:

an affectionate kiss
He’s an affectionate little boy.

cannot afford

formal can ill afford

If you cannot afford to do something, you must not do it because it would cause serious problems for you:

We can’t afford to make any mistakes at this stage in the project.
He can ill afford to fail any of his exams.

after

used when giving someone or something the same name as another person or thing:

He was named Mark after his grandfather.

then again

also there again
​
used when you have had a new thought that is different from or the opposite of what you have just said:

I like to travel but, then again, I’m very fond of my home.
This deal could really help the business get out of debt. Then again, you’d just be indebted to the government instead, so maybe it’s not the best solution.
I’d love to upgrade our car. Then again, there are lots of other things around the house that we need to replace more urgently.

against (all) the odds/against all odds

If you do or achieve something against (all) the odds/against all odds, you do or achieve it although there were a lot of problems and you were not likely to succeed:

Against all the odds, he recovered.

age

noun

[ U ] the fact of being or getting older:

Her back was bent with age.
This cheese/wine improves with age.
Her temper hasn’t improved with age!

agenda

noun

[ C ] a list of aims or possible future achievements:

Women’s rights have been put back on the agenda (= are being discussed publicly again).
The subject of safety needs to be placed high on/at the top of the agenda (= must be discussed because it is very important).
Education was placed firmly on the political agenda in the prime minister’s weekend speech.
Action to prevent the spread of the disease is high on the government’s agenda.

agree

verb

[ I ] If two or more statements, ideas, sets of numbers, etc. agree, they are the same or very similar:

We have five accounts of what happened and none of them agree.

ahead

adverb

making more progress than someone else:

All the children in the class are doing well, but Sophie is way (= far) ahead.

aim at sth

to plan, hope, or intend to achieve something:

[ + -ing verb ] The government’s campaign is aimed at influencing public opinion.
The talks are aimed at finding a mutually agreeable solution.

air

noun

[ S ] manner or appearance:

She has an air of confidence about her.
He had a slight air of menace which I found unsettling.
He retains an almost professorial air.
I just assumed he owned the place – he had a proprietary air about him.
The company operates out of modern offices and expensive hotel suites to create an air of respectability.
He glared at me with an air of accusation.

clear the air

to remove the bad feelings between people:

I had a massive argument with Sue, but at least it has cleared the air.

disappear/vanish into thin air

消失得无影无踪

to disappear suddenly and completely

alarm

noun

[ U ] sudden worry and fear, especially that something dangerous or unpleasant might happen:

I didn’t tell her that he was late because I didn’t want to cause her any alarm.
Villagers have reacted with alarm to news of a proposed new road.
The birds flew off in alarm when the cat appeared.
It’s all right, everybody – there’s no need for alarm.

raise the alarm

to make people understand the danger of something:

A local doctor was the first to raise the alarm about this latest virus.

albeit

conjunction formal

although:

The evening was very pleasant, albeit a little quiet.
He tried, albeit without success.

alcoholic

noun [ C ]

a person who is unable to give up the habit of drinking alcohol very often and in large amounts

酒鬼，酗酒者

alert

verb

[ T ] to warn someone of a possibly dangerous situation:

An anonymous letter alerted police to the possibility of a terrorist attack at the airport.
Until I saw my statement, there was nothing to alert me that someone else was using my credit card number.
We encourage parents to alert the school about any concerns or difficulties at home.
We don’t want to alarm people unnecessarily, but they should be alerted to potential dangers.
A note of formality in his voice alerted her to the fact that others were listening.

alive

adjective

If something is alive, it continues to exist:

Relatives of the missing sailors are struggling to keep their hopes alive.

be alive and well/kicking

to continue to live or exist and be full of energy:

She said she’d seen him last week and he was alive and kicking.

to continue to be popular or successful:

Despite rumours to the contrary, feminism is alive and well.
Traditional jazz is still alive and kicking in New Orleans.

for all

despite:

For all her qualifications, she’s still useless at the job.

all but

almost:

The game was all but over by the time we arrived.
I’d all but given up on you.

all the better, stronger, more exciting, etc.

even or much better, stronger, more exciting, etc.:

She felt all the better for the drink.
I’ve lost ten pounds and I feel all the fitter for it.

allege

verb formal

[ T ] to say that someone has done something illegal or wrong without giving proof:

[ + (that) ] The two men allege (that) the police forced them to make false confessions.
[ + to infinitive ] She is alleged to have been at the centre of an international drug ring.
[ + that ] It was alleged that Johnson had struck Mr Rahim on the head.

alliance

noun [ C ]

a group of countries, political parties, or people who have agreed to work together because of shared interests or aims:

a military alliance
NATO is sometimes called the Atlantic Alliance.

an agreement to work with someone else to try to achieve the same thing:

The three smaller parties have forged/formed an alliance against the government.
Some of us feel that the union is in alliance with management against us.

allied

adjective

[ before noun ] connected by a political or military agreement:

an allied offensive
allied bombers/forces

allocation

noun [ U ]

the allocation of resources/funds/time

make allowances for

To make allowances for someone is to think about their characteristics and not judge them too severely:

鉴于 … 而宽容

You should make allowances for him – he’s been quite ill recently.
“This is a poor piece of work.” “Yes, but you should make allowances for the fact that she’s only seven.”

ally

noun [ C ]

a country that has agreed officially to give help and support to another one, especially during a war:

The US is one of Britain’s staunchest allies.
During the First World War, Turkey and Germany were allies/Turkey was an ally of Germany.
NATO allies have decided to send peace-keeping troops to the troubled area.

alone

adjective [ after noun ]

without any others:

She alone needs to decide what to do (= no one else can do it for her).
These facts alone (= even if nothing else is considered) show that he’s not to be trusted.
He won’t get the job through charm alone (= he will need something else).
The airfare alone would use up all my money, never mind the hotel bills.
Price alone is not a reliable indicator of quality.
Words alone cannot convey the untold misery endured by people in these refugee camps.
He truly believes he can cure himself by willpower alone.
Is it more democratic to hold a referendum, rather than let the government alone decide?
These problems might not be solved by money alone, but they will assuredly not be solved without it.
This year alone eight police officers have been killed in the line of duty.

along the lines of sth

also along those lines

similar in type:

I was thinking of doing a meal along the lines of that dinner I did for Annie and Dave.
They’re campaigning for the electoral system to be reformed along the lines of (= so that it becomes similar to) the one in Germany.

ambiguity

noun [ C or U ]

(an example of) the fact of something having more than one possible meaning and therefore possibly causing confusion:

We wish to remove any ambiguity concerning our demands.
There are some ambiguities in the legislation.
There is some ambiguity in the Bible story, and it has been interpreted in different ways.
The law ought to be tightened to avoid any ambiguity.
Let me say this, to avoid any ambiguity, – I am not leaving my wife.
Be as precise as possible in your answer, so that there is no ambiguity.

ambiguous

adjective

having or expressing more than one possible meaning, sometimes intentionally:

His reply to my question was somewhat ambiguous.
The wording of the agreement is ambiguous.
The government has been ambiguous on this issue.
The contract is phrased in a rather ambiguous way.
Legal experts claim that the law on this matter is ambiguous, and that the way the company interpreted it was reasonable.
If you don’t use the correct grammar the meaning can be a bit ambiguous and lead to confusion.

amend

verb [ T ]

to change the words of a text, especially a law or a legal document:

MPs were urged to amend the law to prevent another oil tanker disaster.
In line 20, “men” should be amended (= changed) to “people”.
Until the constitution is amended, the power to appoint ministers will remain with the president.

amendment

noun

[ U or C ] a change or changes made to the words of a text:

He insisted that the book did not need amendment.
I’ve made a few last-minute amendments to the article.
Presidential power was reduced by a constitutional amendment in 1991.

analogy

noun [ C or U ]

a comparison between things that have similar features, often used to help explain a principle or idea:

He drew an analogy between the brain and a vast computer.
It is sometimes easier to illustrate an abstract concept by analogy with (= by comparing it with) something concrete.

analogous

adjective

The experience of mystic trance is in a sense analogous to sleep or drunkenness.

anchor

ON A BOAT

noun [ C ]

船锚

We dropped anchor (= lowered the anchor into the water) and stopped.
It was time to weigh anchor (= pull up the anchor and sail away).
The captain of the ship ordered his men to lower the anchor.
The missing boat was last seen at anchor off the north Wales coast.
There’s a huge metal anchor on display in the entrance to the Maritime Museum.
The ship’s anchor is attached to an enormous length of chain.
For several hours the oil rig was adrift and dragging its anchors in the North Sea.

SUPPORT

noun [ C ]

someone or something that gives support when needed:

She was my anchor when things were difficult for me.
This treaty has been called the anchor (= strongest part) of their foreign policy.

FASTEN

verb

[ I or T ] to lower an anchor into the water in order to stop a boat from moving away

[ T ] to make something or someone stay in one position by fastening him, her, or it firmly:

We anchored ourselves to the rocks with a rope.

animated

adjective

full of interest and energy:

There was an extremely animated discussion on the subject.
They must have been having an interesting conversation – they both looked very animated.

anonymous

adjective

made or done by someone whose name is not known or not made public:

The money was donated by an anonymous benefactor.
Police said an anonymous caller warned that a bomb was about to go off.
An attempt to implant an embryo using an egg from an anonymous woman donor was unsuccessful.
He received an anonymous letter threatening to disclose details of his affair if he didn’t pay the money.
For reasons of personal safety, the informant wishes to remain anonymous.

antibiotic

noun [ C ]

a medicine or chemical that can destroy harmful bacteria in the body or limit their growth:

I’m taking antibiotics for a throat infection.
a one-month course of antibiotics
Some types of antibiotic are used to promote growth in farm animals.
He’s on antibiotics for an ear infection.
My doctor’s put me on a course of antibiotics and I have to stay off work for a week.
Bacteria are becoming resistant to antibiotics.
In those days doctors gave out antibiotics to patients all the time, so they became less effective.

anticipation

noun [ U ]

a feeling of excitement about something that is going to happen in the near future:

As with most pleasures, it’s not so much the experience itself as the anticipation that is enjoyable.
The postponement of the film’s sequel has held cinemagoers in eager anticipation for several months.
The audience waited in great anticipation, but nothing happened.
The city was filled with anticipation in the weeks before the festival.
We stood on the platform in anticipation, only to be told that the train was cancelled.
The children jumped up and down in anticipation as the presents were produced.
After months of anticipation, the holiday was a bit of a disappointment actually.

in anticipation (of)

in preparation for something happening:

She’s even decorated the spare room in anticipation of your visit.

apologetic

adjective

showing that you feel sorry about having caused someone problems or unhappiness:

She was so apologetic about forgetting my birthday it was almost embarrassing.
I hope he was suitably apologetic for breaking your glasses.

appalling

adjective

shocking and very bad:

appalling injuries
Prisoners were kept in the most appalling conditions.

C1 very bad:

appalling weather
The drive home was appalling.

Your table manners are appalling – don’t you know how to use a knife and fork?
After her appalling behaviour, we had no option but to dismiss her.
The standard of cleanliness in some of these restaurants is frankly appalling.

appetite

noun

[ C ] the feeling of wanting or needing something:

her appetite for adventure
his insatiable sexual appetite
I’ve read an excerpt of the book on the Web and it’s whetted my appetite (= increased my interest in it).

applaud

verb

[ T ] formal to say that you admire and agree with a person’s action or decision:

We applaud the family’s decision to remain silent over the issue.

round of applause

a period of time during which people are clapping:

The singer got a big round of applause.

application

noun

[ C or U ] a way in which something can be used for a particular purpose:

The design has many applications.
the application of this research in the treatment of cancer

apply yourself

​If you apply yourself to something, you work hard at it, directing your abilities and efforts in a determined way so that you succeed:

You can solve any problem if you apply yourself.

appointment

noun

[ C or U ] the act of officially choosing someone for a job, or the job itself:

his appointment as senior lecturer
We would like to announce the appointment of Julia Lewis as head of sales.
Our department expects to make five new appointments (= appoint five new people) this year alone.
The appointment of a female director is a quantum leap for women’s equality.

appreciate

verb

[ T ] to understand a situation and realize that it is important:

We appreciate the need for immediate action.
[ + that ] I appreciate that it’s a difficult decision for you to make.
[ + question word ] I don’t think you appreciate how much time I spent preparing this meal.

arbitrary

adjective

based on chance rather than being planned or based on reason:

arbitrary decision-making
Did you have a reason for choosing your destination or was it arbitrary?
Why did they cut your job and not mine? It seems to have been purely arbitrary.
He played a few arbitrary notes on the piano, to try it out.
I thought it was just an arbitrary arrangement of chairs – I didn’t realize it was an art exhibit!
The garden isn’t planned at all – we tend to just plant things in an arbitrary way.
The refugees were found during an arbitrary vehicle check at the ferry port.

arch

CURVED STRUCTURE

noun [ C ]

拱形结构，建筑，门：

Passing through the arch, you enter an open courtyard.
The vines were trained over an arch, providing shade as well as fruit.
The temple’s grand white arches rose conspicuously over the dirty decaying city.
The abbey is known for its majestic arches, fine doorways and elegant windows.
The town is dominated by the massive arches of a viaduct.

verb [ I or T ]

to make the shape of an arch:

Trees arch over the river.
Her eyebrows arched in contempt.
She watched the cat arch its back.

arid

specialized environment very dry and without enough rain for plants:

The desert is so arid that nothing can grow there.

arm

[ C ] The arm of a piece of clothing or furniture is a part of it that you put your arm in or on:

the arm of a jacket
the arm of a chair

arm in arm

When two people are arm in arm, they both have one arm bent at the elbow and passing around and supporting, or being supported by, the arm of the other person:

We walked arm in arm along the river bank.

keep sb at arm’s length

to not allow someone to become too friendly with you:

I always had the feeling she was keeping me at arm’s length.

army

noun

[ C usually singular ] a large group of people who are involved in a particular activity:

She brought an army of supporters with her.

arouse

verb [ T ]

to cause someone to have a particular feeling:

It’s a subject that has aroused a lot of interest.
Our suspicions were first aroused when we heard a muffled scream.
Something he said as he was leaving really aroused my curiosity.
Football arouses a good deal of passion among its supporters.
The sight of people suffering arouses a deep sense of injustice in her.
The programme aroused strong feelings, as you can see by the number of letters received.

arrive at sth

verb [ I ]

to reach an agreement about something:

We all argued about it for hours and eventually arrived at a decision.

artificial

disapproving not sincere:

Their cheerfulness seemed rather strained and artificial.

artificial intelligence

noun [ U ] abbreviation AI

人工智能

if you ask me

said when giving your opinion on something:

If you ask me, people should go on a training course before they become parents.

ask yourself sth

to consider something carefully:

She needs to ask herself why nobody seems to like her.

aspiration

noun

[ C usually plural, U ] something that you hope to achieve:

I’ve never had any political aspirations.
It’s a story about the lives and aspirations of poor Irish immigrants.
It is important to encourage children’s dreams and aspirations.
Having had little education herself, she had very high educational aspirations for her children.
He worked hard to fulfil his childhood aspiration to become a surgeon.
Trade union leaders said they were fighting for the hopes and aspirations of their members.

aspire to sth

phrasal verb

to have a strong wish or hope to do or have something:

Few people who aspire to fame ever achieve it.
[ + to infinitive ] As a child, he aspired to be a great writer.
She has the kind of lifestyle most of us aspire to.
The majority of people don’t aspire to greatness – they just want to be normal.
He quickly reached standards of musicianship that the rest of us can only aspire to.
She’s just a young soap opera actress but she aspires to great Hollywood roles.

an aspiring actor, politician, writer, etc.

someone who is trying to become a successful actor, politician, writer, etc.

I knew him when he was an aspiring young law student.
Hollywood is full of aspiring young actors, waiting for their big break into movies.
Do you have any advice for aspiring young journalists looking for work?

assault

noun

[ C or U ] a violent attack:

He was charged with sexual assault.
uk The number of indecent assaults has increased alarmingly over the past year.
an assault on a police officer
They launched an assault on the capital yesterday.

verb [ T ]

to attack someone violently:

A woman and a man have been convicted of assaulting a police officer.
He had attempted to sexually assault the woman.

assemble

verb

GATHER

[ I or T ] to come together in a single place or bring parts together in a single group:

We assembled in the meeting room after lunch.
to assemble data
At the staff meeting, the manager told the assembled company (= everyone there) that no one would lose their job.
Within hours of the tragedy happening, an emergency rescue team had been assembled.

JOIN

[ T ] to make something by joining separate parts:

furniture that is easy to assemble

assembly

noun

MEETING

[ C ] a group of people, especially one that meets regularly for a particular purpose, such as government, or, more generally, the process of coming together, or the state of being together:

the United Nations General Assembly
She has been tipped as a future member of the Welsh Assembly.

JOINING

[ U ] the process of putting together the parts of a machine or structure

assert

verb [ T ]

to do something to show that you have power:

Throughout the Cold War, the Allies asserted their right to move freely between the two Berlins.
She very rarely asserts her authority over the children.

assert yourself

to behave in a way that expresses your confidence, importance, or power and earns you respect from others:

I really must assert myself more in meetings.

assertive

adjective

Someone who is assertive behaves confidently and is not frightened to say what they want or believe:

If you really want the promotion, you’ll have to be more assertive.
In difficult situations like that, it’s important to be assertive without getting angry or aggressive.
I’ve become a lot more assertive as I’ve got older, and will no longer put up with bad service.
He taught his children to be assertive and to stand up to the bullies.

assign

verb [ T ]

to send someone somewhere to do a job:

She was assigned to the newspaper’s Berlin office.

assign sb to sth

verb [ T ]

to choose someone to do a particular job:

Which police officer has been assigned to this case?

associate with sb

verb [ T ]

to spend time with a group of people, especially people who are disapproved of:

[贬] 扯上关系

I don’t want my children associating with drug addicts and alcoholics.

assume

to take or begin to have responsibility or control, sometimes without the right to do so, or to begin to have a characteristic:

The new president assumes office at midnight tonight.
The terrorists assumed control of the plane and forced it to land in the desert.
The issue has assumed considerable political proportions (= has become a big political problem).

assurance

noun

[ U ] confidence:

He spoke with calm assurance.

astronomy

noun [ U ]

the scientific study of the universe and of objects that exist naturally in space, such as the moon, the sun, planets, and stars

Unlike astronomy, astrology cannot be described as an exact science.
I’ve always had an interest in astronomy.
These ancient scholars were steeped in poetry and painting, as well as maths and astronomy.

attach sth to sth

formal

To attach a particular quality to something is to consider it to have that quality:

I don’t attach any importance/significance to these rumours.
She attaches great value to being financially independent.

attachment

noun

[ C or U ] a feeling of love or strong connection to someone or something:

At university I formed a strong attachment to one of my tutors.
She is unlikely to give up her lifelong attachment to feminist ideas.

attack

DAMAGE

verb

[ T ] If something, such as a disease or a chemical, attacks something, it damages it:

AIDS attacks the body’s immune system.
My rose bushes are being attacked by aphids.

CRITICISM

[ C or U ] a strong criticism of someone or something:

a scathing attack on the president
The government has come under attack from all sides for cutting education spending.

attainable

adjective formal

possible to achieve:

We must ensure that we do not set ourselves goals that are not attainable.

in attendance

present with someone and helping or taking care of them :

He never goes out without his security men in attendance.

centre of attention

the person or thing that everyone is most interested in and pays most attention to:

She’s the centre of attention everywhere she goes.

attraction

noun

[ U ] the feeling of liking someone, especially sexually, because of the way they look or behave:

She felt an immediate physical attraction to him.

attribute

noun [ C ] /ˈæt.rɪ.bjuːt/

a quality or characteristic that someone or something has:

Organizational ability is an essential attribute for a good manager.

attribute sth to sb/sth

phrasal verb

to say or think that something is the result or work of something or someone else:

The doctors have attributed the cause of the illness to an unknown virus.
To what do you attribute this delay?
Most experts have attributed the drawing to Michelangelo.

authority

noun

[ C ] an expert on a subject:

She’s a world authority on 19th-century Irish history.

automatic

adjective

NOT CONSCIOUS

done without thinking about it:

Over time, driving just becomes automatic.
My automatic response was to pull my hand away.

CERTAIN

certain to happen as part of the normal process or system:

Citizenship is automatic for children born in this country.
You get an automatic promotion after two years.

avenue

noun [ C ]

a method or way of doing something:

We should explore/pursue every avenue in the search for an answer to this problem.
Only two avenues are open to us – either we accept his offer or we give up the fight completely.

away

adverb

continuously or repeatedly, or in a busy way:

I was still writing away when the exam finished.
Chris has been working away in the garden all day.
We were chatting away at the back and didn’t hear what he said.

awe

noun [ U ]

a feeling of great respect sometimes mixed with fear or surprise:

I’ve always held musicians in awe.
As children we were rather in awe of our grandfather.
You can’t help but stand in awe of (= respect greatly and fear slightly) powerful people.
The scenery was absolutely stunning – I remember gazing in a state of awe over the landscape.

awesome

adjective

causing feelings of great admiration, respect, or fear:

An awesome challenge/task lies ahead of them.
awesome scenery

awkward

embarrassed or nervous:

I always feel awkward when I’m with Chris – he’s so difficult to talk to.
He seemed a little awkward when I first met him.
It’s always awkward when you meet someone you know, but you can’t remember their name.