Question 1

(idiom) If something someone says or writes rings true, it seems to be true

Accepted Answer

ring true
1) Something about his explanation didn't quite ring true.

Question 2

(idiom) to change your approach, strategy, or direction — especially when the current one isn’t working.

Accepted Answer

change tack
1)  tried to convince him with logic, but when that failed, I changed tack and appealed to his emotions.

Question 3

(ph.v) to openly oppose, contradict, or defy a belief, rule, tradition, evidence, or expectation

Accepted Answer

to fly in the face of (something)
1) Her decision to refuse the arranged marriage flew in the face of family tradition.
2) Saying the project was a success flies in the face of the data, which shows it lost money.

Question 4

(ph.v)  To accept a plan, idea, or suggestion — even if you’re not fully convinced.

Accepted Answer

go along with (something/somebody)
1) I didn’t love the idea, but I went along with it to keep the peace.
2) Why did you go along with his crazy plan?

Question 5

(ph.v) dwelling too long, overthinking, or letting something block your progress

Accepted Answer

get hung up (on something)
1) Don’t get hung up on the small details — focus on the big picture.
2) She got hung up on her ex’s last text and couldn’t sleep.

Question 6

(phrase) It’s used to state your personal opinion, especially when you think others might disagree — or when you want to stand out from a group.

Accepted Answer

I, for one…
1) Everyone says the new policy is great, but I, for one, think it’s unfair.
2) Nobody thanked the volunteers, but I, for one, am truly grateful.

Question 7

(adverbal phrase) most definitely

Accepted Answer

an adverbial phrase meaning “absolutely,” “certainly,” or “without doubt.” when you want to strongly emphasize that something is true (or false)
1) I most definitely will not go back to that restaurant!
2) She most definitely deserves a promotion.

Question 8

(v.) to cause someone to do something that they would not usually do, by unfair methods

Accepted Answer

entrap
1) I firmly believe my son has been entrapped by this cult.

Question 9

(noun) intentional action to change a situation, with the aim of improving it or preventing it from getting worse

Accepted Answer

intervention
1) intervention in He warned against too much government intervention in the economy.
2) Human interventions in nature rarely have a positive effect, she argues.

Question 10

(adj.) exactly right

Accepted Answer

spot on
1) "How old do I reckon she is? I'd say 38." "Spot on."

Question 11

(v.) to think again about something in order to decide if you should change the way you feel about it or deal with it

Accepted Answer

reassess
1) We need to reassess our values as a nation.
2) I've reassessed the situation and decided to stay.

Question 12

(idiom) If something someone says or writes rings true, it seems to be true

Accepted Answer

ring true
1) Something about his explanation didn't quite ring true.

Question 13

(ph.v) to keep thinking or talking about something, especially something bad or unpleasant

Accepted Answer

dwell on something
1) In his speech, he dwelt on the plight of the sick and the hungry.

Question 14

(v.) to annoy or worry someone

Accepted Answer

bug
1) He's been bugging me all morning.

Question 15

(adverb) in a way that is clear

Accepted Answer

patently
1) She was patently lying.
2) It's patently obvious that he doesn't care.

Question 16

(idiom) If something strikes a chord, it causes people to approve of it or agree with it

Accepted Answer

strike a chord
1) strike a chord with Their policy on childcare has struck a responsive chord with women voters.
2) strike a chord among Her speech struck a sympathetic chord among business leaders.

Question 17

(idiom) to stop trying to do something because you have realized that you cannot succeed

Accepted Answer

throw in the towel
1) Three of the original five candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination have now thrown in the towel.

Question 18

(adj.) annoying

Accepted Answer

galling
1) [ + to infinitive ] It was very galling to have a younger brother who did everything better than me.

Question 19

(adj.) not expressing or showing intelligent thought or purpose

Accepted Answer

vacuous  /ˈvæk.ju.əs/
1) a vacuous remark/question/expression/smile

Question 20

(adj.) something that you say or write that is too general and that has not been carefully thought about

Accepted Answer

sweeping statement/generalization
1) Sweeping generalizations about this complex and difficult situation are not helpful.

Question 21

(idiom) to stop being able to control your emotions and suddenly start to shout, cry, or laugh

Accepted Answer

lose it
1) I'd been trying so hard to stay calm but in the end I just lost it.

Question 22

(adj.) based on truth or reason; able to be accepted

Accepted Answer

valid
1) a valid argument/criticism/reason
2) My way of thinking might be different from yours, but it's equally valid.

Question 23

(ph.v.) to provide an excuse, idea, opinion, or fact, especially one that has been used often before or one that is silly

Accepted Answer

trot something out
1) You trot out that argument whenever I try to discuss this with you.
2) trot the same old something out Whenever I ask him why his work is late, he just trots out the same old excuses.

Question 24

(adj.) expressed too often to be interesting or seem sincere

Accepted Answer

trite
1) His lyrics about love and peace are too trite for me to take them seriously.
2) I know it will sound trite, but I've loved being part of this club.

Question 25

(noun) an idea that a lot of people think is true but is in fact false

Accepted Answer

fallacy
1) [ + that ] It is a common fallacy that women are worse drivers than men.

Question 26

(adj.) very serious or extreme

Accepted Answer

dire
1) dire warning He gave a dire warning that an earthquake was imminent.
2) dire consequences This decision will have dire consequences for local people.

Question 27

(v.) to put down or drop something in a careless way

Accepted Answer

dump
1) He came in with four shopping bags and dumped them on the table.

Question 28

(v.) to get or obtain something. If you acquire something such as a skill or a habit, you learn it, or develop it through your daily life or experience.

Accepted Answer

acquire
1) recently acquired The museum will put the recently acquired Picasso on display this spring.
2) seem to have acquired I seem to have acquired (= have got although I don't know how) two copies of this book.

Question 29

(v.) skim

Accepted Answer

read quickly, to read or look at something quickly to understand the main points, without studying it in detail
1) You can’t just skim the tax forms.
2) Skim through this report.

Question 30

(noun) a mental condition that makes someone want to keep a large number of things that are not needed or have no value

Accepted Answer

hoarding
1) compulsive hoarding Compulsive hoarding can leave no space for someone to clean, cook, socialize, or even sleep in a bed.
2) Hoarding is often linked with depression and anxiety.

Question 31

(adj.) very interested, eager, or wanting (to do) something very much

Accepted Answer

keen
1) She's a keen tennis player.
2) keen on She's keen on (playing) tennis.

Question 32

(noun) the process of getting something

Accepted Answer

acquisition
1) The acquisition of huge amounts of data has helped our research enormously.
2) Their main methods of food acquisition were hunting and fishing.

Question 33

(adj.) A faulty machine or device is not perfectly made or does not work correctly

Accepted Answer

faulty /ˈfɒl.ti/
1) faulty wiring/brakes

Question 34

(idiom) To dig or rummage aimlessly in or through some cluttered place or collection of things in order to find something.

Accepted Answer

root through (something) (for something)
1) I caught my brother rooting through my purse again.
2) A raccoon was rooting through the dumpster for something to eat.

Question 35

(noun) the pair of long metal bars fixed on the ground at an equal distance from each other, along which trains travel

Accepted Answer

track
1) a ten-mile stretch of track
2) Passengers are requested not to walk across the tracks.

Question 36

(ph.v) If something dangerous or unpleasant breaks out, it suddenly starts

Accepted Answer

break out
1) War broke out in 1914.
2) Fighting has broken out all over the city.

Question 37

(noun) a movement of water or air

Accepted Answer

current
1) The boat drifted with the current until it was miles from shore.

Question 38

(ph.v) to feel very pleased about something or someone you are closely connected with

Accepted Answer

take pride in something/someone
1) If you don't take professional pride in your work, you're probably in the wrong job.
2) She took pride in her ability to inspire loyalty.

Question 39

(ph.v) to be the right type of person for a particular job or activity

Accepted Answer

cut out for something
1) He’s just not cut out for politics.

Question 40

(ph.v) to become unfastened or detached

Accepted Answer

come off

Question 41

(adj.) trained or influenced mentally so that you do or expect a particular thing without thinking about it

Accepted Answer

conditioned
1) conditioned to They've been so conditioned to be strong, they bottle everything up.
2) Psychologists Pavlov and Skinner developed experimental approaches to study conditioned behaviours.

Question 42

(phrase) out cold

Accepted Answer

If someone is out cold, they are unconscious or sleeping very heavily.
1) She was out cold but still breathing.

Question 43

(ph.v) 1) to start doing something, often without intending to; 2) to belong to a particular group, subject, or area

Accepted Answer

fall into something
1) The book falls into two parts: theory and practice.
2) fall into a habit We've fallen into the habit of getting up late on Saturday mornings.

Question 44

(noun) the determination to continue what you are doing

Accepted Answer

tenacity

Question 45

(ph.v.) to increase the speed, power, or cost of something

Accepted Answer

ramp something up
1) Announcement of the merger is expected to ramp up share prices over the next few days.
2) Mitsubishi has ramped up the speed of its new microcontrollers.

Question 46

(ph.v) to criticize someone or ask them to explain their actions

Accepted Answer

call (something) out
1) call someone out on something If he did anything wrong, I'd be the first to call him out on it.

Question 47

(v) to be unhappy and unwilling to think or act in a positive way, especially because of a disappointment

Accepted Answer

mope
1) There's no point in sitting at home and moping - get out there and find yourself another job!

Question 48

(phrase) not being used or not involved in an activity

Accepted Answer

on the sidelines
1) The absence of new products is keeping consumers on the sidelines.
2) stay/wait/sit on the sidelines

Question 49

(adj.) able to understand or recognize something

Accepted Answer

attuned
1) A good nurse has to be attuned to the needs of his or her patients.
2) Politicians must be highly attuned to these dangers.

Question 50

(phrase) used in questions or negatives to mean possible

Accepted Answer

earthly reason
1) What earthly reason can she have for being so horrible to you?

Question 51

(noun) a skill or an ability to do something easily and well

Accepted Answer

knack
1) knack for He has a knack for remembering people's names.
2) knack of She has the knack of making people feel comfortable.

Question 52

(idiom) to do what you have said you would do

Accepted Answer

make good on something
1) My grandfather said he would pay for me to go to college, and he made good on that promise.

Question 53

(idiom) exactly right, often an exact amount of money or time

Accepted Answer

on the nose
1) Her description of the play was right on the nose.

Question 54

(idiom) to make your feelings and emotions obvious rather than hiding them

Accepted Answer

wear your heart on your sleeve

Question	Answer
(idiom) If something someone says or writes rings true, it seems to be true	ring true 1) Something about his explanation didn't quite ring true.
(idiom) to change your approach, strategy, or direction — especially when the current one isn’t working.	change tack 1) tried to convince him with logic, but when that failed, I changed tack and appealed to his emotions.
(ph.v) to openly oppose, contradict, or defy a belief, rule, tradition, evidence, or expectation	to fly in the face of (something) 1) Her decision to refuse the arranged marriage flew in the face of family tradition. 2) Saying the project was a success flies in the face of the data, which shows it lost money.
(ph.v) To accept a plan, idea, or suggestion — even if you’re not fully convinced.	go along with (something/somebody) 1) I didn’t love the idea, but I went along with it to keep the peace. 2) Why did you go along with his crazy plan?
(ph.v) dwelling too long, overthinking, or letting something block your progress	get hung up (on something) 1) Don’t get hung up on the small details — focus on the big picture. 2) She got hung up on her ex’s last text and couldn’t sleep.
(phrase) It’s used to state your personal opinion, especially when you think others might disagree — or when you want to stand out from a group.	I, for one… 1) Everyone says the new policy is great, but I, for one, think it’s unfair. 2) Nobody thanked the volunteers, but I, for one, am truly grateful.
(adverbal phrase) most definitely	an adverbial phrase meaning “absolutely,” “certainly,” or “without doubt.” when you want to strongly emphasize that something is true (or false) 1) I most definitely will not go back to that restaurant! 2) She most definitely deserves a promotion.
(v.) to cause someone to do something that they would not usually do, by unfair methods	entrap 1) I firmly believe my son has been entrapped by this cult.
(noun) intentional action to change a situation, with the aim of improving it or preventing it from getting worse	intervention 1) intervention in He warned against too much government intervention in the economy. 2) Human interventions in nature rarely have a positive effect, she argues.
(adj.) exactly right	spot on 1) "How old do I reckon she is? I'd say 38." "Spot on."
(v.) to think again about something in order to decide if you should change the way you feel about it or deal with it	reassess 1) We need to reassess our values as a nation. 2) I've reassessed the situation and decided to stay.
(idiom) If something someone says or writes rings true, it seems to be true	ring true 1) Something about his explanation didn't quite ring true.
(ph.v) to keep thinking or talking about something, especially something bad or unpleasant	dwell on something 1) In his speech, he dwelt on the plight of the sick and the hungry.
(v.) to annoy or worry someone	bug 1) He's been bugging me all morning.
(adverb) in a way that is clear	patently 1) She was patently lying. 2) It's patently obvious that he doesn't care.
(idiom) If something strikes a chord, it causes people to approve of it or agree with it	strike a chord 1) strike a chord with Their policy on childcare has struck a responsive chord with women voters. 2) strike a chord among Her speech struck a sympathetic chord among business leaders.
(idiom) to stop trying to do something because you have realized that you cannot succeed	throw in the towel 1) Three of the original five candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination have now thrown in the towel.
(adj.) annoying	galling 1) [ + to infinitive ] It was very galling to have a younger brother who did everything better than me.
(adj.) not expressing or showing intelligent thought or purpose	vacuous /ˈvæk.ju.əs/ 1) a vacuous remark/question/expression/smile
(adj.) something that you say or write that is too general and that has not been carefully thought about	sweeping statement/generalization 1) Sweeping generalizations about this complex and difficult situation are not helpful.
(idiom) to stop being able to control your emotions and suddenly start to shout, cry, or laugh	lose it 1) I'd been trying so hard to stay calm but in the end I just lost it.
(adj.) based on truth or reason; able to be accepted	valid 1) a valid argument/criticism/reason 2) My way of thinking might be different from yours, but it's equally valid.
(ph.v.) to provide an excuse, idea, opinion, or fact, especially one that has been used often before or one that is silly	trot something out 1) You trot out that argument whenever I try to discuss this with you. 2) trot the same old something out Whenever I ask him why his work is late, he just trots out the same old excuses.
(adj.) expressed too often to be interesting or seem sincere	trite 1) His lyrics about love and peace are too trite for me to take them seriously. 2) I know it will sound trite, but I've loved being part of this club.
(noun) an idea that a lot of people think is true but is in fact false	fallacy 1) [ + that ] It is a common fallacy that women are worse drivers than men.
(adj.) very serious or extreme	dire 1) dire warning He gave a dire warning that an earthquake was imminent. 2) dire consequences This decision will have dire consequences for local people.
(v.) to put down or drop something in a careless way	dump 1) He came in with four shopping bags and dumped them on the table.
(v.) to get or obtain something. If you acquire something such as a skill or a habit, you learn it, or develop it through your daily life or experience.	acquire 1) recently acquired The museum will put the recently acquired Picasso on display this spring. 2) seem to have acquired I seem to have acquired (= have got although I don't know how) two copies of this book.
(v.) skim	read quickly, to read or look at something quickly to understand the main points, without studying it in detail 1) You can’t just skim the tax forms. 2) Skim through this report.
(noun) a mental condition that makes someone want to keep a large number of things that are not needed or have no value	hoarding 1) compulsive hoarding Compulsive hoarding can leave no space for someone to clean, cook, socialize, or even sleep in a bed. 2) Hoarding is often linked with depression and anxiety.
(adj.) very interested, eager, or wanting (to do) something very much	keen 1) She's a keen tennis player. 2) keen on She's keen on (playing) tennis.
(noun) the process of getting something	acquisition 1) The acquisition of huge amounts of data has helped our research enormously. 2) Their main methods of food acquisition were hunting and fishing.
(adj.) A faulty machine or device is not perfectly made or does not work correctly	faulty /ˈfɒl.ti/ 1) faulty wiring/brakes
(idiom) To dig or rummage aimlessly in or through some cluttered place or collection of things in order to find something.	root through (something) (for something) 1) I caught my brother rooting through my purse again. 2) A raccoon was rooting through the dumpster for something to eat.
(noun) the pair of long metal bars fixed on the ground at an equal distance from each other, along which trains travel	track 1) a ten-mile stretch of track 2) Passengers are requested not to walk across the tracks.
(ph.v) If something dangerous or unpleasant breaks out, it suddenly starts	break out 1) War broke out in 1914. 2) Fighting has broken out all over the city.
(noun) a movement of water or air	current 1) The boat drifted with the current until it was miles from shore.
(ph.v) to feel very pleased about something or someone you are closely connected with	take pride in something/someone 1) If you don't take professional pride in your work, you're probably in the wrong job. 2) She took pride in her ability to inspire loyalty.
(ph.v) to be the right type of person for a particular job or activity	cut out for something 1) He’s just not cut out for politics.
(ph.v) to become unfastened or detached	come off
(adj.) trained or influenced mentally so that you do or expect a particular thing without thinking about it	conditioned 1) conditioned to They've been so conditioned to be strong, they bottle everything up. 2) Psychologists Pavlov and Skinner developed experimental approaches to study conditioned behaviours.
(phrase) out cold	If someone is out cold, they are unconscious or sleeping very heavily. 1) She was out cold but still breathing.
(ph.v) 1) to start doing something, often without intending to; 2) to belong to a particular group, subject, or area	fall into something 1) The book falls into two parts: theory and practice. 2) fall into a habit We've fallen into the habit of getting up late on Saturday mornings.
(noun) the determination to continue what you are doing	tenacity
(ph.v.) to increase the speed, power, or cost of something	ramp something up 1) Announcement of the merger is expected to ramp up share prices over the next few days. 2) Mitsubishi has ramped up the speed of its new microcontrollers.
(ph.v) to criticize someone or ask them to explain their actions	call (something) out 1) call someone out on something If he did anything wrong, I'd be the first to call him out on it.
(v) to be unhappy and unwilling to think or act in a positive way, especially because of a disappointment	mope 1) There's no point in sitting at home and moping - get out there and find yourself another job!
(phrase) not being used or not involved in an activity	on the sidelines 1) The absence of new products is keeping consumers on the sidelines. 2) stay/wait/sit on the sidelines
(adj.) able to understand or recognize something	attuned 1) A good nurse has to be attuned to the needs of his or her patients. 2) Politicians must be highly attuned to these dangers.
(phrase) used in questions or negatives to mean possible	earthly reason 1) What earthly reason can she have for being so horrible to you?
(noun) a skill or an ability to do something easily and well	knack 1) knack for He has a knack for remembering people's names. 2) knack of She has the knack of making people feel comfortable.
(idiom) to do what you have said you would do	make good on something 1) My grandfather said he would pay for me to go to college, and he made good on that promise.
(idiom) exactly right, often an exact amount of money or time	on the nose 1) Her description of the play was right on the nose.
(idiom) to make your feelings and emotions obvious rather than hiding them	wear your heart on your sleeve

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