8/16/2019 Week 8 Vocabulary and Grammar Noun Combinations Theory

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Week 8 –  Noun combinations Practical course –  Vocabulary and Grammar

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Noun combinations I

Combinations Definitions Combinations Definitions

a broad accent = a very strong regional accent to have high hopes of sth happening = to think that there is a good chance that sth youhave been working hard to achieve will happen

a broad grin = a very big smile it’s high time  = you really should (+ past tense)

a close friend = a good friend high unemployment = a high percentage of the population do not have a job

a close shave = (sb had a close shave/sth was a close shave) sbvery nearly had an accident / got into serious trouble

as a last resort = if nothing else works

to take a close look at sth = to examine sth very closely the last straw = the final bad thing that happens to you  –  comingafter a number of other bad things

to be thrown in at the deep end = to be given a very difficult job to be the last word in = to be the latest, newest and best

to be in deep trouble = to be in a lot of trouble loose change = coins

a deep voice = a very low-sounding voice to be at a loose end = to have nothing to do

at full blast = at maximum volume to tie up loose ends = to complete sth (a business deal, a plan etc.) thatis almost finished

 full responsibility = all the blame for sth bad that has happened a mixed blessing = sth that happens to you is in some ways good butin other ways bad

a party is in full swing = the party has reached its highest level of activity to have mixed feelings about sth = part of you thinks sth is a good idea while theother part of you think it is a bad idea

to be in sb’s good books  = sb (your boss, teacher etc.) is pleased with you the small hours = after midnight and in the very early morning

it’s a good job that   = it’s fortunate that  a tight match = a match in which both players/teams are equallygood

 I’ve a good mind to do sth = used to introduce a threat that one will not carryout, but it shows that one is annoyed

a tight squeeze = only just enough space for people/things to fit in a particular place

a heavy cold = a very bad cold

Noun combinations II 

Combinations Definitions Combinations Definitions

at breakneck speed = extremely fast (generally for driving) a mobile phone = a large caravan, parked in a particular place and

used as permanent accommodation

 sb comes from a broken home = sb’s patents have got divorced a non-stop flight = a flight which does not stop on the way to its

destinationa bumpy flight = a journey on a plane in which the plane moves

about a lot because of air turbulenceto be in the public eye = to be continually appearing on TV, in

newspapers and magazines

a capacity crowd = a crowd or audience that fills all of the seats in the

room / hall / stadium

a remote possibility / chance (that sth will /

could happen)

= very little possibility of sth happening

a catchy tune = a tune that is easy to remember a resounding success = a complete success

to have a c lean driving licence = never to have been convicted of a driving offence  small talk = conversation about unimportant things that people usually make at social occasions

common knowledge = sth everybody knows the sole survivor = the sole person to survive an accident

a compulsive liar = a person who lies all the time and cannot stop

himself from doing so

 strong language = bad and offensive language

a condemned building = a building that is going to be pulled down a total / complete stranger = sb you have never met before

a cushy job = a very easy job that does not take up too much of a vicious circle = a difficult problem which creates new problems

8/16/2019 Week 8 Vocabulary and Grammar Noun Combinations Theory

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Week 8 –  Noun combinations Practical course –  Vocabulary and Grammar

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your time and usually pays well which cause the original problem to reoccur

cutting-edge technology = the latest and most advanced technology to have had a wasted journey = to arrive somewhere only to find out that youcannot do / get what you planned to do / get therea foregone conclusion = a result you can predict with absolute certainty

Noun combinations III

Combinations Definitions Combinations Definitions

bare feet = without shoes of socks on a husky voice = a deep, rough sounding but attractive voice 

 full marks = to get everything right in an exam/test and be givenmaximum points irreparable damage = damage that cannot be put right a gaping hole / wound = a very big hole / wound   juicy gossip = very interesting, scandalous gossip a ghost town = a town that has been abandoned by most of its inhabitants

and is empty and very quiet as a result  a nail-biting finish = a very exciting and dramatic end (to a sports match,

 book, film etc.) a golden opportunity = a very good chance (to get sth valuable or be successful)  the not-too-distant future = the near future the gutter press = newspapers that concentrate on gossip and scandals rather

than serious news a package holiday = a holiday in which everything (flights, hotels, meals,

excursions, etc.) is organised for you a heated argument = an argument which is very passionate and probably

involves a lot of shouting rampant/galloping/spiralling inflation = inflation that is out of control 

a hefty fine = (informal) a big fine a recurrent/recurring dream = a dream that you have again and again the hot favourite = the one that everyone expects to win (the race, match etc.)  a straight answer = a direct answer  a household name = a name of a person or product that everyone knows   to get a/the wrong number = to make a mistake when you are dialling and get

through to the wrong person 

Noun combinations IV 

Combinations Definitions Combinations Definitions

a bank holiday = an official public holiday when most banks and business areclosed

 small print = the minor details of a legal document (a contract, an entry formfor a competition, etc.) often written in very small letters

a crushing blow = if sth (a plan, peace talks, etc.) is/are dealt a crushing blow,sth happens that has a terrible effect on it/them

the spitting image = if sb us the spitting image of another person, they look verysimilar to them

a narrow margin = if you win sth (generally an election) by a narrow margin, youonly just beat your opponent(s)

in a split second = very quickly

a nervous wreck = tired and unhealthy as a result of being constantly worried andnervous

a steady job = a regular, stable and serious job which you are likely to havefor some time

a niggling doubt = a small doubt that keeps worrying sb and will not go away a sweeping generalisation = to say that sth is true in every case and in every situation

to be an only child = to have no brothers or sisters to have a sweet tooth = to love eating sweet things poetic justice = a deserved punishment (often used when sb who continually

does bad things is punished for sth they didn’t do)  sth is an uphill struggle = sth is very difficult to do, and in order to succeed you have to

fight very hard all the time

a regular customer = a person who goes to the same shop/restaurant, etc. on aregular basis

beyond one’s wildest dreams  = more than one could ever have imagined or hoped for

a rough guess = a very approximate guess wishful thinking = a false belief that sth positive will happen

 scrap of paper = a small piece of paper often used for writing notes on