Generations Apart?
coo – to speak in a very soft and quiet voice
She cooed softly to the newborn baby lying in its cot.
longingly – with a feeling of desire
Even though she couldn’t afford one, she looked longingly at the car in the showroom window.
nest – home
She took great pride in decorating her own little nest.
vacuum – a place or position that needs to be filled by sb or with sth
The resignation of three members of staff left a vacuum in the office.
innumerable – too many to be counted
Innumerable accidents have happened on this stretch of road.
globe-trotting – travelling all over the world (globe-trotter)
The globe-trotting athletes signed autographs for their fans.
primitive – very simple and old-fashioned
(primitiveness)
Despite the primitive living conditions, we enjoyed our holiday in the country.
urge – a strong wish to do or have sth
She had an urge to go into business on her own and decided to apply for a bank loan.
perplexing – difficult to deal with or understand, puzzling
Now that her husband was dead, she was forced to make some perplexing decision regarding her
future.
conscientious – very careful to do things properly
Mary’s conscientious approach to work resulted in her writing a best-seller.
fulfil – to do what was expected
He managed to fulfil his promise to take the children to the zoo despite his many commitments.
instinctive – done without thinking
He had an instinctive feeling that something terrible would happen.
hyper-aware – extremely knowledgeable about sth
He is one of those hyper-aware people whom everyone goes to for advice.
life-transforming – able to change sb’s life completely
Changing careers was a life-transforming experience, which she would not regret.
nannying – working as a nanny, taking care of young children
When I find a job, Grandma will stay at home and do the nannying.
stable – not likely to change (stability)
Most people are hoping that all prices will remain stable during the coming months.
to put it mildly – to say sth in such a way that it sounds less direct or critical
To put it mildly, I was quite upset when you took money from my wallet without asking.
cherished – loved very much and kept deep in one’s heart
The photographs of her grandchildren were her most cherished possession.
unconditional – giving to others without asking for anything to be done in exchange
He was praised for his unconditional devotion to the cause.
workaholism – working too much and finding it difficult to stop (workaholic)
Workaholism was responsible for his massive heart attack at the age of 42.
perfectionist – sb who refuses to do or accept anything that isn’t as good as it could possibly be
(perfectionism)
As a dressmaker she is a perfectionist and insists on all of her garments being flawless.
recall – to remember sth and tell others about it
Tom recalled how different things were when he was a young man.
boost – an increase or improvement
There was a tremendous boost in sales after the advertising campaign.
welfare – sb’s health, comfort and happiness
The welfare of the homeless will be the main topic of discussion at the next week’s meeting.
mutually – felt or done equally by two or more people
They decided to arrange the interview at a mutually convenient time.
diminish – to reduce in size, importance or intensity
Hospitals are facing huge problems due to diminishing numbers of qualified staff.
mere – simple, ordinary, least (merely)
The mere suggestion that she may have to work for a living shocked her beyond relief.
party – one of the people involved in a particular situation (discussion, agreement, disagreement)
There was little doubt that he was the guilty party and was heavily fined for his actions.
bitterness – feeling of disappointment and anger
Her bitterness towards her neighbour has intensified over the years.
resentment – feeling of bitterness and anger
The factory workers expressed resentment at being told they were unproductive.
extended family – uncles, aunts, grandparents living all together
To accommodate their extended family, they decided to buy a larger house.
estrangement – being distant and not communicating with others
Due to years of estrangement from her family, she felt sad and lonely.
bereavement –the sorrow one feels when sb close to them dies
When Millie’s husband died, she felt a great sense of bereavement.
bond – a strong connection and feeling of love and friendship shared between people
There was a very special bond between the siblings, even though they lived miles apart.
squabble – an argument of little importance
The sisters often have minor squabbles about sharing the family car.
ensure – to make sure that sth happens
We booked a table at the restaurant in advance to ensure a seat by the window.
sense of belonging – a feeling that one is part of a group
When he finally became a citizen of the country, he felt a true sense of belonging.
benefit from sth – to receive sth that will help to improve one’s life
Hundreds of earthquake victims benefited from the generous support of the public.
attitude – the way one thinks or feels about sth
His positive attitude towards his work led to a promotion.
blame sb for sth – to say that sb is responsible for sth that happened
The headmaster was blamed for the students’ appalling behaviour.
puzzling – confusing (puzzlement)
After noticing the boy’s puzzling behaviour, the headmaster felt it necessary to contact his parents.
hostile – unfriendly and aggressive to others (hostility)
The defendant displayed a hostile attitude during the court proceedings.