uk1

The paint's still slightly tacky.

ticky-tacky houses, buildings etc are made of material that is cheap and of low quality

He quickly becomes argumentative after a few drinks.

Mark was 65 and rather set in his ways (=habits).

It is a touchy subject for her, let's better leave it alone.// a touchy business / touchy question / touchy situation

making you feel pity, sympathy, sadness

gregarious animals tend to live in a group

Their relationship hasn't always been amicable.

He GAINED a reputation as a forceful member of the party.

persuasive argument/evidence

a pushy salesman

It is far better to cry than to bottle up your feelings.

t put a new / a positive/ a fresh SLANT on sth

She looked at me tearfully.

so nervous or upset that you are unable to keep still or think calmly

worried or frightened about something, and unable to relax

John and Bob complemented each other well. he dark red walls complement the red leather chairs.

The shop assistant was clearly a garrulous woman who enjoyed CHATTERING to her customers.

I'm quite aware of my own inadequacies. the inadequacy of local health care

I was completely flummoxed BY the whole thing.

special skills or knowledge in a particular subject, that you learn by experience or training

to judge sb's employability

Children have an innate ability to learn language.

The team are due to fly to Italy next month. She's pregnant and the baby's due in April. The final results of the experiment are due on December 9. When are the library books due BACK?

Customers may ask for a REfund if the goods are faulty.

extremely surprised or shocked; When I heard how much money we'd made, I was flabbergasted.

She's over the moon about her new job.

Sometimes I look after the kids and sometimes John does - it all balances out. Who is doing more for whom, and does it all balance out?

He's a cocky little man and I don't like him.

Profit is the most important yardstick of success for any business. These subjects are used as a yardstick against which to measure the children's progress.

I thought the book was pretty mediocre.

We would rather have the performance and pay for it than put up with mediocrity.

a mental illness associated with particular personality traits

Melissa quickly became adept at predicting his moods. I'm afraid she's also an adept liar.

Still, with the proper equipment and a certain level of adeptness, it could be done.

to give someone complete freedom to do a job in whatever way they choose

'You're drunk,' she said bluntly. To put it bluntly, she's not up to the job.

simple and easy to understand [≠ complicated] This area of law is far from straightforward (=complicated).

His career has been hindered by injury.

to make it impossible for someone to do something

Notwithstanding differences, there are clear similarities in all of the world's religions. Fame and fortune notwithstanding, Donna never forgot her hometown.

The team seems to have lost its competitive edge recently (=its ability to compete well).

clever and skilful, especially in the way you use words and argument

not good enough to compete successfully with others: not competitive

n radio you have to keep the listener listening. That's the bottom line.

over-excessive drinking / smoking

$15 for two beers seems a little excessive

The library books are overdue. The baby was a week overdue (=it was expected to be born a week ago). We welcome this announcement and think it's long overdue. Your homework is overdue.

The team are due to fly to Italy next month. His new book is due to be published next year. She's pregnant and the baby's due in April. The final results of the experiment are due on December 9. When are the library books due back?

Rick has always excelled at foreign languages.