parties, drinking, eating - oh, and working - all help pass the time, but deep down there's...

Parties, drinking, eating - oh, and working - Parties, drinking, eating - oh, and working - all help pass the time, but deep down there's all help pass the time, but deep down there's something you're really eager to find, but yousomething you're really eager to find, but youcan't quite put your finger on.can't quite put your finger on.

You really want to find some good ways to You really want to find some good ways to fill your spare time, but you can’t quite do it. fill your spare time, but you can’t quite do it.

ParaphraseParaphrase

More to learnMore to learnMore to learnMore to learn

put one’s finger onput one’s finger on

— — (infml)(infml) to find or show exactly (the cause of to find or show exactly (the cause of trouble) trouble)

ExamplesExamples

• Something is wrong with this room, but Something is wrong with this room, but I can’t I can’t put my finger onput my finger on what it is. what it is.

• I could not quite I could not quite put my finger onput my finger on what what was different about Simone. was different about Simone.

throw oneself into throw oneself into

— — to do or take part in actively and to do or take part in actively and energetically energetically

ExamplesExamples

• Since her husband died, she Since her husband died, she has thrown has thrown herself intoherself into her work. her work.

• The National Day is coming; they The National Day is coming; they have have thrown themselves intothrown themselves into the organization the organization of Celebration Activities. of Celebration Activities.

With your Freshers’ Fair ticket, you can get yoWith your Freshers’ Fair ticket, you can get your hands on a brand-new edition of the comprehenur hands on a brand-new edition of the comprehensive guide to all things at Oxford. sive guide to all things at Oxford.


get one’s hands on get one’s hands on

— — catch, or obtain catch, or obtain

ExamplesExamples

• Wait until I Wait until I get my hands onget my hands on him! him!

• I’d like to I’d like to get my hands onget my hands on a nice pair of a nice pair of cowboy boots. cowboy boots.

• They all want to They all want to get their hands onget their hands on the the old man’s money.old man’s money.

browse through browse through

— — look through look through

ExamplesExamples

• I was I was browsing throughbrowsing through the newspaper the newspaper when I spotted your name.when I spotted your name.

• I’ve spent one whole week I’ve spent one whole week browsing browsing throughthrough Hemingway’s works, trying to Hemingway’s works, trying to understand his unique style of writing. understand his unique style of writing.

find out find out

— — to learn or discover (a fact that was to learn or discover (a fact that was hidden or not known) hidden or not known)

ExamplesExamples

• I won’t tell you---you’ll have I won’t tell you---you’ll have to find outto find out by yourself. by yourself.

• I I found outfound out by chance that she was by chance that she was actually a freshman from London actually a freshman from London University. University.

vary vary v.

— — [~ [~ inin] to be different; have the qualities ] to be different; have the qualities that are not the same as each other that are not the same as each other

ExamplesExamples

• I The price I The price variesvaries according to the season. according to the season.

• Stone beads will Stone beads will varyvary in quality and price. in quality and price.

• The flowers are the same in color but The flowers are the same in color but varyvary in shape.in shape.


vary vary v.

— — [~ [~ fromfrom] to be different ] to be different

ExamplesExamples

• Roses Roses vary fromvary from daisies. daisies.

• Stone Stone varies fromvaries from cement. cement.


vary vary v.

— — [~ [~ from from ... ... to to ] to change, esp. continually ] to change, esp. continually

ExamplesExamples

• The weather The weather varies fromvaries from very cold very cold toto quite quite mild.mild.

• Human IQ’s Human IQ’s vary fromvary from under 50 under 50 toto over 200. over 200.

• Why does the blood group Why does the blood group vary fromvary from person person toto person? person?

Some totally immerse themselves in a club, Some totally immerse themselves in a club, hardly speaking to ... Others prefer to take a more hardly speaking to ... Others prefer to take a more eclectic approach, being members of ... eclectic approach, being members of ...

Here the present participle phrases “hardly Here the present participle phrases “hardly speaking to ...” and “being members of ...” are speaking to ...” and “being members of ...” are used as adverbials introducing the secondary used as adverbials introducing the secondary action of the sentence subject. action of the sentence subject.



Some totally immerse themselves in a Some totally immerse themselves in a club, hardly speaking to ... Others prefer to club, hardly speaking to ... Others prefer to take a more eclectic approach, being members take a more eclectic approach, being members of ... of ... ExamplesExamples• I She was very shy, I She was very shy, hardly speakinghardly speaking even even

to her best friendsto her best friends• He was very poor, He was very poor, often beggingoften begging for food for food

or money on the street. or money on the street. • He was very rich, He was very rich, often goingoften going to fancy to fancy

resorts on holiday.resorts on holiday.• They were very athletic, They were very athletic, being membersbeing members of of

many sports clubs and teams.many sports clubs and teams.


immerse oneself in immerse oneself in

— — to put deep into a body of liquid to put deep into a body of liquid

ExamplesExamples

• He lay He lay immersed inimmersed in a hot bath. a hot bath.

• Immerse your foot inImmerse your foot in ice cold water to ice cold water to reduce the swelling. reduce the swelling.


immerse oneself in immerse oneself in

— — to cause (oneself) to enter deeply into an to cause (oneself) to enter deeply into an activity; absorb in it or be absorbed by it activity; absorb in it or be absorbed by it

ExamplesExamples

• I I immersed myself inimmersed myself in work so as to stop work so as to stop thinking about her.thinking about her.

• I think it is important to I think it is important to immerse oneself immerse oneself inin a language learning environment, if you a language learning environment, if you want to learn English well. want to learn English well.

Many people, ... ignore University societies Many people, ... ignore University societies and just hang out with mates in college and just hang out with mates in college

may not be very wise, but many may not be very wise, but many students join no groups on campus and juststudents join no groups on campus and just



spend time together casually.spend time together casually.

ignore ignore v.

— — to take no notice of; refuse to pay attention to to take no notice of; refuse to pay attention to

ExamplesExamples

• My advice was completely My advice was completely ignoredignored..

• The government would be unwise to The government would be unwise to ignoreignore the complaints of its people. the complaints of its people.


hang out hang out

— — ((infmlinfml) to live or spend lots of time in a ) to live or spend lots of time in a particular place or with particular people particular place or with particular people

ExamplesExamples

• Why do you just Why do you just hang outhang out in bars? Do you in bars? Do you want to hang out with me instead?want to hang out with me instead?

• You should give your children more You should give your children more opportunities to have personal time and opportunities to have personal time and space to space to hang outhang out with friends or do with friends or do whatever they want. whatever they want.

give out give out

— — to give to each of several people; distribute to give to each of several people; distribute

ExamplesExamples

• GiveGive the money the money out out to the children. to the children.

• The State of Connecticut has a Christmas The State of Connecticut has a Christmas village where “Santa” and his elves village where “Santa” and his elves give give outout gifts. gifts.

“ “Hack” is the negative term applied to ... tend Hack” is the negative term applied to ... tend to attract those with the spark of ambitionto attract those with the spark of ambition

When students are said to “hack” they When students are said to “hack” they join various groups and try to become leaders, join various groups and try to become leaders, hoping to improve their resumes, but without hoping to improve their resumes, but without doing very much work for the groups. doing very much work for the groups.



more than othersmore than others

hack hack v.

— — to cut (up), esp. roughly, violently, or in to cut (up), esp. roughly, violently, or in uneven pieces uneven pieces

ExamplesExamples

• He He hackedhacked the limb from the tree with an the limb from the tree with an axe. axe.


hack hack v.

— — to do successfully to do successfully

ExamplesExamples

• This assignment is too hard, I just can’t This assignment is too hard, I just can’t hackhack it. it.


hack hack v.

— — to enter a computer system without permission to enter a computer system without permission

ExamplesExamples

• The students who The students who hackedhacked their way into their way into the academic records were punished. the academic records were punished.


hack hack v.

— — to seek office in a group without caring about to seek office in a group without caring about the group’s success the group’s success

ExamplesExamples

• He tried to He tried to hackhack his way to the presidency his way to the presidency of every club on campus.of every club on campus.


apply apply v.

— — [~ [~ to, for to, for ] to request sth., esp. officially and in ] to request sth., esp. officially and in writing writing

ExamplesExamples

• I I applied toapplied to four universities and was four universities and was accepted by all of them.accepted by all of them.

• Rex Rex applied forapplied for the post of Eliot’s the post of Eliot’s secretary. secretary.


apply apply v.

— — [~ [~ toto] to bring or put into use or operation ] to bring or put into use or operation

ExamplesExamples

• New technology New technology is being applied tois being applied to almost almost every industrial process. every industrial process.

• The term “mat” can The term “mat” can be applied tobe applied to any any small rug. small rug.


tend to tend to

— — to have a tendency; be likely (to do or be sth.); to have a tendency; be likely (to do or be sth.); to do or be often or usually to do or be often or usually

ExamplesExamples

• Sally Sally tends totends to interfere in other people’s interfere in other people’s business.business.

• People People tend totend to gain weight on holidays. gain weight on holidays.

• The car doesn’t The car doesn’t tend totend to overheat. overheat.

secure secure v.

— — to hold or close tightly to hold or close tightly

ExamplesExamples

• They They securedsecured the windows when the storm the windows when the storm began.began.

• Before you leave for the weekend please Before you leave for the weekend please securesecure the door. the door.


secure secure v.

— — to get, esp. as the result of effort to get, esp. as the result of effort

ExamplesExamples

• UN negotiators are still trying to UN negotiators are still trying to securesecure the release of the hostages.the release of the hostages.

• I was lucky to I was lucky to securesecure a seat on the crowded a seat on the crowded bus. bus.

Do not be afraid, though: ... Do not be afraid, though: ...

though though adadv.

— — (not used at the beginning of a clause) in spite (not used at the beginning of a clause) in spite of the fact; nevertheless of the fact; nevertheless

ExamplesExamples

• It’s hard work; I enjoy it, It’s hard work; I enjoy it, thoughthough..

• He’s had two heart attacks in a year. It He’s had two heart attacks in a year. It hasn’t stopped him smoking, hasn’t stopped him smoking, thoughthough. .

apart from apart from

— — without considering; except for without considering; except for

ExamplesExamples

• Apart fromApart from the cost, there is the question the cost, there is the question of your health to be considered.of your health to be considered.

• Apart fromApart from the occasional visit, what does the occasional visit, what does Allen do for his kids? Allen do for his kids?


apart from apart from

— — as well as; in addition to as well as; in addition to

ExamplesExamples

• Apart fromApart from their obvious beauty, the clean their obvious beauty, the clean air of the mountains was good for me.air of the mountains was good for me.

• Apart fromApart from her obvious intelligence, her her obvious intelligence, her hard work was the key to her success. hard work was the key to her success.

bore bore v.

— — to make (someone) tired or uninterested, esp. to make (someone) tired or uninterested, esp. by continual dull talk by continual dull talk

ExamplesExamples

• I’m sorry I spoke for so long. I hope I I’m sorry I spoke for so long. I hope I didn’t didn’t borebore you. you.

• My father is always My father is always boringboring us with his us with his stories of the war. stories of the war.


bore bore v.

— — [~ with] tired and uninterested [~ with] tired and uninterested

ExamplesExamples

• I’m I’m boredbored with the same old routine day with the same old routine day after day. after day.

• She is getting really She is getting really boredbored with her job. with her job.


bore bore v.

— — dull or uninteresting; tedious dull or uninteresting; tedious

ExamplesExamples

• I always thought ancient history was I always thought ancient history was deadly deadly boringboring..

• Her husband is about the most Her husband is about the most boringboring person I’ve ever met. person I’ve ever met.

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