Language Learning Villains - серия коротких видео от полиглота Olly Richards о том, что мешает учить иностранные языки.
#British_pronunciation_elf
Лексика из видео:
"have it bad" - "be in a bad situation or position'
contend with (someone or something)
1. To compete against someone. Andy hasn't trained enough to contend with other swimmers his age. If you push him to enter this race, he'll just end up disappointed.
2. To struggle against or work to solve a problem or issue. I'm not ready to contend with that problem just yet—I need coffee first. How can we contend with these huge financial losses and still stay in business?
be littered with something
phrase
A place, document, or other object that is littered with something has or contains a lot of that thing:
The newspaper has a reputation for being littered with spelling mistakes.
The whole area is littered with huge granite boulders.
His desk is littered with scripts from hopeful authors.
The countryside is littered with unexploded bombs.
I was shocked to discover that the report was littered with errors.
infuse
to fill someone or something with an emotion or quality:
The pulling down of the Berlin Wall infused the world with optimism.
The arrival of a group of friends on Saturday infused new life into the weekend.
to cause someone or something to take in and be filled with a quality or a condition of mind:
His landscape paintings were infused with a warm, subtle light.
If you infuse a drink or it infuses, you leave substances such as tea leaves or herbs in hot water so that their flavour goes into the liquid:
Allow the tea to infuse for five minutes.
Soft play area
An indoor play structure, also known as a soft play area, is a form of kids play structure that is commonly used indoors. These play structures often feature slides, ball pits, and ziplines
fear not
idiom
—used in speech to say that there is no reason to be afraid or worried
Fear not—I'll protect you.
all is not lost
There is still hope that a particular situation will end favorably or successfully. I know you hoped to get a better grade on that test, but all is not lost—you still have the rest of the semester ahead of you. A: "I can't believe we missed our flight." B: "I know, but all is not lost. People miss flights every hour of every day—we just need to get booked onto a new flight." "All is not lost"? Really? Wow, I wish I had some of your optimism in the face of our company going bankrupt.
defeat
to win against someone in a fight, war, or competition:
Napoleon was defeated by the Duke of Wellington at the battle of Waterloo.
They defeated the Italian team and reached the final.
SABOTAGE
to damage or destroy equipment, weapons, or buildings in order to prevent the success of an enemy or competitor:
The rebels had tried to sabotage the oil pipeline.
to intentionally prevent the success of a plan or action:
This was a deliberate attempt to sabotage the ceasefire.
CULPRIT
someone who has done something wrong:
Police hope the public will help them to find the culprits.
Two eyewitnesses identified her as the culprit.
a fact or situation that is the reason for something bad happening:
Children in this country are getting much too fat, and sugar and sweets are the main culprits. The culprit was identified as a microorganism that contaminated mayonnaise.
GET WORKED UP
upset or very excited about something:
It's easy to get worked up when you're tired and everything seems to be against you.
He was very worked up about seeing his family again after so many years.
hidden in plain sight
Concealed or unseen despite being in full, unrestricted view. Oh, I hide my candy in plain sight—I just put it in that old, empty coffee can on the counter!
hide (someone or something) in plain sight
To conceal someone or something so that they or it go unnoticed despite being in full, unrestricted view. Oh, I hide my candy in plain sight—I just put it in that old, empty coffee can on the counter! I wouldn't be surprised if they're hiding the kidnapped girl in plain sight. They probably ducked into a crowded store and are blending in with their surroundings.
1. To remain unseen despite being in full, unrestricted view. You know, I bet those crooks are hiding in plain sight. They probably ducked into a crowded store and are blending in with the other customers.
2. To remain unchanged without protest or complaint despite being plainly or obviously apparent. The inequality of living conditions faced by people of different backgrounds in this city has been hiding in plain sight for decades.
make an appearance
idiom
: to go to an event, gathering, etc., usually for a short period of time
The candidate made an appearance at the rally.
covert operation
An operation that is so planned and executed as to conceal the identity of or permit plausible denial by the sponsor. A covert operation differs from a clandestine operation in that emphasis is placed on concealment of identity of sponsor rather than on concealment of the operation.
DERAIL
to prevent a plan or process from succeeding:
Renewed fighting threatens to derail the peace talks.
Investors are very concerned that a new crisis could derail the economic recovery.
Analysts identified five factors which could derail the hi-tech markets
banish
to send someone away, especially from their country, and not allow them to come back:
He was banished to an uninhabited island for a year.
They were banished (= sent out) from the library for making a noise.
to get rid of something completely:
Try to banish all thoughts of revenge from your mind.
not see the light of day
To not be published, disseminated, or made available to the public in some capacity; to be kept secret or hidden. Trust me, your manuscript won't see the light of day if you don't have a good literary agent. That document contains far too much sensitive information. Make sure it never sees the light of day.
to see light of day
1. To be published, disseminated, or made available to the public in some way. If you don't have a good literary agent, it is exceptionally difficult to get your manuscript to see the light of day. That document contains far too much sensitive information for it to ever see the light of day.
2. To be born; to come into existence. The doctors didn't think I would ever see the light of day because of my medical condition, so they were surprised when I was born a healthy 8 pounds, 10 ounces. With the signing of the treaty, a powerful new European alliance first saw the light of day.
get in (one's) way
1. To obstruct or limit one's movement. I'm trying to bike to work, but pedestrians keep getting in my way.
2. To actively impede one's progress or advancement. I'm going to rule the world, and I won't let anyone get in my way! He has ambitions of running the company someday, but the CEO's son keeps getting in his way.
3. To be a nuisance or a hindrance to one. A: "I want to help Dad fix the lawn mower." B: "OK, just don't get in his way."
See also: get, way
stop at nothing
idiom
C1
If you stop at nothing to achieve something, you are willing to do anything in order to achieve it, even if it involves danger, great effort, or harming other people:
She'll stop at nothing to get her revenge.
I assure you, ma'am, we will stop at nothing to catch that thief. I'm not surprised Tiffany started that nasty rumor about you—she'll stop at nothing to become student council president.
stop someone in their tracks or stop someone dead in their tracks
COMMON If something stops you in your tracks or stops you dead in your tracks, it makes you suddenly stop what you are doing because you are very surprised or frightened. Seen across wide fields of corn this magnificent church cannot fail to stop you in your tracks. Note: You can also say that someone stops in their tracks or stops dead in their tracks. They stopped in their tracks and stared at him in amazement. They turned round. And then they stopped dead in their tracks, their hearts beating fast. Somebody was behind them.
The gunshot stopped the killer dead in her tracks. The arrow stopped the deer dead in its tracks.
vanquish
to defeat an enemy or opponent, especially in war:
Napoleon was vanquished at the battle of Waterloo in 1815.
The vanquished army surrendered their weapons.
fall off a cliff
idiom
to suddenly and quickly reduce or become less successful:
The video game industry fell off a cliff.
New business has fallen off a cliff.
Your confidence falls off the cliff.
get away with
B2
to succeed in avoiding punishment for something:
If I thought I could get away with it, I wouldn't pay my taxes at all.
By jumping over the barriers, he got away without paying for a ticket.
Everyone thinks he's guilty of the robbery, but it looks like he's going to get away with it.
It's time they put a stop to his bad behaviour. He's been getting away with it for too long.
She's determined that her students will not get away with plagiarism.
That's such an old trick. I can't believe he gets away with it.
HOODWINK
to deceive or trick someone:
He hoodwinked us into agreeing.
We were hoodwinked into believing that we had won a lot of money.
free (someone or oneself) from (someone or something)
To loose or release someone or oneself from something. Good luck freeing yourself from student loan debt. Oh boy, one of the kids must have freed the dog from her cage. Can you believe that girl was able to free herself from her kidnapper?
SHACKLE
If you are shackled by something, it prevents you from doing what you want to do:
The country is shackled by its own debts.
one of a pair of metal rings connected by a chain and fastened to a person’s wrists or the bottoms of the legs to prevent the person from escaping:
The prisoner was led away in shackles.
to put shackles on someone to prevent an escape:
The convicts were shackled and led onto the bus.
fig. She was no longer shackled by her memories (= they did not prevent her from doing what she wanted to do).
immerse yourself in something
to become completely involved in something:
She got some books out of the library and immersed herself in Jewish history and culture.
She immersed herself wholly in her work.
The course offers total immersion in English.
love (someone or something) to bits
To adore or be smitten with someone or something. I love you to bits, sweetie. Happy Anniversary. I must say, I love this new camera to bits!
He's my old man and I love him to bits but I can't spend too much time with him.
KEEP SB CAPTIVE
a person or animal whose ability to move or act freely is limited by being kept in a space; a prisoner, especially a person held by the enemy during a war:
When the town was recaptured, we found soldiers who had been captives for several years.
hold/take someone captive
to keep someone as a prisoner or make someone a prisoner:
The terrorists were holding several diplomats captive.
have (someone) wrapped around (one's) (little) finger
To have complete control, dominance, or mastery over somebody; to be able to make someone do whatever one wishes. The spoiled little brat has his parents completely wrapped around his little finger. Everyone accused her of getting the promotion by having the boss wrapped around her finger.
wrap someone round your little finger)
to persuade someone easily to do what you want him or her to do:
She could wrap her father around her little finger.
BUY INTO
(buy into something) informalto start to do something that a lot of other people are doing, or to believe something that a lot of other people believe
You don’t buy into all this nonsense, do you?
hook, line, and sinker
Completely and unquestioningly. The moment I met my wife, I fell for her hook, line, and sinker. I told them that I like this stupid school, and they fell for it hook, line, and sinker—I guess I'm a pretty good actress.
She fell for our story hook, line, and sinker. They believed every word hook, line, and sinker.
She told him she needed the money for her baby and he fell for it hook, line, and sinker.
fall for (someone or something) hook, line, and sinker
1. To become completely infatuated or in love with someone. The moment I met my wife, I fell for her hook, line, and sinker.
2. To believe unquestioningly that something is True, especially something intended to dupe one. I told them that I like this stupid school, and they fell for it hook, line, and sinker—I guess I'm a pretty good actress.
know for a fact
To have definitive knowledge of something. I know for a fact that he cheats in cards! I saw the ace up his sleeve. My mom says she knows for a fact that I'm getting the internship at her company, but I won't believe it until the recruiter calls me.
array /əˈreɪ/
a large group of things or people, especially one that is attractive or causes admiration or has been positioned in a particular way:
There was a splendid array of food on the table.
They sat before an array of microphones and cameras.
starting point
a place or position where something begins:
The starting point for the guided tour of the town is in the market square.
The committee emphasized that its report was only meant as a starting point for discussion.
knuckle down
informal
to start working or studying hard:
You're going to have to really knuckle down (to your work) if you want to pass your final exams.
throw in the towel
To give up on some endeavor; to quit or abandon something; to admit defeat or failure. I've been working on this book for over a year, and I'm getting nowhere with it. I think I'm ready to throw in the towel. After trying their hand in the mobile market for just a few years, the company is already throwing in the towel after finding very little success.
strike at the heart of (something)
To attack the central part or most crucial element of something; to attack the part that allows something to function. By cracking down on the opium trade, the task force is hoping to strike at the heart of terrorist funding in the region.
By its nature, terrorism is designed to strike at the heart of our democratic values.
push (one's) buttons
1. To do things that create a very strong emotional reaction in one, especially anger, irritation, or exasperation. I hate Dave's new boyfriend, he's always trying to push my buttons, and he's doing a good job of it! No one will be able to push your buttons like your children, but it's all a part of the adventure of parenthood.
2. To be sexually attractive or arousing to one. A guy who knows how to cook really pushes my buttons.
