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1-
to look for
2-
to seek
3-
full
4-
complete
5-
fast
6-
quick
7-
pair
8-
couple
9-
distant
10-
far
11-
job
12-
career
13-
to hurt
14-
damaged
15-
approximate
16-
rough
17-
strongly
18-
highly
19-
under
20-
below
21-
to go around
22-
to put off
23-
to get over
24-
to come up with
25-
to carry on
26-
to make up
27-
to dress up
28-
to turn out
29-
to lay off
30-
to carry out
31-
ill-fated
32-
brother
33-
sister
34-
conversation
35-
task
36-
perk
37-
against
38-
to quit
39-
man
40-
to resemble
41-
to need
42-
benefit
43-
to resign
44-
sibling
45-
guy
46-
to look like
47-
unfortunate
48-
to require
49-
to chat
50-
opposed
51-
idiom
52-
white lie
53-
to catch one's eye
54-
what on earth
55-
to the letter
56-
dead of (the) night
57-
down to earth
58-
a pain in the neck
59-
the big picture
60-
to keep one's nose to the grindstone
61-
gut feeling
to look for
to look for
Verb
uk flag
/lˈʊk fɔːɹ/
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to try to find something or someone

example
Example
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I've been looking for my keys for the past hour, but I can't seem to find them anywhere.
They looked for a place to eat before heading back home.

Grammatical Information:

transitive
Phrasal Status
inseparable
phrase's verb
look
phrase's particle
for
to seek
to seek
Verb
s
s
ee
i
k
k

to try to find a particular thing or person

Grammatical Information:

transitive
full
full
Adjective
f
f
u
ʊ
ll
l

having no space left

empty
complete
complete
Adjective
c
k
o
ə
m
m
p
p
l
l
e
i
t
t
e

having all the necessary parts

incomplete
fast
fast
Adjective
f
f
a
æ
s
s
t
t

having a high speed when doing something, especially moving

slow
quick
quick
Adjective
q
k
u
w
i
ɪ
ck
k

taking a short time to move, happen, or be done

pair
pair
noun
p
p
ai
ɛ
r
r

a set of two matching items that are designed to be used together or regarded as one

What is a "pair"?

A pair typically refers to two items that are matched or intended to be used together, such as a pair of shoes or a pair of socks. In the context of clothing, a pair often describes items that come in two parts or are meant to be worn on two separate parts of the body, like a pair of pants or a pair of gloves. The term is often used to denote the need for two items to be worn together, such as a pair of earrings or a pair of cufflinks, in order to create a cohesive look. The use of the word "pair" emphasizes the importance of symmetry and balance in fashion, as well as the practical considerations of having two items that are functionally and aesthetically matched.

Grammatical Information:

couple
noun
c
k
ou
ʌ
p
p
ə
l
l
e

a pair of things or people

distant
distant
Adjective
d
d
i
ɪ
s
s
t
t
a
ə
n
n
t
t

having a great space or extent between two points

close
far
far
Adverb
f
f
a
ɑ:
r
r

to or at a great distance

Grammatical Information:

incomparable
adverb of place and movement
job
job
noun
j
ʤ
o
ɑ:
b
b

the work that we do regularly to earn money

Grammatical Information:

career
career
noun
c
k
a
ɜ
r
r
ee
ɪ
r
r

a profession or a series of professions that one can do for a long period of one's life

to hurt
to hurt
Verb
h
h
u
ɜ
r
r
t
t

to cause injury or physical pain to yourself or someone else

Grammatical Information:

transitive
damaged
Adjective
d
d
a
æ
m
m
a
ə
g
ʤ
e
d
d

(of a person or thing) harmed or spoiled

undamaged
approximate
approximate
Adjective
a
ə
pp
p
r
r
o
ɑ
x
ks
i
ə
m
m
a
t
t
e

close to a certain quality or quantity, but not exact or precise

rough
Adjective
r
r
ou
ə
gh
f

approximate or lacking in detail or refinement

strongly
Adverb
s
s
t
t
r
r
o
ɔ
n
n
g
g
l
l
y
i

to a large extent or degree

Grammatical Information:

adverb of degree
highly
highly
Adverb
h
h
i
gh
l
l
y
i

to a high level or degree

Grammatical Information:

adverb of degree
under
under
preposition
uk flag
/ˈʌndɚ/

in or to a position lower than and directly beneath something

below
below
Adverb
b
b
e
ɪ
l
l
o
w

in a position or location situated beneath or lower than something else

above

Grammatical Information:

incomparable
adverb of place and movement
to go around
Verb
uk flag
/ɡˌoʊ ɐɹˈaʊnd/

(of information or physical objects) to circulate or distribute something, often in a haphazard or informal manner

Grammatical Information:

intransitive
Phrasal Status
inseparable
phrase's verb
go
phrase's particle
around
to put off
to put off
Verb
uk flag
/pˌʊt ˈɔf/

to postpone an appointment or arrangement

Grammatical Information:

transitive
Phrasal Status
separable
phrase's verb
put
phrase's particle
off
to get over
to get over
Verb
uk flag
/ɡɛt ˈoʊvɚ/

to recover from an unpleasant or unhappy experience, particularly an illness

get worse

Grammatical Information:

transitive
Phrasal Status
inseparable
phrase's verb
get
phrase's particle
over
to come up with
to come up with
Verb
uk flag
/kˈʌm ˈʌp wɪð/

to create something, usually an idea, a solution, or a plan, through one's own efforts or thinking

Grammatical Information:

transitive
Phrasal Status
inseparable
phrase's verb
come
phrase's particle
up with
to carry on
to carry on
Verb
uk flag
/kˈæɹi ˈɑːn/

to choose to continue an ongoing activity

Grammatical Information:

intransitive
Phrasal Status
inseparable
phrase's verb
carry
phrase's particle
on
to make up
to make up
Verb
uk flag
/mˌeɪk ˈʌp/

to create a false or fictional story or information

Grammatical Information:

Phrasal Status
separable
phrase's verb
make
phrase's particle
up
to dress up
to dress up
Verb
uk flag
/dɹˈɛs ˈʌp/

to wear formal clothes for a special occasion or event

dress down

Grammatical Information:

intransitive
Phrasal Status
separable
phrase's verb
dress
phrase's particle
up
to turn out
to turn out
Verb
uk flag
/tˈɜːn ˈaʊt/

to emerge as a particular outcome

Grammatical Information:

linking verb
Phrasal Status
inseparable
phrase's verb
turn
phrase's particle
out
to lay off
to lay off
Verb
uk flag
/lˈeɪ ˈɔf/

to dismiss employees due to financial difficulties or reduced workload

Grammatical Information:

transitive
Phrasal Status
separable
phrase's verb
lay
phrase's particle
off
to carry out
to carry out
Verb
uk flag
/ˈkæri ˈaʊt/

to complete or conduct a task, job, etc.

Grammatical Information:

transitive
Phrasal Status
separable
phrase's verb
carry
phrase's particle
out
ill-fated
Adjective
uk flag
/ˈɪlfˈeɪɾᵻd/
Disapproving

bringing bad fortune or ending in failure

brother
brother
noun
b
b
r
r
o
ʌ
th
ð
e
ə
r
r

a man who shares a mother and father with us

sister

Grammatical Information:

sister
sister
noun
s
s
i
ɪ
s
s
t
t
e
ə
r
r

a lady who shares a mother and father with us

brother

Grammatical Information:

conversation
conversation
noun
c
k
o
ɑ:
n
n
v
v
e
ə
r
r
s
s
a
t
ʃ
io
ə
n
n

a talk that is between two or more people and they tell each other about different things like feelings, ideas, and thoughts

task
noun
t
t
a
æ
s
s
k
k

a piece of work for someone to do, especially as an assignment

perk
noun
p
p
e
ɜ
r
r
k
k

an extra benefit that one receives in addition to one's salary due to one's job

against
preposition
a
ə
g
g
ai
ɛ
n
n
s
s
t
t

in opposition to someone or something

to quit
to quit
Verb
q
k
u
w
i
ɪ
t
t

to stop engaging in an activity permanently

continue

Grammatical Information:

transitive
man
man
noun
m
m
a
æ
n
n

a person who is a male adult

woman
to resemble
to resemble
Verb
r
r
e
i
s
z
e
ɛ
m
m
b
b
ə
l
l
e

to have a similar appearance or characteristic to someone or something else

Grammatical Information:

transitive
to need
to need
Verb
n
n
ee
i:
d
d

to want something or someone that we must have if we want to do or be something

obviate

Grammatical Information:

transitive
benefit
noun
b
b
e
ɛ
n
n
e
ə
f
f
i
ɪ
t
t

a financial aid provided by the government for people who are sick, unemployed, etc.

to resign
to resign
Verb
uk flag
/ɹiˈsaɪn/, /ɹiˈzaɪn/, /ɹɪˈzaɪn/

to officially announce one's departure from a job, position, etc.

Grammatical Information:

intransitive
sibling
sibling
noun
s
s
i
ɪ
b
b
l
l
i
ɪ
n
n
g
g

one's brother or sister

guy
guy
noun
g
g
u
y

a person, typically a male

to look like
Verb
uk flag
/lˈʊk lˈaɪk/

to resemble a thing or person in appearance

Grammatical Information:

Phrasal Status
inseparable
phrase's verb
look
phrase's particle
like
unfortunate
Adjective
u
ə
n
n
f
f
o
ɔ
r
r
t
ʧ
u
ə
n
n
a
ə
t
t
e

experiencing something bad due to bad luck

fortunate
to require
to require
Verb
r
r
e
i
q
k
u
w
i
aɪɜ
r
r
e

to need or demand something as necessary for a particular purpose or situation

Grammatical Information:

transitive
to chat
to chat
Verb
ch
ʧ
a
æ
t
t

to send and receive messages on an online platform

Grammatical Information:

intransitive
opposed
Adjective
o
ə
pp
p
o
s
z
e
d
d

trying to stop something because one strongly disagrees with it

unopposed
idiom
noun
i
ɪ
d
d
io
m
m

a manner of speaking or writing that is characteristic of a particular person, group, or era, and that involves the use of particular words, phrases, or expressions in a distinctive way

white lie
noun
uk flag
/wˈaɪt lˈaɪ/
Idiom
Informal

a small lie that does not cause any harm, especially told to avoid making someone upset

What is the origin of the idiom "white lie" and when to use it?

The origin of the idiom "white lie" is rooted in the concept of a lie that is considered harmless or trivial. The term "white" in this context symbolizes purity, innocence, or a lack of malicious intent. The idiom refers to a lie told with good intentions, often to spare someone's feelings or maintain social harmony. This phrase suggests that the lie is not meant to cause harm or deceive, but rather to protect or benefit others in a small or inconsequential way.

Grammatical Information:

compound noun
to catch one's eye
phrase
uk flag
/kˈætʃ wˈʌnz ˈaɪ/
Idiom

to try to get a person's attention, particularly by attempting to make eye contact

What is the origin of the idiom "catch one's eye" and when to use it?

The origin of the idiom "catch one's eye" can be traced back to the late 16th century. The word "catch" in this context means to attract or seize, while "eye" refers to one's attention or gaze. The phrase likely evolved from the idea that when something visually appealing or attention-grabbing enters one's field of vision, it metaphorically "catches" their eye, drawing their attention towards it. This phrase is commonly used in social settings, such as when someone wants to initiate or maintain a conversation, seek assistance, or convey interest or attraction.

what on earth
sentence
uk flag
/wˌʌt ɔːɹ wˌaɪ ɔːɹ hˌaʊ ˌɑːn ˈɜːθ/

used to emphasize a question or statement, showing surprise or confusion

to the letter
preposition
uk flag
/tə ðə lˈɛɾɚ/

in a very precise and exact way and with great attention to detail

dead of (the) night
phrase
uk flag
/dˈɛd ʌv nˈaɪt/

the part of the night that is the most quiet and dark

down to earth
down to earth
phrase
uk flag
/dˌaʊn tʊ ˈɜːθ/
Approving
Idiom

(of a person) not showing pretentious behavior

What is the origin of the idiom "down to earth" and when to use it?

The idiom "down to earth" originated in the late 19th century and is used in various contexts, such as when discussing someone's personality, character traits, or demeanor. It is particularly used to praise individuals who maintain a realistic perspective, exhibit humility, and are relatable to others.

a pain in the neck
a pain in the neck
phrase
uk flag
/ɐ pˈeɪn ɪnðə nˈɛk/
Idiom
Informal

a person or thing that causes one great annoyance or a lot of difficulty

What is the origin of the idiom "a pain in the neck" and when to use it?

The idiom "a pain in the neck" uses the metaphor of physical discomfort or annoyance in the neck area to express a sense of frustration or exasperation. It is used to convey the idea that the person or thing being referred to is causing significant inconvenience or annoyance, similar to a persistent pain in the neck.

the big picture
phrase
uk flag
/ðə bˈɪɡ bˈɪɡɚ pˈɪktʃɚ/
Idiom
Informal

the overall view or perspective of a situation, rather than focusing on small details

What is the origin of the idiom "the big picture" and when to use it?

The idiom "the big picture" originated from the world of visual art, specifically from the idea of stepping back to view a painting or image in its entirety. This phrase is used to emphasize the importance of considering the wider implications, long-term consequences, or overarching goals when making decisions or assessing a situation.

to [keep|put] {one's} nose to the grindstone
to keep one's nose to the grindstone
phrase
uk flag
/kˈiːp pˌʊt wˈʌnz nˈoʊz tə ðə ɡɹˈaɪndstoʊn/
Idiom
Informal

to continuously put a lot of effort into doing something

What is the origin of the idiom "keep one's nose to the grindstone" and when to use it?

The idiom "keep one's nose to the grindstone" originated from the practice of grinding tools on a grindstone, symbolizing the need to work diligently and stay focused without distractions. It is commonly employed in professional settings, such as workplaces or business environments, to encourage individuals to stay focused and diligently work on their tasks or responsibilities.

gut feeling
phrase
uk flag
/ɡˈʌt fˈiːlɪŋ ɹɪˈækʃən/
Idiom
Informal

a belief that is strong, yet without any explainable reason

What is the origin of the idiom "gut feeling" and when to use it?

The idiom "gut feeling" is believed to have originated in the 19th century and refers to an instinctive or intuitive belief or impression that is not based on conscious reasoning or evidence. It is used to suggest that the speaker has a deep-seated sense or hunch about something, often without being able to fully explain or justify it.

Congratulations! !

You learned 61 words from English File Advanced - Lesson 2B. To improve learning and review vocabulary, start practicing.

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