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Headway - Upper Intermediate - Unit 12

Here you will find the vocabulary from Unit 12 in the Headway Upper Intermediate coursebook, such as "cushy", "digest", "apparent", etc.

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Headway - Upper Intermediate
to [take] time
to take time
[phrase]

to need a significant amount of time to be able to happen, be completed, or achieved

Ex: Learning to play a musical instrument well can take a long time.
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get a life
get a life
[sentence]

used to tell someone to change their life style and start doing more exciting or important things

Ex: I know you are bored, but telling everyone else to get a life is not helping.
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to [kill] (the|) time

to spend or use time in a way that does not achieve anything or have a particular goal

Ex: I have 2 hours to kill before the class starts.So what are your plans?
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third time lucky
third time lucky
[interjection]

used to express that after failing twice, one is bound to succeed on the third try

Ex: They had two attempts at baking the cake , and on the third time lucky , it came out perfectly .
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no time to lose

used in a situation when there is only a little time to do something and one must be careful not to waste any of it

Ex: We can't afford delays; there's no time to be lost in this critical phase.
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cushy
cushy
[Adjective]

involving minimal effort or hardship

Ex: While others struggled with challenging projects , she landed a cushy position with minimal stress .
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to [come] to life

to become lively and energetic

Ex: With the arrival of the carnival, the sleepy town square came to life with excitement and merriment.
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to [bet] {one's} (life|boots|bottom dollar)

to express strongly and confidently that something is undoubtedly true or will certainly happen

Ex: I'd bet my life this isn't the last time we hear about it.
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better luck next time
better luck next time
[interjection]

used to encourage someone who has just missed an opportunity or failed to succeed in a particular field

Ex: Better luck next time , I ’m sure you ’ll get it next time !
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new lease of life

another chance for someone to become more healthy, energetic, or adopting a more optimistic view on life

Ex: After a good night's sleep, she felt a new lease of life and was ready to tackle the day.
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for the time being

for a limited period, usually until a certain condition changes

Ex: The current arrangement is acceptable for the time being, but we 'll need a long-term plan .
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to [stand] the test of time

to remain strong, valuable, or effective over a long period, despite changes or challenges

Ex: Their friendship has stood the test of time, growing stronger over the years.
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in the nick of time

only a few moments before it is still possible to get something done or avoid something bad from happening

Ex: In the nick of time, we managed to catch the last train .
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to [do] (anything|) for a quiet life

to be willing to do whatever it takes to avoid trouble or conflict and have a peaceful and stress-free existence

Ex: Tom didn't want to argue with his partner, so he agreed to compromise on their vacation plans in order to do for a quiet life.
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story of {one's} life

used to say that it is typical of a person to experience an unfortunate event

Ex: She finally liked someone, and he was moving abroad.Story of her life.
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to [run] the risk of {sth}

to be in or to get oneself into a situation that may result in an unpleasant or dangerous outcome

Ex: Skipping regular vehicle maintenance can run a risk of unexpected breakdowns on the road.
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to carry out

to complete or conduct a task, job, etc.

Ex: Before making a decision , it 's crucial to carry out a cost-benefit analysis of the proposed changes .
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research
research
[noun]

a careful and systematic study of a subject to discover new facts or information about it

Ex: The team 's research on consumer behavior guided their marketing strategy for the new product .
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to become
to become
[Verb]

to start or grow to be

Ex: The noise became unbearable during construction .
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apparent
apparent
[Adjective]

easy to see or notice

Ex: It became apparent that they had no intention of finishing the project on time .
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to [take] {sth} into account

to consider something when trying to make a judgment or decision

Ex: The report doesn't take local needs into account, so its recommendations feel unrealistic.
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to [get] {sth} going

to start or begin something, often with a sense of urgency or purpose

Ex: Let's get this project going by dividing up the tasks.
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to suffer
to suffer
[Verb]

to experience and be affected by something bad or unpleasant

Ex: He suffered a lot of pain after the accident .
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stroke
stroke
[noun]

a dangerous condition in which a person loses consciousness as a result of a blood vessel breaking open or becoming blocked in their brain, which could kill or paralyze a part of their body

Ex: Common risk factors for stroke include high blood pressure , diabetes , high cholesterol , smoking , and obesity .
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to digest
to digest
[Verb]

to break down food in the body and to absorb its nutrients and necessary substances

Ex: Digesting proteins involves the action of stomach acids .
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to [break] the ice

to make two or more strangers get comfortable with each other and engage in a conversation

Ex: At the party, she played a game that encouraged guests to interact and break the ice.
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to [stand] on {one's} own (two|) feet

to be able to take care of oneself without needing any assistance from others

Ex: Once you get a steady job, you'll be able to stand on your own feet.
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to grab
to grab
[Verb]

to attract or hold someone's attention or interest

Ex: The speaker 's passionate delivery and thought-provoking ideas grabbed the audience .
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to [follow] {one's} nose

to follow one's intuition instead of rules or what others say

Ex: If the data is unclear, follow your nose and choose the option that feels right.
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to follow
to follow
[Verb]

to act accordingly to someone or something's advice, commands, or instructions

Ex: Follow the arrows on the floor to navigate through the museum .
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pattern
pattern
[noun]

the way according to which something normally happens or is done

Ex: Detectives noticed a pattern in the burglaries occurring in the neighborhood .
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to put on
to put on
[Verb]

to gain weight, often in a short period of time

Ex: He didn't realize he had put on so much weight until he tried his old jeans.
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awake
awake
[Adjective]

not in a state of sleep or unconsciousness

Ex: They were wide awake despite staying up late to finish their project .
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to withdraw

to remove oneself from social interaction or avoid contact with others

Ex: Feeling socially awkward , he withdrew from the conversation and focused on his phone instead .
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that is life (for you|)

used to express acceptance or resignation to the way things are, particularly when faced with an unpleasant or difficult situation

Ex: The project didn’t go as planned, but that’s life for you.
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two (can|could) play (that|this|the) game

used to show one's confidence in dealing with another person's behavior and using it to their disadvantage

Ex: He threatened to delay the deal, so I reminded him that two could play that game.
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enough
enough
[determiner]

to a necessary amount

Ex: His explanation was clear enough for everyone to understand .
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whole
whole
[Adjective]

including every part, member, etc.

Ex: They read the whole story aloud in class .
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all
all
[determiner]

used to refer to every number, part, amount of something or a particular group

Ex: They have watched all the episodes of that series .
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each
each
[determiner]

used to refer to every one of two or more people or things, when you are thinking about them separately

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plenty
plenty
[pronoun]

a plentiful or abundant amount of something

Ex: The holiday sale provided plenty of discounts on various products .
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a great deal
a great deal
[phrase]

to a large extent

Ex: She cares a great deal about her family's well-being.
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hardly
hardly
[Adverb]

to a very small degree or extent

Ex: She hardly noticed the subtle changes in the room 's decor .
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several
several
[determiner]

used to refer to a number of things or people, more than two but not many

Ex: She received several invitations to different events this weekend.
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none
none
[determiner]

not any of the members of a group of people or things

Ex: None of the applicants met the qualifications for the job , so the position remained vacant .
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no
no
[determiner]

used to say there is none of something

Ex: I have no idea what you 're talking about .
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few
few
[determiner]

a small unspecified number of people or things

Ex: We should arrive in a few minutes.
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few
few
[determiner]

a small unspecified number of people or things

Ex: We should arrive in a few minutes.
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a little
a little
[Adverb]

used to indicate a small or limited amount of something, often uncountable

Ex: I added a little sugar to the tea.
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little
little
[determiner]

used to indicate a small degree, amount, etc.

Ex: We have little information about the incident .
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most
most
[determiner]

used to refer to the largest number or amount

Ex: Most students in the class preferred the new teaching method .
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to [get] the bug

to become interested or enthusiastic about something, often to the point of obsession

Ex: After volunteering, I got the bug for helping others.
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(such|what) a pain
such a pain
[phrase]

someone or something that is irritating, troublesome, or causes inconvenience

Ex: The paperwork for this project is what a pain.
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to [hit] {sb} like a ton of bricks

to experience the sudden, surprising, and overwhelming impact of something, that catches someone off guard and leaves them feeling stunned or overwhelmed

Ex: The severity of the car accident only hit me like a ton of bricks when I saw the damage to my car.
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(and|) not before time (too|)

used to express relief that something has finally happened, after a long delay or period of waiting

Ex: She finally spoke up at the meeting, and not before time, as everyone was waiting for her input.
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any old time
any old time
[phrase]

at any convenient or available time, without the need for careful planning or scheduling

Ex: Any old time you feel like chatting, just call me.
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(that|this) [is] more like it

used to indicate satisfaction or approval with a change or improvement in a situation

Ex: He’s been working hard all week, and now that is more like ita well-deserved break.
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fancy that
fancy that
[interjection]

used to express surprise, disbelief, or amazement about something that has just been said or observed

Ex: He won the lottery again ?Fancy that !
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this and that

a variety of unspecified things or situations

Ex: I spent the afternoon doing this and that around the house.
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those were the days

used to refer nostalgically to a past time or era, often implying that the time being referred to was a better or more enjoyable time

Ex: My grandparents often say, those were the days, reminiscing about their youth.
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that is all {~noun}
that is all
[sentence]

used to indicate that there is nothing more to say or do about a particular matter

Ex: He apologized once and for all, and that is all he could do.
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these things happen

used to say that unfortunate or unexpected events sometimes occur and that it is a natural part of life to experience them

Ex: I didn’t win the competition, but these things happen when there’s tough competition.
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to [be|have] one of those days

used to describe a day that is particularly difficult or frustrating

Ex: Sometimes we all have one of those days when everything feels like a challenge.
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these things are sent to try us

used to say that difficult or challenging situations are a natural part of life and are meant to test our strength and resilience

Ex: I missed the flight, and it seemed like the end of the world, but these things are sent to try us, aren’t they?
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to [leave] it at that

to stop talking about or discussing something, especially when there is no need for further elaboration or action

Ex: After hearing her side, I think it’s best to just leave it at that and not argue.
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how does {sth} grab you?

used to ask for someone's opinion or reaction to a particular idea, proposal, or suggestion

Ex: How does an early morning start for the meeting grab you?It might be easier.
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that is the spirit

used to encourage or praise someone for their positive attitude or determination in a difficult or challenging situation

Ex: Even though the project was tough, he kept pushing forward.That is the spirit.
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to [have] (a|the|this) feeling

to have an intuition or a premonition about something without any logical or rational explanation

Ex: We should take precautions because I have a feeling this situation might get worse.
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to come to

to reach a conclusion or make a choice after careful consideration and evaluation of various options or possibilities

Ex: The couple had a long conversation and came to an understanding about their future .
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dead
dead
[Adverb]

to an absolute or complete extent

Ex: They were dead silent during the whole meeting .
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on time
on time
[Adverb]

exactly at the specified time, neither late nor early

Ex: She cooked the meal on time for the dinner party .
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(about|high) time
about time
[phrase]

used to indicate that something should have happened or been done earlier

Ex: It is about time the city repaired these roads.
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