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

Ex: Recovery from an injury can take time and physical therapy .
get a life [sentence]

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

Ex: Instead of constantly watching TV , you should get a life and explore some hobbies or activities .

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

Ex:
third time lucky [interjection]

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

Ex: He tried to fix the car twice and failed , but third time lucky , it worked !

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: They realized they had no time to lose and worked tirelessly to meet the deadline .
cushy [adjective]

involving minimal effort or hardship

Ex: The internship turned out to be more cushy than expected , with light responsibilities and a relaxed atmosphere .

to become lively and energetic

Ex: When the actor took the stage , the character came to life through his compelling performance .

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

Ex: The detective was sure enough of the suspect 's guilt to bet his life on the evidence .

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

Ex: Better luck next time you'll get it on the next try !

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

Ex: A healthy diet has given my grandmother a new lease of life ; she ’s much more active now .

for a limited period, usually until a certain condition changes

Ex: We 'll use this office for the time being until our new space is ready .

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

Ex: The novel has stood the test of time , continuing to be read by generations .

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

Ex: They submit their project proposal just in the nick of time , minutes before the deadline .

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

Ex: Sarah agreed to help her neighbor with the gardening , even though she had other plans , just to do for a quiet life .

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

Ex: " I missed the bus again , story of my life , " he muttered , frustrated with his chronic tardiness .

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

Ex: Smoking cigarettes runs the risk of various health problems , including lung cancer and heart disease .

to complete or conduct a task, job, etc.

Ex: The detective was assigned to carry out the investigation into the mysterious disappearance .
research [noun]

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

Ex: The professor presented the findings of her research at an international conference .

to start or grow to be

Ex: I became interested in photography after attending a workshop .
apparent [adjective]

easy to see or notice

Ex: The apparent beauty of the landscape took her breath away .

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

Ex: We should get the new marketing campaign going to increase sales .

to experience and be affected by something bad or unpleasant

Ex: The company suffered financial losses during the economic downturn .
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: Immediate medical attention is crucial for stroke treatment to minimize brain damage and potential long-term disabilities .

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

Ex: Certain foods are easier to digest than others .

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

Ex: In a new workplace , team-building activities are often used to break the ice among colleagues .
to grab [verb]

to attract or hold someone's attention or interest

Ex: The vibrant colors and unique design of the painting grabbed the museum visitors .

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

Ex: I followed my nose and did n't buy this dress a month ago and now it 's on sale for 40 % off .

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

Ex: The soldiers claimed they were just following orders during the mission .
pattern [noun]

the way according to which something normally happens or is done

Ex: The teacher recognized a pattern in the student 's mistakes and tailored extra practice accordingly .

to gain weight, often in a short period of time

Ex:
awake [adjective]

not in a state of sleep or unconsciousness

Ex: The baby finally fell asleep after being awake for several hours .

to remove oneself from social interaction or avoid contact with others

Ex: He tends to withdraw when he 's feeling anxious or stressed , preferring solitude until he feels more comfortable .

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

Ex: Sometimes life takes us on some strange journeys , the road full of twists and turns and not the direction we thought we were going ... that 's life for you .
enough [determiner]

to a necessary amount

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

including every part, member, etc.

Ex: The whole class celebrated the teacher 's birthday .
all [determiner]

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

Ex: All the students passed the test .
each [determiner]

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

plenty [pronoun]

a plentiful or abundant amount of something

Ex: With plenty of sunshine this week , the gardens are thriving .

to a large extent

Ex: I learned a great deal during my internship .
hardly [adverb]

to a very small degree or extent

Ex: There 's hardly any milk left in the bottle .
several [determiner]

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

Ex:
none [determiner]

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

Ex: None of the cakes in the bakery appealed to her taste , so she left empty-handed .
no [determiner]

used to say there is none of something

Ex: He showed no interest in the topic .
few [determiner]

a small unspecified number of people or things

Ex:
few [determiner]

a small unspecified number of people or things

Ex:
a little [adverb]

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

Ex:
little [determiner]

used to indicate a small degree, amount, etc.

Ex: There is little milk left in the fridge .
most [determiner]

used to refer to the largest number or amount

Ex: Most students find this topic challenging .

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

Ex: I 've really got the bug for it !

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

Ex: I ca n’t believe the printer is broken again what a pain !

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

Ex: His breakup with his long-time girlfriend hit him like a ton of bricks , and he was devastated .

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

Ex: They 're finally going to change things , and not before time , too .

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

Ex: I ’ll fix the car any old time , just bring it by when you ’re ready .
fancy that [interjection]

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

Ex: The dog actually learned how to fetch the newspaper , fancy that !

a variety of unspecified things or situations

Ex: I do n’t really have much to report , just this and that .

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: Those were the days when we did n't have to worry about anything but having fun .

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

Ex:

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

Ex: I forgot to bring the documents , but these things happen sometimes .

used to describe a day that is particularly difficult or frustrating

Ex: The car would n't start , I lost my glasses-it was one of those days .

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

Ex: These things are sent to try us , and sometimes we just need to be patient and wait for things to improve .

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

Ex: I ’ll leave it at that ; no need to get into more details .

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

Ex:

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

Ex: She still questions everything and raises her voice when she has the feeling that things are going in the wrong direction .

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

Ex: The team members had different opinions , but they eventually came to a consensus .
dead [adverb]

to an absolute or complete extent

Ex:
on time [adverb]

exactly at the specified time, neither late nor early

Ex: I need to wake up early to get to the station on time .

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

Ex: It was about time he realized the importance of saving money and started budgeting .