recount to describe how something happened; to tell a story He recounted his adventures since he had left home. He was fond of recounting how he had played for Manchester United when he was 19.
outrageous shocking and morally unacceptable It is outrageous that these buildings remain empty while thousands of people have no homes. These prices are just outrageous (= much too high).
be wet behind the ears to be young and without experience
pin back your ears to listen carefully
fall on deaf ears If a suggestion or warning falls on deaf ears, no one listens to it Their appeals to release the hostages fell on deaf ears.
close your ears to stop listening I tried to close my ears to the sounds coming from next door.
be up to your ears in sth to be very busy, or to have more of something than you can manage I'm up to my ears in work. She's up to her ears in debt.
be all ears to be waiting eagerly to hear about something I'm all ears - tell us what they had to say.
racy (of speech or writing) exciting, especially because of being about sex, or (of someone or something) having an exciting, interesting and attractive appearance, sometimes in a sexual way She is trying to create a racier image for herself.
hook (sb/sth) up to sth Can we hook up to the electricity supply at the campsite?
by hook or by crook by any method possible I decided I was going to get that job by hook or by crook.
edge an advantage over other people In terms of experience, she definitely had the edge over the other people that we interviewed.
edge to move slowly with gradual movements or in gradual stages, or to make someone or something move in this way Inflation has edged up to 5% over the last two years. Those who disagreed with the director's viewpoint were gradually edged out of (= forced to leave) the company.
bleeding-edge relating to or describing systems, devices or ideas that are so modern that they are still being developed bleeding-edge technology
cutting-edge very modern and with all the newest features cutting-edge design/technology
leading edge the most advanced position in an area of activity
edge a small but noticeable amount of anger in someone's voice There's a definite edge to/in her voice when she talks to her husband. on edge nervous and not relaxed Is something wrong? You seem a bit on edge this morning.
set sb's teeth on edge If something, especially a noise, sets your teeth on edge, it annoys you very much That DJ's voice really sets my teeth on edge.
on the threshold of sth at the start of a new and important time or development We are on the threshold of a new era in European relations.
come on/along to make progress Your piano playing has really come on since I last heard you play. How's your English coming on? to make your sexual interest known to someone She was coming on strong and I, naturally, responded. Then his wife left the room and he started coming on to me.
come on o start to happen or work The heating comes on at six in the morning.
usher [T usually + adverb or preposition] to show someone where they should go, or to make someone go where you want them to go She ushered us into her office and offered us a coffee. Officials quickly ushered the protesters out of the hall.
depict to represent or show something in a picture or story Her paintings depict the lives of ordinary people in the last century. In the book, he depicts his father as a tyrant. [+ -ing verb] People were shocked by the advertisement which depicted a woman beating her husband.
seemingly appearing to be something, especially when this is not true He remains confident and seemingly untroubled by his recent problems. according to the facts that you know The factory closure is seemingly inevitable. Seemingly, she's gone off to live with another man.
(only) to be expected normal and what usually happens All parents of small children get tired. It's to be expected.
with bated breath in an anxious (= worried and nervous) or excited way I waited for the results with bated breath.
catch your breath (UK also get your breath back)
to pause or rest for a short time until you can breathe comfortably or regularly again
I had to stop running to catch my breath.
in the same breath If you say two things in the same breath, you say two things that are so different that if one is true, the other must be false You say you're bored and frustrated but in the same breath say you're resigned to staying in the same job.
save your breath used to say that it is not worth talking to someone because they will not listen to you I don't know why I bother speaking to him - I might as well save my breath.
waste your breath If you waste your breath, you spend time and energy trying to give advice which is ignored Honestly, you're wasting your breath - he doesn't want to hear what anyone else has got to say.
have/know sth off pat to know something so well that you can say or do it without having to try or think I'd given the talk so many times I had it off pat.
enthral to keep someone completely interested The audience was enthralled for two hours by a sparkling, dramatic performance. They listened enthralled to what he was saying. The baseball game completely enthralled the crowd. I found your book absolutely enthralling!
mesmerize [T often passive] to have someone's attention completely so that they cannot think of anything else I was completely mesmerized by the performance.
entwine to twist something together or around something The picture captures the two lovers with their arms entwined. closely connected or unable to be separated The fates of both countries seem somehow entwined.
partake to become involved with or take part in something She was happy to partake in the festivities.
sop sth up to absorb liquid into a piece of something solid It's surprising how much milk the bread sops up.
be in a lather to be very worried or nervous about something She was in a lather when I left because she couldn't find her ticket.
lather to produce a lather from soap, or to cover something or someone in lather He stood under the shower lathering himself with the soap.
brace yourself to prepare yourself physically or mentally for something unpleasant The passengers were told to brace themselves (= to press their bodies hard against something or hold them very stiff) for a crash landing. The passengers were told to brace themselves (= to press their bodies hard against something or hold them very stiff) for a crash landing.
brace to support an object in order to stop it from falling down The side wall of the old house was braced with a wooden support.
overflow Because of heavy rain, the river may overflow its banks; The bin was overflowing with rubbish. The pub was so full that people were overflowing into/onto the street. The train was (full to) overflowing (= so full that there was not space for any more passengers). His room is overflowing with (= contains a lot of) books.
to overflowing so that water or another substance is almost coming over the top Someone has filled the bath (full) to overflowing.
stand up If an idea or some information stands up, it is proved to be true or correct Their argument won't stand up to detailed criticism (= when it is studied critically).
rhetorical describes speech or writing which is intended to seem important or influence people rhetorical question a question that is asked in order to make a statement and which does not expect an answer "Why do these things always happen to me?" is a rhetorical question.
