Josef Köster
Paul Limper
Exercises in
Collocational English
VERLAG ASCHENDORFF
MÜNSTER
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ISBN 3-402-02871-9
3
CONTENTS
ABBREVIATIONS .......................................................................................................... 9
ADJECTIVE + NOUN .................................................................................................. 11
1 Exercise ................................................................................................................. 11
2 Exercise ................................................................................................................. 18
3 Exercise ................................................................................................................. 19
4 Exercise ................................................................................................................. 28
5 Exercise ................................................................................................................. 30
6 Exercise ................................................................................................................. 33
7 Exercise ................................................................................................................. 34
8 Exercise ................................................................................................................. 35
ADJECTIVE OR ADVERB? ........................................................................................ 36
1 Exercise ................................................................................................................. 36
2 Exercise ................................................................................................................. 43
ADJECTIVES AND NOUNS OF LATIN ORIGIN ........................................................ 45
1 Exercise ................................................................................................................. 45
ADJECTIVES OF LATIN ORIGIN ............................................................................... 49
1 Exercise ................................................................................................................. 49
2 Exercise ................................................................................................................. 56
3 Exercise ................................................................................................................. 58
4 Exercise ................................................................................................................. 60
5 Exercise ................................................................................................................. 67
6 Exercise ................................................................................................................. 68
7 Exercise ................................................................................................................. 71
ADVERBS .................................................................................................................... 74
1 Exercise ................................................................................................................. 74
2 Exercise ................................................................................................................. 75
ADVERB + PARTICIPLE ............................................................................................. 77
1 Exercise ................................................................................................................. 77
2 Exercise ................................................................................................................. 81
COMPOUNDS ............................................................................................................. 84
1 Exercise ................................................................................................................. 84
2 Exercise ................................................................................................................. 85
3 Exercise ................................................................................................................. 86
4 Exercise ................................................................................................................. 88
5 Exercise ................................................................................................................. 89
6 Exercise ................................................................................................................. 91
4
CONTENTS
DERIVATION AND WORD FORMATION ................................................................... 93
1 Exercise ................................................................................................................. 93
2 Exercise ................................................................................................................. 95
3 Exercise ................................................................................................................. 98
4 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 101
5 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 102
6 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 104
7 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 106
8 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 107
9 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 113
10 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 114
11 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 115
FALSE FRIENDS ....................................................................................................... 118
1 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 118
2 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 121
3 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 124
4 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 129
5 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 130
6 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 131
7 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 132
GERUND VERSUS INFINITIVE: ADJECTIVES ....................................................... 133
2 Exercise: Adjectives + Infinitive or (Prep +) -ing ............................................. 133
3 Exercise: Adjectives + Infinitive or (Prep +) -ing ............................................. 139
4 Exercise: Adjectives + Infinitive or (Prep +) -ing ............................................. 141
GERUND VERSUS INFINITIVE: NOUNS ................................................................. 143
2 Exercise: Nouns + Infinitive or (Prep +) -ing .................................................... 143
3 Exercise: Nouns + Infinitive or (Prep +) -ing .................................................... 149
4 Exercise: Nouns + Infinitive or (Prep +) -ing .................................................... 151
GERUND VERSUS INFINITIVE: VERBS .................................................................. 155
2 Exercise: VERBS + INFINITIVE or (PREP +) -ING or THAT-CLAUSE ................ 155
3 Exercise: VERBS + INFINITIVE or (PREP +) -ING or THAT-CLAUSE ................ 159
4 Exercise: VERBS + INFINITIVE or (PREP +) -ING or THAT-CLAUSE ................ 164
5 Exercise: VERBS + INFINITIVE or (PREP +) -ING or THAT-CLAUSE ................ 165
6 Exercise: VERBS + INFINITIVE or (PREP +) -ING or THAT-CLAUSE ................ 167
7 Exercise: VERBS + INFINITIVE or (PREP +) -ING or THAT-CLAUSE ................ 169
8 Exercise: VERBS + INFINITIVE or (PREP +) -ING or THAT-CLAUSE ................ 171
9 Exercise: VERBS + INFINITIVE or (PREP +) -ING or THAT-CLAUSE ................ 173
10 Exercise: VERBS + INFINITIVE or (PREP +) -ING or THAT-CLAUSE .............. 175
-IC AND -ICAL .......................................................................................................... 178
1 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 178
2 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 179
3 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 180
4 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 182
CONTENTS
5
5 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 184
6 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 187
A List ......................................................................................................................... 191
IDIOMS ...................................................................................................................... 196
1 Exercise: Animals ............................................................................................... 196
2 Exercise: Animals ............................................................................................... 201
3 Exercise: Animals ............................................................................................... 206
5 Exercise: Animal Noises .................................................................................... 212
6 Exercise: German null ........................................................................................ 213
7 Exercise: Expressions Associated with Numerals .......................................... 215
8 Exercise: WORDS ASSOCIATED WITH NUMBERS ......................................... 217
9 Exercise: Body .................................................................................................... 220
10 Exercise: Vegetables – Flowers – Fruits – Plants ............................................ 222
11 Exercise: Colours ................................................................................................ 227
12 Exercise: Names ................................................................................................. 233
13 Exercise: Clothes ................................................................................................ 239
14 Exercise: The Game of the Name ..................................................................... 243
INTENSIFIERS .......................................................................................................... 245
1 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 245
2 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 246
REGULAR OR IRREGULAR VERB FORMS? ......................................................... 248
1 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 248
2 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 250
3 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 253
4 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 254
5 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 257
6 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 262
7 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 267
8 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 269
9 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 275
NOUNS DENOTING SHAPE OR QUANTITY .......................................................... 280
1 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 280
2 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 282
3 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 283
4 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 285
5 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 286
6 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 288
7 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 289
8 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 292
PAIRED IDIOMS ....................................................................................................... 293
2 Nouns ................................................................................................................... 293
3 Verbs .................................................................................................................... 297
4 Adjectives and Adverbs ..................................................................................... 299
6
5 Mixed ................................................................................................................... 302
6 Mixed ................................................................................................................... 304
7 Mixed ................................................................................................................... 306
PHRASAL NOUNS .................................................................................................... 308
1 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 308
2 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 310
3 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 312
4 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 314
PHRASAL VERBS ..................................................................................................... 320
1 Exercise: to account, allow, answer, back, be, bear, blow, break ................. 320
2 Exercise: to account, allow, answer, back, be, bear, blow, break ................. 321
3 Exercise: to account, allow, answer, back, be, bear, blow, break ................. 322
4 Exercise: to bring, call, care, carry, come ........................................................ 323
5 Exercise: to bring, call, care, carry, come ........................................................ 324
6 Exercise: to bring, call, care, carry, come ........................................................ 325
7 Exercise: to catch, clear, crop, cut, die, do, draw, dress, fall ........................ 327
8 Exercise: to catch, clear, crop, cut, die, do, draw, dress, fall ........................ 328
9 Exercise: to catch, clear, crop, cut, die, do, draw, dress, fall ........................ 329
10 Exercise: to get, give, go, grow ......................................................................... 330
11 Exercise: to get, give, go, grow ......................................................................... 332
12 Exercise: to get, give, go, grow ......................................................................... 333
13 Exercise: to hang, hold, keep, knock, lay......................................................... 334
14 Exercise: to hang, hold, keep, knock, lay......................................................... 336
15 Exercise: to hang, hold, keep, knock, lay......................................................... 337
16 Exercise: to let, live, look, make, play, pull ...................................................... 338
17 Exercise: to let, live, look, make, play, pull ...................................................... 339
18 Exercise: to let, live, look, make, play, pull ...................................................... 340
19 Exercise: to put, run, see, sell ........................................................................... 341
20 Exercise: to put, run, see, sell ........................................................................... 343
21 Exercise: to put, run, see, sell ........................................................................... 344
22 Exercise: to set, sit, stand, take, turn, wear .................................................... 345
23 Exercise: to set, sit, stand, take, turn, wear .................................................... 346
24 Exercise: to set, sit, stand, take, turn, wear .................................................... 347
PREPOSITIONS ........................................................................................................ 349
1 Exercise: German an/am ................................................................................... 349
2 Exercise: German an/am ................................................................................... 353
3 Exercise: German auf ......................................................................................... 356
4 Exercise: German auf ......................................................................................... 361
5 Exercise: German aus ........................................................................................ 366
6 Exercise: German bei ......................................................................................... 370
7 Exercise: German bei ......................................................................................... 374
8 Exercise: German bis ......................................................................................... 377
9 Exercise: German durch ..................................................................................... 381
10 Exercise: German für .......................................................................................... 384
11 Exercise: German gegenüber ............................................................................ 386
7
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
Exercise: German über ....................................................................................... 389
Exercise: German um ......................................................................................... 393
Exercise: German unter ..................................................................................... 396
Exercise: German in/im ...................................................................................... 397
Exercise: German in/im ...................................................................................... 401
Exercise: German mit ......................................................................................... 407
Exercise: German nach ...................................................................................... 412
Exercise: German nach ...................................................................................... 418
Exercise: German von/vom ............................................................................... 425
Exercise: German vor ......................................................................................... 431
Exercise: German zu/zum/zur ........................................................................... 436
Exercise: German zu/zum/zur ........................................................................... 439
Exercise: Miscellaneous .................................................................................... 445
Exercise: Miscellaneous .................................................................................... 449
Exercise: Miscellaneous .................................................................................... 453
Exercise: Miscellaneous .................................................................................... 458
Exercise: Miscellaneous .................................................................................... 465
Exercise: Miscellaneous .................................................................................... 471
Exercise: Miscellaneous .................................................................................... 479
Exercise: Miscellaneous .................................................................................... 486
Exercise: Idiomatic Expressions ....................................................................... 493
Exercise: Miscellaneous .................................................................................... 498
Exercise ............................................................................................................... 504
Exercise ............................................................................................................... 510
Exercise: Idiomatic Expressions ....................................................................... 516
Exercise ............................................................................................................... 523
Exercise ............................................................................................................... 529
Exercise ............................................................................................................... 535
Exercise: Idiomatic Expressions ....................................................................... 541
Exercise ............................................................................................................... 545
Exercise ............................................................................................................... 552
Exercise: Idiomatic Expressions ....................................................................... 556
Exercise ............................................................................................................... 560
Exercise ............................................................................................................... 565
Exercise: Idiomatic Expressions ....................................................................... 569
Exercise ............................................................................................................... 573
Exercise ............................................................................................................... 576
Exercise: Idiomatic Expressions ....................................................................... 582
Exercise: Idiomatic Expressions ....................................................................... 586
Exercise: Idiomatic Expressions ....................................................................... 590
Exercise ............................................................................................................... 594
Exercise ............................................................................................................... 599
Exercise: Miscellaneous .................................................................................... 607
Exercise: Miscellaneous .................................................................................... 610
PROVERBS ............................................................................................................... 613
1 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 613
2 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 616
3 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 620
8
4 Exercise: Proverbs and Phrases ....................................................................... 624
REDUPLICATIVES .................................................................................................... 631
1 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 631
2 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 635
SIMILES .................................................................................................................... 638
3 Exercise: Like ...................................................................................................... 638
4 Exercise: LIKE OR AS? ....................................................................................... 639
6 Exercise: As ......................................................................................................... 641
7 Exercise: As ......................................................................................................... 644
8 Exercise: As ......................................................................................................... 645
9 Exercise: As ......................................................................................................... 646
10 Exercise: As ......................................................................................................... 648
11 Exercise: German als, zu, für ............................................................................. 649
12 German als, zu, für .............................................................................................. 651
VERB + DIRECT OBJECT ........................................................................................ 660
1 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 660
2 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 664
3 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 670
4 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 678
5 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 680
6 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 688
7 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 689
8 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 693
9 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 695
10 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 700
11 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 702
12 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 708
13 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 710
14 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 714
15 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 720
16 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 724
17 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 726
18 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 727
19 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 729
20 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 730
21 Exercise ............................................................................................................... 731
SOME COMMON ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ........................................ 732
Exercise .................................................................................................................... 732
9
ABBREVIATIONS
abbr.
adj(s)
adv(s)
AE
apprec.
arch.
attrib.
BE
cap.
cf.
coll.
DCE
derog.
dial.
dt.
e.g.
esp.
et al.
etc
fig.
fml.
hum.
i.e.
inf.
infml.
joc.
lit.
n
neg.
NSOED
old-fash.
opp.
os
part(s).
pass.
pej.
pl.
pred.
q.v.
rhet.
s.v.
sb
sgl.
slg.
sth
usu.
abbreviation
adjective(s)
adverb(s)
American English
appreciative(ly)
archaic
attributive(ly)
British English
capitalized
confer, compare
colloquial(ly)
Dictionary of Contemporary English
derogatory
dialect
deutsch
exempli gratia, for example
especially
et alii, and others
et cetera
figurative(ly)
formal
humorous(ly)
id est, that is / in other words
infinitive
informal
jocular(ly)
literary
noun
negative
New Shorter Oxford Dictionary
old-fashioned
opposite
oneself
participle(s)
passive
pejorative
plural
predicative(ly)
quod vide, see
rhetorical
sub voce, under the word
somebody
singular
slang
something
usually
11
ADJECTIVE + NOUN
1
Exercise
Article
1.
Adjective
Noun
German Equivalent
–
abysmal
ignorance
bodenloses, abgrundtiefes Unwissen
abysmal
extremely bad, extreme, utter:
to live in abysmal conditions
His manners are / the food / the weather was abysmal.
the abysmal wages of rural labourers
an abysmal failure
cf. abyss: deep bottomless hole
fig.: an abyss of despair / ignorance / lawlessness
2.
academic
question
theoretische, akademische Frage
academic
1. concerning education, esp. in a college or university:
academic freedom
The academic year runs from October to July.
2. being or based on subjects that are taught to develop the mind rather than to
provide practical skills:
academic studies / subjects
an academic reputation / style / book / qualification
3. not related to practical situations: theoretical:
Where we ought to go for our holidays is a purely academic question because we
can’t afford a holiday at all.
Since the decision has already been made, the discussion is purely academic.
a matter of academic concern / interest
3.
–
acid
rain
remark
saurer Regen
ätzende Bemerkung
acid
1. having an unpleasantly sour or bitter taste like that of vinegar or unripe fruit:
A lemon is an acid fruit.
an acid bath
2. saying bitter or unkind things, bad-tempered, sarcastic:
an acid remark / wit / tone of voice
to say sth acidly
cf. an acid: substance which forms a chemical salt when combined with an alkali; it
may destroy things it touches:
Vinegar is an acid.
The acid burnt a hole in the carpet.
acidity: to suffer from acidity of the stomach
acid rain:
containing harmful quantities of acid, esp. sulphuric acid and nitric acid, as a result of
industrial pollution
sulphur:
a simple substance that is found in many different forms, esp. a light yellow powder
nitric acid: a powerful acid (HNO3) which eats away other substances and is used in
explosives and other chemical products
12
ADJECTIVE + NOUN
acid test: test that gives conclusive proof of the value or work of sth / sb:
The acid test of a good driver is whether he remains calm in an emergency. (Feuerprobe, entscheidende Probe)
to put sth to the acid test
4.
adhesive
tape
Klebeband
adhesive
cf. sellotape / AE: Scotch tape
trademarks: sticky, thin clear material in long narrow lengths which is used for sticking
paper, mending light objects
adhesive plaster
the adhesive side of a stamp
adherence to a belief / plan / idea
to adhere closely / doggedly / strictly / stubbornly / tenaciously / rigidly to sb / sth
to be an adherent of sth
adhesion: the state of one thing sticking to another (Klebkraft, Haftvermögen)
cf. adhesive power
5.
affirmative
answer
positive, bejahende Antwort
affirmative
saying or meaning “yes”
The answer to my question was in the affirmative / was affirmative.
The answer was a strong affirmative.
an affirmative gesture / nod / reaction / reply / sentence / vote
cf. positive
cf. (to take) affirmative action: practice or principle, when choosing people for a job, of
favouring people who are often treated unfairly, esp. because of their sex or race; i.e.
positive discrimination: a bias in favour of a particular group or individual precisely
because they are often the object of prejudice and discrimination:
The company is an affirmative action employer.
AE: Programm, das die Diskriminierung von Minderheitsgruppen bekämpft
6.
affluent
society
Wohlstandsgesellschaft
affluent
having plenty of money or other possessions, wealthy:
an affluent society / man / family / life / life style
affluent circumstances
to live in affluence / to live a life of affluence
He quickly rose to affluence (i.e. became wealthy).
7.
ancillary
science
Hilfswissenschaft
ancillary
helping in a subsidiary way, providing help, support or additional services:
ancillary equipment / duties / industries (Zuliefer-) / roads / staff
an ancillary role
ancillary course: Begleitkurs
the ancillary staff of a hospital: the people who do the cleaning work, cooking, etc
to be ancillary to sth
ADJECTIVE + NOUN
8.
apposite
13
remark
answer
question
passende, zutreffende,
angemessene Bemerkung
Antwort
Frage
apposite
apposite to / for sth: exactly suitable or directly connected with the present moment
or situation:
I found his speech wholly apposite to the current debate.
an apposite answer / comment / comparison / example / illustration / image / phrase
/ quotation / remark / title
9.
approved
school
Erziehungsheim
approved school (dated)
a special school for children who have broken the law, now officially called a
Community Home
cf. borstal (dated): institution for reforming young offenders:
after “Borstal”, a village in Kent, where the first institution was founded (in 1902). An
informal name for an establishment where offenders aged 15-21 may be detained for
corrective training. Since the Criminal Justice Act (1982) officially known as Youth
Custody Centre.
cf. AE: Reformatory: place where young offenders are sent to be trained and reformed
SIMILAR INSTITUTIONS
young offenders’ institution
A special prison for young offenders aged under 21, replacing, from 1988, the former
detention centre and youth custody centre. Boys aged from 14 to 16 can be sent to an
institution for any period from six weeks to a year, with a maximum of four months for
a 14-year-old. Girls are sentenced to custody only from the age of 15, with a maximum
detention period of four months at this age and 16. From 17 to 21 the sentences can
be longer, with a possible life sentence for serious offences. There are currently 39
young offenders’ institutions in England and Wales.
attendance centre
A centre where young offenders (under 17) are required to attend for physical training
and instruction in practical subjects instead of going to prison. Offenders may be
ordered to spend up to a total of 24 hours at an attendance centre, usually on
Saturdays and for a maximum of three hours at a time.
detention centre
Until 1988, a centre where young male offenders were kept for a period ranging form
three weeks to four months with a strict programme of work to do. Such offenders are
now sent to a young offenders’ institution.
youth custody centre
Until 1988, a special prison for young offenders aged 17 to 20. Such offenders now
serve their sentences in a young offenders’ institution.
remand centre
A place of detention to which young offenders are sent awaiting trial in court. At
present there are nine such centres.
community home
A special residential area where a local authority can send a young offender (under 17)
if it feels that he or she is in moral danger or beyond the control of his or her parents.
cf. community centre
A building used by members of a community, such as a town or village, for social
gatherings, sports meetings, etc
From: A. Room, An A to Z of British Life. Dictionary of Britain. Oxford, 1990.
14
ADJECTIVE + NOUN
10.
aquatic
sport(s)
Wassersport(arten)
aquatic
plants / animals / sports / pastimes / organisms
11.
aquiline
nose
Adler-, Hakennase
aquiline
of or like an eagle:
her sharp aquiline profile / features
12.
Arabian
Nights
Tausendundeine Nacht
Arabian
of Arabia, esp. the peninsula containing Saudi-Arabia and several other countries:
the Arabian desert / peninsula / Sea
13.
arabic
numerals
arabische Zahlen, Ziffern
alternative spelling: Arabic
Arabic
1. Semitic language or writing of the Arabs, which is the main language of North
Africa, the Middle East, and Arabia:
She is studying Arabic / a regional type of Arabic.
2. numeral: cf. Roman numeral
14.
–
artificial
respiration
künstliche Beatmung
artificial
1. made by humans, esp. as a copy of sth natural:
The drink contains no artificial flavouring or colouring.
artificial fibres / illumination / insemination / intelligence (abbr. AI) / flowers / silk /
sweetener
2. lacking in feeling, insincere:
She welcomed me with an artificial smile.
3. happening as a result of human action, not through natural process:
High import taxes give their home-made goods an artificial advantage in the market.
15.
atmospheric
pressure
atmosphärischer Druck, Luftdruck
atmospheric
1. related with the earth’s atmosphere:
atmospheric conditions
2. beautiful and mysterious:
atmospheric music / poems / songs
16.
auricular
confession
Ohrenbeichte
auricular
of or concerning the ear:
auricular confession: one spoken privately into the ear of a priest
cf. to make a full confession of one’s crimes
The priest will hear confessions in English and French.
He always goes to confession on Fridays.
the confessional: enclosed place in a church where the priest hears confession:
the secrets of the confessional
confessor: priest who hears confessions
confessant: a person who confesses to a priest
to confess (to) leaving the cigarette on the chair / that he had left ...
ADJECTIVE + NOUN
15
cf. oral / visual / aural:
The opera was an aural as well as a visual delight.
visual / aural aids / materials
17.
avowed
believer
erklärter Anhänger
avowed
to avow: to state, openly admit:
The prisoner avowed his guilt / that he was guilty.
Their avowed aim is to overthrow the government.
He avowed himself (to be) a socialist.
avowed aim / commitment / desire / goal / intent / purpose
an avowed traditionalist / feminist / Christian
avowedly: openly, admittedly: avowedly responsible for an error
avowal: to make a(n) open / public / solemn avowal
18.
dyed-in-the-wool
Tory
ein in der Wolle gefärbter Konservativer
dyed-in-the-wool (slightly pejorative)
impossible to change from a stated quality, uncompromising:
a dyed-in-the-wool aristocrat / conservative / Marxist / Republican / traditionalist, etc
19.
extenuating
circumstances
mildernde Umstände
extenuating
to extenuate: to lessen the seriousness of (bad behaviour) by finding excuses for it
also (esp. law): attenuating circumstances
cf. He pleaded ignorance in extenuation of his crime.
20.
flimsy
excuse
fadenscheinige, durchsichtige
Entschuldigung
flimsy
1. (of material) light and thin:
She felt cold in her flimsy dress.
2. (of objects) easily broken or destroyed, lacking strength:
a flimsy old wooden shed / a flimsy house (Billighaus)
3. weak, that does not convince:
What a flimsy excuse!
The evidence against him is rather flimsy.
21.
founding
father(s)
Gründungsvater, -väter
founding father
1. person who begins the development of sth; founder
2. (cap) a person at the formal meeting of 1787 which decided the principles of the
constitution of the US: the Founding Fathers of the US
22.
–
gracious
living
Leben im Wohlstand, Luxus
gracious
1. polite, kind and pleasant, esp. in a generous way:
Busy as she was, she was gracious enough to show us round her house.
2. having those qualities which are made possible by wealth, such as comfort, beauty,
and freedom from hard work:
All this gracious living isn’t for me: I prefer the simple life.
16
ADJECTIVE + NOUN
graceful – gracious
graceful means attractive or pleasant, and is used especially to describe bodily
movements or form:
a graceful dancer / way of moving
It can also be used of people’s manners, esp. when they are saying they are sorry for
sth or accepting defeat:
He admitted gracefully that he was wrong.
They handled their divorce as gracefully (i.e. politely) as possible.
The losing candidate accepted the result of the election gracefully.
gracious is usually used of people’s manners and suggests an important person being
polite to a less important one:
The Queen thanked them graciously.
She gave him a gracious smile.
She is gracious to all.
It was gracious of her to invite us.
23.
inveterate
gambler
leidenschaftlicher, unverbesserlicher
Spieler
inveterate
1. firmly settled in a usually bad habit:
an inveterate criminal / drinker / liar / reader of trashy romances / novels / smoker /
talker / womanizer
inveterate enemies
2. bad feelings, habits that have lasted for a long time and seem likely to continue:
(an) inveterate dislike / distrust / drunkenness / fondness / hatred / prejudice
an inveterate criminal
inveterate hatred
inveterate liar
24.
moot
point
question
– Gewohnheitsverbrecher
– abgrundtiefer Hass; cf. abysmal
– unverbesserlicher Lügner
strittiger Punkt
strittige Frage
moot
point / question: matter which is debatable, about which there is no certainty
cf. to moot (usually passive): to raise a matter for discussion, propose:
The question was first mooted years ago.
It has been mooted whether ... zur Debatte stellen
a much / long mooted proposal
25.
permissive
society
permissive, enttabuisierte Gesellschaft
permissive
1. often derogatory: allowing great freedom of behaviour, esp. to children or in sexual
matters:
(a) permissive upbringing / parents / school
2. showing this freedom:
(a) permissive attitude / behaviour
the permissive society, i.e. the one resulting from social changes that began in the
1960s, with e.g. greater freedom of sexual behaviour, lessening of censorship, etc
to be permissive to(wards) sth
26.
practical
joke
Streich
practical joke
trick played on sb for amusement, usually involving some physical action:
a practical joker – Witzbold
(a) practical advice / application / mind / person
ADJECTIVE + NOUN
27.
silent
17
majority
schweigende Mehrheit
silent
1. making no or little sound, not accompanied by any sound:
silent footsteps
a silent prayer / curse
the smooth, silent running of the engine
The room was silent.
2. not speaking:
On certain important details the report remains strangely silent.
The law is silent on this difficult point.
to be / become / fall silent on / about sb / sth
3. saying little:
He is the strong, silent type.
4. not pronounced:
The b in debtor is a silent letter (i.e. it is mute).
silent majority: people with moderate views who are unable or unwilling to express
them publicly
(as) silent as the grave: completely silent, perhaps suggesting mystery
28.
silly
season
Sommerloch, Sauregurkenzeit
answer/joke/
alberne, blöde, dumme Frage, etc.
point/question/
remark
silly
1. having or showing lack of good sense and judgement, foolish, not serious or
sensible:
It is silly (of you) to go out in the rain if you don’t have to.
That’s the silliest idea I’ve ever heard!
to make sb look silly
2. unable to feel and think clearly, senseless:
I took a swing at him and knocked him silly.
After-dinner speeches bore me silly (i.e. very much / to death).
silly season: period in the summer when there is not much news, so newspapers print
silly stories about unimportant things
29.
vicious
circle
Teufelskreis, circulus vitiosus
vicious
1. acting or done with evil intentions, spiteful:
(a) vicious attack / blow / campaign / criminal / fight / fighting / kick / killer / look /
remark / rumour / thug
to have a vicious tongue
2. given up to vice, depraved:
a vicious life
vicious practices / habits
3. (of animals) savage and dangerous:
That dog can be vicious. (bösartig)
4. violent or severe:
a vicious headache, (gust of) wind
vicious circle: state of affairs in which a cause produces an effect which itself
produces the original cause, so continuing the whole process:
I need experience to get a job, but without a job I can’t get experience.
18
ADJECTIVE + NOUN
to be caught / trapped in a vicious circle
a vicious spiral: continuous rise in one thing (e.g. prices) caused by a continuous rise
in sth else (e.g. wages) (Schraube ohne Ende)
30.
–
wishful
thinking
Wunschdenken
wishful
having or expressing a wish: wishful statements
wishful thinking: belief based on wishes not on facts:
I think her condition is improving but it may just be wishful thinking on my part.
cf. pious wish / hope
2
Exercise
1. When Ministers predict that they are on the verge of a boom they are naturally suspected
of wishful thinking.
2. Can the study of information technology be anything but an ancillary science?
3. The Roman Catholic Church does no longer insist on auricular confession.
4. The silly season is upon us. Journalists at a loss for stories are looking for the tallest
hollyhock, a gargantuan marrow and the greatest gooseberry.
hollyhock: Stockrose
marrow: Kürbis
gooseberry: Stachelbeere
gargantuan: gigantic, of tremendous size or volume: gargantuan appetite / meal /
person
Gargantua: gigantic king in the novel Gargantua by François Rabelais (1494-1533)
5. He is arrogant and assertive; his abysmal ignorance is matched only by his conviction of
his own influence.
6. While the silent majority previously meant the dead, it has now come to mean the great
soft mass of the living who put up with things, who get on with their jobs, pay their fines,
rates and taxes.
7. Acid rain contains chemical substances which damage trees and crops.
8. The Arabian Nights (Entertainment), also known as The Thousand and One Nights, are a
collection of stories whose tales of Aladdin, Ali Baba and Sindbad the Sailor have almost
become part of Western folklore.
9. The question whether woman is more rational than man is purely academic.
10. She glued the teacher’s book to the desk as a practical joke.
11. Some people see him as a dyed-in-the-wool Tory, others think of him as an out-of-date
19th century classical liberal.
12. It was essential to have a complete dossier, with every extenuating circumstances, before
issuing a verdict.
13. When you go to the chemist’s don’t forget to buy a roll of adhesive tape.
14. A penthouse in London is the height of gracious living.
15. An approved school is a place for housing, training and educating juvenile delinquents.
ADJECTIVE + NOUN
19
16. Crime leads to prison, which leads to unemployment, which leads to crime. It’s a vicious
circle.
17. We had not expected an affirmative answer to our request.
18. A moot point is a doubtful or unsettled question, one that is open to debate.
19. Luxury flats with all mod cons, big cars, holidays abroad are the typical outward signs of an
affluent society.
20. Louis Pasteur was one of the founding fathers of modern medicine.
21. An apposite remark is a remark which hits the nail on the head.
22. Oxford footnote to permissive society: Somerville College (for women) has this term
allowed men in for breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays. Apparently the college authorities,
having sensibly decided they cannot possibly stop men staying overnight, are hoping that
this tactical concession will limit such activities to the weekends.
23. He was an inveterate gambler and had soon gone through all the money he had inherited.
24. He is an avowed believer in homeopathy.
25. Atmospheric pressure is usually measured in millibars.
26. Historians believe that arabic numerals originated in India, but they were introduced to the
Western World from Arabia.
also: Arabic numerals
27. Aquatic sports include swimming and rowing.
28. An aquiline nose is one that curves like an eagle’s beak.
29. If applied quickly and properly, artificial respiration can stimulate natural breathing again
when it has failed, e.g. in a person who has almost drowned.
30. She said she didn’t come because she’d lost my address. That’s a flimsy excuse! She
knows a lot people who could have told her.
3
Exercise
1. Whisky is something of an acquired taste. I found it rather disappointing the first time I had it.
to be an acquired taste: sth that one may learn to like after a while
acquisition
She is a valuable acquisition for / to the firm.
This painting is my latest / a recent acquisition.
to make an acquisition
(second) language acquisition
acquisitive: keen on getting and possessing things, esp. material possessions:
Squirrels are very acquisitive creatures.
an acquisitive collector / society
2. I’m sure Helen would like to come with us to the party. But don’t press her too much. She’s
at an awkward age, and rather self-conscious.
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