Unit 10 · New Headway Upper Intermediate Vocabulary List

a figure of speech that compares two unrelated things to highlight their similarities and convey a deeper meaning

"'The world is a stage' is a famous metaphor by Shakespeare."

"The poet used the metaphor of a "iron cage" to describe how the character felt trapped by the strict rules and expectations of society, unable to escape despite wanting to live a more free and authentic life."

the ability to correctly utilize thought and reason, learn from experience, or to successfully adapt to the environment

"Artificial intelligence is advancing rapidly."

"Emotional intelligence was the ability to recognize understand and manage one's own emotions and those of others."

a strong feeling such as love, anger, etc.

"Her emotion was clear."

"She tried to hide her emotion during the speech but her voice cracked and tears filled her eyes revealing how deeply she was affected."

an ability to do something well, especially after training

"Practice improves skill."

"Learning a new skill as an adult can be frustrating because you are not as patient as you were when you were a child learning everything for the first time."

to give a person help or assistance in doing something

"Can you lend me a hand?"

"My neighbor kindly gave me a hand when I was trying to move the heavy furniture into my new apartment."

having or displaying the belief that one is superior in intellect, importance, skills, etc.

"She is big-headed."

"The big headed athlete bragged about his accomplishments so much that his teammates grew tired of listening to him."

to take hold of someone else's hand with one's own and then move them up and down as a gesture of greeting, congratulations, or agreement

"They shook hands after the meeting."

"The two businessmen stopped arguing and decided to shake hands before ending the meeting."

to naturally excel at doing something

"She has a good head for numbers."

"My brother has an incredible head for business, which is why his startup became so successful in just two years."

to have a lot of work that needs to be dealt with

"She has her hands full today."

"With three young children and a full-time job, she really has her hands full every single day without any help."

a generous and kind personality

"My grandmother has a heart of gold."

"Despite his tough appearance the old man has a heart of gold and helps everyone in need."

describing a conversation or discussion that is honest, open, and sincere, typically between close friends or family members

"They had a heart-to-heart talk."

"The mother had a heart to heart conversation with her daughter about the dangers of drugs and peer pressure."

(of praise, success, etc.) to make one feel too proud of oneself and degrade others

"Success went to his head."

"After winning the championship, the sudden fame went to his head, and he became arrogant."

in a very poor condition or near the end of their lifespan or usefulness

"The car is on its last legs."

"This ancient printer is on its last legs and will probably break down any day now."

one's tendency to speak to people in a very critical manner

"Her sharp tongue often hurts people's feelings."

"Her sharp tongue often hurts people's feelings and she apologizes later when she realizes what she said."

to become accustomed or familiar with something, especially something that was previously unfamiliar or uncomfortable

"I am getting used to the new schedule."

"It took me several months to get used to the cold weather after moving to Canada."

having a willingness to freely give or share something with others, without expecting anything in return

"She is generous."

"The generous millionaire donated most of his fortune to build schools and libraries in poor communities around the world."

to say something funny or behave in a way that makes people laugh

"He jokes about the silly mistake."

"Do not joke about serious matters like safety because someone could get hurt."

to acknowledge and accept the reality of a situation, even if it is difficult or unpleasant

"You need to face the fact that he is gone."

"You need to face the fact that you failed the exam and start studying harder now."

to joke with someone in a friendly manner by trying to make them believe something that is not true

"I was just pulling your leg."

"Don't worry, I'm only pulling your leg — I didn't really eat all the cookies."

to gain the confidence, familiarity, and skills needed to perform well in a situation that is new to one

"He found his feet quickly here."

"After a few weeks at the new company, she finally found her feet and started feeling confident in her daily tasks."

to behave in a way that hides one's unhappiness, worries, or problems

"She put on a brave face."

"Despite her personal struggles, she managed to put on a brave front for her children."

a member of a seafaring group from the late eighth to early eleventh century who originated in the Scandinavian regions of Europe, and who conducted raids, trades, and colonized wide areas of Europe

"The Viking ship is displayed in the museum."

"The Viking ship is displayed in the museum and visitors can see the dragon carving on the bow."

used to show one's lack of genuine interest or enthusiasm for something

"His heart is not in work."

"She continued playing the piano, but her heart was not in it anymore after losing the competition."

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

"That is an idiom."

"The idiom 'kick the bucket' is a colloquial and somewhat informal way to refer to death."

requiring or involving personal effort, especially physical effort, as opposed to being automatic or effortless

"This is manual work."

"The assembly of the furniture required a significant amount of manual labor and careful attention."

to move toward a particular direction

"He heads toward the nearest exit."

"We decided to head toward the beach instead of going to the mountains for our vacation."

(of praise, success, etc.) to make one feel too proud of oneself and degrade others

"Success can go to your head."

"After winning the championship, the team captain's success unfortunately began to go to his head, alienating teammates."

nice and caring toward other people's feelings

"The neighbor is kind."

"The kind stranger helped the old woman carry her groceries up the stairs and refused to accept any money as a reward."

to say yes to what is asked of you or offered to you

"Please accept my sincere apology."

"It took her a long time to accept that she had made a mistake and needed to apologize sincerely."

to exchange one thing for another through a mutual agreement

"We can trade apples."

"The two nations agreed to trade goods and services to boost their economies."

to create or produce something by cutting or shaping a material, such as a sculpture or design

"He carved a statue from marble."

"The artist used a sharp knife to carve a beautiful bird out of a piece of soft wood."

to be likely to develop or occur in a certain way because that is the usual pattern

"She tends to arrive late daily."

"Young children tend to imitate the behavior of their parents and other adults around them."

to enter a place and remove or take away a large number of things quickly and illegally, often as part of a criminal enterprise or activity

"They raid the store."

"The thieves planned to raid the jewelry store during the night and escape with valuable items."

to respect and honor God or a deity, especially by performing rituals

"People worship at the temple."

"People from many different religions worship their gods in various ways including prayer meditation and attending services."

to twist or manipulate someone's words or actions in a dishonest or unfair way

"Don't extort me."

"The lawyer accused the witness of attempting to extort a confession through intimidation and manipulation."

to come to rest or take a comfortable position, often by sitting

"Please settle down."

"After a long day of travel, the weary guests were eager to settle into their comfortable hotel rooms."

to get onto and assume control of an animal, such as a horse

"He will mount the horse."

"The skilled equestrian prepared to mount the spirited stallion for the challenging dressage competition."

to visit places one has never seen before

"We will explore the ancient ruins."

"The young couple decided to explore the old abandoned castle on the hill even though the locals warned them that it might be haunted."