Unit 11 · New Headway Upper Intermediate Vocabulary List

to be left in a situation where one either succeeds or fails

"It is sink or swim now."

"The company gave no training to new employees, so it was sink or swim from the very first day on the job."

to be patient in order to find out about the outcome, answer, or future happenings

"We will wait and see what happens."

"We will have to wait and see whether the weather improves before deciding to go to the beach."

over a great distance or in many places, often used to describe the extent of someone's search, travels, or influence

"People came from far and wide."

"People came from far and wide to see the famous singer perform live in concert."

(of two or more parties) to agree with each other's terms or opinions in order to reach an agreement

"All relationships require give and take."

"A healthy marriage requires both partners to learn how to give and take on a daily basis."

the various objections or reasons why something might not be possible, or the conditions that need to be met for something to happen

"I want no ifs, ands, or buts, just do it."

"I want you to finish your homework right now with no ifs ands or buts about it."

in a way that finalizes and completes the matter at hand

"Let's settle this argument once and for all."

"We need to settle this argument once and for all so we can finally move forward peacefully."

an inconsistent and unpredictable approach or method with no clear pattern of success or failure

"His aim is hit-and-miss."

"The quality of the products was hit and miss sometimes they were great and other times they were terrible."

used to describe something that is brief and to the point, yet pleasant or enjoyable

"Keep your speech short and sweet."

"The CEO's speech was short and sweet which everyone appreciated because they were very busy."

a complete set of facts or details about how something is done or how it works

"He knows all the ins and outs of the system."

"After working here for ten years she knows all the ins and outs of the company."

used to indicate that something is mostly the case or generally true

"By and large the project was successful."

"By and large the project was successful even though we faced some unexpected challenges along the way."

to make someone feel nervous, anxious, or uneasy

"The silence will tense them."

"The unexpected announcement of layoffs began to tense the entire office staff."

feeling unsteady or dazed, often due to lack of sleep or recovery from anesthesia

"She feels groggy."

"She felt groggy when she woke up from the surgery because the anesthesia had not completely worn off yet."

extremely surprising, confusing, or difficult to understand

"The amount is mind-boggling."

"The mind boggling complexity of the human brain still puzzles scientists who have been studying it for centuries."

to chew steadily or vigorously, often making a crunching sound

"He munched on popcorn during the movie."

"The children sat on the couch and continued to munch on popcorn while watching their favorite cartoon movie on television for hours."

the most severe or negative outcome that could happen in a given situation

"In the worst-case scenario"

"In the worst case scenario the plane is delayed overnight and passengers sleep on cots in the terminal."

happening or appearing repeatedly

"He has recurring dreams."

"He has recurring nightmares about falling from a great height every single night for weeks."

in a way that shows or involves great care, effort, and attention to detail

"He painted painstakingly."

"The artist painstakingly painted every tiny detail of the portrait and she spent over one hundred hours completing the beautiful work."

boring and repetitive, often causing frustration or weariness due to a lack of variety or interest

"The work is tedious."

"The tedious task of sorting through thousands of old documents made him feel incredibly weary and uninspired."

strange or unexpected in appearance, style, or behavior

"That is bizarre."

"The artist's bizarre sculptures, made from recycled materials, challenged conventional notions of beauty and form."

in a clear and detailed manner

"I vividly remember that day."

"I vividly remember the day we met because it was sunny and you were wearing a red dress."

a competition in which participants compete to defeat their opponents

"The contest was tough."

"She entered the contest and hoped to win the top prize."

the arrangement or succession of single musical notes in a tune or piece of music

"The melody was catchy."

"The simple, haunting melody of the lullaby instantly calmed the crying baby and put him to sleep."

made in advance and available for immediate use or purchase, without the need for any additional preparation or assembly

"I bought a ready-made cake."

"The ready made meal was convenient after a long day at work and she just had to heat it in the microwave."

a combination of both good things and bad things that can happen to one

"Life has its ups and downs."

"Every long term relationship has its ups and downs but love helps you get through them."

eventually, particularly after a long delay or dispute

"Sooner or later, you will have to decide."

"You will have to tell your parents the truth sooner or later so why not do it today?"

the positive and negative elements, arguments, outcomes, etc. of something

"Let's list the pros and cons of moving."

"Before making a decision you should carefully consider the pros and cons of each option."

on irregular but not rare occasions

"I see him now and then."

"Now and then, she enjoys reading a good book instead of watching television after a long day."

annoyed or disgusted by someone or something one has been dealing with for a long time

"I am sick and tired of his lies."

"I am sick and tired of listening to you complain all the time without doing anything to fix your problems."

a state or situation that is free from disturbance, noise, or any kind of interruption or disruption, typically characterized by calmness, serenity, and tranquility

"I just need some peace and quiet."

"After a long noisy day at work all I want is some peace and quiet at home alone."

not damaged or injured in any way

"The lost child is safe and sound."

"After a long journey the children arrived home safe and sound and their parents were relieved."

with gradual progress, steadily, and consistently over time

"Slowly but surely, we are making progress."

"He is slowly but surely learning to speak French and his accent is getting much better now."

the state or quality of being irregular or unpredictable

"Inconsistency is bad."

"The scientific community struggled to reconcile the observed data due to the inherent inconsistency in the measurements."

to pass or escape unnoticed or undetected

"The thief will slip."

"The agile cat managed to slip through the narrow opening in the fence unnoticed by the guard."

to fasten, button, zip, or otherwise secure something, often related to clothing or accessories

"Do up your coat buttons."

"Please do up your shirt buttons before you leave the house, looking neat and tidy."

chosen, done, or happening by chance and without any particular plan, method, or purpose

"He asked a random question."

"The teacher asked random students to answer questions so that everyone would pay attention because nobody knew who would be called on next."

a gentle, intentional touch, often with the hand, used to comfort, show affection, or provide reassurance

"A gentle stroke."

"She offered a comforting stroke to the distressed cat, murmuring soft words of reassurance."

to put a great deal of effort to overcome difficulties or achieve a goal

"Many students struggle with math."

"Many students struggle with time management during their first year of university because they have more freedom."

a mental image of what one wants or hopes to achieve in the future

"She has a vision."

"The entrepreneur shared her ambitious vision for revolutionizing the sustainable energy industry."

very ugly to an extent of being unnatural or frightening

"The creature is monstrous."

"The monstrous creature in the horror movie had sharp teeth and glowing red eyes that terrified everyone in the theater."

a period of play in certain sports during which one team or competitor is on the offensive, attempting to score or defeat their opponent

"This is the final round."

"The boxer entered the final round with renewed determination and confidence."

used to indicate a rough estimate without precise measurements or exact figures

"I am more or less finished."

"The two dresses are more or less the same price so you can choose whichever one you like."

involving risk and uncertainty

"The surgery was touch and go."

"After the accident his condition was touch and go but the doctors managed to save his life."

no matter what happens

"I will be there come rain or come shine."

"The volunteers showed up every single week, come rain or come shine, without asking for anything in return."