Unit 5 · New Headway Upper Intermediate Vocabulary List

to assume without question that something is true

"Don't take it for granted."

"Many people take it for granted that clean water will always be available, but millions around the world struggle daily."

to tolerate something or someone unpleasant, often without complaining

"I cannot put up with this noise."

"I cannot put up with this constant noise anymore and I am going to complain to the landlord."

having grown or become larger in amount or degree

"The demand is increased."

"The increased demand for masks during the pandemic caused prices to rise and many stores ran out of stock completely."

to not to be able to approve or accept someone or something

"I have a problem."

"I have a problem with this plan because it does not seem fair to everyone involved."

used to emphasize an opinion or the point one is making

"He is without doubt guilty."

"He is without doubt the best candidate for the job and the hiring committee offered him the position immediately."

to occur at a specific time or location

"The event will take place tomorrow."

"The annual conference will take place in London next month, attracting experts from around the world."

to make something stop or prevent it from happening, often in a temporary way

"We need to put a stop to this behavior."

"The school principal decided to put a stop to all the bullying happening in the hallways."

to become aware of someone or something and pay them attention

"Drivers did not take notice of the sign."

"Nobody took notice of the warning signs until it was too late and the accident had already happened."

to assign someone to be responsible for a task or group of people

"The boss put me in charge of the project."

"The manager decided to put his best employee in charge of the new important project."

the obligation to perform a particular duty or task that is assigned to one

"The team leader accepts full responsibility."

"The team leader accepts full responsibility for the failure and does not blame the other members."

to listen to and follow the guidance or suggestions offered by another person

"You should take my advice."

"If you had taken my advice and saved some money, you wouldn't be struggling to pay your bills right now."

to participate in something, such as an event or activity

"I want to take part in the game."

"All students are encouraged to take part in the school sports day activities next month."

to listen to and accept negative feedback or comments about oneself or one's work, and to use that feedback to improve oneself or one's work

"He is good at taking criticism."

"A good artist must learn how to take criticism without getting angry or defensive about it."

to try to influence or persuade someone to do something by applying force, stress, or urgency

"They put pressure on him to resign."

"The bank is starting to put pressure on him to repay his overdue loan immediately."

to require a very long time to complete something, often much longer than expected or necessary

"This bus is taking ages to arrive."

"The bus took ages to arrive so I was nearly an hour late for my appointment."

to distract someone's attention or thoughts away from something, typically something stressful, worrisome, or unpleasant

"A movie helped get my mind off my problems."

"He listened to loud music to get his mind off his problems at work and at home."

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

"Learning a language takes time."

"Learning a new language takes time and patience so do not expect to become fluent quickly."

to try to be calm and relaxed and possibly rest

"You should take it easy."

"After a long and stressful week, she decided to take it easy and relax at home."

in a similar or identical situation to someone else, particularly a difficult or unpleasant one

"I would not want to be in his shoes right now."

"If I were in your shoes I would apologize immediately before the situation gets even worse."

to interpret or perceive a comment, action, or situation as being directed towards oneself, and to feel hurt, offended, or insulted as a result

"Do not take his rude comment personally."

"Please do not take my comments personally because I am just trying to help you improve."

to move or do something very quickly, particularly because of a lack of time

"We hurry to school now."

"We need to hurry if we want to catch the last bus home because it leaves at eleven o'clock and it is already ten forty five."

a feeling of extreme fear and anxiety that makes one unable to think clearly

"Panic spread through the crowd."

"A wave of panic swept through the building when the fire alarm suddenly went off."

to say or do something that is embarrassing, inappropriate, or offensive, usually without intending to

"He really put his foot in it."

"I put my foot in it when I accidentally mentioned her ex-boyfriend at the dinner party."

to argue or disagree with someone over something

"I take issue with that."

"Several members of the committee take issue with the proposed changes, arguing that they would negatively affect the entire community."

used to introduce an explanation or a reason for something; often a way of clarifying a situation

"The thing is, I do not have enough money."

"I would love to come to your party but the thing is I have no money right now."

to resolve a situation or make amends for a mistake or wrongdoing

"He put right the mistake quickly."

"The technician was able to put right the error in the computer system within a few minutes."

to be excessively obsessed with someone, especially in a way that seems strange or unreasonable

"She has a thing about cats."

"My brother has a thing about old vinyl records and spends hours searching for rare albums at flea markets every weekend."

to like being with someone and find their presence pleasant or enjoyable

"I really enjoy your company."

"She said she enjoyed my company and would love to spend more time together next weekend."

a particular place, person, or thing aligns with or matches one's personal preferences, tastes, or interests

"This café is my kind of place."

"A quiet evening with a good book is exactly my kind of relaxation after a stressful week."

to treat or portray something as more important, significant, or serious than it actually is, often resulting in exaggerated attention or drama

"Don't make a big deal out of it."

"He always makes a big deal out of small problems, which makes everyone around him feel very uncomfortable."

to decide to do something that may result in something unpleasant or dangerous

"You should not take a risk with your savings."

"You have to take a risk if you want to succeed in business because nothing is guaranteed."

to place something somewhere noticeable

"Put up the picture."

"The building owners decided to put up a new fence around the property for additional security."

to allow something one dislikes, especially certain behavior or conditions, without interference or complaint

"I cannot tolerate loud noises."

"I cannot tolerate rude behavior from anyone regardless of their position or status in the company."

negative feedback that highlights mistakes or areas for improvement

"She accepted the criticism calmly."

"The harsh criticism from the reviewer left the artist feeling deeply discouraged about his work."

to become less angry, upset, or worried

"He calms down and takes a breath."

"The mother tried to calm down her crying baby by rocking him gently and singing a soft lullaby in his ear."

a wrong move or act

"It was not my fault."

"The investigation revealed that the accident was not due to negligence but a mechanical fault."

a book or journal in which one records personal experiences, thoughts, or feelings on a regular basis, usually on a daily basis

"Diary records daily personal events."

"The diary was a daily personal record of events thoughts and feelings never intended for publication."

to retract a statement, opinion, or promise, especially in an apologetic manner

"Take back your words."

"After realizing his mistake, he was forced to take back his harsh and unfair criticism."

to place or wear something on the body, including clothes, accessories, etc.

"Put on your coat outside."

"She needs to put on her coat and boots before going outside into the cold snow."

to observe something with one's eyes, often paying close attention to the details

"Take in the view."

"Standing on the mountaintop, they paused to take in the breathtaking panoramic vista."

to remove a piece of clothing or accessory from your or another's body

"Take off your dirty shoes."

"Please take off your hat when you enter the classroom because it is polite to do so."

to hire someone

"We will take on more people."

"The growing business decided to take on several new employees to handle the increased workload and expansion."

to gain control or possession of something through force, effort, or strategy

"They will take over."

"The ambitious startup plans to take over the market with its innovative new technology."

to make something stop burning or shining

"Firefighters put out the blazing fire."

"The firefighters worked for several hours to put out the large fire that had engulfed the old warehouse."

to postpone an appointment or arrangement

"Do not put off your homework."

"Do not put off your homework until the last minute because you may not have enough time to complete it properly before the deadline."

to place something where it should be after using it

"Put away your toys now."

"The child was asked to put away his toys in the box before dinner was served."

any type of behavior or expression that is disrespectful, hurtful, or unpleasant towards another person or group of people

"His words caused offense."

"The politician's controversial remarks were interpreted as a deliberate offense to the minority group."