Unit 5A

Palabra

Definición

Ejemplo

stand for

to support an idea, principle, etc

I don't like her, or what she stands for.

ward off

to prevent someone or something unpleasant from harming or coming close to you

In the winter I take vitamin C to ward off colds.

keep your mind off

stop thinking about

This will help you keep your mind off your problems.

be on the go

busy and active all the time

Like most working mothers, she is always on the go.

keep smth at bay

to control something and prevent it from causing you problems

She fought to keep her unhappiness at bay.

unwrap

to remove the paper or other covering from something

Aren't you going to unwrap your presents?

inhale

to breathe air, smoke, or gas into your lungs

To prove its safety he inhaled its vapour for a minute.

pop into

to visit briefly

Why don't you pop in and see us this afternoon?

melt

to start to feel love or sympathy, especially after feeling angry

He only has to look at her, and she melts.

chew

bite and work (food) in the mouth with the teeth

The meat's so tough I can hardly chew it.

swallow

to cause food, drink, pills, etc. to move from your mouth into your stomach by using the muscles of your throat

Does it hurt when you swallow food?

enhance

increase functionality or quality

Economic growth alone could not enhance employment.

mindfulness

the practice of being aware of your body, mind, and feelings in the present moment, thought to create a feeling of calm

Mindfulness can be used to alleviate feelings of anxiety and depression.

consume

eat, drink, or ingest (food or drink)

75% of people habitually consume caffeine.

apparent

able to be seen or understood

Her unhappiness was apparent to everyone.

obvious

easy to see, recognize, or understand

They have a small child so for obvious reasons they need money.

from time to time

occasionally

These food safety scares happen from time to time

kill time

to occupy oneself with some activity to make time pass quickly

While I was waiting, I killed time counting the cars on the freight trains

make up for the lost time

to accomplish something that wasn't done in the time one originally intended to do it in

We need to work faster to make up for lost time.

give smb a hard time

to criticize or annoy someone

They gave him a hard time about quitting the team.

spare

to give time, money, or space to someone, especially when it is difficult for you

I'd love to come, but I can't spare the time.

take up time

to consume or require (some amount of) time.

The process isn't actually that difficult. The only real problem is that it takes up so much time.

play for time

use specious excuses or unnecessary manoeuvres to gain time

He played for time by establishing an advisory committee

before my time

before someone was born

I've never heard of that singer. She must have been before my time

by the time

used for saying what has already happened at the time that something else happens

By the time we arrived, the other guests were already there.

behind the times

not up-to-date

He's a bit behind the times. He still thinks men should wear a suit at work

in no time

very soon or quickly

We'll be there in no time.

for the time being

at the moment

You can stay here for the time being

matter of time

used for saying that something will certainly happen

I'm sure you'll find a job. It's just a matter of time

time on my hands

to have more time available than you need

My mum has got time on her hands since she retired

me time

time for yourself

I go shopping when I want some me time

time-consuming

the one that takes a lot of time

Filling in your tax return is incredibly time-consuming

about time

If you say it is about time that something was done, you are saying in an emphatic way that it should happen or be done now, and really should have happened or been done sooner

It's about time a few movie makers with original ideas were given a chance.