VOCABULARY UNIT 8A

UNIT 8 A

 

Ivory: a hard yellowish-white substance like bone that forms the tusks (= long teeth) of elephants and some other animals.

Trinket: a piece of jewellery or small decorative object that is not worth much money.

Patchwork: a type of needlework in which small pieces of cloth of different colours or designs are sewn together.

Shrubbery: an area planted with shrubs. Shrubs: a large plant that is smaller than a tree and that has several stems of wood coming from the ground. Small bushes.

Truss: a frame made of pieces of wood or metal used to support a roof, bridge, etc. To truss a chicken: to tie it up and prepare it for cooking.

Beeswax: a yellow sticky substance that is produced by bees and is used especially for making candles and polish for wood.

Stone: (pl. stone) (abbr. st) (in Britain) a unit for measuring weight, equal to 6.35 kg or 14 pounds.

Steady: Constant.

By as much as: Ni siquiera.

Pebbly: covered with pebbles. Pebbles: a smooth, round stone that is found in or near water.

Waistcoat: a short piece of clothing with buttons down the front but no sleeves, usually worn over a shirt and under a jacket, often forming part of a man’s suit.

Striped: marked with a pattern of stripes. Stripes: a long narrow line of colour, that is a different colour from the areas next to it.

Knot: a join made by tying together two pieces or ends of string, rope, etc.

To be given to + -ing: [often passive] (formal) to make sby believe / understand sthg.

To bulge: to stick out from sthg in a round shape.

Features: [usually pl.] a part of sby’s face such as their nose, mouth and eyes.

To be rolled back: to turn or force sthg back or further away.

Twinkle: an expression in your eyes that shows you are happy or amused about sthg.

To liven: to become or to make sby/sthg more interesting or exciting.

Blurred: difficult to distinguish, so that differences are not clear.

Faint: very small, weak.

High-pitched: (of sounds) very high.

Deft: (of a person’s movements) skilful and quick.

Latter: the second of two things, people or groups that have just been mentioned, or the last in a list.

Accomplishment: (formal) the successful completing of sthg.

To treat oneself to sthg: to entertain sby with sthg special.

Invoice: a list of goods that have been sold, work that has been done etc., showing what you must pay.

Catering: the work of providing food and drinks for meetings or social events.

To summon: (formal) to order sby to come to you.

To take their toll: to have a bad effect on sby/sthg; to cause a lot of damage, deaths, suffering, etc.

To forestall: to prevent sthg from happening or sby from doing sthg by doing sthg first.

To commit to: to give.

Auction: a public event at which things are sold to the person who offers the most money for them.

Solely: only; not involving sby/sthg else.

Salesroom: a room where goods are sold at an auction.

Mahogany: The hard reddish-brown wood of a tropical tree, used for making furniture.

Mantelpiece: a shelf above a fireplace.

Tiny: very small in size or amount.

Rambling: (of a speech or piece of writing) very long and confused.

Far-off: a long distance away. A long time ago.

To pin: to attach sthg onto another thing or fasten things together with a pin, etc.

Bell-bottomed: pantalones de campana.

Skinny: (informal, usually disapproving) very thin, especially in a way that you find unpleasant or ugly.

Skimpy: (of clothes) very small and not covering much of your body.

Platform-soled shoes: zapatos de plataforma.

Floppy: hanging or falling loosely; not hard and stiff.

Peak: any narrow and pointed shape, edge, etc.

Velvet: a type of cloth made from silk, cotton or nylon, with a thick soft surface.

Cap: a type of soft flat hat with a peak (= a hard curved part sticking out in front). Caps are worn especially by men and boys, often as part of a uniform.

Damp: slightly wet, often in a way that is unpleasant.

Rickety: not strong or well made; likely to break.

Ill-assorted: (of a group of people or things) not seeming suited to each other.

Reluctant: hesitating before doing sthg because you do not want to do it or because you are not sure that it is the right thing to do.

Clay: a type of heavy, sticky earth that becomes hard when it is baked and is used to make things such as pots and bricks.

To resemble: [no passive] (not used in the progressive tenses) to look like or be similar to another person or thing.

Idyll: (literary) a happy and peaceful place, event or experience, especially one connected with the countryside.

Ware: (in compounds) objects made of the material or in the way or place mentioned.

Sponge ware: white pottery with a simple stamped design on it, often of flowers or shapes.

Mug: a tall cup for drinking from, usually with straight sides and a handle, used without a saucer.

To burst at the seams: (informal) to be very full, especially of people.

Loan: money that an organization such as a bank lends and sby borrows.

Easy-going: relaxed and happy to accept things without worrying or getting angry.

Outgoing: Sociable. Liking to meet other people, enjoying their company and being friendly towards them.