Monday, 27 October 2025

oodles of something


oodles of something
= a large amount or abundance of something
大量;

We have oodles of time to finish the project before the deadline.
我們有很多時間在截止日期之前完成這個項目。

#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS





 

pull the plug on something


pull the plug on something
= to terminate or discontinue a project
制止;

Without enough funding, the company decided to pull the plug on this product line.
沒有足夠的資金,該公司決定停止這條產品線的開發。

The government decided to pull the plug on the reclamation project due to budget overruns this year.
由於今年預算超支,政府決定終止這個填海項目。

#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS



 

Friday, 24 October 2025

gruesome



gruesome

(adjective)
= extremely unpleasant and horrifying 

Examples

The news report covered the gruesome details of the car accident that shocked the entire world.

He was charged with raping a woman in a gruesome assault.

This best-selling book depicts some gruesome crime stories.

Reference


Here are more examples of using "gruesome":

The movie was filled with gruesome scenes that made many viewers uncomfortable.

The police discovered a gruesome crime scene, leaving investigators in shock.

She described the gruesome injuries sustained during the accident.

The documentary revealed the gruesome realities of war and its impact on civilians.


Some synonyms for "gruesome":

Horrific 
Frightful
Atrocious
Dreadful
Shocking
Appalling
Repulsive 

#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS











 

set the world on fire

 set the world on fire


= a desire to make a significant impact or create dramatic change


She wants to set the world on fire with her music.


His actions were meant to set the world on fire, challenging the status quo.


His powerful speeches were designed to set the world on fire, inspiring a new generation of activists to fight for climate justice.


With her bold business ideas, she hoped to set the world on fire and transform the way people think about sustainable fashion.


Some synonyms and antonyms for the phrase "set the world on fire":


Synonyms 

Create a stir

Spark change

Ignite passion

Revolutionize 

Transform the landscape


Antonyms 

Remain unnoticed

Maintain the status quo

Suppress change 

Lack impact

Dullness



#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS

Thursday, 23 October 2025

gratification


gratification
= the feeling of pleasure or satisfaction 
愉悅或滿足的感覺;

Volunteering in the hospital brought Susan a sense of emotional gratification.
在醫院當義工給Susan帶來了情感上的滿足。

#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS





 

prosthetic


prosthetic
= relating to artificial devices designed to replace a missing body part
人工的; 義肢的;

After the car accident, he received a prosthetic hand that allowed him to grasp objects.
在車禍後,他得了一隻人工的手,讓他能夠抓住物體。

#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS



 

Wednesday, 22 October 2025

dodge a bullet

 dodge a bullet

= to narrowly escape a difficult or dangerous situation


Susan thought she had failed her math exam, but she ended up passing. She really dodged a bullet!


Emily thought she lost her wallet on the bus, but it was in her coat pocket the whole time. She definitely dodged a bullet!


When Jake realized his mistake in the presentation, he quickly corrected it before anyone noticed. He dodged a bullet by catching it in time!



Some synonyms and antonyms for "dodge a bullet":


Synonyms:

Avoid danger

Escape a crisis

Evade

Flee


Antonyms:

Fall into trouble

Face difficulties

Suffer consequences

Confront challenges

Bring disaster upon oneself


#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS

Tuesday, 21 October 2025

bells and whistles

 bells and whistles

= additional features that are not essential but serve to make something more attractive


The company is trying to include all the bells and whistles in its latest smartphone model to attract high-end users. 


This luxury car comes with all the bells and whistles, including heated seats, a premium sound system, and advanced safety features.


The latest software update added several bells and whistles, like customizable themes and new emoji options, to enhance user experience.


Some synonyms and antonyms for "bells and whistles":


Synonyms

Extras

Features

Add-ons 

Gimmicks 


Antonyms

Essentials

Basics

Necessities

Fundamentals

Simplicity 


#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS

Monday, 20 October 2025

dropping like flies



dropping like flies
= a situation where a large number of people or things are failing, disappearing, or dying quickly and in succession  
大量人或事物接連失敗、消失或死亡的情況;

After the outbreak of the unknown flu, many people were dropping like flies, and several had to be taken to hospitals for ICU care.
不明流感爆發後,許多人死亡,還有數人被送往醫院接受重症監護。

Injuries are causing players to drop like flies during the season.
傷病導致球員在賽季中狀態大不如前。

#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS





 

procrastination


procrastination
= the act of delaying or postponing tasks or decisions
拖延;

Some minor bugs have led to the procrastination of the software launch.
一些小問題導致了軟件發布的延遲。

#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS



 

Friday, 17 October 2025

grub






grub

(verb)
= to dig or search for something

Examples

We grubbed up the weeds before planting strawberries.

Mark helped the farmer grub for sweet potatoes.

The dog spent the afternoon grubbing around in the garden, searching for bones.

Reference
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grub


Here are more examples of using "grub":

The children grubbed in the sand, looking for buried treasure.

She had to grub through the clutter in her room to find her lost book.

The archaeologists grubbed in the dirt, hoping to uncover ancient artifacts.

He spent the weekend grubbing in the backyard to prepare for the new patio.


Some synonyms for "grub":

Dig
Search 
Unearth 
Scrabble 
Probe
Scavenge
Delve

#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS










 

Thursday, 16 October 2025

grout


grout
= a construction material used to fill gaps
水泥漿;

After laying all the tiles in the kitchen, we applied grout to fill the spaces between them.
鋪完廚房的所有磁磚後,我們用水泥漿填滿磁磚之間的縫隙。

#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS





 

on tap


on tap
= something that is readily available
需要時就能得到的;

There is a lot of information on the internet on tap for you to improve your skills.
網路上有大量資訊可供您提升技能。

#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS



 

jot

 jot

= to write something down quickly


Susan decided to jot down her thoughts immediately so she wouldn't forget them.


During the meeting, Mark quickly jotted down the key points for future reference.


Emily always keeps a notepad handy to jot down ideas as they come to her.


I like to jot a few notes before starting my writing to organize my thoughts.


Some synonyms and antonyms for "jot":


Synonyms:

Note

Record

Write down 

Scratch (down) 


Antonyms:

Forget

Ignore 

Erase 


#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS

Wednesday, 15 October 2025

to dance with the devil

 to dance with the devil

= to engage in risky or morally questionable behavior


He knows that drinking and driving is dangerous, but he continues to do it. It's as if he's dancing with the devil.


Ignoring his health for the sake of work is simply dancing with the devil.


He might think that cheating on the exam will help him get ahead, but he’s really just dancing with the devil.


He thinks driving without a license is a minor offense, but he’s really dancing with the devil.


Some synonyms and antonyms for the phrase "dancing with the devil":


Synonyms

Taking risks  

Living on the edge

Playing with fire


Antonyms

Playing it safe 

Making responsible choices

Avoiding risks 

Being prudent


#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS

Tuesday, 14 October 2025

lose the thread

 lose the thread

= to get distracted or confused, which leads to a loss of understanding or clarity regarding a conversation, story, or topic


I was explaining my project during the presentation, but I lost the thread when the professor suddenly interrupted me.


The movie started off strong, but I lost the thread of the storyline after the first hour.


The lecture was full of interesting information, but I lost the thread when the professor switched topics unexpectedly.


The article had great insights, but I lost the thread when it started using too many technical terms.



Some synonyms and antonyms for "lose the thread":


Synonyms:

Get distracted

Lose focus

Become confused 

Lose track

Stray off topic 


Antonyms:

Stay on track

Maintain focus  

Understand

Stay engaged

Stay attentive


#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS

Monday, 13 October 2025

grisly


grisly
= something that is shockingly gruesome 
恐怖的;

Last week, reports of the grisly details of the murder left many people in shock.
上週,有關這起謀殺案的恐怖細節的報導讓許多人感到震驚。

#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS





 

mucking about with something


mucking about with something
= to engage in activities that are not very serious or focused
耍弄;

He spent the afternoon mucking about with the Legos, building some unrealistic creatures.
他花了一個下午隨意玩弄樂高,搭建一些不切實際的動物。

#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS



 

Friday, 10 October 2025

grapple


grapple

(verb) 
= to fight
 
Examples

During the final match, the two wrestlers grappled fiercely, trying to win the large prize money.

My children grappled for the candy.

The two friends grappled playfully in the backyard.

Reference


Here are more examples of using "grapple":

The soldiers grappled with their opponents in a test of strength and skill.

She had to grapple with her emotions after receiving the news.

The team grappled with the challenges of the project but eventually found a solution.

In the debate, they grappled over differing opinions on the issue.


Some synonyms for "grapple":

Wrestle
Struggle
Fight
Clash
Confront
Engage 
Battle 
Wrest

#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS













 

bite your tongue

 bite your tongue

= to refrain from saying something that you might want to say

 

Actually, I wanted to say that her dress was ugly and old-fashioned, but I bit my tongue at the last minute to avoid causing any tension.


During the meeting, I had to bite my tongue when my colleague made an outrageous claim.


I wanted to express my opinion on the matter, but I decided to bite my tongue to maintain peace.


Even though I disagreed with the decision, I bit my tongue to avoid creating a scene.



Some synonyms and antonyms for "bite your tongue":


Synonyms

Hold your tongue

Refrain from speaking

Stay silent

Keep quiet

Suppress your words


Antonyms

Speak up

Express yourself

Voice your opinion

Say what you think 


#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS

bad blood

bad blood

=  feelings of hostility or resentment between people


The bad blood between the two countries made negotiations extremely difficult.  


Years of competition in the industry resulted in bad blood between the two companies.


The bad blood from their last argument lingered in the air, making the atmosphere tense.


Even years later, the bad blood between the two teams was evident during the match.



Some synonyms and antonyms for "bad blood":


Synonyms

Hostility

Resentment  

Rivalry 


Antonyms 

Friendship

Harmony 

Accord

Unity

Compatibility


#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS

Thursday, 9 October 2025

melee


melee

= a fight or conflict that is chaotic and confused, often involving multiple people
混亂;

A melee broke out after a controversial call by the referee during the football match.
在足球比賽中,裁判員作出了有爭議的判罰,隨後引發了一場混戰。

#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS






 

trim the waistline


trim the waistline
= to lose fat, particularly around the abdomen
收緊腰圍(常用於描述減肥或塑形的過程,尤其是針對腰部的運動和飲食調整。);

Susan tried to go jogging three times a week in order to trim her waistline and improve her health.
Susan嘗試每週慢跑三次,以收緊腰圍並改善她的健康。

#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS



 

Wednesday, 8 October 2025

pencil someone in

 pencil someone in

= to schedule a time for someone to do something, but with the understanding that the plans are tentative and may change


Can I pencil you in for a meeting tomorrow? I will confirm the details later via WhatsApp.


I’ll pencil you in for the project meeting on Friday, but I’ll confirm closer to the date.


I can pencil you in for a training session next month, but I’ll need to check the schedule first.


Some synonyms and antonyms for "pencil someone in":


Synonyms


Tentatively schedule

Book a tentative appointment 

Set up a tentative time

Mark down (informally)


Antonyms


Confirm

Finalize

Schedule definitively

Set in stone 


#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS

Monday, 6 October 2025

gruesome




gruesome
= extremely unpleasant and shocking, particularly in relation to violence, death, or horror 
可怕的;

The report of a gruesome murder shocked the entire community to its core.
一宗慘無人道的謀殺案的報道讓整個社區都震驚了。

#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS