gaunt
= very thin and bony, often due to suffering, hunger, or illness
After several months of illness, Susan appeared gaunt and grey.
The gaunt figure of the stray dog tugged at her heartstrings, prompting her to take it in.
His gaunt face was a testament to the stress he had endured over the past few months.
The gaunt trees stood bare against the bleak winter sky, their branches reaching out like bony fingers.
Some synonyms for "gaunt":
Emaciated
Lean
Thin
Bony
Skeletal
#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS
clamor
= a loud and confused noise
The clamor of the crowd in the stadium disturbed the nearby neighborhood.
The clamor of children playing in the park filled the air with laughter.
The clamor of the city at night kept her awake for hours.
The clamor from the construction site next door made it hard to concentrate.
Some synonyms for "clamor"
Shouting
Uproar
Din
Racket
#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS
A chip off the old block
= A person who closely resembles or shares similar traits with their parent.
Mark is a chip off the old block; he has the same sense of humor as his father.
Other examples
Emma is a chip off the old block; she loves painting just like her mother.
Lucas is a chip off the old block; he plays the guitar just as well as his grandfather did.
Nina is a chip off the old block, always cracking jokes like her mother.
Some synonyms for "a chip off the old block":
Like father, like son
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree
A spitting image
Cut from the same cloth
#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS
grapple with something
= to try to struggle with a difficult problem
Examples
Mark grappled with his decision to open a restaurant, weighing the pros and cons.
Sarah grappled with the choice of moving to a new city for a job opportunity, considering the impact on her family.
The manager grappled with the decision to lay off employees, knowing it would affect many families.
Some synonyms for "grapple with":
Struggle with
Contend with
Wrestle with
Fight against
Deal with
Wrestle
Tackle
#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS
bet the farm
= to risk everything you have on a particular outcome
Examples
When Mark thought this tech startup would earn a lot of money next year, he decided to bet the farm and invest all his savings in it.
After months of research, Sarah decided to bet the farm on her new app idea, believing it would revolutionize the industry.
When the company launched its innovative product, the CEO bet the farm on its success, investing heavily in marketing.
Some synonyms for "bet the farm" that convey a similar meaning of risking everything:
Go all in
Put it all on the line
Risk it all
Throw caution to the wind
Stake everything
Go for broke
Put all your eggs in one basket
Risk everything you've got
#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS
a thing of the past
= something that is no longer relevant
Examples
With the launch of cloud storage, floppy disks have become a thing of the past.
GPS navigation has made physical maps a thing of the past.
Digital downloads and streaming have made CDs a thing of the past.
Some synonyms for "a thing of the past":
Obsolete
Outdated
Antiquated
No longer relevant
Bygone
Dated
Old-fashioned
Irrelevant
#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS
change of heart
= a change in one's opinion, feelings, or attitude about something
Examples
After considering it for a month, Susan had a change of heart about moving to Japan.
His experience at the internship led to a change of heart about his career path; he now wants to work in environmental science.
The mayor had a change of heart about the new policy after hearing from residents at the town hall meeting.
Some synonyms for "change of heart":
Reversal
Change of mind
Change in perspective
Conversion
U-turn
Reconsideration
#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS
catapult
= to throw or launch something with great force
Examples
The stone was catapulted and hit me on the head.
The new marketing strategy catapulted the company to the top of the industry.
She catapults the ball across the field during practice.
Some synonyms for "catapult":
Launch
Send
Propel
Shoot
Throw
#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS
look out
= to warn someone to be careful
"Look out! There’s a truck coming!"
"Look out! That dog looks like it might bite!"
"Look out! The waves are getting really big!"
"Look out! You’re about to bump into that pole!"
Some synonyms for "look out" in the context of warning someone to be careful:
Watch out
Be careful
Stay alert
Pay attention
Beware
Take care
#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS
fit like a glove
= something is very well-suited or perfectly appropriate for someone
Examples:
This sneaker fits like a glove; I can’t believe how well it suits my feet.
This dress fits like a glove; it highlights all the right curves.
After years of practice, her skills now fit like a glove in this competitive environment.
Some synonyms for "fit like a glove":
Perfectly suited
Tailored perfectly
Ideal match
Well-matched
Custom-fitted
#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS
seal
= to finalize an agreement
Examples
The leaders of the two companies sealed the deal with a handshake.
The two nations sealed the treaty after months of negotiations.
To seal the agreement, they organized a press conference to announce their collaboration.
Some synonyms for "seal" in the context of finalizing an agreement:
Confirm
Finalize
Secure
Execute
Close
Affirm
#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS
nostalgia
= a sentimental longing for the past
Examples
Some old movies, songs, and flashcards fill him with nostalgia for his childhood.
He felt a wave of nostalgia when he revisited his hometown after many years.
Watching classic cartoons from his youth sparked a pleasant nostalgia for simpler times.
Some synonyms for "nostalgia":
Sentimentality
Longing
Reminiscence
Homesickness
#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS
five-finger discount
= stealing, particularly shoplifting
I can’t believe these two doctors got caught using a five-finger discount at the supermarket.
The manager warned employees to be vigilant, as some customers were trying to take advantage of the busy shopping hours for a five-finger discount.
He thought he could get away with a five-finger discount on expensive electronics, but the store had a strict policy against theft.
Some synonyms and related phrases for "five-finger discount":
Shoplifting
Theft
Stealing
Larceny
Boosting
Swiping
Filching
Pilfering
Knicking
#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS
let your hair down
= to relax
Examples
After the exam, Susan was ready to let her hair down and planned to go to the movies with her best friends.
At the party, we let our hair down and danced until midnight.
She decided to let her hair down and try dancing at the club, even though she was a bit shy at first.
When the vacation started, I was excited to let my hair down and explore new places without any worries.
After a long week at work, I finally had the chance to let my hair down at the weekend barbecue with friends.
Here are some synonyms for "let your hair down" that convey a similar meaning of relaxing or unwinding:
Kick back
Unwind
Relax
Take it easy
Loosen up
Cut loose
Let loose
Chill out
#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS
Pronouns
Pronouns are words used to replace nouns in order to avoid repetition and make sentences clearer. Common examples include I, me, my, he, him, his, she, her, and it. Pronouns can be categorized into three main types: subjective, objective, and possessive.
Types of Pronouns
Subjective Pronouns: These pronouns act as the subject of a sentence.
Examples: I, you, he, she, it, we, they
Example: He is my brother. (In this sentence, "He" is the subject.)
Objective Pronouns: These pronouns receive the action in a sentence.
Examples: me, you, him, her, it, us, them
Example: I lent him my car. (Here, "him" is the object.)
Possessive Pronouns: These pronouns show ownership or possession.
Examples: my, your, his, her, its, our, their
Example: This is my book. (In this case, "my" indicates who owns the book.)
Examples
This is Jeff. He is my brother.
(‘He’ is a pronoun that represents ‘Jeff’.)
This is my dad. He is a doctor.
(‘He’ is a pronoun that represents ‘my dad’.)
Jackson is my best friend. Sometimes I lend him my car.
(‘Him’ is a pronoun that represents ‘Jackson’.)
Sue cuts people's hair. She is a barber.
(‘She’ is a pronoun that represents ‘Sue’.)
My mother just retired. She was a nurse.
(‘She’ is a pronoun that represents ‘my mother’.)
Importance of Pronouns
Using pronouns effectively helps to streamline communication and makes writing more engaging. They prevent redundancy and can also provide clarity in sentences. For example, instead of repeatedly saying "Jeff" and "my dad," you can use "he" to make the text more fluid.
Conclusion
Understanding and using pronouns properly is essential for effective communication in both spoken and written language. By mastering the use of subjective, objective, and possessive pronouns, you can enhance your writing style and clarity.
https://jeffreywckin.github.io/006-Pronouns.html
Opine
To express an opinion.
發表意見。
“His watch is not reliable”, opined Jeffrey.
Jeffrey認為他的手表不可靠。
#學英文 #英文 #學習 #英文筆記 #英文單字 #英文詞彙 #English #learnenglish #dailyword #vocabulary #studyenglish #ielts #dse #dseenglish #knowledge #englishlearning #Englishgrammar #grammar #grammarquiz
