Vocabulary lesson 1

Definitions and samples

• abandon (v.) to leave; to give up

- He says he was surprised to see the Five Plus One abandon the negotiating table.

• adversely (adv.) in a harmful way; negatively

- What happened to my family adversely affected my whole childhood and later life.

• aggregate (adj.) gathered into or amounting to a whole

- In aggregate, consumer Web companies raised less than $1 billion in the quarter.

• cultivation (n.) preparing the land to grow crops; improvement for agricultural purposes

- Agricultural officials estimate that 170,000 hectares of paddy rice cultivation has been ruined.

• fertilize (v.) to supply with nourishment for plants by adding helpful substances to the soil

- The compost will fertilize the soil as well as providing a layer of mulch to keep the soil moist.

Skeleton Vocabulary

Skeleton

Muscle

Catch up on

 above board

Meaning: If something is above board, it's been done in a legal and honest way.

For example:

• I'm sure the deal was completely above board as I know James well and he'd never do anything illegal or corrupt.
• The minister claimed all the appointments were above board and denied claims that some positions had been given to his friends.

Origin: Possibly derived from card playing and the fact that card players who keep their hands above the table (or above "the board") can be seen to be playing honestly, without cheating.

 above the law

Meaning: If someone is above the law, they are not subject to the laws of a society.

For example:

• Just because his father is a rich and powerful man, he seems to think he's above the law and he can do whatever he likes.
  
• In a democracy, no-one is above the law - not even a president or a prime-minister.

 Achilles' heel

Meaning: An Achilles' heel is a weakness that could result in failure.

For example:

• He's a good golfer, but his Achilles' heel is his putting and it's often made him lose matches.
  
• The country's dependence on imported oil could prove to be its Achilles' heel if prices keep on rising.
  

Origin: From the ancient Greek myth of Achilles whose mother made him invulnerable to attack by dipping him headfirst into a sacred river when he was a baby. She was holding him by one foot, and the heel of this foot wasn't touched by the water so it became his "weak point" later in life.

 across the board

Meaning: If something is across the board, it relates to all without exception.

For example:

• The company has promised to increase salaries across the board, so everyone will get a pay rise.
  
• The tax cuts will only apply to low and middle-income families, so they won't be across the board.
  

Origin: From horse-racing, when bookmakers used to mark up the odds on large boards. An "across the board" bet was one in which equal amounts were bet on the same horse to win, place, or show. 

 add fuel to the fire

Meaning: If you add fuel to the fire, you do something to make a bad situation even worse.

For example:

• People are already unhappy, and if the government allows oil prices to increase it'll just be adding fuel to the fire.
  
• If Billy's angry, don't say anything. You'll just be adding fuel to the fire.
  

Origin: Probably metaphorical, from the fact that adding a fuel, like petrol or wood, to a fire will make it burn brighter and hotter.

 add insult to injury

Meaning: Someone adds insult to injury if they say or do something to upset you a second time, after you've already been upset somehow.

For example:

• He said my clothes didn't suit me, and then to add insult to injury he said I needed to lose some weight!
  
• The bank took back my car, and then added insult to injury by cancelling my credit cards!