miss noun ( NOT DO ) give sth a miss UK informal to avoid or not do something We usually go to France in the summer, but

we've decided to give it a miss this year. The restaurant's very good for fish, but I'd give their vegetarian options a miss. touch base to talk to someone for a short time to find out how they are or what they think about something I just wanted to quickly touch base with you: did you get an email from my secretary about the meeting? go off sb/sth phrasal verb phrasal verb to stop liking or being interested in someone or something I went off beefburgers after I got food poisoning from a take-away. I went off Peter when he said those dreadful things about Clare. review verb ( BOOK/FILM ) If critics review a book, play, film, etc. they write their opinion of it I only go to see films that are reviewed favourably. gig noun ( PERFORMANCE ) informal a single performance by a musician or group of musicians, especially playing modern or pop music This week the band did the last gig of their world-tour. assume verb ( ACCEPT ) to accept something to be true without question or proof [+ (that)] I assumed (that) you knew each other because you went to the same school. Let's assume (that) they're coming and make plans on that basis. [+ to infinitive] We can't assume the suspects to be guilty simply because they've decided to remain silent. We mustn't assume the suspects' guilt. attach verb ( CONNECT ) to fasten, join or connect; to place or fix in position I attached a photo to my application form. Use this cable to attach the printer to the computer. In Britain, packets of cigarettes come with a government health warning attached to them (= on them). slightly formal I attach (= am sending, usually with a letter) a copy of our latest report. Compare: detach background noun ( THINGS BEHIND ) [S] the things that can be seen or heard behind other things that are closer or louder The little figure that you can just see in the background of the photograph is me. If you listen carefully to this piece of music, you can hear a flute in the background. We couldn't hear what they were saying on the tape - there was too much background noise. Compare: the foreground [C] the things that can be seen behind the main things or people in a picture The artist himself did not paint the backgrounds to his pictures - they were done by his pupils. He has photographed her against lots of different backgrounds. They were filmed against a background of dark fir trees. The book's cover has white lettering on a blue background. exhibition noun when objects such as paintings are shown to the public, or when someone shows a particular skill or quality to the public The photographs will be on exhibition until the end of the month. There's a new exhibition of sculpture on at the city gallery. The athlete's third, and winning, jump was an exhibition of skill and strength. attend verb ( BE PRESENT ) [I or T] slightly formal to go to an event, place, etc. Over two hundred people attended the funeral. The meeting is on the fifth and we're hoping everyone will attend. See also: well-attended [T] slightly formal to go officially and usually regularly to a place Which school do your children attend? I attended the classes/seminars/lectures for a month or two. contribute verb to give something, especially money, in order to provide or achieve something together with other people Aren't you going to contribute towards Jack's leaving present? Come to the meeting if you feel you have something to contribute. Her family have contributed 50,000 to the fund. to write articles for a newspaper, magazine or book She contributes to several magazines. contribute to sth phrasal verb phrasal verb to help to cause an event or situation Smoking contributed to his early death. irritating adjective making you feel annoyed an irritating habit irritatingly adverb I can't bear working with him - he's so irritatingly slow

accustomed adjective familiar with something She quickly became accustomed to his messy ways. I'm not accustomed to being treated like this. formal usual She performed the task with her accustomed ease. accustom yourself to sth phrasal verb phrasal verb [R] to make yourself familiar with new conditions It'll take time for me to accustom myself to the changes. source noun the place something comes from or starts at, or the cause of something a source of heat/energy/light a heat/energy/light source Oranges are a good source of vitamin C. Experts are trying to track down the source of the contamination in the water supply. We walked up the river to its source in the hills. Money is often a source of tension and disagreements in young married couples. someone or something that supplies information The journalist refused to reveal her sources (= say who had given the information to her). According to Government sources (= people in the Government) many MPs are worried about this issue. Always acknowledge your sources (= say which books you have used) at the end of an essay. inspiration noun [C or U] someone or something that gives you ideas for doing something The golden autumn light provided the inspiration for the painting. He went to church, perhaps seeking divine inspiration. [C] a sudden good idea He had an inspiration - why not apply for some government money? [S] an example which people admire She has been an inspiration to us all. reproduce verb ( COPY ) [I or T] to produce a copy of something, or to be copied in a production process His work was reproduced on posters, leaflets and magazines. They said the printing was too faint to reproduce well. [T] to show or do something again The new design unfortunately reproduced some of the problems of the earlier model. amplifier noun an electrical device which makes sounds louder gear noun ( EQUIPMENT ) [U] the equipment, clothes etc. that you use to do a particular activity fishing/camping gear Police in riot gear (= protective clothing) arrived to control the protesters. See also: headgear cringe verb to suddenly move away from someone or something because you are frightened informal to feel very embarrassed I cringed at the sight of my dad dancing. distract verb to make someone stop giving their attention to something Don't distract her (from her studies). He tried to distract attention from his own illegal activities. distracting adjective Please turn your music down - it's very distracting. tinkle verb ( SOUND ) to make a light ringing sound Some small old-fashioned shops still have a bell which tinkles when you push the door open. tinkle away roadie noun someone who works for travelling performers, especially setting up and taking care of their equipment tune noun ( UNDERSTANDING ) be in/out of tune with sb/sth If you are in tune with people or ideas, you understand or agree with them, and if you are out of tune with them, you do not Much of his success comes from being in tune with what his customers want. Her theories were out of tune with the scientific thinking of the time. liking noun a feeling that you like someone or something She has a liking for fine wines. I'm developing quite a liking for jazz. formal Is the room to your liking, Sir (= are you satisfied with it)? The dessert was a bit sweet for my liking (= I like it less sweet). subtlety noun [U] the quality of being subtle

Listening to the interview, I was impressed by the subtlety of the questions. [C] a small but important detail All the subtleties of the music are conveyed in this new recording. sanitize verb ( CLEAN ) mainly US to make something completely clean and free from bacteria sanitization noun tribute band noun a group of musicians who play the music of a famous pop group and pretend to be that group a Beatles tribute band armband noun [C] a piece of material that a person wears around the arm as a sign of something, for example an official position All the stewards at the racetrack were wearing armbands. black armbands for a funeral tribute noun ( RESPECTFUL ACTION ) [C or U] something that you say, write or give which shows your respect and admiration for someone, especially on a formal occasion Tributes have been pouring in from all over the world for the famous actor who died yesterday. For wedding bouquets, floral tributes (= flowers sent to someone's funeral) and all your flower needs, call Mandy's Florists. pay tribute to sb/sth to praise someone or something The minister paid tribute to the men who had fought the blaze. impersonate verb to intentionally copy another person's characteristics, such as their behaviour, speech, appearance or expressions, especially to make people laugh She's the woman who impersonates the Queen on TV. to attempt to deceive someone by pretending that you are another person He was fined for impersonating a police officer. impersonation noun He does a brilliant impersonation of Charles. clone noun a plant or animal which has the same genes as the original from which it was produced informal disapproving someone or something that looks very much like someone or something else Most people saw her as just another blond-haired, red-lipped Marilyn Monroe clone. specialized a computer that operates in a very similar way to the one that it was copied from hurl verb to throw something with a lot of force, usually in an angry or violent way In a fit of temper he hurled the book across the room. Youths hurled stones at the soldiers. tannoy noun a system of equipment which is used for making speech loud enough for a large number of people to hear, especially in order to give information appeal verb ( REQUEST ) [I] to make a serious or formal request, especially to the public, for money or help They're appealing for clothes and blankets to send to the devastated region. The police are appealing to the public for any information about the missing girl. I tried to appeal to (= ask for support based on) his sense of loyalty, stressing how good the company had been to him. [+ to infinitive] Church leaders have appealed to the government to halt the war. chill out phrasal verb phrasal verb (also chill) informal to relax completely, or not allow things to upset you I'm just chilling out in front of the TV. Chill out, Dad. The train doesn't leave for another hour! outfit noun ( CLOTHES ) [C] a set of clothes worn for a particular occasion or activity I've got a cowboy outfit for the fancy dress party. descend verb ( POSITION ) [I or T] formal to go or come down The path descended steeply into the valley. Jane descended the stairs. [I] literary If darkness or night descends, it becomes dark and day changes to night. bar noun ( MUSIC ) (US also measure) one of the small equal parts into which a piece of music is divided, containing a fixed number of beats Waltzes have three beats in/to the bar (= in each bar). stuffed adjective ( FULL ) when something is filled with material in order to keep its shape a collection of stuffed birds [after verb] informal (of a person) having eaten enough or too much "No more for me thanks - I'm stuffed." pitch noun ( LEVEL ) [C or U] the level or degree of something The piano and organ were tuned to the same pitch (= note). If you teach children and adults in the same class, it's difficult to get the pitch (= level of difficulty or interest) right.

facsimile noun an exact copy, especially of a document a facsimile of the original manuscript formal a fax twang noun ( SOUND ) a noise like that of a tight string being sharply pulled and released We heard a twang as the cable broke. trace verb ( FIND ) to find someone or something that was lost The police are trying to trace the mother of a newborn baby found abandoned outside a hospital. Attempts to trace the whereabouts of a man seen leaving the scene of the crime have so far been unsuccessful. Their missing daughter was finally traced to (= found in) Manchester. to find the origin of something The phone company were unable to trace the call. No one has yet been able to trace the source of the rumour. to discover the cause or origin of something by examining the way in which it has developed The outbreak of food poisoning was traced to some contaminated shellfish. The practice of giving eggs at Easter can be traced back to festivals in ancient China. Rivalries between the gangs can be traced back to (= first happened in) the 1950s in some black and Hispanic neighbourhoods. to describe the way in which something has developed The film traces the events leading up to the Russian Revolution in 1917. ash noun ( POWDER ) [U] the soft grey or black powder that is left after a substance, especially tobacco, coal or wood, has burnt cigarette ash ashes [plural] what is left of something after it has been destroyed by fire, especially what is left of a human body after it has been burnt Her ashes were scattered at sea. Allied bombing left Dresden in ashes in 1945. emerge verb ( APPEAR ) to appear by coming out of something or out from behind something She emerged from the sea, blue with cold. to come to the end of a difficult period or experience The Prince emerged unscathed from the scandal. peak noun ( HIGHEST POINT ) the highest, strongest or best point, value or level of skill Holiday flights reach a peak during August. Beat the egg whites until they are stiff enough to form firm peaks. We saw a victory by an athlete at the very peak of her fitness and career. unpretentious adjective simple and/or sincere; not pretentious The food is delicious and unpretentious. halcyon days plural noun a very happy or successful period in the past She recalled the halcyon days of her youth hail verb ( CALL ) [T] slightly formal to call someone in order to attract their attention Shall we hail a taxi? I tried to hail her from across the room. dome noun a rounded roof on a building or a room, or a building with such a roof a shape like one-half of a ball Gerald had a long grey beard and a shiny bald dome (= head). veer verb to change direction All of a sudden, the car veered off the road. Moments before crashing, the jet was seen veering sharply to the right. Three men were feared dead last night after a helicopter veered off course into an oil platform. Our talk soon veered onto the subject of football. venue noun the place where a public event or meeting happens The hotel is an ideal venue for conferences and business meetings. The stadium has been specifically designed as a venue for European Cup matches. US specialized the city or county in which a trial happens snobbery noun snobbishness) disapproving behaviour and opinions that are typical of a snob She accused me of snobbery because I sent my sons to a private school. surreal adjective

strange; not like reality; like a dream Driving through the total darkness was a slightly surreal experience. Buuel's films have a surreal quality. spin noun ( CHANGE IDEAS ) [S or U] informal when an idea or situation is expressed or described in a clever way that makes it seem better than it really is, especially in politics They have tried to put a positive spin on the situation. This report puts a different spin on the issue. genre noun a style, especially in the arts, that involves a particular set of characteristics What genre does the book fall into - comedy or tragedy? a literary/musical/film genre busk verb to play music or sing in a public place so that the people who are there will give money busker noun a musician or performer who busks for money showcase verb to show the best qualities or parts of something The main aim of the exhibition is to showcase British design. penny whistle noun a small cheap musical instrument shaped like a tube with holes along one side and a part for your mouth at one end that you blow into debut noun when someone performs or presents something to the public for the first time She made her professional stage debut in Swan Lake. He started as an actor, making his debut as a director in 1990. her debut (= first) album consistency noun ( BEING THE SAME ) [U] when someone always behaves or performs in a similar way, or when something always happens in a similar way They've won a few matches this season but they lack consistency. It's important to show some consistency in your work. Opposite: inconsistency coherence noun when the parts of something fit together in a natural or sensible way There was no coherence between the first and the second half of the film. register noun ( LANGUAGE STYLE ) [C or U] specialized the style of language, grammar and words used for particular situations People chatting at a party will usually be talking in (an) informal register. genuine adjective If something is genuine, it is real and exactly what it appears to be genuine leather If it is a genuine Michelangelo drawing, it will sell for millions. If people or emotions are genuine, they are honest and sincere He's a very genuine person. Machiko looked at me in genuine surprise - "Are you really going?" she said. genuinely adverb really I'm genuinely sorry for what I said, I really am. genuineness noun the genuine article informal a good and real example of a particular thing Those cowboy boots sure look like the genuine article. tune noun ( MUSICAL NOTES ) [C] a series of musical notes, especially one which is pleasant and easy to remember; a melody He was humming a tune as he dried the dishes. a theme tune That's a very catchy (= easy to remember and pleasant) tune. in tune singing or playing notes that are at the right pitch (= level) or that agree with others being sung or played out of tune singing or playing notes that are at the wrong pitch (= level) or that do not agree with others being sung or played I'm afraid the piano is out of tune. line sth up phrasal verb phrasal verb [M] to prepare, organize or arrange something Have you got anything exciting lined up for the weekend? I've lined up a meeting with them for tomorrow morning. [+ to infinitive] Have you got anyone lined up to do the catering at the Christmas party?

dependable adjective If someone or something is dependable, you can trust them or have confidence in them I need someone dependable to look after the children while I'm at work. a dependable car

dependability noun The car offers value for money, comfort and dependability. dependably adverb dependant noun someone who depends on you for financial support, such as a child or family member who does not work My pension will provide for my dependants. dependency noun a country which is supported and governed by another country tame verb to make a wild animal tame to control something dangerous or powerful He'll need to tame his temper if he wants to succeed. tameable adjective someone who tames something that is wild, especially an animal a lion-tamer

Emma: Next up on the programme, Terry's here to tell us about the London Guitar Show Terry: That's right Emma. The London event's simply the largest public guitar show the world's ever seen. And for anyone who's been thinking of taking up the instrument, this is one event that simply can't be missed. E: Right, so fill us in on what exactly happens at the show, would you Terry! T: OK, well basically we're talking about a trade show - all the big-name manufacturers will be there - and smaller specialist ones that make wonderful hand-built instruments for the real professionals - so walking round you really can get close to the hottest guitars around, not to mention amplifiers and other gear. Then, on top of that, there's a 3000-seater auditorium where some of the world's greatest players will be popping in to perform - now I mean how cool is that? E: And any chance of, you know, a bit of hands-on action! T: Absolutely. These firms want to sell instruments, so they're happy for you to have a go, no matter how well you can play- so there's no need to be shy. E: Sounds great Terry ... so give us a few more details about. Man: Have you noticed how music fills our lives these days! I mean, I'm not talking about the stuff you listen to for pleasure or in the car, but the stuff you hear whether you want to or not when you're out shopping or in a restaurant. There are certain pieces of music I used to like and I cringe every time I hear them now because I've heard rubbish versions of them tinkling away in restaurants, shops or on the phone when I have to wait in a queue. Woman: I know what you mean - but background music has its place. I mean, who wants to sit in a completely quiet restaurant - especially if there aren't many people there it covers up the silence. Anyway, I'm quite a fan of background music. I have it on when I'm working on my computer at home. Classical music's meant to be best - Mozart or Bach apparently - It's meant to focus the mind. It's silence which is distracting because you notice all the little noises coming from outside. M: I don't agree. If you ask me, if you were really interested in the music, you'd listen to It. W: Not necessarily. Sometimes Man: So what did you think of it? Woman: Well, I think the CD's brilliant so I was prepared to be disappointed because these groups can't always get the same effects on stage as they do in the recording studio - you know, you get the noise, the excitement, but you lose the subtlety of the melodies and lyrics. But I couldn't have been more wrong. To my mind, it was every bit as good. M: Well, I generally prefer to see groups live actually - I really don't go for that kind of sanitised studio sound - it doesn't have the same edge - so I'd have been happier if they'd let go a bit - but you're right, they did stay pretty faithful to what's on the album. W: And the lead singer's voice is out of this world - I mean how does she hold those notes like that? I thought they could've done some new material though. Apart from one or two covers of rock standards, it was all tried and tested stuff. M: Oh well, that's what people come to hear - they are promoting their album after all. W: That's true I suppose - and they got a good reception from the audience generally, didn't they? M: They did.