Success and failure – English vocabulary
33 words · English vocabulary · Created by OpenQuiz Team
33 English words with meanings: black mark, bomb, come off, do something about something, exert pressure on… Study them with flashcards, quizzes and AI…
Part of the learning path: Vocabulary in Daily Life - Advance
Word list
- black mark /,blæk 'mɑ:rk/ (phrase) — a sign of shame or failure
Example:That mistake left a black mark on his record.
Synonyms: stain, shame, blot - bomb /bɑ:m/ (noun) — a complete failure that does not succeed
Example:The new product was a bomb at the market.
Synonyms: failure, flop, disaster - come off /keɪm ɒf/ (phrase) — to succeed or happen as planned
Example:Her plan came off perfectly.
Synonyms: succeed, work out, go as planned - do something about something /du: 'sʌmθɪŋ ə'baʊt 'sʌmθɪŋ/ (phrase) — To take action to solve a problem.
Example:We need to do something about the leak.
Synonyms: take action, deal with it, fix it - exert pressure on /ɪɡ'zɜ:rt 'prɛʃər ɑ:n/ (phrase) — to strongly force someone or something to act or change
Example:The government exerted pressure on the company.
Synonyms: pressure, push, influence - flop /flɑ:p/ (noun) — a complete failure, especially in entertainment
Example:The movie was a flop at the box office.
Synonyms: failure, bomb, dud - get things sorted (out) /ɡet θɪŋz 'sɔ:rtɪd aʊt/ (phrase) — solve problems and make things organized
Example:Let's get things sorted out today.
Synonyms: fix, resolve, organize - give someone the benefit of the doubt give the go-ahead for /ɡɪv 'sʌmwʌn ðə 'bɛnɪfɪt əv ðə daʊt/ (phrase) — to decide to trust someone and not judge them harshly
Example:I gave him the benefit of the doubt.
Synonyms: trust, assume good faith, give a chance - keep a resolution /ki:p ə ,rɛzə'lu:ʃən/ (phrase) — to continue following a firm decision you made for yourself
Example:He kept his resolution to exercise daily.
Synonyms: stay disciplined, follow through, stick to it - make a resolution /meɪk ə ,rɛzə'lu:ʃən/ (phrase) — to decide firmly to do something in the future
Example:She made a resolution to read more books.
Synonyms: decide firmly, resolve, set a goal - matter of life and death /'mætər əv laɪf ænd dɛθ/ (phrase) — so important that it could decide whether someone lives or dies
Example:Getting him to the hospital was a matter of life and death.
Synonyms: critical issue, urgent matter, life-or-death situation - obstacle /'ɑbstəkəl/ (noun) — something that stands in the way of progress
Example:A flat tire was an obstacle to our trip.
Synonyms: barrier, hindrance, block - obstructive /əb'strʌktɪv/ (adjective) — causing delay or making progress harder
Example:The new rules were obstructive to progress.
Synonyms: hindering, impeding, blocking - reap what you sowed /ri:p wʌt ju: soʊd/ (phrase) — to get the results of your own actions, especially bad ones
Example:If you lie, you may reap what you sowed.
Synonyms: face the consequences, get what you deserve - recover /rɪ'kʌvər/ (verb) — to get better after being weak, sick, or unsuccessful
Example:Sales began to recover after the slump.
Synonyms: improve, bounce back, pick up - restrictive practice /rɪ'strɪktɪv 'præktɪs/ (phrase) — a rule or action that limits competition or free business
Example:The law was criticized as a restrictive practice.
Synonyms: limiting rule, restraint, constraint - rock-bottom /,rɑ:k 'bɑ:təm/ (adjective) — At the lowest possible level or price.
Example:We found the product at a rock-bottom price.
Synonyms: lowest, minimum, cheapest - roll in it /roʊl ɪn ɪt/ (idiom) — very rich and living in great comfort
Example:After selling the company, he was rolling in it.
Synonyms: very rich, loaded - sail through /,seɪl θru:/ (phrase) — to pass a test or task very easily
Example:She sailed through the interview.
Synonyms: pass easily, glide through, get through easily - score an own goal /,skɔ:r ən oʊn ɡoʊl/ (phrase) — to accidentally harm your own side or cause your own failure
Example:His mistake scored an own goal for the team.
Synonyms: backfire, harm yourself, shoot yourself in the foot - share portfolio /ʃeər pɔ:rt'foʊlioʊ/ (noun) — a group of investments in different company shares
Example:Her share portfolio is full of safe investments.
Synonyms: investment portfolio, stock portfolio - shark /ʃɑ:rk/ (noun) — a greedy, ruthless person who takes advantage of others, especially in money matters
Example:He acted like a shark in the stock market.
Synonyms: speculator, trader, investor - skint /skɪnt/ (adjective) — having no money
Example:I'm skint until payday.
Synonyms: broke, penniless - spend /spɛnd/ (verb) — to use money to buy or pay for things
Example:I need to spend less this month.
Synonyms: pay, use money - split the bill /splɪt ðə bɪl/ (phrase) — to divide the cost equally among people
Example:Let's split the bill after dinner.
Synonyms: share the cost, go Dutch, divide the bill - state ownership /steɪt 'oʊnərʃɪp/ (noun) — ownership of businesses or property by the government
Example:The company was brought under state ownership.
Synonyms: nationalization, government ownership - stew in your own juice /stju: ɪn jɔ:r oʊn dʒu:s/ (idiom) — To suffer the bad results of your own actions.
Example:If you lie, you may have to stew in your own juice.
Synonyms: face the consequences, suffer the results, pay the price - stick something on (a credit card) /stɪk 'sʌmθɪŋ ɒn (ə 'krɛdɪt kɑ:d)/ (phrase) — buy something by charging it to a credit card
Example:I had to stick the dinner on my credit card.
Synonyms: charge to, put on - stock market /stɒk 'mɑ:rkɪt/ (noun) — the place where company shares are bought and sold
Example:The stock market fell sharply today.
Synonyms: share market, equity market - stocks and shares /stɒks ənd ʃeəz/ (noun) — company ownership pieces that can be bought and sold
Example:She invests in stocks and shares every month.
Synonyms: shares, equities
…and 3 more words in this set.
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