Lesson 49 The ideal servant

1. alive a.

They kept her alive on a life support machine.

The river was alive with birds...

2. air n./v.

We're poor and we never put on airs.

Tonight PBS will air a documentary called `Democracy In Action'.

He spoke on the radio, airing his views to the nation.

She hung her clothes up to air before she put them away.

Where they were going was left up in the air, a kind of mystery.

I can’t simply conjure up the money out of thin air.

The president went on the air to make a public statement.

3. domestic a.

...over 100 domestic flights a day to 15 UK destinations.

...sales in the domestic market.

...a plan for sharing domestic chores.

4. leisure a.

...a relaxing way to fill my leisure time.

...one of Britain's most popular leisure activities.

You will be able to stroll at leisure through the gardens...

He could read all the national papers at his leisure.

5. rambling a.

We bought a rambling (with an irregular shape) old house near the village.

His actions were accompanied by a rambling monologue...

6. sentimental a.

I'm trying not to be sentimental about the past...

Our paintings and photographs are of sentimental value...

7. be attached to

He had become attached to a student called Grant.

8. persist v.

Contact your doctor if the cough persists...

These problems persisted for much of the decade.

Why does Britain persist in running down its defence forces?...

He urged the United States to persist with its efforts to bring about peace...

9. lavish a./v.

...a lavish party to celebrate Bryan's fiftieth birthday...

Critics attack his lavish spending and flamboyant style...

The book drew lavish praise from literary critics.

American reviewers are lavish in their praise of this book...

He was always a lavish spender.

Prince Sadruddin lavished praise on Britain's contributions to world diplomacy...

10. preside v.

The PM presided over a meeting of his inner Cabinet...

11. shift v./n.

Attitudes to mental illness have shifted in recent years...

...a shift in government policy.

It was a vain attempt to shift the responsibility for the murder to somebody else...

He shifted the chair closer to the bed.

12. pursue v.

He said Japan would continue to pursue the policies laid down at the London summit...

pursue a policy of peace and order

Growth must not be pursued at the expense of environmental pollution.

I don’t want to pursue that question now.

The police pursued the wrong car.

13. enlightened a.

pious and enlightened men

14. fickle a.

The group has been notoriously fickle in the past.

The weather can be fickle.

15. unrelenting a.

the unrelenting pursuit of growth and industrial expansion

16. disillusion v./n.

I hate to disillusion him.

17. instruct v.

I’ve been instructed to take you to London.

He instructed family members in nursing techniques.

18. mumble v.

He mumbled his apologies for disturbing her.

19. trip v.

He tried to follow Jack's footsteps in the snow and tripped on a rock...

20. mirth n.

That caused considerable mirth amongst pupils and sports masters alike...

21. horrify v.

His family were horrified by the change.

...a crime trend that will horrify all parents.

→appal(l)  His ignorance appals me...

22. conceal v.

Five people were arrested for carrying concealed weapons.

She knew at once that he was concealing something from her.

23. dismiss v.

Mr Wakeham dismissed the reports as speculation...

...the power to dismiss civil servants who refuse to work...

She dismissed him from her mind.