manipulate

manipulate(v): to make someone think and behave exactly as you want them to, by skilfully deceiving or influencing them:

• He was one of those men who manipulated people.
• You have the constant feeling you are being manipulated.

manipulate somebody into (doing) something

• The thought that any parent would manipulate their child into seeking fame just appalled me.

to work skilfully with information, systems etc to achieve the result that you want:

• software designed to store and manipulate data
• You can integrate text with graphics and manipulate graphic images.

(medical) to move and press bones or muscles to remove pain in them

to use skill in moving or handling something:

• The workmen manipulated some knobs and levers.

—manipulation(noun)[uncountable]

• allegations of political manipulation
• manipulation of photographic images

What's the catch

• What's the catch?
• I smell a rat.

smell a rat:informal/to guess that something wrong or dishonest is happening

smell wrong/fishy/odd etc: informal/to seem dishonest or untrue

• The whole thing is beginning to smell fishy to me.

talk somebody into doing something / talk somebody out of doing something

talk somebody into doing something

• My husband talked me into going skiing.

talk somebody out of doing something

• Can't you talk them out of selling the house?
• No matter how much you try, you can never talk me out of it.

• I've never been able to talk my son into or out of anythings.
• answer: join the club / or / welcome the club

join the club/spoken/used to say that you and a lot of other people are in the same situation

• 'I'm having difficulty knowing what today's debate is about.' 'Join the club, Geoffrey.'

Stink

Stink(v) : to have a strong and very unpleasant smell:

• It stinks in here!

stink of

• His breath stank of alcohol.
• The toilets stank to high heaven (=stank very much).

(spoken)used to say that something is bad, unfair, dishonest etc:

• Don't eat there - the food stinks!
• The whole justice system stinks.

stink something out (phrasal verb)

to fill a place with a very unpleasant smell:

• Those onions are stinking the whole house out.

• It's sucks.

generation gap

generation gap (n)

the lack of understanding or the differences between older people and younger people

No money, no honey

No money, no honey

outright

outright (adj): clear and direct

• an outright refusal
• an outright attack on his actions
• you can find job outright.

complete and total:

• an outright victory
• an outright ban on the sale of tobacco

the outright winner/victor :someone who has definitely and easily won

allowance

allowance (n): [countable usually singular] an amount of money that you are given regularly or for a special purpose

a monthly/annual /new year allowance

• His father gives him a monthly allowance of £200.

allowance for

• Do you get an allowance for clothes?
• Sales staff get a generous mileage allowance or a company car.
• If you are entitled to sickness allowance, you must claim it from your employer.

off-the-cuff

an off-the-cuff remark, reply etc is one that you make without thinking about it first [= spontaneous]

• He tells a funny joke, off the cuff.

—off-the-cuff(adverb)

spontaneous (adj): something that is spontaneous has not been planned or organized, but happens by itself, or because you suddenly feel you want to do it:

• The crowd gave a spontaneous cheer.
• My spontaneous reaction was to run away.

-> someone who is spontaneous does things without planning them first - used to show approval

—spontaneously(adverb)

• She laughed spontaneously.

will+have+p.p

• I will have gone to Australia by 4 April.

will+have+p.p