Words and Expressions

escalate v.（cause sth to）increase or develop by successive stages；become or make（sth）more intense（使某事物）逐步增长或发展；（使某事物）更紧张

classy adj.（informal）fashionable and expensive；elegant and fashionable时尚而昂贵的，上乘的，优等的

renown adj.～（as/for sth）famous；celebrated着名的；有声望的

gorgeous adj.［usu attrib］（esp rhet尤作修辞）richly coloured；magnificent绚丽的；辉煌的；壮丽的

ascend v.（fml）go or come up（sth）上升；升高

glamorous adj.having an air of allure，romance and excitement迷人的，富有魅力的

gut（also gut feeling）n.（slang）innermost emotional or visceral response；intuition直觉；本能的反应

propose v.～（sth）（to sb）suggest or offer marriage（to sb），esp formally（向某人）求婚（尤指正式地）

quash v.put an end to（sth）；suppress or crush制止（某事物）；镇压；捣碎

sushi n.a Japanese dish that consists of small cakes of cooked rice served with raw fish；rice（with raw fish）wrapped in seaweed寿司（生鱼片冷饭团）

buffet n.counter where food and drink may be bought and consumed，esp in a railway station or on a train饮食柜台（尤指火车站或火车内的）

be at odds（with sb）（over/on sth）:be disagreeing or quarrelling（with sb）（about sth）（与某人）（在某事上）不和，争吵

fancy adj.not plain or ordinary；unusual有装饰的；不寻常的；精致的

ultimate adj.（infml）that cannot be surpassed or improved upon；greatest无法超越的；极好的；最大的

helm v.direct；steer指导，为……掌舵

maverick n.person with independent or unorthodox views持独立见解者；持异议者

footlocker n.a large box for keeping personal possessions in，especially one that is placed at the end of a bed（用于存放私人物件的）床脚箱，床脚柜

tackiness n.tastelessness by virtue of being cheap and vulgar俗气，没品位

crass adj.（fml derog文，贬）［attrib作定语］complete；very great；utter完全的；十足的；彻头彻尾的

commercialism n.（used to show disapproval）the principle or practice of being more concerned with making money from buying and selling goods than you are about their quality商业主义，盈利主义

highbrow adj.highly cultured or educated高雅的；学术性的；高深难懂的

eponymous adj.［only before noun］being or relating to or bearing the name of an eponym；named after sth else or deriving from an existing name or word齐名的，与……同名的

the likes of sb/sth:（infml）a similar person or thing类似的人或物

showcase v.diplay；present（sth）to the its best advantage展示

development n.［C］piece of land with new buildings on it新近建造了房屋的一块土地；新开发地

wattage n.［singular，U］the power of a piece of electrical equipment，measured in watts瓦特数，瓦数

singular adj.outstanding；remarkable突出的；非凡的

posh adj.（infml）（elegant or luxurious；smart精美的；豪华的；漂亮的

nosh v.（sl俚esp Brit）eat吃

stew n.（dish of）stewed meat，vegetables，etc炖菜

obscure v.make（sth）obscure；hide（sb/sth）from view使（某事物）不分明；遮掩（某人/某事物）

fervently adv.with passionate fervor热心地，热忱地

chowhound n.（slang）a person who eats food in large quantities or with great gusto；glutton贪吃的人

affront n.（usu sing）～（to sb/sth）deliberately insulting or disrespectful remark，action，etc，esp in public（尤指当众）故意侮辱，有意冒犯

oxymoron n.a deliberate combination of two words that seem to mean the opposite of each other，such as“cruel kindness”；conjoining contradictory terms（as in“deafening silence”）矛盾修辞法

profile v.write a profile or make a brief description of（sb/sth）写（某人/某事物）的简介

full-blown adj.［only before noun］having all the qualities of something that is at its most complete or advanced stage成熟的；充分发展的

impersonal adj.（usu derog通常作贬义）not influenced by，showing or involving human feelings不受个人情感影响的；冷淡的；没有人情味的；不牵涉个人感情的

realm n.（fig比喻）field of activity or interest；sphere（活动或兴趣的）领域，范围

wayward adj.not easily controlled or guided；childishly headstrong or capricious不易管教的；不听话的；像孩子般任性的

bend n.curve or turn，esp in a road，racecourse，river，etc弯，拐角（尤指道路、赛场跑道、河流等）

taint v.［esp passive］～（sth）（with sth）affect sth with a taint（坏的因素）影响某事物

sequester v.（fml）～（sb/oneself）（from sth）keep sb/oneself away or apart from other people；seclude使……与他人分开或隔离；使隔绝

taco n.a type of Mexican food made from a corn tortilla that is folded in half and filled with meat，beans etc墨西哥煎玉米卷

booth n.small，usu temporary，stall where goods are sold or displayed at a market，a fair or an exhibition售货摊；摊位

smoothie n.a thick drink made of fruit and fruit juices mixed together，sometimes with ice，milk，or yoghurt鲜果奶昔

vanilla n.tropical orchid with sweet-smelling flowers香子兰（香精的主要提取物）

cinnamon n.［U］spice made from the inner bark of a SE Asian tree桂皮

waft v.（cause sth to）be carried lightly and smoothly（as if）through the air（使某物）（似）在空中飘流、飘浮或飘荡

upscale adj.appropriate for people with good incomes；（of goods or services）expensive，of good quality and intended to appeal to people in a high social class高档的，高端的

bistro n.mall restaurant小餐馆

grill（also grill-room）n.room in a hotel or restaurant where such dishes are cooked and served（旅馆或饭店的）烤肉餐室

establishment n.［C］（fml or joc文或谑）（premises of a）business organization or large institution商业机构或大型机关（的房屋建筑）

free-standing adj.standing apart；not attached to or supported by anything else独立的，非附属的

legitimize v.make something that is unfair or morally wrong seem acceptable and right认为……正当，认可，批准

hermetically adv.in an airtight manner密封地

sprawling adj.spreading over a wide area in an untidy or unattractive way蔓生的，不规则地伸展的

microcosm n.thing or being regarded as representing the universe，or mankind，on a small scale；miniature representation（of a system，etc）小天地；小宇宙；微观世界；缩影

grip n.（fig比喻）gripping power；attraction吸引力

taboo n.（in certain cultures）ban or prohibition on sth that is regarded for religious or other reasons as not to be done，touched，used，etc（某些文化的）禁忌，忌讳；［C］（fig比喻）general agreement not to discuss or to do sth不涉及某事物之一致作法

obliterate v.（fml）remove；destroy（sth）completely除掉；彻底破坏或毁灭

backlash n.a strong negative reaction by a number of people against recent events，especially against political or social developments强烈反应，强烈抵制

stellar adj.［esp attrib］（fml）of a star or stars星的；星球的

exorbitant adj.（fml）（of a price，charge，etc）much too high or great；unreasonable（指价格、索价等）过高的，过分的，不合理的

overhead n.the operating expenses of a business，including the costs of rent，utilities，interior decoration，and taxes，exclusive of labor and materials日常运作经费