Unit 9

across the board

if something happens across the board, it affects everyone or everything that could be involved, not just a few

back to the drawing board

you say back to the drawing board to mean that you have to plan a course of action again, but differently, because the first attempt failed badly

chunk

a chunk of something is quite a large piece of i

exquisite

something that is exquisite is extremely beautiful and delicate

gem

gems are precious stones, such as diamonds, emeralds, rubies, etc

go overboard

if you go overboard, you do something in a very enthusiastic way that is much more extreme than it needs to be

inhospitable

somewhere that is inhospitable has conditions that are very difficult for people to survive in

on board

if someone or something is on board, they are on the deck of or inside a ship

resist

If you resist something you don't want or that might cause you harm, you try to stop it from happening or from having a bad effect on you

scatter

if something scatters people or things, it makes them move away and spread out over a wide area

spice

spices are plants whose leaves or seeds have a strong taste and that are added to food to give a nice flavour

staggering

a staggering amount or quantity is surprisingly large

take on board

if you take on board an idea, suggestion, or piece of advice, you think about and use it to change or improve something you are doing

tide

the tide is the regular movement of the sea as the level of water rises and then comes back down again

ash

ash is the grey or black powder that remains after something has been burned in flames

drought

a drought is a period of time when there is no rain, causing problems because plants cannot grow properly and because there is not enough drinking water available

erupt

when a volcano erupts, a lot of hot rocks, steam, and lava (melted rocks) come out of the top of it with a lot of force