Phrases & Expressions

To lose weight, especially by eating less or exercising more.

• Doctors advised him to shed some weight before the operation.
• Many people try to shed weight quickly before the summer, but crash diets rarely work.

To score by kicking, throwing or hitting the ball into the goal; in football 'score a goal' is more usual.

• In netball, only two players in each team are allowed to shoot a goal.
• The young striker shot two goals in the second half, and his team went through to the semi-final.

To let someone see, through your words or actions, that you love or care about them.

• Some people find it hard to show affection openly, even to their closest friends and family.
• Children whose parents regularly show affection tend to be more confident and cope better with stress.

To think about other people's feelings and needs and act in a way that respects them.

• Schools should teach children to show consideration for others, for example by keeping noise down in shared spaces.
• Passengers who play loud music on crowded trains clearly fail to show consideration for others.

To have qualities suggesting that someone or something will be very good or successful in the future.

• The research team's early results show great promise for treating the disease without surgery.
• Even at primary school, he showed great promise in mathematics and went on to study at a top university.

To raise your shoulders and drop them again to show you do not know or do not care.

• If a colleague shrugs their shoulders every time you ask for help, it may be time to talk to your manager.
• She shrugged her shoulders as if to say it made no difference to her which restaurant we chose.

To make a formal written agreement with another country in order to end a war.

• After years of difficult negotiations, the two neighbouring countries finally signed a peace treaty and reopened their border.
• Neither side was willing to sign a peace treaty until all prisoners of war had been returned.

To add your name to a document in which many people ask a government or organisation to change something.

• More than 200,000 people signed a petition calling for free school meals for all primary pupils.
• If you are worried about the plan to close the library, you can sign the petition online.

So bad or wrong that it cannot be allowed or tolerated in any way.

• Waiting six months for a routine hospital appointment is simply unacceptable in a wealthy country.
• The manager told staff that being rude to customers was simply unacceptable and would lead to dismissal.

To reduce prices by a large amount, often suddenly.

• Retailers slashed prices by up to 70 per cent in an attempt to sell off their winter stock.
• If airlines slash their prices, more people will fly, which is bad news for the environment.