Phrases & Expressions

To increase faster and faster, so that the amount becomes extremely large very quickly.

• The number of internet users grew exponentially during the first decade of this century.
• Without strict controls, the number of infections can grow exponentially within just a few weeks.

A disagreement between people or groups that is becoming more serious and dividing them.

• A growing rift between the two founders eventually led them to split the company into two separate businesses.
• Observers have noticed a growing rift between younger and older members of the union over pay demands.

To reach an agreement after long and difficult discussions.

• The two governments spent months hammering out a deal on fishing rights.
• Lawyers for both companies worked through the weekend to hammer out a deal before the markets opened.

Glaring colours that tire the eyes and feel unpleasant or cheap.

• The website was hard to read because of its harsh colours and tiny font.
• The hospital replaced the harsh colours in the children's ward with softer greens and blues.

To remember something only vaguely and without clear details.

• I have a hazy memory of reading about this theory at university, but I can't remember who proposed it.
• Because the accident happened so fast, several witnesses had only a hazy memory of what they had seen.

To have a strong, attractive character that makes people want to be near you.

• Successful politicians often have a magnetic personality that draws voters to them.
• Our new teacher has such a magnetic personality that even the quietest students want to join her classes.

To have a speech problem that makes you repeat sounds or stop often when you talk.

• As a child he had a stammer, but speech therapy helped him become a confident public speaker.
• People who have a stammer often find job interviews and phone calls especially stressful.

To help people feel calmer, healthier or happier.

• Many people find that gardening has a therapeutic effect, helping them forget about the stresses of work.
• Doctors increasingly recognise that spending time in nature can have a therapeutic effect on patients with depression.

To feel a strong, often sad wish for something you do not have or have lost.

• Living abroad, he often had a yearning for his mother's cooking and the sound of his own language.
• Teenagers who have a yearning for independence often clash with their parents over rules.

To harm something or change it in a negative way.

• Long working hours can have an adverse effect on both the physical and mental health of employees.
• Scientists are testing whether the new pesticide has any adverse effects on bees and other insects.