Phrases & Expressions

To tell lies in a court of law after promising to tell the truth.

• The witness was later charged with committing perjury when video evidence contradicted her testimony.
• The judge reminded the witness that she would be committing perjury if she gave false evidence under oath.

To have the same opinion as another person or as a particular view.

• The second doctor concurred with her colleague's diagnosis and recommended surgery as soon as possible.
• The committee concurred with the auditors' conclusion that the project had been poorly managed.

To accept or seem to approve of violent behaviour that is morally wrong.

• The head teacher made it clear that the school would never condone violence of any kind.
• Critics accused the film of condoning violence by making the gang members look glamorous.

To die with no valid will, so that the law decides who receives your property.

• Writing a simple will prevents the legal complications that can arise when people die intestate.
• If you die intestate, your savings may not go to the people you would have chosen.

To receive praise and admiration from many people, especially experts or critics.

• The city's new recycling scheme has earned plaudits from environmental groups across the country.
• Her first novel earned plaudits from critics, although it sold relatively few copies.

To use good judgement about what to do or say, especially to avoid causing problems.

• Teachers must exercise discretion when sharing information about students' personal problems.
• Journalists should exercise discretion when reporting on accidents that involve young children and their families.

To state officially that someone was not responsible for something bad that happened.

• The official report exonerated the pilots from all blame, concluding that a technical fault caused the crash.
• The investigation exonerated the teacher from any blame for the accident during the school trip.

To praise the good qualities or advantages of something with great enthusiasm.

• Many nutritionists extol the virtues of a Mediterranean diet rich in vegetables, olive oil and fish.
• The brochure extols the virtues of studying abroad but says very little about the costs involved.

To consider something morally wrong and completely unacceptable.

• Testing cosmetics on animals is something many consumers find abhorrent, so a growing number of brands have stopped doing it.
• Child labour, which most societies now find abhorrent, was common in European factories in the nineteenth century.

A storyline that has been used so many times that it feels stale and predictable.

• Despite its impressive special effects, the film suffers from a hackneyed plot about a hero saving the world.
• Reviewers criticised the novel's hackneyed plot but praised the author's vivid descriptions of city life.