Chapter6 Ⅵ~Ⅳ

Words & Expressions

1.desultory

General Macarthur and the judge had been pacing the terrace outside, exchanging desultory comments on the political situation.

explanation: formal done without any particular plan or purpose

e.g. They talked briefly in a desultory manner.

2. fraught with difficulties

My dear lady, in my experience of ill-doing, Providence leaves the work of conviction and chastisement to us mortals - and the process is often fraught with difficulties.

explanation: full of problem etc

e.g. Their marriage has been fraught with difficulties

3.spill the beans

Then, last night, some unknown lunatic spills the beans.

explanation: informal to tell something that someone else wanted you to keep a secret

4.crack

The woman cracks - she goes to pieces.

explanation: to be unable to continue doing something because there is too much pressure and you do not have the mental strength to continue

e.g. He cracked under interrogation and confessed.

5.hang over

Notice how her husband hung over her as she was coming round.

explanation: if something bad is hanging over you, you are worried or anxious about it

e.g. It's not very nice to have huge debts hanging over your head.

6.rake up

But if the whole thing's going to be raked up, what's going to happen?

explanation: to talk about something from the past that people would prefer you not to mention

e.g. It upsets Dad when that story is raked up again.

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Good sentences

He was like a cat on hot bricks. Scared out of his life as to what she might say.

She hasn't got the nerve to stand up and brazen it out. She's a living danger to her husband, that's what she is.

It was such a contrast to his restraint of a few minutes ago that Armstrong was quite taken aback.